The first Thursday is October is here. This weekend contains some important games in college football as teams now scramble to stay in the national championship race. The Oklahoma-Texas loser will lose their slim hopes for a national title and doubly bad, is the fact that the loser will miss out on the Big 12 championship game as well.
The SEC has a couple of big games, starting with tonight’s battle between Kentucky and South Carolina. The teams have only one loss between them as they sit atop the SEC East. Both teams are dependent on their offenses but for different reasons. Kentucky, who relies on theirs, is led by quarterback Andre Woodson. He is grabbing the attention of many NFL scouts as he went 325 pass attempts without an interception, which was a new NCAA record. South Carolina, whose offense can be a hindrance at times, is led by head coach Steve Spurrier. Spurrier has had to rotate between two quarterbacks, Chris Smelley and Blake Mitchell as his usual offensive display has been muzzled. Though South Carolina’s defense is strong, I think Woodson leads Kentucky to victory and keeps them undefeated.
The “major” SEC battle looks a lot less important as Florida unexpectedly lost at home to Auburn. Even still, the Gators trip to Baton Rouge to face the LSU Tigers has huge national title implications. The Tigers defense has been stifling, especially at home. For further proof, check the game earlier this season when Virginia Tech visited the Bayou. Florida was left licking its wounds as they got caught looking ahead to this game. Now they have the chance to show what they can do. Sophomore quarterback Tim Tebow has looked good against inferior competition but he will have to play his best collegiate game as Florida not only tries to not only stay in the national championship picture but two losses will probably knock the Gators from the SEC title chase as well.
If its October, then its Major League Baseball playoff time. Three of four playoff series have started and I am comfortable in feeling that the Colorado Rockies will face the Boston Red Sox in the World Series. The Rockies have too much momentum, while the Red Sox have too much pitching. For the first round in the National League, the Rockies and the Arizona Diamondbacks will advance as the Chicago Cubs will pay for not leaving their ace, Carlos Zambrano in the game longer. In the American League, the Red Sox and the Cleveland Indians will advance as their pitching staffs are the most complete.
Well, October is a great month for sports fans. You have baseball playoffs, college and professional football and then at the end of the month, the NBA. October, ITS FANASTIC!!!!!!
Thursday, October 04, 2007
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
Why Barry Bonds is a Hall of Famer
This is not the prevailing sentiment floating around baseball these days. Though his numbers will be quite worthy of Hall of Fame (HOF) admittance, people will use his surly attitude and his “steroid use” as detractions. Even though Bonds only had one season, 2001, where he hit over 50 home runs, and he was a two time MVP before 1992, Bonds will always be linked to steroids. Nevermind the fact that he has won 8 Gold Gloves, or that his batting average is a career .298. Bonds is the poster boy for steroids, and probably forever will be.
Add to that, the fact that Bonds is not very friendly with the media (or anyone else) and you have someone who is easily vilified. Take, for example, his decision to sit out Monday’s nationally televised game against the Chicago Cubs. Apparently a 42 year old with a history of leg problems can’t get a day of rest. But I digress at the moment. Back to why Bonds is a Hall of Famer. First, despite being constantly pitched around, he has had over 100 Runs Batted In (RBI) in 12 of his 21 years of playing Major League Baseball. He has also led his team deep into the playoffs, with the Giants being 5 outs away form winning the World Series in 2002. He is still the most feared hitter in baseball and has been for several years. Excluding the 2005 season (in which Bonds only played 14 games) Bonds has had more than 100 walks for six straight seasons.
With Bonds moving closer to this hallowed HR record, the detractors have become louder and fierce. As if the game of baseball has been clean in its entirety. Let’s just forget about the “greenie” stage where coffee was marked, letting players, coaches, etc. which coffee had the amphetamines in them. Or maybe let’s not remember the fact that a team attempted to throw a World Series. Some have stated that the honorable thing would be for Bonds to just stop playing and not break the record. So they would want him to quit, after blasting Ricky Williams for quitting on his team. The man has done everything you want from a baseball player during his career. He hit, stole bases, played the field, and led his team deep into the playoffs. Though he doesn’t have a World Series ring, he won’t be the first star player not to get one.
So the question becomes: Will they keep an 8-time Gold Glove winner, 7-time MVP, soon-to-be All-Time HR leader out of the HOF? And if so, for how long? I wonder will this discussion ever come up for a certain 43 year old pitcher still throwing smoke. Wonder why he gets a free pass.
Add to that, the fact that Bonds is not very friendly with the media (or anyone else) and you have someone who is easily vilified. Take, for example, his decision to sit out Monday’s nationally televised game against the Chicago Cubs. Apparently a 42 year old with a history of leg problems can’t get a day of rest. But I digress at the moment. Back to why Bonds is a Hall of Famer. First, despite being constantly pitched around, he has had over 100 Runs Batted In (RBI) in 12 of his 21 years of playing Major League Baseball. He has also led his team deep into the playoffs, with the Giants being 5 outs away form winning the World Series in 2002. He is still the most feared hitter in baseball and has been for several years. Excluding the 2005 season (in which Bonds only played 14 games) Bonds has had more than 100 walks for six straight seasons.
With Bonds moving closer to this hallowed HR record, the detractors have become louder and fierce. As if the game of baseball has been clean in its entirety. Let’s just forget about the “greenie” stage where coffee was marked, letting players, coaches, etc. which coffee had the amphetamines in them. Or maybe let’s not remember the fact that a team attempted to throw a World Series. Some have stated that the honorable thing would be for Bonds to just stop playing and not break the record. So they would want him to quit, after blasting Ricky Williams for quitting on his team. The man has done everything you want from a baseball player during his career. He hit, stole bases, played the field, and led his team deep into the playoffs. Though he doesn’t have a World Series ring, he won’t be the first star player not to get one.
So the question becomes: Will they keep an 8-time Gold Glove winner, 7-time MVP, soon-to-be All-Time HR leader out of the HOF? And if so, for how long? I wonder will this discussion ever come up for a certain 43 year old pitcher still throwing smoke. Wonder why he gets a free pass.
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
July 11, 2007
MLB held its All-Star game last night. With a little less than two weeks before the NFL training camps open, this time of the year is reserved for MLB. So I have decided to blog about this game.
The pregame interview with Willie Mays was excellent. Fox did a great job and both Derek Jeter and Ken Griffey Jr were genuinely interested in what Mays had to say. That interview alone garners more interest in the game.
However the ensuing “Swing for a Million” promotion drained most of that energy. The guy who attempted barely hit the ball out of the infield. The pregame introductions brought some of that energy back especially when Barry Bonds was introduced. The pregame tribute to Willie Mays was even more touching than the interview. It took me back to the summers when I read Satchiel Paige’s book and actually have a strong love to play baseball. This was before I struggled to catch up to fastballs, which eventually drained that said love. Now I’m a regular fan for the season and a highly interested fan for the playoffs.
Now that the game has finally started, there was some first time jitters as Prince Fielder dropped a routine throw at first base. That mistake was quickly made up for as third baseman David Wright of the NY Mets made a diving stop to end the inning. In the bottom of the first Jose Reyes led off with a single, which brought Barry Bonds to the plate. His first at-bat ended with a flyout to right field. Nevertheless, Griffey was able to come to the rescue with a single the brought home Reyes, and gave the National League (NL) a 1-0 lead.
Griffey then helped to preserve that lead by making a strong throw from right field to nail Alex Rodriguez at the plate to end the 3rd inning. Ichiro Suzuki provided some sparks as he delivered an inside-the-park home run to put the American League (AL) up 2-1. That happened to be the first inside-the –park HR in All-Star game history. The AL then added to their lead by a solo HR from Tampa Bay’s Carl Crawford in the top of the 6th.
The NL cut into the lead following a triple by Carlos Beltran and a sacrifice fly by Griffey. The game moved along until the top of 8th inning when Cleveland Indians catcher Victor Martinez hit a 2-run HR to push the AL’s lead to 5-2. The NL made a late push when Alfonso Soriano hit a 2-run HR to cut the lead to 5-4. Then the NL loaded the bases against Francisco Rodriguez. He was able to save the game and now the AL has 10 straight victories over the NL. This victory also gives the AL home-field advantage for the World Series.
Well I must say that this year’s All-Star game was quite entertaining and at the same time it was a well-played game. Bring on the 2nd half of the season.
The pregame interview with Willie Mays was excellent. Fox did a great job and both Derek Jeter and Ken Griffey Jr were genuinely interested in what Mays had to say. That interview alone garners more interest in the game.
However the ensuing “Swing for a Million” promotion drained most of that energy. The guy who attempted barely hit the ball out of the infield. The pregame introductions brought some of that energy back especially when Barry Bonds was introduced. The pregame tribute to Willie Mays was even more touching than the interview. It took me back to the summers when I read Satchiel Paige’s book and actually have a strong love to play baseball. This was before I struggled to catch up to fastballs, which eventually drained that said love. Now I’m a regular fan for the season and a highly interested fan for the playoffs.
Now that the game has finally started, there was some first time jitters as Prince Fielder dropped a routine throw at first base. That mistake was quickly made up for as third baseman David Wright of the NY Mets made a diving stop to end the inning. In the bottom of the first Jose Reyes led off with a single, which brought Barry Bonds to the plate. His first at-bat ended with a flyout to right field. Nevertheless, Griffey was able to come to the rescue with a single the brought home Reyes, and gave the National League (NL) a 1-0 lead.
Griffey then helped to preserve that lead by making a strong throw from right field to nail Alex Rodriguez at the plate to end the 3rd inning. Ichiro Suzuki provided some sparks as he delivered an inside-the-park home run to put the American League (AL) up 2-1. That happened to be the first inside-the –park HR in All-Star game history. The AL then added to their lead by a solo HR from Tampa Bay’s Carl Crawford in the top of the 6th.
The NL cut into the lead following a triple by Carlos Beltran and a sacrifice fly by Griffey. The game moved along until the top of 8th inning when Cleveland Indians catcher Victor Martinez hit a 2-run HR to push the AL’s lead to 5-2. The NL made a late push when Alfonso Soriano hit a 2-run HR to cut the lead to 5-4. Then the NL loaded the bases against Francisco Rodriguez. He was able to save the game and now the AL has 10 straight victories over the NL. This victory also gives the AL home-field advantage for the World Series.
Well I must say that this year’s All-Star game was quite entertaining and at the same time it was a well-played game. Bring on the 2nd half of the season.
Sunday, July 08, 2007
July 8, 2007
Well Roger Federer has done it. He has joined the exclusive company, which winning 5 straight Wimbledon titles gets you. Though this time was much, much, much harder as Rafael Nadal pushed Federer to 5 sets, with Federer having to win two tiebreaks. This win also kept Federer’s grass court winning alive. It is now at 54 matches, with his last lost coming in 2002. This title also put Federer closer to catching Pete Sampras for most Grand Slam titles.
Federer has 11 titles which ties him with Bjorn Borg and Rod Laver for third all time. With Federer having won every title except the French Open, it seems that the only thing that will be able to stop him from passing Sampras is injury. He even seems close to winning a French Open title, as evident by his advancing to the finals the past two years.
Now Federer can, should and will enter the conversation of greatest tennis players of all time. Where he will rank will depend on the person(s) making the list, but he will be near the top. He has won on every surface, though not the Grand Slam at the French, and he transformed from a temperamental youth to an unflappable man. In today’s match he withstood Nadal’s best, and still he was able to finish the job.
When it’s all said and done, Federer will have more than 20 titles. He is only 25 years old, and has managed to say relatively injury-free. Though Nadal is closing the gap, I have no doubt that Federer will raise his game once again. One thing is for sure, the classic match-up provided by those provided that Federer earned his record tying Wimbledon title.
