As an avid and disappointed Met fan today I have to say something that makes me sick to my stomach. Last year like most Met fans, I sat in my home and watched the Atlanta Braves choke away a playoff spot and be eliminated on the last day of the season. I laughed and cheered so loudly because of all the Braves have done to my teams over the years. (what also gave me much joy was the Red Sox were collapsing at the same time). I thought Chipper Jones was going to retire because of his knee injuries and the fact that he was not around to give his team that supportive net or timely hit made it a sad end to a career that most deem a hall of fame one. Still in all I was pleased that St. Louis got in and later won the World Series and ths looked like they were in a decline. Finally right?
The Braves have been the National Leagues best regular season team over the last 20 years. They have won 13 division titles i think and played in 5 World Series. They have been on television during the Chipper Jones era as much as much as the Yankees and Red Sox have been. In fact the two consistent names over that period that we have heard most about are Chipper Jones and Derek Jeter. They both have become the symbols of dedication and loyaty in sports. Think about all sports. How many players have started with one team and finished with that team over the last 20 years? Tim Duncan. John Stockton. Kobe Bryant. Peyton Manning, Brett Favre, Leborn James left their teams to chase rings and greener pastures. Chipper Jones has been the face of the Atlanta Braves for 20 years and last night his team got him back to the big stage one last time. He led off the bottom of the ninth inning with a double and the Freddie Freeman hit a monsterous homerun and the Braves won 4-3 and are in the playoffs.
The funny thing is that Chipper has been getting a send off like no one has seen since Kareem left basketball. Every team has given him gifts. Motorcycles here. Free food there. Trips around the world. Merchandise and commemorative items that he will never forget. i always thought that Chipper Jones was Public enemy number one around the league. He was booed as much as any star player can be. He beat up every team in the league. He could have been a candidate for 500 homeruns if he did not suffer injuries late in his career and if he had played the year the Braves wanted to bring him up. Remember he wrecked his knee his first season and did not play. Chipper has really been a thorn in the side of the Mets in the regular season as well as the post. The bigger question that most people have is why did the Baves fail so often in the post season with all of that pitching and annoying timely hitting? How many times did Chipper come up and deliver the big hit to start a rally or win the games for the Braves. How many times did he frustrate your team over the years?
Is he a first ballot hall of famer? Of course he is. He played on great teams, with great players and had an impact on games like few others before him. He will probably be ranked in the top 5 or 6 thrid basemen ever to play the game. Brooks Robinson mayhave been a better defender but I would rather face him over Chipper Jones with the game on the line. He is the George Brett of this generation. Brett haunted the Yankees and Chipper haunted the Mets. Atlanta Brave baseball has been blessed over the last 20 years to have had Maddux, Glavine, Smoltz, and Chipper. they also had Bobby Cox who made sure that this fine machine would function properly on all levels. So I reluctantly wish the Braves well this Post season. i can take comfort that my team will never have to face Chipper again. It is an end of a great era of baseball. Get it done Atlanta. You have the pieces...
Wednesday, September 26, 2012
Tuesday, September 25, 2012
Is the nfl becoming pro boxing?
Who wants to be a NFL referee now? One week ago, I blogged about the the NFL being too full of itself. I talked about the bounty scandal involving the Saints. Look what has happened to the Saints. They are 0-3 and the Packers coming this week who are angrier than hell because of what happened last night. ked about the importance of making a deal with the referees. The NFL is a multi billion dollar money making machine. People will pay to watch games anywhere at any time if it was necessary. Most football fans spend an entire week getting ready to watch their favorite team play, then flip around on the satellite feed and watch division rivals play, favorite players play, fantasy football team players play, or watch the marquee matchup of that week. Last nights game should have been the last straw as to why the real officials are needed to monitor these games. One call in a game should not have the impact of winning and losing a game. The Packers to their credit did not use the end of the game as an excuse. They physically got beat up last night in the first half and had a chance to get one first down to end the game. The Packers have not been the same team this year as last year so blaming the refs is probably why they have not said a word. I am glame the refs and there is ample evidence to support my theories..
I had a discussion two weeks ago with a a couple of people and we were talking about what is the problem with the replacement refs. I listened as they spoke and other pundits did as well on espn about the levels of competeition some of these refs have been in. The first thing that we agreed on was that the speed of thegame is way to fast for these guys. The speed of the game is too fast for the real guys too. The difference is that the real refs have figured out ways to position themselves on the field so that they can make as close to the right call as they can. Last night the game winning touchdown call was made by a ref who was behind the play and he was in no position to make that call. The ref that came running in and was waving his arms should have been closer to the play since there was no action in his area and he could have made the correct call. There was a call for pass interference on the defense when clearly the the offensive player created and caused all of the contact. If the referee was in the right position maybe he gets that call right. The NFL should have taken precautions and instructed these guys that being in the right place could help them get calls right. They are not fast enough to keep up with guys so positioning is key.
The second thing that is frustrating is that the refs seem to not know the rules of the game or make poor judgement calls. The roughing the passer penalty when the Packers made an interception in the 4th quarter was horrible. Marking an unsportsmanlike penalty for 27 yards instead of 15 is not acceptable. The pass interference call against Seattle on a crucial third down that eventually lead to a score is hurting the integrity of the game. What has killed Boxing in this country is tthe officials. People tune hoping for a trainwreck and they get chaos and an earthquake instead. Manny Pacquiauo is still wondering how Timothy Bradley has his titles. Ken Norton is wondering how Muhammad Ali has a winning record against him. The NFL does not want turn into a sham. The NBA in recent years has had to deal with a scandal of a referee fixing games utting itself further under a micrscope. There are several examples from the weekend of missed calls, poor judgement, and game mismanagement by these guys. Kyle Shanahan and Jack Del Rio were fined for abuse toward an official. Bill Bellechek tried to chase one down and get an explanation of whether or not the game winning field goal was actually good or not. All you have to do is watch the sideline and read the lips of the coaches to know whether or not a call is correct or not. The Harbaugh brothers are must see tv.
There are estimations that last nights call cost people worldwide over 250 million dollars. The betting line was Packers -31/2 and if the call was reversed the people who took the Packers would have won because they were up by 5. The speculation is that over 70% of the betting population took the Pack last night. We all know that the only reason for injury lists is for the betting population. The NFL does not "care" about wagering on the games, but it most definitely cares about people watching the games. I am 100% certain that they are loving that there millions of bloggers today writing about a football related incident than talking about the pennant races or that Brandt Snedeker won the PGA Fedex Cup. I wonder what would happen if a team told its players to walk off the field because they were a victim of too many bad calls? As long as we the fans watch, the NFL will not care what happens on the field. They talk about safety and integrity. They talk about protecting the shield and the legacy of the game. We are all addicted to the NFL drug and wont abandon the game. They better start to listen reall soon or the rehab centers of sports will be full of football addicts.. This is why HOCKEY you should not lockout your players. The quote of the day goes to BUbba Watson. He said that" football fans watch golf this weekend and support team usa in the ryder cup, we have no refs". Absolutely hilarious..
