Freedom Friday Daily "Linkin' Logs" (12/19/08)

The Teixeira Bonanza isn't really going as planned for...well...anyone. And frankly I don't get it. MLBTR has the confusing updates involved, but last night the Red Sox, led by Owner John Henry, met with Tex and little was resolved. Henry's dubious response after meeting with Boras and his client in Vegas was:

"We met with Mr. Teixeira and were very much impressed with him. After hearing about his other offers, however, it seems clear that we are not going to be a factor."

Ok...Who the fuck is offering more?

• Rumor has it the Sox offered no more than $184 over 8 years - $23 million a year
• The LA Times Mike Digiovanna claims the Angels offered 8 years and $175 million - roughly $22 million a year
• Yesterday morning the Sox has the highest offer on the table...I still surmise its the $23 million per year deal and the Sox have no desire to go to $25 per ($200 mil).
• As of Wednesday the O's appeared to be out of it though the O's GM Andy MacPhail claims the Orioles have flexibility"...whatever that is.
• And that brings us to this: SI's Jon Heyman claims the Nationals may be at the $200 million mark. Are they really the highest bidder?
  

No one knows, but it seems plausible. I find it hard to believe that given all we've heard about Tex wanting to play near his hometown in Maryland that he'd reject a ridiculously high offer from a team in the area or even attempt to get another (competitive) squad to compete against them...then again, maybe he realizes that playing in Boston or New York (my presumed landing spots) would be just as advantageous as Baltimore. Or maybe he just really wanted to be an O and not a Nat (seems more plausible).

• The Sports Guy ranks his NFL clubs...still a jackass... But here's the part I hate about the Simmons expose:

  Here's the theory I'm buying: The Eagles caught the Cards on a cross-country Thanksgiving trip 96 hours after their previous game, then a rattled Giants team right after Cheddar Plaxgate, then a putrid Browns team on Monday night. Now they're catching the Redskins right as they're quitting on their coach. That's four straight totally explainable wins. Do not get reeled in by Philly for that Week 17 home game against Dallas. I am warning you right now.

  Well, let's do what I like to call, journalism.
  
  • December 2007: Philly 10, Dallas 6
  • December 2006 (the Christmas Day - T.O. Game): Philly 23, Dallas 7
  • December 2005: Oh you thought this would be a loss be...Philly played Dallas on November 14th.
    
  • December 2004: Philly 12, Dallas 7
  • December 2003: Philly 36, Dallas 10
  • December 2002: Philly 27, Dallas 3
  • December 1999: Philly 10, Dallas 20
  The point is, Andy Reid's Eagles are 5-1 versus Dallas in December, with that one being his first year with a shit squad. This team gets up for Dallas. You can feel the buzz in the city. Moreover, if its for a playoff spot, and its in Philly, you can't tell me they don't have a shot. Oh...and who have fluke 5 game winning streaks?!?!
  
• No Elton...actually...No Problem. I have a feeling the Sixers will find their winning edge with Brand out. That being said, they still need to factor his 20-10 in at some point and this injury is just a delay in that transition.
  
• Ever wonder how much that Raiders game meant to Matt Cassel, Rawbeezeits of AGM has more.
• AA throws more fuel on the Simmons-ESPN Conspiracy fire. This time its a dig at Rick Reilly. That being said, Reilly sucks ass and Simmons is probably right.
  
• A LeBron James sitcom? Really?
• EC's Top 10 Gambling realizations...
• And finally, the Kings are retiring the jerseys of both Vlade Divac and C-Webb. Well, I guess you gotta retire a jersey sometime...But the predecessor to Manu Ginobli and the guy who banged Tyra Banks? Eh? Ok sure...