Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Drew Brees: A True Class Act


"There may be only one name that goes in the record book, but it's all about you guys." Those were a few of the words spoken by Drew Brees, himself after he broke Dan Marino's 27-year old record for most passing yards in a season last night. He thanked everyone including the players, coaches, staff, owners and equipment managers. That alone shows the selflessness of the quarterback who made New Orleans a football town again with the Super Bowl victory in 2009. From watching his speech in the locker room, one gets the impression of Brees being someone who is a genuinely nice person, a guy who will give credit to everyone and try to take the spotlight off of himself. After all, how many guys would thank the equipment managers and staff workers after breaking a record many considered unbreakable once upon a time?

You could not have asked for a better stage to break the record: Monday Night Football, national TV audience and the hated rival in town with a chance to wrap up the NFC South title. It doesn't get much better than that, especially for Saints fans who suffered through so many lean years prior to just a few years ago when the team made the jump to perennial contender. Brees is a cult hero in New Orleans, one who played a huge role in that transition from an also-ran to a contender. How could one forget the priceless image of Brees holding his son, Baylen following the Super Bowl victory over the Colts? Those are the memories that last a lifetime, not just for Saints fans, but for fans of football in general. People love to hear the feel-good stories, such as the Super Bowl run in 2009 which brought New Orleans out of the sadness that occurred in the aftermath of the devastation of Hurricane Katrina in 2005.  The residents needed someone or something to be passionate about and something that would make them forget the devastation for at least 3 hours each and every Sunday. Drew Brees and the Saints fit that bill perfectly.

The record could not have been broken by a classier guy, someone who will give credit to others and someone who is not afraid to shoulder the blame after a tough loss. Drew Brees defines class in every sense of the word, a guy who loves his teammates like they are family, thanks everyone for giving him the opportunity to break such a record and above all, helps out with charities around the City of New Orleans.

I recommend everybody take a few minutes and watch the speech Brees gives in the locker room following last night's game. It will really show you how Drew Brees is a true class act.

Here is the link to the speech:
http://espn.go.com/blog/nfcsouth/post/_/id/29504/drew-brees-still-more-to-be-done. 
Copy and paste this link into your address bar.



Thursday, December 22, 2011

A Late Entrant in the Andrew Luck Sweepstakes?


Just 2 seasons ago, the Minnesota Vikings looked as if they were in prime position to advance to the Super Bowl and get yet another chance to win that ever-elusive first ring. You know the rest, Brett Favre makes one of the most boneheaded plays in NFL history and the Vikings have been in a slow tailspin ever since. 2010 featured the firing of Brad Childress, numerous injuries to Brett Favre and the roof collapsing on the Metrodome, culminating with a 6-10 overall record. In the offseason, Leslie Frazier was named full-time head coach and Donovan McNabb was acquired to fix the gaping hole at quarterback.

The McNabb experiment turned out to be a disaster, he started just 6 games, was benched in favor of 1st round pick, Christian Ponder and later released. Since he took over, Ponder has shown some promise with 13 touchdowns, but has also thrown 12 picks and some of his throws have made it quite apparent that he may be not quite ready for the starting role just yet. The team as a whole has stumbled to a 2-12 record at this writing which puts them in the mix for a top 5 draft pick in April. There are a number of directions the Vikings could go with a top 5 pick, a receiver to put opposite Percy Harvin, a corner who isn't on IR and isn't old and slow(Antoine Winfield) or someone who does not get arrested for DUI(Chris Cook) or the craziest of all the scenarios, the Vikings slide into the #1 pick and select Andrew Luck. Until last week, the Colts receiving the #1 pick was a foregone conclusion and they still might, but if Indianapolis finds a way to pull another upset and get win #2 coupled with the Vikings losing their final 2 games, it comes down to a coin flip for Luck. The St. Louis Rams, who also currently sit at 2-12 could also end up with the first overall selection, but they would be better off taking a linemen to protect Sam Bradford.

If the Vikings were to end up with the #1 pick, the biggest question is, do they essentially consider the selection of Ponder a waste and choose Andrew Luck? As I mentioned earlier, Ponder has shown flashes of brilliance, but he also has miles to go in terms of development into a legitimate NFL starting QB. Granted, you cannot expect a rookie to step in and immediately lead his team to victories, but is there enough progress being shown for the Vikings to pass on Luck? Personally, I would select Luck simply due to the fact, he is one of the most NFL-ready quarterback prospects we have seen in years. There are those who will argue that Justin Blackmon should be the pick, given his immense talent and the need for a legitimate deep threat to complement a slot receiver like Percy Harvin. Heck, Morris Claiborne, the corner out of LSU could be chosen to shore up the porous secondary that has struggled all season long.

I understand that choosing Luck puts Ponder in a tough spot. However, the guy has shown enough promise where you could trade him to a team in need of a young QB and likely receive a decent amount of talent for him. Look at how the Kevin Kolb trade worked out for the Eagles, landing Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and a 2nd-round pick. There are receivers to be had later on in the draft, as talented as Blackmon is, he is not the be-all, end-all at the position and corner is typically a position with a number of top prospects that can be selected later on in the draft. Luck is widely considered a can't-miss prospect who may be ready to step into the starting job right away. Worst case, Luck sits behind Ponder for a year and learns on the job, getting him ready for success in 2013 and beyond.

This is purely speculation for now, but let's root for the Colts to win at least one of their final two games and then, you never know what could happen.

Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Bobby Valentine: A Great Fit for Sox


From reports of beer drinking in the clubhouse to the September collapse, it was time for a change in Boston. Despite the fact that Terry Francona won 2 World Series with the team, it became quite evident that he had lost complete control of the team and chaos ensued. Ever since the announcement that Francona would not be returning, in early October, Red Sox Nation has openly wondered who would be the person to fill Francona's shoes. Well, that decision has been made and Bobby Valentine will be officially introduced as the newest manager of the Boston Red Sox on Wednesday. Personally, I am ecstatic about the hiring of Valentine and believe he will help turn things around with this team in 2012.

Yes, I understand that he has not managed in the big leagues in 9 years, which may cause worry for some, but its not like the guy has forgotten how to manage. He knows how to handle the pressures of a big market where fans live and die with every win and loss. After all, he was the manager of the Mets when they made their most recent World Series appearance in 2000 and at the height of the Mets-Yankees rivalry. Granted, Valentine had a less than perfect relationship with Steve Phillips, the GM of the Mets at the time, but that does not automatically mean he will not have a great, working relationship with Ben Cherington. The guy has been through clubhouse drama and will not accept rule breaking or insubordination. That, more than ever is what might be most important for the Red Sox, an authoritative figure who will not deal with beer drinking in the clubhouse. The Red Sox need a manager who will have the attention and respect of the players.

That is what they found themselves with the hire of Bobby Valentine. Valentine will immediately command the respect of a team that has a solid mix of veterans and young players. He will not shy away from the Boston media that will analyze his every move and will be watching him like a hawk. While it may seem like an underrated aspect, Valentine already hates the Yankees too from his days with the Mets. No matter what people say, it takes a short transition period to get a true taste of the nature of the rivalry. Someone who hates the Yankees is always welcomed with open arms in Boston and Valentine fits that description.

Those are the main reasons why Bobby Valentine, I believe will have great success as the next manager of the Boston Red Sox. He loves the spotlight and will take to the bright lights of Boston as all eyes of Red Sox Nation will be on him. His dynamic personality and laid-back style will help return the Red Sox to glory.

Thursday, November 24, 2011

No Place in Football: The Ndamukong Suh Story

Ever since he entered the league last season, people have always questioned whether or not the play of Ndamukong Suh was physical, or actually dirty? Suh has shown flashes of brilliance, but those same flashes have been covered up by mind-boggling signs of immaturity. Most of the time, those signs had to do with late hits on the QB or something of the sort. However, today, Suh took that immaturity to a whole new level with a play that got him kicked out of the game. In the 3rd quarter of today's tilt with the undefeated Packers, following a play, Suh slammed the head of Packers lineman, Evan Dietrich-Smith into the ground a few times along with kicking him in the arm.

The latest example of Suh's immaturity will earn him a hefty fine and likely a suspension from "the man upstairs" as Suh referred to it in his press conference. As much of a fan as I was of the guy when he played at Nebraska, I am losing more and more respect for him with each passing day. Lions Head Coach Jim Schwartz needs to get control of his most well-known defensive player and condemn this type of play at all costs, especially with the Lions in search of their first playoff berth in 12 years. While a 15 yard penalty may seem minuscule over the course of a game, 1 ill-advised play can lead to a 2 or 3 game suspension. Not to mention the fact that the Lions can ill afford the loss of their most imposing defensive presence with some of the biggest games of the season coming up.

The question that many people are asking now is what type of of suspension Suh has earned himself with the afore mentioned actions. Well, the only other recent comparsion of something like this occurred in 2006 when Albert Haynesworth stomped on the head of Cowboys center, Andre Gurode. Without any previous disciplinary history, Haynesworth received a 5 game suspension. Given Suh's history with dirty plays, my guess would be a 5 game suspension to match the one that Haynesworth received. That is not the main issue at stake though, the latest incident has confirmed our suspicions that Ndamukong Suh is a dirty player, not just one that tends to play physical. The point is, there is no place for this type of play in the NFL. The league needs to send Suh a message with the suspension that should be handed down within the next few days. It is time to let him know that these type of plays have no place in the NFL, but can only hurt his image in the mind of the fans and his team. There was no intention on the play today other than to hurt Dietrich-Smith.

