Big Problems with Big Cat Weekend

This past week at the SEC Coaches Meetings in Destin, FL, SEC commissioner Mike Slive told all coaches to stop their bickering in the media and to abide by the rules of the SEC put forth in 2004 that all complaints be made direct to the SEC offices in Birmingham.

This weekend, Auburn gave the other 11 coaches a nice test to see which method they will choose to use in the coming week.

This weekend, Auburn set up a recruiting weekend entitled "Big Cat Weekend", a weekend that was invitation only for the top prospects of the class of 2010.

The idea was to have as many members of the class who are interesting in Auburn to come and hang out on campus for a weekend to get to know the coaches and get to know each other.

Among those in attendance were Lache Seastruck, the top prospect out of Texas and a Rivals top ten, Marcus Lattimore, the top prospect out of South Carolina and a Rivals top ten, and Khairi Fortt, the top player out of Connecticut.

All of these players had to find a way into Auburn on their own as this was an unofficial visit weekend, also meaning that no official tours were given, no organized parties were had with Auburn overseeing or participating, and no violations were had. Right.

That's what the Tigers want you to believe, but there are already plenty of people who are calling foul.

First, on a personal level, I find it hard to believe that all three of the recruits mentioned above would come down voluntarily while still in school, especially while Lattimore and Seastruck have finals starting tomorrow. As a student, I wouldn't be "hanging out" with other people five states away when I have tests determining my admittance to this school in a year hang in the balance.

Second, these recruits participated in pie and watermelon eating contests, yet didn't pay for a single thing, receiving free stuff all day long. That would be considered an extra benefit for the recruits. During unofficial visits on football Saturdays, visiting recruits must pay to eat before the game. Something tells me these recruits didn't bring lunch money or an entrant's fee.

Finally, the cream of the crop for the trip, was the night cap at Toomer's Corner.

Go ahead and get comfortable for all the things that happened during this "celebration."

To prepare yourself, take a look at videos provided by the Opelika-Auburn News and Auburnsports.com, the Auburn Rivals site.

(Disclaimer: The Auburnsports.com link needs a Rivals screen name to view. Also, the video was originally four minutes long, but after noticing violations, the Rivals crew has shrunk it to two minutes, twenty seconds.)

First off, both of these videos show the recruits being introduced to the crowd at Toomer's Corner. This is a violation of NCAA Rule 13.10.6.

13.10.6 Introduction of Prospective Student-Athlete. An institution may not introduce a visiting prospective student-athlete at a function (e.g., the institution’s sports award banquet or an intercollegiate athletics contest) that is attended by media representatives or open to the general public. Violations of this bylaw do not affect a prospective student-athlete’s eligibility and are considered institutional violations per Constitution 2.8.1. (Revised: 1/14/97)

In both videos, you can hear the name of prominent recruits announced as they throw toilet paper over the trees in front of the crowd on Toomer's Corner. The announcement is being made by members of the Auburn recruiting team, Tigerettes/Tiger Hosts, who assist during unofficial and official visits and their services must be requested by the athletic department.

If the T/Th services were requested, that would imply an organized event was happening at Toomer's Corner, and with the president, vice president and treasurer of the group all present, it doesn't seem voluntary. (Foreground, blue and orange shirt, and to his left, blue shirt)

Second, the event itself is was a simulation of a game-day atmosphere, another secondary violation in itself.

13.7.3 Activities During Unofficial Visit.An institution may not arrange miscellaneous, personalized recruiting aids (e.g., personalized jerseys, personalized audio/visual scoreboard presentations) and may not permit a prospective student-athlete to engage in any game-day simulations (e.g., running onto the field with the team during pregame introductions) during an unofficial visit. Personalized recruiting aids include any decorative items and special additions to any location the prospective student-athlete will visit (e.g., hotel room, locker room, coach’s office, conference room, arena) regardless of whether or not the items include the prospective student-athlete’s name or picture. (Adopted: 8/5/04, Revised: 5/14/05, 4/27/06)

Sure, the student body at Auburn has rolled the Corner after the election of President Obama, but it has long been known the true reason for rolling Toomer's Corner: when Auburn Football wins, you head straight for Toomer's.

