Peter Bjorn and John @ Bowery Ballroom

Good show last night, or a painfully mediocre one?

It depends who you ask. A lot of bloggers out there slammed the final NYC show by PB & J, making plenty of hay over a lethargic crowd and the multiple missteps by this talented but unpolished band. Within hours, disgruntled concert goers were posting nasty reactions to the show. Brooklyn Vegan, whose posts I enjoy, barely saved himself from calling the show a "total disaster," adding that he thought it was the consensus among the unhappy patrons as they shuffled out into the falling snow. He lightened up a bit, but the sentiment was clearly there: the crowd, maybe hung over from the hype and expectations, just sucked, plain and simple, and it affected the band. I enjoyed it, despite the uninterested pockets lodged in the crowd, and am only disappointed I didn't get to see them play in front of the more charged up audiences of Sunday and Monday nights' shows.

Clearly their shortcomings last night were linked to the crowd, which was composed of those who had waited months to see PB & J and those who had shown up to see the current "it" band. That combination ruined the evening's chemistry, and as a result, the band played somewhat distracted and oftentimes sloppy. But was that enough to ruin the entire show?


I say fuck all that. What was rough around the edges was soft and creamy on the inside. What really matters is the music, and for the most part, PB & J did not disappoint. Granted, there were mistakes, but the music still came through pretty much the way you might expect from a young band playing in the US for the first time (The Fork has an interview with them today.)

Highlights included reworked versions of many of the best tracks off Writer's Block, including a terrific version of "The Chills," a awesomely loud version of "Object of My Affection" and a percussion-less "Amsterdam," which Bjorn, in his only solo, totally effed up the lyrics to (I filmed part of the debacle and you can watch it here.) But the highlight was their 10-minute rendition of "Up Against the Wall," which they proved, convincingly, that while they are today's pop heroes, they can drop the hammer and rock out as well.

Monday, Monday

On the music front...

• With great anticipation for tomorrow night's show at the Bowery, here is a (very) brief and somewhat lame interview with Peter of Peter Bjorn and John from CUNY's Web site. The most revealing tidbit:


"It's hard to categorize PB&J's sound, but if I had to give it a shot, I would say if Depeche Mode hung out with Clap Your Hands Say Yeah this is what would emerge. Peter says that in terms of their musical influences, it is 'hard to just name a few names because we just like good songs. But if I would have to pick one name I'd say Velvet Underground.' "

There is also this story and some pics of a secret show last night in Brooklyn. Hopefully I'll have photos from tomorrow's show up on Wednesday morning.

And a flurry of Red Sox rumblings to report, but does it really mean anything?

• Schilling says he will play in 2008, but it is not clear yet for whom. "Where I'm going to play beyond 2007, I hope it's Boston, but I will go out and find a home to pitch,” he said. “I hope it's here but there's also that possibility [of pitching for another team]."

Do they teach athletes how to be vague? Although, he does go on the record saying he "couldn't" ever play for the Yankees. Hmmm...

• Todd Helton playing first base at Fenway - a good idea or a bad one? His power has dropped significantly (even at Coors) in the last two seasons and he has now become injury prone. Steroids? Probably not, but regardless, I don't like his big contract. Right now, he is putting up marginally better numbers than Mike Lowell. Why not just stick with Lowell in the 5-hole and let Drew bat second? If they do get him, I hope it is Manny Delcarmen they get rid of rather than Hansen, who, if properly developed, could be a solid closer.

In his blog today, ESPN's Buster Olney reports: "The Rockies apparently will make this trade if Manny Delcarmen is included. If Boston wants Helton -- and it seems that the Red Sox do want him, because they would be on the hook for about $50 million of the $90.1 million owed to him in salary over the next six seasons -- it's hard to imagine that they would let the inclusion of Delcarmen be the deal-breaker. Or maybe the Red Sox are reading the Rockies as being so desperate to get out from a lot of Helton's contract that they will eventually be willing to take anything for him. We'll see."

Also, Eric Karabell weighs in on the fantasy impact of a Helton trade, and if you have ESPN Insider, you can read it here.

• Quite Frankly, I am way beyond being tired of Roger Clemens, whose ego and notion of his self-importance has spiraled way out of control. In an interview with the Daily Texan, Clemens spouts off on how everyone must now bow to him in order for him to throw another pitch in the Majors.

My favorite quote: "If somebody makes a phone call, and I think I can do it again physically, I probably could. The only reason why I'd continued to play was because of my teammates calling me. Guys made the phone call to get me back out of the house to play."

So, Theo, Larry, John, et al, if you really want Clemens in a Sox uni this season, get on the horn! Start calling Eric Hinske! Start calling Jonathan Papelbon! get them to call the Rocket and kiss his fat ass enough to "get out of the house" and play. After all, Clemens, 44, "is one of baseball's hottest free agents" - even if he will only play for half a season.

Wednesday Notes: Fake reporters, fahgedaboutit...

Hump Day, So Let's Hump...