Federer has 11 titles which ties him with Bjorn Borg and Rod Laver for third all time. With Federer having won every title except the French Open, it seems that the only thing that will be able to stop him from passing Sampras is injury. He even seems close to winning a French Open title, as evident by his advancing to the finals the past two years.
Now Federer can, should and will enter the conversation of greatest tennis players of all time. Where he will rank will depend on the person(s) making the list, but he will be near the top. He has won on every surface, though not the Grand Slam at the French, and he transformed from a temperamental youth to an unflappable man. In today’s match he withstood Nadal’s best, and still he was able to finish the job.
When it’s all said and done, Federer will have more than 20 titles. He is only 25 years old, and has managed to say relatively injury-free. Though Nadal is closing the gap, I have no doubt that Federer will raise his game once again. One thing is for sure, the classic match-up provided by those provided that Federer earned his record tying Wimbledon title.
Saturday, July 07, 2007
July 7, 2007
Excuse me if this feels like déjà vu. I know its 2007, but it feels like years past. At least that’s what the fans at Wimbledon should feel. For the second straight year, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal will square off for the men’s title. Both men overcame slow starts, with Nadal actually losing his first set against Novak Djokovic. Nadal was able to come back and win the second set 6-1 before a blister forced Djokovic to retire while trailing in the third 4-1. Federer was nearly pushed to a tiebreak by Richard Gasquet but he regained his form and won in straight sets, 7-5, 6-3, and 6-4. Now the match-up is set, Federer versus Nadal. Federer is putting his 53 straight grass court wins (not to mention his four straight Wimbledon titles) up against the only man standing in between Federer and his quest to win every Grand Slam. (For the record, Nadal has won the previous two French Opens against Federer) Federer will win again and tie Bjorn Bork’s open era record of five straight Wimbledon titles. Nadal will provide plenty of resistance, but at the end of the day, Federer will have all the answers, especially on a surface where Federer is far more comfortable.
On the women’s side, Venus Williams joined an elite group of women. By defeating Marion Bartoli, Williams won her fourth Wimbledon title. That put her with Martina Navratilova (9), Steffi Graf (7) and Billie Jean King (4) as the only women to win four or more titles during the Open era. Williams definitely played better than her ranking coming into Wimbledon. During her run to the final, Venus was able to defeat the 2004 Wimbledon Champion (Maria Sharapova), the 2004 U.S. Open Champion (2004 U.S. Open champion Svetlana Kuznetsova) and the French Open runner-up (Ana Ivanovic). That left Williams well prepared for her Final opponent. While Bartoli was able to make the first set close, coming back to tie that set at 3-all. However, Venus took over from there winning 9 of the final 10 service games. With the U.S. Open up next, it will be great theatre if all the major players in the women’s game can compete, without any injuries. But when does that usually happen.
With Wimbledon wrapping up on Sunday, the focus will now turn to the MLB All-Star game. That takes place on Tuesday in San Francisco, and all eyes will be on Barry Bonds. Bonds is only four homers away from tying Hank Aaron’s HR record of 755. I just hope that the pitchers don’t begin to walk Bonds every time he steps into the batter’s box. Without running to the top of my soapbox, MLB needs to embrace Bonds, as he approaches this milestone. This is one of the only ways to move past this. Anyways, I also predict that Bonds will hit a HR in his park for the All-Star game. As for the result of the game, does anyone really care? The MLB brass wants to draw more interest to the game, so they attach home field advantage for the World Series to the game. Well since that rule has been implanted, I have watched less than before. I don’t see how letting the home field advantage for the World Series be decided by an All-Star game makes any sense. Especially when it is mandated that every team have a representative. I know that MLB is still trying to recover from their ill-advised strike, but isn’t a better way just to lower ticket prices, and have more fan-team interactions. Just my thoughts on that.
Well I’m off to go enjoy the day before the heat comes back.
On the women’s side, Venus Williams joined an elite group of women. By defeating Marion Bartoli, Williams won her fourth Wimbledon title. That put her with Martina Navratilova (9), Steffi Graf (7) and Billie Jean King (4) as the only women to win four or more titles during the Open era. Williams definitely played better than her ranking coming into Wimbledon. During her run to the final, Venus was able to defeat the 2004 Wimbledon Champion (Maria Sharapova), the 2004 U.S. Open Champion (2004 U.S. Open champion Svetlana Kuznetsova) and the French Open runner-up (Ana Ivanovic). That left Williams well prepared for her Final opponent. While Bartoli was able to make the first set close, coming back to tie that set at 3-all. However, Venus took over from there winning 9 of the final 10 service games. With the U.S. Open up next, it will be great theatre if all the major players in the women’s game can compete, without any injuries. But when does that usually happen.
With Wimbledon wrapping up on Sunday, the focus will now turn to the MLB All-Star game. That takes place on Tuesday in San Francisco, and all eyes will be on Barry Bonds. Bonds is only four homers away from tying Hank Aaron’s HR record of 755. I just hope that the pitchers don’t begin to walk Bonds every time he steps into the batter’s box. Without running to the top of my soapbox, MLB needs to embrace Bonds, as he approaches this milestone. This is one of the only ways to move past this. Anyways, I also predict that Bonds will hit a HR in his park for the All-Star game. As for the result of the game, does anyone really care? The MLB brass wants to draw more interest to the game, so they attach home field advantage for the World Series to the game. Well since that rule has been implanted, I have watched less than before. I don’t see how letting the home field advantage for the World Series be decided by an All-Star game makes any sense. Especially when it is mandated that every team have a representative. I know that MLB is still trying to recover from their ill-advised strike, but isn’t a better way just to lower ticket prices, and have more fan-team interactions. Just my thoughts on that.
Well I’m off to go enjoy the day before the heat comes back.
Friday, July 06, 2007
July 6, 2007
The final weekend at Wimbledon is here. On both the men’s and women’s sides of the brackets, there are surprises. First, take the women’s final which features Venus Williams versus Marion Bartoli. Coming into Wimbledon, Venus was a sleeper pick to reach the final. Having not played much this in 2007, her ranking has dropped to #31. But Venus is a different woman once she steps onto the grass of Wimbledon. After fending off match points in her first and third round matches, Venus caught fire against Maria Sharapova. She turned in a near flawless performance as she won 6-1, 6-3. Williams then went on to defeat Svetlana Kuznetsova and Ana Ivanovic to earn her place in Saturday’s final.
Her opponent, Bartoli, is even more of a surprise. Bartoli, who is ranked #19th in the world, earned her spot by defeating #1 seed Justine Henin. Even more impressive is the fact that Bartoli lost the first 6-1 and was down 4-3 in the second. Bartoli then rebounded, won the second set, and pulled away to win 6-1 in the third set.
On the men’s side, the final four has more household names. Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic, seeded #1, 2 and 4th respectively, all have made the semifinals. The surprise comes from the fact that the 3rd seed, Andy Roddick, isn’t there. Roddick lost in five sets to Richard Gasquet. Even more surprising was that Roddick lost the match after being ahead by two sets. Add that to the fact that Roddick lost two straight tiebreaks after winning 18 straight tiebreaks, and you can see why Roddick was at a loss for words in his post-match press conference. Gasquet gets a great gift as he gets to face Federer in one semifinal while Nadal and Djorkic face off in the other.
So after several washouts, the final weekend has the possibility of providing some magic. Federer can match Bjorn Borg’s record of five straight Wimbledon championships, while Venus Williams can win her 4th championship. The win will be her first since 2005, when she also was ranked in the teens. Watching these two events is reason enough for me to tune in. What about you?
Her opponent, Bartoli, is even more of a surprise. Bartoli, who is ranked #19th in the world, earned her spot by defeating #1 seed Justine Henin. Even more impressive is the fact that Bartoli lost the first 6-1 and was down 4-3 in the second. Bartoli then rebounded, won the second set, and pulled away to win 6-1 in the third set.
On the men’s side, the final four has more household names. Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic, seeded #1, 2 and 4th respectively, all have made the semifinals. The surprise comes from the fact that the 3rd seed, Andy Roddick, isn’t there. Roddick lost in five sets to Richard Gasquet. Even more surprising was that Roddick lost the match after being ahead by two sets. Add that to the fact that Roddick lost two straight tiebreaks after winning 18 straight tiebreaks, and you can see why Roddick was at a loss for words in his post-match press conference. Gasquet gets a great gift as he gets to face Federer in one semifinal while Nadal and Djorkic face off in the other.
So after several washouts, the final weekend has the possibility of providing some magic. Federer can match Bjorn Borg’s record of five straight Wimbledon championships, while Venus Williams can win her 4th championship. The win will be her first since 2005, when she also was ranked in the teens. Watching these two events is reason enough for me to tune in. What about you?
Monday, July 02, 2007
July 2, 2007
The NBA draft has come and gone. There were a couple of trades made, but they didn’t involve the two players (Kobe and KG) that most wanted and/or expected. The trades that were made seemed to do little more than make sure the Western Conference will have young studs to continue their dominance. The first trade involved the Seattle Sonics and the Boston Celtics. Seattle received Boston’s 5th pick in the draft (Jeff Green), Delonte West and Wally Szczerbiak in exchange for All Star Ray Allen and Seattle’s 35th pick (Glen Davis). A good trade on paper, but Allen is 32. The Celtics gave up two young players for one old one. Seattle gets two high rated players to rebuild around.
The next trade involved the New York Knicks and the Portland Trailblazers. Portland received Channing Frye and Steve Francis in exchange for Zach Randolph, Dan Dickau, and Fred Jones. This is a major steal for the Blazers. Not only do they clear room for Greg Oden, but they also give Frye a chance to redeem himself, this time without the bright lights of New York. All in all, this draft has me excited for the NBA season. It has been awhile since I have felt like that.
The NBA free agent period has begun and there still remains the possibility that major action will take place. Chauncey Billups, Rashard Lewis, Gerald Wallace and Vince Carter are some of the names who will be on the market. Wait, scratch Carter from that list. Sources are reporting that he resigned with the Nets, his contract an estimated $60 million dollars for 4 years with a team option for a 5th year. Even without Carter, there are plenty of players who can help teams take that next step. Though not “stars” per se, they can do the things needed (rebound, defend, shoot) to get further than the first round of the playoffs. Of the names listed above, Lewis is closest to changing teams with the Sonics have Kevin Durant and Jeff Green playing the same position as Lewis. That will keep interest in this period fresh.
The MLB All-Stars were announced last night and Barry Bonds was voted a starter. So he will be able to play in his home park. I know Bud Selig was upset at that fact. With Bonds only 5 homers away from Hank Aaron, the pink elephant in the room continues to grow. As for the rest of the rosters, both look really even. I like that Magglio Ordonez made the team. He has been really crushing the ball for the Detroit Tigers. I hope they make the postseason again; they’re a fun team to watch.
Well it’s the first week in July, so football is almost upon us. I cannot wait. Really. I can’t.
The next trade involved the New York Knicks and the Portland Trailblazers. Portland received Channing Frye and Steve Francis in exchange for Zach Randolph, Dan Dickau, and Fred Jones. This is a major steal for the Blazers. Not only do they clear room for Greg Oden, but they also give Frye a chance to redeem himself, this time without the bright lights of New York. All in all, this draft has me excited for the NBA season. It has been awhile since I have felt like that.
