Football madness about to ensue

Photograph taken by Ms. Araceli Socorro Estose

To borrow Hank Williams, jr...


ARE YOU READY FOR SOME FOOTBALL!!!!!! I hope you are, as well.

Blog Outsourcing - 6/27 edition

Welcome to today's edition of The Victory Formation.

First of all, thanks to P@ and Jen for the message they left on Facebook. Much appreciated.

I read here that someone was whining about the rain they had during the weekend. Well, the past few days have been a little rough on my end. I even got a case of the sniffles right now. But I need to remain healthy and stay the course. I have to focus because I need to be in tip-top shape for the week ahead. On Wednesday, the Philippines will be facing off in the 2014 World Cup Qualifier against Sri Lanka. Me and my friends will go to a sports bar to watch this in the afternoon. This Sunday, we will be hosting them and hopefully, I can secure media accreditation to cover this event.

Here forth are the links you requested after the jump.

So, how did Mexico win their 5th Gold Cup? (c/o Zonal Marking)

Jonathan Bornstein had a tough night at the Rose Bowl. (c/o Goal)

Tim Howard caught sourgraping. (c/o Dirty Tackle)

Unbelievable. Imagine the Boston Celtics getting sent to the D-League. That just happened in Argentina. (c/o Toronto Sun)

Spanish dominance extends to their Under-21 squad. (c/o London Telegraph)

The Women's World Cup has already commenced. (c/o San Francisco Chronicle) The United States will make their 1st match tomorrow against North Korea. They are definitely under pressure.



Apparently, there are concerns over World Cup preparedness. And we just had the event last year. (C/o Sambafoot)

Football trying its darndest to eliminate acting. Other sports *cough*basketball*cough* should take heed. (c/o The Union Leader)

Just so you know, this is what GITC is doing... (c/o Guy in the Corner)

Really great piece by Chad Ford on Jimmy Butler (c/o ESPN)

Mutant Russian Mark Cuban wants to be a political kingpin (c/o Gant Daily).

Nene is a free agent. Sorry, Brazil. He needs to ensure he gets paid. And he will be. (c/o SB Nation Denver)

Why would David West turn down the extension? (c/o Thunderous Intentions)

Odds are the lockout might be here to stay. (c/o Tuscon Citizen)

Now the national nightmare of Scottie Pippen can end now. (c/o Sportsgrid)

Adios, Nate Marquardt. (c/o NBC Sports)

Meanwhile, looks like UFC in the NY is still a probable no-go. (c/o NY Post)

There actually is a fashion police in Wimbeldon. No wonder it's a white party at SW19. (c/o The Australian)

Just one American dude left in Wimbledon. (c/o Tennistalk) On the other hand, the women's bracket is so wide-open. (c/o The Sports Campus)

It ain't Rosenblatt, but its legend might get there. (c/o Kansas City Star)

The U-19 basketball roster has been released. (c/o Detroit News)

Ohio State and soul-searching. Really. (c/o The Sporting News)

There was a NHL Draft. (c/o Montreal Gazette)

They're back. (c/o Toronto Star)

Could Davey Johnson keep things rollin'? (c/o Washington Post)

Sparky in Detroit. (c/o Detroit Free Press)

Top sports movie cameos. (c/o From The Marbles)

Really bad job in editing. (c/o New York Daily News)

MMA mockery rankings. (c/o Cracked)

If there is a season, this is what you will see at the Ralph. (c/o Buffalo News)

To part, here's one of my favorite musicians. I'd love for them to come here and do a gig.

Dissecting the 2011 NBA Draft (Lottery Portion)

The NBA draft is coming in a few days, so let's dissect the lottery-bound draft selections after the jump.

Cleveland - It looks as clear as day that they will be selecting Kyrie Irving. If that is the case, the question is when will he become the PG of the present instead of the future. They'll have to trade either Ramon Sessions or Baron Davis or possibly even both. If one goes, the other will be mentoring the Duke alumnus.

Minnesota - It is still unclear if they will be keeping this selection. Derrick Williams is ideal pick here, so this could possibly be a placeholder. The fate of the 2012 Clippers draft prospects lies with how David Kahn handles this.

Utah - Could it be indicative that the Jazz are planning on trading away Devin Harris if they draft Brandin Knight? All those who were in the pro-Jason Kidd side of the Mavs-Nets deal are currently giddy.

