The good thing for me: I can watch NFL football without a care anymore! My two favorite teams, the Titans and Redskins, seem to have found a small pile of rocks and ordered a dump truck more to come bury them. The Skins decided to be nice to the Eagles and let them set some new records, while yet again, Michael Vick throws something to the dogs. Unfortunately for Washington, it was their defense. Still, however, they managed to beat the lowly Titans despite all efforts to throw the game, and for that matter the season, away. Then they lose to the Vikings, but more specifically a brand spanking new coach and a quarterback that already receives Social Security and Medicare.
Oh, sure, that's bad. At least they scored. My hometown Titans have lost 4 in a row and it has been ugly. The past 4 games have been like a car ride with Junior Seau, that is, a pure nosedive off a cliff. Asleep at the wheel. Unfortunately, the ending looks to be different than his minor scratches, as Tennessee has been headed for a massive explosion. Of course this explosion is helped by a guy I really liked two weeks ago named Rusty Smith. It looks like my assessment was a little rusty itself. He proved to be about as helpful as a box of nails, although his teammates had no intention of helping him. Yes, the Titans have hit rock bottom and that explosion I mentioned earlier was Courtland Finnegan and Andre Johnson playing Rocky in the 4th quarter of the game Sunday. Both were fined $25K, but that doesn't matter. I was kind of hoping that the punishment would be that the Titans had to switch with a college football team so maybe this diehard fan won't die hard of laughing at the incompetence of his faithful. You can fire who you want to, but anything save a brand spanking new team with an attitude you can't find in a prison won't help these sorry men.
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Rankings, Week 7
The first BCS rankings have come out. Not many people are too happy. Comprised of the Harris Poll, USA Today Coaches' Poll, and six computerized polls, the BCS still doesn't have it right. They have the wrong team at number one, and almost everyone agrees. Here are my rankings for the week:
1. Oregon- Computers will never take over the Earth. They are much too stupid, as shown by their rankings of this high-powered offense. No doubt they deserve number one.
2. Boise State- Cruising through their schedule now has gotten almost too easy. Good thing they are joining the Mountain West next year.
3. Oklahoma- They are good, just not better than Oregon or Boise State like the BCS says.
4. TCU- Big game against Air Force this weekend. They can prove their defense is lights out if they stop the Falcons' option attack.
5. Auburn- If anyone thought that this team would score 65 points, they should go to Vegas. Big game against LSU this weekend.
6. LSU- Les Miles is the luckiest coach alive. Period. End of story. He makes no sense- just youtube "Les Miles let er rip." You will see. They should get annhialated by Auburn.
7. Michigan State- Who would have thought this team would be here? They flew under the radar for the early season, and last week avoided a possible trap game against Illinois. They are here to stay.
8. Utah- Their quarterbacks are very solid. They win games, and that's why they are here.
9. Missouri- Blaine Gabbert is a very good quarterback, however he is still slightly banged up. They will not only need his passing skills but his running to have a chance to beat Oklahoma. Remember, they only beat San Diego State by a miracle last minute play, so they have looked human.
10. Alabama- They haven't impressed me too much, and it pains me to put them this high. But, they are here until they lose or are outplayed by another team.
Most intriguing matchup: OREGON vs. UCLA Oregon is going to be under the spotlight for the rest of the season as everyone finds out whether they can sustain their explosive offense. Meanwhile, UCLA is trying to figure out who they are, the good team that beat Texas and Houston, or the bad one who got romped by Cal. Very interesting matchup in the Pac-10.
1. Oregon- Computers will never take over the Earth. They are much too stupid, as shown by their rankings of this high-powered offense. No doubt they deserve number one.
2. Boise State- Cruising through their schedule now has gotten almost too easy. Good thing they are joining the Mountain West next year.
3. Oklahoma- They are good, just not better than Oregon or Boise State like the BCS says.
4. TCU- Big game against Air Force this weekend. They can prove their defense is lights out if they stop the Falcons' option attack.
5. Auburn- If anyone thought that this team would score 65 points, they should go to Vegas. Big game against LSU this weekend.
6. LSU- Les Miles is the luckiest coach alive. Period. End of story. He makes no sense- just youtube "Les Miles let er rip." You will see. They should get annhialated by Auburn.
7. Michigan State- Who would have thought this team would be here? They flew under the radar for the early season, and last week avoided a possible trap game against Illinois. They are here to stay.
8. Utah- Their quarterbacks are very solid. They win games, and that's why they are here.
9. Missouri- Blaine Gabbert is a very good quarterback, however he is still slightly banged up. They will not only need his passing skills but his running to have a chance to beat Oklahoma. Remember, they only beat San Diego State by a miracle last minute play, so they have looked human.
10. Alabama- They haven't impressed me too much, and it pains me to put them this high. But, they are here until they lose or are outplayed by another team.
Most intriguing matchup: OREGON vs. UCLA Oregon is going to be under the spotlight for the rest of the season as everyone finds out whether they can sustain their explosive offense. Meanwhile, UCLA is trying to figure out who they are, the good team that beat Texas and Houston, or the bad one who got romped by Cal. Very interesting matchup in the Pac-10.
Sunday, October 3, 2010
Rankings, Week 5
After what seemed to be the biggest week of college football yet, there is some shake-up in my top ten:
Game of the Week: Stanford vs. Oregon- If you wanted offense, you got it here. Oregon just put on a fireworks show, and Stanford did for at least the first half. It really solidified Oregon as a Pac-10 forerunner, and even a national championship candidate.
1. Alabama- They asserted themselves as the number one team this weekend with a blowout of Florida. I was at least expecting some kind of a fight from the Gators, but Alabama just flexed their muscles and stomped them in the ground. It will be a tough task for anyone to beat this superpower this year.
2. Oregon- I wasn't buying into this explosive offense, thinking that they weren't consistent enough to win every game and rack up copious amounts of yardage while doing it. Well, I was converted this week. After a wipeout of Stanford, who I thought was pretty darn good, they seem unstoppable. I would love to see them take on an SEC team in some bowl, whether the national championship or not. However, their sophomore quarterback is the weakness. He doesn't make the right read on the read option every time, and he is not the best passer. If anything led to a loss for the Ducks, it would be Darron Thomas.
3. Boise State- A rout of New Mexico State- what did you expect? Still, impressive.
4. Ohio State- A victim of circumstances. Oregon and Boise State are better than Ohio State right now in my mind, so that drops them out of 2. They got quite a scare against Illinois, but proved they were still calm with a clinching drive at the end of the game.
5. TCU- There are just too many good teams to rank TCU where they probably should be. The Horned Frogs proved dominant on defense this week against Colorado State, but their offense was a little concerningly unproductive.
6. Oklahoma- What a sweet victory over Texas for the Sooners. They were dominant until the 4th quarter where they, yet again, let their opponent make it interesting. Still, it is a quality win.
7. Nebraska- They were on a bye. How interesting.
8. Auburn- They whooped Louisiana-Monroe, and looked pretty good doing it.
9. Arizona- They were on a bye. Maybe they shouldn't play for the rest of the season if they can move up 5 spots every time.
Still, they look good and should be a huge challenge in the Pac-10.
10. LSU- Did they ever get a gift from the inept Tennessee when the last play of the game was overturned due to TWO extra men on the field for the Vols (guess too many people were just too eager to volunteer for defense). Still, they are 5-0 and have quality wins, and you can't ignore that.
Game of the Week: Stanford vs. Oregon- If you wanted offense, you got it here. Oregon just put on a fireworks show, and Stanford did for at least the first half. It really solidified Oregon as a Pac-10 forerunner, and even a national championship candidate.
1. Alabama- They asserted themselves as the number one team this weekend with a blowout of Florida. I was at least expecting some kind of a fight from the Gators, but Alabama just flexed their muscles and stomped them in the ground. It will be a tough task for anyone to beat this superpower this year.
2. Oregon- I wasn't buying into this explosive offense, thinking that they weren't consistent enough to win every game and rack up copious amounts of yardage while doing it. Well, I was converted this week. After a wipeout of Stanford, who I thought was pretty darn good, they seem unstoppable. I would love to see them take on an SEC team in some bowl, whether the national championship or not. However, their sophomore quarterback is the weakness. He doesn't make the right read on the read option every time, and he is not the best passer. If anything led to a loss for the Ducks, it would be Darron Thomas.
3. Boise State- A rout of New Mexico State- what did you expect? Still, impressive.
4. Ohio State- A victim of circumstances. Oregon and Boise State are better than Ohio State right now in my mind, so that drops them out of 2. They got quite a scare against Illinois, but proved they were still calm with a clinching drive at the end of the game.
5. TCU- There are just too many good teams to rank TCU where they probably should be. The Horned Frogs proved dominant on defense this week against Colorado State, but their offense was a little concerningly unproductive.
6. Oklahoma- What a sweet victory over Texas for the Sooners. They were dominant until the 4th quarter where they, yet again, let their opponent make it interesting. Still, it is a quality win.
7. Nebraska- They were on a bye. How interesting.
8. Auburn- They whooped Louisiana-Monroe, and looked pretty good doing it.
9. Arizona- They were on a bye. Maybe they shouldn't play for the rest of the season if they can move up 5 spots every time.
Still, they look good and should be a huge challenge in the Pac-10.
10. LSU- Did they ever get a gift from the inept Tennessee when the last play of the game was overturned due to TWO extra men on the field for the Vols (guess too many people were just too eager to volunteer for defense). Still, they are 5-0 and have quality wins, and you can't ignore that.
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Rankings, Week 4
Well, another week has come and gone in the College Football world, so let's get the rundown:
Game of the Week: Alabama vs. Arkansas- A hard fought game by both teams that actually should have been won by the Razorbacks. However, the Crimson Tide came back and flexed their muscles and achieved an impressive fourth-quarter comeback.
1. Alabama- Ohio State looks more impressive so far, but you have to look at the strength of schedule. The Buckeyes want to have the easiest road to the National Championship, while Alabama has had challenges early, which they have won.
2. Ohio State- It makes me sick to think about how easy their schedule is. I can't wait to drop them from this spot.
3. Boise State- Again, they proved themselves, this time against Oregon State. Kellen Moore is my front runner for the Heisman this year, and look for him to lead the Broncos through the season undefeated.
4. TCU- They had a scare against rival SMU, but won big in the end. However, the score didn't tell the whole story, as it was a hard fought game. They did impress me by not getting worried at all. Good performance overall.
5. Oregon- This offense is just built for breakout offensive plays. What an explosive team, despite getting challenged by Arizona State. The Sun Devils have a good team, however. Big matchup against Stanford this week.
6. Oklahoma- Another really close game against Cincinnati, but they still looked impressive on offense. We will see whether they can make Texas look foolish again after their stomping by UCLA.
7. Nebraska- A scare by South Dakota State this weekend, but not on the scoreboard necessarily. They were fine on defense, only allowing three points, but on offense, it was a struggle. If an FCS team can stop their running attack, it'll be intersting to see what the Big 12 opponents do.
8. Florida- Finally they have an impressive performance, despite it coming from their backup quarterback. We shall see whether they can knock off the mighty Crimson Tide this weekend.
9. Stanford- They keep impressing me more and more, and I agree with the AP putting them so far up. They are just continuing to have impressive win after impressive win, and they should keep it going against top-5 opponent Oregon this weekend.
10. Auburn- They have some very impressive wins so far, and they deserve to be a top-10 team until they lose. Quarterback Cam Newton is very impressive so far, and what a shock to find three SEC teams in the top-10.
Game of the Week: Alabama vs. Arkansas- A hard fought game by both teams that actually should have been won by the Razorbacks. However, the Crimson Tide came back and flexed their muscles and achieved an impressive fourth-quarter comeback.