I had a discussion two weeks ago with a a couple of people and we were talking about what is the problem with the replacement refs. I listened as they spoke and other pundits did as well on espn about the levels of competeition some of these refs have been in. The first thing that we agreed on was that the speed of thegame is way to fast for these guys. The speed of the game is too fast for the real guys too. The difference is that the real refs have figured out ways to position themselves on the field so that they can make as close to the right call as they can. Last night the game winning touchdown call was made by a ref who was behind the play and he was in no position to make that call. The ref that came running in and was waving his arms should have been closer to the play since there was no action in his area and he could have made the correct call. There was a call for pass interference on the defense when clearly the the offensive player created and caused all of the contact. If the referee was in the right position maybe he gets that call right. The NFL should have taken precautions and instructed these guys that being in the right place could help them get calls right. They are not fast enough to keep up with guys so positioning is key.
The second thing that is frustrating is that the refs seem to not know the rules of the game or make poor judgement calls. The roughing the passer penalty when the Packers made an interception in the 4th quarter was horrible. Marking an unsportsmanlike penalty for 27 yards instead of 15 is not acceptable. The pass interference call against Seattle on a crucial third down that eventually lead to a score is hurting the integrity of the game. What has killed Boxing in this country is tthe officials. People tune hoping for a trainwreck and they get chaos and an earthquake instead. Manny Pacquiauo is still wondering how Timothy Bradley has his titles. Ken Norton is wondering how Muhammad Ali has a winning record against him. The NFL does not want turn into a sham. The NBA in recent years has had to deal with a scandal of a referee fixing games utting itself further under a micrscope. There are several examples from the weekend of missed calls, poor judgement, and game mismanagement by these guys. Kyle Shanahan and Jack Del Rio were fined for abuse toward an official. Bill Bellechek tried to chase one down and get an explanation of whether or not the game winning field goal was actually good or not. All you have to do is watch the sideline and read the lips of the coaches to know whether or not a call is correct or not. The Harbaugh brothers are must see tv.
There are estimations that last nights call cost people worldwide over 250 million dollars. The betting line was Packers -31/2 and if the call was reversed the people who took the Packers would have won because they were up by 5. The speculation is that over 70% of the betting population took the Pack last night. We all know that the only reason for injury lists is for the betting population. The NFL does not "care" about wagering on the games, but it most definitely cares about people watching the games. I am 100% certain that they are loving that there millions of bloggers today writing about a football related incident than talking about the pennant races or that Brandt Snedeker won the PGA Fedex Cup. I wonder what would happen if a team told its players to walk off the field because they were a victim of too many bad calls? As long as we the fans watch, the NFL will not care what happens on the field. They talk about safety and integrity. They talk about protecting the shield and the legacy of the game. We are all addicted to the NFL drug and wont abandon the game. They better start to listen reall soon or the rehab centers of sports will be full of football addicts.. This is why HOCKEY you should not lockout your players. The quote of the day goes to BUbba Watson. He said that" football fans watch golf this weekend and support team usa in the ryder cup, we have no refs". Absolutely hilarious..
Wednesday, September 19, 2012
Here we go again..
The PGA season is about to come to an end and the people trying to get attention one last time are out with their comments. The player of the year in golf based on winning 4 events inclduing a major is Rory Mcilroy. No one disputes his achievements this year. Yes he had a stretch earlier this year when he missed several cuts and other than the PGA was not impressive at the Masters, U.S. Open or even the British. Yes if Tiger wins this event starting tomorrow he will win the Fedex Cup and tie Mcilroy for most wins and may steal the award from Mcilroy, but lets face it that is a big obstacle to overcome based on how well Mcilroy has been playing. Greg Norman made a comment recently where he feels that Tiger Woods is intimidated by Mcilroy because he is friendly with him and is realizing that the torch is basically being passed down to Mcilroy. I find his statements blog worthy only because of how silly they are. Tiger has several friends on the tour. People for years have been tryingand Phil, Ernie, and Lee Westwood out to be enemies. Tiger goes fishing every year with Darren Clarke and Mark O'meara. He gave Phil a ping pong table for a wedding gift saying that he looks forward to many matches on the table with Phil. He just can't be a normal guy ever can he? He has to be great every second of every day and He has to automatically have perfected his swing changes in haste so he can make you, me, and everyone else care about golf.
He has outplayed McIlroy in 3 of the 4 majors this year. When they have been paired together, Woods has shot a better score more than Rory has. Rory is smart. Out play Tiger when he is not paired with Tiger and then force Tiger to catch him. Tiger has no reason to be intimidated by McIlroy. Remember when Vijay had that magical year a few years back when he beat Tiger head to head jsut about every week and everyone said that Vijay was about to take over golf? What happened the very next year? Who won the most that year? Majors that year? Who was the player of the year that year? Who won the Fedex Cup that year as well? It wasn't me. It wasn't Vijay. I don't think it was Phil either. I know who it was and so does Greg Norman. It was Woods. In my opinion the fact that Woods has reascended to the top 2 in the world in one year is amazing. He was awful to watch last year. He was either always hurt or playing "in the woods" in every tournament. He could hit a fairway if the fairway was a thousand feet wide. He contended a few times but could not finish what he started. He was fixing his life, swing, and mind and he couldn't beat club pro's. This year he has found some success, but the majors have been a weekend calamity. Over the past few weeks, he has played sensational golf for 3 rounds and has been plagued by one bad round. These next two weeks will be indicators as to how far he has come since last year. He had the clinching match victory in the President's cup last September. He was a controversial pick, but he did not let his country down. He will be counted on to lead us in the Ryder Cup next week. He and McIlroy will be paired probably alot over the next two weeks and I am sure they are very familiar with each others games and styles of play.
Lastly, Tiger Woods has 74 wins and 14 major titles. Mcilroy has 2 majors and what 5 PGA wins? At the same age in their careers Tiger has more wins worldwide (13-6). Tiger had 68.19 scoring average at age 23. Mcilroys is 69 and change. Mcilroy has already missed more cuts 5. Woods in 18 years has missed 9 cuts. Woods is approaching the 100 million dollar prize pool for money earned on tour. McIlroy has barely 5 million. Tiger said it best when he said that there are no 255 linebacker going to tackle him in the fairway so he has nothing to be intimidated about. Maybe Greg Norman was intimidated by Nick Faldo when he gagged away a 6 shot lead at the Masters. Remember that Greg? You were the hands down best golfer in the world and the green jacket was yours for the taking. You would have validated as one of the best golfers in the history of the game. You had the record for longest tenure at number 1 until Tiger destroyed that mark by almost 300 weeks!!!! Greg you are still one of my favorites, but lets let this bud into a rivalry. Golf fans are sick of hearing about the next to challenge Tiger and they do it for one year and we never hear from them again. What happened to Vijay? He wins occasionally on the tour. This has been a disappointing year for Phil in terms of wins and losses and missed cuts. Lets see what happens over the next two weeks and into the international season finales.
