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The Drive with Jody Oehler
Top5Thurs: Top 5 Sporting Events You Can't Live Without
By Jody Oehler
Aug 13, 2020
The sports world is still reeling from the cancellation of the Big 10 and Pac 12 college football seasons, along with a host of other smaller conferences.
We've already lost a March Madness, 100 plus MLB games, the natural conclusion to the NBA and NHL season, preseason NFL games and more.
We've all been forced to get used to new normals in 2020 but hopefully the new normal isn't outright cancelling entire seasons of sports.
With that in mind, loss can often times remind us of what's really valuable and in that light instead of bemoaning the loss of some forms of college football, why not celebrate what we have left.
This week's Top 5 Thursday ranks the five most important sporting events that you couldn't live without.
Think about it in this way, which five sporting events would leave the biggest void if they were to be cancelled. Some may have already happened, others may be teetering on the brink.
Here are my Top 5 Sporting Events I Couldn't Live Without
5.Fantasy Football
Top5Thurs: Top 5 Sporting Events You Can't Live Without
By Jody Oehler
Aug 13, 2020
The sports world is still reeling from the cancellation of the Big 10 and Pac 12 college football seasons, along with a host of other smaller conferences.
We've already lost a March Madness, 100 plus MLB games, the natural conclusion to the NBA and NHL season, preseason NFL games and more.
We've all been forced to get used to new normals in 2020 but hopefully the new normal isn't outright cancelling entire seasons of sports.
With that in mind, loss can often times remind us of what's really valuable and in that light instead of bemoaning the loss of some forms of college football, why not celebrate what we have left.
This week's Top 5 Thursday ranks the five most important sporting events that you couldn't live without.
Think about it in this way, which five sporting events would leave the biggest void if they were to be cancelled. Some may have already happened, others may be teetering on the brink.
Here are my Top 5 Sporting Events I Couldn't Live Without
5.Fantasy Football
- It doesn't quite mean as much to me as it did ten years ago but thats a healthy thing for everyone involved. I may not care about message board trash talk or arguing over the most insane rule changes but that doesn't mean I don't still love fantasy football. In fact, the two or so hours it takes for a fantasy football draft is still one of the best two hour blocks of the entire year.
- For the sake of this conversation, I split every professional league into three categories; regular season, playoffs and championship. While the NBA playoffs can be great, there are too many superfluous matchups early on and the build up doesn't always get paid off. But the Finals is a different beast. Best vs. best, all time great(s) versus all time great(s) with all the legacy ramifications you could want. I love the NBA Finals.
- When I see a new mock draft from a trusted source linked on social media, its the same feeling you get when you get a phone all from a job you desperately want or from a girl you left a message fo when you were younger and dating. I can't wait to read it, overreact to it and then quickly forget about it. Then the actual draft itself is its own ridiculously entertaining event with all the reaction and surprises you can handle. There is no doubt, I love the NFL Draft.
- The NFL Playoffs is three weeks of pure competitive perfection. Its where quarterbacks prove their mettle or lose their team forever. It's where the chess match of coaches reaches a Garry Kasparov level of complexity. Its where eight hours of sitting in one spot on the couch flies by in the blink of an eye. I love it.
- Nothing satisfies my sports cravings on all levels like a Cardinals regular season game. The week-long build up on air, the in game social interaction and the post game reaction are all what this job is made for. Even when they are AWFUL, there are still a hundred different ways to slice a Cardinals game. Finding angles other media members are ignoring, offering hot takes and making fun of it is all on the table when the Cardinals play. I can't wait. Hopefully.
The Coyotes Are Coming to Save Phoenix Sports
By Jody Oehler
Jul 10, 2020
Unless you own Costco or have a deal with Netflix or bought stock in Zoom really early on, the down time during the pandemic probably hasn't been great for you.
We can add one more exception to that rule now that the NHL has made it official; if you're an Arizona Coyote, the down time during the pandemic has been very good to you.
When we last left the Coyotes franchise, they had lost 18 of their previous 25 games. They were trailing Nashville by four points for the 8 seed in the Western Conference playoffs and had just missed out on back to back opportunities on the road in Canada against Edmonton and Calgary to close the gap.