1. Alabama- Ohio State looks more impressive so far, but you have to look at the strength of schedule. The Buckeyes want to have the easiest road to the National Championship, while Alabama has had challenges early, which they have won.
2. Ohio State- It makes me sick to think about how easy their schedule is. I can't wait to drop them from this spot.
3. Boise State- Again, they proved themselves, this time against Oregon State. Kellen Moore is my front runner for the Heisman this year, and look for him to lead the Broncos through the season undefeated.
4. TCU- They had a scare against rival SMU, but won big in the end. However, the score didn't tell the whole story, as it was a hard fought game. They did impress me by not getting worried at all. Good performance overall.
5. Oregon- This offense is just built for breakout offensive plays. What an explosive team, despite getting challenged by Arizona State. The Sun Devils have a good team, however. Big matchup against Stanford this week.
6. Oklahoma- Another really close game against Cincinnati, but they still looked impressive on offense. We will see whether they can make Texas look foolish again after their stomping by UCLA.
7. Nebraska- A scare by South Dakota State this weekend, but not on the scoreboard necessarily. They were fine on defense, only allowing three points, but on offense, it was a struggle. If an FCS team can stop their running attack, it'll be intersting to see what the Big 12 opponents do.
8. Florida- Finally they have an impressive performance, despite it coming from their backup quarterback. We shall see whether they can knock off the mighty Crimson Tide this weekend.
9. Stanford- They keep impressing me more and more, and I agree with the AP putting them so far up. They are just continuing to have impressive win after impressive win, and they should keep it going against top-5 opponent Oregon this weekend.
10. Auburn- They have some very impressive wins so far, and they deserve to be a top-10 team until they lose. Quarterback Cam Newton is very impressive so far, and what a shock to find three SEC teams in the top-10.
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Rankings, Week 3
A week of lackluster games turned into a night of intense watching for me. After playing golf as a substitute for the lack of interesting games on in the morning and afternoon, I was glued to the TV all night watching several nail-biters at once.
Game of the week: You can't beat the gamble that Michigan State took on a fake field goal in overtime to beat Notre Dame. All they needed was that field goal, and they went for all the marbles. Lucky for them, the play worked perfectly. Unlucky for them, their coach had a mild heart attack after the game. I didn't know I was that dead on when I described it as heart-attack football.
Now, here are my all-important rankings after Week 3.
1. Alabama- They routed Duke. No big surprise there. However, Mark Ingram looked great in his first game, just making this team even more powerful.
2. Ohio State- They routed Ohio. Again, no big surprise. They looked solid and even perhaps powerful against the Bobcats, but I was too busy watching the mascots duel it out to take any interest in the score.
3. Boise State- Impressive rout over Wyoming. They made Texas look silly with how embarassing they beat the Cowboys one week after Texas struggled for a while with the same team. Big game vs. Oregon State on Saturday.
4. TCU- This team has no weakness that I have seen. You have to love them to go undefeated. A potential upset alert however against SMU in the Iron Skillet Game.
5. Oregon- They continue to rack up points against no-name opponents, but they do indeed look very powerful and dangerous.
6. Nebraska- I expected Washington to upset the Huskers, or at least make it a game. Nebraska flexed its muscles and blew out the Huskies and limited Heisman-candidate (might as well call him a former one) to 4 completions in the game.
7. Oklahoma- Again, they struggled with an opponent they were supposed to manhandle, but I haven't lost confidence that they can show their power in big games like they did in Week 2.
8. Texas- Their defense was powerful, but their offense is about as exciting as a retirement home during the night. I am not impressed with them, but their win was enough to keep them ahead of Florida.
9. Florida- Aforementioned, Texas is just a little better at the fundamentals still. Florida is getting it together, but they still have leaps and bounds to perfection.
10. Arkansas- A very good game against Georgia. Ryan Mallett is very impressive, and the game against Alabama should be close. That is, unless Alabama is better than they have showed yet (a hard thing to accomplish).
Game of the week: You can't beat the gamble that Michigan State took on a fake field goal in overtime to beat Notre Dame. All they needed was that field goal, and they went for all the marbles. Lucky for them, the play worked perfectly. Unlucky for them, their coach had a mild heart attack after the game. I didn't know I was that dead on when I described it as heart-attack football.
Now, here are my all-important rankings after Week 3.
1. Alabama- They routed Duke. No big surprise there. However, Mark Ingram looked great in his first game, just making this team even more powerful.
2. Ohio State- They routed Ohio. Again, no big surprise. They looked solid and even perhaps powerful against the Bobcats, but I was too busy watching the mascots duel it out to take any interest in the score.
3. Boise State- Impressive rout over Wyoming. They made Texas look silly with how embarassing they beat the Cowboys one week after Texas struggled for a while with the same team. Big game vs. Oregon State on Saturday.
4. TCU- This team has no weakness that I have seen. You have to love them to go undefeated. A potential upset alert however against SMU in the Iron Skillet Game.
5. Oregon- They continue to rack up points against no-name opponents, but they do indeed look very powerful and dangerous.
6. Nebraska- I expected Washington to upset the Huskers, or at least make it a game. Nebraska flexed its muscles and blew out the Huskies and limited Heisman-candidate (might as well call him a former one) to 4 completions in the game.
7. Oklahoma- Again, they struggled with an opponent they were supposed to manhandle, but I haven't lost confidence that they can show their power in big games like they did in Week 2.
8. Texas- Their defense was powerful, but their offense is about as exciting as a retirement home during the night. I am not impressed with them, but their win was enough to keep them ahead of Florida.
9. Florida- Aforementioned, Texas is just a little better at the fundamentals still. Florida is getting it together, but they still have leaps and bounds to perfection.
10. Arkansas- A very good game against Georgia. Ryan Mallett is very impressive, and the game against Alabama should be close. That is, unless Alabama is better than they have showed yet (a hard thing to accomplish).
Monday, September 13, 2010
NCAA Fall Madness
Yes, I'm talking about college football. The amazing season has returned, and all teams are aiming for a shot at a BCS Bowl, preferably the National Championship Game. Since the BCS is not accurate nor published yet, and the AP and USA Today polls are terrible, I must right their wrongs with MY perfectly accurate standings, and of course, my reasons.
Call it the TCS (Tanner Championship Standings):
1. Alabama- How can you go against a national champion that returns their quarterback AND Heisman Trophy running back? As much as I hate the Crimson Tide, I couldn't have been more impressed with their defense in their convincing win over top-20 Penn State. They will be number 1 until they stop winning so convincingly.
2. Ohio State- I am a BCS buster advocate, but Ohio State also impressed me against a Miami team that I thought would beat them. Miami is a VERY good team, and Ohio State had no problem taking care of them. They will be my number 2 until they lose.
3. Boise State AND TCU- Boise State did nothing to drop in the rankings, and I love the Broncos, but I think TCU has deserved to be considered for the BCS buster team as well. They have really looked special this year and deserve more credit than they get. Boise State has only played one game, so I haven't had as much to base my impressions on.
5. Oklahoma- I was a little worried about the Sooners after they had problems with Utah State, but they sure proved themselves in what I thought would be a very tough game against Florida State. I was blown out of the water with the Seminoles after week 1, but OU really proved they can manhandle a good team.
6. Oregon- I was at the Oregon-UT game, and Oregon didn't play as well as the score looks like. Having said that, they have a very explosive offense, and this is why they are here.
7. Iowa- They have gained my respect. They are explosive on offense and dominant on defense. They should challenge Ohio State the most this year. Very impressive so far.
8. Nebraska- This was my preseason pick to win the Big 12, and they have been solid this year. They have played no better or worse than I have expected.
9. Texas- Texas hasn't wowed me this year. They should be beating their opponents a lot more convincingly than they are, and Garrett Gilbert has been less than spectacular this year.
10. Wisconsin- Whereas most people have Florida in the 10 spot, I have Wisconsin. They look good, despite a closer than expected score against San Jose State. However, this pick is more about why Florida doesn't deserve it. They look fundamentally awful for a top-10 football team. I am a Gators fan, and am disgusted at the way the team looks this year. It is disgusting. Otherwise, they are looking great... not.
Log in every Monday to see my wonderful top-10 rankings, and maybe I might get my rankings a little more accurate than the BCS this year (it's not hard to do).
Call it the TCS (Tanner Championship Standings):
1. Alabama- How can you go against a national champion that returns their quarterback AND Heisman Trophy running back? As much as I hate the Crimson Tide, I couldn't have been more impressed with their defense in their convincing win over top-20 Penn State. They will be number 1 until they stop winning so convincingly.
2. Ohio State- I am a BCS buster advocate, but Ohio State also impressed me against a Miami team that I thought would beat them. Miami is a VERY good team, and Ohio State had no problem taking care of them. They will be my number 2 until they lose.
3. Boise State AND TCU- Boise State did nothing to drop in the rankings, and I love the Broncos, but I think TCU has deserved to be considered for the BCS buster team as well. They have really looked special this year and deserve more credit than they get. Boise State has only played one game, so I haven't had as much to base my impressions on.
5. Oklahoma- I was a little worried about the Sooners after they had problems with Utah State, but they sure proved themselves in what I thought would be a very tough game against Florida State. I was blown out of the water with the Seminoles after week 1, but OU really proved they can manhandle a good team.
6. Oregon- I was at the Oregon-UT game, and Oregon didn't play as well as the score looks like. Having said that, they have a very explosive offense, and this is why they are here.
7. Iowa- They have gained my respect. They are explosive on offense and dominant on defense. They should challenge Ohio State the most this year. Very impressive so far.
8. Nebraska- This was my preseason pick to win the Big 12, and they have been solid this year. They have played no better or worse than I have expected.
9. Texas- Texas hasn't wowed me this year. They should be beating their opponents a lot more convincingly than they are, and Garrett Gilbert has been less than spectacular this year.
10. Wisconsin- Whereas most people have Florida in the 10 spot, I have Wisconsin. They look good, despite a closer than expected score against San Jose State. However, this pick is more about why Florida doesn't deserve it. They look fundamentally awful for a top-10 football team. I am a Gators fan, and am disgusted at the way the team looks this year. It is disgusting. Otherwise, they are looking great... not.
Log in every Monday to see my wonderful top-10 rankings, and maybe I might get my rankings a little more accurate than the BCS this year (it's not hard to do).
Saturday, September 11, 2010
Local Spotlight: BHS Golf
In the quietest sport that exists, the Brentwood High School golf team is quietly making ripples across the state. Around the course and around the state, the BHS golf team moves under the radar but leaves the impressions of an earthquake. Undefeated in the 2010 season, the team has grabbed the attention of far too few people. Fueled by new coach John Higgins and their overall positivism, the team continues to cruise through opponents.
An intensified look fills the golfers’ eyes as they maneuver through the course, but their competitiveness alone didn’t bring this on. First year coach John Higgins has taken the team to soaring heights that have easily met expectations so far. Higgins grew up in the Charlotte area, where he played golf on his school teams, as well as competing in amateur tournaments in high school. During his young career, he won eighteen Junior Golf and Amateur tournaments, as well as heading a high school team that won the State Championship. David Lipscomb offered him a scholarship to play golf in college, where Higgins graduated with a major in Communication Studies. He now owns an agency to help struggling athletes, mostly golfers, which have just graduated from college and are looking to make it to the next level.
Young and talented, Higgins was still impressed with the Brentwood High School athletics as well as the team. “What impressed me the most were the class of professionalism that they showed, as well as the talent of the team.”
Higgins brings an unusual coaching method to the team. He requires conditioning of the athletes to prepare them for the blistering heat that they must battle while walking 18 holes of golf. He also includes a lot of competitive games, such as a putting contest or a specific drill, where he will reward the winners with prizes. “I do this to prepare the golfers for the feel of competition,” says Higgins.
