Marty Lenz is a radio broadcaster (sports and music) formerly based out of Colorado, now in Sacramento, California. A former football player at Colorado State, and a co-host of Artificial Turf on the old national show on Sirius, Marty is a frequent guest and contributor to The Turf. He is also a voter on the Artificial Turf Top 17 College Football Poll. He also can be heard on KFBK Radio in Sacramento doing news, talk and sports. After grueling negotiations, Marty is now aboard as a www.turfsports.net columnist.
Visit Marty's website at.... www.ContactLenzCommunications.com  

 
 

 

SOMETHING IN THE AIR...(7-22-08)
8-8-08.
8 is my lucky number; I wore it in Baseball to honor Yaz, the hero of my beloved Boston Red Sox, and always felt 8 brought me good fortune. Here’s hoping 8 and the date for the opening of the Summer Olympics in Beijing China is of good fortune as well.
I am not for the Olympics on the big scale as a stage for protest or grandeur in regard to politics, policies, and ideologies. Yet, I am okay with the personal expression of the athletes (Black Power Salute of 68’, Team USA Men’s Basketball not receiving their tainted Silver Medals in 72’). This year though could be the exception for a number of different and good reasons.
No longer can the world ignore China as an economic and world power, and to do so would be at our own peril. World resources are being consumed by the Chinese on a scale so vast that suddenly other major countries are concerned for their time at the trough. China’s population is about the only thing out growing its consumption, which as you can imagine is quite scary for the rest of the world. Yet with all this, reveals an opportunity; the opportunity for the Chinese to contribute to, and share in the solutions of our finite resources, world hunger, overpopulation, and even politics…their own politics, and we in turn can benefit.
Though China will not in the foreseeable future be what we consider a free nation and people, the small influx of capitalism, the amount that allows a taste of freedom, has transformed the country and its people into a more open nation, thus weakening the governments control enough to allow access and thought into the consciousness of its people. This in itself is a miracle, 1000 times more successful/powerful then any sanctions or war to modify Communist behavior. But should we be surprised? Since we as a free people and democratic society feel we have the best system, wasn’t it only a matter of time until others would recognize the benefits of freedom and choice, that others too would want to taste it? The simple answer is yes, and the simple truth and reality is that it has to happen in China’s time frame, not ours or the rest of the worlds. This doesn’t mean (nor should it) that we need to sit idly by when abuses take place, when Tibetan’s are mistreated and crushed, and when dissidents are imprisoned for speaking out about the ill’s of the Communist Chinese government. However we cannot force China to move any faster then they are able, in order for them to adjust to the new realities of their place on the planet as a major power. Cajoling is good, support for the good things China does is smart; sanctions for the bad things is not, and only hurts those who would most benefit from the aid.
There have been numerous protests this year tied to the Beijing Olympics: Disrupted torch relays, riotous crowds in some of our major cities and others abroad. Freedom to protest is wonderful, but it does little good and means even less to a government whose idea of our freedom is as foreign and frightening as an alien from Mars. In reality, all the displays of protest just makes the Chinese government resist even more and crack down harder on those whom we think we are helping by speaking out for them.
Someone who has been getting blitzed by criticism (and rightly so on so many issues and fronts) is President Bush, who will be attending the opening ceremonies. Human rights groups and some in our government and in foreign governments and nations are incredulous, feeling the President’s attendance is an act of support for the Chinese government’s actions. In some sense those critics are correct, but not for the reasons they think. George Bush is supporting the event of the Olympics, the athletes from our country, and the community of the world joined in sport for 3+ weeks. That is the good we all need to support. It is a lesson that most all of us wish Bush could have, and would have learned with Iraq, and that some of his predecessors would have understood with Viet Nam. One cannot always change behavior with force, threat of sanctions, and isolation. We need to engage, but then allow those we want to change the time and space to come to that decision and path on their own. We cannot be afraid to allow China, with our support, to figure out its own course to a truly free society, even if their type of freedom is slower to come and differs in degrees from our own. There is no way not for there to be growing pains and trips along the way as China evolves into a more free country and culture.
There is something definitely in the air over Beijing: Pollution from the thousands of automobiles that now inhabit the city, a sign of that new found slice of freedom to travel freely! China has come up with a way to deal with the issue of air quality, though not the most democratic solution: Forcing people to take mass transit and limiting cars into the city. But it is a solution nonetheless; an attempt to display their city, country, and people, in a positive light, even as that light is sometimes obscured by smog.