• Pitchers, catchers, you have three weeks to get your asses to Florida or Arizona. Meanwhile, they are still playing Beisbol in the Caribbean (Although, I think Dave Parker has since retired). Among this week's highlights (including a near brawl when former Sox pitcher Jeremi Gonzalex tried a flying kick during an exchange with a hitter) Miguel Cabrera, my early pick for NL MVP, hit a home run yesterday.

• Are the pitchers and catchers reporting to Phillies camp thinking what J-Roll is thinking? I hope so.

• My plan for writing about baseball better not go down this path.

• RIP Disco D, who apparently committed suicide early yesterday morning. For those who are unfamiliar with his work, listen to some 50 Cent, Spank Rock and other well established hip hop acts to hear his grime-bass sound. And for a good laugh, there is always this truly inspired production.

Players to watch in 2007: 3B

Finding a third baseman who put up big power numbers in 2006 is not difficult. Last season, there were 20 third basemen who hit 20 or more home runs, and a handful who fell just short of the 20-homer plateau. Ty Wiggington hit 24 home runs, for God's sake.

But third is still a position for baseball royalty, statistically speaking: Alex Rodriguez (how it pains me to write it), David Wright, Aramis Ramirez, Troy Glaus and Eric Chavez are but a few. But there is a new crop of young third basemen who should make a big splash in 2007. Here are five, in no particular order, that should soon become household names.

• GARRETT ATKINS •
Colorado Rockies

You gotta love playing in Colorado, where a broken-bat pop-up just may land in the center field bleachers. The Rockies are where hitters go to become Babe Ruth and pitchers go to become unemployed. For hitters, with the sun setting behind the mountains on warm summer evening, Coors Field must look a lot like heaven.

Just ask Todd Helton. Or better yet, ask Atkins, who took advantage of the elevated location of his home park to hammer out a strong season that saw him near the top of almost every offensive category. After a nice little rookie season in 2005 (.289 BA, 13 HRs, 89 RBI), Atkins took a big step forward in 2006: .329 BA, 198 hits, 48 2Bs, 29 HRs, 120 RBI, .409 OBP. It was good enough to land him in a 15th place tie with teammate Matt Holliday in the NL MVP voting.

Ah, and now he enters his fabled "27" year, the age most prognoticators say hitters reach their prime. Now entrenched in a solid Colorado lineup that feature four .300 hitters and plenty of power, Atkins should continue to build on his success. With a great batting eye (Atkins BB/K ratio was an exceptional 79/76) and an ability to hit away from Coors field (14 of his 29 HRs were on the road, to go along with a .313 average), he could even contend for a triple crown.

Hey, it's Colorado. You never know.

• MARK TEAHEN •
Kansas City Royals

Perhaps no hitter in the majors turned their season around last year more impressively than Mark Teahen. Once a prized draft pick of the Oakland A's (and of Moneyball fame), Teahen jumped to the majors in 2005, but struggled mightily against major league pitching. He hit .246 while striking out 107 in 447 at-bats. His power numbers were also weak: seven home runs with a .376 slugging percentage.

And things continued on that track last year, when he finished April with a .219 average, two home runs and a woeful .271 on-base percentage. Only five games into May, the Royals brass had seen enough and sent him back to the minors to work on one of his most glaring weaknesses: pitch selection. Teahen had never been one to take a walk, and his on-base percentage was awful because of it.

But while a month in Omaha may sound like purgatory for the rest of us, Teahen used it to turn his career around. He came back in June to hit .305 for the month, raising his average from .195 to .252. In July, he exploded, hitting .319 with seven home runs and a robust .442 on-base percentage. More importantly, he walked 20 times in July (half of his 2005 total!) and had nine multi-hit games. He continued hitting in August, batting .317 for the month with five three-hit games and two four-hit games.

But it all ended on Sept. 6, when Teahen opted to have season-ending surgery on a torn labrum in his right shoulder. His final stats in 109 games: 393 AB, 114 hits, 18 HR, 69 RBI, 10 SB, .292 AVG.

Given a healthy recovery from surgery, I expect Teahen to emerge as a star this year. Whether he remains at third base, that is another story...

• RYAN ZIMMERMAN •
Washington Nationals

It's hard to remain unnoticed when you drive in 110 runs in your rookie year when you are only 21 and have not played any minor league ball, but Zimmerman is still considered one of those under the radar guys. Why? Maybe it is because he has played only one year in the majors. Maybe it is because he plays in the NL East, where David Wright and Miguel Cabrera hog all the hot corner attention (maybe Zimmerman would emerge from the shadows if USAir named a shuttle out of Reagan National after him). Maybe it is because, like the Expos, nobody really gives a crap about the Nationals.

Whatever the reason, his anonymity will soon be a thing of the past. After drafting Zimmerman out of UVA in the 2005 draft, the Nationals last year were rewarded with a stellar first season from their prized third baseman: .287 AVG., 176 hits, 20 HR, 110 RBI, .419 OBP. Had it not been for Hanley Ramirez and four measly votes, Zimmerman would be your reigning NL Rookie of the Year.