He has outplayed McIlroy in 3 of the 4 majors this year. When they have been paired together, Woods has shot a better score more than Rory has. Rory is smart. Out play Tiger when he is not paired with Tiger and then force Tiger to catch him. Tiger has no reason to be intimidated by McIlroy. Remember when Vijay had that magical year a few years back when he beat Tiger head to head jsut about every week and everyone said that Vijay was about to take over golf? What happened the very next year? Who won the most that year? Majors that year? Who was the player of the year that year? Who won the Fedex Cup that year as well? It wasn't me. It wasn't Vijay. I don't think it was Phil either. I know who it was and so does Greg Norman. It was Woods. In my opinion the fact that Woods has reascended to the top 2 in the world in one year is amazing. He was awful to watch last year. He was either always hurt or playing "in the woods" in every tournament. He could hit a fairway if the fairway was a thousand feet wide. He contended a few times but could not finish what he started. He was fixing his life, swing, and mind and he couldn't beat club pro's. This year he has found some success, but the majors have been a weekend calamity. Over the past few weeks, he has played sensational golf for 3 rounds and has been plagued by one bad round. These next two weeks will be indicators as to how far he has come since last year. He had the clinching match victory in the President's cup last September. He was a controversial pick, but he did not let his country down. He will be counted on to lead us in the Ryder Cup next week. He and McIlroy will be paired probably alot over the next two weeks and I am sure they are very familiar with each others games and styles of play.
Lastly, Tiger Woods has 74 wins and 14 major titles. Mcilroy has 2 majors and what 5 PGA wins? At the same age in their careers Tiger has more wins worldwide (13-6). Tiger had 68.19 scoring average at age 23. Mcilroys is 69 and change. Mcilroy has already missed more cuts 5. Woods in 18 years has missed 9 cuts. Woods is approaching the 100 million dollar prize pool for money earned on tour. McIlroy has barely 5 million. Tiger said it best when he said that there are no 255 linebacker going to tackle him in the fairway so he has nothing to be intimidated about. Maybe Greg Norman was intimidated by Nick Faldo when he gagged away a 6 shot lead at the Masters. Remember that Greg? You were the hands down best golfer in the world and the green jacket was yours for the taking. You would have validated as one of the best golfers in the history of the game. You had the record for longest tenure at number 1 until Tiger destroyed that mark by almost 300 weeks!!!! Greg you are still one of my favorites, but lets let this bud into a rivalry. Golf fans are sick of hearing about the next to challenge Tiger and they do it for one year and we never hear from them again. What happened to Vijay? He wins occasionally on the tour. This has been a disappointing year for Phil in terms of wins and losses and missed cuts. Lets see what happens over the next two weeks and into the international season finales.
Tuesday, September 18, 2012
Is the NFL too full of itself?
I am as big a sports fan as they come in this great land that we live in and I have to tell you that I am concerned about the entity that we call the NFL. Over the past four years we have had a commissioner who acts like he is God, we have owners who don't want share money with people who make them the money, players who spend about as much time in the police blotter as they do in the training room, former players suing the league for not being given enough information about concussions and head injuries, and now the integrity of the game is being questioned because of non professional referees. What I just written down is about 30 talk shows worth of topics in five sentences. We all concede that the most popular sport in America is Pro Football. Baseball is no longer America's past time, (over reaction Monday is) Football has replaced it. The NHL and NBA are only relevant in the post season. Golf is only great when Tiger is succeeding and playing. Boxing is often angry water cooler conversation, tennis is non existent and no one will openly admit that they sat and watched 42 cars go around an oval 500 times for three hours. I blogged weeks ago that no one messes with the NFL because everyone has an opinion and knowledge of the sport. People will argue with you till they are blue in the face about their teams and everything about their teams. We have made the NFL what it is and now it has gone way too far.
The NFL is full of itself because we have allowed this nonsense to go this far. As a consumer, we have a choice. We can watch what is on television, go to the game or not get involved at all. Because we buy the Directv packages, the merchandise, the product advertised durning the game, the NFL will act like a dictator in our lives. Everyone who follows football know that not paying the referees a raise is moronic and controlling. 32 teams are dividing a television contract that earned them 9 billion dollars. The players are getting paid more, the price of tickets are not getting cheaper, food at the concessions stands, jerseys, hats, mecrhandise in general are not getting cheaper. Rookies are being paid less money so that veteran players who have earned the money can actually get paid somewhere if not from that team that he is fighting for a contract from.s every where in the NFL!!! So with the price everything rising, why shouldn't referees get a raise as well? The NFL knows that you, me, the martian on venus will watch their product no matter who is calling the game, reffing the game or playing the game. There have been tons of complaints lobbed at the league for missed calls, the length of games, and the misuse of rules in the games. What does integrity mean to the league? Absolutely nothing. The league knows that you are going to watch no matter what. Buffalo plays Cleveland this weekend. The game will sell out in Cleveland and the game will be on televisions everywhere.
Another example of the NFL is too full of itself is this bounty scandal involving the Saints. The fact the league produced a face saving affadavit this weekend as to why Jonathan Vilma was suspended for a season is evidence that the commissioner probably glared at Greg Williams and said how badly do you want to coach again in this league. Now i am not acusing the commissioner of coercion but they said that they had evidence way back months ago to convict Vilma of putting up 10,000 to anyone who knocked out Brett Favre. So why do they use a letter signed three days ago to further implicate Vilma? Vilma says he has 9 letters that will prove that he didn't say that. Who are we to believe? Drew Brees was outspoken months ago that they saw no proof of the involvement by the players. Dont you think that if that information about Vilma's involvement was available last month or three months ago or five months ago that that would been the nail in the coffin for Vilma and everyone else involved? The fans like that Goodell is trying to clean up the negative image of football players. The fans don't like someone bieing accused or scandal to explain a scandal. We want things to be crystal clear. The Commissioner will probably re-suspend the players because the players foolishly did not in the latest collective bargining agreement address the power of the commissioners office. The biggest mistake they could have ever made.
We will still watch because we are fans of the games... Maybe we are all addicts and need our fix of the NFL drug. Shame on us for that, shame on them for playing to our weakness..