His focus, however, lies in the mind. Course management, and the “mental” game are two key elements of the game that will improve a golfer’s score no matter who it is. He also focuses on putting. The old mantra of golf, “Drive for show, putt for dough,” is reverberated by Higgins. “Putting ends up taking 40 percent of the holes in golf.”
Even though Higgins is very impressed with the talent of the team, he is still disappointed in each golfer’s expectation of him or her self. “These guys don’t realize how good they really are,” says Higgins.
An intensified look fills the golfers’ eyes as they maneuver through the course, but their competitiveness alone didn’t bring this on. First year coach John Higgins has taken the team to soaring heights that have easily met expectations so far. Higgins grew up in the Charlotte area, where he played golf on his school teams, as well as competing in amateur tournaments in high school. During his young career, he won eighteen Junior Golf and Amateur tournaments, as well as heading a high school team that won the State Championship. David Lipscomb offered him a scholarship to play golf in college, where Higgins graduated with a major in Communication Studies. He now owns an agency to help struggling athletes, mostly golfers, which have just graduated from college and are looking to make it to the next level.
Young and talented, Higgins was still impressed with the Brentwood High School athletics as well as the team. “What impressed me the most were the class of professionalism that they showed, as well as the talent of the team.”
Higgins brings an unusual coaching method to the team. He requires conditioning of the athletes to prepare them for the blistering heat that they must battle while walking 18 holes of golf. He also includes a lot of competitive games, such as a putting contest or a specific drill, where he will reward the winners with prizes. “I do this to prepare the golfers for the feel of competition,” says Higgins.
His focus, however, lies in the mind. Course management, and the “mental” game are two key elements of the game that will improve a golfer’s score no matter who it is. He also focuses on putting. The old mantra of golf, “Drive for show, putt for dough,” is reverberated by Higgins. “Putting ends up taking 40 percent of the holes in golf.”
Even though Higgins is very impressed with the talent of the team, he is still disappointed in each golfer’s expectation of him or her self. “These guys don’t realize how good they really are,” says Higgins.
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Touch 'Em All: NL
The MLB season is getting down to crunch time, and it's shaping up to be an exciting September to set up an even more exciting October. Let's go through the NL division by division:
NL East: The Atlanta Braves are the "home" team of Nashville, so I get to see all of their games. They look just strong enough to hold on to the division lead for the remainder of the season, but the loss of Prado (for now) and Chipper Jones (season) will really make it hard. The Phillies now have Chase Utley back, and they know how to make a big run at the end of the season, and in the playoffs. Maybe it's wishful thinking, but I think the Phillies will come just short of making the postseason this year. The Mets Francisco Rodriguez isn't used to blowing games, let alone blowing seasons by blowing his cool. His season ended after he injured his hand punching his girlfriend's dad. But, if he didn't go on the DL for that, his severely damaged common sense function would have landed him there. The Marlins are the Marlins> Miami doesn't know they exist, and the rest of the world could care less about an average team. A guy from my high school has been signed to a minor league contract with the Nationals, so he deserves a shout-out. Congratulations, Robbie Ray.
NL Central: Another two horse race. Cincinnati has the lineup to win the division, but the young pitchers have to show themselves down the stretch. Leake and Wood are two up-and-coming sensations, and I think they can provide this young and talented team led by Joey Votto to a postseason berth. The Cardinals will have to play consistently stellar baseball to win this division, but aces Carpenter and Wainwright might spark them to have a late season run at the division title. The rest of the teams aren't even worth mentioning.
NL West: The Padres will win the NL West, guaranteed. They are a bunch of no-name, consistent players who have everything that it takes to make it to the World Series, and there is too much competition for one team to catch them. The Giants are a solid team with a little less hitting than they would like. They have made their lineup work, and that is why they lead the wild card race. They shouldn't be going anywhere. Unfortunately, the competition in the division will more than likely keep the Giants from making a run at the West-dominant Padres. The Rockies, despite having the best pitcher in baseball, can't keep the winning going enough to gain significant ground. The Dodgers just seem helpless despite their major additions to make a push. Whenever they seem to gain a game, they fall back again after a couple of games after that.
The Cincinnati Reds will win the NL Pennant this year behind their youthful hitting and pitching. Dusty Baker has been there before and can lead them to the World Series in a much weaker division than the AL. I can't see any team jumping out as the "best in the west," however, so in reality any of these teams has a shot to win the pennant. As you could imagine, I have to predict the AL team to win the World Series. If you recall, I picked the Rays to win the AL Pennant, so my World Series winner has to be those Tampa Bay Rays.
NL East: The Atlanta Braves are the "home" team of Nashville, so I get to see all of their games. They look just strong enough to hold on to the division lead for the remainder of the season, but the loss of Prado (for now) and Chipper Jones (season) will really make it hard. The Phillies now have Chase Utley back, and they know how to make a big run at the end of the season, and in the playoffs. Maybe it's wishful thinking, but I think the Phillies will come just short of making the postseason this year. The Mets Francisco Rodriguez isn't used to blowing games, let alone blowing seasons by blowing his cool. His season ended after he injured his hand punching his girlfriend's dad. But, if he didn't go on the DL for that, his severely damaged common sense function would have landed him there. The Marlins are the Marlins> Miami doesn't know they exist, and the rest of the world could care less about an average team. A guy from my high school has been signed to a minor league contract with the Nationals, so he deserves a shout-out. Congratulations, Robbie Ray.
NL Central: Another two horse race. Cincinnati has the lineup to win the division, but the young pitchers have to show themselves down the stretch. Leake and Wood are two up-and-coming sensations, and I think they can provide this young and talented team led by Joey Votto to a postseason berth. The Cardinals will have to play consistently stellar baseball to win this division, but aces Carpenter and Wainwright might spark them to have a late season run at the division title. The rest of the teams aren't even worth mentioning.
NL West: The Padres will win the NL West, guaranteed. They are a bunch of no-name, consistent players who have everything that it takes to make it to the World Series, and there is too much competition for one team to catch them. The Giants are a solid team with a little less hitting than they would like. They have made their lineup work, and that is why they lead the wild card race. They shouldn't be going anywhere. Unfortunately, the competition in the division will more than likely keep the Giants from making a run at the West-dominant Padres. The Rockies, despite having the best pitcher in baseball, can't keep the winning going enough to gain significant ground. The Dodgers just seem helpless despite their major additions to make a push. Whenever they seem to gain a game, they fall back again after a couple of games after that.
The Cincinnati Reds will win the NL Pennant this year behind their youthful hitting and pitching. Dusty Baker has been there before and can lead them to the World Series in a much weaker division than the AL. I can't see any team jumping out as the "best in the west," however, so in reality any of these teams has a shot to win the pennant. As you could imagine, I have to predict the AL team to win the World Series. If you recall, I picked the Rays to win the AL Pennant, so my World Series winner has to be those Tampa Bay Rays.
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Touch 'Em All: AL
The MLB season is getting down to crunch time, and it's shaping up to be an exciting September to set up an even more exciting October. Let's go through the AL division by division:
AL East: The powerhouse. The Rays continue their streaky play, now winning 5 in a row after going on a losing skid after a winning streak. Streaky, right? Two crucial pitchers are on the DL (Wade Davis and Jeff Niemann) but new sensation Jeremy Hellickson is dazzling so far. I can't see a collapse in the near future. The Yankees, meanwhile, keep on trucking. They are expected to win every night, but when the Rays are on a losing skid, they can't seem to pull away in the division. The Red Sox might as well surrender, there is no way of catching either team. The Orioles are an interesting case. Since Showalter took over the managerial duties, they have played with a new ferocity and passion that was lacking during their trip to the MLB cellar. This team could act as the spoiler to either the Rays or Yankees and cost one team the division.
AL Central: Minnesota has good hitting, but streaky pitching. Mauer and Morneau are bound to produce every night, and if the pitching is good, they will easily win the division. Also, their incredible fan base at Target Field has got to fuel them. Chicago seems to have lost their "thing" that they had during their hot streak. Great pitching will be the only thing that can save them. Detroit can forget about their chances.
AL West: Simply, Texas. In October, the question will be whether they can beat an AL East team. Their regular season record against the AL East says no way, but I have confidence they will rise to the occasion, or at least come close.
The AL pennant will go to the Tampa Bay Rays. They have the most depth, especially at pitcher, although Texas could battle close. The Yankees can, of course, always win a pennant, but the Rays seem destined to make a trip back to the World Series this year.
AL East: The powerhouse. The Rays continue their streaky play, now winning 5 in a row after going on a losing skid after a winning streak. Streaky, right? Two crucial pitchers are on the DL (Wade Davis and Jeff Niemann) but new sensation Jeremy Hellickson is dazzling so far. I can't see a collapse in the near future. The Yankees, meanwhile, keep on trucking. They are expected to win every night, but when the Rays are on a losing skid, they can't seem to pull away in the division. The Red Sox might as well surrender, there is no way of catching either team. The Orioles are an interesting case. Since Showalter took over the managerial duties, they have played with a new ferocity and passion that was lacking during their trip to the MLB cellar. This team could act as the spoiler to either the Rays or Yankees and cost one team the division.
AL Central: Minnesota has good hitting, but streaky pitching. Mauer and Morneau are bound to produce every night, and if the pitching is good, they will easily win the division. Also, their incredible fan base at Target Field has got to fuel them. Chicago seems to have lost their "thing" that they had during their hot streak. Great pitching will be the only thing that can save them. Detroit can forget about their chances.
AL West: Simply, Texas. In October, the question will be whether they can beat an AL East team. Their regular season record against the AL East says no way, but I have confidence they will rise to the occasion, or at least come close.
The AL pennant will go to the Tampa Bay Rays. They have the most depth, especially at pitcher, although Texas could battle close. The Yankees can, of course, always win a pennant, but the Rays seem destined to make a trip back to the World Series this year.
Sunday, August 15, 2010
Must Be Football Season
Brett Favre isn't sure about retiring or not, and the Titans are playing heart-attack football: must be football season.
And, indeed it is football season! The first week of preseason is more than halfway over, and already so many things have happened! Brett Favre has already retired and unretired once, but it isn't Favre making the noise at quarterback for the Vikings. WIth the uncertainty of the ancient quarterback, the Vikings are looking for their starter for this season to replace Favre. Tavaris Jackson started the game against the Rams last night, and proved that he is still just as inept as he was before the Favre era. Meanwhile, Sage Rosenfels lit up the scoreboard for 310 yards and three touchdowns. Still, though, Jackson is the main guy. Now we see why Brett Favre kept Brad Childress' job last year: he has no common sense. Rosenfels has proven himself as a backup for Matt Schaub in Houston, and I know him well. The Titans always seem to knock Schaub out, and Rosenfels time after time seems to light our defense up for all too many yards and touchdowns. If you look at the tape of this guy, he knows what he is doing way more than most backup quarterbacks, and deserves to have a chance to start for the Vikings this year. That is, if the big "if" of Favre not returning actually happens, of course.
Meanwhile, our good ole' Tennessee Titans have picked up right where they ended last season: playing heart-attack football. Even though the preseason is won or lost by the backups, the 20-18 loss was nail-biting. Here is my impression of the Titans team this year:
Vince Young looks sharp. He completed his passes in an impressive fashion, and showed he has matured through the offseason. Chris Johnson seems unchanged. He seems like the same back he was last year, and we will see more from him as the preseason progresses. Our wide receivers look more confident catching the ball. Good passes and good catches by Gage and Washington led to our first scoring drive. Defensively, we rested a lot of veterans, including both corners, starting 2nd year players Jason McCourty and Ryan Mouton. McCourty looked very impressive, as he had good coverage on his receiver the few times he was actually picked on. Mouton got burned several times, but did get a gift interception.