Cleveland - It makes sense for the Cavs to draft a big to pair it with their Irving selection. They would prefer getting Williams here, but that is probably unlikely. A young big body like an Enes Kanter to pair with another young big body in JJ Hickson, with Anderson Varejao being the chief reliever for both would be just fine.

Toronto - Wise selection of Dwayne Casey as their head coach. He surely deserved a second shot at a head coaching gig. Team need post players because of their current roster is littered with jump shooters, so drafting the Lithuanian bigman Jonas Valanciunas makes sense. Buyout price is a little steep and he might need some more seasoning in Europe

Washington - The Wizards need players to complement John Wall. They already have something to work with in Javale McGee and Andray Blatche. A guy like Kawhi Leonard would suffice. A plus would be the fact that he is not a headcase.

Sacramento - The Kings need more weapons. Jan Vesely fits the bill. It is important to note that one of the bigger rumors has been the interest of San Antonio for this lottery pick with the use of Tony Parker as bait.

Detroit - The Pistons have their ownership issue resolved. They have not yet finalized on who will be handling the team, but for now, Joe D calls the shots. They need succession plans for the likely departure of Rip Hamilton and Tayshaun Prince, so a pick like Klay Thompson might just be the right one.

Charlotte - Jordan's crew typically go after those who came from name schools, so I would go with Marcus Morris of Kansas. The Bobcats took a step back in trading away Crash, so they need anybody who can contribute.

Milwaukee - After the disappointment of missing the playoffs following a season where they took the Atlanta Hawks to the limit, they need to reload. I have the enigmatic Bismack Biyombo here, as the someone who can be plugged in given Andrew Bogut's injury history as of late.

Golden State - The new regime has come in and taken over what was Nellieball. Mark Jackson will ask for a greater effort on the defensive end. What they need is additional size in the backcourt, because they currently start two Lilliputians in Stephen Curry and Monta Ellis. The Colorado guard Alec Burks fits the bill here, because he's 6'6".

Utah - Since they took a guard at 3, expect them to go for a big man at 12. Tristan Thompson makes sense. Having him and Derrick Favors is like having Al Jefferson and Paul Millsap, only much cheaper. This might not be popular with those who want "native son" Jimmer to be their choice. The only way that happens is if Derrick Williams falls to three, freeing the need for a big.

Phoenix - They still need additional spare parts, but the allure of pairing Steve Nash with Jimmer Fredette is intriguing.

Houston - Morey has a knack for going after role players who can contribute in multiple ways. Chris Singleton would be a nice toy for new head coach Kevin McHale to play with.

Blog Outsourcing 6/20/11 edition

Welcome to the latest edition of The Victory Formation.

I hope everyone enjoyed Father's Day yesterday. It's a nice opportunity to go out and bond with your family. Some might say, baseball is the best sport to bring your kid along to, like a legendary mythos commemorating and celebrating it.

The logo below is the reason why today is a holiday in the Philippines. It is hoped that my fellow Filipinos who will stumble into this will understand the reason why it's a holiday and value him and his contributions.

Here forth are the links after the jump:



The Packers finally get their Super Bowl ring. (c/o New York Daily News)

David Tyree is not comfortable with gay marriage. (c/o Slate)

The Rookie Wage Scale is not an obstacle, I think. (c/o USA Today)

I wonder how will Chad Pennington get hurt in his new digs. (c/o Sportsrageous)

Florida Marlins defrosting Jack McKeon. (c/o Bloomberg)

Phil Hughes has begun the load road back to the big leagues. (c/o Hardball Talk)

This definitely puts them out of the Kyrie Irving sweepstakes. (c/o Washington Post)

First casualty of the impending NBA Lockout. (c/o Peachtree Hoops)

The Green Room peeps have been determined. (c/o HoopsWorld)

Will there be a resolution to the lockout? I hope so... (c/o SB Nation)

There is a Shaq sex tape? (c/o SportsGrid)

A kiss definitely calms the nerves. (c/o Ottawa Citizen)

Sometimes, the best deals are the ones that are not made. (c/o NESN)

Yeo, yes yes Yeo. (c/o Minneapolis Star-Tribune)

A Storm is coming to a Knightro near you. (c/o Atlanta Journal-Constitution)