The NFL is full of itself because we have allowed this nonsense to go this far. As a consumer, we have a choice. We can watch what is on television, go to the game or not get involved at all. Because we buy the Directv packages, the merchandise, the product advertised durning the game, the NFL will act like a dictator in our lives. Everyone who follows football know that not paying the referees a raise is moronic and controlling. 32 teams are dividing a television contract that earned them 9 billion dollars. The players are getting paid more, the price of tickets are not getting cheaper, food at the concessions stands, jerseys, hats, mecrhandise in general are not getting cheaper. Rookies are being paid less money so that veteran players who have earned the money can actually get paid somewhere if not from that team that he is fighting for a contract from.s every where in the NFL!!! So with the price everything rising, why shouldn't referees get a raise as well? The NFL knows that you, me, the martian on venus will watch their product no matter who is calling the game, reffing the game or playing the game. There have been tons of complaints lobbed at the league for missed calls, the length of games, and the misuse of rules in the games. What does integrity mean to the league? Absolutely nothing. The league knows that you are going to watch no matter what. Buffalo plays Cleveland this weekend. The game will sell out in Cleveland and the game will be on televisions everywhere.
Another example of the NFL is too full of itself is this bounty scandal involving the Saints. The fact the league produced a face saving affadavit this weekend as to why Jonathan Vilma was suspended for a season is evidence that the commissioner probably glared at Greg Williams and said how badly do you want to coach again in this league. Now i am not acusing the commissioner of coercion but they said that they had evidence way back months ago to convict Vilma of putting up 10,000 to anyone who knocked out Brett Favre. So why do they use a letter signed three days ago to further implicate Vilma? Vilma says he has 9 letters that will prove that he didn't say that. Who are we to believe? Drew Brees was outspoken months ago that they saw no proof of the involvement by the players. Dont you think that if that information about Vilma's involvement was available last month or three months ago or five months ago that that would been the nail in the coffin for Vilma and everyone else involved? The fans like that Goodell is trying to clean up the negative image of football players. The fans don't like someone bieing accused or scandal to explain a scandal. We want things to be crystal clear. The Commissioner will probably re-suspend the players because the players foolishly did not in the latest collective bargining agreement address the power of the commissioners office. The biggest mistake they could have ever made.
We will still watch because we are fans of the games... Maybe we are all addicts and need our fix of the NFL drug. Shame on us for that, shame on them for playing to our weakness..
Thursday, September 13, 2012
Saying goodbye to Jim Calhoun
We should have said goodbye to Jim Calhoun in 2011. He was immersed in scandal that season because of too many phone calls to a recruit and there were articles written about him criticizing how much much he was making. He had a health scare that year and when Kimba Walker led Connecticut to 11 straight victories including the title over Butler, Calhoun should have said "screw you" to the NCAA, the local Connecticut media,and all of his critics. He has done it hs way. Period. He is a no nonsense tough guy from Boston and never cheated his players, coaches, fans, or university. There several coaches in this country who make more money than their mayors, governors, senators, teachers, policemen, firemen, in their cities. No one complains until the coach has a few losing seasons or until the press sees that person as someone who thinks he or she is bigger than the university. The press does not talk about money's these coaches donate to fund necessary projects for the schools. The press does not talk about the fundraising efforts done by coaches to raise money for schools. That apparently is not news. The press also does not talk about because of the success of a particular team the amount of revenue generated because of what they did on the field or court. Notre Dame football makes so much money as an independent team that it refuses to join conferences for football. Bob Stoops, Nick Saban, Coach K., John Calipari, Les Miles, Pat Summit, makes more money than their local and state goverment officials and no one complains abut them. Joe Paterno did as well and the scandal that rocked his school is blamed on the fact that football has too much power and clout.
Coach Calhoun built Connecticut into a nationally respected and destination oriented university. No one ever heard of Connecticut basketball before he arrived. He brought in players fromall over the world and country to play basketball at Uconn. Remember Nadav Henefield? He came from Israel to play for him. He has had Ray Allen, Richard Hamilton, Tate George, Chris Smith, Emeka Okafor, Kimba Walker, Donnie and Donyell Marshall. He has won 3 titles. He has 4 final four appearances. He beat Duke in an epic title tilt. His critics will say that he leaves Connecticut in scandal because of the fact that Uconn will not be allowed to compete in this years tournament. The apr requirement is going to hurt many schools because kids stop going to class after the season especially if they are going pro. His critics say that he was a difficult interview, often surly, and became bigger than the program. I find that notion hilarious because it seems that all the media wants to talk to or about are the coaching stars. We know more about the coaches in college than we do the players unless the players are troublesome. Jim Calhoun's success allowed for Gino Auriema to succeed in the women's game. The amount of money given to the athletic programs because of the success of the men's team open doors for all sports to grow and become division 1 quality. The school is building a cardiac center in his and his wife Pat's honor.
Big east basketball is dying. In the next few years the Big east is going to lose Syracuse, Pittsburgh, Notre Dame and West Virginia. Losing a coaching giant like Calhoun is going to affect the quality of basketball from this conference too. Will recruits want to play in Storrs, Ct? Kevin Ollie is getting rave reviews as a person and as an assisstant coach. Can he be the one to lead UConn into the next decade and beyond? I hope so. Coach Calhoun has left a huge void but the Nutmeg State will move on. Coach Calhoun deserves a court or statue at the school. His achievements and contributions to the University of Connecticut will never be replicated..
Coach Calhoun built Connecticut into a nationally respected and destination oriented university. No one ever heard of Connecticut basketball before he arrived. He brought in players fromall over the world and country to play basketball at Uconn. Remember Nadav Henefield? He came from Israel to play for him. He has had Ray Allen, Richard Hamilton, Tate George, Chris Smith, Emeka Okafor, Kimba Walker, Donnie and Donyell Marshall. He has won 3 titles. He has 4 final four appearances. He beat Duke in an epic title tilt. His critics will say that he leaves Connecticut in scandal because of the fact that Uconn will not be allowed to compete in this years tournament. The apr requirement is going to hurt many schools because kids stop going to class after the season especially if they are going pro. His critics say that he was a difficult interview, often surly, and became bigger than the program. I find that notion hilarious because it seems that all the media wants to talk to or about are the coaching stars. We know more about the coaches in college than we do the players unless the players are troublesome. Jim Calhoun's success allowed for Gino Auriema to succeed in the women's game. The amount of money given to the athletic programs because of the success of the men's team open doors for all sports to grow and become division 1 quality. The school is building a cardiac center in his and his wife Pat's honor.