Not only are, the recruits obviously present at this "impromptu" celebration, but one even forgot to take off his official Auburn name tag.

We can thank Auburnsports.com for this picture (and many more) and the blurring of his name tag, but that would be Fortt, the linebacker from Connecticut. Too bad Brian Matthews and the rest of the crew there at The Bunker forgot to edit the pictures before putting them up the first time. A huge picture of Fortt graced the front of the website on Sunday with the name tag in clear sight and a huge roll of Charmin in the other hand.

If any more evidence for an organized activity is needed, besides promotion on three Auburn message boards plus police crowd and traffic control, how bout this guy.

Why yes, boys and girls, that would be Aubie, the Auburn mascot. Do we really believe that the same tiger I have actually gotten in an altercation with (great day) just walks around campus looking for fun?

In all actuality, to request the services of Aubie at any function, it must be applied for and processed through Auburn University. I'm sure that could be done quickly on a Saturday night to get him there for the "spur of the moment" get together.

(Personally, the worst discovery out of all of this for Auburn is that their quarterback of choice, Kodi Burns, throws like a seven year-old girl. Just check out the Auburnsports.com video)

With first the Tiger Prowl, and now Big Cat Weekend, one has to wonder if this is all a part of the new "extreme recruiting" tactics that Auburn is employing.

Last week at the L'Arche Football dinner in Mobile, that was the phrase Gus Malzhan used to describe these bright ideas the new coaching staff have come up with.

Too bad they couldn't shut the recruits' mouths from making extreme comments.

Seastrunk can be heard in the O-A News video as saying, "Nick Saban is S.O.L." and openly sending salutations to Saban in the Auburnsports.com vid.

Its ok, Lache, you can just admit that you are upset that Saban isn't going to offer you a scholarship to play for a team you have seriously considered. Its also funny that his interest in Auburn has been lowered from "High" to "Medium" now that the week has begun. We forgive you, Lache, everybody makes mistakes.

Now that Auburn's second "extreme recruiting" act is over, the next thing to look for seems to be coming in July, while we also wait to see if this produces any recruits.

Between the Prowl and Big Cat Weekend, Auburn has not gotten one commitment and currently sits last in the SEC with four to date. If the Tigers can't produce any recruits from all of this, it will continue to be all laughs with no one taking Auburn seriously.

Capstonereport.com was used to assist in this blog.

Review: Kobe Doin' Work

After a week and a half of trying to track down the documentary on failed recording attempts on DVR (check the Lebron piece as to why that has happened), I finally discovered a slot where I could watch Kobe Doin' Work, the documentary by Spike Lee with 30 cameras supposedly living the life of Kobe Bryant on the court in a game against the Spurs from the 2007-08 season.

Kobe was mic'd for the game, and every possible angle was taken of Kobe while he roamed the court being played over a commentary of Kobe of what is going on, how things should have been done, and why things happened the way they did...all because of him.

Before I get too far into this "documentary," I need to say that this was the first piece by Spike Lee that I have ever seen.

Excuse me, the file in the back of my head just reminded me that it is not a piece, but in fact a "joint" by Spike Lee.

(I'm sorry, but when I think of the word "joint," I don't think of a film or project. I think of two things: 1) that thing in LeBron's wrist and elbow that allows him to take jump shots from forty feet with better accuracy than I have while shooting a lay-up and 2) the favorite afternoon relaxing agent of the Josh H. [Howard and Heyfelt] high club. That is a joint.)

After seeing this "documentary," it was the last piece by Spike Lee that I will ever watch.

I have always wondered why he was such an acclaimed director when I had never had the urge to see his work or much less heard of much of his work, and then Kobe Doin' Work made me understand why.

You may keep wondering why I continue to put documentary in quotations, and here is why, as I posted on twitter yesterday while watching:

There is a difference between a commentary and a documentary. Someone should alert such a "great" filmmaker as Spike Lee of the difference.