Two more years of the Pistol for the Wolf Pack. (c/o Kansas City Star)

Do you want a mascot patrolling The Big House? (c/o Lost Lettermen)

Our prayers are with Brandon Wimberly. (c/o Reno Gazette-Journal)

Dana Holgorsen gets his crack on the job, much earlier that what he thought. (c/o Mountain Statesman)

Yes, the best way to enact change is to hit them where it hurts, on their pockets. (c/o Grand Forks Herald)

The hearse becomes the court. Lucky USS Carl Vinson. (c/o Twackle)

Rory McIlroy just smashed a Tiger record. (c/o Scottish Daily Record) I only just knew today that Jason Day (who finished second to Rory) has Filipino heritage.

The 2012 Ryder Cup is in Chicago. That means it needs the presence of Barry O. (c/o New York Times' On Par)

So Lewis, you think you can handle NASCAR? (c/o Detroit Free Press)

U-S-A!!!! A chance to correct a wrong against Panama secured. (c/o The Shin Guardian)

We bid Michael Ballack adieu. (c/o Soccer Central PH)

Wimbledon starts today, but the most awaited match is supposed to be on Tuesday. (c/o 10sBalls)

Since it is Wimbledon, it provides me the license to post Ana Ivanovic again.

To part, here is a different take on a Jay-Z ditty.

Revisitng the factors of the title run

Congratulations to the Dallas Mavericks. They win their first NBA Title by beating the Miami Heat. I wrote about how the Finals is to take place. Time to revisit and reflect. And I seem to remember someone predicting Mavs in 6.



What should Miami do and did:

1. Wade Redux. Well, Dwyane had a muted Finals series compared his 2006 version. He pretty much only had one "bad" game, unfortunately, that was the final game of the NBA season.

2. 2/3 clicking. Their combined points total never exceeded 70 points in all 6 games. Both times someone went 30+ and another went 20+ were bad losses (The Game 2 comeback and The Dirk coughing bit). Of course, it did not help matters when what Bill Simmons calls "the Lebrondown" occurred.

3. Udonis Haslem. The man tasked with the toughest job defensively, shackling Dirk. And he did with mixed results. And, he missed a lot of time this season due to an injury. I would say he did an ok job.

4. Outside sniping. Mike Bibby was reduced to a DNP-CD in Game 6. Was a non-factor other than Game 2. The three-point champ named James Jones the same playing time on the court as Mark Cuban. Wade and James went cold from long distance in the final few games.

What should Dallas do and did:

1. Three-point barrage. 24 threes in the final 2 games, with some dagger ones, especially in Game 5.

2. Offensive oomph off the bench. Jason Terry may have a claim as a possible winner of the Finals MVP. Who knew the solution to the problem was playing Brian Cardinal and inserting JJ Barea in the starting lineup. Deshawn Stevenson got the three-goggle monocle going with two games of at least three three pointers. I will say the guy that has Honest Abe tattooed on him get to be in the White House on a campaign year. And through addition via subtraction; taking Peja out of the rotation because he was being eaten alive was an obvious and necessary move.

3. Defending. The first four games were low-scoring. The last two were at a pace that seemed normal to Dallas, but that zone defense befuddles the Heat in a way that they never really adjusted to.

4. Dirk. Named as the Finals MVP. Handled the non-issue of the "coughing" bit well. Had a John Starks-y first half in Game 6, but it did not matter by finishing 8/15 and scoring 10 in the fourth.

Coming Soon: What Now for Dallas, Miami, and a bunch of particular teams in the murky offseason ahead

Precautionary Measures for FIFA Qualification in home games.

It's important that we act responsibly in what do as fans of the sport, especially since are riding the crest of an early wave of popularity of football. As such, we ought to not devolve into acts of hooliganism and rioting, something that was recently seen in a tranquil and lovely place named Vancouver just days ago.

As such, here are eh FIFA guidelines that are to be followed on the home games, starting in July 3 at the Rizal Memorial Football Stadium.

If you are a Kaholero, just watch out for a guide on how to do the chants and / or drums. Don't worry on the aquadrums just yet, let someone else instead do the worrying for you. Focus on how to get the beats and chants down pat.

Most of all, #WeBelieve.

We Believe Campaign

What is the WE BELIEVE (#webelieve) campaign?