Friday, November 11, 2011

Jonathan Papelbon to the Phillies? He Will be Missed

For the past 6 years, hearing "Wild Thing" blaring over the Fenway Park speakers has meant that its time for Jonathan Papelbon to enter the game and slam the door shut. However, today, we learned that Papelbon has agreed to sign a 4 year, $50 million deal with the Phillies. The move is certainly interesting due to the fact that it appeared as if the Phillies were going to re-sign Ryan Madson earlier in the week. Then, the talks with Madson fell through and it was on to the free agent closers left on the market.  The signing certainly solidifies a bullpen that many saw as the main weakness of the team last year. Papelbon is a 4-time All Star that has posted at least 30 saves in each of the last 6 seasons.

As for the Red Sox, Daniel Bard has served as Papelbon's apprentice over the last couple years and now, will get his shot to be a full-time closer in one of baseball's most highly scrutinized markets. The only part that may make Sox fans feel a bit uneasy about the move is the fact that Bard has not closed since college and closing in the major leagues is a whole different animal. We are about to find out a whole lot more about Bard's psyche and how he handles the pressure of being an everyday closer. How will he react when he blows his first key save and people are calling for his head? He must have seen how people reacted to Papelbon blowing a save in Game 3 of the 2009 ALDS and in game #162 of this season.  My point is, closing in Boston is a whole lot different from closing in say, Kansas City where the fans have become accustomed to losing over the past 15 or 20 years. In Boston, winning the World Series is the goal year in and year out. If that goal is not accomplished, the season is largely considered a failure.

Despite his blown saves over the years, a few of which have happened at critical junctures, Red Sox fans, such as myself may not realize quite yet how much we will actually miss Papelbon. Yeah sure, the guy blew a few important saves over the 6 years he served as the Red Sox closer, but he still managed to rack up 219 saves over those 6 years. The first save that Bard blows, some Red Sox fans who are jumping for joy right now will be wishing that Papelbon wasn't closing games in the City of Brotherly Love. The intensity and passion that Papelbon displayed on the mound each and every night may be seen as an underrated factor in this deal, but is something that can serve as an igniting factor for a team in search of a spark.

Tuesday, November 8, 2011

A Legend Lost: The Death of Joe Frazier

The sports world lost a legend yesterday with the passing of Smokin' Joe Frazier at the age of 67. Frazier is remembered as one of the most recognizable names in Boxing history, along with those of Rocky Marcicano and Muhammad Ali. He was both an Olympic and World Heavyweight champion. A victim of liver cancer, Frazier is probably best remembered for his "contract" that he signed along with Muhammad Ali to have a rubber match in 1975. Little did people know at the time that the 3rd and final bout between the two legends would turn out to be even more vicious and brutal than their previous 2 fights. With the passing of Smokin' Joe, the boxing world has certainly taken a hit as it has lost a legend who survived what many consider to be the greatest boxing match of all-time.

"The Thrilla in Manila", as it has come to be known over the years involved the two greatest boxers of their time dueling it out over the course of 15, 3 minute rounds. As previously mentioned, the bout turned out to be one of the most vicious boxing matches of all-time with each fighter matching the other one shot for shot until the 14th round when the fight finally had to be called. Frazier could see nothing out of either eye and looked like he was on the verge of dying. Upon the calling of fight, Ali simply sank to the ground, offering nothing in the way of a celebration. The actions of both men after the fight is what truly signifies "The Thrilla in Manila" as the greatest boxing match of all time, two men with mutual hatred for each brutally beating the other for 14 rounds.

Boxing losing Joe Frazier is like basketball after the death of Wilt Chamberlain or the hockey world losing Wayne Gretzky. Whenever a sport loses a legend, the sport enters into a mourning period as they remember all the great memories provided by that person during the time they were involved with the sport. The boxing world will always be left with the lasting image of "The Thrilla in Manila", their 2 greatest icons coming together for one final bout in the ring.

 Our thoughts and prayers go out to the Frazier family as they cope with the loss of a loved one.

On a side note, if interested in learning more about "The Thrilla in Manila", I would recommend checking out the 2005 book titled "Ghosts of Manila" written by Mark Kram who is also remembered for writing one of the greatest sports journalism pieces of all time, a deep and thoughtful essay about "The Thrilla in Manila".

Wednesday, November 2, 2011

A Changing of the Guard in the Windy City

Well, that didn't take long, Theo Epstein has wasted no time in making his first move as President of Baseball Operations by firing manager Mike Quade today. Epstein told Quade that he would not be retained as manager of the Cubs and wished him well with his future endeavors. The move is not exactly surprising, given that Quade and the Cubs finished 21 games under .500 this season in their first full campaign under his watch. However, some of that can be attributed to the roster being largely the same as it was during the sometimes tumultuous era of Lou Piniella. Nonetheless, Epstein said that a "clean slate" was necessary for a team that is seemingly stuck in neutral in the rebuilding process.

Face it, the team has not contended for a playoff spot in 2 years and needs to get rid of underperforming veterans such as Carlos Zambrano and Alfonso Soriano. Cubs fans have longed for the days of old when the team contended on a yearly basis. As we know, they have not won a World Series in 103 years and their best chance in recent years was wrecked by Steve Bartman, who instinctively reached over the left field wall for a foul ball that he did not think Moises Alou had a chance to catch. Since then, the team did manage to win back-to-back Central Division titles, but has never been mentioned as a serious threat to win the World Series. Whoever the new manager may be, he will certainly have his work cut out for him. The Cubs need to pretty much start from scratch and build around their young stars, Starlin Castro and Darwin Barney.

However, while most fans agree with the idea of firing Mike Quade, Epstein may have made himself unpopular just as quickly by ruling out the possibility of hiring Ryne Sandberg, the former Cubs hero who has so desperately wanted a chance at his dream job for 4 or 5 years now. That's where I don't agree with Theo, why would you ever rule out the possibility of hiring one of the most popular players in franchise history who is interested in the job? Beats me, but Attention Theo Epstein: the vacant managerial position of the Chicago Cubs is not exactly the sexiest job in baseball right now. I can understand that he wants to hire someone with previous major league managerial experience, but don't completely pass on Sandberg. He has been a manager for a few years now in the Minors and understands what it would take to win with the Cubs. The decision to not even give Sandberg an interview is surprising to those who pulled for the former Cub hero to get a chance to turn around his old team. The decision may also resonate with fans more than Epstein thinks, he has created more of an uphill battle for himself by leaving a voicemail for a guy who was the face of the Cubs for so many years   and simply saying that they were not interested in hiring him for his dream job. Not exactly the way Cubs fans envisioned Theo Epstein spending his first week in the Windy City.

Thursday, October 27, 2011

An Unforgettable Night: World Series Game 6

Just a short post to pay homage to the unbelievable Game 6 between the Rangers and Cardinals that we all witnessed tonight. Truth is, however, words may not be enough to describe the truly amazing baseball game that was played tonight, it will surely go down in history as one of the most memorable World Series games of all-time. When people started to notice in the Bottom of the 9th that the Cardinals still had a fighting chance, the game was no longer being watched along with another program. David Freese's 2-strike, 2-out, 2-run game tying triple is what woke up the country. All of the sudden, the World Series that had been an afterthought to most people thus far became relevant again and all eyes were fixed on the TV. The drama that would ensue in the 10th inning only increased interest in the game as Josh Hamilton put the Rangers on the brink of their 1st World Series title with a 2-run bomb. It was far from over though as the Cardinals magic struck again in the Bottom of the 10th with heroics from Lance Berkman who tied the game once again with 2 strikes. At that point, a number of baseball fans, such as myself who had no rooting interest in the game were just hoping beyond all hope for a Game 7.

You all know how the rest of the story goes, David Freese hits a walk-off homer to dead center in the home half of the 11th and Cardinals fans went home happy. They'll go to sleep tonight knowing that the baseball season will extend for 1 more day. For those of you who had no clue who David Freese was at the beginning of the night now recognize him as a World Series hero, a title that should truly be cherished forever.

That's all for now, folks. Enjoy Game 7 tomorrow night as we prepare to crown a World Series champion before heading into the long, dark winter months that are consumed by the baseball offseason.

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

An Epic World Series Continues: Rangers-Cardinals Game 5

One of the main reasons so many people love October is due to the unforgettable moments it has provided over the years of playoff baseball. From Bill Mazeroski to Edgar Renteria to the newest member of the club, Mike Napoli, this World Series has given us a number of lasting images to remember the 2011 season by. Entering the series, people were questioning how great it would be. After all, there was no Red Sox, Yankees or Phillies present, just two teams with some of the most passionate fan bases in baseball. For those who doubted the potential of this match-up, well they have been proven quite wrong thus far with 5 back-and-forth games. Starting with chess master Tony La Russa in Game 1 to Mike Napoli hitting the tie-breaking double last night, these 5 games have been truly enjoyable for baseball fans to watch. The saga continued last night, as mentioned with Napoli's double that may have been set up by one of the most bizarre stories you will ever hear. The phone in the Cardinals bullpen was having issues working and the only name they could hear over the phone was "Rzepczynski". Granted, Marc Rzepczynski has played a huge role in getting the Cardinals to this point, but rest assured, he was not who La Russa wanted in the game to face the right-handed hitting, red-hot Napoli in a key situation with the game hanging in the balance.