 

 

SNOWED UNDER? (6-8-08)
Back to the Future Part III?
The new coach for the Colorado Avalanche was the old coach who a few years ago wasn’t “the guy” or good enough, so he moved aside (only in the NHL will a Head Coach accept a demotion to Assistant with the same club) so the Avs could get “their guy”. Now “their guy”, Joel Quenneville, an original Colorado Rockies player, was not brought back. Is it because the new “their guy” is ready? Available? Easy? Cheap?Tony Granato should never have been removed as the Avs coach at the end of 2004, but neither should have Bob Hartley or Marc Crawford, who won the only Stanley Cups in franchise history. I would also say Quenneville should not have been let go, but Colorado wants to play a more up- tempo style of hockey, and the higher ups figured his style didn’t match up to what the organization wanted, or so Colorado management says.
So what was the excuse for Hartley or Crawford?
As the saying goes, “you cannot back up the Hearse”, but it is hard to figure out why Colorado Avalanche management makes these moves. I think Granato can be a good leader, but is he the best choice right now, especially since the season is over, a time when the open market for coaches is ripe? I can think of two names that would look very good behind the Avalanche bench; one has the 8^th most victories in NHL history, the other won the Cup in 2004. Ron Wilson or John Tortorella would have been an unquestionable and undeniable character for the Colorado Avalanche to have leading them, but that may be the problem: Not for the players who would know and respect the credibility of those men, but for Avalanche management, who would not be able to dictate (or it would seem) the play and coaching at ice level. Something tells me that Avalanche leadership likes to have a bit of control over their coaches, and does not appreciate strong willed bench leaders; leaders who have won other places their way and would want to do so wherever they go. That does not fit into the “Colorado Avalanche way”, where it seems management wants a coach to win their way, and when said coach gets a bit too big, they toss them aside. There appears to be only so much room at the power table, and someone who will not be sitting at that table, is the Head Coach of this hockey club.
It is hard to argue the success of the franchise under Pierre Lacroix’s leadership over the past decade. However, if the organization wants to measure itself against the best over past few seasons, Colorado falls in the realm of mediocre to just a bit above average. Their nemesis has won yet another Cup, their 4^th in 10 years; this most recent one in the new era of the league. The Avs have yet to reach the conference finals since 2002, when Detroit was on their way to winning their 3^rd cup.
This isn’t to say Tony Granato can’t be “the guy” to get Colorado back to the rarified air of the elite and to the Conference Finals, hopefully hoisting Lord Stanley’s Cup overhead. But the bet is if he does, if he is successful and starts garnering that power, he will be short for the bench as well. Avalanche management doesn’t seem too keen on sharing the responsibility and success with its coaches, though they have no problem letting them shoulder all the blame.
That in the long run may not be so bad.
Marc Crawford and Bob Hartley will have a seat ready for Tony Granato, should he be fortunate enough to find himself at their table.

 