Remember that LOVE and LOYALTY we have for our favorite football club, whether it be Liverpool or Real Madrid or FC Barcelona, etc... You know when you feel so excited for each win or agonize over each loss? The paranoia that comes with the suspense of a free kick or a corner, or a call gone awry... That is precisely what that kind of fervor and emotion should be the mindset of every Pinoy whenever our national team plays. As such, it is important that everyone should believe that our National Football Team, the Azkals, can bring more pride and honor to our country. That they can carry our flag high and mighty.. That every Filipino would feel that we are all PART OF THE TEAM, that we are all AZKALS and that we can ALL be proud of who we are! That is why on June 10, at the Trinoma Activity Center, that campaign will be launched.

There will be 9x12ft LED screens, Banners, Registration Area, Sponsors’ & activity booths, confetti blasts, face paintings, photo walls, & a fireworks display later in the evening!

More details after the jump.


If you attend the activity, you might be able to get this:

AZKALS MEMBERSHIP CARD

We can sign up for an AZKALS MEMBERSHIP where we can all receive freebies, exclusive merchandise and promos from Azkals. This way we can raise funds for our team and empower fans to be a part of the team thru membership.

Annual fee: 5k, semi-annual fee: 3k, quarterly fee 1.5k, monthly fee 450 which can be thru credit card, cheque payment, bank transfer or online payment.

Members may receive premium tickets to home games, premium merchandise, discounted tickets, access privileges and other perks such as discounts to sports apparel stores (i.e. Mizuno), restaurants (i.e. National Sports Grill), and a one-year complimentary subscription to the Azkals magazine.


KICK OFF RALLY PROGRAM SCHEDULE

10AM - Activity Center Opens/Registration

There will be a Php350 [inclusive of a free Azkals jersey & a Azkals stuffed dog] minimum donation for those who want to watch the performances from 2-9pm. Club members* are automatically admitted into the performance area, which will be separated from the activity area by a cordon and a thematic entrance arch.

Azkals sample jersey

Azkals stuffed dog

*We can sign up for Azkals membership card on June 10. All same-day signups will receive a free Azkals jersey and VIP access to the show.

2:00pm – Azkals Motorcade around Trinoma

Motorcade will be around TRINOMA and this will be on a live feed in TRINOMA Activity Center.

3:30 pm – KICK OFF Rally Program Proper

There will be a mini-presscon, meet & greet, freestyle exhibition of our local footballers, performances from local artists. The main highlight of the event will be The Stand, the attendees will altogether recite a pledge of support for the Azkals: that as loyal believers, they would continue to to inspire the team in the best way they know how to push towards the goal of qualifying for the 2014 World Cup.

9pm – End of program

But the #webelieve campaign won’t just be a one-day event!

There will be series of ‘street parties’ in other AYALA properties, football clinics open to public, exhibition games between the Azkals & other Philippine FCs and/or celebrity teams for fundraising opportunities & online contests thru the different Azkals Facebook pages.

So let's go out and express our sentiments that #WEBelieve

The Azkals 23-man roster as I broke it

It has been determined that the PFF has released the roster that will going to Germany. Click after the jump to know the final list.



This is the roster they released earlier today, based from the training and tryouts that took place:

Goalkeepers: Etheridge, Sacapano
Defenders: Gier, Jonsson, Schrock, Borromeo, Del Rosario, Gener, Sabio, Cagara
Midfielders: Ott, Lucena, J. Younghusband, Caligdong, Rochlitz, Mulders, Margarse, Burkey, Becite
Attackers: Guirado, Araneta, P. Younghusband, Bahadoran

I believe that the true strength of the Philippines has been its defense. Yes, Simon Mcmenemy was mainly responsible with that with its virtual park-the-bus strategy while current coach Hans Weiss has gone with a more aggressive open football plan, but if you look up and down, the most talent we have lies with the back four or six.You might disagree because of the fact that the UFL All-Stars team netted four goals in the "Yanti Barsales testimonial match" last Sunday, but it can be said that 3/4 of that defense was not starting that game. Ray Jonsson was arguably the best defender in the Suzuki Cup, and Rob Gier was a presence as a centre back. Both were not at the University of Makati last Sunday. I have dubbed them, along with Lucena, Cagara and Schrock as the Eurofenders, as they all are based in Europe (Jerry and Dennis in Denmark, Stephan in Germany, Ray in Iceland, Rob in England)

The biggest problem that we will face is on the capability of our attackers to score. Ian Araneta has been much maligned for his lack of scoring prowess until his goal against Bangladesh in the Challenge Cup. Phil can get the job done, but he has gotten flak given the dalliances and distractions the showbiz industry poses. Consequently, the midfield should also provide opportunities that lead to goal scoring chances. Angel Aldeguer Guirado was a major boost, especially in the win over Bangladesh. Adding a Paul Mulders definitely helps given what he can do, and especially, his experience against "top" flight clubs.