As for the backups, I was most impressed with 4th string QB Rusty Smith and WR Marc Mariani. Mariani was the go-to receiver the whole second half and Smith's passes were on target. I was most disappointed with QB Chris Simms. Recently pulled over for driving after smoking pot, he seemed high again on the field. His vision downfield was terrible and he just seemed incapable of completing a pass or doing anything worthwhile.
Stay tuned, as the Brett Favre saga might turn into the next CBS drama, while the Titans might be featured in the next edge-of-your-seat movie!
And, indeed it is football season! The first week of preseason is more than halfway over, and already so many things have happened! Brett Favre has already retired and unretired once, but it isn't Favre making the noise at quarterback for the Vikings. WIth the uncertainty of the ancient quarterback, the Vikings are looking for their starter for this season to replace Favre. Tavaris Jackson started the game against the Rams last night, and proved that he is still just as inept as he was before the Favre era. Meanwhile, Sage Rosenfels lit up the scoreboard for 310 yards and three touchdowns. Still, though, Jackson is the main guy. Now we see why Brett Favre kept Brad Childress' job last year: he has no common sense. Rosenfels has proven himself as a backup for Matt Schaub in Houston, and I know him well. The Titans always seem to knock Schaub out, and Rosenfels time after time seems to light our defense up for all too many yards and touchdowns. If you look at the tape of this guy, he knows what he is doing way more than most backup quarterbacks, and deserves to have a chance to start for the Vikings this year. That is, if the big "if" of Favre not returning actually happens, of course.
Meanwhile, our good ole' Tennessee Titans have picked up right where they ended last season: playing heart-attack football. Even though the preseason is won or lost by the backups, the 20-18 loss was nail-biting. Here is my impression of the Titans team this year:
Vince Young looks sharp. He completed his passes in an impressive fashion, and showed he has matured through the offseason. Chris Johnson seems unchanged. He seems like the same back he was last year, and we will see more from him as the preseason progresses. Our wide receivers look more confident catching the ball. Good passes and good catches by Gage and Washington led to our first scoring drive. Defensively, we rested a lot of veterans, including both corners, starting 2nd year players Jason McCourty and Ryan Mouton. McCourty looked very impressive, as he had good coverage on his receiver the few times he was actually picked on. Mouton got burned several times, but did get a gift interception.
As for the backups, I was most impressed with 4th string QB Rusty Smith and WR Marc Mariani. Mariani was the go-to receiver the whole second half and Smith's passes were on target. I was most disappointed with QB Chris Simms. Recently pulled over for driving after smoking pot, he seemed high again on the field. His vision downfield was terrible and he just seemed incapable of completing a pass or doing anything worthwhile.
Stay tuned, as the Brett Favre saga might turn into the next CBS drama, while the Titans might be featured in the next edge-of-your-seat movie!
Sunday, July 25, 2010
News Drought
I hate when no new sporting news is out. When I watch SportsCenter in the mornings where this is the case, I watch pointless interviews about rumors and speculation. To me, it's quite boring. I watched the show SportsNation the other day on ESPN, and partially due to the complete lack of interesting news, it was the most boring show ever. I watched as they debated over a new rookie in the NFL would make a bigger splash than a new soap opera show. You can surely tell it was utterly fascinating.
Here's a piece of news you probably won't hear about: Carl Pettersson won the RBC Canadian Open today, thanks to a 60 (-10) in the third round. Pettersson is a burly man, and it is good to see someone not as fit winning a championship like this. I tried out for the golf team, and in 100 degree heat index, it is not easy AT ALL to walk 18 holes. Congratulations, Carl.
Pettersson is building momentum for himself by playing most all tournaments, and with his win today earns himself a spot in the PGA Championship this year, along with the Masters next year. Meanwhile, Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson are doing the opposite. By sitting out most tournaments, they are leaving their struggles for the big tournaments. Tiger Woods should be playing every tournament possible to fix his kinky swing. If he thinks he can use the range for preparation for the most difficult tournaments of the year, he is mistaken. It's the same thing with Phil. His struggles might not be so mighty in the majors if he would play more routine tournaments.
So, at the PGA Championship, I'm cheering for a regular on the European or PGA Tour. Forget the pros that forget the small tournaments.
Here's a piece of news you probably won't hear about: Carl Pettersson won the RBC Canadian Open today, thanks to a 60 (-10) in the third round. Pettersson is a burly man, and it is good to see someone not as fit winning a championship like this. I tried out for the golf team, and in 100 degree heat index, it is not easy AT ALL to walk 18 holes. Congratulations, Carl.
Pettersson is building momentum for himself by playing most all tournaments, and with his win today earns himself a spot in the PGA Championship this year, along with the Masters next year. Meanwhile, Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson are doing the opposite. By sitting out most tournaments, they are leaving their struggles for the big tournaments. Tiger Woods should be playing every tournament possible to fix his kinky swing. If he thinks he can use the range for preparation for the most difficult tournaments of the year, he is mistaken. It's the same thing with Phil. His struggles might not be so mighty in the majors if he would play more routine tournaments.
So, at the PGA Championship, I'm cheering for a regular on the European or PGA Tour. Forget the pros that forget the small tournaments.
Sunday, July 18, 2010
British Open Season
Louis Oosthuizen is now in possession of the Clarett Jug, the most famed and sought-after trophy in golf. He finished at -16, seven shots ahead of addicted-to-second-place Lee Westwood. Possibly the game's toughest test, St. Andrews proved to be a brute again this week. Oosthuizen was the only golfer to finish in double digits, as the rest of the field got blown away, literally. The wind, like most times in Open Championship golf, was the "great equalizer" again. However, Oosthuizen handled it like an old pro, which he is ironically not. Here's some insight on Louis.
I first was introduced to Louis Oosthuizen on the European Tour stop at the Qatar Masters early in 2009. He and Alvaro Quiros, the long-hitting Spaniard, were dueling for the lead through the last round, with Quiros prevailing. However, I was impressed with Oosthuizen's game, and I would look for him on the leaderboard from then on. It wasn't hard to find him, as he was in contention of many events when I tuned in to the European Tour. Naturally, when I heard his name in major championships, I would laugh at the commentator's lack of knowledge of who he was. Earlier this year at the Masters, he won the par three competition on Wednesday that I never miss, and I knew that he would break through this year. Turns out I was right, as he won a European tour stop in Spain, and I was not surprised to see him in second after round one of the British Open. In the Open, he took advantage of the first day when the wind did not blow hard, and then followed it up with a great round on a rainy Friday morning. Step one: take advantage of the course when it's possible; check. On Saturday, he played solidly, and increased his margin to four. Also, through the tournament, he was number one in driving accuracy. Step two: put yourself in a spot to win by hitting fairways and greens; check. Finally on Sunday, he played consistently and took advantage of what he could, and otherwise played for par. His consistency and unwavering confidence allowed him to make par when he wanted to. Step three: play like an old pro; check.
These three steps allowed Oosthuizen to win the Open Championship. Interestingly, the first American player was Nick Watney at -6. It makes you think that the European Tour players have the advantage in the British Open because they play constantly in the wind and bad conditions. No matter the case, though, Louis Oosthuizen has many reasons to celebrate his new major championship.
I first was introduced to Louis Oosthuizen on the European Tour stop at the Qatar Masters early in 2009. He and Alvaro Quiros, the long-hitting Spaniard, were dueling for the lead through the last round, with Quiros prevailing. However, I was impressed with Oosthuizen's game, and I would look for him on the leaderboard from then on. It wasn't hard to find him, as he was in contention of many events when I tuned in to the European Tour. Naturally, when I heard his name in major championships, I would laugh at the commentator's lack of knowledge of who he was. Earlier this year at the Masters, he won the par three competition on Wednesday that I never miss, and I knew that he would break through this year. Turns out I was right, as he won a European tour stop in Spain, and I was not surprised to see him in second after round one of the British Open. In the Open, he took advantage of the first day when the wind did not blow hard, and then followed it up with a great round on a rainy Friday morning. Step one: take advantage of the course when it's possible; check. On Saturday, he played solidly, and increased his margin to four. Also, through the tournament, he was number one in driving accuracy. Step two: put yourself in a spot to win by hitting fairways and greens; check. Finally on Sunday, he played consistently and took advantage of what he could, and otherwise played for par. His consistency and unwavering confidence allowed him to make par when he wanted to. Step three: play like an old pro; check.
These three steps allowed Oosthuizen to win the Open Championship. Interestingly, the first American player was Nick Watney at -6. It makes you think that the European Tour players have the advantage in the British Open because they play constantly in the wind and bad conditions. No matter the case, though, Louis Oosthuizen has many reasons to celebrate his new major championship.
Friday, July 9, 2010
An Erie Feeling
Nestled on the shores of Lake Erie, Cleveland is home to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the Browns, and the Cavaliers. Outside of Quicken Loans Arena, home of the Cavaliers, one might have seen a huge Nike poster of Lebron James, the face of the franchise. But that was yesterday. Now you have to travel to South Beach to see anything advertising Lebron, as he is the newest member of the Miami Heat. In a one hour special yesterday, James announced he would join Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade for a superteam in Miami. Later, sources reported that the Heat would be trading Michael Beasley, the former second overall draft pick. As for the new big three, or to celebrate the Spanish flare of Miami, "Los Tres Grandes," they will each sign a smaller contract than anywhere else. This, however, is a small price to pay when a dynasty could be built with these three great players.
Back in Cleveland, though, they have a big poster space to fill. Byron Scott, the newly introduced head coach, insists the team will move on without Lebron, but the owner had some stronger words to say. He openly assaulted Lebron's decision in a letter to Cavaliers fans, saying that he guarantees a championship in Cleveland before Lebron gets his first. He should have looked at his roster first. Their star player now is Shaquille O'Neal, who is way past his best times, and oh by the way, a free agent. So who are they going to win a championship with? Mo Williams? Delonte West? Anderson Varejao? Yeah right.
I think Cleveland fans forgot that the professional sports leagues are a business now, and Lebron's situation was no different. Even if Lebron wanted to stay, he had no incentive. He wanted to win a championship (how can you blame him) and it was proven in his seven year time with Cleveland that it could not and would not be done. Cleveland fans have no right to feel betrayed. I had a conversation with friend and former Ohio native Marie Alford about the situation, and she agrees with me. "[SportsCenter] says Lebron has now become the second most hated man in Cleveland, next to Art Modell of course, but I just don't think that should be said. if Cleveland fans really cared, they would know what's best for him, not make him feel unwelcome in his own city." It is time for Cleveland fans to be mature and move on.
Back in Cleveland, though, they have a big poster space to fill. Byron Scott, the newly introduced head coach, insists the team will move on without Lebron, but the owner had some stronger words to say. He openly assaulted Lebron's decision in a letter to Cavaliers fans, saying that he guarantees a championship in Cleveland before Lebron gets his first. He should have looked at his roster first. Their star player now is Shaquille O'Neal, who is way past his best times, and oh by the way, a free agent. So who are they going to win a championship with? Mo Williams? Delonte West? Anderson Varejao? Yeah right.
I think Cleveland fans forgot that the professional sports leagues are a business now, and Lebron's situation was no different. Even if Lebron wanted to stay, he had no incentive. He wanted to win a championship (how can you blame him) and it was proven in his seven year time with Cleveland that it could not and would not be done. Cleveland fans have no right to feel betrayed. I had a conversation with friend and former Ohio native Marie Alford about the situation, and she agrees with me. "[SportsCenter] says Lebron has now become the second most hated man in Cleveland, next to Art Modell of course, but I just don't think that should be said. if Cleveland fans really cared, they would know what's best for him, not make him feel unwelcome in his own city." It is time for Cleveland fans to be mature and move on.