POOF!…(5-2-08)
And just like that, Team(s) Kroenke’s season(s) is over.
After promising acquisitions, solid play down the stretch and a nice first round win over Minnesota, mortality, injuries, age, and a much stronger, faster, more talented team in Detroit made short work of the Colorado Avalanche. Even the 4-3 losses by Colorado weren’t that close, though in game one the Avs looked the part of a worthy foe. Goaltending ended up being a weak link: Can we say, as we do in football with QB’s, “when you have two goalies, you really have none”? Jose Theodore looked good in round one, but sick (literally, he was sick) against Detroit: Too many soft goals, but he was often out numbered on his end due to poor puck handling and passing by Colorado in their own zone and at neutral ice. Most everyone knew goaltending was going to be an issue for the Avs, and it needed to be more solid if they had dreams of advancing. Against the superior fire power of the Red Wings, Colorado could not afford mistakes, and they ended up making way too many, especially against the caliber of club like Detroit. Forsberg played one game, part of another, he was a non-factor. Could he have made a difference if healthy? Yes, maybe in a game, or two, but he is not in the net, nor patrolling his own blue line. Ryan Smyth got hurt, Stasny as well, and a few others, but against the Red Wings and the way they were playing, I am not sure it would have made a difference. Detroit’s Johan Frazen looked like the second coming of the “Great One”, no one knew who he was outside the Motor City until this series. Now Colorado will be having nightmares about him.
Where do the Avs go from here? Forsberg is anyone’s guess, Super Joe will be 39 by next season, Foote, Liles, the young kids; there is a good nucleus. But goaltending will need to be addressed. Theodore still has some skill, Budaj is young and shows promise, but can either get the Avalanche back to the “Promise Land”. Pierre Lacroix’s opinion will come to light by what he does in the off season.
The Denver Nuggets pose much different questions.
In what appeared to be uninspired play, and little team cohesiveness, the Nuggets got popped like the skinny kid against the jock in High School by the Lakers. This series was even less close then the Avalanche/Wings tryst.
As I heard Tony Kornheiser say on PTI, the Nuggets look like a “fantasy team”; a lot of all stars, but not a team. How does this team not at least take a game from LA? The Nuggs did win 50 games. Let me state that again: The Nuggets won 50 games, played in the toughest conference, made the playoffs as the 8^th and final seed, yet they won 60% of their games. This is where the equation/numbers break down and don’t add up. If the top 4 teams had won more of the bulk of the games in their conference, which would have added up to more losses for the lower 4 teams, the Nuggets realistically are about a 44-45 win team. But because these 8 squads are so close, maybe one significant player away from being great, that’s where you have parity in the conference, and it’s unusual to talk about parity when all the teams that made the playoffs where .600 or better in record. But that is where the numbers deceive, and with the Western Conference able to beat up on the Eastern, which only has 2 teams that are “West worthy” in Detroit and Boston, that is where many of those wins for the west teams came from.
So where do the Nuggets go from here? Coach Karl appears to be staying. Melo, though he now has the distinction of not being able to lift his team past the first round, can play…but can he produce? His fellow draftee’s LeBron James and Dwyane Wade have won or at least gotten their teams to the finals, though they both play in the much easier Eastern Conference. Anthony needs to start taking over and push this team to the next level. AI is the hardest playing guy pound for pound in the league, but I am not sure he is (pun intended) the “Answer” for the Nuggets. Marcus Camby has value, but is now more a defensive threat, on a poor defensive team, so that may not be saying much, though he is good for blocking shots. The Kenyon Martin experiment has not panned out; Denver needs a big man, without the big attitude. Najera, Kleiza, Smith, have some value as well, and the return of Nene is good in general even if he doesn’t return to form.
For a 50 win team, the Nuggets have more questions then they have in previous years. Bold moves need to be made to contend. Their conference already puts them at a disadvantage. Jermaine O’Neal would be such a bold move.
Lots of questions and decisions for the Denver Nuggets and Colorado Avalanche this off season; how serious and good the answers are for both teams depends on how serious/committed the organization is to winning: What’s in your wallet Mr. Kroenke?
  < Stan Kroenke...owner of bad teams and worse suits.
 

 

 

NOW SERVING (RED) WINGS & NOSTALGIA…(4-23-08)

It is the match up the NHL and most the Hockey world has wanted…especially those fans in the Motor City and the Mile High City:

Detroit vs. Colorado

Avalanche vs. Red Wings

Chelios vs. Forsberg

Sakic vs. Lidstrom

Zetterberg & Datsyuk vs. Foote, Liles & Leopold, Sauer & Salei

Osgood vs. Roy…I mean Theodore!

“Jose can you see” like Roy the way to the Cup?

Some of the names have changed, but many remain, or have come back to their respective teams; I love to hate Darren McCarty who is back, and Kurt Maltby who I hope gets put on his!

And welcome Ryan Smyth to the series, he will fit in just perfect…he is the Avs version of Tomas Holstrom.

But what is up with the reseeding?  The intent is to get the best 2 teams, but in this case the best match up is happening in the Western Conference Semi’s, and that is the only bad part of a good situation for the league and its fans.

It has been since 2002 that the Wings and Avs have faced each other in the playoffs, and if you remember Game 7 of the Western Conference Final that year, Patrick Roy wishes you’d forget.

The league though is different; less money to go on a spending spree. But the Avs and Wings have found ways to continue to be good, more so the Wings, who have not dropped off as far as Colorado has since the lock out year.  Both teams have found ways to develop good young talent, and also find talented old vets who want to be part of good organizations who compete regularly to be the best.  This is what we get as fans for those efforts; a match up of two teams with a lot of history with each other. 

The history though is not so recent; gone is Roy, Yzerman, Lemeiux, other players, Coaches Bowman, Crawford, & Hartley, from the teams in what was once the fiercest rivalry in not just Hockey, but all of sports.  Multiple retirements and 6 seasons later, will Colorado and Detroit still have those good ole bad feelings?

Yes.

 < The good old days!
All because there are enough players from those days still involved, and more important the organizations remember.  It would not surprise me (and be good motivation) for the teams to watch the old games to see how passionate, how physical, how hard the play was on both ends of the ice by both squads.