Big east basketball is dying. In the next few years the Big east is going to lose Syracuse, Pittsburgh, Notre Dame and West Virginia. Losing a coaching giant like Calhoun is going to affect the quality of basketball from this conference too. Will recruits want to play in Storrs, Ct? Kevin Ollie is getting rave reviews as a person and as an assisstant coach. Can he be the one to lead UConn into the next decade and beyond? I hope so. Coach Calhoun has left a huge void but the Nutmeg State will move on. Coach Calhoun deserves a court or statue at the school. His achievements and contributions to the University of Connecticut will never be replicated..
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
Here comes the Phillies.. a quick baseball update
Remember about three weeks ago, everyone was talking about how the Phillies ought to think about salary dumping and next year? The Phillies got rid of Shane Victorino and Ricky Blanton to the Dodgers. They traded Hunter Pence to the San Fransisco Giants. They almost traded away Cliff Lee. There are about 20 games left in the season and they Phillies have awaken and no one wants to face them now. Cliff Lee and Roy Halliday have started to be who we thought they were. Jonatan Papelbon is back to being filthy. Jimmy Rollins is playing like an all star. Ryan Howard is hitting homeruns again. They are getting solid games from Kendrick. They are 4 games out of the second wild card position and everyone is taking notice. These veteran players are showing the class and dignity that veterans should when you play professional sports. They are getting paid a ton of money and they are playing like they actually care about the game and their fans. As much as i hate the Phillies, I have to admit that I am impressed. They could have easily thrown in the towel and with all of the injuries and uncertainty that this team has had all season, no one would have criticized them for quitting. They have several significant series left to play in the N.L. east. They could easily supplant the Cardinals who are losing players instead of peaking at this time. Plus the Cardinals have to contend with the fast charging Brewers and red hot Reds. The Pirates have collapsed again. They need to learn from these collapses and bring in players who understand that baseball is a marathon not a sprint or 10k race. I would love the last day of the baseball season to replicate last year when the final two playoff spots were determined on that day. I want to see even extra play in games thus forcing an extra day for the regular season to end. How crazy would that be? An extra playoff game to get into the playoff to one game then play a series against the top seed at home. With Halliday and Lee, the advantage would favor the Phillies. I hope it happens..
The American League is also getting crazy too. The Yankees need one healthy week and they will distance themselves from the Orioles and Rays. Andy Petitte could be back in a week and he gives them toughness that they are going to need. Mark Teixiera in that lineup makes a difference. The Orioles are holding it together with tape and glue. Losing Hammel last night and Markakis recently are huge losses. They can hit homeruns. We know that Mark Reynolds is Dave Kingman. He can have a week where he can hit 9 homeruns but also strike out 30 times. He has been hot lately and with Adam Jones and Matt Wieters this team is scary. The Rays have the best team on paper to complete their comeback attempt like last year. The only problem is that they cannot afford to give away games with poor defensive decisions. They can out pitch anyone. They will have a say in this. The Oakland A's have the second best record in the American League. How they have done it I couldn't tell you. Watching them the last few nights have shown me that they can win ugly, with pitching, or the long ball if necessary. They have buried the Angels with wins the last two nights. Last night was tough to swallow. 1st and 3rd with no one out and not being able to score the tying run is difficult to stomach. Jered Weaver needs to get back on the field. Where was Trumbo last night? Detroit appears to own the White Sox. They have won 5 straight against them and Cabrera's homerun last night might be the blow that gives him the M.V.P. The White Sox must split these next two games or they will be tied for the lead. i guess the only saving grace would be that the White Sox won't have to play the Tigers again. Colud be a wild next two weeks...
The American League is also getting crazy too. The Yankees need one healthy week and they will distance themselves from the Orioles and Rays. Andy Petitte could be back in a week and he gives them toughness that they are going to need. Mark Teixiera in that lineup makes a difference. The Orioles are holding it together with tape and glue. Losing Hammel last night and Markakis recently are huge losses. They can hit homeruns. We know that Mark Reynolds is Dave Kingman. He can have a week where he can hit 9 homeruns but also strike out 30 times. He has been hot lately and with Adam Jones and Matt Wieters this team is scary. The Rays have the best team on paper to complete their comeback attempt like last year. The only problem is that they cannot afford to give away games with poor defensive decisions. They can out pitch anyone. They will have a say in this. The Oakland A's have the second best record in the American League. How they have done it I couldn't tell you. Watching them the last few nights have shown me that they can win ugly, with pitching, or the long ball if necessary. They have buried the Angels with wins the last two nights. Last night was tough to swallow. 1st and 3rd with no one out and not being able to score the tying run is difficult to stomach. Jered Weaver needs to get back on the field. Where was Trumbo last night? Detroit appears to own the White Sox. They have won 5 straight against them and Cabrera's homerun last night might be the blow that gives him the M.V.P. The White Sox must split these next two games or they will be tied for the lead. i guess the only saving grace would be that the White Sox won't have to play the Tigers again. Colud be a wild next two weeks...
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
What a weekend of sports..
Hello sports fans my name is Richard Harris and boy did we have a huge weekend of outstanding sports. Upsets in Tennis, college football, boxing, NFL, and the Nascar sprint cup has its eligible driversfor the cup. When Roger Federer loses before the semi finals of a grand slam tournament something must be in the air. Tomas Berdych can really hit the ball hard and he over powered Federer. Andy Murray had an out of body experience in winning tournament. He outlasted Novak Djokovic in five grinding sets. Serena went from dominating to survival mode in oreder to steal the title from Azarenka. Azarenka had a 5-3 lead in the third set and could not put Serena away. Serena is still the gold standard no matter if she is not ranked number 1 or not.
Some more stories.. Arkansas showed that as great as the SEC conference is, you still need your quarterback to win games. Louisiana Monroe pulled off the first shocker of the season by physically beating up Arkansas' offensive line and then knocking out Tyler Wilson. UCLA, a home underdog, showed Nebraska that the Pac 12 can play physical football as well. The Pac 12 had two other impressive wins. Oregon St. shut down Wisconsin 10-7 and the Arizona schools had good out of conference wins as well. The Pac 12 may have the best conference before the season is over. USC and Stanford Saturday. Savannah St. beat the spread because game was called due to weather. 55-0 would have been 110-0 if they played it out.
The NFL continues to show why they are the kings of sports. A few shocking results as Washington stunned the Saints. Rg3 played like a seasoned pro and guided the Redskin offense to a 40-32 win. He had no turnovers and managed the game like he had done it before. Andrew Luck had to play the Bears defense and found his debut a bit more challenging. All of the rookie qbs except Griffin lost and threw some bad picks. Weeden, Tanneyhill and Luck threw multiple picks that really hurt their team. It is only week one so there will be greater days ahead for all of them.