Thursday, July 8, 2010
Courting the King
The Summer of 2010 has turned into the Summer of the Free Agents. Hyped to be possibly the best free agent market in history in the NBA, it has lived up to nothing less. Free agents like Dirk Novitzki, Carlos Boozer, Chris Bosh, Paul Pierce, Dwyane Wade, and of course LeBron James draw lines of teams outside each one's door. Here is my take on the topic I most want gone:
LeBron James is good, and I have said all along that he needs a supporting cast. Why didn't anyone else see the possibility of he and Dirk Novitzki playing together? Dirk has been said to be the best "number two" guy, and LeBron is the best number one out there. Sounds like a no-brainer to me! If I can see something like that, it's a wonder why every single person getting payed to see it doesn't. Next, in the "courting" of James, I think everyone but the Cavaliers did a good job. The Cavs did what those Scottrade commercials portray: they joked around and said "Hey! It's us! You've been with us for your whole career. Sure the other teams actually have made moves to help you win championships, but come on, we go back!" If I was LeBron, I would be saying, "What have you done for me? Where are my championships? And what WILL you do for me?" Answer: they have made you lead a crap team, you have no championships, and they have not made a SINGLE move to get any supporting players. If he stays with Cleveland, he will move from best player to biggest free agent idiot. Miami is his best option, joining Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade on a team that will surely win championships. Chicago, with Carlos Boozer and the existing talent that led them to the playoffs this year, would be my second choice, and New York and Amare Stoudemire third.
Meanwhile, outside of LeBron's mighty decision, the free agency has been a bust. Everyone was waiting for LeBron to make their move based off of him, and most decided not to wait any longer. Paul Pierce, Dirk Novitzki and Joe Johnson highlighted the list of star players who just decided to stay put and try try again with their current teams. As for the other new team signees, well, they were overshadowed by the crown of the king.
LeBron James is good, and I have said all along that he needs a supporting cast. Why didn't anyone else see the possibility of he and Dirk Novitzki playing together? Dirk has been said to be the best "number two" guy, and LeBron is the best number one out there. Sounds like a no-brainer to me! If I can see something like that, it's a wonder why every single person getting payed to see it doesn't. Next, in the "courting" of James, I think everyone but the Cavaliers did a good job. The Cavs did what those Scottrade commercials portray: they joked around and said "Hey! It's us! You've been with us for your whole career. Sure the other teams actually have made moves to help you win championships, but come on, we go back!" If I was LeBron, I would be saying, "What have you done for me? Where are my championships? And what WILL you do for me?" Answer: they have made you lead a crap team, you have no championships, and they have not made a SINGLE move to get any supporting players. If he stays with Cleveland, he will move from best player to biggest free agent idiot. Miami is his best option, joining Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade on a team that will surely win championships. Chicago, with Carlos Boozer and the existing talent that led them to the playoffs this year, would be my second choice, and New York and Amare Stoudemire third.
Meanwhile, outside of LeBron's mighty decision, the free agency has been a bust. Everyone was waiting for LeBron to make their move based off of him, and most decided not to wait any longer. Paul Pierce, Dirk Novitzki and Joe Johnson highlighted the list of star players who just decided to stay put and try try again with their current teams. As for the other new team signees, well, they were overshadowed by the crown of the king.
Monday, June 28, 2010
World Cup Catch Up
So much has happened in the last week, so let's get a rundown.
In the World Cup, we have moved on to the knockout round of 16, with many of these games already complete. Team USA has gone down in history as the most hyped World Cup team in the USA, but we will not see any more of the new countrywide heroes. Landon Donovan's heart-stopping (as well as game-stopping) goal in additional time will go down in everyone's personal history book as a "where was I when that happened?" moment. As for me, I was in a golf clubhouse. Of course, by now I am hooked on World Cup, and so I cancelled everything to watch the next match versus Ghana. The result: the USA lost, and I was sheathed in sweat and on my knees on the floor. However, they sure impressed me, and in 2014 I will be nowhere else when the USA plays but glued to the screen. Meanwhile, Germany squished the pompous English team, not to my surprise. The English think they are much better than they really are, and my hat is off to Germany for showing the world. Brazil, Argentina, and Uruguay are on to the quarterfinals in a South American dominated field. The Netherlands have impressed me the most, and they are my dark horse to win, and coincidentally who I am cheering for to win.
Unfortunately for the world, England has something to blame their loss on to cover up their embarrassment. A goal was not seen by referees who were out of position, which would have tied the game 2-2. Instead, the English ended up getting slaughtered 4-1. A missed offsides call by the referees in the Argentina-Mexico game that would have disallowed the first Argentinean goal resulted in a confrontation between sides in the next match. This got everyone into a "we need replay" frenzy, which I was a part of. So, FIFA responded by saying that they just won't show controversial calls on stadium jumbotrons. What a bunch of idiots. They are too lazy to really do anything, and they'll just cover it up instead of making it right. Sounds like the police in a mafia movie to me. Install goal-line replay and get with the millennium. By the way, an interesting point: no hoop-la was made to install replay into soccer when the USA was cheated out of TWO goals in TWO games. And then, suddenly, when the English were on the short end of the stick, the news has been all over it like Tiger Woods on his women.
Do all the international countries hate us that much?
In the World Cup, we have moved on to the knockout round of 16, with many of these games already complete. Team USA has gone down in history as the most hyped World Cup team in the USA, but we will not see any more of the new countrywide heroes. Landon Donovan's heart-stopping (as well as game-stopping) goal in additional time will go down in everyone's personal history book as a "where was I when that happened?" moment. As for me, I was in a golf clubhouse. Of course, by now I am hooked on World Cup, and so I cancelled everything to watch the next match versus Ghana. The result: the USA lost, and I was sheathed in sweat and on my knees on the floor. However, they sure impressed me, and in 2014 I will be nowhere else when the USA plays but glued to the screen. Meanwhile, Germany squished the pompous English team, not to my surprise. The English think they are much better than they really are, and my hat is off to Germany for showing the world. Brazil, Argentina, and Uruguay are on to the quarterfinals in a South American dominated field. The Netherlands have impressed me the most, and they are my dark horse to win, and coincidentally who I am cheering for to win.
Unfortunately for the world, England has something to blame their loss on to cover up their embarrassment. A goal was not seen by referees who were out of position, which would have tied the game 2-2. Instead, the English ended up getting slaughtered 4-1. A missed offsides call by the referees in the Argentina-Mexico game that would have disallowed the first Argentinean goal resulted in a confrontation between sides in the next match. This got everyone into a "we need replay" frenzy, which I was a part of. So, FIFA responded by saying that they just won't show controversial calls on stadium jumbotrons. What a bunch of idiots. They are too lazy to really do anything, and they'll just cover it up instead of making it right. Sounds like the police in a mafia movie to me. Install goal-line replay and get with the millennium. By the way, an interesting point: no hoop-la was made to install replay into soccer when the USA was cheated out of TWO goals in TWO games. And then, suddenly, when the English were on the short end of the stick, the news has been all over it like Tiger Woods on his women.
Do all the international countries hate us that much?
Monday, June 21, 2010
U.S.Open Goes European
Graeme McDowell can finally rest in peace. He can covet his new US Open trophy like Donald Trump his money after winning the Open with a score of level par. The Open at Pebble Beach this year was the toughest I have seen any golf course play EVER. The announcers seemed to be repeating "this one is tricky," or, "this one is nearly impossible." Every putt was fast, every approach shot was lucky to make it on the green, and every chip and putt were lucky to get close to the hole. An even par winner was three shots higher than Lucas Glover's -3 on the daunting Bethpage Black Course. However, I loved the difficulty.
This golf course embarrassed each and every pro player that played it on one day or another. I was watching the tournament thinking, "that is what I look like out there!" Especially on the final day, I was thinking as the ambitious golfer that I am, "I could do better than these guys!" Indeed, it was a final round meltdown for everyone, especially Dustin Johnson. I picked him to win, but instead he shot a +12 82, absolutely atrocious for anyone, and especially the 54 hole leader! The only calm ones were Graeme McDowell and Gregory Havret, who finished 1 and 2, respectively. They both managed the course and took their medicine with bogeys, not double and triple bogeys. They hit fairways and missed the ball in the right places, while Tiger Woods, Ernie Els, and Phil Mickelson did not. Graeme McDowell seems ready for anything that comes his way, and has brought the US Open trophy safely to Europe for the first time in 40 years.
This golf course embarrassed each and every pro player that played it on one day or another. I was watching the tournament thinking, "that is what I look like out there!" Especially on the final day, I was thinking as the ambitious golfer that I am, "I could do better than these guys!" Indeed, it was a final round meltdown for everyone, especially Dustin Johnson. I picked him to win, but instead he shot a +12 82, absolutely atrocious for anyone, and especially the 54 hole leader! The only calm ones were Graeme McDowell and Gregory Havret, who finished 1 and 2, respectively. They both managed the course and took their medicine with bogeys, not double and triple bogeys. They hit fairways and missed the ball in the right places, while Tiger Woods, Ernie Els, and Phil Mickelson did not. Graeme McDowell seems ready for anything that comes his way, and has brought the US Open trophy safely to Europe for the first time in 40 years.
Sunday, June 20, 2010
The 2010 FIFA World Annoyance
Almost finished with the second matchup in each World Cup grouping, the 2010 FIFA World Cup has established one thing: its noise. Host country South Africa is making a big impression on the world, and not with their football team. The long horn, called a vuvuzela, is annoying players, coaches, and fans watching at home. It is causing such an uproar, literally and figuratively, that it is overshadowing the amazing football going on. I'll get to that later. As for my opinion on the vuvuzelas, I like them. It is part of the host country's traditions, and we should embrace them, no matter how annoying. I even like the noise, as it makes the fans heard. This way, stadiums don't sound empty, and fans can influence the game rather than just sitting silently in their seat. I was watching the Marlins vs. Rays baseball game the other night, and i heard the familiar swarm of bees on my TV. The Marlins stadium was giving out these vuvuzelas to make their infamously-sparse crowd more of a factor. It turns out that it caused an error in lineup cards that possibly contributed to the Marlins losing, but I really liked the idea of turning up the noise at an always-empty stadium.
Meanwhile, football is actually being played during all of this raucous. Team USA was lucky to draw with England after an easy save bounced off the goalie's hands right into the net. In the next game against Slovenia, they went down 2-0 by halftime, but in the second half scored three goals, but only two of them counted. The referee from Mali, a country in western Africa, called a foul disallowing the goal by the US, and when questioned by all, had no explanation for it. I was expecting to see the wad of money fall out of his pocket later, but the team wasn't that lucky, although the ref will not do another World Cup game.
Brazil looks as good as they were made out to be, but Spain, Italy, and France have been disappointments. Italy drew again today against huge underdog New Zealand. Spain lost 1-0 in it's first match, shocking the football world. And lastly, and possibly the biggest disappointment, is France. After two losses and no goals scored, the team has sent one player home for cussing at the coach, and after the trainer and coach fought today, the remaining players went back to the bus and refused to train or practice.
So, until the end, let's enjoy this World Cup, or as most think, the World Annoyance.
Meanwhile, football is actually being played during all of this raucous. Team USA was lucky to draw with England after an easy save bounced off the goalie's hands right into the net. In the next game against Slovenia, they went down 2-0 by halftime, but in the second half scored three goals, but only two of them counted. The referee from Mali, a country in western Africa, called a foul disallowing the goal by the US, and when questioned by all, had no explanation for it. I was expecting to see the wad of money fall out of his pocket later, but the team wasn't that lucky, although the ref will not do another World Cup game.
Brazil looks as good as they were made out to be, but Spain, Italy, and France have been disappointments. Italy drew again today against huge underdog New Zealand. Spain lost 1-0 in it's first match, shocking the football world. And lastly, and possibly the biggest disappointment, is France. After two losses and no goals scored, the team has sent one player home for cussing at the coach, and after the trainer and coach fought today, the remaining players went back to the bus and refused to train or practice.
So, until the end, let's enjoy this World Cup, or as most think, the World Annoyance.