The entire piece entails Kobe talking over him playing a game. That's it. It is like watching your favorite movie, though Kobe is hardly my favorite, with the producers and actors speaking over the entire thing telling you what is going and happening.

That is not a documentary, that is a commentary. Kobe Doin' Work is a full blown, over-hyped commentary.

Personally, if I was ESPN, I would be embarrassed to have my name on it.

No one cares what is going through Kobe's head. Well, actually, we found out six years ago what goes through Kobe's head, so we don't need to touch on that.

One positive of the film would be the inside access to the halftime locker room. It was the kind of access that even Ahmad Rashad couldn't even pull during his prime.

You got to see Phil Jackson, the master of Zen, go through game film at halftime discussing potential changes in play on offense and defense for the second half. You heard different players give their input about what changed they want to make. In a sentence, it was way more exciting than my high school locker room at halftime.

Other than that, Kobe Doin' Work was a waste of time that actually made me realize I was missing the Jon & Kate Plus 8 marathon on TLC.

Yes, I will admit I watch that show (along with Charlie Manuel and the "Flyin Hawaiian," Shane Victorino), and yes, if I hadn't told myself I was going to watch the entire thing, I would have changed the channel about ten minutes in.

If for some reason you are up late and notice that this commentary is on, but you realize you haven't seen Billy Madison in about five years, side with Adam Sandler, every time.

Cavs are not out, but may be in trouble

Depending on what side you are on determines your view on how Games 1 and 2 have gone for Cleveland or Orlando in the Eastern Conference Finals.

For Cleveland, the Cavs allowed the Magic to even be in the series by have collapses of 16 and 23 at home leading to two lucky shots by Orlando.

For Orlando, Cleveland shouldn't even be in the series because the Magic won Game 1 outright and the Cavs got lucky in Game 2.

Either way, the series was tied at one heading into last night's game, and in what was a debacle (for more than one reason, I'll get to it) of a basketball game, the Magic pulled out a 99-89 win to go up 2-1 against the Cavs in the series.

In a game that saw 86 free throw attempts and 94 two-point jumpers, the officials were all that could be talked about after the game.

First off, has anyone besides me noticed that Joey Crawford has called every game in these playoffs where the officiating is ultimately questioned at the end of a game? It surely isn't a coincidence, yet David Stern continues to let him work the postseason.

Need convincing? Go watch Dwight Howard's sixth foul on LeBron's three. Look in the bottom right corner for that bald man slightly resembling a male body part and see when he raises his hand for a foul. If your answer is before the shot, you would be correct.

And this can't be called "protection of LeBron" because he is just playing the game. Orlando fans can complain all they want about that, but the fact remains, Cavs fans have a point that their boys had an extra ten fouls called on them, and that isn't end game inflation.

When you have horrid officials, you over-react on fouls, because they are bad enough to blow the play dead at the flail of the arm. James knew that was his best bet last night to keep the Cavs in the game.

Speaking of Cleveland, the Cavs looked "turrible, just turrible" last night.

Thirty-seven percent shooting, 19% from behind the arc, and 15 turnovers leading to 21 Orlando points. (Let's not forget that Cleveland out-rebounded Orlando, and any time you do that, you should win, unless, you shoot like the Cavs did last night)

In Games 1 and 2, a performance like this could be attributed to Orlando's defense, but in Game 3, Cleveland had just as many open shots as Orlando did, but just couldn't hit.

This does not fall completely on Mo Williams, who has been James' Robin all season long. The truth is, Mo plays better as a straight up point guard, not a 1/2 hybrid.

At Alabama, Mo had this luxury to be able to play point guard straight up.

As point guard, Mo lead the Crimson Tide to a regular season SEC Title in 2001-02 as a freshman.

He was third on the team with points because he had reliable men down low (Erwin Dudley, Kenny Walker) and shooters on the outside with him (Terrance Meade, Rod Grizzard). The Tide also had a reliable bench (Antoine Pettway, Earnest Shelton) and role players (Reggie Rambo, Demetrius Smith).