The NBA free agent period has begun and there still remains the possibility that major action will take place. Chauncey Billups, Rashard Lewis, Gerald Wallace and Vince Carter are some of the names who will be on the market. Wait, scratch Carter from that list. Sources are reporting that he resigned with the Nets, his contract an estimated $60 million dollars for 4 years with a team option for a 5th year. Even without Carter, there are plenty of players who can help teams take that next step. Though not “stars” per se, they can do the things needed (rebound, defend, shoot) to get further than the first round of the playoffs. Of the names listed above, Lewis is closest to changing teams with the Sonics have Kevin Durant and Jeff Green playing the same position as Lewis. That will keep interest in this period fresh.
The MLB All-Stars were announced last night and Barry Bonds was voted a starter. So he will be able to play in his home park. I know Bud Selig was upset at that fact. With Bonds only 5 homers away from Hank Aaron, the pink elephant in the room continues to grow. As for the rest of the rosters, both look really even. I like that Magglio Ordonez made the team. He has been really crushing the ball for the Detroit Tigers. I hope they make the postseason again; they’re a fun team to watch.
Well it’s the first week in July, so football is almost upon us. I cannot wait. Really. I can’t.
Thursday, June 28, 2007
June 28, 2007
Well, well well. It is finally that time. After numerous talks and mock drafts, the 2007 NBA draft is upon us. We know that the first two picks will be, Greg Oden and Kevin Durant, but after that it’s anyone’s guess as how the draft will go. A lot really depends on which trades are made. You have just about everyone on the trading block, from Kevin Garnett, to Jermaine O’Neal to Mike Bibby, and of course Kobe Bryant. If any of these names are moved, the draft will move in a completely different direction, that previous thought. When it’s all said and done, I feel that Kobe will be in a Lakers uniform, and he will have Jermaine O’Neal with him. I don’t know if that will be enough to make Kobe happy, but it will be a start.
In other sporting news, football season is almost here. The NFL has been in the news year-round unfortunately. From Pacman Jones, to Tank Johnson, NFL players have been making the wrong kind of headlines. Some, more like most to all, of these events are the players own wrong doing. But I’m just sick of the way the players get treated after making a mistake. Apparently everyone else not in the NFL is perfect and never make mistakes. Like NFL players are the only people to drive drunk, or have fights at the club. Yes, I know playing in the NFL is a HUGE privilege and they should be grateful, but I think our society has placed them too high up on a pedestal. And this problem isn’t just in the NFL. Everywhere there are stories about “celebrities” and what they are doing. WHO CARES?!?!?!?!?! Why is it news when Paris Hilton gets out of jail? Why is that on Sportscenter?
When Charles Barkley stated that he was not a role model, I was young, anywhere between 8-12. Even at that age though, I agreed with him. I didn’t look up to him, MJ, or any other athlete when making moral choices. Parents need to raise their children, not athletes, actors, actresses or musicians. Nor should the TV. Not to say that sports doesn’t need a little bit of housekeeping itself, but the family structure in general needs help more.
Now that I’ve stepped down off my soapbox (for now), there are reports that the NFL rookie symposium had 100% attendance. That should have been expected with new commissioner Roger Goodell throwing out suspensions like Peyton Manning throws touchdowns. I did not expect that Troy Smith would be engaging Goodell in debate about whether or not the league focuses too much on negative stories. I like that because it’s a sign that Smith is aware of what is going on around him. I just hope that he continues to strive to be one of the success stories, rather than become one of the negative ones.
With the baseball season moving towards the All-Star break, the season has had some surprises. No, I’m not talking about the Yankees not being very good, I’m more so talking about the Brewers leading the Central, the White Sox’s freefall, and how mediocre the NL East is. Also, surprises for this cannot be talked about without mentioning Sammy Sosa. He achieved another milestone, going past the 600 Home Run mark earlier this month. In any other era, that would be an automatic pass into the Hall of Fame. Of course, there has been much speculation that he may not receive first ballot entry. Of course I think that this is ludicrous. The man took a year off, got re-charged and now is back to his old self. The whole steroids issue bugs me anyways. In addition to the extra attention focused on Barry Bonds, I’ve wondered why its always assumed that hitters were the only players using. A power pitcher like Roger Clemens is still playing at the ripe young age of 43 and there isn’t any speculation. I could go play the race card here, which would be very valid, but I will refrain from doing so. However, the fact is that pitchers used just as much as hitters, and all things equal, hitting a baseball is still not easy. I would consider it a travesty if they started to put asterisks by the records these players are achieving. They didn’t put asterisks when the mound was too close or not high enough. So they shouldn’t do it now. I think I’ll stop here before I get all angry and such.
Look for a NBA Draft post later tonight or early tomorrow.
In other sporting news, football season is almost here. The NFL has been in the news year-round unfortunately. From Pacman Jones, to Tank Johnson, NFL players have been making the wrong kind of headlines. Some, more like most to all, of these events are the players own wrong doing. But I’m just sick of the way the players get treated after making a mistake. Apparently everyone else not in the NFL is perfect and never make mistakes. Like NFL players are the only people to drive drunk, or have fights at the club. Yes, I know playing in the NFL is a HUGE privilege and they should be grateful, but I think our society has placed them too high up on a pedestal. And this problem isn’t just in the NFL. Everywhere there are stories about “celebrities” and what they are doing. WHO CARES?!?!?!?!?! Why is it news when Paris Hilton gets out of jail? Why is that on Sportscenter?
When Charles Barkley stated that he was not a role model, I was young, anywhere between 8-12. Even at that age though, I agreed with him. I didn’t look up to him, MJ, or any other athlete when making moral choices. Parents need to raise their children, not athletes, actors, actresses or musicians. Nor should the TV. Not to say that sports doesn’t need a little bit of housekeeping itself, but the family structure in general needs help more.
Now that I’ve stepped down off my soapbox (for now), there are reports that the NFL rookie symposium had 100% attendance. That should have been expected with new commissioner Roger Goodell throwing out suspensions like Peyton Manning throws touchdowns. I did not expect that Troy Smith would be engaging Goodell in debate about whether or not the league focuses too much on negative stories. I like that because it’s a sign that Smith is aware of what is going on around him. I just hope that he continues to strive to be one of the success stories, rather than become one of the negative ones.
With the baseball season moving towards the All-Star break, the season has had some surprises. No, I’m not talking about the Yankees not being very good, I’m more so talking about the Brewers leading the Central, the White Sox’s freefall, and how mediocre the NL East is. Also, surprises for this cannot be talked about without mentioning Sammy Sosa. He achieved another milestone, going past the 600 Home Run mark earlier this month. In any other era, that would be an automatic pass into the Hall of Fame. Of course, there has been much speculation that he may not receive first ballot entry. Of course I think that this is ludicrous. The man took a year off, got re-charged and now is back to his old self. The whole steroids issue bugs me anyways. In addition to the extra attention focused on Barry Bonds, I’ve wondered why its always assumed that hitters were the only players using. A power pitcher like Roger Clemens is still playing at the ripe young age of 43 and there isn’t any speculation. I could go play the race card here, which would be very valid, but I will refrain from doing so. However, the fact is that pitchers used just as much as hitters, and all things equal, hitting a baseball is still not easy. I would consider it a travesty if they started to put asterisks by the records these players are achieving. They didn’t put asterisks when the mound was too close or not high enough. So they shouldn’t do it now. I think I’ll stop here before I get all angry and such.
Look for a NBA Draft post later tonight or early tomorrow.
Wednesday, May 23, 2007
May 23, 2007
It has been an extremely long time since I did a blog. A lot of things have happened in the sports world. The NBA season finished, MLB started, and March Madness occurred. The NBA early draft entry deadline has passed, and now the NBA draft lottery took place.
The draft lottery was held last night and did not go anywhere near the correct form. The teams with the three worst records (Memphis, Boston, and Milwaukee) did not finish in the lottery. Instead they got picks 4th, 5th, and 6th, respectively. This caused major uproar in Boston where it was widely hoped Greg Oden would come there and become the second coming of Bill Russell. The situation isn’t as dire in Memphis, where they’re only a season removed from making the playoffs in the tough Western Conference. Basically the only reason Memphis is in the lottery is because Pau Gasol was hurt to begin the year. Milwaukee is also coming off an injury filled season as well.
Now the talk shifts from who will get the first pick to who will be the first pick. Most people around the league think it’s a done deal that Portland will choose Oden first. Me, I’m not so sure. I really think, actually hope that the Blazers really study this pick. Look, you can’t teach size. But Oden won’t be able to push and just be physically better than everyone else in the NBA. His offensive game isn’t polished enough to control the paint in any way other than defense and rebounding. However, after typing that down, Oden seems like the perfect fit for a team that already Brandon Roy, the reigning Rookie of the Year, Zack Randolph, and La Marcus Aldridge. Oden would actually be able to grow without the weight of the franchise on his shoulders.
The second pick of the draft went to the Seattle Sonics, who desperately needed it. The team was recently sold, and there is growing talk the team may be moving to Oklahoma City. With the second pick, they have the opportunity to get Kevin Durant (if Portland takes Oden), who is an instantly marketable face. He took the campus of Texas by storm and there isn’t any reason that he won’t do the same for the city of Seattle. Pair him with Ray Allen, and the Sonics shouldn’t lose 51 games this season.
Well enough on the draft, there will be plenty of talk about that for the next month. I want to vent about the “policing” the NFL has engaged in. The suspension of Adam Jones and Chris Henry, I agree with. If the league does decide to suspend Tank Johnson, I will understand and slightly agree as well. But I ask: where will it end? It seems Michael Vick will be the next athlete caught in the whirlwind.
The issue of dog fighting has me torn. On one hand, I see and understand the cruelty done to the animals. On the other hand, what’s the difference between dog fighting and horse racing? I’ll tell you the difference. The difference is that horse racing brings in millions of dollars through sponsors and television ratings and whatnot. Both are cruel to animals. The only horse that was saved from certain death was Barbaro and even he was “put down”.
Personally I think that this goes into a deeper issue within sports and society. There is a disconnect between most of the players and most of the fans that come watch them. The divide will only get deeper if these athletes are perpetrated to be “hoodlums” by the media, their teams and to some degree the leagues. I understand the nature to clean up sports, but that will fully occur once society gets cleaned up. These athletes are unfortunately continuing behavior that they’ve learned while growing up. And while they should know that their status puts them in a larger spotlight, the fact of the matter is that they appear not to.
Well I want to close that disconnect through my writing. I am just searching for that opportunity. Until next time.
The draft lottery was held last night and did not go anywhere near the correct form. The teams with the three worst records (Memphis, Boston, and Milwaukee) did not finish in the lottery. Instead they got picks 4th, 5th, and 6th, respectively. This caused major uproar in Boston where it was widely hoped Greg Oden would come there and become the second coming of Bill Russell. The situation isn’t as dire in Memphis, where they’re only a season removed from making the playoffs in the tough Western Conference. Basically the only reason Memphis is in the lottery is because Pau Gasol was hurt to begin the year. Milwaukee is also coming off an injury filled season as well.
Now the talk shifts from who will get the first pick to who will be the first pick. Most people around the league think it’s a done deal that Portland will choose Oden first. Me, I’m not so sure. I really think, actually hope that the Blazers really study this pick. Look, you can’t teach size. But Oden won’t be able to push and just be physically better than everyone else in the NBA. His offensive game isn’t polished enough to control the paint in any way other than defense and rebounding. However, after typing that down, Oden seems like the perfect fit for a team that already Brandon Roy, the reigning Rookie of the Year, Zack Randolph, and La Marcus Aldridge. Oden would actually be able to grow without the weight of the franchise on his shoulders.