With the fewest games left to play amongst all Western conference contenders and a final stretch stacked with playoff teams, hope was fading that the franchise could turn around a once promising season.
Four months and one NHL restart plan later, the Coyotes get a second chance on their season.
No one knows what is going to happen when NHL teams enter the Edmonton and Toronto bubbles. Well, actually, we do know what's going to happen in the Edmonton bubble - absolutely nothing. But we don't know whats going to happen on the ice.
It's the same for baseball, basketball and increasingly likely with football. We have no idea what the impact on real games will be of no crowds, positive COVID tests, a complete disruption to the natural cycle of a season and postseason and locker rooms that reflect the rest of America in that there's no universal agreement on the seriousness of the COVID threat and the right way to handle it.
But we do know this about the Arizona Coyotes: they will be healthy.
OEL, Phil Kessel, Nikolas Hjalmarsson, Jakob Chychrun and Darcey Kuemper all figure to be the healthiest they've been all season or healthier than they were when the season stopped.
And beyond health, plenty of Coyotes will be fully motivated to max out their bubble opportunity.
Taylor Hall is getting a second chance to prove he's worth a massive new contract from either the Coyotes or some other NHL team.
Clayton Keller and Nick Schmaltz are getting another chance to prove the teams long term investment in them was the absolute right decision.
The first step is against Nashville in the first round of the postseason. Technically, it's not the playoffs but it's a series between two teams that were deemed good enough to keep playing so its definitely the postseason. The Yotes were 1-1 against Nashville this season with each team protecting their home ice.
The teams will play the first three games in a four game stretch to start the series. They'll need every ounce of goaltending depth and health on their side.
If they survive and advance, a date with Las Vegas looms on the horizon and with it a chance to spark a regional rivalry with the upstart Golden Knights franchise that could benefit both teams and cities for years to come.
And the Coyotes may have a golden parachute; if they lose to the Predators, they'll have a chance at landing the #1 overall pick in the 2020 NHL draft as one of several placeholder teams eligible for the second NHL Draft Lottery.
But that's not of much concern for the Coyotes.
This is 2020. The world has changed. And the Coyotes are hoping to prove they've changed right along with it.
Bring on sports. Bring on hockey. Bring on the Coyotes and Predators.
The Drive with Jody Oehler -
By Jody Oehler
Jul 10, 2020
Unless you own Costco or have a deal with Netflix or bought stock in Zoom really early on, the down time during the pandemic probably hasn't been great for you.
We can add one more exception to that rule now that the NHL has made it official; if you're an Arizona Coyote, the down time during the pandemic has been very good to you.
When we last left the Coyotes franchise, they had lost 18 of their previous 25 games. They were trailing Nashville by four points for the 8 seed in the Western Conference playoffs and had just missed out on back to back opportunities on the road in Canada against Edmonton and Calgary to close the gap.
With the fewest games left to play amongst all Western conference contenders and a final stretch stacked with playoff teams, hope was fading that the franchise could turn around a once promising season.
Four months and one NHL restart plan later, the Coyotes get a second chance on their season.
No one knows what is going to happen when NHL teams enter the Edmonton and Toronto bubbles. Well, actually, we do know what's going to happen in the Edmonton bubble - absolutely nothing. But we don't know whats going to happen on the ice.
It's the same for baseball, basketball and increasingly likely with football. We have no idea what the impact on real games will be of no crowds, positive COVID tests, a complete disruption to the natural cycle of a season and postseason and locker rooms that reflect the rest of America in that there's no universal agreement on the seriousness of the COVID threat and the right way to handle it.
But we do know this about the Arizona Coyotes: they will be healthy.
OEL, Phil Kessel, Nikolas Hjalmarsson, Jakob Chychrun and Darcey Kuemper all figure to be the healthiest they've been all season or healthier than they were when the season stopped.
And beyond health, plenty of Coyotes will be fully motivated to max out their bubble opportunity.
Taylor Hall is getting a second chance to prove he's worth a massive new contract from either the Coyotes or some other NHL team.
Clayton Keller and Nick Schmaltz are getting another chance to prove the teams long term investment in them was the absolute right decision.
The first step is against Nashville in the first round of the postseason. Technically, it's not the playoffs but it's a series between two teams that were deemed good enough to keep playing so its definitely the postseason. The Yotes were 1-1 against Nashville this season with each team protecting their home ice.