We’ve somewhat been on a nostalgia trip with the Avs when Adam Foote and Peter Forsberg were re-signed by the club, and so far the history test has turned out to be a lesson in chemistry.  When you enhance the biology of a team, with, well, more good biology; biology that has a history and successful past with its organization, it makes for a good mix.

I am ready and excited; more excited then I have been for Hockey since 2002, the last time these two great franchises of their sport cross checked each other for the right to play for Lord Stanley’s Cup, or at least get one step closer.  Drop the puck, drop the gloves, drop what you are doing, and get ready to enjoy some “Old Time Hockey”, the kind they use to play a league, and decade ago. 

 

H E Double Hockey Sticks! It’s Déjà Vu…All Over Again! (2-27-08)
In just over 24 hours, the Colorado Avalanche have traveled in time, making it 1996, and passing thru 2001. On the heels of getting arguably the most complete Hockey player ever to return to Colorado, the Avs also brought back a World Class Defenseman who embodied the grit and toughness which defined the Colorado Avalanche at the Blue Line.
Foppa, Foote, and F*** you Detroit!
In what has to be one of the most exciting moves in franchise history, only behind getting Patrick Roy, and then Ray Bourque, Colorado has put the league on notice; maybe the Cup doesn’t go through Denver, but they will come take it from you at your place. 
Peter Forsberg flirts more often with retirement then a heavy weight boxer. After sitting out most the season in Sweden, healing and contemplating, Peter was persuaded by Pierre, pride, passion, and pragmatism: The idea that this team has what it needs (for the most part) to make a Cup run. 
 < Forsberg. Foote. >
Adam Foote, who for the past decade has been the best Blue Line Defenseman, is the guy who will give this team what it takes to make a Cup run. Though the “new” NHL is more wide open and geared towards Defensemen who skate like Wingers, and score like a Center men, Foote at the very least can lock down one side of the ice. He will provide little to no scoring, but neither will his man; which should not be an issue with this team. With the hands of Hejduk, Stasny, Smyth; the return of Super Joe from his injury/surgery, the skill and grit of Laperriere, Svatos, Wolski, Brunette, and those scoring Defensemen in Liles, and Leopold, this team may be as complete a team that has ever taken the ice for the franchise, though that doesn’t make them the best. That would require a top tier net minder. Both Budaj and Theodore have shown flashes, if only we could combine them so they could compliment each other, and equal Roy.
As it stands at the publish of this article, the Avalanche are only 2 points out of the 8^th and final spot for the playoffs, and are only 5 points from the 3^rd seed, behind Calgary, whom the Avs beat Tuesday night (2/26) in OT…and that was without Forsberg.
At the very least, Colorado fans have a reason to be excited, and to pack the “Can” to get reacquainted with some old friends, and hopefully see some “old time” hockey; say circa 1996-2001. 

DEFENSE WINS CHAMPIONSHIPS! (But only if you’re not College Football’s FBS Division)…(2-5-08)
If only the NFL settled things with a vote, then maybe the Patriots would have been Champions of their sport. I mean there is no reason to play the game, New England is the far superior team from the superior conference; they are far better then the Giants, and would likely beat them 8-9 out of 10 times.
Tell that to the New York Football Giants.
Such logic would be shot dead on site in almost all sporting endeavors and events, but in College Football’s FBS Division (formerly Division 1), who needs a playoff, because we can just know and guess who the best is by voting.
Almost everyone was picking the Pats to win (me included though I would like to congratulate myself on picking in the preseason the Giants to get to the Super Bowl…but losing, to the Steelers).
It should have just ended for New England at the end of the regular season; the Patriots were unbeaten, they won their “bowl” game over Jacksonville…that should have been it; and if we were using the logic of the NCAA, it would have been.
Instead we witnessed one of the all time true axioms of Football come true once again: “Defense Wins Championships”.
The Giants were not afraid to hit the “Golden Boy” over and over, and over, and it took its toll. 
 < "And your girlfriend is overrated pretty boy!"
And while the Giants D kept beating the Pats physically, Eli Manning came of age and managed the offense, along with making a spectacular escape and throw only outdone by the catch on the other end by David Tyree, to lead the Giants to their 3^rd Super Bowl victory in 4 appearances.
Though initially rooting for the Patriots to make history, I found myself rooting more and more for the G-Men, inspired by their grit, toughness, and desire to win. Normally many folk not from the Empire State would find it quite hard to root for any New York team, but this team had an underdog feel and heart about it, that is rare to find from our largest city, know more for its hubris then humility.
It was a game not to miss, and you must have agreed, as it was the most watched Super Bowl of all time.
Too bad the NCAA is missing an opportunity to even have bigger ratings then our official “unofficial” holiday game by having and deciding a real on the field champion. Can we put that to a vote? 