Which team does that sound like in this series?

That is just one contributing factor as to why the Cavs are in trouble. They don't have Pippen, Kukoc, and Rodman.

Other factors are a reliable two and three, a physical presence down low, and a lineup with five people who aren't afraid to shoot.

Almost all of those must be fixed in the off-season while preparing for next year. However, there are two very important factors that can still save the series for Cleveland if they begin to show this in Game 4, and this apparently can't be seen through the Magical Blue shades.

First, it is staying home on defense.

The Cavs focus on Dwight Howard so much that the Magic have all the time in the world to move the ball around the perimeter. If the Cavs stay home, the game slows down and plays at their pace.

Instead, when one guy drives, one Cav slides over to help and two more cover up Howard, leaving the outside unattended. This is a lack of defensive trust by the Cavs, who have ridden their defense to this point.

Let Dwight Howard be. Between Big Z, Varajeo, and Ben Wallace (who should be on DH to begin with), Cleveland has 18 fouls to give. Even if he makes the shots, put Howard on the line to minimize the three-point shooting.

Second, consistency. Anyone who doesn't go by LeBron hasn't played with this during the series.

Just look at the box scores. The number of Cavs in double figures has dropped over the series, from five to four to three last night. Only LeBron, Delonte West and Mo scored in double figures the entire series, and it has taken an ungodly amount of shots to reach that point, especially last night.

Being down 2-1 in this series after last night's showing is encouraging, but it is also troublesome.

If the shooting improves, Cleveland will return home with the series tied at two.

If the shooting remains the same, LeBron will score forty for the fourth time this season on the Magic, but will go down 3-1 heading home and facing an improbable climb.

We are all Witnesses

Let me go ahead and preface this blog this way: I am a Cavs fan. I'm not supporting them just for the series, the season, or just because I think they will in the title.

I have been following this team for the past three seasons, through LeBron's first playoff appearance, the loss to the Spurs, and, most importantly, the trade for Mo Williams.

This also means I think LeBron definitely should have been MVP, that he will not be going anywhere in 2010 because players go to die and tattoo their temples in NYC (this week's SI cover supports my thoughts), and that Anderson Varajao could be let go to free up cap space if the Cavs drafted Psycho-T (similar style games).

Finally, it means that in about 12 years, I will be back into the shadows with my team, ready to celebrate just making the playoffs once again.

This is all to clear the air for one premise: I am not a bandwagon fan. I have certain feelings for bandwagon fans which I will express once my readership goes back up from the teens to the dozens during the school year. In a basic premise, you pick a team, and you ride that team until it drives you six feet under.

So, of course, the shot from LeBron James last night to tie the Eastern Conference Finals at one a piece sent me into a frenzy. Of course, it is no fun to just go into my feelings of the shot, because a game-winning three to win by one means you had to be down two before it happened.

In other words, I will start with about fifty seconds left in the game.

(Disclaimer: I am doing all of this off of memory because I couldn't get my DVR to work, so I just watched the shot five times over the hour that it was available to me. It would have been easier for me to work it if two things had been in my favor: 1) My house did not have a universal remote that I have still yet to fully figure out how to function and 2) If the DVR wasn't loaded down with Desperate Housewives and Prison Break and had enough room for me to stick the final minute and reaction on there, I would.)

48.7 seconds left: Hedo Turkoglu just hit a three to bring the Magic even at 93.

It was one of those beautiful plays you hardly ever see in the NBA, but it was against my team. The ball movement, the concentration on Dwight Howard, and the fact that Hedo was as as open as a Waffle House at 3 a.m.

It is one of those shots where you see where the ball ends up, and just put your head down. Marv let me know it was in, I didn't need to see it, I just knew it was in.

However, I did bring my head up in time to see Hedo start nodding and acting like he was the master of the universe (great job to have, btw). Here are two reasons why I can't stand him and it just made that moment more horrific than it was:

First, he is Turkish. I'm Greek. If you brush up on your Eastern European history, or if you have ever seen My Big Fat Greek Wedding, you would understand. The Turks took the Greeks land, including Constantinople (it's not Istanbul, damn it!), and didn't give it back until about two hundred years ago.