Whatever the case may be, the Texas Rangers now sit just one game away from capturing the first World Series in franchise history. For a team that for so long, always had the bats, but never enough pitching is oh so close to champagne showers in the clubhouse. To get to this point, the Rangers have had their fair share of heroes deliver in the clutch this postseason. Raise your hand if you had Mike Napoli with 9 RBIs in 5 games this series. Okay, thought so, the point is, winning a World Series is truly a collective team effort. A team's star players, as good as they may be, are not capable of carrying the team over 162 games and to a World Series title. How many people had heard of Derek Holland prior to Game 4 when he came up big in the biggest start of his young career. Guys such as Napoli and Holland are who people will remember when the book is closed on the 2011 World Series. If the Cardinals win, people will remember unsung heroes such as David Freese and Jason Motte making their mark on this season and cementing their place in World Series lore forever.

For now, it is time to sit back and enjoy potentially the last game of the baseball season tomorrow night before the countdown to pitchers and catchers begins.

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

The End of an Era: Bye Bye Theo Epstein

For the better part of the past decade, two of the more well-known names in the Red Sox organization have been Theo Epstein and Terry Francona. However, in the span of just a couple short weeks, both Epstein and Francona have skipped town. The two departures by the former manager and general manager have truly signaled the end of an era in Boston. Amid all the player changing from year to year, Epstein and Francona were the 2 constants that have always been there. Now, both have left and a new GM and manager will call the shots for the 2012 version of the Boston Red Sox. Francona is expected to take a year off from managing, while Epstein agreed to a 5 year deal with the Cubs. The obvious question that so many fans are asking is who will be the new sheriffs in town. Rumors abound that Ben Cherington who served as Theo's top assistant for the past 9 years will be named the new General Manager. As for the managerial position, the only candidate that has been interviewed thus far is Pete Mackanin, the Phillies bench coach.

Theo Epstein certainly had his share of ups and downs during his reign as the Red Sox GM, but the good outweighs the bad in this case. Upon getting hired in November 2002, Epstein immediately acquired Kevin Millar, Bill Mueller and David Ortiz. After a team that many had winning the World Series in 2003 fell short, Epstein filled the 2 biggest weaknesses by trading for Curt Schilling and signing Keith Foulke. Ultimately, those 2 would prove to be the missing pieces of the puzzle on a team that won the World Series in 2004. At the young age of 28, Epstein was on top of the baseball world and many saw him as one of the best, young GMs in baseball. He also played a huge role in the development of key players such as Dustin Pedroia, Jon Lester, Kevin Youkilis, Daniel Bard, Jacoby Ellsbury and Jonathan Papelbon. A combination of the home-grown talent and key free agent signings netted the Red Sox another World Series in 2007. Once again, Epstein was on top of the baseball world and things only seemed to be getting better for a team that was absolutely loaded with talent. However, as some teams may know too well, with every good thing a GM does for his team, there is usually a few bad moves that can overshadow the good ones. In Theo's case, he is widely chastised for the signings of J.D. Drew, John Lackey and Carl Crawford. Drew was seemingly always hurt during his 5 years in Boston, Lackey has been both wildly inconsistent and downright terrible at points during his 2 years in Boston thus far and Crawford failed to live up to his $142 million contract with a disappointing 2011 season. Despite the poor signings, prior to the Red Sox collapse, Epstein and Francona were expected to remain in Boston. However, after the collapse of the team and departure of Francona, Theo may have felt it was time for a change and that could explain why he bolted for a team that hasn't won a World Series in 103 years.

Now, the question that so many fans, especially Cubs ones are asking is if Theo Epstein can work the same magic that he did in Boston. Personally, I believe that he can indeed make it work, however the biggest difference is that the 2011 Cubs are a lot farther away from the World Series than the 2002 and 2003 Red Sox were. This Cubs team has a number of missing pieces to the puzzle, although they do have talented young players in Starlin Castro and Darwin Barney to build around. In the next couple years, the fat contracts of Alfonso Soriano and Carlos Zambrano will come off the books and give Epstein a chance to start building the future of the Cubs. His first major decision though will be whether or not to bring back Mike Quade as manager. Fans have been clamoring for the GM to hire Ryne Sandberg, the wildly popular former Cub so it will be interesting to see what Epstein decides to do with his first major move.

Either way, the change signals the end of an era in Boston. There will be a new GM and manager in town with different philosophies. At this point, us Red Sox fans can hope for the best until next year when we see the beginning of a new chapter in the storied history of the Boston Red Sox.

Thursday, October 6, 2011

Raising the Banner: Boston Bruins Opening Night

Watching the banner get raised to the rafters of TD Garden brought back the memories of an unforgettable playoff run last spring. As everyone knows, the Boston Bruins captured their first Stanley Cup in 39 years last season. The run to that Stanley Cup remained fresh in the mind of every Bruins fans over the summer, nobody will ever forget the dominant Game 7 victory over the Canucks to seal the Stanley Cup. However, we cannot get caught up in the Stanley Cup as it is time for a new season now, with the Flyers in town for Opening Night. With that being said, a little remembrance never hurt anyone so this blog post will be dedicated to remembering the playoff run from last year and looking forward to this year's version of the Bruins.

It all started on April 14, the hated Canadiens were in town for the start of a much anticipated playoff showdown. The Bruins lost Games 1 and 2 in front of the home crowd though and all of the sudden, a trendy pick to win it all before the playoffs turned into a team everyone left for dead. The team responded by posting back-to-back victories in Montreal and there was a series again, the Bruins weren't dead yet. The final 3 games of the series featured thrilling back and forth affairs with Nathan Horton cementing himself into Bruins lore forever with the game-winning goal in Game 7. As much energy that was exerted in the Canadiens series was equal to the amount saved in the Flyers series with a quick sweep of Philadelphia to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals. The Lightning were the next opponent, the only thing standing between the Bruins and advancing to their first Stanley Cup finals in 20 years. A series that featured both high-scoring affairs and goaltender showdowns entered the 7th and deciding game with nobody knowing what to expect. The game remained scoreless for the first 53 minutes and had fans of each side on the edge of their seats with a number of close scoring chances. Finally, at long last with 7 1/2 minutes remaining in the final stanza, Nathan Horton struck again and netted what would turn out to be the only goal of the night. The party was on in Boston and immediate preparations were made for the Vancouver Canucks, the final road block between the Bruins and the Stanley Cup. As much as it felt like a dead weight was lifted off of the shoulders of the fans after the Lightning series, that same dead weight came back as soon as the puck was dropped for Game 1 of the Stanley Cup. Marred by the biting of Alexandre Burrows, the Bruins lost heartbreakers in Games 1 and 2. Heading back to Boston down 2-0 and just a mere two losses away from elimination, little did the team that know that a cheap hit by Aaron Rome on Nathan Horton would be the rallying point for the Bruins. The hit propelled them to a decisive 8-1 victory in Game 3 and a 4-0 shutout in Game 4 to even up the series heading back to Vancouver. Once again, the home team won in this series as the Canucks won Game 5 1-0. With their backs against the wall, the Bruins won Game 6 5-2 and you know the rest. 2 nights later, the Boston Bruins were Stanley Cup Champions for the first time in 39 years and fans could finally forget about all of the heartbreak endured recently.

Going back to this season, the Bruins have as good as a chance as any of the other recent champions to repeat as Stanley Cup champs. Not done since the 1998 Red Wings, however should make people realize how hard it truly is to win back-to-back Stanley Cups. In order to have any chance at a repeat, the Bruins will need continued production from their core of young players such as Patrice Bergeron, Milan Lucic, David Krejci, Brad Marchand and Tyler Seguin. The two-headed monster of Tim Thomas and Tuukka Rask returns in goal with Zdeno Chara and Dennis Seidenberg leading the charge on defense. The change in role may also pkay a huge part this year as teams want nothing more than to dethrone the defending champion. Let's hope the Bruins don't suffer the Stanley Cup Hangover like so many recent champions.

Saturday, October 1, 2011

NLDS Playoff Preview

As promised, here are my NLDS playoff predictions for this year. Without further ado, let's get straight into the breakdown of each series.