Peyton Manning looked sharp in his return to the NFL. He few hits but when the Broncos went to a hurry up offense they changed the complexion of the game. Manning got into a groove and they handled the vaunted Steeler defense. The Jets shocked the world by scoring 48 points and looked like a completely different team than we saw in pre-season. Baltimore look stellar getting points from defense and Joe Flacco continuing to show why he is an elite qb. Ugly wins from Philadelphia and Detroit. A win is a win right? The Niners have that look in their eye that they have a special season brewing if they stay healthy. They play amazing defense and have balance on offense. Randy Moss scored a touchdown and they just don't miss field goals. A 63 yard field goal from 85 year old Fred Akers is still jaw dropping. They confused the Packers who have no running game. The game of the year could be New England and San Fransisco later on this year. My super bowl pick the Houston Texans looked sharp in destroying Miami. Cannot wait for week 2..
Chad dawson went down in weight to fight Ward and got slapped around. He was knocked down 3 times and looked sluggish. He is a champion? Not impressed at all by him.
Rory Mcilroy won for the fourth time this year. He held off Tiger, Phil, and Lee Westwood. He is peaking at the right time. The Tour championship and Ryder cup are upon us over the next few weeks. The only reason why I am not gushing about this is that Vijay Singh did the same thing a few years ago and Tiger the next year regained his throne and place in the game. I expect next year he will do the same thing.
Congrats to Jeff Gordon for qualifying for the Sprint cup. Go get em boys..
Some more stories.. Arkansas showed that as great as the SEC conference is, you still need your quarterback to win games. Louisiana Monroe pulled off the first shocker of the season by physically beating up Arkansas' offensive line and then knocking out Tyler Wilson. UCLA, a home underdog, showed Nebraska that the Pac 12 can play physical football as well. The Pac 12 had two other impressive wins. Oregon St. shut down Wisconsin 10-7 and the Arizona schools had good out of conference wins as well. The Pac 12 may have the best conference before the season is over. USC and Stanford Saturday. Savannah St. beat the spread because game was called due to weather. 55-0 would have been 110-0 if they played it out.
The NFL continues to show why they are the kings of sports. A few shocking results as Washington stunned the Saints. Rg3 played like a seasoned pro and guided the Redskin offense to a 40-32 win. He had no turnovers and managed the game like he had done it before. Andrew Luck had to play the Bears defense and found his debut a bit more challenging. All of the rookie qbs except Griffin lost and threw some bad picks. Weeden, Tanneyhill and Luck threw multiple picks that really hurt their team. It is only week one so there will be greater days ahead for all of them.
Peyton Manning looked sharp in his return to the NFL. He few hits but when the Broncos went to a hurry up offense they changed the complexion of the game. Manning got into a groove and they handled the vaunted Steeler defense. The Jets shocked the world by scoring 48 points and looked like a completely different team than we saw in pre-season. Baltimore look stellar getting points from defense and Joe Flacco continuing to show why he is an elite qb. Ugly wins from Philadelphia and Detroit. A win is a win right? The Niners have that look in their eye that they have a special season brewing if they stay healthy. They play amazing defense and have balance on offense. Randy Moss scored a touchdown and they just don't miss field goals. A 63 yard field goal from 85 year old Fred Akers is still jaw dropping. They confused the Packers who have no running game. The game of the year could be New England and San Fransisco later on this year. My super bowl pick the Houston Texans looked sharp in destroying Miami. Cannot wait for week 2..
Chad dawson went down in weight to fight Ward and got slapped around. He was knocked down 3 times and looked sluggish. He is a champion? Not impressed at all by him.
Rory Mcilroy won for the fourth time this year. He held off Tiger, Phil, and Lee Westwood. He is peaking at the right time. The Tour championship and Ryder cup are upon us over the next few weeks. The only reason why I am not gushing about this is that Vijay Singh did the same thing a few years ago and Tiger the next year regained his throne and place in the game. I expect next year he will do the same thing.
Congrats to Jeff Gordon for qualifying for the Sprint cup. Go get em boys..
Thursday, September 6, 2012
Romo or Roddick? who gets it worse
I watched the Cowboys defeat the Giants last night with some Cowboy fans and you would not know that the Cowboys were winning. The one thing I love about having so much useless sports knowledge is that once in a while it becomes useful. They both were ranting after Romo threw his customary interception that led to the Giants first score. I quickly told them that Romo over the last 3 starts against the Giants has thrown for over 900 yards, 9 touchdowns, and only 1 interception in those games prior to last night. He has averaged 30 plus points a game in the losses and has gone toe to toe with Eli Manning. Yes he threw that horrible pass to Austin that may have led the Cowboys on a run to the Super Bowl and not Eli but,he is not the reason they have failed in recent years. Maybe this is his year for redemption. They shrugged off the knowledge and continued to complain about his performance. They even missed his first two touchdown passes afterwards.
Andy Roddick has been killed over the last decade because of the dominance of Federer. He is Patrick Ewing of the tennis world. Yes he has won one major title. Ewing has a college title. (could easily had 3 titles). Patrick Ewings nemesis was of course Micheal Jordan. Ewing was criticized quite heavily for not winning when Jordan retired and was criticized for several playoff failures. Even though no one critcized Ewing's heart or hunger or effort, He just never won. Andy Roddick played with heart, passion, fire, hunger, but no matter what he did, he could beat Federer when it mattered. He played the greatest match I have ever seen in Wimbeldon a couple of years ago against Federer. He did everything anyone imagined that he could do in a match. He played harder than I have ever seen him play. Both he and Ewing were heavily critcized in the media because of the way they answered the same tired questions about why they could not overcome Jordan or Federer. 3 of Roddicks losses in the finals of grand slams were to Federer. He just came out at the wrong time. Hell even the day he loses his final match, Roddick is upstaged when Federer loses to Berdych.
The reason he and Romo are easy to compare is both men come across as men who dont take their professions seriuosly. Micheal Jordan is an adequate golfer but you knew that basketball was his profession. He practiced hard. He played hard. You never questioned his desire or motivation on the court. Yes they tried to when he went to the casino after a playoff game. What they dont tell you is the game after the casino, he scored 37 points. He was still Micheal Jordan. Romo and Roddick are not known for on the field pursuits. People talk about who they are dating more than their performance on the field. Roddick has had his fair share of Hollywood starlets. Romo too. Most people feel that Roddick is more interested in being a showman than a winner. Even though Roddick has 62 titles. Only Federer has more in his era. Even though he has won the second most matches in his era. He was once the Number 1 player in the world. He cannot do enough to please anyone. When lead America to the Davis title, most people thought he was on the verge of something special in his career. His critics will say that he got satisfied and never did enough to be a great like Agassi or Sampras. What people don't talk enough about is he tried everything to beat Federer and maintain top status. He lost weight, served and volleyed, tried to hit his serve harder and softer. Even superman has kryptonite right? Romo gets the same rips because he has no rings and Eli has two. Romo is blamed for collapses in the regular season and the fact that Dallas has only one playoff win since he became starter. Romo has been beaten up in football toughest division for years and no one cares what the excuses are. He didn't play defensive back last year when they collapsed in the fourth quarter 3 times or messed up the Arizona game when the Cowboys made a field goal and iced their own kicker. I believe Romo's arm was in a sling at that time. I remember the botched field goal in Seattle. He dropped the ball. Cowboy fans seem to have this doom is impending attitude when he has the ball in his hands. Last year he and Drew Brees were the only quarterbacks to carve up the vaunted 49er defense. When the Saints were unbeaten in 2009 he proclaimed that they were going to go to New Orleans and beat the Saints ending their unbeaten season. He did. He has more games of brilliance than most but he has not won. Lebron James did not win either till this year. Lebron and Tony Romo were probably in the same boat until this year.