The teams will play the first three games in a four game stretch to start the series. They'll need every ounce of goaltending depth and health on their side.
If they survive and advance, a date with Las Vegas looms on the horizon and with it a chance to spark a regional rivalry with the upstart Golden Knights franchise that could benefit both teams and cities for years to come.
And the Coyotes may have a golden parachute; if they lose to the Predators, they'll have a chance at landing the #1 overall pick in the 2020 NHL draft as one of several placeholder teams eligible for the second NHL Draft Lottery.
But that's not of much concern for the Coyotes.
This is 2020. The world has changed. And the Coyotes are hoping to prove they've changed right along with it.
Bring on sports. Bring on hockey. Bring on the Coyotes and Predators.
The Drive with Jody Oehler -
The Dbacks are Built for This
By Jody Oehler
Jun 24, 2020
Baseball is back.
Well, we think baseball is back.
It might come back at the end of July but then again, who the hell knows.
For the sake of this conversation, lets assume that baseball is in fact back.
Thats great news for the Arizona Diamondbacks because they are built for this.
You know how some people are better suited to manage a long term quarantine? Take me for example. I'm built to be bunkered down inside. I've got red hair and blue eyes, the sun is my mortal enemy. I crave routine; I've made the same smoothie for breakfast every day for the last six years. I eat the same lunch every day. The less disruption to my routine, the happier I am. I was built for this.
The Diamondbacks are built for a 60 game, bizarre MLB season.
They boast a rock solid starting five in the rotation with plenty of depth and upside anchored by an ornery Madison Bumgarner who will thrive pitching like every game means something. Robbie Ray is pitching for everything and Zac Gallen could be on the verge of becoming the team's long term ace. Add in Luke Weaver, Mike Leake, Merrill Kelly, Jon Duplantier and Alex Young and the Dbacks have the depth team's will need this year.
The bullpen was fortified in the offseason and finally has some stability at closer. While catching an infectious disease has always been a looming specter in Old Town Scottsdale, assuming Archie Bradley can avoid the area during the pandemic, he's likely to finally fulfill his on field promise with the team as its closer. With Hector Rondon and Junior Guerra added, the team now has six reliable bullpen options with those three, Kevin Ginkel, Andrew Chafin and Yoan Lopez.
The lineup has youth and depth. If you could bottle up David Peralta's best for 60 games, he'd be an MVP candidate. Ketel Marte will try and stay in the conversation as one the the game's best. Starling Marte adds some danger to the top of the lineup and Kole Calhoun adds some thump in the middle. Carson Kelly won't have to sit three times a week for load management at catcher. Jake Lamb is some much needed pop off the bench. This is a deep, versatile lineup with very few obvious holes.
Plus, with teams allowed to carry a 30 man roster due to the weirdness, the Dbacks farm system is well stocked with young arms and bats.
Add Torey Lovullo's deft leadership and this team could absolutely thrive in a shortened season.
Most seasons wear mid market teams down and expose their lack of depth. The Dbacks can't spend $8 million on a seventh inning arm or go out and acquire a $10 million dollar utility player. But this year, those aren't advantages for other teams. You are going to sink or swim based on your current roster. The injury and COVID bug doesn't care about your payroll size or team history, its going to be a crapshoot for everybody.
It's been a roller coaster ride for everyone in 2020 and we've all learned things about ourselves, our relationships and our neighbors.
By the end of the MLB season this year, we're going to learn just how glad we are that baseball is back because the Dbacks were built for this.
By Jody Oehler
Jun 24, 2020
Baseball is back.
Well, we think baseball is back.
It might come back at the end of July but then again, who the hell knows.
For the sake of this conversation, lets assume that baseball is in fact back.
Thats great news for the Arizona Diamondbacks because they are built for this.
You know how some people are better suited to manage a long term quarantine? Take me for example. I'm built to be bunkered down inside. I've got red hair and blue eyes, the sun is my mortal enemy. I crave routine; I've made the same smoothie for breakfast every day for the last six years. I eat the same lunch every day. The less disruption to my routine, the happier I am. I was built for this.
The Diamondbacks are built for a 60 game, bizarre MLB season.