Second, he never closes his mouth. Never. It is like Pau Gasol...only worse. Hedo just has this dazed look in his eye and then has more of a wide opening. Gasol has more of a vertical opening, but it never closes, even when he talks. It is like there is an invisible string attached to his massive beak that runs to his top lip. Not to mention, Gasol just looks dumb, not dazed. Hedo at least just looks high and in need of some Cheesy Poofs. Cavs Timeout.

30.9 seconds left: LeBron puts the Cavs in the le... wait NO! NO! He did not travel!

I sat in wonderment at this horrific site of someone actually having the testicular fortitude to call a travel on LeBron James. It is just one of those things that you don't do, like kissing your cousin or picking a side in any Auburn/Tennessee match-up.

Upon hearing that whistle, I was sure that LeBron had gotten the lead, and the foul to go up three with only thirty to play. Instead, LeBron "walked," the Magic had the ball, but Cleveland still got the important 2-1 deal at the end of the game.

Even if this play didn't count, it was still LeBron going at Dwight Howard for points late in the game. We know it can be done. Mo Williams has done it, LeBron will do it, the Orlando Magic didn't feel like doing it in Game Two. Orlando ball.

13.7 seconds left: Are you freaking kidding me, Sasha? You foul, great job.

The entire possession I was screaming at the tv, "Don't foul. Don't foul." It was only last week when I finally understood that five fouls before the final two minutes meant the bonus (I prefer college sports, anyway), but I knew for sure that under two minutes after two fouls, the other team shoots.

The Cavs had a foul to give, but with only 30 seconds left, I knew the implications if they did. The Magic would take six or seven seconds to get across half court, plus Cleveland would have another chance with the ball...if they didn't foul.

Once it got under about twenty seconds, I started screaming louder, and then Sasha Pavlovic did his best impression of Kenyon Martin in WCF Game One. Reach across while the dazed Turk drives to the hoop and get called for a foul.

Mike, please call a timeout so I can draw some ruby red lips on the side of Sasha's neck and insult his mother. It would make me feel accomplished. Orlando ball, shot clock off (damn it!).

1.0 second left: My biggest enemy sinks a shot to go up two.

Leave it to the damn dirty Turk to sink a game-winning shot to put the Cavs in a 2-0 hole. It is bad enough when they call him "Mr. 4th Quarter," because let's face it, he can't hit a shot before three minutes left in the fourth. And even then, he is, at best, a thirty percent shooter, but tonight, he makes both of them. What the hell.

It was bad enough that Sasha Pavlovic had the foul on him before the shot, it was worse that he didn't leave his feet during the shot. Even moreso, LeBron didn't rotate over to help. The worst part: Pavlovic shares a first name with that other Sasha from Los Angeles. That is a worse curse than the Billy Goat curse on the Cubs. See, this is why you don't mess with the Greeks!

During the commercial break, I'm thinking it's over. We are down 0-2. I am already thinking that a repeat of Detroit '07 will be necessary to make it to the Finals. I look like a Bama fan during Shula's first season at The Capstone: distraught, hopeless, and just watching it all fall apart. I'm thinking who will get the ball, and then I slap myself and know who will get the ball. Ron Jeremy knows who is getting the ball. The real Ron Jeremy even knows who is getting the ball.

Coming back from the break, the crowd looks distraught, wondering how this is happening. A 23-point lead gone as if it was suppose to happen this way. This was worse than the Lakers meltdown in last year's Finals. The Cavs had the lead in the 4th Quarter by double digits at one point. Now, they are down two, with LeBron getting the ball, more than likely a lob to the basket.

Let's be real here, though, if Mo is talking with LeBron coming back from the break, that means Mo is throwing the ball in. Did Mike Brown not see what happens when your Muggsy Bogues impersonator throws the ball in, much less a lob to the basket? Anyway, here it goes. Cleveland ball.