The second pick of the draft went to the Seattle Sonics, who desperately needed it. The team was recently sold, and there is growing talk the team may be moving to Oklahoma City. With the second pick, they have the opportunity to get Kevin Durant (if Portland takes Oden), who is an instantly marketable face. He took the campus of Texas by storm and there isn’t any reason that he won’t do the same for the city of Seattle. Pair him with Ray Allen, and the Sonics shouldn’t lose 51 games this season.
Well enough on the draft, there will be plenty of talk about that for the next month. I want to vent about the “policing” the NFL has engaged in. The suspension of Adam Jones and Chris Henry, I agree with. If the league does decide to suspend Tank Johnson, I will understand and slightly agree as well. But I ask: where will it end? It seems Michael Vick will be the next athlete caught in the whirlwind.
The issue of dog fighting has me torn. On one hand, I see and understand the cruelty done to the animals. On the other hand, what’s the difference between dog fighting and horse racing? I’ll tell you the difference. The difference is that horse racing brings in millions of dollars through sponsors and television ratings and whatnot. Both are cruel to animals. The only horse that was saved from certain death was Barbaro and even he was “put down”.
Personally I think that this goes into a deeper issue within sports and society. There is a disconnect between most of the players and most of the fans that come watch them. The divide will only get deeper if these athletes are perpetrated to be “hoodlums” by the media, their teams and to some degree the leagues. I understand the nature to clean up sports, but that will fully occur once society gets cleaned up. These athletes are unfortunately continuing behavior that they’ve learned while growing up. And while they should know that their status puts them in a larger spotlight, the fact of the matter is that they appear not to.
Well I want to close that disconnect through my writing. I am just searching for that opportunity. Until next time.
Tuesday, February 06, 2007
February 6, 2007
Its been a couple of days since the Super Bowl has ended, and I have used this time to really sit back and, free of the emotion of the game, study what happened. Since I do not have access to the coaches’ tape, I can only use what I saw during the game’s telecast. Looking back, I really think that Rex Grossman is getting a raw deal. I definitely am not saying that he played spectacular or even good. At best, he was serviceable. However, how much can you expect from a rookie QB?
That inception he threw is beyond explanation. He blew that play. It was a safe call. If the corner doesn’t bite, throw the ball away or check down. Rex did neither; he forced the ball and then didn’t even get over to stop the Colts from returning it for a score. That second interception was a by-product of the weather. If Rex can do one thing well, its fling the ball around. That ball got caught in the wind and rain, and held up so that Bob Sanders could make the pick.
I am amazed however, at the fact that it’s Rex’s fault that the defense allowed 81 plays!! I mean how is that possible?!?!?!? Rex didn’t allow the Colts to rush for 191 yards and for an average of 4.5 yards per carry. He didn’t allow the Colts to convert on 44% of their third down. Look the Bears played passive defensively; they only sacked Peyton Manning once and rarely sent any type of blitzes at him. Peyton responded by sitting back there and picking the Bears apart. And when they tried to stop the pass, the Colts running game pounded them. It seemed to me as if Lovie was afraid to go after Peyton. I hope not because I think he has the athletes and hitters to punish the Colts. For all of the “physicality” the Colts showed this season. The receivers still moved away from contact during the Super Bowl.
And what about the play calling? On a 2nd & 1 play, when you are having success running the ball, would you call a pass play in the rain? Even after Cedric Benson got hurt, you could still run Thomas Jones and pick up a yard. I think the Bears play calling played a role in Rex playing bad.
To wrap this up, congrats to Peyton, Tony Dungy and all of the Colts. They truly deserved to win the Super Bowl. They survived all of the ups and downs of the season and wound up on top. As for the Bears, they seem to have major issues. First they have to re-sign Coach Lovie Smith. Then they have to either franchise LB Lance Briggs or look to trade him before he hits the free agent market. Also, defensive coordinator Ron Rivera may leave to become either the head coach or defensive coordinator of the Dallas Cowboys. And as if the list wasn’t long enough, look for the “Get Rid of Rex” chants to grow louder and louder as we get closer to the draft. That I think would be a safe thing to do. Maybe not a first round QB, but a second and definitely a third. At best, this motivates Rex, who is in the final year of his contract (i.e. money year), who plays more consistent and with the combination of the return of Tommie Harris and Mike Brown plus the still watered down NFC, the Bears could be right back in Super Bowl XLII.
Now that football is on hiatus for awhile, L , we can turn our attention to the NBA. First let’s start with the All Star selections. I think it would be a travesty if Carmelo Anthony is not added to the All-Star team. He is leading the league in scoring. That would be absurd. If it does happen, it will speak to larger problem. A growing divide (and power struggle) between the brass of the league and the players in it. First it was the dress code, then it was the switching and then switching back of the ball. I just hope that both sides remember that without the fans none of them would have a job. I think David Stern will do the right thing and add Carmelo.
As for ‘Melo’s regular team, the Nuggets are in the midst of a bad injury stretch which has comprised the plan for AI and ‘Melo to mesh together. Luckily for them, though it is only early February and the season does not end until April. They don’t have much time to get their act together. Game on Nuggets, Game on.
That inception he threw is beyond explanation. He blew that play. It was a safe call. If the corner doesn’t bite, throw the ball away or check down. Rex did neither; he forced the ball and then didn’t even get over to stop the Colts from returning it for a score. That second interception was a by-product of the weather. If Rex can do one thing well, its fling the ball around. That ball got caught in the wind and rain, and held up so that Bob Sanders could make the pick.
I am amazed however, at the fact that it’s Rex’s fault that the defense allowed 81 plays!! I mean how is that possible?!?!?!? Rex didn’t allow the Colts to rush for 191 yards and for an average of 4.5 yards per carry. He didn’t allow the Colts to convert on 44% of their third down. Look the Bears played passive defensively; they only sacked Peyton Manning once and rarely sent any type of blitzes at him. Peyton responded by sitting back there and picking the Bears apart. And when they tried to stop the pass, the Colts running game pounded them. It seemed to me as if Lovie was afraid to go after Peyton. I hope not because I think he has the athletes and hitters to punish the Colts. For all of the “physicality” the Colts showed this season. The receivers still moved away from contact during the Super Bowl.
And what about the play calling? On a 2nd & 1 play, when you are having success running the ball, would you call a pass play in the rain? Even after Cedric Benson got hurt, you could still run Thomas Jones and pick up a yard. I think the Bears play calling played a role in Rex playing bad.
To wrap this up, congrats to Peyton, Tony Dungy and all of the Colts. They truly deserved to win the Super Bowl. They survived all of the ups and downs of the season and wound up on top. As for the Bears, they seem to have major issues. First they have to re-sign Coach Lovie Smith. Then they have to either franchise LB Lance Briggs or look to trade him before he hits the free agent market. Also, defensive coordinator Ron Rivera may leave to become either the head coach or defensive coordinator of the Dallas Cowboys. And as if the list wasn’t long enough, look for the “Get Rid of Rex” chants to grow louder and louder as we get closer to the draft. That I think would be a safe thing to do. Maybe not a first round QB, but a second and definitely a third. At best, this motivates Rex, who is in the final year of his contract (i.e. money year), who plays more consistent and with the combination of the return of Tommie Harris and Mike Brown plus the still watered down NFC, the Bears could be right back in Super Bowl XLII.
Now that football is on hiatus for awhile, L , we can turn our attention to the NBA. First let’s start with the All Star selections. I think it would be a travesty if Carmelo Anthony is not added to the All-Star team. He is leading the league in scoring. That would be absurd. If it does happen, it will speak to larger problem. A growing divide (and power struggle) between the brass of the league and the players in it. First it was the dress code, then it was the switching and then switching back of the ball. I just hope that both sides remember that without the fans none of them would have a job. I think David Stern will do the right thing and add Carmelo.
As for ‘Melo’s regular team, the Nuggets are in the midst of a bad injury stretch which has comprised the plan for AI and ‘Melo to mesh together. Luckily for them, though it is only early February and the season does not end until April. They don’t have much time to get their act together. Game on Nuggets, Game on.
Wednesday, January 24, 2007
January 24, 2007
With a little under two weeks before Super Bowl XLI, there will plenty of time to dissect the X’s and O’s of the game. Right now though all eyes should be on the two head coaches, Tony Dungy and Lovie Smith. These two head coaches have just made history. They are now the first African American head coaches to lead their teams to a Super Bowl. And it’s only fitting that the two coaches are friends with each other. Actually it’s more than that. It’s a mentor-mentee type of relationship that first began when Dungy hired Smith way back in 1996.
That staff for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers is now starting to take shape and many coaches from that staff are starting to shine. In addition to Smith, other coaches from that staff to get jobs include Herman Edwards, head coach of the Kansas City Chiefs; Rod Marinelli, head coach of the Detroit Lions; and Mike Tomlin, head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers. With such a new, young crop of coaches, it’s time to sit back and watch them shine.
In other NFL news, it’s time to once again bid adieu to Bill Parcells. Parcells retired on Monday, for the third time. All indications to a more permanent break from the sideline coaching. Never one to miss an opportunity to talk junk about someone, TO once again trashed someone, taking shots at Parcells saying “We underachieved this year………..”
Now sometimes I defend TO, hell sometimes I agree with TO, but this is out of line. Granted TO is slightly correct. The Cowboys did underachieve, however some of that has to be attributed to the league-leading 18 drops TO had during the year. I know one game personally where his drop affected the outcome (against the Redskins) and I saw numerous drives end with TO drops. TO needs to just rehab his injured finger and try not to drop so many passes next year.
The Raiders finally have a head coach now, which is good. On the other hand though, they have taken a giant risk. Lane Kiffin, though he has good pedigree as a coach and he is succeeding now, has zero NFL coaching experience which makes his hire one giant risk.
The Bumbling Bengals have returned. This time the Bengals are bumbling outside of the playing field. CB Jonathan Joseph became the 9th Bengal’s player arrested in the last nine months, when he was arrested on marijuana possession. His arrest caused Bengals QB Carson Palmer to come out and voice his displeasure about this issue. I applaud Palmer for doing this. He is setting a standard of behavior both on and off the field. What this also does is put pressure on head coach Marvin Lewis and general manager Mike Brown to get players who have good character. We shall see where this issue goes from here.
That staff for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers is now starting to take shape and many coaches from that staff are starting to shine. In addition to Smith, other coaches from that staff to get jobs include Herman Edwards, head coach of the Kansas City Chiefs; Rod Marinelli, head coach of the Detroit Lions; and Mike Tomlin, head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers. With such a new, young crop of coaches, it’s time to sit back and watch them shine.
In other NFL news, it’s time to once again bid adieu to Bill Parcells. Parcells retired on Monday, for the third time. All indications to a more permanent break from the sideline coaching. Never one to miss an opportunity to talk junk about someone, TO once again trashed someone, taking shots at Parcells saying “We underachieved this year………..”
Now sometimes I defend TO, hell sometimes I agree with TO, but this is out of line. Granted TO is slightly correct. The Cowboys did underachieve, however some of that has to be attributed to the league-leading 18 drops TO had during the year. I know one game personally where his drop affected the outcome (against the Redskins) and I saw numerous drives end with TO drops. TO needs to just rehab his injured finger and try not to drop so many passes next year.
The Raiders finally have a head coach now, which is good. On the other hand though, they have taken a giant risk. Lane Kiffin, though he has good pedigree as a coach and he is succeeding now, has zero NFL coaching experience which makes his hire one giant risk.
The Bumbling Bengals have returned. This time the Bengals are bumbling outside of the playing field. CB Jonathan Joseph became the 9th Bengal’s player arrested in the last nine months, when he was arrested on marijuana possession. His arrest caused Bengals QB Carson Palmer to come out and voice his displeasure about this issue. I applaud Palmer for doing this. He is setting a standard of behavior both on and off the field. What this also does is put pressure on head coach Marvin Lewis and general manager Mike Brown to get players who have good character. We shall see where this issue goes from here.