At only 22, he now must handle the pressure of both fighting off a sophomore slump while emerging as the clubhouse leader everyone in Capitol City wants him to become. A natural born hitter who uses the expansive RFK Stadium outfield to his advantage, expect Zimmerman to step up to the challenges. They say young hitters parlay doubles into home runs as they develop, and if that is true, Zimmerman should convert some of his 47 doubles in 2006 into round-trippers this year. A 30+ home run season should be around the corner, given the Nationals find someone to protect him in the lineup.

• WILSON BETEMIT •
Los Angeles Dodgers

Just give this kid a chance! It seems to me the Braves, who once thought the world of Betemit, gave up on him too soon by trading him to the Dodgers. He always projected to hit huge home runs, and was once one of Saint Peter Gammons' favorite prospects. He seemed destined to become the next Aramis Ramirez or, at the very least, resemble a previous Ddoger third base prospect, Adrian Beltre.

And it kind of looked like he would. In limited at bats in 2005, Betemit hit .305 with four home runs. With more playing time and natural development, he projected to hit for a healthy average and resepectable power numbers. But the Braves mostly used him off the bench in a pinch hitting role, and looking ofr pitching, eventually traded Betemit to LA for Danys Baez in August.

Combined with his stats from Atlanta, Betemit finished the season with 18 HRs, 53 RBI and a .263 BA. Now the projected full-time 3B in Dodgerville, he should greatly improve those numbers. He is 26, just about to enter his prime, and could pull a Beltre and jump from mediocrity to a 40+ home run season.

• MIGUEL CABRERA •
Florida Marlins

Cabrera doesn't really belong on this list because everyone aleady knows about him, and the only reason why he is has more to do with me wanting to gush over not only his statistics but about his potential, which seems practically limitless. Remember, Cabrera is only 23 and has already had THREE seasons with at least 112 RBI. He helped beat the Yankees in the 2003 World Series as a 20-year old. He has never hit lower than .294, and last season, he saw his OBP soar 55 points to .430.

Which is all a way of saying this kid is a monster in the making, and one of these days he is going to put a season that defies explanation. I thought he might take a step back last year after the Marlins' front office got rid of everybody not named Cabrera and started a lineup full of rookies, but he responded with his most impressive performace yet, hitting .339 while simultaneously increasing his walk total and reducing his strikeouts. It was another step towards some as yet imaginary season where he hit 45 HRs, drives in 140 runs and hits .350.

And it could happen in 2007.

American League East: House of the Rising Sun

So I could sit here and brag about the many accuracies and similarities in my playoff simulations compared to what actually happened on Saturday and Sunday, but I know you are already impressed. And don't worry, I'll be simulating the Pats-Colts and Saints-Bears soon enough. But for now, I want to talk some baseball.

More specifically, Japanese baseball players coming to America. Three new Japanese players expected to make significant impacts are starting their MLB careers this year, throwing themselves into the boiling cauldron of the AL East. We all know about Daisuke Matsuzaka, but what impacts will Kei Igawa and Akinori Iwamura have? Who are Kei Igawa and Akinori Iwamura you ask?

• Akinori Iwamura •
Tampa Bay Devil Rays
Third Base

Iwamura may not have received even a quarter of the fanfare Matsuzaka, Hideki Matsui or Ichiro received when they hopped the Pacific to play ball in America, but that does not mean Iwamura is an afterthought. This slugging third baseman averaged 35 home runs over the past three years for the Yakult Swallows, and at only 27, is just entering his prime. He is currently the leading candidate to take over the hot corner now that Aubrey Huff is gone. Talented but slow-to-develop prospect B.J. Upton is Iwamura's biggest obstacle to being an everyday player.

But what to expect of Iwamura in terms of power numbers? While there is no way to really know how well he will translate, looking at how Matsui, Kenji Johjima, Ichiro and even White Sox second basbeman Tadahito Iguchi fared in their first season in America is a good place to start. Each player came to the States established stars in Japan, backed by gaudy numbers. Matsui cranked 50 home runs in his last Japanese League season, Johjima had three 30+ home run seasons under his belt when he left for Seattle, Iguchi averaged 20-25 home runs a season and even Ichiro, who already had established himself as the most popular ball player since Sadahara Oh, had several seasons with over 20 round-trippers.

But while stars in Japan, these four hitters needed time to adjust, and you can bet Iwamura will too. Matsui brought a 50-home run season to Yankee Stadium, but that power was somewhat lost in translation, and he settled for only 16 HRs in his first year. His RBI totals, however, did not suffer, and he finished with a respectable .287 average. Johjima hit an impressive 18 home runs in his first season, Iguchi hit 15 and 18 in his first two seasons and Ichiro has averaged eight a season and peaked two years ago at 15 (although, some say he chooses not to hit home runs, and that if he wanted, he could knock out 25 annually).