RESOLUTION FOR A SOLUTION...(1-3-08)
There has been a cry, in some cases more a whimper (or whine depending on your view) for a playoff system for college football’s largest classification for over 40 years. Since the days of Penn State’s unblemished teams of the 60’s and 70’s, the era of co-national champs, to the present day of multiple teams with one (or even two losses), there has been resistance to having a true actual playoff to determine who is #1.
We can argue who is to blame, and the false reasons why we shouldn’t do it, or why it won’t work or be successful, but that has been discussed ad nauseam with no agreement and much resistance. So I won’t waste time with the argument and go right to the solution (my solution) with a playoff system that rewards conference champs, is inclusive of all D-1 (now FBS teams), and still gives weight (maybe even more) to the polling system.
First: How many times should be in the playoff?
There are already 64 teams that compete in the way over saturated bowl schedule…so why not have 32 teams in the playoff system? It is also easier for the math of the playoff system (32-16-8-4-2-1); it would mean 5 extra games for the 2 finalists. You say too many with a 12 game schedule then a conference championship game (for some)? 
The solution is to eliminate the conference championship game and cut the regular season back to 11 games. In the case of a tie, use the usual tie breakers and/or which ever team is higher ranked gets the title. All the BCS teams have at least a full month off until they play their bowl game. Start the playoffs the week after Thanksgiving, and play every week until the first or second week of January…all that does is extend the season a week beyond what we already have (if that). There will be no dead period without games, and talk about interest and intrigue each and every week with every game…that will generate HUGE revenue for the NCAA and the schools and conferences.
Second: Who “qualifies” and what is the determination?
A premium is put on winning, and winning your conference. There are 11 conferences in D-1 (okay it is now FBS):
SEC
ACC
Big 10
Big 12
Big East
PAC-10
MWC
WAC
Conference USA
MAC
Sun Belt
Simply, if you win your conference, you are in the playoffs. That way ALL schools in D-1 gets a shot to win the title (or at least to compete). Independents (read Notre Dame, Navy & Army) have to hope they are ranked high, and if they are ranked high enough, they get in. Or, they can join a conference like virtually the rest of their brethren. With 11 automatic qualifiers, that leaves 21 at-large slots.
Here is where the polls come in: The Top 25 will now carry weight equal to or maybe even greater then it does now. For teams that do not win their conference, those with the highest ranking will get in to the playoffs. Just like giving fair access to all schools for the playoff, this system does not penalize schools who play in tougher conferences with tougher schedules. 
Here is the fun part: Obviously a team winning one of the power conferences will be ranked, but since they are a conference winner, by virtue they do not need their ranking to qualify, so the next highest ranked team(s) that does not win their conference will get into the tournament. That means in some years, a ranking of say 22-25 may NOT get you into the playoff, or it may. It all depends on the rank of the team who wins the conference title, and the strength of that conference. The system again rewards the stronger conferences by giving them an opportunity to get more teams in, while not discriminating against other leagues that are not as strong. However, the bottom line is, win your conference, you are in the tournament!
Likely, a league like the Sun Belt will only get its champ into the playoff, while say the SEC could get 4-5 teams in, all depending on how high the teams who didn’t win the league title are ranked.
This makes for intrigue similar to, though not as arbitrary, as NCAA Basketball selection for their tournament. From here, you can then seed the teams using the rankings (1-32) to set up the bracket.
Third: How to use the “bowls”
Like it is done now, rotate the bowls for the Title Game and for the semi finals and quarter finals. First round games can (and should) be played on the home field of the conference champ and/or higher ranked teams. This gives extra revenue to the schools, and rewards them for winning their league or for their high ranking.
This would be a win-win for everyone: Schools, conferences, programs, players, broadcasters/media, and the fans!
Every other level of College Football has a true champ and playoff system. Those kids have to go to class, study, and travel. Basketball players in college are gone days at a time, yet no one complains about them missing class or their grueling schedule.
The reasons to not have a playoff system for the largest division of college football are weak and antiquated, and are used as an excuse to “preserve tradition” or “it has been always been done this way, why change it?”
Traditions change, and often improve, and we send our kids to college to learn and aspire to greatest, and inspire and make a difference. Those lessons are hopefully taught in the classroom, and an example of that can and should be displayed on the field of play for D-1 college football.