Diamondbacks-Brewers: I think its safe to say that many people wouldn't have predicted a playoff series between these two squads at the beginning of the year. Granted, the Brewers do have star power with Prince Fielder and Ryan Braun, but there were questions about the pitching staff going into this year. However, Shaun Marcum and Zack Greinke have helped to shore up the rotation and John Axford has been lights out in the closer role. In the other dugout, the Diamondbacks have a roster full of names that most people have never heard of, outside of Justin Upton that is. Despite the lack of star power, this team won 92 games and has more than enough talent to win this series. Look for a relatively high-scoring series, with a lot of home runs given the power in each lineup. The Brewers led the NL with 185 home runs this year and the Diamondbacks finished 4th with 172 bombs.
Prediction: Brewers in 5

Phillies-Cardinals: The Cardinals have the same question as the Rays going into the playoffs, can they keep up the hot play after a September to remember that saw them propel past the Braves and into the playoffs. The Redbirds are rewarded with a visit to Philadelphia to take on the Four Aces and the rest of the league-leading Phillies. Featuring a dynamic offense with stars Ryan Howard, Chase Utley, and Jimmy Rollins, along with the afore-mentioned Four Aces, it will be very difficult for the Cardinals to win this series. That could be made harder given the injuries to Rafael Furcal and Matt Holliday, although both are expected to play. Look for a series that will be closer than expected with lots of solid pitching from both teams. The Cardinals are also no stranger to the postseason and know how to play on the big stage.
Prediction: Phillies in 4

Friday, September 30, 2011

ALDS Playoff Preview

Now that I've had some time to for the events of Wednesday night to sink in, although I'd rather forget about it altogether, its time for my predictions for the ALDS, which begins tonight on TBS. Look for my NLDS predictions tomorrow when those series get underway.

Tigers-Yankees: The postseason is starting the same way for these two teams as the regular season did, with C.C. Sabathia and Justin Verlander on the mound. Both pitchers enjoyed great seasons, especially Verlander who posted a 24-5 record with 250 strikeouts. Each teams comes in with a lineup loaded with stars, more so on the Yankees side with former Tiger, Curtis Granderson, Robinson Cano, A-Rod and Mark Teixeira. However, the Tigers lineup is no slouch in itself with Miguel Cabrera and Victor Martinez leading the charge. Watch for a great series, featuring a solid mix of great pitching in Game 1 and maybe a few high-scoring affairs in Games 2 and 3.
Prediction: Tigers in 5

Rangers-Rays: Can the Rays keep the good mojo going following the September comeback? It may be a tough go in game 1 with unproven rookie Matt Moore taking the hill, opposed by C.J. Wilson who looks to lead the Rangers back to the World Series for the 2nd year in a row. The edge in lineups goes to Texas, which features Adrian Beltre, Josh Hamilton, Mike Napoli and Ian Kinsler among others. The Rays may have a hard time generating runs outside of Evan Longoria and Ben Zobrist. Overall, this seems like the series that could end in a sweep, although last year's ALDS proved to be better than expected. The only question for the Rays is how will their young guns perform in the October spotlight, many of them making their 1st appearance in the playoffs.
Prediction: Rangers in 3

Monday, September 26, 2011

2 Wildcard Teams? A Bad Idea for Baseball

Late September drama is something that has become a common occurrence in baseball, almost as common as the Red Sox and Yankees being involved in the playoff race. From year to year, the wildcard and divisional races often come down to the final week, final series or even the final day. That is what makes baseball so exciting to watch at this time of the year as teams are either desperately clinging to a playoff spot or fighting tooth-and-nail to have a chance to compete for baseball's biggest prize, the World Series. However, if the potential new baseball CBA is completed in its current format, MLB could be sapped of all  its late season drama. Major League Baseball wants to add a 2nd wildcard spot to the playoffs and have the 2 teams that finish in those wildcard spots play either a 1-game playoff or a best-of-3 series. I'm sorry, but who does that benefit other than the TV networks who would air those games? It would take away a lot of the drama and that is the stuff that fans love to see at this time of year, if you're not a Braves or Red Sox fan that is.

If the 2 wildcard idea was in place for this season, Jacoby Ellsbury's season-saving home run for the Red Sox in the 14th inning last night really would not have meant much at all. Of course, those in support of the new playoff format will say that teams always want to win and will always put forth their finest effort, but that alone won't put fans on the couch in front of their television sets. Ellsbury's home run is another example of something that makes fans want to watch the game and reminds us why we  contine to watch and to love baseball. For the better part of the past month, every pitch of every at-bat of every inning of every game has had potential to be the difference between life and death for the Red Sox, Rays and Angels. Despite how much stress the playoff races can put on fans of those teams, it certainly provides great theatrics for baseball and fans of the game. People love to see and hear about the races that end in dramatic fashion.

Similar to the story in the American League, the Cardinals have gotten hot at the right time and find themselves just 1 game back of the Braves, after trailing by 8.5 games on September 1. When the Braves lost to the Nationals yesterday, if the new idea for the playoffs had been in place, it would have meant about as much as the result of the Reds-Pirates game. Thankfully, there is just 1 wildcard spot available and that loss now has the Braves on the brink of a potentially historic collapse. Other than Braves or Cardinals fans, the possibility of a 1-game playoff is very exciting to most baseball fans. Think about the drama that was provided in the most recent 1-game playoff, Alexi Casilla hitting a walk-off single to win the AL Central for the Twins in 2009. The point I am trying to make is that people enjoy watching games that have playoff implications and the difference between going to the playoffs and going home can come down to one pitch. If the 2 wildcard spot idea is adopted, a lot of the dramatic wins that we have seen over the years may be reduced to just another regular season game.

For now, be thankful that we still have just 1 wildcard spot and enjoy the last series of the season with the 2 wildcard teams still to be determined. That is of course, unless you're a fan of one of the afore-mentioned teams which will be playing for their playoff lives in the coming days. In your case, calling in sick to work on Thursday will be perfectly acceptable, especially given the stress that you will endure between now and Wednesday.

Friday, September 23, 2011

A Sad State of Affairs: The NBA Lockout



This summer, the labor mess in the NFL consumed tons of air time on SportsCenter and captivated nearly every football fan in America with the breaking news that seemed to come daily. Any news that was positive in the slightest would give football fans hope as they just prayed for an end to the lockout. Each passing day meant that the season was closer and as dire as it may have seemed at some points, finally on July 25, the lockout came to a merciful end. This news made NFL fans rejoice all around the world as it was now assured that a season would take place, with the exception of only the Hall of Fame Game. A fall without NFL football on Sunday afternoons would not have been right, given that the NFL has grown into a national obsession.

For all of the news waves that the NFL consumed, the NBA labor situation just does not seem to have the same following. To most, it would appear that the NBA is a lot worse off than the NFL was and people just may not care enough. All of the good feelings that were created after last summer's free agent frenzy seem to have been erased and nearly every sign points toward the whole season being potentially cancelled. Just once in history, during the 1998-99 season has the NBA experienced a work stoppage quite like this one. That lockout forced the cancellation of 50 regular season games. While not quite at that point, the NBA announced yesterday that training camps have been postponed and the first week of exhibition games has been cancelled. With no deal in sight for now, this can only be the beginning of bad news. If no progress is made over the next 2-3 weeks, look for the remainder of the preseason and the first regular season games to be cancelled.

One of the negative effects of a potential cancellation of the season is the fan interest that could be lost over the course of the lockout. That would severely hurt the NBA on the business side of things if fans stop following the league which would mean less and less people going to the arena in the future. This all could come after an epic NBA finals matchup between the Heat and Mavericks that drew huge TV ratings, although many may have tuned in just to see the demise of LeBron James in the 4th quarter of each game.

Another aspect of the lockout that has people worried is the possible mass exodus of players to Europe. All of the sudden, European basketball seems more and more attractive and with big-name players such as Deron Williams and possibly Kobe Bryant making the jump. If Kobe, an icon for the league over the  last decade, decides to head to Europe to play, watch for more and more players to at least weigh their options and see what's out there. For some crazy reason, David Stern does not see this as an issue and still holds the belief that an agreement will magically appear on the negotiating table. I'm sorry Mr. Stern, but there are miles to go before a new Collective Bargaining Agreement is reached. If your top players begin playing in Europe and enjoy it so much over there, they might not want to come back to a league currently plagued by so much chaos and instability. Granted, the idea may seem far-fetched for now, but if the whole season actually is cancelled, look for European teams to suddenly be all over SportsCenter as they try to iron out deals with top NBA talent.

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Get Ready Sox Fans... It's Time to Cheer for the Yankees

No, there's not a mistake in the title, you don't need to make an appointment with your eye doctor. For Red Sox fans, it is time indeed to cheer for the Yankees as they take on the Rays this week and next with tonight being the first of 7 games that will certainly play a huge role in deciding who wins the AL Wildcard. Back on September 2, life was good for Sox fans as their team held a seemingly insurmountable 9 game lead over the Rays and the playoffs seemed like a lock. Then, the bats went quiet, the pitching staff forgot how to pitch, injuries mounted and voila, here we are 18 days later, holding on for dear life. The deficit has been trimmed to 2 games with 8 games left to play for the Sox and 10 for the Rays. As I said before, the Rays play 7 of those final 10 against the Yankees and for Sox fans, that can mean one thing and one thing only,  it is time to actually cheer for the Yankees. For something as rare as Sox fans cheering for the Bronx Bombers, there is a certain level of mental preparation that is necessary. You don't go from booing A-Rod all season to hoping that he all of the sudden hits a home run to send your team into the playoffs.