So while you shouldn't expect Iwamura to hit 44 home runs or drive in 103 runs, like he did in 2004, I would not be surprised if he hit 23 home runs and drove in 71, like he did in 2002 at the age of 23. And factoring in that he will also hit in perhaps the toughest division in baseball and have to face, on a regular basis, the likes of Matsuzaka, Mike Mussina, Curt Schilling, Roy Halladay, Chien-Ming Wang, Andy Pettitte, Josh Beckett, A.J. Burnett and perhaps even Roger Clemens, it would be quite an accomplishment if he hit over .300.

• Kei Igawa •
New York Yankees
Starting Pitcher

If Jose Contreras and Javier Vasquez were still Yankees, the Bombers could truly boast having maybe the most intriguingly International pitching staff ever. Not that Igawa's addition doesn't help them move towards that distinction, but think about it: The rotation alone would feature an American, Puerto Rican, Cuban, Taiwanese and Japanese. They would have to relocate the United Nations to the Bronx.

But I digress. Igawa is intriguing on several levels, not the least being the fact that hs is the first Japanese pitcher the Yanks have gone after since Steinbrenner all but ran "fat toad" Hideki Irabu out of the Majors. With that failed experiment far enough behind them, the Yankees are hoping Igawa can fill in the bullpen (he is a lefty) or provide insurance for Carl Pavano should he not be ready to occupy the fifth spot in the rotation. As a starter for the Hanshin Tigers last year, "Iron Nerves" went 13-9 with a 3.11 ERA, and he went 20-5 with a 2.80 ERA only three years ago. With numbers like that, expect to see a lot of Igawa next season toeing the mound for NY.

• Digging around the old www the other day, I found an interesting thread from 2001 about Daisuke Matsuzaka. Take a look - it was extremely positive (the writer could not be any more effusive) and while it was written by an obviously smitten baseball fan, it got me thinking: I wonder if Esptein & Co. read this? After all, they may have been more inclined to throw $103 million at someone who garners such praise like:

"For the first time since... well, since ever ... the shabbier league has a star to rival anyone on the Giants or anybody else in the prestigious Central League. Ichiro, Nomo, Ochiai, Nomura, Kaneda -- you can go back into Pacific League lore as far as you want -- there has never been anyone with the glitz of Matsuzaka."

Around the Horn

Some Friday news and notes...

• The countdown to pitchers and catchers is officially on (32 days), and hot stoves are heating up. ESPN has begun its annual tour around the Majors, and Tim Kurkjian starts it off with a nice look at Fenway (I love the CITGO anecdote).

• The more things change, the more they stay the same.

• Tick Tock already!

• Does the addition of former Red Sox pitcher Jeff Suppan (right) make the Brewers real contenders in the NL this year? Who cares? I care! Go Brew Crew!

• Oh yeah, some British guy is coming to America. His arrival reminds me of another foreigner who went to Hollywood.

• Speaking of Hollywood, the Dodgers front office has launched a new plan apparently aimed at producing as much right field bleacher vomit as possible. What's next, a hot dog eating contest during the seventh inning stretch?!

• Clap Your Hands Say Yeah's new album hits digital markets on Tuesday (and is available on CD Jan. 30), and the Wall Street Journal has taken notice of this DIY indie band who sold 122,000 copies of its first self-produced full-length. But as much as I enjoyed the first CYHSY, I am not in love with what I have heard so far from "Some Loud Thunder." We'll see.

• I am in love with Neko Case, however.

• Meanwhile, sit back, relax and take a load off...

Sim City: Pt. II

After yesterday's blowouts (see below), today's games were much closer, and with somewhat unexpected outcomes. I say unexpected because A) Everyone in the world expects Rex Grossman to suck (and he didn't!) B) Everyone in the world thinks the Ravens are overrated (and the won!!!) and C) Everyone in the world thinks Peyton Manning can't win in the playoffs (Oh wait, never mind C.) In two grueling simulations, the Ravens used their defense and opportunistic passing from Steve McNair to defeat the Colts, 17-14 in a thriller in Balt City. Almost equally as shocking, Rex Grossman proved he can handle the playoff pressure and deliver, leading the Bears to a 27-24 victory over Seatlle. Here is how both games went down.

Seattle Seahawks at Chicago Bears
Is there anyone in the football universe not named Tom Coughlin or Nick Saban more maligned than Rex Grossman? The guy has gotten slammed this year, despite the fact that his Bears are 13-3, and now that they are in the playoffs, he is still getting slammed. He'd be the next mayor of New York City if he led the Giants to a 13-3 record. But like everbody else in this world, his failures are so much more interesting than his successes, which is why so many people have so much fun verbally impaling him.


No impaling here, not after a shit-hot performance against the sleepless in Seattle Seahawks. Grossman, who was an insane 9 of 13 passing for 198 yards and two touchdown at the half, led the Bears with his best performance of the season. He finished with 378 yards on 21 of 34 passing, including three touchdowns and one interception. He got little help from his running backs, Thomas Jones and Cedric Benson, who combined for only 51 yards on the ground. To be fair, Jones was injured and had to leave the game in the third quarter with a broken collarbone.