January 24, 2007
With a little under two weeks before Super Bowl XLI, there will plenty of time to dissect the X’s and O’s of the game. Right now though all eyes should be on the two head coaches, Tony Dungy and Lovie Smith. These two head coaches have just made history. They are now the first African American head coaches to lead their teams to a Super Bowl. And it’s only fitting that the two coaches are friends with each other. Actually it’s more than that. It’s a mentor-mentee type of relationship that first began when Dungy hired Smith way back in 1996.
That staff for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers is now starting to take shape and many coaches from that staff are starting to shine. In addition to Smith, other coaches from that staff to get jobs include Herman Edwards, head coach of the Kansas City Chiefs; Rod Marinelli, head coach of the Detroit Lions; and Mike Tomlin, head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers. With such a new, young crop of coaches, it’s time to sit back and watch them shine.
In other NFL news, it’s time to once again bid adieu to Bill Parcells. Parcells retired on Monday, for the third time. All indications to a more permanent break from the sideline coaching. Never one to miss an opportunity to talk junk about someone, TO once again trashed someone, taking shots at Parcells saying “We underachieved this year………..”
Now sometimes I defend TO, hell sometimes I agree with TO, but this is out of line. Granted TO is slightly correct. The Cowboys did underachieve, however some of that has to be attributed to the league-leading 18 drops TO had during the year. I know one game personally where his drop affected the outcome (against the Redskins) and I saw numerous drives end with TO drops. TO needs to just rehab his injured finger and try not to drop so many passes next year.
The Raiders finally have a head coach now, which is good. On the other hand though, they have taken a giant risk. Lane Kiffin, though he has good pedigree as a coach and he is succeeding now, has zero NFL coaching experience which makes his hire one giant risk.
The Bumbling Bengals have returned. This time the Bengals are bumbling outside of the playing field. CB Jonathan Joseph became the 9th Bengal’s player arrested in the last nine months, when he was arrested on marijuana possession. His arrest caused Bengals QB Carson Palmer to come out and voice his displeasure about this issue. I applaud Palmer for doing this. He is setting a standard of behavior both on and off the field. What this also does is put pressure on head coach Marvin Lewis and general manager Mike Brown to get players who have good character. We shall see where this issue goes from here.
That staff for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers is now starting to take shape and many coaches from that staff are starting to shine. In addition to Smith, other coaches from that staff to get jobs include Herman Edwards, head coach of the Kansas City Chiefs; Rod Marinelli, head coach of the Detroit Lions; and Mike Tomlin, head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers. With such a new, young crop of coaches, it’s time to sit back and watch them shine.
In other NFL news, it’s time to once again bid adieu to Bill Parcells. Parcells retired on Monday, for the third time. All indications to a more permanent break from the sideline coaching. Never one to miss an opportunity to talk junk about someone, TO once again trashed someone, taking shots at Parcells saying “We underachieved this year………..”
Now sometimes I defend TO, hell sometimes I agree with TO, but this is out of line. Granted TO is slightly correct. The Cowboys did underachieve, however some of that has to be attributed to the league-leading 18 drops TO had during the year. I know one game personally where his drop affected the outcome (against the Redskins) and I saw numerous drives end with TO drops. TO needs to just rehab his injured finger and try not to drop so many passes next year.
The Raiders finally have a head coach now, which is good. On the other hand though, they have taken a giant risk. Lane Kiffin, though he has good pedigree as a coach and he is succeeding now, has zero NFL coaching experience which makes his hire one giant risk.
The Bumbling Bengals have returned. This time the Bengals are bumbling outside of the playing field. CB Jonathan Joseph became the 9th Bengal’s player arrested in the last nine months, when he was arrested on marijuana possession. His arrest caused Bengals QB Carson Palmer to come out and voice his displeasure about this issue. I applaud Palmer for doing this. He is setting a standard of behavior both on and off the field. What this also does is put pressure on head coach Marvin Lewis and general manager Mike Brown to get players who have good character. We shall see where this issue goes from here.
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
January 23, 2007
Today I wanted to try something else with my blog. Periodically, I will put up game reports of recent games that I have covered. I always enjoy doing live coverage of a game in any sport. Without further ado, here it is:
Roller Coaster Season Continues
By:Alfons Prince
Roller Coaster Season Continues
By:Alfons Prince
As the calendar moves further in 2007, the UDC Firebirds continue to have a roller coaster season. After starting the season with 7 wins and only 1 loss, the Firebirds lost 3 of their next 5 games, before they started their current five game homestand on January 16th. Heading into their Monday, January 22nd game against West Chester University, UDC has one win against two losses, with their win coming against Felician College.
Though UDC has lost their last two games, the games have been close, and entertaining games; games that have allowed their fans to come out and be able to happily cheer for their team.
The first loss, which took place on January 18th, came against their arch rival, the Virginia Union Panthers. The Panthers first defeated the Firebirds only a week earlier on January 11th, so there was a feeling of revenge as the game began. UDC took advantage of this energy to jump out to an early 6-0 lead. They maintained this distance throughout the first half until a late spurt left UDC ahead at the half with a 33-24 lead. Even though the Firebirds got four 3-point shots from guard Charlie Smallwood, the Panthers were able to keep the game close because of their dominating rebounding edge. At the half, Virginia Union held a 15-3 advantage in 2nd-chance points.
Virginia Union came out hot to begin the second half, going on a 14-5 run to tie the game at 38 with 14:29 left in the game. The two teams then begin to battle each other as neither team took more than a six point lead. The game began to get more chippy and feisty as the referees let play become more physical. An offensive foul call on Antwon Hawkins of UDC gave Virginia Union the ball with 2:26 remaining and a six point lead. Despite a valiant effort, UDC was never able to get any closer as Virginia Union made timely free throws and go on to win 74-69. Although UDC was able to shoot 40% from the field, the Firebirds left too many opportunities at the free throw line where they missed 11 of their 26 free throw attempts. This combined with Virginia Union’s rebound advantage (48-40) provided to be too much for the Firebirds to overcome.
Since the Firebirds are in the middle of a homestand, they did not have time to be down about their previous loss. Two days after the game against Virginia Union, UDC took the court against the University of Pittsburgh-Johnstown Mountain Cats. The Firebirds once again displayed tremendous heart, however again they lost, this time on a jump shot by Mountain Cat guard Dwight Hines with 8 seconds left. The Firebirds allowed the Cats to shoot 42% from the field and an astonishing 54% from 3-point range.
UDC had a much harder time shooting the ball. While the Firebirds shot a comparable 41% from the field, they only shot 24% from 3-point range. In this game the Firebirds were led in scoring by guard Antwon Hawkins, who had 26 points. Other key contributors were guard Frank Petersen, who added 15 points and forward Willie Shaw, who added 14 points.
With three games left on the current homestand, the Firebirds need to season to begin another upswing. After January 29th, UDC only has two more home games before the end of their regular season. Playing on the road has been a bit of a problem for UDC, evident by the team having lost 3 of the 6 “true” (Non-tournament, holiday or classic) road games. If this team wants to continue their improbable season, they need to finish this season stronger, especially on the road.
I hope that you enjoyed the game recap that I submitted for my blog. Until next time, peace.
Monday, January 08, 2007
January 8, 2007
With the 1st week of 2007 completed, things are not only hot with the weather, but within the sports world as well. The NFL playoffs just finished their opening weekend, providing intriguing match-ups including two divisional games. The NBA has switched back to the old ball for the remainder of the 2007 season and it has interesting storylines such as Allen Iverson now playing for the Denver Nuggets, whether or not the Phoenix Suns can actually win the Western Conference, and is the Eastern Conference really that bad.
In addition to the stories that take place within the lines of play, there have been a couple of important off the field stories. First, I would like to send my heartfelt prayers to the family of Denver Broncos Cornerback (CB) Darrent Williams. Williams was murdered the morning of January 1st in Denver, the victim of a drive-by shooting. When I first heard about this, I felt a couple of different emotions. I immediately felt sadness for both of his families (the Denver Broncos and his blood relatives). Next I felt anger and despair at the fact that the New Year began with the murder of another young black athlete. When we closed 2006 talking about athletes and guns, members of the media wondered, and often asked “Why are athletes making millions of dollars out partying late at night?” Being the ripe old age of 25, I understand both sides of the argument. After a long week of working, you often want to go out and do some partying before the next work week begins. However, everyone who goes out should, actually, must be aware of their surroundings.
In the end, athletes will always be susceptible to this type of violence. A main reason is the way our society is shaped. We place a lot of emphasis on athletes, actors and other entertainers. We study their life, how much money they make, How much they spend, etc, so to me it’s, unfortunately, not really a shock to me when they sadly are attacked or involved in some form of violence. I could go on about this further, but there is more to talk about.
The next major off the field move is Nick Saban and his departure from the Miami Dolphins to the University of Alabama. If you haven’t heard, Nick Saban will be the new coach at the University of Alabama for the 2007 season. He resigned from his former job as Head Coach of the Miami Dolphins on January 3, 2007, after saying, rather emphatically, that he would not do so. There are other circumstances such as the contract ($32 million guaranteed) and Saban’s NFL record (a mediocre 15-17) but the bottom line is that: 1) Saban loved to coach college football; 2) Saban was/is better at coaching college football and 3) the contract was for $32 million dollars guaranteed. I’m sorry but there aren’t a lot of people in the world who wouldn’t switch jobs for $32 million dollars. I think there are some in the Dolphins organization who understand Saban’s decision and of course some who don’t, but if Dolphins owner Wayne Huizenga can wish Saban well then the rest of us should……should being the operative word there.
While on the subject of college football, let’s talk about the bowl season. The BCS, though far from perfect, can at least say that they provide great games. The #1 game thus far has been the Fiesta Bowl between Boise State and Oklahoma. The Broncos scored on a hook and ladder (not lateral, thanks Around the Horn © ESPN) play with seven seconds left to tie the game. This was after Oklahoma rallied from a 28-10 deficit to take a 35-28 lead. The suspenseful game continued into the overtime session as Oklahoma scored on their very first play. Boise State once again rallied to score, this time on a Wide Receiver pass on 4th and 2. This time Broncos Coach Chris Petersen decided to go for the two point conversion and the win. He called a modified version of the famed Statue of Liberty play and his players ran it to perfection which allowed Running Back Ian Johnson to run in the winning conversion. Then the storybook ending became complete when Johnson proposed to his girlfriend on the sidelines, who said yes, naturally.
Now if storybook endings aren’t your thing and you like total domination, the BCS has provided that as well. LSU and USC both followed similar blueprints as they defeated their BCS opponents; Notre Dame and Michigan, correspondingly. Both teams had dominant 2nd half performances led by juniors who are expected to leave early for the NFL. (QB JaMarcus Russell for LSU and WR Dwayne Jarrett for USC) Both teams also left themselves open to questions as to why these performances weren’t more prevalent during the season. In any event, both teams turned pre-game thrillers into laughers that tried to make you change the channel.
Wrapping up college football, I think the BCS title game, tonight at 8 PM, has a lot to live up to. I also think that it will live up to that billing. I think that Florida will shock the Buckeyes with their speed, plus the Gators will have a huge chip on their shoulder. Those two factors will allow the Gators to win 31-28.
With each passing year, one hopes to get wiser, contribute a little bit more, and leave a deeper mark. In that spirit I am trying to set this blog in a more concise manner. By the 13th of January, I would like to have a daily format to my blog so that I not only get my opinion out there, but I also touch upon a lot of subjects thus gaining knowledge about that sport and that topic. So that the beginning of my plan for this New Year. Check back later today as I talk about the first round of the NFL Playoffs, the NBA and other issues. Until then peace.