For all Sox fans, hating the Yankees has always been a way of life. Watching them lose is always fun, especially when your team had won that same day. To most, there was nothing more gratifying than taking down the Evil Empire in the 2004 ALCS. The greatest comeback in sports history was completely necessary in order to erase the painful memory of 1 swing of the bat by Aaron Boone on a cold October night in 2003. There hasn't been a playoff meeting since the comeback, but the rivalry remains as strong as ever and won't be going away anytime soon. For most Sox fans, cheering for the hated Yankees is a foreign concept that should never be done, with the exception of your team being in a dire situation. Losing 7 games off your wildcard lead in 18 days certainly qualifies as a dire situation, despite how much you may hate the Yankees with a burning passion. Trust me, I still haven't fully grasped the whole idea of cheering for the team in pinstripes over the next week or so. I've never cheered for the Yankees in my life and don't plan on doing so ever again, unless it is a must in order for the Red Sox to make the playoffs.

The only soothing thing about this whole situation is that we know deep down that if the Yanks come through for us, the Red Sox will be playing October baseball. In the regular season, there is nothing more you can ask for from your team if they play well enough to make the postseason. When the playoffs start, everybody is once again 0-0 and the disastrous September will be forgotten if the Red Sox can find a way to make the playoffs.

It's time to face it Sox fans, we must cheer for the Yankees to beat the Rays if you truly want to see your team in the playoffs, come October.

Friday, September 16, 2011

Viewer's Guide: Road Test Weekend






Non-conference games in college football are typically meant to prepare each team for their conference season, which represents the bulk of a team's schedule. The top teams tend to schedule some guarantee games, which means that the favorite will usually always come out with a win. For the big schools, those games are meant to fine tune any nuances or issues and also to keep the key players healthy. However, this weekend serves as a different sort of animal as many 8 of the Top 25 teams face quality opponents on the road. Here is a preview for those games, along with the times and networks where you can find them on TV.

#1 Oklahoma at #5 Florida St. (8:00 EST, ABC)- This game looms as a huge measuring stick for the Seminoles as they can mark their progress in the re-birth of the program, depending on the result. Many thought that FSU had a chance to pull the upset last year but instead, got rocked by the Sooners 47-17 in Norman. The top concern for the 'Noles defense this time around is to slow down the Oklahoma offense, led by Heisman Candidate Landry Jones and to better protect their own QB, E.J. Manuel. The Sooners aim solely to win this game and remain at the top of the polls, while FSU has other plans and if they pull out a win, can place themselves in the thick of the National title chase. The upset will happen as the Seminoles find a way to shut down Landry Jones and Manuel will lead the offense down the field for a late, game-winning field goal. 

# 6 Stanford at Arizona (10:45 EST, ESPN)- For the Wildcats, it's all about finding a way to slow down Andrew Luck and the rest of the Stanford attack. This game serves as the first real test for the Cardinal, as they have easily dispatched of San Jose St. and Duke thus far. Arizona may not be ranked and may not be the most name-brand team, but playing an in-conference road game is always tough, no matter the opponent. For 'Zona to pull this upset, they must somehow shut down Luck and the passing game, while also finding a way to make their own offense more effective. Their offense could be hurt by the injury to WR Juron Criner, who remains questionable for the game and the lack of a running threat for the Wildcats to rely on. Look for a tight game, but I believe Stanford will hold on and remain near the top of the polls.

# 15 Michigan St. at Notre Dame (3:30 EST, NBC)- The Irish are painfully close to being 2-0, but their record lies at the other end of the spectrum, thanks to costly turnovers and an inability to close out games.    Meanwhile, Michigan St. had little trouble with Youngstown St. and Florida Atlantic, outscoring them 72-6. The level of competition is about to get a whole lot better as they head to South Bend to take on the battle-tested Irish squad. A possibility for an upset is present without a doubt, but Notre Dame must find a way to cut the turnovers if they want to win this game and potentially go on a nice little run. Granted, it may be nearly impossible to top last year's "Little Giants" classic, but expect a tight, high-scoring game. Finally, Tommy Rees will lead a drive in the final minutes to win the game and put the Irish in the win column.

#17 Ohio St. at Miami (7:30 EST, ESPN)- Rewind 8 years and these 2 teams were the premier programs   in College Football. They met in a National Championship game for the ages and looked as if they would remain as a couple of the top programs in the country. However, recent scandals have engulfed each program and taken some of the luster out of this matchup. The Buckeyes are now without Terrelle Pryor and have Joe Bauserman taking snaps under center. The senior struggled against Toledo last week and must now adapt to face a much faster defense in Miami. On the other sideline, inconsistent QB Jacory Harris hopes to avoid his trademark interceptions and lead the Hurricanes to their first win of the season in front of a National TV primetime audience. This is the night, that at least for 3 hours, the Miami team can forget about the scandal and focus solely on football as I think they will beat Ohio St. on Saturday night, in a close, low-scoring affair. 

#18 West Virginia at Maryland (12:00 EST, ESPNU)- A rivalry that usually only draws interest in the 2 states involved, now garners attention on a national level as both teams enter the game undefeated. Maryland, led by new coach, Randy Edsall aims to show everyone that the Labor Day win over Miami wasn't a fluke. QB Danny O'Brien continues to emerge as a star and is complemented by veteran RB, Davin Meggett. The duo together is good enough to keep pace with a West Virginia attack that features dual-threat QB, Geno Smith and WR Devon Brown. The only concern for the Mountaineers is a slow start that could prove deadly against a talented team, such as Maryland. A halftime deficit may not have cost them vs. Norfolk St., but the level of competition has increased greatly. Look for a Terps win in impressive fashion as they establish themselves as a legitimate contender in the ACC.

#21 Auburn at Clemson (12:00 EST, ABC)- Clemson better figure out soon how to get off to a fast start or else they could be in a world of trouble. Coming back to win against Troy and Wofford, but doing so against Auburn is a whole different animal. Luckily for Clemson, the Auburn defense has been pretty kind to opposing offenses thus far, allowing 72 points, but they also managed to come up with a goal-line stand in the final seconds against Mississippi St. As bad as the defense has been at some points, the Auburn offense has more than made up for it by lighting up the scoreboard at a rate of 41.5 points per game. Barrett Trotter has played the part of Cam Newton quite well so far and looks to continue that trend in Death Valley. This has great potential to be a fun shootout with a whole lot of points being scored, but Auburn will come out on top as they go to 3-0 on the year.

#22 Arizona St. at Illinois (7:00 EST, Big 10 Network)- This game has potential to be a trap game for the Sun Devils as they could be looking ahead to the Pac-12 opener with USC next week. The team had better be fully focused or they could be caught in the middle of a landmine. The Fighting Illini certainly have the talent to pull the upset, led by QB Nathan Scheelhaase and WR A.J. Jenkins. However, it is also possible that we may be overestimating Illinois, given their wins over Arkansas St. and South Dakota St. We will know much more after the game Saturday night, but I'm predicting that Illinois will catch the Sun Devils looking ahead and will pull off this upset on a drive late in the game for the win. 

#23 Texas at UCLA (3:30 EST, ABC/ESPN)- I think most of us know how Texas is treating this game. The Longhorns haven't forgotten about last year's debacle in Austin and will be looking to exact revenge on the Bruins in this game. After last week's come-from-behind win against BYU, it appears as if Texas has finally found their replacement for Colt McCoy, in the form of Colt's brother, Case and David Ash. On the other sideline, Rick Neuheisel has endured his share of criticism during his tenure as he continues to search for answers on the offensive side of the ball. He may get even more criticism after this game as Texas will pull away in the 2nd half and leave Pasadena with a win, heading into the conference opener at Iowa St. next week. 

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Cries for Tim Tebow: The State of the Denver Broncos

Being an NFL quarterback is something that nearly every kid dreams about at one point or another. When one watches football on TV, it seems like the quarterback gets all the glory and the best-looking girls, all the attention in the world. However, the part that kids don't realize is that the quarterback also is the most scrutinized player and receives the bulk of the criticism after a loss. Just ask Kyle Orton how it feels to have the hometown fans calling for the 3rd-string QB to replace you as the starter. Granted, Tim Tebow isn't exactly your typical clipboard-carrying back up, but it certainly can't help Orton's already shattered confidence to hear the crowd chant Tebow's name at the end of the season and home opener when your biggest rival is in town on Monday Night.

During the offseason, the Broncos organization flirted with the idea of trading Orton to the Dolphins and anointing Tim Tebow as their starting quarterback. Eventually, the team decided to keep Orton because they believed that he gave them the best chance to win. To me, it still seems like a wise choice despite Orton's less than stellar performance last night. His stats weren't as bad as some of the fans made them seem when they began chanting Tebow's name in the 4th quarter. After all, he still managed to throw for over 300 yards and a touchdown with only one pick, although we can't forget the ill-timed fumble when no defender was within 5 yards of him. Nonetheless, the Bronco fans need to realize that Tim Tebow isn't ready to be a full-time starter in the NFL.

No, I'm not a Tim Tebow hater, I'm just trying to be a realist and try to make Bronco fans realize that  naming Tebow the starter maybe isn't the best decision in the world. In fact, I was and remain one of the former Gator's biggest fans, I really do want to see him do well one day in the NFL, just not now. His accuracy and unorthodox throwing motion can only benefit from more development time on the practice field. There is no better way to become an NFL-ready QB than to learn from a guy who has at least established himself in the league. Kyle Orton is one of those guys and he really does give Denver the best chance to win this year. While it may be a trying season for John Fox in his 1st year, the team can easily still win a respectable amount of games, with the ceiling likely being 6 or 7. Fox is already making his presence felt in the Mile High City by announcing today that he will stick with Kyle Orton as the starter for Week 2 against the Bengals. For those Bronco fans that may disagree with myself and John Fox, sticking with Orton is the right decision for now. Tim Tebow will get his chance in a few years when he has furthered his development and represents the team's best chance to win. If they didn't plan on giving him a shot, the Broncos wouldn't have chosen him with the 25th pick in the 2010 NFL Draft. Just keep that in mind as you watch the team this season.