Matt Hasselbeck, for his part, hung right with Grossman throughout the game, finishing 24 of 34 with 328 yards and three touchdowns of his own. Hasselbeck spread the ball out to six different receivers, three of whom caught his TD passes (Deion Branch, Bobby Engram and Jerramy Stevens). He used Shaun Alexander out of the backfield frequently, hooking up with the running back seven times for 49 yards, and was typically acurate. He just ran into a Rex Grossman we have never seen before.

Grossman needed a big game to shut his critics up, and he started off with a bang. He hit his first two passes for 15 and 17 yards and after a Seattle field goal, drilled Bernard Berrian with a 79-yard touchdown strike. Berrian, on his part, made two great moves to force two missed tackles, to make it 7-3 Chicago. He would finish with 7 catches and a career high 150 yards receiving.

After a Bears interception, Grossman hooked up with Muhsin Muhammad for another TD to go up 14-3. Muhammad finished with 57 yards and two touchdowns. But Hasselbeck responded, finding a wide open Stevens for a 22-yard touchdown. A Chicago field goal just before halftime made it 17-10 Bears.

Grossman again came out of the gates firing after halftime, throwing his third and final touchdown to a wide open Muhammad in the end zone. A Chicago field goal made it 27-10 with less than three minutes to go in the third quarter. The score stayed that way until the fourth quarter, when Hasselbeck found Branch racing down the sidelines for a 23-yard TD run. That narrowed it to 27-17 with just under eight minutes left in the game. And that's when it got interesting.

After converting a third-and-eleven with a 41-yard pass to Berrian, Grossman tried to seal the deal, opting to throw the ball into the end zone rather than run the clock down by running the ball. Bad decision. Linebacker Lofa Tatupu picked him off, giving the ball, and another chance, to Seattle.

Hasselbeck struck immediately, throwing a 64-yard pass to Engram. But an offensive holding penalty brought it back. On the very next play, however, Charles Tillman was called for defensive pass interference, giving the Seahawks first-and-ten from the Bears 48. After several Alexander runs, Hasselbeck found Engram over the middle right as Brian Urlacher was about to sack him. Engram raced in untouched into the end zone, closing the gap to 27-24 with just under two minutes to play.

But that was as close as the Seahawks could get. An unsuccessful onsides kick allowed Chicago to run out the clock, sending Soldier's Field into a frenzy and the Bears into the NFC Championship against the Saints.

Final Score: CHICAGO 27, SEATTLE 24

Indianapolis Colts at Baltimore Ravens
Peyton Manning won't ever be considered a great quarterback until he wins a Super Bowl, and considering his career, that is pretty unfair. But when you are so good in the regular season, yet cannot do a damn thing in the playoffs, you are left with a lot to prove. Going into the playoffs this year, everyone wanted to know: Will this be season Manning ditches the albatross?

After downing an inept Kansas City team last week, the Colts were on their way. But Baltimore is a different beast, and once again, Manning was sent to his off-season with a second round exit in a heartbreaking 17-14 loss. On a balmy 54-degree afternoon in Baltimore, the Colts of old and the Colts of new squared off in the best game yet, a defensive struggle that featured, believe it or not, two missed field goals by Adam Vinatieri and a crucial Baltimore interception in the end zone at the end of the game that sealed the victory for the Ravens.

Not surprisingly, it was a defensive battle from the start. Both teams - Baltimore with its high octane line backers and Indianapolis with its suddenly impervious defensive line - held the ground games in relative check. Sensational rookie running back Joeseph Adai had a solid game (16 rushes, 98 yards) but 46 of those yards came on one run. Jamal Lewis and Mike Anderson were limited to a combined 85 yards rushing.

In the air, the deep threat of Marvin Harrison and Reggie Wayne for Indianapolis were neutralized by a pesky Baltimore secondary. Choosing his targets more wisely, McNair fared better than an out-of-sync Manning. Both teams relied on their tight ends for short yardage gains. Manning dished most of his 165 yards to Dallas Clark (six catches, 104 yards, TD) as Harrison and Wayne were frequently doubled teamed. McNair spread the ball to several receivers. Todd Heap caught seven passes for 69 yards and a touchdown and Anderson had two receptions for 23 yards and a TD. McNair's favorite receiver, Mark Clayton, was not a factor.

Things started out well for the Colts, who after a missed 44-yard field goal attempt by the Ravens' Matt Stover, got on the scoreboard first with a 23-yard touchdown pass from Manning to Wayne. The 7-0 score lasted until early in the second quarter when McNair connected with Heap in the end zone. After Vinatieri missed a 50-yard field goal attempt, and the Ravens subsequent drive was stuffed in a quick three-and-out, Manning drilled a pass to Clark, who ran over cornerback Samari Rolle en route to the end zone.

However, on the ensuing kickoff, B.J. Sams hurdled over tacklers and raced to the Colts' 10 yard line for a 90-yard return. After three failed attempts at the end zone, Stover kicked a 27-yard field goal to come within four points, going into halftime down 14-10.