Given this roster: the line-up that I would be most comfortable with goes like this.

Etheridge

Jonsson - Gier - Del Rosario - Schrock

Lucena - Borromeo

Caligdong - J.Younghusband

Guirado

P. Younghusband 

This allows elements of the Mcmenemy defensive strategy to work with the Weiss aggressive connection. Depth issues might still be a concern, but with the recent tryouts and workouts that brought in the likes of Burkey, Rochlitz, and Mulders, that would be not as much as an issue.

Blog Outsourcing - 6/6 edition

Hello everyone! Welcome to the latest edition of The Victory Formation.

That billboard right there is on a main thoroughfare around the corner and round the bend.

As this is the first Monday of June, most of the kids consider this as the first day of school. A new dawn as they return to the books and the classrooms. In fact, hashtag themes (because we're part of the regional trending groups that you can check on Twitter) that trended included #tipsfor(insertyouralmamater) freshies. It's nice to look back and see some good memories and then realize you are really that old.

Some schools, though would rather have their opening after the Philippine Independence Day holiday. Makes things easier.

P.S. It's the end of summer but we had the second hottest day in Imperial Manila yesterday. Sheesh.

Here forth are the links after the jump:

The King of Clay. He has staked his claim to greatness. (c/o The Guardian)

China makes history for tennis. On the day of infamy in Tiananmen Square. (c/o San Francisco Chronicle)

The Super Six Final is set. Froch and Ward. (c/o USA Today)

What would you do if some guy offered you $65 million or even $75 million to fight? Floyd reportedly declined. Pacquiao and El Canelo? Just do it. (c/o FightHype)

Is Guus the answer for Stamford Bridge? (c/o The Daily Mail)

He must be feeling good being in control again. (c/o Daily Mirror)

I fear he will be used as a figurehead to show facade. (c/oSport Business)

Chicharito continues his excellent form. (c/o The Busby Way)

Is US Soccer ready to grab the Gold Cup? (c/o The Detroit News)

FIFA dinosaurs? Yup. Maradona just went there. (c/o London Telegraph)

Dale jr. gets pipped again. (c/o From The Marbles)

The New Big 10 a.k.a the Old Big 12 tinkers its tournament for obvious reasons. (c/o Sportsrageous)

So that's why the lesser Melo was like that... (c/o Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician)

Nittany Lions get a new Chamber(s). (c/o Boston Globe)

The New Big Twelve a.k.a Old Big Televen chose Lucas Oil. I still think it should be either Soldier or Lambeau. (c/o Black Shoe Diaries)

The new Winnipeg franchise wants to build on something new with someone else to purchase the groceries. (c/o National Post)

Canucks rollin' in the deep. (c/o Montreal Gazette) Game 3 in a matter of hours. (c/o Nucks Misconduct)

John Kuester now has a lot of free time in his hands. (Pro Basketball Talk)

Still think he should be the head coach in Toronto. (c/o Lakers Nation)

Chris Bosh poked the Mavs in the eye. (Sports Illustrated)

Lebron James vs Gregg Doyel. (c/o Black Sports Online). His response? (c/o CBS Sports)

To part, here is a nice beat.

A New Quirk in the World Baseball Classic

Yes, I know most people don't like the idea of the World Baseball Classic. The event that will make its third iteration a couple of years from now in 2013.

This event introduced us to the wonder of Dice-K, before the Red Sox got "suckered in" and you saw the result of that ever since. Matzusaka has been the best player on the WBC in its two previous editions, both won by the Japanese. On the other hand, the United States finished fourth in 2009.