0.0 seconds left: HOLY CRAP!!!!! DID LEBRON REALLY JUST HIT THAT!?!?!?!? WE WIN!!!!!

Even a day later, I can't describe that shot. It took forever for that shot to go in. Everything around me was silent. My computer, the crowd, my sister, nothing was being said as the ball travelled through the air. Then, the ball hits the back of the rim, the front of the rim, down.

My personal reaction almost destroyed my laptop. If you know my history with laptops, I would not have gotten a new one. In other words, I sat up and almost stood up in one motion, but gently put down my laptop on the table, and continued my screaming while I was jumping and fist pumping around the living room.

Now, here is the level of excitement that shot created. To compare, the Braves beat the Blue Jays and Roy Halladay, no less, 1-0 last night. The final play involved the tying run being 90 feet away while Martin Prado bobbles the final out before beating the runner by half a step. My emotional attachment to the Atlanta Braves is stronger than any team I cheer for, and that win only got me to sit up and one fist pump.

To compare, I can only think of three moments in sports that have gotten that kind of reaction from me: Vince Young's 4th down run to beat USC for the national title in January 2006, Matt Caddell's catch to beat Arkansas in September 2007, and "The Shot that Saved Lives" in March 2008..That's it.

It beat the Braves winning the World Series in October 1995, then again I was only 7, the 1999 SEC Championship, Money's Cotton Bowl field goal, Ron Steele beating Georgia, and watching any LSU or Auburn loss.

LeBron didn't expect to make that shot. No one expected to make that shot. He only has one buzzer-beater of memory, why would he be expected to make it?

I had one friend who actually did predict it, only because he was about to get his head chopped off for sending a Facebook chat with only the words, "that sucks..." (Rule number one about me and sports: If my team is losing by a lot or by a last-second happening, don't mess with me until I mess with someone else. It is a quick way to get extremely insulted.)

After watching that shot another one hundred times this morning, that buzzer while the ball is in mid flight just prolongs the shot. It is the midpoint of the shot, the precursor to unforgettable greatness. The lane was wide open for the lob to LeBron, but the dazed Turk wouldn't let him near the basket. Instead, High-as-a-kite Hedo is now a part of my desktop background, and I wouldn't have it any other way. This, once again, is why you don't mess with the Greeks!

Instead of being down 2-0, the Cavs have now tied the series. Craig Ehlo can once again show his face in Cleveland, and if it is in his ability, will probably sing the national anthem at the beginning of Game Five. The big issue now is earning a split in Orlando, at best.

It is a taller task than you would expect considering the Magic have the best match-ups against Cleveland, however, if Dwight Howard disappears on the offensive end again, it may not be as bad as it is perceived.

View from the Stands-May 5, 2009

Is there enough going on in the sports world as it stands? NBA and NHL playoffs, MLB in full swing, and news flying from all places concerning UEFA, WTA, horse racing and NFL.

It is easy to lose something in the big blur of news at this time, so I'm here to round up everything for your easy viewing.