The second half featured a long run by Adai and both teams turning the ball over on successive interceptions, but little scoring. Trying to hook up with Harrison, Manning was picked to start the half. But McNair returned the favor, setting up another field goal attempt for Vinatieri. This one was from 47 yards out, and again, it sailed right. It would cost the Colts, as McNair led the Colts downfield and finished the drive with a four-yard pass to Anderson. Suddenly, the Ravens were winning. The extra point made it 17-14.

And it would stay that way, despite both teams taking huge chances and having big opportunities. Baltimore successfully converted a fourth and one in their own territory but later missed a 47-yard field goal. Manning led the Colts down to the red zone, thanks in part to a huge pass interference call on the Ravens, but threw his second interception of the game right into the arms of Chris McAllister, who downed it in the end zone. Baltimore ran out the clock on the next possession to seal the victory.

Final score: BALTIMORE 17, INDIANAPOLIS 14

Heavy Rotation: The Black Angels

From the "That Was Soooo Six Months Ago" file: The Black Angels have produced the best debut album I have heard in a very long time. And as a result, this Austin band, whose "Passover" was released in early April, will not leave me alone.

I know the rules. It's 2007. I live in Brooklyn. Shouldn't I be looking forward, listening to albums and bands that nobody has heard of so I can prove how "in the know" I am? Shouldn't I be bragging about how fucking cool the new LCD Soundsystem album, Sound of Silver, is? (It is, and you will love it!) Yes, I should be, but I can not stop listening to this album. I will even use this overused and horribly trite cliche: this band is haunting me.

At last I know why. It is because vocalist Alex Maas' vocals are so good. It is because their dark '60s psychedelia revival sound (they took their name from a Velvet Underground song) pushes me up against some edge other music can't. It is because their songs are tight, powerful and loud. It is because I have a massive crush on Stephanie Bailey, the band's ferocious drummer.

But mostly is has to do with Maas, the layers of fuzzy guitars he sings over, and the dire sense of urgency in his voice. "Black Grease," "Bloodhounds On My Trail," "The First Vietnamese War" and "Young Men Dead" are tremendous songs. The way Maas' vocals soar and then fall, echoing off Bailey's pounding drums and Christian Bland's droning guitars, is mesmorizing.

Ultimately, the experience is visceral; Melissa cannot stand the Black Angels to the point where she insists that I turn them off before she loses her mind. "They make me want to go crazy," she said last night. I wish she liked them, but at least she appropriately feels their sound. It is dark, droning and devastating. It is a good trip, no drugs required.

Check out NPR's rebroadcast of the Black Angels' show at the 9:30 Club in D.C. here.

Sim City

ESPN loves simulations. When something is interminably debatable, like, for instance, who should or should not be in the Baseball Hall of Fame, they don't just argue about it - they simulate it!

And that got me thinking: maybe I could use my trusty Sony Playstation football game to simulate this weekend's NFL playoff contests. Lame and pathetic? Absolutely, but something of a fun exercise. Instead of just speculating about how many yards LaDainian Tomlinson will churn up against the Pats or what kind of day Rex Grossman will have, I thought I would put it to the test, a by-no-means-scientific test.

The rules are simple: I play the offense for each team (no playing favorites!) and try to score as many points as possible. The computer plays defense.

So, here is what happened, starting with the New England-San Diego and Philadelphia-New Orleans games (Stay tuned for Seattle-Chicago and Indianapolis-Baltimore tomorrow).

New England Patriots at San Diego Chargers
Led to a NFL best 14-2 record by young quarterback Phillip Rivers and super-human running back LaDainian Tomlinson, the Chargers have one of the most potent offenses in the league - a true test for a somewhat banged up Belichick defense. The key for the Pats going in was to neutralize Tomlinson and limit the damage he can wreak on the ground. Brady, as always, was going to have to spread out his passes and confuse the Chargers defense.


But as it turned out, this game was defined less by the Chargers running game as it was by the horrendous performances by both quarterbacks. Brady threw FOUR interceptions, while Rivers completed only seven passes for a total of 89 yards. For the most part, it was a defensive game, and when the Pats' defense did its job, the offense was able to capitalize. Tomlinson was "held" to 94 yards rushing and no touchdowns. Corey Dillon and Larry Maroney, on the other hand, combined for 162 yards and two touchdowns.

The Pats got on the board quickly after only four plays. Starting at his own 39 yard line, Brady marched down the field with haste, culminating with a 19-yard touchdown run by Maroney to make it 7-0 a mere two minutes into the game.

Tomlinson's first handoff was stuffed at the line, a recurring theme throughout the game, and he struggled for yards early. To make it worse for San Diego, Rivers first pass attempt was picked off by Ellis Hobbs, who returned it deep into Chargers territory. But Brady, who was in the early stages of one of the worst performances of his career, threw a pass right into Quentin Jammer's hands in the end zone to return the favor. But the Pat's defense held, and got the ball back after a three and out.

Again, the Pats could not capitalize and gave it away again when Dillon fumbled after a great run up the middle. This time, the Chargers would respond. Rivers found Antonio Gates for a 24-yard touchdown to knot it at 7-7.