For the 2013 WBC, the organizers have decided to expand the field. From the original 16, 28 teams will get a chance to compete, with a qualifying round later this year to add spice. Based on the current rankings, the following countries will join Canada, Chinese-Taipei, Panama and South Africa (these 4 countries were winless in 2009 WBC):

Brazil, Colombia, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Great Britain, Israel, New Zealand, Nicaragua, The Philippines, Spain, Thailand

Out of that clutter, four teams will get the chance to join Australia, China, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Italy, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Kingdom of the Netherlands, Puerto Rico, United States and Venezuela are already seeded into the main field.

It's great that the WBC and MLB is allowing more teams to get the chance of competing against the big boys of the sport, that their dreams for some to be on even the same baseball field as their idols that they could only watch on their televisions or listen to on their radios.

P.S. You know which team might be a sneaky sneaky bet for this? Israel, thanks to the Diaspora.

TWTWTNBA: Deconstructing The NBA Finals - Focusing on the Immediate Future

The Finals beckons. Now that we have gone back to the way past, time to focus on the here and now.


Finals schedule: Time is in ET. Miami has homecourt advantage. The real winner though, is American Airlines, which has the naming rights to both venues (Miami is AA Arena, whilst Dallas is AA Center). Just so you know, Southwest Airlines is the official airline of the NBA.

Game 1: May 31. 9pm
Game 2: June 2. 9pm
Game 3: June 5. 8pm
Game 4: June 7. 9pm
*Game 5: June 9. 9pm
*Game 6: June 12. 8pm
*Game 7: June 14. 9pm

* - if necessary

Regular Season Matchup: Dallas won both games, both were relatively early in the season (November and December). It is important to note that Caron Butler was healthy and available when they faced off. In fact, he played a vital role on both games. At the same time, Peja Stojakovic (still with New Orleans / Toronto) and Corey Brewer (still with Minnesota) were not yet with the team. Rick Carlisle has indicated that he all but ruled out him playing in the playoffs, let alone this series, but Tuff Juice has been working his darndest to make himself a option before the series is over. On the other hand, Udonis Haslem was still recovering from injury and Mike Miller was just freshly

The first meeting was in the early days of the struggles of the Heat, and the second meeting was the only loss the Heat went through on their sizzling run (which included the great fabled Lebron homecoming) that immediately followed said struggle.

What should Miami do:

1. Wade redux. Dwyane Wade pretty much had a pedestrian series against the Bulls, but he among the three had the best numbers against the Mavs in the regular season. Of course, you know what he did in 2006.

2. 2/3 clicking. There is the ridiculous stat where if the three combine for 70+ points, they are virtually unbeaten. That's the challenge of Erik Spoelstra in figuring out ways that he can maximize the offensive outputs of Wade, James and Bosh.

3. Udonis Haslem. He pretty much will be tasked to tackle Dirk Nowitzki. He, along with Joel Anthony, were vital in the low post defense, rebounding and hustle stats.

4. Outside sniping. 31 attempts from long distance in their 2nd regular season meeting. Hopefully, Mike Miller's distraction has been addressed and thus be able to focus on the task at hand. Mike Bibby has been an absolute misery, whose playoff PER has been a point of mockery on the interwebs.

 What should Dallas do:

1. Three-point barrage: They killed the Lakers with it, they have not yet suffered from it. Oh, and they shot better from there against the Heat. And they have the shooters to do it. (Kidd, Terry, Stevenson, Stojakovic).

2. Offensive oomph off the bench: JJ Barea has been a postseason revelation. The Puerto Rican from Northeastern is just running rings around his defenders. The Heat might have to do to him in a lesser extent what they did to Derrick Rose. Of course, The Jet is the linchpin off the bench for the Mavs. The former Sixth Man of the Year is familiar with crossing swords with Wade.

3. Defending. Mavs held the Heat to under 42% shooting in their regular season meetings and outrebounded them (by a small margin). Can they keep that up? They have the capability to check things with Chandler, Marion, Stevenson, Brewer.

4. Dirk. This is about what he is about to do. The stigma that Dallas was screwed out of 2006. The misery of being embarrassed by Golden State. His legacy might be giving the Metroplex their first championship in the new millennium (Stars were the last team to win, via the NHL in 1999).

Prediction: Mavs in 6. This ain't your time yet, Lebron. You'll get your chance, but not now. Not this year. And with the way the Indians are playing, the hex of Dan Gilbert might just come true.