A Couple Things of Note

Super Bowl is Reminder of 2001 World Series

I'm not going to rub it in, but the Giants (of whom I'm certainly a bandwagon fan) beat the Patriots in quite a shocking Super Bowl win. While this blog is not about football, much was hyped all season about the Patriots having a perfect season and going 19-0. Of course since that's not the case, it serves as a reminder of that cliche that no one, no team, and nothing in sports, business, or the real world is perfect.

As the Giants were celebrating, I thought back to 2001 when the Yankees were in their fourth World Series in a row. In game seven, Mariano Rivera was on the mound in the ninth inning with the lead and we all know how it ended (the Yankees lost). Going into the game however, Rivera--certainly the best postseason closer--had not blown a save since 1997. In fact he'd gone 53.2 IP without blowing a save (and only giving up 4 ER in that time). Before game seven some analysts said Rivera was going to blow a save at some point in the playoffs, it was just statistically impossible for him to continue to be perfect in save attempts for as long as he'd been going--especially in the playoffs against the top teams and lineups in the majors.

And so that statistical reality came true at the wrong time albeit and exciting finish for a World Series. In any event, it seems the same happened to the Patriots. There are other arguements to be made, but being perfect just is not a reality very often.

One Syringe, One Gauze and One Beer

I'll be honest here, the Roger Clemens, MacNamee case is becoming a media circus. Wednesday's hearing will be somewhat of a tell all, I don't even know what to expect. But the fact that MacNamee kept syringes, gauzes with blood and a beer can that he claims Clemens used and only handed it over last month is a bit strange in terms of timing. And now Clemens' wife used HGH? It's becoming a bizarre series of events as both sides will try to discredit each other. Whatever happens, by the end I may not even be paying attention because it's that sickening.