So who is the correct answer? Roddick had people in tears when he retired. If Romo retired today most Cowboy fans would rejoice. The answer clearly is Romo. No Cowboy fan today is proclaiming the Cowboys are the team to beat. They are all saying the same thing. They are saying we will see what happens in Seattle. Can you imagine if Tebow had gone to the Cowboys? That would be must see tv. America will miss Andy Roddick. He carried our flag well for a decade. He has had a good career. He did not win like Agassi, Courier or Sampras, but he had the same burdens that they had. The only difference is that they had each other to lean on. Roddick had no one. Romo is quarterbacking the Dallas Cowboys who had Troy Aikman and the large shadow of Roger Staubach looming over his every performance. A super ring quiets eveyone. Ask Trent Dilfer.....
Andy Roddick has been killed over the last decade because of the dominance of Federer. He is Patrick Ewing of the tennis world. Yes he has won one major title. Ewing has a college title. (could easily had 3 titles). Patrick Ewings nemesis was of course Micheal Jordan. Ewing was criticized quite heavily for not winning when Jordan retired and was criticized for several playoff failures. Even though no one critcized Ewing's heart or hunger or effort, He just never won. Andy Roddick played with heart, passion, fire, hunger, but no matter what he did, he could beat Federer when it mattered. He played the greatest match I have ever seen in Wimbeldon a couple of years ago against Federer. He did everything anyone imagined that he could do in a match. He played harder than I have ever seen him play. Both he and Ewing were heavily critcized in the media because of the way they answered the same tired questions about why they could not overcome Jordan or Federer. 3 of Roddicks losses in the finals of grand slams were to Federer. He just came out at the wrong time. Hell even the day he loses his final match, Roddick is upstaged when Federer loses to Berdych.
The reason he and Romo are easy to compare is both men come across as men who dont take their professions seriuosly. Micheal Jordan is an adequate golfer but you knew that basketball was his profession. He practiced hard. He played hard. You never questioned his desire or motivation on the court. Yes they tried to when he went to the casino after a playoff game. What they dont tell you is the game after the casino, he scored 37 points. He was still Micheal Jordan. Romo and Roddick are not known for on the field pursuits. People talk about who they are dating more than their performance on the field. Roddick has had his fair share of Hollywood starlets. Romo too. Most people feel that Roddick is more interested in being a showman than a winner. Even though Roddick has 62 titles. Only Federer has more in his era. Even though he has won the second most matches in his era. He was once the Number 1 player in the world. He cannot do enough to please anyone. When lead America to the Davis title, most people thought he was on the verge of something special in his career. His critics will say that he got satisfied and never did enough to be a great like Agassi or Sampras. What people don't talk enough about is he tried everything to beat Federer and maintain top status. He lost weight, served and volleyed, tried to hit his serve harder and softer. Even superman has kryptonite right? Romo gets the same rips because he has no rings and Eli has two. Romo is blamed for collapses in the regular season and the fact that Dallas has only one playoff win since he became starter. Romo has been beaten up in football toughest division for years and no one cares what the excuses are. He didn't play defensive back last year when they collapsed in the fourth quarter 3 times or messed up the Arizona game when the Cowboys made a field goal and iced their own kicker. I believe Romo's arm was in a sling at that time. I remember the botched field goal in Seattle. He dropped the ball. Cowboy fans seem to have this doom is impending attitude when he has the ball in his hands. Last year he and Drew Brees were the only quarterbacks to carve up the vaunted 49er defense. When the Saints were unbeaten in 2009 he proclaimed that they were going to go to New Orleans and beat the Saints ending their unbeaten season. He did. He has more games of brilliance than most but he has not won. Lebron James did not win either till this year. Lebron and Tony Romo were probably in the same boat until this year.
So who is the correct answer? Roddick had people in tears when he retired. If Romo retired today most Cowboy fans would rejoice. The answer clearly is Romo. No Cowboy fan today is proclaiming the Cowboys are the team to beat. They are all saying the same thing. They are saying we will see what happens in Seattle. Can you imagine if Tebow had gone to the Cowboys? That would be must see tv. America will miss Andy Roddick. He carried our flag well for a decade. He has had a good career. He did not win like Agassi, Courier or Sampras, but he had the same burdens that they had. The only difference is that they had each other to lean on. Roddick had no one. Romo is quarterbacking the Dallas Cowboys who had Troy Aikman and the large shadow of Roger Staubach looming over his every performance. A super ring quiets eveyone. Ask Trent Dilfer.....
Wednesday, September 5, 2012
Who has the best opening day?
Who has the best opening day in sports? NFL? MLB? NBA? NHL? What about Golf? Nascar opens its season with its biggest race. The Daytona 500 is the Super Bowl of NASCAR. Fox begins promoting that race in December to remind people of how important the race is. In fact the race is a career definer. Dale Earnhardt raced there over 20 times before he got his one and only win and of course that is the place he lost his life. Golf starts the year with a tournament honoring all of the winners of the events from the previous year in Hawaii. There are 35 events or so and the only people invited to play are the winners from last year. There have been some epic battles over there. Tiger and Ernie is still etched in my mind when Tiger was at his best and so was Ernie. Tennis has some warm up tournaments before the Australian Open kicks of their season. Can't beat being in a warm climate to start a season.
College football and College basketball have unique ways of starting their seasons too. In College football some teams play a winner take all game that could either vault them into national prominence or play a cupcake that helps them work on their offense and defense. For example Michigan playing Alabama was a launch pad game for both. Alabama is now the number 1 team in the land because of its dominance. Oklahoma State defeated Savannah St. 84-0. What could they truly learn ina game like that. Savannah St. took the money and ran. They next play Florida St. for another payday. They need the money because money makes the world go round in all sports right? In College basketball some teams play exhibitions to figure out starting lineups but then play in tournaments to get ready for their conference season. Some tournaments are springboards to a great season and some dont have an affect on a season at all. UCONN won the Maui in 2011 and that launched Kimba Walker as a star and eventual national champion later that season. Duke won the Maui last season and even beat national runner up Kansas in the final, but it meant very little for their regular season. Still just hear Dick Vitale getting excited or hearing Brent Musberger say " You are Looking Live" gets the hair standing on my neck.
