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.