It stayed that way through an atrocious first half (not fun to play at all!). Brady finished the half 7 for 14 for 97 yards and three interceptions. Rivers was not much better. By the half, however, Tomlinson had heated up for 74 yards rushing, while Dillon/Maroney had combined for 73 yards on 14 carries.

Not surprisingly, the second half belonged to the Patriots, who, despite a continued mediocre performance from Brady, shut down Tomlinson for only 20 more yards rushing, allowed no touchdowns and sealed the victory with strong defense. Brady did throw two touchdowns - to Watson (82 yards) and Gaffney (25 yards) - and finished with 221 total yards, but completed only 18 of his 34 passes and looked off balance for most of the game. Maroney, the rookie, rushed for a total of 85 yards and two touchdowns, while Dillon added another 77 yards on the ground.

But it was the defense again that saved it for New England. Another key interception by Asante Samuel late in the game and a drive ending tackle of Tomlinson by Richard Seymor highlighted another playoff victory for the Patriots. On to another AFC Championship. Is anyone surprised?

Final Score: NEW ENGLAND 31, SAN DIEGO 10.

Philadelphia Eagles at New Orleans Saints
Would this be Reggie Bush's national coming out party, or would the Eagles, led by MVP wannabe Jeff Garcia fly higher than a mountain? Would the Saints be coronated the New America's Team or would Brian Westbrook blow through the Superdome like a, er, hurricane?

I expected the Eagles would kill the Saints, and man, was I wrong. The Saints rolled all over the Eagles en route to a thorough ass-whipping, out-gunning thier opponent with a lethal combination of the long pass and a double-barreled running attack. Drew Brees had the game of his life, with 13 of 24 passing for a total of 349 yards and five touchdowns, relying heavily on the deep ball to his unusually wide open receivers. Bush blew up too, running 18 times for 102 yards to go along with eight yards receiving. Deuce McAllister ran for 98 yards as well, pushing the total offensive numbers to 545 total yards.


It was pretty much over in the first minute. Brees' precision and aggressiveness was a factor from the start, as he hit Marques Colston for a 42-yard TD strike followed by an 86-yard touchdown pass to Joe Horn. Before the first quarter was over, Brees was 3 of 4 for 156 yards! He would later find Devery Henderson for a 69-yard touchdown pass and another 47-yard touchdown toss to Colston - all before halftime! If it had not been for the genius of Garcia, who kept the Eagles in the game with his own gunslinging, the Saints would have blown the Eagles out of the water. Garcia tried to keep pace, firing his own deep posts to Donte' Stallworth (who reeled in 221 yards on the day!!!) that resulted in a touchdown and two field goals.

At the half, while Brees was a ridiculous 8 of 11 for 297 yards and four touchdowns, Garcia was not far behind with 226 yards on 16 of 21 passing and one touchdown. The score was 28-13, still within reach for the Eagles.

But that was all Garcia could do, and as it turned out, all he would do. Early in the third quarter, after another Brees-to-Colston touchdown pass, Garcia was taken down by defensive tackle Brian Young for a sack and had to leave the game with a strained hamstring. In came AJ Feeley, who promptly drove the Eagles to the one yard line before Westbrook trotted in for a touchdown, making it 35-20. If the defense could hold the Saints, you got the sense that Feeley might lead the greatest comeback in Philadelphia history.

But it never happened. If the first half was about passing, the second half was all about running the ball, and again, New Orleans dominated. Westbrook was consistently stymied by the defensive line and only broke out once for a 40-yard scamper. He ended up with a respectable 91 yards rushing. Bush, on the other hand, was a menace, blasting through the hole and cruising the middle of the field at will. While the Eagles made 24 first downs to New Orleans' 16, most of those 16 first downs came in the second half, when Bush and McAllister ground up yardage and ate up the clock. A late field goal by Carney made it 38-20 Saints, giving New Orleans a trip to NFC Championship game.

Final Score: NEW ORLEANS 38, PHILADELPHIA 20

Books: Hot time, Summer (of Sam) in the City

New York is a great place to live if you are fascinated by history. The story of this city runs so deep on so many levels - ethnically, culturally, politically - that everything you encounter at every turn has its own tale to tell. Earlier this week, the New York Times ran a story about a murder in my neighborhood that happened 80 years ago. Everywhere you look, New York has something to say that reflects both the wrenching growing pains and decadant successes that have come to define the American experience.

So where am I going with this? I just finished a great book that documents both these American extremes molded around the story of the 1977 New York Yankees. "Ladies and Gentlemen, the Bronx is Burning" by Jonathan Mahler (2005, Picador) is the incredible story of a year in the life of the greatest city in the world and its flamboyantly controversial baseball team. The problem is, it was probably the worst year in the city's history. Still trying to right its ship after years of fiscal crisis that resulted in major cut backs in civil services and near bankruptcy, New York endured a catastrophic summer of crippling events: a heat-wave with record temperatures, a city-wide blackout that spawned a wave of devastating looting and arson and, oh yeah, a serial killer who preyed on young couples necking in cars near discoteques.