Saturday, June 19, 2010
Guess Who's Back?
Well, first of all, I am. With traveling and the internet out in two places, it has been impossible for me to blog for the past week. I apologize for this.
But as for my story, Tiger Woods is back. With his third round 66 (-5), he has shown that the old Tiger is back and hopefully for good. With heroic putts and approach shots, he really showed that his game and swing are almost back to normal. I surely expected no one to post a good score today, and especially not Tiger after he was +2 after 3 holes. However, he showed the resiliency and determination of the old Tiger we are used to and posted his incredible round with a 31 on the back 9 of Pebble Beach.
As for the greens, they look awful, bumpy, and discolored. However, they are as fast and in as good a condition as ever, and the players are adamant that they are not nearly as bad as they look. They are keeping scores close to par, and are giving anyone with a good stretch of holes a chance at the championship. This is what I love to see in tournaments, especially the US and British Opens: difficult scoring, with everyone having a chance to win. Anyone who complains that it is or looks too hard, just remember that it is supposed to be this way.
Who do I think will win? Dustin Johnson has my vote, winning at Pebble Beach during the Pro-Am the last two years, and three years ago finishing T-7. He has the calmness and accuracy to hold on to a lead and shoot a smooth even par on the final day. Plus, his caddie is from the area and has tons of local knowledge of the course. Graeme McDowell is a hot player as well, winning at the Ryder Cup venue this year in Wales, and he knows how to hit the knock-down shots needed to run the balls up on to the fast and furious greens. However, he doesn't have enough experience to be my favorite to win. As for Tiger, if he does something as spectacular as what we saw today, he will win. I think, though, he will hang around even or +1 and finish in the top 5. Phil Mickelson will have to make a major move that I just don't see him doing.
But as for my story, Tiger Woods is back. With his third round 66 (-5), he has shown that the old Tiger is back and hopefully for good. With heroic putts and approach shots, he really showed that his game and swing are almost back to normal. I surely expected no one to post a good score today, and especially not Tiger after he was +2 after 3 holes. However, he showed the resiliency and determination of the old Tiger we are used to and posted his incredible round with a 31 on the back 9 of Pebble Beach.
As for the greens, they look awful, bumpy, and discolored. However, they are as fast and in as good a condition as ever, and the players are adamant that they are not nearly as bad as they look. They are keeping scores close to par, and are giving anyone with a good stretch of holes a chance at the championship. This is what I love to see in tournaments, especially the US and British Opens: difficult scoring, with everyone having a chance to win. Anyone who complains that it is or looks too hard, just remember that it is supposed to be this way.
Who do I think will win? Dustin Johnson has my vote, winning at Pebble Beach during the Pro-Am the last two years, and three years ago finishing T-7. He has the calmness and accuracy to hold on to a lead and shoot a smooth even par on the final day. Plus, his caddie is from the area and has tons of local knowledge of the course. Graeme McDowell is a hot player as well, winning at the Ryder Cup venue this year in Wales, and he knows how to hit the knock-down shots needed to run the balls up on to the fast and furious greens. However, he doesn't have enough experience to be my favorite to win. As for Tiger, if he does something as spectacular as what we saw today, he will win. I think, though, he will hang around even or +1 and finish in the top 5. Phil Mickelson will have to make a major move that I just don't see him doing.
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Champions
The Chicago Blackhawks are Stanley Cup Champions for the first time in 49 years. Last night, they closed the series out with a thrilling 4-3 OT win against the Flyers of Philadelphia. After the Blackhawks took a 3-2 lead, it seemed they had all the momentum, but in the third period they seemed to begin to play defensively. This allowed the Flyers back in the game, as the puck spent almost all of the third period in Chicago's defensive zone. Despite Antti Niemi's unbelievable saves, the Flyers still were able to get a goal out of the multitude of shots taken. During the intermission, I remarked that Chicago had better start playing hockey again or the series would be headed back to Chicago. Sure enough, the Flyers came out and almost scored (not to mention give me a heart attack) on a turnover by the Blackhawks. Then, the game began to even, with puck movement from zone to zone by both, and Patrick Kane was able to slip one past Leighton, and the Blackhawks could finally celebrate around Niemi. Jonathan Toews, who again won almost all of his faceoffs last night, won the Conn Smythe Trophy for Playoff MVP, and Antti Niemi won the respect of any hockey critic, making countless unbelievable saves throughout their run. As for me, I got to see these champions work against Nashville, and trust me, they earned the Stanley Cup.
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Man vs. Machine
Recently, the Detroit Tigers' Armando Gallaraga got robbed of a perfect game. This would have marked 3 perfect games in one month, when previous to this season, no more than one perfect game had occurred in one season. However, for Gallaraga, it wasn't all bad. After he handled the situation unbelievably well, presenting the lineup card to umpire Jim Joyce the next game (not without tears from Joyce), he was presented a Corvette for his sportsmanship in handling the situation. And, of course, the blown call revived the need for Commissioner Selig's best friend: replay.
Replay was introduced to baseball through replays only on controversial home runs last season, and was used sparingly. However, when it was used, it seemed to cause a lengthy delay with the umpires all going to look at a replay it seemed in the next town over. They did eventually make the right call, every time. Now, baseball critics are calling for extended usage of this thing we call replay. Here is what I think they should do:
Replay should be instated for only the 9th inning and beyond. In situations that can decide the game in these innings, it will be very good to have for a close play. Even though a blown call in the 7th could decide the game just as easily, it will again ease the MLB into expanded replay use. Also, replay officials should be located in an air-conditioned booth with high-definition tv's, and should have a time limit of 2 minutes to make the call. They should then proceed to announce the call themselves on the loudspeaker.
From here, the MLB could decide how to expand without making the umpires into robots, or simply putting them in a booth. In my closing remark about replay, how does tennis have such a good replay system? In a matter of seconds after a challenge is called, the automated replay of the ball's arc will show on the screen, mark where the ball lands, and flip up the ruling. Why can't all replay systems be like this? College football is closest to this, with their booth officials making the right call 91% of the time, and with a time limit of 2 minutes.
As for you, Commissioner, the key to replay is not a matter of man being overtaken by machine, but rather man being complimented by machine. If you can understand that, I'm sure we will have extended replay in baseball next year.
Replay was introduced to baseball through replays only on controversial home runs last season, and was used sparingly. However, when it was used, it seemed to cause a lengthy delay with the umpires all going to look at a replay it seemed in the next town over. They did eventually make the right call, every time. Now, baseball critics are calling for extended usage of this thing we call replay. Here is what I think they should do:
Replay should be instated for only the 9th inning and beyond. In situations that can decide the game in these innings, it will be very good to have for a close play. Even though a blown call in the 7th could decide the game just as easily, it will again ease the MLB into expanded replay use. Also, replay officials should be located in an air-conditioned booth with high-definition tv's, and should have a time limit of 2 minutes to make the call. They should then proceed to announce the call themselves on the loudspeaker.
From here, the MLB could decide how to expand without making the umpires into robots, or simply putting them in a booth. In my closing remark about replay, how does tennis have such a good replay system? In a matter of seconds after a challenge is called, the automated replay of the ball's arc will show on the screen, mark where the ball lands, and flip up the ruling. Why can't all replay systems be like this? College football is closest to this, with their booth officials making the right call 91% of the time, and with a time limit of 2 minutes.
As for you, Commissioner, the key to replay is not a matter of man being overtaken by machine, but rather man being complimented by machine. If you can understand that, I'm sure we will have extended replay in baseball next year.
Thursday, June 3, 2010
The Finals Preview
The NBA Finals start tonight between the two teams most familiar with championships. The Lakers and Celtics again renew their rivalry, except this time with the Lakers coming in more confident than in 2008. Kobe Bryant has addressed the media with one simple message- he's here to win. For the Celtics, the message is to keep it up. They have beaten the Heat, Cavaliers, and Magic to get here, and have won each in an impressive fashion. Here are my keys to the series:
For the Lakers, it's the play of the big guys. Andrew Bynum needs to play like he is 100% and keep his presence in the paint to counter the countless big men of the Celtics. If Gasol, Bynum, and Odom can contain Garnett, Davis, Perkins, and Wallace, they will easily win the series. However, if the Celtics have big games in the paint, it could get ugly for the Lakers.
For the Celtics, someone will need to step up as the obvious leader of the team. For the last two series, it has been Rajon Rondo, but I think it's Ray Allen or Paul Pierce that needs to have a breakout series.
As for the media, I was horrified when I realized that again it was the Lakers and Celtics playing for a championship. I remembered that week leading up to the series in 2008 where any and every media group exhausted the storied meetings throughout history. However, I was quite pleased that the media focused more on the 2010 series rather than the history that they bored me with hour after hour in '08.
For the Lakers, it's the play of the big guys. Andrew Bynum needs to play like he is 100% and keep his presence in the paint to counter the countless big men of the Celtics. If Gasol, Bynum, and Odom can contain Garnett, Davis, Perkins, and Wallace, they will easily win the series. However, if the Celtics have big games in the paint, it could get ugly for the Lakers.
For the Celtics, someone will need to step up as the obvious leader of the team. For the last two series, it has been Rajon Rondo, but I think it's Ray Allen or Paul Pierce that needs to have a breakout series.
As for the media, I was horrified when I realized that again it was the Lakers and Celtics playing for a championship. I remembered that week leading up to the series in 2008 where any and every media group exhausted the storied meetings throughout history. However, I was quite pleased that the media focused more on the 2010 series rather than the history that they bored me with hour after hour in '08.
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
French Tennis
Remember that commercial that illustrates how anything French is better (maid vs. french maid; toast vs. french toast;etc.)? Well, it seems to hold true even in tennis. The French Open has advanced to the semifinal round in both men's and women's play, and let's just say there have been some surprises so far.
1. Venus Williams' outfit- tennis skirt or what you wear to bed? Everyone is complaining about the skirt, but I think everyone is really complaining about the person wearing it. I mean, come on, if Maria Sharapova had worn that, would anyone be complaining?
2. Justine Henin- beat Sharapova and then lost to Stosur. She had her 24 match win streak broken, which is pretty darn good, especially considering she retired in the middle of that streak.
3. Roger Federer's quarterfinal exit- courtesy of Robin Soderling. He showed that his awful record against Federer didn't matter, as he knocked out the defending champion in a rematch of last year's final.
4. All American Exit- even Venus and Serena. The US men rarely challenge at Roland Garros, and it was the same this year as even highest American seed Andy Roddick did not do well at all. Meanwhile, Venus and Serena were ousted before the semifinals again. Apparently, we Americans like to wait until Wimbledon and the US Open to show up.
5. Newbie women's final- no woman in the semifinals has won a grand slam title (French, Wimbledon, US, Australian). ESPN commented that chances are, we will have a new French Open winner. Well, yes, in fact the chance is 100%. Good observation.
Well, it seems even tennis can't escape the wacky happenings of the sporting world in 2010.
1. Venus Williams' outfit- tennis skirt or what you wear to bed? Everyone is complaining about the skirt, but I think everyone is really complaining about the person wearing it. I mean, come on, if Maria Sharapova had worn that, would anyone be complaining?
2. Justine Henin- beat Sharapova and then lost to Stosur. She had her 24 match win streak broken, which is pretty darn good, especially considering she retired in the middle of that streak.
3. Roger Federer's quarterfinal exit- courtesy of Robin Soderling. He showed that his awful record against Federer didn't matter, as he knocked out the defending champion in a rematch of last year's final.
4. All American Exit- even Venus and Serena. The US men rarely challenge at Roland Garros, and it was the same this year as even highest American seed Andy Roddick did not do well at all. Meanwhile, Venus and Serena were ousted before the semifinals again. Apparently, we Americans like to wait until Wimbledon and the US Open to show up.