• Hey Birmingham, Larry Langford did something right! It has been about a year and a half since Larry Langford took office in Birmingham. During that time, he has managed to propose a new Fair Park, demolish the Birmingham International Raceway, re-pave about 27 miles of downtown streets for the Davis Cup, and, the icing, proposing the Olympics for 2020 in Birmingham. However, today news broke that the Birmingham City Council has approved funds to refurbish Rickwood Field and build a Negro Baseball Leagues museum. The museum will house information about players such as Jackie Robinson, Willie Mays, and Satchel Paige from their years playing for teams like the Birmingham Black Barons. Rickwood Field, the oldest stadium in America, housed all of these players, including others such as Babe Ruth, Frank Thomas, and Reggie Jackson. Who knows, maybe La-La will be able to see it before he is carted off the jail.
• Serena Williams makes Stephen A. Smith look humble. Some rankings are purely speculative, such as polls in college sports or power rankings on ESPN or SI. Others, such as the WTA world rankings, are based on performance. So when Serena Williams was dropped from No. 1 for the first time in years for Dinara Safina, it surprised some folks. However, Serena swears that she is still the world's number one player. "We all know who the real number one is," Williams said last week. Yea, we do, and its Safina, not you. She didn't lose to the No. 100 player in the world in the first round a few weeks ago. Maybe that Aneres tennis skirt, which showcases all of the muscles I never knew existed, could loosen up your game and get you back to number one if you gave it the chance. When you finally decide to let LeBron James be the most muscular sports figure in sleeveless attire, we might revisit this argument.
• Did you hear, A-Rod took steroids. OMG. Thanks to Selena Roberts, this is now back in the news, along with pitch tipping, use in high school, and many other lives of Alex. Her new book, The Many Lives of Alex Rodriguez, hit shelves a week early on Monday to let everyone know all the latest gossip about the world's best baseball player. Apparently passing notes is now taboo and it was too long to put on the local message board. It is one thing if this book had any new information, but Roberts is just jumping on the hot topic for a quick buck, just like the Stanky Legg and Snuggies. Congrats, you are just a step above prostitution, Selena, how does it feel?
• Brett Favre is retired, so we know what that means. Late last week, Favre asked the Jets to release him from the retired vets list, so the team from New York granted this wish. Then, he hired a trainer, but answered any questions about coming back with an emphatic "No." So, of course that means that him and Brad Childress will be meeting later this week to discuss possibilities. Brett is flying up to Minnesota later this week, where he will discuss replacing Larry(Tarvaris Jackson), Moe(Sage Rosenfels), or Curly(Gus Frerotte) on the current Vikings roster. No matter what, if Brett does come back, he will be a step up, no matter who used to be number one on the charts. It would also be the first Vikings QB who wouldn't make you laugh when you heard their name.

Braves off to rough start in season-defining stretch

When looking at the season schedule for the Atlanta Braves back in February, there was a stretch of games that stuck out to me.

It wasn't the amount of away games or who the opponents were, but how many games the Bravos would be playing over a period of time.

The answer: 43 games in 45 days.

With as much as people complain about how long baseball season is and all their off days, the Braves stretches of 13, 17, and 14 games all in a row was surprising to me.

About half the majors has a stretch like this over the season, the worst this year being the Tampa Bay Rays string of 53 games in 55 days.

But what makes this stretch so important for Atlanta?

As it currently stands, Atlanta is still on the outside looking in as far as the National League East race is concerned, especially with quite possibly the toughest division in baseball standing in their way. If the Braves want any chance in the division, they must be able to respond during this stretch.

Second, 27 of the games are at home, meaning Atlanta will have fewer games at home down the stretch. Most of the games aren't against divisional opponents, but any wins at this point are important for a playoff push. Yes, even in May.

Third, the disabled list. Garrett Anderson, who will be returning to the lineup tonight against the Mets, has been on the 15-day DL suffering from a calf and quad injury. This has prevented him from platooning in left field with Matt Diaz as originally planned. On Friday, Brian McCann is expected to return from his eye troubles. Both of these players have been replaced by good minor league players in Brandon Jones and David Ross (Ross has been quite impressive), but nothing can take the place of All-Star talent.

If McCann and Anderson can contribute over the next five weeks, the Braves will likely be in great shape heading into the last four weeks before everyone converges on St. Louis for All-Star 2009. Most of the games between now and July 13th are non-divisional, making it a great chance for Atlanta to gain some ground in this stretch.

If the Braves cannot come out of this stretch with a better than .500 record, the season could be shot. The NL East looks tougher than last season, as the Florida Marlins are now serious contenders in the division, adding to the severity as mentioned in point one. If the Braves are still struggling at the end of this streak, they could be done by the break.

The Braves only have nine home games out of their final 31 before the All-Star Break, and those games include the Red Sox, Yankees, and defending champion Phillies. Easy enough to say, they won't be easy.

For Atlanta, the stretch has begun with a 1-3 record. If there is any hope for baseball past October 4th, 11-32 over this string of games is not the way to do it.