We are witnessing something special. This year the National League has three legitimate MVP contenders. In most years there are multiple contenders for the MVP award, but this year three players are having seasons that may never be duplicated.
The first candidate to come to mind is Barry Bonds. As Bonds continues his all-out assault on the home run record-swatting numbers 61, 62 and 63 on Sunday-he is also racking up impressive numbers in other aspects of the game. Bonds is currently batting .319, has driven in 121 runs and scored 110 runs. More impressively, Bonds has been able to compile a .499 on base percentage, aided by the fact that he is on pace to break Babe Ruth's record for walks in one season, and an .838 slugging percentage. Ruth is the only player in baseball history to finish the season with a slugging percentage over .800-he did it twice-and Bonds is on pace to become the second player to do this. Undoubtedly, he will break at least one record this year; the question is, will it be the home run record or the walk record?
Second on the list is Luis Gonzalez of the Diamondbacks. While it looks like Gonzalez will just become a footnote in this remarkable season by Bonds, he would be a shoo-in MVP winner in many other years. Gonzalez's numbers are also of triple-crown quality-batting .330, hitting 51 home runs and knocking in 126 runs. He has carried an Arizona team that has struggled at the plate for most of the year. In addition, Gonzalez is continuing the assault on Ruth's records, this one being the total base record of 457. While he has fallen off the pace slightly, he definitely still has a shot at the record. Gonzalez had a career year in 2000, and in 2001 he is raising the bar a few notches.
While certainly not lost in this MVP race, Sammy Sosa is again having an undervalued season. Simply put, the consistent excellence that he has shown over the last four years is amazing. This year Sosa became the second player in major league history to hit at least 50 home runs in four straight season, the other being Mark McGwire. Sosa also could hit 60 home runs for the third time in the last four years. Considering that before 1998 that had only been done twice in the history of baseball, Sosa's accomplishments are extraordinary. But Sosa is not just a home run hitter anymore. When he entered the major leagues in the early '90s, he was a great defensive outfielder; but when he started concentrating on hitting home runs, he lost much of his defensive prowess. This year, however, Sosa has recommitted himself to his overall game, and he has regained some of his defensive skill. To go along with the home runs and the defense, Sosa has hit .317 with 139 RBI's and 120 runs scored.
In the end, this race will come down to two factors, since I don't expect to see any of these three slumping down the stretch. The first factor will be the playoff races. The Giants, Diamondbacks and Cubs are all still in the thick of the playoff hunt, and if one of these stars helps their team into the playoffs, that will help their cause. Remember, Jason Giambi essentially won the AL MVP award last year based upon his September performance alone. The second factor will be if Bonds-or any of the three-can break the home run record. In a race this close, breaking a record like that would likely win the race.
With all this said, I think that Bonds will win the MVP, with Sosa and Gonzalez following in that order. Bonds has been pitched around all year, yet has produced surreal numbers, and for that he deserves the award. But it is nearly inconceivable that any of these three could lose the award.
Are you ready for some football?
With the football season underway, I feel obliged to do some sort of season preview. Although it will not be a seven-part series like the baseball preview last semester, I hope that I can give a good overview of the league.
Starting in the AFC, I see three teams contending for the conference championship. First off, no one can discount the Baltimore Ravens. After dominating all comers in the playoffs last year behind the best defense in football history, the Ravens have lost nothing on the defensive side of the ball and improved on offense. While the injury to running back Jamal Lewis will hurt the already mediocre offense, the addition of quarterback Elvis Grbac should at least offset that loss. Besides, a solid offensive line does more for the running game than a star running back.
The best example of this is the Denver Broncos. Over the last three years the Broncos have had three different running backs run for over 1,000 yards in a season-Terell Davis in 1998, Olandis Gary in 1999 and Mike Anderson in 2000. All three of these backs are healthy this season, so they have a plethora of solutions at that position, and the continued development of quarterback Brian Griese will help the Bronocs make it back into Super Bowl contention.
The third member of the AFC elite is Indianapolis. The three-pronged offensive attack of Peyton Manning, Edgerrin James and Marvin Harrison dominated offenses last year, and will likely do the same this year. The Colts big question this year will be their defense, but I think that it will be at least adequate. While the Rams' high-flying offense was not enough to overcome their defensive problems in 2000, I think that the Colts will be met with more success.
In the NFC the picture is slightly more muddled. We know that there are a number of teams that will likely be horrible-including the Cowboys, Bears and Cardinals-but determining which teams will rise above this is trickier.
In the NFC East I see Philadelphia and New York battling for the division title. Philly is led by Donovan McNabb, one of the new breed of quarterbacks that feels equally comfortable using their arms or their legs to beat the opposing team. The Giants will be led by their stellar defense, but they will have to find some solutions on the offensive side of the ball.
In the Central division the contrasting styles of Tampa Bay and Minnesota will frame the divisional race. Tampa Bay is led by its ferocious defense. Warren Sapp may be the best defensive player in the game, showing the ability to turn around the course of a game in a matter of plays. The same can be said about the offense of Minnesota. Randy Moss makes big plays routine, and Daunte Culpepper will continue to raise the level of Minnesota's offensive play. Unfortunately for each team, their counterparts on the other side of the ball are not up to par.
In the NFC West the Rams and the Saints will do battle. Since Kurt Warner took over the quarterback position for the Rams in 1999, the Rams have owned the best offense in either league. Look for that trend to continue, with Marshall Faulk continuing to be the most important piece of the puzzle. The Saints were a doormat in the West for most of the '90s, but last year they made it back to the playoffs. Led by a solid defense, emerging quarterback Aaron Brooks and enigmatic running back Ricky Williams, the Saints should contend for the NFC Championship this year.
Air Jordan, part three
Well, it finally looks like Michael Jordan will return to the NBA. Sure, he has traded the red and white of the Chicago Bulls for the unfamiliar blue and black of the Washington Wizards. But don't let that fool you into thinking that he will be any different on the court.
Michael Jordan is a very special athlete in many ways. First off, he is incredibly talented. He has been blessed with size, quickness and strength, all attributes that have allowed him to succeed as a basketball player.
While these physical attributes are significant, there are many cautionary tales of athletes with physical ability but little mental ability-J. R. Rider and Derrick Coleman come to mind. For Jordan, though, mental toughness may be his greatest asset. He hates to lose. In fact, hate isn't a strong enough emotion for Jordan. He despises and loathes losing. For him, it is impossible to accept losing as a part of his life, and that is why he is returning to the court.
The team that he has an ownership stake in-a stake that he will have to give up upon return to the league-has been horrible. The Wizards have been tied up with bloated salaries and old players for the last decade and have suffered the consequences. Anyone who saw a picture of Jordan in the owner's box during a game could just see how uncomfortable he was watching his team lose nearly every night. Even though he had some say in what players the team had, he was unable to directly influence their performance on the court. Now, he can do that.
And with Jordan's return, the Wizards are instantly a playoff team. Jordan left the game at the top, and I would be surprised if he would come back in a position that would compromise his legacy. Sure, he may be a little rusty. But that rust will break away quickly. Remember, when he came back after his first semi-retirement he scored 55 points in one of his first games back-in Madison Square Garden against the Knicks no less.
Michael Jordan is one of the greatest athletes in sports history. His return may injure the NBA as it attempts to find its identity in what had been believed to be the post-Jordan Era, but his immediate impact will be felt. Jordan will dominate, once again.