Sunday, September 11, 2011

9/11: 10 Years Later

Most Americans remember where they were 10 years ago today when the terrorist attacks rocked our world, but also brought our country closer together. For myself, I was in 4th grade and getting ready for just another day at school when all major news outlets broke the story of the attacks. While being so young may have hurt my understanding of why the attacks happened and other questions that young kids are so eager to ask, it still made me feel like a true American and helped to unite our country even more. It is truly hard to believe that 10 years have passed since that infamous day in 2001. We may have put the thought of the attacks in the back of our mind as time went on, but the scars still remain just as deep for those families who lost on loved ones on September 11, 2001. When you sit down to watch football today, take a moment to remember how blessed we are and remember all of the victims who lost their lives fighting for our safety.

One of the major industries that was affected by 9/11 was the world of sports. Sports are typically seen as something that has an uncanny ability to bring people together, no matter their backgrounds. The attacks on 9/11 only enhanced that ability because at the end of the day, we are still all Americans. Yesterday, I attended the Army-San Diego St. football game with my dad and given that the game involved a military academy, the halftime ceremony was one of the most special that I have ever witnessed. The former mayor of New York City, Rudy Giuliani spoke during the ceremony and talked about those who lost their lives on 9/11 and how we can continue to honor them as we reach the 10 year anniversary of the attacks. Following the speech, the entire field was covered with an American flag as a moment of silence was held and the crowd began chanting "U.S.A., U.S.A.". Moments like that should be kept close to our hearts as the 10th anniversary of a day when a group of violent-minded people attempted to bomb the greatest country in the world. Little did they know that the attacks would only bring our country closer together. Going back to the ability of sports to bring people together, the patriotic feelings are what make events such as the World Cup and the Olympics so special. Every 2 years, for just a couple weeks, all sports fans can root for the same team, the United States of America.

R.I.P. all victims who lost their lives in the attacks and long live the Red, White and Blue.

Thursday, September 8, 2011

The U.S. Open: An American Feel

Noticeably different from other recent majors in the world of Tennis, there are 2 Americans remaining on the men's side as we enter the quarterfinals and 1 woman still playing in the semifinals. For the women, this  is not a rare occurrence as the Williams sisters have been near or at the top of the world rankings for the better part of the last 10 years, other than a brief hiatus a few years back. However, the American men have  struggled in recent majors and failed to make much of an impression as Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic have dominated the game. In fact, if either Andy Roddick or John Isner can manage to win one more match, one of them will be the first American in a major semifinal since Andy Roddick at Wimbledon in 2009.

Both Roddick and Isner have extremely tough matches on their hands as Roddick must battle defending champion Rafael Nadal while Isner prepares to take on the hope of Great Britain in Andy Murray. Historically, Roddick and Nadal have met just once in a major in the second round of the 2004 U.S. Open, won by the American in 3 sets. However, that was 7 years ago and well before Nadal had made a name for himself and become arguably the world's top player. The bigger story for this match is Roddick's potential re-birth which is due to the fact that for the first time in over 2 years, he looks as if he has regained the swagger that has not been seen since a heartbreaking loss to Roger Federer in the 2009 Wimbledon Final. 90% of the crowd tomorrow will be pulling for the underdog in Roddick, helped by the fact that this is the U.S. Open and frankly, if you are an American, most fans are pulling for an All-American semifinal showdown between Andy Roddick and John Isner.

The match between Isner and Andy Murray presents a duel of 2 young players, one who has been so painfully close to winning a major title in Andy Murray and the other being better known for just 1 match over the course of his career. Isner is the same man who defeated Nicolas Mahut in the longest professional tennis match ever played, 11 hours and 5 minutes over the course of 3 days at Wimbledon in 2010. He has never appeared in a quarterfinal at a major and will make his debut tomorrow when he takes on Murray. Murray has been a runner-up 3 times at majors, including the 2008 U.S. Open when he lost to Roger Federer. Without a doubt, Isner is the Cinderella that everyone is rooting for as he is the least recognizable name left in the field. Despite that, if Isner wasn't an American underdog, I would be among those pulling for Murray in a match due to the fact that he has never won a major before. Either way, most people probably do not want to see Federer, Nadal or Djokovic win another major. It has become almost a foregone conclusion over the last few years that one member of that trio will win the Grand Slams.

Here's to hoping for an All-American semifinal matchup between Roddick and Isner. Its been a long time since us Americans have been able to celebrate a Grand Slam Winner, not since Andy Roddick won the 2003 U.S. Open. Long live the Red, White and Blue.

Tuesday, September 6, 2011

A Work in Progress: The State of U.S. Soccer

All coaching changes at every level of sport require a certain level of transition that must be undergone in order to give the new coach a chance to succeed. There is no straying away from the rule in the current change from Bob Bradley to Jurgen Klinsmann with the United States Men's Soccer National team. While failing to record a win in 3 chances is certainly frustrating, there is no need to panic just yet. Klinsmann has yet to have a chance to play with the full roster and it takes more than 3 friendlies in order for him to implement the vast changes in strategy from those of Bradley. The new manager desperately wants the Red, White and Blue to become a squad that dominates possession and is always on the attack. My only gripe with that strategy is the fact that the team still needs to shoot in order to score, no matter how much control of the game they may seemingly have. In the first half of today's match, the U.S. seemed especially passive and lacked flow on offense which become the story of the day. The 2nd half was much of the same, but Belgium finally broke through with a goal against Tim Howard who has to be begging for support by now and the U.S. attack which showed promise just a few short days ago against Costa Rica, pulled a vanishing act.

I may be going a bit harsh on Klinsmann, but he needs to instill in his team the mindset that they still need to shoot in order to have a chance to win the game. Players cannot show off for the crowd with every trick in the book. Last time I checked, there are no extra points awarded for moves that may draws oohs and aahs, but also bring you into a world of trouble with the defense. Granted, the absence of Landon Donovan hurt the attack today but there still needs to be support provided for Jozy Altidore and Clint Dempsey. Young players such as Brek Shea, Maurice Edu and Jose Torres showed flashes today, but need to show that on a consistent basis. If each member of the attack plays up to their capabilities over the course of each match, this team has an outside chance to make some noise in 2014.

Before we get ahead of ourselves and think about what could happen 3 years down the road, let's go back to the current state of the team. Klinsmann is saying all the right things and he's also correct that this  team is going through a transitional period but losses to Costa Rica and Belgium simply won't be acceptable in just a short while. Qualifying begins in June and the transition process needs to end before then in order for the U.S. to have a shot to make the World Cup, let alone playing well in the actual tournament. Face it, the last 2 losses are to squads that are not exactly ranked at the top of the world in International football. What would today's effort net the Stars and Stripes for a result against a team such as Spain or Brazil, maybe even rival Mexico? The answer to that question is known by many, but it also makes many of those same fans sick to their stomachs.

Don't get me wrong, a 1-0 loss to Belgium with an undermanned squad is still just passable at best for the time being. As I mentioned before, this was only Klinsmann's 3rd game with his new team and the flaws are still quite apparently being worked out. It is also for the better to get these lackluster performances out of their system before the real thing begins in June, the time when results start to matter and the slightest mistake can cost you a shot at the World Cup. For the sake of all the fans, let's hope Klinsmann works the same magic that he once did with Germany and the results will start to come.

Sunday, September 4, 2011

A True Warrior: The Story of Mark Herzlich





Flash back to  December 2008 and life was good for Boston College Linebacker, Mark Herzlich. He had just been named an All-American and ACC Defensive Player of the Year, a true honor for someone who had just enjoyed one of the greatest individual seasons ever by a linebacker. If he had chosen to declare for the NFL Draft, Herzlich likely would have been chosen somewhere in the 2nd round, a position that tons of other kids all around the world would kill to be in. Instead, the soft-spoken Pennsylvania native decided to return for his senior season on Chestnut Hill and make one last-ditch run at an ACC title. Everything remained normal for Herzlich until the hallowed day of May 14, 2009 when the Eagle LB was diagnosed with Ewing's Sarcoma, a rare type of bone cancer.

The diagnosis changed Herlizch's life forever and forced him to change his focus from studying opposing quarterbacks and their tendencies to fighting a much tougher opponent, bone cancer. As is typical with cancer, Herzlich had to attend numerous doctor's appointments and undergo what probably seemed like endless hours of chemotherapy and radiation. Finally, after 6 months of the same daily routine, Mark Herzlich declared himself cancer-free on September 29 and made it public 4 days later prior to the BC game against Florida St. In one of those made for the movies sports stories, the young LB made a heroic return in the 2010 season opener against Weber St. and recorded 5 tackles. Herzlich was back in his normal spot at Middle Linebacker where he truly belonged.