5. Newbie women's final- no woman in the semifinals has won a grand slam title (French, Wimbledon, US, Australian). ESPN commented that chances are, we will have a new French Open winner. Well, yes, in fact the chance is 100%. Good observation.
Well, it seems even tennis can't escape the wacky happenings of the sporting world in 2010.
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Unexpected Twists
If I said to you during Spring Training this year...
-Ubaldo Jiminez will be 10-1, have thrown a no-hitter, and have an ERA of 0.78
-Jason Heyward will propel the Braves from last place to first place in the NL East
-There will be 2 perfect games, one of them thrown by Dallas Braden
-The Padres will lead the NL West, the A's the AL West, and the Reds the NL Central
-The Rays will have the best record in baseball, considered by most to have the best team in baseball
... would you have believed me?
I didn't think so. In a crazy April and May we have seen about everything we could see in baseball. I could go on and on about the crazy statistics and facts about this upside-down, interesting, year in baseball. For instance, the Phillies held the Marlins to 1 run in a 3 game series! Kendry Morales of the Angels broke his leg celebrating a walk-off home run! The Reds scored 27 runs in two games, and were the first in the NL to 30 wins!
All in all, this has been quite an exciting year, with a ton of ups and downs, and we haven't even gotten to the All-Star Break yet! Gentlemen, keep up the good work!
-Ubaldo Jiminez will be 10-1, have thrown a no-hitter, and have an ERA of 0.78
-Jason Heyward will propel the Braves from last place to first place in the NL East
-There will be 2 perfect games, one of them thrown by Dallas Braden
-The Padres will lead the NL West, the A's the AL West, and the Reds the NL Central
-The Rays will have the best record in baseball, considered by most to have the best team in baseball
... would you have believed me?
I didn't think so. In a crazy April and May we have seen about everything we could see in baseball. I could go on and on about the crazy statistics and facts about this upside-down, interesting, year in baseball. For instance, the Phillies held the Marlins to 1 run in a 3 game series! Kendry Morales of the Angels broke his leg celebrating a walk-off home run! The Reds scored 27 runs in two games, and were the first in the NL to 30 wins!
All in all, this has been quite an exciting year, with a ton of ups and downs, and we haven't even gotten to the All-Star Break yet! Gentlemen, keep up the good work!
Saturday, May 29, 2010
Laker Domination
Kobe beef is the finest grade of beef you can get. It costs more, but it is worth the price. Oddly enough, the finest grade player in the NBA is aptly named Kobe Bryant. The Lakers put away the Suns in Game 6 on the road, punching their ticket to the NBA Finals. Kobe Bryant scored over 30 points, and Los Angeles was able to fend off a comeback-minded Phoenix team. After watching the Blackhawks game (thrilling), I tuned in expecting the Lakers to be up by about 15, which was the case the last time I had checked. Rather, though, I saw Phoenix on a run and within 5 of the Lakers. Then Kobe took over. He made a jumper between two defenders, and then a fadeaway over a well-positioned defender, closing out the Suns. Both were inside 2 minutes, and both inside 5 seconds on the shot clock. I could only shake my head in amazement and wonder how Kobe keeps doing it. Then, as I got to thinking, I might have been wrong in one of my previous blogs when I said that Lebron was better than Kobe. After all, it is Kobe Bryant who has led his team to the Finals for now three straight years, who has won four championship rings, and is considered in the same class as Jordan and Magic Johnson by many. Lebron is a great player, but it is Kobe who has the success that defines a world-class player.
Friday, May 28, 2010
Interleague, Part 2
Note: This is a follow-up article to "Interleague Anyone?"
After the first weekend of interleague play, where only the Braves and Pirates (both NL) did not partake, the National League edged the American League in games, 22-20. This is surprising to many, including me, who expected the normal one-sided affair. If my theory that I presented earlier is true, then the National League has proven a better league so far in the season. Come late June and early July, however, interleague will start up again for a longer period, and the true champion will be crowned.
Here are some interesting things about the first weekend of play:
-The Mets surprisingly won the Subway series against the Yankees, 2-1.
-Roy Halladay, who has been mowing down batters in the NL, was roughed up for his worst start of the season against the Red Sox.
-The Rays, with the best record in baseball, won their series against the Astros (very expected).
-The Red Sox beat the Phillies, arguably the best team in the NL.
-Ubaldo Jiminez, the best pitcher in all of baseball this year, did not pitch in interleague play, but did shut out Arizona in their next series, and decreased his league-leading ERA to 0.88.
After the first weekend of interleague play, where only the Braves and Pirates (both NL) did not partake, the National League edged the American League in games, 22-20. This is surprising to many, including me, who expected the normal one-sided affair. If my theory that I presented earlier is true, then the National League has proven a better league so far in the season. Come late June and early July, however, interleague will start up again for a longer period, and the true champion will be crowned.
Here are some interesting things about the first weekend of play:
-The Mets surprisingly won the Subway series against the Yankees, 2-1.
-Roy Halladay, who has been mowing down batters in the NL, was roughed up for his worst start of the season against the Red Sox.
-The Rays, with the best record in baseball, won their series against the Astros (very expected).
-The Red Sox beat the Phillies, arguably the best team in the NL.
-Ubaldo Jiminez, the best pitcher in all of baseball this year, did not pitch in interleague play, but did shut out Arizona in their next series, and decreased his league-leading ERA to 0.88.
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
A Nor'easter Brewing
Well, it has happened: the New York-New Jersey area has landed the Super Bowl. The 48th big game in 2014 will be played in cold weather, outside, as New York beat out South Florida and Tampa for the bid. Personally, I am thrilled to see it move up to the new Giants/Jets stadium. It seems like we have had a cycle of Florida super bowls, with the occasional one in Arizona, recently. I am ready for a change! New York will provide an incredible atmosphere for and leading up to the Super Bowl. The nightlife and attractions of New York are the most abundant of any city in the United States (last time I checked, a lot of people lived there). And, speaking of people, why would there be any concern about filling the stadium due to the cold? If you want to complain that you don't want to be cold when you watch the game, it's simple: DON'T GO! I'm sure out of 8 million people just locally, we can find 70,000 that would love to go. As for the players, many are concerned that it won't be as enjoyable for them if it's frigid or snowing. If I'm not mistaken, the players make millions of dollars to face ADVERSITY. There is nothing in their contracts specifying "If you make it to the Super Bowl, you must be comfortable with the weather." Maybe if you want to complain about it being cold for a game, you shouldn't be playing.
In recap, I hope this starts a trend of moving toward other cities. Football's biggest game shouldn't be played where the rich people will feel comfortable, it should be played where the true football fans can have their chance to go.
In recap, I hope this starts a trend of moving toward other cities. Football's biggest game shouldn't be played where the rich people will feel comfortable, it should be played where the true football fans can have their chance to go.
Monday, May 24, 2010
The Real Deal
On Sunday, the Chicago Blackhawks beat the San Jose Sharks 4-2, solidifying a spot in the Stanley Cup Final. With one of the best fan bases in the NHL, the Blackhawks will host the winner of the Eastern Conference finals at United Center. What does this mean? The Blackhawks have given a drought-plagued city a chance at a rare championship. The Cubs haven't won a World Series since 1908, and the Blackhawks haven't won a Stanley Cup since 1961, the longest drought in the NHL. Getting there wasn't an accident either. In my opinion, the Blackhawks are the best team in the NHL this year. Net-minder Antti Niemi has proven to be as outstanding in the postseason as in the regular season. No matter how good the other team is, he is just a little bit better. Meanwhile, in front of opposing goalies stands human wall Dustin Byfuglien. He scored 3 game winners in the series against the Sharks, and has scored 8 this postseason. He acts as a screen to block the vision of opposing goaltenders, allowing stoppable pucks to turn into scores. Also, defenseman Duncan Keith has shown his incredible effort night after night. With the most ice time of anyone, Keith took a puck to the face in Game 4 against the Sharks, knocking out 4 teeth. What did he do? Pick them out and keep playing. If one moment could define the Chicago season, it would be this. As for the Eastern Conference winner, well, good luck.
Saturday, May 22, 2010
Interleague Anyone?
Colorado Rockies pitcher Ubaldo Jiminez is seemingly unhittable. 8-1, with an ERA of 0.99, Jiminez is dominating the NL this year. He has thrown a no-hitter, and has baffled hitters around the league. Now, as the season of interleague play rolls around, the dominant NL pitchers like Jiminez can square off against their AL counterparts. This will determine the true league power. The USA Today ran an article last month highlighting the remarkable and obvious difference between the difficulty of the AL versus that of the NL. They showed several examples of former NL aces and their struggles in the AL, while average former AL pitchers had begun to put up stellar numbers on the NL. Now, you might say, let the All-Star Game decide which league is superior, but remember that it's the stars of both teams, limited in play, not putting forth full effort, and trying not to get hurt. In interleague play, every facet of each team is pitted against that of the opposing league, and neither team wants to lose. Thus shall the true superior league be crowned in the next few months, in the glorious form of interleague play.
Friday, May 21, 2010
Celtics Big Four?
Remember many years back, when the Celtics were the doormat of the NBA? They could only wish for a season like Larry Bird used to give them. Then, they acquired some blockbuster names. To go along with star Paul Pierce, they added Timberwolves' Kevin Garnett, and the SuperSonics' Ray Allen. They meshed about as good as they could, winning a championship in 2008. Well, after last year's exit provided by Orlando, they have come back with a vengeance this year. After ousting the Cavaliers in impressive fashion, they have taken a 2-0 series lead against Orlando. The big three (Pierce, Allen, Garnett) have played superbly, but it hasn't been one of them that has made the most difference. Rajon Rondo, the star-in-the-making, has provided the necessary spark to go above and beyond this postseason. The remarkable thing, however, is how the big three have allowed themselves to take a back seat to Rondo without any second guessing. This shows the complete selflessness and unity on the Celtics team, which has brought them to new levels this postseason. Forget the big three, how about the big four?
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
An Obsession With Money
I am a Tennessee Titans fan. I am also a Washington Redskins fan through my parents. Ironically enough, one player for each team is in the "holdout" situation (the players would prefer if I use the euphemism "sitting out until life is fair again"). Albert Haynesworth for the Redskins and Chris Johnson of the Titans are currently skipping the voluntary workouts for each team, which are usually attended as a respect for the team. For Johnson, it is the money that is the issue. Rushing for over 2,000 yards last season, he is only contracted to receive just over $500K this year. He feels he should be paid more, justifiably so if I say so myself. But, he has sat out too long for my comfort level to still be okay. He is missing crucial time with the team that could possibly mean a decrease in performance, and he needs to end this holdout. Unfortunately, Marshall Faulk is telling him to keep holding out and show them! Marshall Faulk, do you have no respect for a team?! Come on, don't encourage a bad thing like this. Meanwhile, for Haynesworth, money isn't the issue. He has a guaranteed $100 million coming in over the next few years, with $30 million already collected. Hey fat Albert: show up or stay home. With your inconsistent play, I don't think Shanahan would care to see you leave.
With all this said, I can't stand the arrogant and egotistical behavior that professional sports athletes show. Can't you settle for something like $5 million per year? Why do you have to make $100 million per year? How much money can you spend per year? It's ridiculous to hear former NBA player Latrell Sprewell demand a new contract because he couldn't feed his family with the $14.6 million he was scheduled to make. What do you eat?! Pro players are making way too much money, and with a possible uncapped year for the NFL, it will only get worse.
With all this said, I can't stand the arrogant and egotistical behavior that professional sports athletes show. Can't you settle for something like $5 million per year? Why do you have to make $100 million per year? How much money can you spend per year? It's ridiculous to hear former NBA player Latrell Sprewell demand a new contract because he couldn't feed his family with the $14.6 million he was scheduled to make. What do you eat?! Pro players are making way too much money, and with a possible uncapped year for the NFL, it will only get worse.