In addition to the stories that take place within the lines of play, there have been a couple of important off the field stories. First, I would like to send my heartfelt prayers to the family of Denver Broncos Cornerback (CB) Darrent Williams. Williams was murdered the morning of January 1st in Denver, the victim of a drive-by shooting. When I first heard about this, I felt a couple of different emotions. I immediately felt sadness for both of his families (the Denver Broncos and his blood relatives). Next I felt anger and despair at the fact that the New Year began with the murder of another young black athlete. When we closed 2006 talking about athletes and guns, members of the media wondered, and often asked “Why are athletes making millions of dollars out partying late at night?” Being the ripe old age of 25, I understand both sides of the argument. After a long week of working, you often want to go out and do some partying before the next work week begins. However, everyone who goes out should, actually, must be aware of their surroundings.
In the end, athletes will always be susceptible to this type of violence. A main reason is the way our society is shaped. We place a lot of emphasis on athletes, actors and other entertainers. We study their life, how much money they make, How much they spend, etc, so to me it’s, unfortunately, not really a shock to me when they sadly are attacked or involved in some form of violence. I could go on about this further, but there is more to talk about.
The next major off the field move is Nick Saban and his departure from the Miami Dolphins to the University of Alabama. If you haven’t heard, Nick Saban will be the new coach at the University of Alabama for the 2007 season. He resigned from his former job as Head Coach of the Miami Dolphins on January 3, 2007, after saying, rather emphatically, that he would not do so. There are other circumstances such as the contract ($32 million guaranteed) and Saban’s NFL record (a mediocre 15-17) but the bottom line is that: 1) Saban loved to coach college football; 2) Saban was/is better at coaching college football and 3) the contract was for $32 million dollars guaranteed. I’m sorry but there aren’t a lot of people in the world who wouldn’t switch jobs for $32 million dollars. I think there are some in the Dolphins organization who understand Saban’s decision and of course some who don’t, but if Dolphins owner Wayne Huizenga can wish Saban well then the rest of us should……should being the operative word there.
While on the subject of college football, let’s talk about the bowl season. The BCS, though far from perfect, can at least say that they provide great games. The #1 game thus far has been the Fiesta Bowl between Boise State and Oklahoma. The Broncos scored on a hook and ladder (not lateral, thanks Around the Horn © ESPN) play with seven seconds left to tie the game. This was after Oklahoma rallied from a 28-10 deficit to take a 35-28 lead. The suspenseful game continued into the overtime session as Oklahoma scored on their very first play. Boise State once again rallied to score, this time on a Wide Receiver pass on 4th and 2. This time Broncos Coach Chris Petersen decided to go for the two point conversion and the win. He called a modified version of the famed Statue of Liberty play and his players ran it to perfection which allowed Running Back Ian Johnson to run in the winning conversion. Then the storybook ending became complete when Johnson proposed to his girlfriend on the sidelines, who said yes, naturally.
Now if storybook endings aren’t your thing and you like total domination, the BCS has provided that as well. LSU and USC both followed similar blueprints as they defeated their BCS opponents; Notre Dame and Michigan, correspondingly. Both teams had dominant 2nd half performances led by juniors who are expected to leave early for the NFL. (QB JaMarcus Russell for LSU and WR Dwayne Jarrett for USC) Both teams also left themselves open to questions as to why these performances weren’t more prevalent during the season. In any event, both teams turned pre-game thrillers into laughers that tried to make you change the channel.
Wrapping up college football, I think the BCS title game, tonight at 8 PM, has a lot to live up to. I also think that it will live up to that billing. I think that Florida will shock the Buckeyes with their speed, plus the Gators will have a huge chip on their shoulder. Those two factors will allow the Gators to win 31-28.
With each passing year, one hopes to get wiser, contribute a little bit more, and leave a deeper mark. In that spirit I am trying to set this blog in a more concise manner. By the 13th of January, I would like to have a daily format to my blog so that I not only get my opinion out there, but I also touch upon a lot of subjects thus gaining knowledge about that sport and that topic. So that the beginning of my plan for this New Year. Check back later today as I talk about the first round of the NFL Playoffs, the NBA and other issues. Until then peace.
Tuesday, November 14, 2006
November 14, 2006
As I started to write this blog, I realized that I had a multitude of items to write about. There is an NFL recap, the start of the college basketball season, Tiger Woods losing his first golf tournament in months, and fresh hot stove material from baseball. However, after watching SportsCenter, it has become clearly evident that I have to start this blog talking about Bobby Knight.
By now, mostly everyone has seen the video of Knight “slapping” one of his players, Michael Prince, under his chin. I have watched clip after clip and heard analyst after analyst state their opinion on the subject and while I agree with most of their opinions, here is my take on the subject:
Bobby Knight has become like Terrell Owens in the public’s eye, meaning that anything he does will get a reaction. Whether this action is right or wrong is irrelevant, the bottom line is that any questionable action that he does will be scrutinized and talked about endlessly. I also feel that this is much ado about nothing. The kid and his parents found nothing wrong with it so neither should anyone else.
Now back to the rest of the world in sports. Week 10 of the NFL season ended last night as the Carolina Panthers defeated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 24-10. The victory moved the Panthers to 5-4 and right back into the playoff hunt. The Panthers have been one of this years most confusing teams. Even in the game last night, the Panthers played very very poorly in the first half and needed a turnover by the Bucs to jump start them in the second half. I think the Panthers have a star WR in Steve Smith, a stud defender in Julius Peppers, and a great coach in John Fox. But for whatever reason, they can’t run the ball and they do not play particularly well in the fourth quarter. For those two reasons primarily, I think the Panthers will make the playoffs but probably lose somewhere around the second round.
From the better late than never files, we have the first start of Jason Campbell this week. Campbell, a 2005 first round draft pick of the Washington Redskins, is taking over a 3-6 team with a lousy defense, and now he gets to show off his arm in Offensive Coordinator Al Saunders’s offense. I think its absolutely crazy that Campbell has not a least played in mop-up duty to make this start a little easier Though that didn’t happen, I think the kid will be ready and play a good game overall.
In baseball news, the Washington Nationals have named Manny Acta their new manager. While I don’t know much about Acta, the few articles I have read about him, have held him in high regard. With a young manager, a new stadium in 2008 and a young budding star (third baseman Ryan Zimmerman, 2006 NL Rookie of the Year Runner Up) the Nationals appear to be moving in the right direction. Well that’s all for now. Until next time, peace.
By now, mostly everyone has seen the video of Knight “slapping” one of his players, Michael Prince, under his chin. I have watched clip after clip and heard analyst after analyst state their opinion on the subject and while I agree with most of their opinions, here is my take on the subject:
Bobby Knight has become like Terrell Owens in the public’s eye, meaning that anything he does will get a reaction. Whether this action is right or wrong is irrelevant, the bottom line is that any questionable action that he does will be scrutinized and talked about endlessly. I also feel that this is much ado about nothing. The kid and his parents found nothing wrong with it so neither should anyone else.
Now back to the rest of the world in sports. Week 10 of the NFL season ended last night as the Carolina Panthers defeated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 24-10. The victory moved the Panthers to 5-4 and right back into the playoff hunt. The Panthers have been one of this years most confusing teams. Even in the game last night, the Panthers played very very poorly in the first half and needed a turnover by the Bucs to jump start them in the second half. I think the Panthers have a star WR in Steve Smith, a stud defender in Julius Peppers, and a great coach in John Fox. But for whatever reason, they can’t run the ball and they do not play particularly well in the fourth quarter. For those two reasons primarily, I think the Panthers will make the playoffs but probably lose somewhere around the second round.
From the better late than never files, we have the first start of Jason Campbell this week. Campbell, a 2005 first round draft pick of the Washington Redskins, is taking over a 3-6 team with a lousy defense, and now he gets to show off his arm in Offensive Coordinator Al Saunders’s offense. I think its absolutely crazy that Campbell has not a least played in mop-up duty to make this start a little easier Though that didn’t happen, I think the kid will be ready and play a good game overall.
In baseball news, the Washington Nationals have named Manny Acta their new manager. While I don’t know much about Acta, the few articles I have read about him, have held him in high regard. With a young manager, a new stadium in 2008 and a young budding star (third baseman Ryan Zimmerman, 2006 NL Rookie of the Year Runner Up) the Nationals appear to be moving in the right direction. Well that’s all for now. Until next time, peace.
Sunday, November 12, 2006
November 12, 2006- Shake Up Saturday
Well, well, well. What do you have to say now Mr. Corso? Of course I am talking about ESPN analyst Lee Corso, who on Thursday night proclaimed that Rutgers could finish the season undefeated and still not lay for the BCS National Championship. Now I try to live in reality as much as possible, and I know it would still be a long shot for Rutgers to make it considering they still have to travel to West Virginia early in December, but to proclaim Rutgers out already after punishing Louisville is absurd. And when the teams Corso bring up, go out and lose on Saturday, it makes his argument seemed flawed.
I won’t get on Corso too much because the whole BCS system is flawed. It gives an unfair advantage to established football program that have a history. The system does this by including preseason polls when determining the BCS rankings. Preseason polls mean nothing. Take the seasons of Florida State and Miami for example. Both teams were ranked in the Top 20 preseason polls of ESPN and Sports Illustrated. After yesterday’s action, both teams are unranked and each has five losses.
Other case studies include Iowa, ranked 11th in ESPN’s preseason poll, now unranked with a record of 6-5; Arizona State, ranked 16th in Sports Illustrated’s preseason poll, now they are unranked with four losses.
Notice I didn’t mention any SEC teams. I did this because I wanted to talk about these teams and this conference specifically. All year analysts have been touting this conference as one of the best, if not the best in the nation. I really don’t have a problem agreeing with this, but when no team stands out in a conference, it makes it hard for me to say that the conference champion (who will have at least one loss) should play for the BCS title when there are undefeated teams for other power conferences. Fact of the matter is that LSU has two losses, Auburn has gotten blown out at home TWICE, and Florida can’t seem to score anymore than 20 points against ANYONE.
I’ll wrap up this portion on college football by asking this: If an undefeated team from the Big East has ZERO chance to play in the BCS title game, why are there 117 teams in D-I football? Why not just do the preseason rankings and only let those 25 teams play?
As for the biggest game of the year in college football, I think it will be a great game between Michigan and Ohio State. I’m a Michigan fan but as I have watched them, smart, mobile QBs give their defense trouble. With Troy Smith and being at home, I think Ohio State pulls the game out late and wins 20-17 (As a tear streams down my face)
As for Ohio State’s opponent in the BCS title game, I think USC will run the table and slide into that #2 BCS slot. Though their schedule is brutal (@ home against Cal and Notre Dame, and at UCLA), they are starting to jell on offense and they have one of the best receiving core in nation with Steve Smith and Dwayne Jarrett. I also think that Pete Carroll knows his team very well and will keep them focused and get them to another epic, though less publicized title game.
In other college news, there were some great finishes. Florida escaped by blocking a game winning FG attempt as time expired, while Nebraska won a Zac Taylor touchdown with 21 seconds left. Arizona contributed to Shake Up Saturday by giving Cal its 2nd loss of the season. At the start of November, it was said that this November in college football would be one to remember. Thus far, those prophets have been more than right on that call. Until next time, peace.
I won’t get on Corso too much because the whole BCS system is flawed. It gives an unfair advantage to established football program that have a history. The system does this by including preseason polls when determining the BCS rankings. Preseason polls mean nothing. Take the seasons of Florida State and Miami for example. Both teams were ranked in the Top 20 preseason polls of ESPN and Sports Illustrated. After yesterday’s action, both teams are unranked and each has five losses.