Entering the NFL Draft in April, the BC alum knew there was a chance that he wouldn't be selected and would be forced to sit around and wait for a team to offer him a contract. His suspicions were confirmed and with the NFL lockout in place, all Herzlich could do was wait. For what seemed like an eternity, the lockout finally ended on July 25 and one day later, the New York Giants immediately inked Herzlich to a contract. His dream had come true despite what everyone may have said when he was diagnosed with cancer. Following a solid training camp, Herzlich was informed yesterday that he had earned a roster spot. What an accomplishment for someone who once appeared so far away from the NFL when he was making daily visits to the hospital just 2 years ago. This season, it appears as if Herzlich will play on special teams and have a chance to backup fellow BC alum, Mathias Kiwanuka at the Sam Linebacker spot. Whatever his role may be, Herzlich knows he should be grateful just to be on an NFL roster despite the fact that it once seemed like a foregone conclusion.

Thursday, September 1, 2011

A Bad Idea for Both Sides: Texas A&M to the SEC





"I can't believe Texas is getting their own network, like oh my gosh that gives them SUCH an unfair advantage". Sorry if I got carried away, I was just trying to understand the thought process of Texas A&M lately. The school, along with other schools in the Big 12 believes the new Longhorn Network will tip the recruiting scales in favor of Texas. However, A&M is the only school so upset about the network that it plans on withdrawing from the conference. The point is though that players who are good enough to get recruited know that well before their junior and senior years. They likely will not solely choose Texas due to the exposure that the Longhorn Network creates, there are a number of other factors in a player's decision. Does Texas A&M somehow think that recruiting will get any easier in the SEC where they will have to compete with the likes of Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Georgia, LSU, South Carolina and Arkansas? The move for the Aggies might actually hurt themselves more than the Big 12. 9 other schools still exist within the conference and while finding a replacement may be hard, it is not the end of the world if a conference fields 9 teams. After all, does anyone really think that Oklahoma or Texas is all of the sudden going to withdraw from the conference? Instead, Texas A&M remains homeless as of June 30, 2012 at the moment and what if the SEC does not change their stance on expansion? The Aggies would be left scrambling for a conference with one of their only choices is to possibly become an Independent, following the path of BYU.

On the SEC side of things, the conference has stated they are happy with the current 12 team format and frankly, I can't blame them. SEC schools have won an unprecedented 5 straight National Championships and have combined to make up the toughest conference in the country over that span. The trend continues this season as the West division is probably the best in the nation and 4, maybe 5 schools have a legitimate shot to win a National Championship. That alone is reason enough not to mess with something that quite apparently doesn't need fixing. Other than possibly adding another solid team to the league, there are no true benefits that will result from adding Texas A&M.

To be brutally honest, the school should just quit all their whining and remain in the Big 12. If that happens, all would be well in the college football world and it would also help to preserve one of the best traditions in the sport: that of the rivalries that exist. Texas-Texas A&M is a classic game that matters to both schools every year, no matter the records of each team. Both schools desperately want bragging rights and that is truly something for college football fans to treasure. If A&M were to move to the SEC, would the longtime rivals continue to play each season? The answer is unknown but the most likely solution would be to play every other year or something along those lines, maybe it would even be reduced to just a home-and-home series. The death of the rivalry would take something away from Texas football that has been a part of their lives for so long. The Aggies need to consider this aspect of changing conferences and not the just money involved, think about the fans and what it means to them.


Monday, August 29, 2011

Preseason Top 25 Rankings







As most college football fans are well aware of, the season starts in just 3 short days. Barring anymore unforeseen circumstances such as another bar fight on the Bayou, it is time to unveil my Preseason Top 25  Rankings along with my BCS Bowl projections.

Top 25

1) Oklahoma- Despite the loss of starting WLB, Travis Lewis, the Sooners arguably have the most talent of anyone in the country. Landry Jones is being hyped up as a potential Heisman candidate and throwing to Ryan Broyles will only help that. Watch for tough tests though against Florida St. and Missouri in September, a loss in one of those games could take Oklahoma out of the national title race before it even really begins.

2) Oregon- After coming painfully close to a National Championship, the Ducks are back and will once again feature one of the most electrifying offenses in the country. Led by Darron Thomas, LaMichael James and Cliff Harris, Oregon is primed for another run at the title. We will find out early on what path these aspirations will take given the season opener with LSU at Cowboys Stadium, which is the best non-conference game of the year.

3) LSU- Ditto for Oregon, the showdown in Arlington on Saturday night could ultimately take the loser out of the national title race extremely early. In recent days, however, the game got even tougher for LSU with the suspension of QB Jordan Jefferson who could miss the entire season. Jarrett Lee, who has more interceptions than touchdowns in his career is the new starter and must be ready to be thrown into the fire right away. Nonetheless, LSU still has tons of talent, but this ranking is shaky at best for right now.

4) Florida St.- After 5 sub-par seasons by Seminole standards, Jimbo Fisher has restocked the talent cupboard and appears primed for a run at the ACC and possibly national title. The aspirations depend on how E.J. Manuel fills Christian Ponder's shoes and develops as a legitimate starting QB. Everett Dawkins leads the defense and with Oklahoma coming to Tallahassee on September 17, the national title hopes could hinge on one game.

5) Stanford- This ranking would have been a lot lower had Andrew Luck not decided to come back for one more season on the Farm. A surefire #1 pick in the 2012 NFL Draft, Luck is back to lead the Cardinal and take one more shot at the title. Combined with arguably the best offensive line in the country, an improving defense and a favorable schedule that includes only 3 ranked teams, Stanford is a real threat to make it to New Orleans.

6) Wisconsin- Following the transfer of Russell Wilson from NC State, the Badgers championship hopes instantly improved. Coupled with James White and Montee Ball running, this may be the best backfield in the country. The turmoil at Ohio St. makes the Badgers a heavy favorite in the Leaders division of the Big 10 and sets up a potential preview of the inaugural conference title game on October 1 when Nebraska comes to Camp Randall.

7) Alabama- The offense will revolve around Trent Richardson and the defense will be strong as usual, led by Dont'a Hightower and Courtney Upshaw. However, the big question remains how will A.J. McCarron handle the starting QB role in the SEC where defense is king. If he develops quickly and is viewed as a legitimate threat by opposing defenses, the Crimson Tide could be on their way to New Orleans although they must survive road dates with Florida, Mississippi St., Auburn and Penn St. along with home games against LSU and Arkansas.

8) Oklahoma St.- Cowboys fans know that Brandon Weeden and company will put up plenty of points on a weekly basis. The only thing currently keeping OSU from the Top 5 is a questionable defense that gave up points in bunches to Nebraska and Oklahoma last season. If this group can survive tough tests against Texas A&M, Arizona and Missouri, a trip to New Orleans could be on the line in the Bedlam Game against Oklahoma.

9) Texas A&M- Putting aside all talk of a move to the SEC, the Aggies are a real threat to Oklahoma and Oklahoma St. in the slimmed down Big 12. Similar to Oklahoma St., an explosive offense carries the team while the defense is suspect at times, although they showed flashes of brilliance last season. September 24 is the date to circle for Aggies fans as Oklahoma St. pays a visit to College Station and the loser takes an immediate backseat in the conference title race.

10) Nebraska- Is Taylor Martinez ready for primetime or headed for a sophomore slump? The answer to that question is unknown but it is certainly an important one. Jared Crick, Lavonte David and Alfonzo Dennard lead a stingy defense though it may not mean much if the offense can't produce points on a consistent basis. At best, this team wins a Big 10 title and is in the thick of the national title race and at worst, the offense struggles and the Cornhuskers fail to make the conference title game in their 1st season.

11) Boise St.- Making the jump to a new conference, especially one with a better reputation will give the Broncos more national respect. However, the offense must replace leading receivers Titus Young and Austin Pettis and face a beefed up schedule that includes a road game at Georgia and a date with TCU on the blue turf. If Boise finishes undefeated, they will have earned it this time around. A national championship remains a long shot for this season but a BCS bowl berth is a distinct possibility.

12) South Carolina- Time for an encore of what was arguably the best season in school history as they reached their first SEC title game. This squad has a great chance to once again reach the title game and finish the job this time around. Connor Shaw will take over the reins at QB as Stephen Garcia can't seem to stay out of trouble. Shaw will be aided by the reigning NCAA freshman of the year, Marcus Lattimore and 6'4'' stud receiver Alshon Jeffery. The Gamecocks have a relatively favorable schedule, avoiding Alabama and LSU but they do have road games at Georgia, Mississippi St. and Auburn along with a home game vs. Spurrier's former school, Florida.

13) TCU- How does a school follow up a season that included a Rose Bowl victory over Wisconsin? Casey Pachall has been handed the keys to the offense and will attempt to follow in Andy Dalton's footsteps and lead the Horned Frogs to another MWC title. However, the schedule includes 4 very tough  road games at newcomer Boise St, San Diego St., Air Force and a sneaky tough Baylor squad. Those games will provide good benchmarks for Pachall to measure his progress.

14) Virginia Tech- The Tyrod Taylor era has ended and Logan Thomas appears poised for a breakout year. The Hokies will feature a strong defense and good special teams for what seems like the umpteenth year in a row. Given lofty expectations each year, this team always finds a way to lose to a team it shouldn't. The version on this year schedule could come in the form of a tricky road date at East Carolina. As a whole though, the schedule is pretty manageable and we could see another Virginia Tech-FSU ACC title game.

