Merry Swishmas Tribe Fans

ESPN is reporting the Cleveland Indians have signed New York Yankees OF Nick Swisher.

I'm glad the Tribe recognized a need and moved quickly to replace Shin-Soo Choo after trading him earlier this month.

I'm luke-warm on Swisher - he's not a $14m ballplayer. Signing him to a 4-year $56 million contract (there is a 5th year at $14 million due to easily obtainable performance measures) is a lot for an average outfielder. The deal makes him the highest paid player in franchise history.

Nick Swisher is better than Shane Victorino - I'm actually glad he took less money to sign with Boston. I don't understand why Cleveland is so willing to spend money this off-season for marginal talent.

Look at Travis Hafner: In 2007, he was one of best power hitters in baseball, still in his prime and was worthy of a $12m/year contract (4 years/$49 million). By 2012, his salary handcuffed the Tribe's payroll.

Why are the Indians going down the same path in 2012 for a guy who is 32?

I'm glad the Indians are making attempts to improve the team. I like the Choo trade. Riding the Nick Swisher train and putting all of eggs in one basket is not the way to go.

AIW End of the World: Hits and Misses

@aiwrestling held their #EOTW event last Friday in Cleveland Ohio. Here are the results and below are the Hits and Misses - all AIW wrestling blog posts.

HITS

Josh Alexander: newcomer to AIW against a veteran in Louis Lyndon who is more a tag team specialist with his partner Flip Kendrick. Both men got in adequate offense. Alexander is in the middle of a push yet Lyndon got in enough offense that it made both men look good and Alexander's win seem meaningful.

AIW End of the World

Results from last night's @aiwrestling #EOTW event at Turner Hall in Cleveland Ohio - all AIW wrestling blog posts.


1. Josh Alexander pinned Louis Lyndon after hitting a spinning tombstone piledriver.
   
   
2. AIW Womens Champion Allysin Kay defeated Kobald (with Veronica Ticklefeather) after hitting a T-bone suplex
   
   
3. Davey Vega beat Chuck Taylor (with the Swampmonster)
   
   
4. Old School Express (Jock Samson, Marion Fontaine and Colt Cabana) defeated The Submission Squad (Pierre Abernathy, Evan Gelistico and Gary Jay) when Cabana forced Jay to tap out in the Chicago Crab.
   
   INTERMISSION
   
   
5. Jarek 1:20 pinned Jacka after hitting a kick in a Beyond Wrestling Showcase match.

Let the Coaching Carousel begin

Wisconsin football head coach Bret Bielema leaves the school to take the same job with Arkansas. Now Badger Athletic Director Barry Alvarez will coach the team for the Rose Bowl. Sound outrageous?

Not really, here are more coaches who are leaving their schools in the middle of the season to take a better job and leave their kids behind to play their respective bowl games without them.

• Dave Doeren (leaving Northern Illinois to go to North Carolina State),
• Darrell Hazell (Kent State/Purdue),
• Gus Malzahn (Arkansas State/Auburn)

New trend? Nope. Brian Kelly left Cincinnati prior to the 2010 Sugar Bowl, biggest football game in school history, to take the job at Notre Dame. The Bearcats subsequently got hammered by Florida.

What a bunch of scumbags.

How is it possible that a coach can leave before the end of the season? Why do athletic directors allow that to happen? Don't their contracts require them to at least finish the season?

I don't blame coaches for wanting to enhance their careers. I fault their timing, their mixed message to the kids and the system that allows this to happen.

Coaches can jump around whenever they want to chase a buck. Conferences jump around to chase a buck. Yet the players who are not "wink, wink" being compensated have to sit out a year if they transfer to another school. That's College Football for you.