Other case studies include Iowa, ranked 11th in ESPN’s preseason poll, now unranked with a record of 6-5; Arizona State, ranked 16th in Sports Illustrated’s preseason poll, now they are unranked with four losses.
Notice I didn’t mention any SEC teams. I did this because I wanted to talk about these teams and this conference specifically. All year analysts have been touting this conference as one of the best, if not the best in the nation. I really don’t have a problem agreeing with this, but when no team stands out in a conference, it makes it hard for me to say that the conference champion (who will have at least one loss) should play for the BCS title when there are undefeated teams for other power conferences. Fact of the matter is that LSU has two losses, Auburn has gotten blown out at home TWICE, and Florida can’t seem to score anymore than 20 points against ANYONE.
I’ll wrap up this portion on college football by asking this: If an undefeated team from the Big East has ZERO chance to play in the BCS title game, why are there 117 teams in D-I football? Why not just do the preseason rankings and only let those 25 teams play?
As for the biggest game of the year in college football, I think it will be a great game between Michigan and Ohio State. I’m a Michigan fan but as I have watched them, smart, mobile QBs give their defense trouble. With Troy Smith and being at home, I think Ohio State pulls the game out late and wins 20-17 (As a tear streams down my face)
As for Ohio State’s opponent in the BCS title game, I think USC will run the table and slide into that #2 BCS slot. Though their schedule is brutal (@ home against Cal and Notre Dame, and at UCLA), they are starting to jell on offense and they have one of the best receiving core in nation with Steve Smith and Dwayne Jarrett. I also think that Pete Carroll knows his team very well and will keep them focused and get them to another epic, though less publicized title game.
In other college news, there were some great finishes. Florida escaped by blocking a game winning FG attempt as time expired, while Nebraska won a Zac Taylor touchdown with 21 seconds left. Arizona contributed to Shake Up Saturday by giving Cal its 2nd loss of the season. At the start of November, it was said that this November in college football would be one to remember. Thus far, those prophets have been more than right on that call. Until next time, peace.
Thursday, October 26, 2006
October 26, 2006
With Game 4 of the World Series bet, there was a lull in Wednesday’s sporting events. This gives me the chance to sit down and start looking at the upcoming NBA season.
The 2006 NBA season starts on Tuesday and between now and then I’ll go through and play Nostradamus, predicating each division winner, playoff participants and eventual NBA Finals Champion.
Starting with the Atlantic division of the Eastern Conference, where the New Jersey Nets look to be the strongest team. Not only are the Nets the defending division winner, they added very helpful pieces such as rookies Marcus Williams and Josh Boone. Both Boone and Williams can provide immediate help in areas that the Nets need: a backup PG for Jason Kidd, and rebounding help. These additions will help New Jersey’s Big Three of Kidd, Richard Jefferson and Vince Carter, get some rest during the season and be somewhat rested for the playoffs. Also, it’s important to keep in mind that this is a contract year for Carter, which should produce better play from him.
Besides the Nets, this division looks to be pretty bad. The rest of the teams in this division all have major flaws with them. The Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers have the blueprint of having one superstar (Paul Pierce and Allen Iverson, respectively) with flawed core players around them. For Pierce he has a shoot first PG in Sebastian Telfair, who plays like his cousin, Stephon Marbury, meaning that the team will lose but Telfair’s stats will be ok. Iverson’s cast, though slightly better than Pierce’s, still too often stands around and watch AI do his thing.
At least those teams don’t have the problems of the New York Knicks. After their worst season in 20 years, Hall of Fame coach Larry Brown is gone. In Brown’s place is General Manager Isiah Thomas will now coach the team. Things aren’t all that rosy for Thomas as owner James Dolan placed a win-or-else mantra on Thomas. Further complicating matters is the Knicks’ roster, which has no less than five guards and no inside presence to speak of. These guards, who include Jalen Rose, Stephon Marbury, and Steve Francis, are notorious for needing the ball to play effectively. To me, this all adds up to another very long season for the Knicks.
The wild card team of this division is the Toronto Raptors. Incoming General Manager Bryan Colangelo is attempting to copy his blueprint he perfected with the Phoenix Suns, adding PG TJ Ford with PF Chris Bosh to become, hopefully, the Eastern Conference’s version of Steve Nash and Amare Stoudemire. In addition to Ford, # 1 Draft Pick Andrea Bargnani, free agent Rasho Nesterovic, and Anthony Parker also join this squad so it’s really a crap shot as to how they’ll finish. Well here is how I think the Atlantic division will turn out:
1) New Jersey Nets
2) Philadelphia 76ers
3) Toronto Raptors
4) Boston Celtics
5) New York Knicks
Well that is all for now. Hopefully the weather in St. Louis will cooperate and Game 4 of the World Series will be played. Either way, check back tomorrow as I at least preview the Eastern Conference’s Southeast division. Until then, peace.
The 2006 NBA season starts on Tuesday and between now and then I’ll go through and play Nostradamus, predicating each division winner, playoff participants and eventual NBA Finals Champion.
Starting with the Atlantic division of the Eastern Conference, where the New Jersey Nets look to be the strongest team. Not only are the Nets the defending division winner, they added very helpful pieces such as rookies Marcus Williams and Josh Boone. Both Boone and Williams can provide immediate help in areas that the Nets need: a backup PG for Jason Kidd, and rebounding help. These additions will help New Jersey’s Big Three of Kidd, Richard Jefferson and Vince Carter, get some rest during the season and be somewhat rested for the playoffs. Also, it’s important to keep in mind that this is a contract year for Carter, which should produce better play from him.
Besides the Nets, this division looks to be pretty bad. The rest of the teams in this division all have major flaws with them. The Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers have the blueprint of having one superstar (Paul Pierce and Allen Iverson, respectively) with flawed core players around them. For Pierce he has a shoot first PG in Sebastian Telfair, who plays like his cousin, Stephon Marbury, meaning that the team will lose but Telfair’s stats will be ok. Iverson’s cast, though slightly better than Pierce’s, still too often stands around and watch AI do his thing.
At least those teams don’t have the problems of the New York Knicks. After their worst season in 20 years, Hall of Fame coach Larry Brown is gone. In Brown’s place is General Manager Isiah Thomas will now coach the team. Things aren’t all that rosy for Thomas as owner James Dolan placed a win-or-else mantra on Thomas. Further complicating matters is the Knicks’ roster, which has no less than five guards and no inside presence to speak of. These guards, who include Jalen Rose, Stephon Marbury, and Steve Francis, are notorious for needing the ball to play effectively. To me, this all adds up to another very long season for the Knicks.
The wild card team of this division is the Toronto Raptors. Incoming General Manager Bryan Colangelo is attempting to copy his blueprint he perfected with the Phoenix Suns, adding PG TJ Ford with PF Chris Bosh to become, hopefully, the Eastern Conference’s version of Steve Nash and Amare Stoudemire. In addition to Ford, # 1 Draft Pick Andrea Bargnani, free agent Rasho Nesterovic, and Anthony Parker also join this squad so it’s really a crap shot as to how they’ll finish. Well here is how I think the Atlantic division will turn out:
1) New Jersey Nets
2) Philadelphia 76ers
3) Toronto Raptors
4) Boston Celtics
5) New York Knicks
Well that is all for now. Hopefully the weather in St. Louis will cooperate and Game 4 of the World Series will be played. Either way, check back tomorrow as I at least preview the Eastern Conference’s Southeast division. Until then, peace.
Wednesday, October 25, 2006
October 25, 2006
One great pitching game deservers another, seems to be the MO for this year’s World Series. One day after Kenny Rogers pitched the Tigers back into the Series, Cardinals pitcher Chris Carpenter pitched the Tigers to another must win game with his eight shut-out innings, allowing only three hits. He faced only two batters over the minimum and threw only 82 pitches. Also, unlike his counterpart Rogers, Carpenter was not accused of having any substance on his hand.
I joke about the fiasco but Carpenter helped to put that to rest by just dominating the Tigers. Only first baseman Sean Casey and third baseman Brandon Inge had hits and three Tiger players (2B Placido Planco, CF Curtis Granderson, and C Ivan Rodriguez) continued to not have any hits in the World Series. This issue has caused Tigers Manager Jim Leyland to seriously think about some major line-up changes before Wednesday’s Game 4.
Leyland needs to find some spark because the Tigers do not want to fall behind 3 games to 1 since the odds of overcoming that deficit aren’t very good.
Well that’s all for now. Stay tuned as I’ll start my NBA preview in the coming days with the NBA season looking to begin next week. Until then, peace.
I joke about the fiasco but Carpenter helped to put that to rest by just dominating the Tigers. Only first baseman Sean Casey and third baseman Brandon Inge had hits and three Tiger players (2B Placido Planco, CF Curtis Granderson, and C Ivan Rodriguez) continued to not have any hits in the World Series. This issue has caused Tigers Manager Jim Leyland to seriously think about some major line-up changes before Wednesday’s Game 4.
Leyland needs to find some spark because the Tigers do not want to fall behind 3 games to 1 since the odds of overcoming that deficit aren’t very good.
Well that’s all for now. Stay tuned as I’ll start my NBA preview in the coming days with the NBA season looking to begin next week. Until then, peace.
Tuesday, October 24, 2006
October 24, 2006
Back in the lab again. First I’ll start by saying that I broadcasted my first game last night, the Monday Night Football game between the NY Giants and the Dallas Cowboys. I did ok, but there is plenty of room for improvement on my part. It’s a fun thing to do and I cannot wait to do it in person at a stadium where I can have access to interview quotes, the entire field, and things of that nature.
As for the game itself, Dallas made a change at QB, which could have huge ramifications on their season. At the beginning of the second half Drew Bledsoe was replaced by Tony Romo. Drew had an awful first half, being sacked four times (once for a safety) and threw a terrible interception as the Cowboys were driving to take the lead at the end of the first half. In fairness to Drew, though, two of the sacks weren’t his fault as the line provided no blocking but the interception really sealed his fate.
Romo came in and showed flashes of why Parcells made the change. However his play also showed his inexperience, throwing two costly interceptions including one that was returned for the game clinching score. I think Parcells made the right move because Drew can’t escape the rush. With a full week of practice with the first teamers, I think Romo will develop rapidly and help improve the offense of the Cowboys.
While the Cowboys have their own set of problems, the Chargers also have pressing issues of their own. They learned that they may lose LB Shawne Merriman for four games for violating the league’s substance abuse policy on steroids. Now Merriman will appeal the situation saying the steroid he is accused of taking was in his system because it was in an over-the-counter supplement. Personally I think his appeal will be denied. In the past couple of years the news has been littered with stories of professional athletes using steroids and quite frankly, blaming them on over-the-counter supplements is getting old. These days you have to be smarter when taking supplements. Just my opinion.
Merriman’s alma mater, Maryland did something good this weekend in college football. They moved one victory closer to becoming bowl eligible by virtue of their 26-20 win over NC State. However their schedule is really tough with four of their five last opponents only having one conference loss and the fifth opponent is Florida State, they should be able to pull out the one victory needed to become bowl eligible.
Other interesting things from the weekend in college football include fast paced finishes by Notre Dame, Texas and Miami in their victories over UCLA, Nebraska and Duke respective. Ohio State and Michigan appear headed on a collision course to a November 18th showdown for all the marbles (the Big Ten Championship, as well a spot in the National Title Game). Man I need to see if I can get tickets to that game because I know its going to be a crazy atmosphere.