These events are set against the backdrop of other sismic shifts happening in New York that summer, including the takeover of the New York Post by Rupert Murdoch, a bitter mayoral race that pitted two well-established candidates against two political newcomers trying to capitalize on the city's upheaval and the climax of the disco era, immortalized in the opening of the infamous Studio 54.

And weaved in throughout it all is the story of the '77 Yankees. Led by neurotic/alcoholic/bigot manager Billy Martin and the self-promoting Reggie Jackson in his first year in pinstripes, the Yankees have to endure a collision of meglomaniacal personalities and divisive power stuggles on their way to capturing the American League pennant and, eventually, another World Series title. It is a remarkable if not implausible story (especially now in today's voracious media culture where teams try to avoid off-field distractions and clubhouse conflict at all costs) where the players, manager and ownership trade pointed barbs through the media, where the manager gets drunk in hotel bars alone until the wee hours of the morning and where tensions escalate to a near brawl between Martin and Jackson in the Fenway dugout.

These huge personalities are really brought to life. Mahler's Martin is a crackpot roiled with jealousy and a deep disdain for authority, while his Jackson is an Ali-esque self promoter who simultaneously hates and needs New York. There is the no-nonsense catcher Thurman Munson, who hates Jackson and his arrogant swagger, and Ron Guidry, the 26-year old rookie who lifts the Yanks as their future Hall of fame pitcher, Catfish Hunter, succumbs to injury. And, of course, there is George Steinbrenner, who, Mahler comically recalls, bought the Yankees 1973 with the ill-fated words: "We plan absentee ownership as far as running the Yankees is concerned. We're not going to pretend we're something we aren't. I'll stick to building ships."

It all makes for great drama, especially set against the events of that summer. It was a fucked up time to be in New York, for sure, but an integral thread of the city's history nonetheless.

From Dice to Rice: WSR's Hall of Fame Edition

Sorry for the absence, people. I have been pinned down by holidays, lethargy and trying to find a job where more than two people read what I am writing. But now, on the eve of another Hall of Fame selection, I am compelled to add my two cents about the whole "Is Jim Rice a Hall of Famer?" issue. And don't get me started on McGwire, because, sadly, I have been converted and DO think he should be inducted (I know, I know, it's almost as bad as voting Republican).

But we can talk about that later, because I do not think he will be selected today. I do think, however, that Rice, after more than a dozen tries, WILL (UPDATE: he didn't. Oh well, continue reading...). But does he really belong in the Hall? I reluctantly say no.

And it pains me to say so, because I am old enough to remember how awesome a hitter he was, how feared he was, and how prolific he could be. I remember spreading the rumor that James Edward Rice once hit a home run on a check swing (it was rumor, wasn't it?). I remember sitting in Fenway for the first time in my life and seeing #14 in person and thinking he was the most intimidating man on earth. Dewey had the mustache and the gun in right, but Rice had the glare, the swagger and the swing that produced sounds you just don't hear very often. Yeah, I remember all that.

But in the end, do his numbers stack up? Are 382 home runs and a career .298 batting average really enough these days? Yes, Rice had eight seasons with 100 RBI or more, but he finished with 1451, only 44 more than Jose Canseco. And Canseco had 80 more home runs. Is Canseco a Hall of Famer? If you argue that Rice is - based on numbers - then you have to admit Jose (who also has an MVP AND a Rookie of the Year award), and I don't think there is a writer out there ready to do that.

What bothers me is that I do think Rice was exceptional - far better than the average player - and deserves to be acknowledged as such. His four 200-hit seasons are tremendous. But I just can't get over the fact that the Hall is reserved for those truly exceptional players - the Ruths, Williams and Gywnns - and he seems to fall just short. I feel the same way about some of my favorite players of the 80s who are now up for election. A great example: Dale Murphy. Murphy comes to mind along with Rice, Mike Schmidt, and Andre Dawson when I think about the dominating 80's power hitters. Murphy was a perennial All-Star (Rice was an 8-time All-Star; Murphy a 7-time All-Star who won the MVP award back-to-back in 82-83), and Murphy finished with more career home runs, too, but is Murphy and his 1266 career RBI a Hall of Famer? I have to say no.

We could go on and on, linking similar players with similar stats until we uncover about 100 players worthy of induction. But there has to be a threshhold or induction won't mean shit. In my opinion, as fine and feared a hitter as was, Rice is not a Hall of Famer. If he is, then so is Dwight Evans, Jose Canseco, Andre Dawson, Dale Murphy, Dave Kingman, Andres Galarraga, Joe Carter, possibly Chili Daivs and Gary Gaetti and, eventually, Juan Gonzalez, Gary Sheffield, Fred McGriff and Jeff Bagwell. Are we convinced these guys are Hall of Famers?

On a final note, I will say that it was fun to go back and look at Rice's stats on baseball-reference.com and remember that, yes, Rice also led the league in grounding into double plays FOUR YEARS IN A ROW (36 in 1984!!!!). Remember those days when it seemed the Sox always grounded into DPs? Ah, nostalgia...