They boast a rock solid starting five in the rotation with plenty of depth and upside anchored by an ornery Madison Bumgarner who will thrive pitching like every game means something. Robbie Ray is pitching for everything and Zac Gallen could be on the verge of becoming the team's long term ace. Add in Luke Weaver, Mike Leake, Merrill Kelly, Jon Duplantier and Alex Young and the Dbacks have the depth team's will need this year.
The bullpen was fortified in the offseason and finally has some stability at closer. While catching an infectious disease has always been a looming specter in Old Town Scottsdale, assuming Archie Bradley can avoid the area during the pandemic, he's likely to finally fulfill his on field promise with the team as its closer. With Hector Rondon and Junior Guerra added, the team now has six reliable bullpen options with those three, Kevin Ginkel, Andrew Chafin and Yoan Lopez.
The lineup has youth and depth. If you could bottle up David Peralta's best for 60 games, he'd be an MVP candidate. Ketel Marte will try and stay in the conversation as one the the game's best. Starling Marte adds some danger to the top of the lineup and Kole Calhoun adds some thump in the middle. Carson Kelly won't have to sit three times a week for load management at catcher. Jake Lamb is some much needed pop off the bench. This is a deep, versatile lineup with very few obvious holes.
Plus, with teams allowed to carry a 30 man roster due to the weirdness, the Dbacks farm system is well stocked with young arms and bats.
Add Torey Lovullo's deft leadership and this team could absolutely thrive in a shortened season.
Most seasons wear mid market teams down and expose their lack of depth. The Dbacks can't spend $8 million on a seventh inning arm or go out and acquire a $10 million dollar utility player. But this year, those aren't advantages for other teams. You are going to sink or swim based on your current roster. The injury and COVID bug doesn't care about your payroll size or team history, its going to be a crapshoot for everybody.
It's been a roller coaster ride for everyone in 2020 and we've all learned things about ourselves, our relationships and our neighbors.
By the end of the MLB season this year, we're going to learn just how glad we are that baseball is back because the Dbacks were built for this.
Kyler Murray just proved that he totally gets it
By Matthew Jarecki
Jun 18, 2020
Cleveland Browns v Arizona Cardinals
I'd never make it as an NFL quarterback. I cringe watching Russell Wilson press conferences. I could never pretend to be as buttoned-up as Tom Brady. Posturing makes me sick. I'm a George Carlin type of guy. Oh, and I'm 5'10 and about to drive thru the Chick-Fil-A line.
Unfortunately for every new quarterback in the NFL, Peyton Manning's career as "The Sherrif" set a new standard. You're a CEO, not just a player. Judgement is at a premium, and for a second, I questioned Kyler Murray's.
"We got a lot of receivers in Texas," Murray said in a Wednesday press conference when asked about his offseason routine. "Obviously a lot of great athletes come from Texas, so I don't really have an issue getting people to come catch." He sounded tone-deaf, given the reports we kept getting about other quarterbacks around the league.
Daniel Jones was getting together with teammates a week ago. Dwayne Haskins was working with teammates in May. Drew Lock and his teammates were reportedly running the entire Broncos offense last week. Garoppolo, Goff, Ryan and Brady were among former Super Bowl-attending quarterbacks organizing team activities earlier this month in an effort to hit the ground running in 2020.
Did Murray just, like, not read the news?
$40,000 bucks, 20 booked flights and hotels, and two team-building outings later, he did apparently get the memo.
Phew!
Of course Kyler Murray's flying 20 teammates into Dallas for a Sunday-Wednesday training session. He gets it. He always has. That's why his aforementioned comments were so startling. We knew he got it when he had the sense to choose football over baseball, and when he refused to be a "predictions guy" yesterday.
"I don't like to speak on what I'm gonna do beforehand," Murray insisted when asked about how much better he'll be next season. "I just like to go out and play my game and let my game speak for itself."
Now, he's letting his pocketbook speak for his judgement.
Suddenly, there's hardly a question Murray hasn't answered. Size? Who cares. Arm strength? Top half of the league. Accuracy? 64% completion rate works. Maturity?
Now, he just has to win.
A little offseason chemistry building should help, even if it does cost two of my cars.
Matthew Jarecki