All of November will be crazy in college football. In addition to that heavyweight slugfest, the month is littered with high powered games like West Virginia versus Louisville on November 2nd, USC versus Cal on November 18th and then USC again this time versus Notre Dame on November 25th. All of these games will have serious BCS implications. What a month it’s about to be.
While November is primarily for college football, this time is for football and the World Series. In this year’s Fall Classic, the Detroit Tigers are tied one game apiece with the St. Louis Cardinals after another postseason gem from Kenny Rogers. Unlike his first two wins however, this one is causing a bit of a stir. The Cardinals think that there was a foreign substance on the left hand of Rogers. This is important because if there was, the rule is that that player is immediately ejected and also suspended 10 days. However the Cardinals never made a formal request for the umpires to check Rogers’s hand and by the top of the second inning the “substance” was gone.
Now once again, the supposedly squeaky clean game of baseball has a scandal. Look the Cardinal didn’t tell the umpires to check so they can’t cry about it now. On Fox, they (Fox) showed he had the same spot of “substance” in his starts against the Yankees and Athletics, and neither of those teams had him checked either. And another fact to remember is that after the “substance” was removed, Rogers still went out there and pitched seven more great innings of baseball. If I were associated with the Cardinals, I would focus less on this and more on Game 3, because this situation is starting to look like the controversial incident that the White Sox when they won the World Series last year.
Well that’s all for now. Check back tomorrow and see what I think about Game 3 of the World Series. Until next time, peace.
As for the game itself, Dallas made a change at QB, which could have huge ramifications on their season. At the beginning of the second half Drew Bledsoe was replaced by Tony Romo. Drew had an awful first half, being sacked four times (once for a safety) and threw a terrible interception as the Cowboys were driving to take the lead at the end of the first half. In fairness to Drew, though, two of the sacks weren’t his fault as the line provided no blocking but the interception really sealed his fate.
Romo came in and showed flashes of why Parcells made the change. However his play also showed his inexperience, throwing two costly interceptions including one that was returned for the game clinching score. I think Parcells made the right move because Drew can’t escape the rush. With a full week of practice with the first teamers, I think Romo will develop rapidly and help improve the offense of the Cowboys.
While the Cowboys have their own set of problems, the Chargers also have pressing issues of their own. They learned that they may lose LB Shawne Merriman for four games for violating the league’s substance abuse policy on steroids. Now Merriman will appeal the situation saying the steroid he is accused of taking was in his system because it was in an over-the-counter supplement. Personally I think his appeal will be denied. In the past couple of years the news has been littered with stories of professional athletes using steroids and quite frankly, blaming them on over-the-counter supplements is getting old. These days you have to be smarter when taking supplements. Just my opinion.
Merriman’s alma mater, Maryland did something good this weekend in college football. They moved one victory closer to becoming bowl eligible by virtue of their 26-20 win over NC State. However their schedule is really tough with four of their five last opponents only having one conference loss and the fifth opponent is Florida State, they should be able to pull out the one victory needed to become bowl eligible.
Other interesting things from the weekend in college football include fast paced finishes by Notre Dame, Texas and Miami in their victories over UCLA, Nebraska and Duke respective. Ohio State and Michigan appear headed on a collision course to a November 18th showdown for all the marbles (the Big Ten Championship, as well a spot in the National Title Game). Man I need to see if I can get tickets to that game because I know its going to be a crazy atmosphere.
All of November will be crazy in college football. In addition to that heavyweight slugfest, the month is littered with high powered games like West Virginia versus Louisville on November 2nd, USC versus Cal on November 18th and then USC again this time versus Notre Dame on November 25th. All of these games will have serious BCS implications. What a month it’s about to be.
While November is primarily for college football, this time is for football and the World Series. In this year’s Fall Classic, the Detroit Tigers are tied one game apiece with the St. Louis Cardinals after another postseason gem from Kenny Rogers. Unlike his first two wins however, this one is causing a bit of a stir. The Cardinals think that there was a foreign substance on the left hand of Rogers. This is important because if there was, the rule is that that player is immediately ejected and also suspended 10 days. However the Cardinals never made a formal request for the umpires to check Rogers’s hand and by the top of the second inning the “substance” was gone.
Now once again, the supposedly squeaky clean game of baseball has a scandal. Look the Cardinal didn’t tell the umpires to check so they can’t cry about it now. On Fox, they (Fox) showed he had the same spot of “substance” in his starts against the Yankees and Athletics, and neither of those teams had him checked either. And another fact to remember is that after the “substance” was removed, Rogers still went out there and pitched seven more great innings of baseball. If I were associated with the Cardinals, I would focus less on this and more on Game 3, because this situation is starting to look like the controversial incident that the White Sox when they won the World Series last year.
Well that’s all for now. Check back tomorrow and see what I think about Game 3 of the World Series. Until next time, peace.
Wednesday, October 18, 2006
October 18, 2006
I want to start today’s blog talking about the “feud” between African-American sports journalists Scoop Jackson and Jason Whitlock. They have taken decidedly different views on a study, which was done by Richard Lapchick. The study basically concluded that the newspaper industry has done a bad job of having minority diversity at the editor level. While both journalists agree that this is true, the reasoning behind their ideas is where the battle lines are drawn.
Whitlock believes (as it appears to me) that African-Americans have not only not prepared ourselves to become editors but also that we are not interested in becoming major newspaper editors as well as other professions such as college coaches of major sports. Jackson believes that a major part of the reason African-American college students and African-Americans in general, don’t pursue these professions is because of the lack of minorities in these fields. I see both sides of the argument, but my personal belief falls closer to Scoop’s point of view.
My degree is a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering. As I finished my senior year, I noticed that I would not be happy making a living doing chemical engineering work, and that I loved the world of sports and writing about it. I started to come to this conclusion while watching the rise of sports debate shows, especially The Sports Reporters, Around the Horn and Pardon the Interruption on ESPN. On these shows, I have seen many journalists (both minority and majority) debate their views, and each brings a special flavor. I love hearing these views and even arguing with my TV in a sort of mock debate with them.
I must confess that I do get more enthused when I see someone who looks like me on the show, and I’m not sure if Mr. Whitlock understands the effect of seeing someone of your race successfully doing something that you are interested in doing. I know that anything worth doing requires a lot of hard work, and I also know that because of a lack of minorities in the newspaper industry already, my work will be further scrutinized.
I appreciate the truth and honestly the Mr., Jackson’s column provided. I already know of the hard work I personally must do and it is a great feeling to be conscious of the barriers you help to break down when achieving your goals. In wrapping up this section, I will say that I will miss Mr. Whitlock’s 10 NFL Truths (Apparently, Mr. Whitlock has resigned as a contributing writer to ESPN.com) , I will continue to read Mr. Jackson’s column and I hope to meet both of these good sports journalists in the future. Even though they have different viewpoints on the issue, they both should take happiness in the fact that I, an aspiring minority sports journalist, will continue to push forward and help to make the changes they desperately both want to see.
Not that I have discussed that topic, I can go back and review the previous NFL weekend. The Monday Night Football game was a thriller. Matt Leinart is continuing to show that he really was the most prepared NFL QB coming out of college. Though the Arizona Cardinals lost the game to the Chicago Bears, Leinart threw two touchdowns against the vaulted Bears defense and also put his team in position to win the game with a late field goal. That’s now two straight weeks where Leinart has performed coolly and calmly in the clutch. All that aside though, the Bears found a way to win and now they are 6-0 heading into their bye week.
Leinart’s backfield mate at USC, Reggie Bush and his team, the New Orleans Saints have to be one of the league’s heartwarming stories. They are undefeated at home and right now they have the upper hand when it comes to the NFC South Divisional title and the playoff birth that comes along with it. Bush is close to the league lead in receptions and just his presence on the field has opened up running lanes for Deuce McAllister and passing lanes for Drew Brees.
As much as the Saints are the touching story of the NFL, the Detroit Tigers are that story of MLB. They are already in the World Series after a 4-0 sweep of the Oakland Athletics in the American League Championship Series. They await the winner of the National League Championship Series, which at the current moment is being led by the St. Louis Cardinals 3 games to 2 after the Cardinals 4-2 win on Tuesday night. The World Series is scheduled to begin on Saturday in Detroit, where the Tigers will look to finish their storybook season.
Well that’s all for now, check back tomorrow as the outcome of Game 6 of the NLCS is discussed. Until then, peace.
Jason Whitlock's Column
Scoop Jackson's Column
Whitlock believes (as it appears to me) that African-Americans have not only not prepared ourselves to become editors but also that we are not interested in becoming major newspaper editors as well as other professions such as college coaches of major sports. Jackson believes that a major part of the reason African-American college students and African-Americans in general, don’t pursue these professions is because of the lack of minorities in these fields. I see both sides of the argument, but my personal belief falls closer to Scoop’s point of view.
My degree is a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering. As I finished my senior year, I noticed that I would not be happy making a living doing chemical engineering work, and that I loved the world of sports and writing about it. I started to come to this conclusion while watching the rise of sports debate shows, especially The Sports Reporters, Around the Horn and Pardon the Interruption on ESPN. On these shows, I have seen many journalists (both minority and majority) debate their views, and each brings a special flavor. I love hearing these views and even arguing with my TV in a sort of mock debate with them.
I must confess that I do get more enthused when I see someone who looks like me on the show, and I’m not sure if Mr. Whitlock understands the effect of seeing someone of your race successfully doing something that you are interested in doing. I know that anything worth doing requires a lot of hard work, and I also know that because of a lack of minorities in the newspaper industry already, my work will be further scrutinized.
I appreciate the truth and honestly the Mr., Jackson’s column provided. I already know of the hard work I personally must do and it is a great feeling to be conscious of the barriers you help to break down when achieving your goals. In wrapping up this section, I will say that I will miss Mr. Whitlock’s 10 NFL Truths (Apparently, Mr. Whitlock has resigned as a contributing writer to ESPN.com) , I will continue to read Mr. Jackson’s column and I hope to meet both of these good sports journalists in the future. Even though they have different viewpoints on the issue, they both should take happiness in the fact that I, an aspiring minority sports journalist, will continue to push forward and help to make the changes they desperately both want to see.
Not that I have discussed that topic, I can go back and review the previous NFL weekend. The Monday Night Football game was a thriller. Matt Leinart is continuing to show that he really was the most prepared NFL QB coming out of college. Though the Arizona Cardinals lost the game to the Chicago Bears, Leinart threw two touchdowns against the vaulted Bears defense and also put his team in position to win the game with a late field goal. That’s now two straight weeks where Leinart has performed coolly and calmly in the clutch. All that aside though, the Bears found a way to win and now they are 6-0 heading into their bye week.
Leinart’s backfield mate at USC, Reggie Bush and his team, the New Orleans Saints have to be one of the league’s heartwarming stories. They are undefeated at home and right now they have the upper hand when it comes to the NFC South Divisional title and the playoff birth that comes along with it. Bush is close to the league lead in receptions and just his presence on the field has opened up running lanes for Deuce McAllister and passing lanes for Drew Brees.
As much as the Saints are the touching story of the NFL, the Detroit Tigers are that story of MLB. They are already in the World Series after a 4-0 sweep of the Oakland Athletics in the American League Championship Series. They await the winner of the National League Championship Series, which at the current moment is being led by the St. Louis Cardinals 3 games to 2 after the Cardinals 4-2 win on Tuesday night. The World Series is scheduled to begin on Saturday in Detroit, where the Tigers will look to finish their storybook season.
Well that’s all for now, check back tomorrow as the outcome of Game 6 of the NLCS is discussed. Until then, peace.
Jason Whitlock's Column
Scoop Jackson's Column
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