A Lack of Effort
In the last couple of days, a new situation has appeared: the Hanley Ramirez debate. In a game against the Diamondbacks, Ramirez went after a shallow fly ball in the outfield, missed the catch and accidentally kicked the ball further out into the outfield. That's not where the fun starts, though. The bases were loaded, and Ramirez simply jogged, then walked, out to the ball and lazily threw it into the cutoff man. Then, after he was scolded by his manager Freddi Gonzalez, he gave a statement to the press saying that Gonzalez never played in the MLB and thus knew nothing of what he was feeling. First of all, Hanley, you are the highest paid person on the Marlins team. Second, you are the star of the Marlins team. So, maybe you should act like one and show some effort. It's been evident when I've watched you over the past few years: you are lazy. Talent is not enough, you have to show some effort. Therefore, you have no right to discredit your manager, who always fields a team of new players and leads them to a way better season than expected. That he has never played, well he has: 5 years catching in the minors. So, Hanley, you need to show your teammates that you are the leader of that team, or else, you better get a day job.
Monday, May 17, 2010
Which One Doesn't Belong?
The road to the Stanley Cup is almost over, and only four teams remain: San Jose, Chicago, Philadelphia, Montreal. Which one doesn't belong? Surprise: it's San Jose! To see the Stanley Cup go to the Sharks would break my heart in two. For me, the Stanley Cup is the reward for that city who has to live through freezing winters where all they play is hockey, NOT the team that can go outside after a game in December with shorts and a t-shirt on. That's right: just imagine the Stanley Cup being passed around to people in Hawaiian shirts smoking cigars. Not right, right? Well, then Chicago better step up and knock out those Sharks, because I sure don't want to see them get it. To further my point, I'm not sure what sharks are doing in ice. Don't they like the warm or mild water? So, my message, is simply this: swim back to your beach-front properties and let the real hockey cities win a Stanley Cup.
Friday, May 14, 2010
The Comeback Kids
The Philadelphia Flyers have done it: they have come back from down 3-0 to the Boston Bruins and forced game 7 (tonight). How did they do it, and why is what they have done so rare in the NHL? Well, they turned their act around with their goaltending. Boston doesn't score that many goals, ranked dead last in the NHL in the regular season, so goaltending has to be weak for the Bruins to outscore the opponent. Brian Boucher was average at best in the three losses, two of them on the road. Then Michael Leighton stepped in for relief in Game 5, and started Game 6, and shut down the Bruins offense, leading to 2 of the 3 wins. Also, the offense has stepped up, with star players like Mike Richards and Simon Gagne scoring in games 4-6. Why what the Flyers have accomplished is so rare? Even if you overcome the drastic emotional obstacle, you still have to play at least one, maybe two, games on the road. The intensity of the crowd fuels the home team, making it all that harder to win. As for tonight, Philadelphia has a chance to join only two teams to overcome a 3-0 deficit to win a best-of-seven series. Or, will the Bruins follow the Celtics' lead and give Boston a series win? It looks like it will be the NHL fan's dream: a FIGHT, FIGHT, FIGHT, FIGHT, FIGHT to the finish!
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Supporting Cast
A team needs a supporting cast. Just ask Lebron James. After another pounding by the Celtics last night, it seems that the lack of production from James, if anything, will cause the Cavaliers postseason demise. That has become the trend in Cleveland for the past several years: fizzling out after a stellar regular season. The question continues to be asked: do the Cavs need a bigger supporting cast for Lebron? Well, the answer is YES. It was yes when Lebron showed up and it is still yes now. The addition of Shaq was supposed to boost Lebron, but he has sat out with an injury most of the season, and is merely average when on the court. Now, with Lebron hindered with a shoulder injury, the obvious inconsistency of Mo Williams and other supporting players showed up like a shiny cold sore. And as Bruce Dickinson once said, the only prescription is MORE SUPPORTING PLAYERS! Well, something like that.
Monday, May 10, 2010
Arizona Trouble
Arizona has seemed to be the hotspot for trouble in sports recently. Last year, the city was so close to losing their hockey team when they went bankrupt. The lack of care fans seemed to place in the future of the Coyotes was alarming, and if they hadn't made the playoffs this year, the future might have been even bleaker. Now, the city finds itself in more trouble. The Arizona governor has passed a stringent immigration law that, effective in August, will target illegal immigrants from Mexico and give police the right to ask any latin american for immigration papers without probable cause. This has led to an outrage among citizens, sports fans included. Many high-ranking officials in the BCS have threatened to pull the BCS National Championship Game in 2011 (next season) out of Arizona in favor of another venue. Likewise, MLB has threatened to remove the All Star Game from Phoenix if this law is passed. This could not end well for both sides. I don't know what the sports leagues are trying to prove by this, as they are not the lawmakers of the country and should have little say in what they do, however controversial it is. Also, for the state of Arizona, if these events do happen, the loss of revenue would be devastating to an already struggling economy. Meanwhile, the Phoenix Suns of the NBA recently wore their "los Suns" jerseys to pay tribute to their neighbors and fellow immigrants. Well, Arizona, looks like you: fouled out; struck out; are facing 4th and 10. Pick your poison.
Thursday, May 6, 2010
The Dynamic Duo
Three years straight now have proven that the Pittsburgh Penguins knew what they were doing when they acquired Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. It seems that every night is another outstanding night for them, getting goals or assists like it was elementary. However, what makes Malkin and Crosby great is their differences. Dan Bylsma, head coach of the Pittsburgh Penguins, keeps Crosby and Malkin on two different shifts, so as to always have that star potential out on the ice. Crosby is productive for one shift, comes off to the bench, and Malkin continues where Crosby left off. Then, in the crucial moment of the game, perhaps a late power play or an empty net situation, Bylsma puts both out on the ice, which for the other team, is double trouble. Also, when Crosby has an off night, it seems Malkin does well, or vice versa. Each supports the other, and that's what makes the team great. I listened to Evgeni Malkin's postgame interview after the Game 3 win over Montreal and it went something like this: "We play good get puck in net Marc Andre do good win us game." Well said Evgeni, well said. But, it is to the point, and the Pittsburgh Penguins aren't known for monkey play.
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Extreme Makeover: Big XII
Despite the uncertainty of the upcoming college football season still in the air, one thing is for sure: the Big XII is going to have some new faces next year. With departures of the league's marquis players, it will be a league of youth next year. Sam Bradford, the first overall pick to the Rams, leaves Oklahoma with questionable at best Landry Jones. Colt McCoy leaves Garrett Gilbert as head of the Longhorns, while Mark Mangino and Mike Leach highlight the coaches leaving the Big XII. Landry Jones has some experience, filling in for most of last season with Bradford out with a shoulder injury. He led Oklahoma to an average year, winning the Brut Sun Bowl. However, he was unpredictable, having unbelievable and terrible games. Garrett Gilbert proved himself when Colt McCoy went down with an injury in the National Championship, but he still doesn't have enough experience to be called ready for action. Meanwhile, Tommy Tubberville and his defensive minded SEC style coaching replaces Mike Leach's run-n-gun offense. Kansas lost both their quarterback and coach and seem to be falling back to the mediocre team they were several years back, portended by their 1-6 end to the 2009-2010 season. Nebraska seems to be the only team with a similar team, less Ndamukong Suh. With coach Bo Pelini and quarterback Zach Lee, they could be major contenders. As for Texas A&M, Baylor, Colorado, Kansas State, Oklahoma State, Iowa State, and Missouri, predictions look average to mediocre. The race for Dallas is on and it looks to be open season again in the Midwest.
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
King James Rules Again
This week, the NBA awarded Lebron James his second consecutive MVP award, putting the proverbial cherry on top of his absolute domination of the sport. To me, he is without argument the best player in the league, no hard feelings Kobe. He can make any defender look like a pee-wee player on a breakaway situation with the flashy dunks he slams down seemingly night after night. If he wants to, he can hit a pull-up jumper from basically anywhere inside the arc, and did I mention he can hit threes in his sleep? He is the ultimate all-around player in the NBA. Of course, the dream matchup is Lebron vs. Kobe. Nike commercials hinted toward the mass press it would receive last year, and you can't deny Commissioner Stern would disagree. A Finals series between the two teams would once and for all end the debate of who is the better player. As for Kobe Bryant, he is a stellar player as well, but for now my vote, and 116 out of 123 official votes, go to Lebron.
Monday, May 3, 2010
Good vs. Bad, Hockey Style
I went to the Nashville Predators game 6 hockey game against Chicago last Monday and saw perhaps one of the most agonizing games of hockey ever. I watched the Preds blow a game that they could have easily won, and until this weekend, was trying to understand how. This led me to discover the true difference between good and bad hockey. Watching the San Jose Sharks play the Detroit Red Wings defined my definition of good hockey: precise defensemen, aggressive forwards, and outstanding goalies. The Preds lack these three items. Pekka Rinne is okay at best, shining only at times. I can't call him good after I saw him misread a puck sent in from the red line by Patrick Kane, going to the side of the net to play it and then watching it blow right into the net. Although Ryan Suter and Shea Webber are high-end defensemen, they are inconsistent in accuracy. If you watch Brian Rafalski and Nick Lidstrom, you will see two flawless defensemen who rarely ever miss the net with a slapshot. Finally, it was agonizing to see pass after pass after pass by the Preds' forwards, most of which kept getting intercepted. San Jose's Joe Pavelski and Detroit's Pavel Datsyuk are agressive, and although sometimes guess wrong, score way more often than pass-happy Steve Sullivan. Also, when San Jose's goalie gave up a rebound, there were about 3 Sharks there to slap it away from a second chance opportunity. The Preds were plagued by second chance opportunities, and it was commonplace to see 3 Blackhawks in front of Rinne rather than Preds. Hockey played at an imperfect level will get teams like the Preds eaten up, and it was a miracle that they challenged the Blackhawks like they did.
Sunday, May 2, 2010
Derby Domination
On Saturday, Calvin Borel showed his dominance of Churchill Downs once again. In the wide open race, he amazed everyone at his skill of getting to the rail for the entire race. First on Street Sense in 2007, then last year on the 50-1 horse Mine That Bird, and now with Super Saver, Borel continues to stupefy fans. He makes the most desirable move in horse racing look like eating a piece of pie, as he only had to pass one horse to get to his famed winning position. Watching him race to his third victory, I couldn't help but wonder if this is the year that we will have another Triple Crown winner. Horse racing is a dying sport, especially with the TV audiences, decreasing again this year in ratings, and the sport needs a Triple Crown winner to boost it back into popularity. Borel is riding Super Saver again in the Preakness, giving horse racing fans that glimmer of hope that this year might be the year. One thing, however, is for sure: if Super Saver wins the Triple Crown, he will indeed be the super saver of the sport.
Saturday, May 1, 2010
Tiger Remiss on Promise
Tiger Woods faced the media, back in February and, among other things, promised us that his temper would not be the same as it was before. Well, he was right. Now that we've seen Woods in the Masters and Quail Hollow, we know his temper and frustration has reached an all time high. In these two tournaments, it was commonplace to see him drop his club in his follow-through in frustration and anger, along with many choice words. I was excited for Woods' return to golf, but I am shocked to see him disgracing his fans like this. It was extremely disheartening to see Tiger at Quail Hollow on Friday, where on 15, he walked 100 yards in front of his playing partners, hitting a shot without care, and four putting from lack of effort. We fans gave him another chance, and he is blowing it right in front of our eyes. At the Masters, it seemed that he was just as bionic as always, ignoring the tantrums and focusing on his score. This week at Quail Hollow, when he was way over par, you couldn't help but notice Tiger's lack of respect for the game, other players, and fans. Woods said that the rehab center wants to fix this, but you have to wonder whether they have gotten around to it yet.
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