15) Notre Dame- The Blue and Gold continue to climb the road on the way back to glory and this could be the year they return to a BCS bowl. Led by Dayne Crist, Michael Floyd and Manti Te'o, the Irish once again face a challenging schedule that includes the first night game at the Big House since 1927 and games with Stanford, USC, Michigan St and Maryland. Brian Kelly will have his team prepared though but the defense could hurt the progress of this team unless they show vast improvement against the better teams on the schedule.

16) Michigan St. -Last season seemed like a special one until it all came crashing down in a 37-6 dud of a loss to Iowa. Kirk Cousins returns for his senior year to lead the offense along with Mr. 2K, Edwin Baker and B.J. Cunningham. The schedule is tough though, given the road dates at Notre Dame, Ohio St. and Nebraska along with a visit by the Badgers to East Lansing. The talent is in place for this team to potentially make a run at the conference title and a berth in the title game likely hinges on the October 29 game at Nebraska.

17) Ohio St.- Not exactly the ranking that Buckeye fans are accustomed to but given all the turmoil and the gaping hole at quarterback, this team has slipped in the Big 10 hierarchy. RB Dan Herron and WR Devier Posey are suspended for the first 5 games of the season and the offense could really struggle over the course of the suspension. Joe Bauserman will get first crack at the starting job for QB but look for top recruit Braxton Miller to get his chance as well. The most compelling storyline surrounding the program is how the team will respond to all the changes within the program, including Luke Fickell replacing Jim Tressel.

18) Georgia- After a forgettable 6-7 campaign in 2010 that concluded with a loss to UCF in the Independence Bowl, Mark Richt's seat got a little bit hotter as the pressure is now on to have a winning season and possibly make an appearance in the SEC title game. Aaron Murray returns to lead the Bulldog attack and will have weapons to work with in hot-shot freshman RB, Isaiah Crowell and emerging TE Orson Charles. We will find out the first 2 weeks how improved the team is as they open with back-to-back home games against Boise St. and South Carolina.

19) Arkansas- Despite the loss of star RB Knile Davis for the season, this Razorbacks squad should still be pretty solid and will contend in the SEC. Tyler Wilson steps into the starting QB role and it should be a smooth transition, given his cameo against Auburn last year in relief of an injured Ryan Mallett. The team's top 3 receivers are back, but questions remain on defense for a unit that allowed nearly 24 points per game last season. Arkansas should be 3-0 heading into a treacherous 3 game stretch of a game at Alabama and home dates vs. Texas A&M and Auburn.

20) Mississippi St.- Dan Mullen continues to put his stamp on this rising program. After exceeding expectations with a 9-4 campaign in 2010, the question remains how will the Bulldogs respond to lofty expectations this year by their standards? The team's top passer, runner and receiver are all back to lead an improving offense but the heart and soul of the team is a defense that ranked 21st in the nation in points allowed last year. Typical of the SEC, the schedule includes road games at Auburn, Georgia and Arkansas along with home dates vs. LSU and Alabama, thus is life in the toughest conference in the country.

21) Missouri- Life after Blaine Gabbert begins for a team looking to build off of a 10-3 season. James Franklin is now the starting QB and he will have weapons to work with in RB De'Vion Moore, WR T.J. Moe and top NFL prospect TE Michael Egnew. A defense that allowed just 16 points per game last season returns only 6 starters so it will be interesting to see how the replacements step in and lead the unit. The schedule features 4 tough road tests at Arizona St., Oklahoma, Texas A&M and Baylor along with a home game vs. Oklahoma St. The main question is how quickly will Franklin develop into a QB who can be counted on each and every Saturday.

22) Auburn- Barrett Trotter may have the least envious job in the country, the job of replacing Heisman winner and National Champion Cam Newton. Undoubtedly, Michael Dyer will be the main attraction on offense so Trotter can at least get his feet wet before diving into the meat of a brutal schedule that includes road games at Clemson, South Carolina, Arkansas, Georgia and LSU. The defense loses the entire defensive line and secondary so a repeat is likely not in the cards for the Tigers this season. Although if Trotter becomes a productive quarterback and gets some experience, an 8 or 9 win season is a possibility.

23) West Virginia- QB Geno Smith is the heart and soul of this team and will work behind a solid offensive line that returns 4 starters. However, talent at the skill positions is weaker with the losses of Jock Sanders and Noel Devine. Despite those losses, the team still has an excellent chance to win a relatively weak Big East and play in a BCS bowl. The schedule only has 1 ranked team on it which comes in the form of a home game vs. LSU although there are tricky road games at Maryland and South Florida.

24) Penn St.- The Nittany Lions return a wealth of experience on both sides of the ball with 8 starters back on offense and 7 on defense. However, uncertainty remains at the most important position, QB. Nobody, not even Joe Paterno is 100% who will start the season opener vs. Indiana St., Rob Bolden or Matt McGloin. Whoever the starter may be, they will have talent to work with in Derek Moye and Devon Smith along with RB Silas Redd. The schedule is tough though and the team will be battle tested as they face road games at Ohio St. and Wisconsin to go with home dates vs. Alabama and Nebraska. It will likely be another year before this team is ready to truly contend in the Big 10, the ceiling for this year may be 8 or 9 wins given the questions surrounding the quarterback position.

25) Florida- Will Muschamp is the new head man in Gainesville in year 2 of the Tim Tebow era. The good news is that the offense returns all the key players at the skill positions, but the bad news is that not all the players produced a whole lot last season. The defense returns just 5 starters but nonetheless, this team should be improved as John Brantley gets another year of experience in the offense. The team must travel to LSU, Auburn and South Carolina and host Alabama along with arch rival Florida St. The ceiling for this team is likely 8 or 9 wins as the SEC is absolutely loaded.

BCS Bowl Projections

Rose Bowl: Stanford vs. Wisconsin
Fiesta Bowl: Oklahoma St. vs. Boise St.
Orange Bowl: Virginia Tech vs. Notre Dame
Sugar Bowl: LSU vs. Florida St.
National Championship: Oklahoma vs. Oregon

Thursday, August 25, 2011

National League Award Winners if the Season Ended Today




As promised, here is who my National League award winners would be if the season ended today. Without any further ado, let's get to the awards.

National League

MVP: Matt Kemp, CF, Dodgers- One of the few bright spots for a team that has been in the news for all the wrong reasons this season. Kemp has already set a career best mark in home runs and is just a few productive games away from doing likewise in RBIs and stolen bases. He is also the only player in either league to rank in the top 5 for batting average, home runs and RBIs which means that Kemp has a slight chance to become the first Triple Crown Winner since Carl Yastrzemski in 1967.
Other Contenders: Prince Fielder, Ryan Braun, Troy Tulowitzki

Cy Young: Clayton Kershaw, SP, Dodgers- Teaming up with Kemp, this duo has managed to mercifully take away most of the spotlight from Frank McCourt. Kershaw has already set a career high for wins and will do the same with strikeouts. Speaking of strikeouts, the southpaw has sent down 207 batters by way of the K in just 189.2 innings. That number is tops in the NL and second to only Justin Verlander who leads both leagues with 212 strikeouts. Without even mentioning his 2.51 ERA, Kershaw is a legitimate Cy Young candidate although there will be some close competition.
Other Candidates: Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee, Ian Kennedy

Rookie of the Year: Craig Kimbrel, CP, Braves- Posting 40 saves at any age is impressive but doing it at   the age of 23 is even more impressive. Kimbrel has already tied Neftali Feliz's rookie record from 2010 and has a good shot to become the first pitcher since K-Rod in 2008 to post 50 saves. Combined with his 1.70 ERA, he has teamed with Jonny Venters and Eric O'Flaherty to give the Braves one of the most feared bullpen trios in baseball. Watch for Kimbrel to also earn some votes in the Cy Young race although a relief pitcher winning is extremely rare, having been done just twice in the last 20 years.
Other Candidates: Vance Worley, Brandon Beachy, Freddie Freeman

Comeback Player of the Year: Lance Berkman, RF, Cardinals- After a forgettable 2010 in Houston and New York, many questioned Berkman had enough left in the tank to play right field for the Cardinals. He has more than silenced his critics with a stat line of a .290 average, 29 home runs and 78 RBIs, quite impressive for a 35 year old that many considered over the hill. The production has helped the Cardinals to try and not lose track of the Brewers in the Central as Albert Pujols had a slow start to the season and missed time with an injury.
Other Candidates: Pablo Sandoval, Jose Reyes, Ryan Vogelsong

Manager of the Year: Kirk Gibson, Diamondbacks- Back in May, I bet a friend of mine lunch at our favorite restaurant that the Diamondbacks would be in 1st place at the end of August. Luckily, Arizona played good enough baseball over the last 3 months to move into 1st place and to my friend's surprise, he owed me a lunch. Gibson is doing this with a roster full of names that most people outside the greater Phoenix area wouldn't recognize. A career year from Justin Upton, the emergence of young players such as Ian Kennedy, Ryan Roberts and Daniel Hudson and a vastly improved bullpen have put the Diamondbacks in position to play in the postseason for the first time since 2007.
Other Candidates: Ron Roenicke, Clint Hurdle