The Big Four sports try to turn their opening nights into an event. They invite the hottest and most popular acts to perform before the games or after. They have fireworks and make the entire game an event. The NFL and NBA try to put out marquee matchups that will make people want to watch because of the importance of the games. Tonight for example, the Giants and Cowboys game is extremely important for both teams. They are in the same division and any edge to the victor is immense. Baseball and Hockey have long seasons and the opening night matchup is more about seeing who is fresh and new than setting a tone for a season. Baseball has the full pageantry of parades and bunting around the stadium. John Madden used to go nuts over how jealous he was that baseball makes opening day a celebration of the sport. Football has caught on because of the times we live in. They honor true heroes in the military or law enforcement and celebrate America's freedom in being able to play these sports because of the sacrifice made by these men and women. Hockey is Canada's game so i appreciate what they do in the Canadien cities.
So what is the answer? The answer for me is Football. Because baseball, basketball and hockey have so many more games the first game is not as significant as the first game in the NFL. The NFL has lately spared no expense in putting on a show three hours before games to make the fan experience amazing. The games may be so great but it is probably the only time all season a bad team has an actual chance of stealing a game because of pre season football rust. The ring ceremony in the defending champions stadium inspires performance. The ring ceremonies in the other sports are long and tedious. We are know the affect of seeing the trophy being brought on the field. I know the season is 17 weeks long in the NFL but every loss is magnified. Teams are jockeying for playoff positions from the beginning of the year. Think about how last year finished in the AFC. There were 6 teams still vying for a playoff spot on the last day of the season because of random losses that teams suffered to teams with similar records. Three teams from the AFC North made the playoffs last year because they beat up on teams outside of their conference. The NFL is King for a reason!!!
College football and College basketball have unique ways of starting their seasons too. In College football some teams play a winner take all game that could either vault them into national prominence or play a cupcake that helps them work on their offense and defense. For example Michigan playing Alabama was a launch pad game for both. Alabama is now the number 1 team in the land because of its dominance. Oklahoma State defeated Savannah St. 84-0. What could they truly learn ina game like that. Savannah St. took the money and ran. They next play Florida St. for another payday. They need the money because money makes the world go round in all sports right? In College basketball some teams play exhibitions to figure out starting lineups but then play in tournaments to get ready for their conference season. Some tournaments are springboards to a great season and some dont have an affect on a season at all. UCONN won the Maui in 2011 and that launched Kimba Walker as a star and eventual national champion later that season. Duke won the Maui last season and even beat national runner up Kansas in the final, but it meant very little for their regular season. Still just hear Dick Vitale getting excited or hearing Brent Musberger say " You are Looking Live" gets the hair standing on my neck.
The Big Four sports try to turn their opening nights into an event. They invite the hottest and most popular acts to perform before the games or after. They have fireworks and make the entire game an event. The NFL and NBA try to put out marquee matchups that will make people want to watch because of the importance of the games. Tonight for example, the Giants and Cowboys game is extremely important for both teams. They are in the same division and any edge to the victor is immense. Baseball and Hockey have long seasons and the opening night matchup is more about seeing who is fresh and new than setting a tone for a season. Baseball has the full pageantry of parades and bunting around the stadium. John Madden used to go nuts over how jealous he was that baseball makes opening day a celebration of the sport. Football has caught on because of the times we live in. They honor true heroes in the military or law enforcement and celebrate America's freedom in being able to play these sports because of the sacrifice made by these men and women. Hockey is Canada's game so i appreciate what they do in the Canadien cities.
So what is the answer? The answer for me is Football. Because baseball, basketball and hockey have so many more games the first game is not as significant as the first game in the NFL. The NFL has lately spared no expense in putting on a show three hours before games to make the fan experience amazing. The games may be so great but it is probably the only time all season a bad team has an actual chance of stealing a game because of pre season football rust. The ring ceremony in the defending champions stadium inspires performance. The ring ceremonies in the other sports are long and tedious. We are know the affect of seeing the trophy being brought on the field. I know the season is 17 weeks long in the NFL but every loss is magnified. Teams are jockeying for playoff positions from the beginning of the year. Think about how last year finished in the AFC. There were 6 teams still vying for a playoff spot on the last day of the season because of random losses that teams suffered to teams with similar records. Three teams from the AFC North made the playoffs last year because they beat up on teams outside of their conference. The NFL is King for a reason!!!
Tuesday, September 4, 2012
My favorite month of the year is September..
September 1st is New Years day to me. I feel like the fall months of the calendar year is a time for rejuvenation and rebirth. Enough of that nonsense, the reason why I love September is that College football and pro football commence, MLB pennant races heat up, U.S. Open tennis, and usually there is a great fight to watch. The Nascar season winds down as the NHL gets started. I cannot get enough of sports as you all know and if I had multiple televisons where i stay I would have a game on every channel. This September is no exception. The college football season got off to a crazy start with blowouts, shocking results and Alabama showing us what a defending champ is supposed to do ona neutral field. USC won as well and they really need to get to the title game and save college football. We cannot have a seventh year in a row with a champion coming from the same conference.. It hurts college football because there is no growth in the game. USC plays a completely different style of football than most of the SEC teams and their style of football translates better at the professional level. Every year we keep hearing about pro teams wanting quarterbacks who can run and throw but at the end of each season, the Super bowl champ has quarterback that is pocket passer who can read coverages and pick defenses apart. In fact only Steve Young and Aaron Rodgers who could also pocket pass well, have won super bowls. Both of those qb's run well and could move out of the pocket. Big Ben moves well in the pocket but he is not considered a running quarterback. If you look at SEC football most of the teams run a a form of the Florida Gator offense from the shotgun and depend on their quarterbacks to either run or pass. Geogia and Alabama this year have gone back to a little more traditional offense so they may be the exception. Most of the nation runs that Florida offense. The big difference between the SEC and the rest of the nation is the physical play on the defensive line. When you dont have a fullback to help you block because you are in the shotgun single back set, your plays get blown up in the backfield. Michigan could not get out of the backfield. Alabama and LSU make you play physical football and most schools do not have the schemes to handle these behemoths one on one. So I am rooting harder than i ever to try to get a USC vs. SEC champ title game. Oklahoma showed me nothing on Saturday against UTEP.
The NFL starts with the Cowboys and Giants on Wedsnesday and the Cowboys are banged up and really don't know what to expect. This season will either be a coming out party for new eleite teams or the same stuff different day. I like Houston alot. They have a soft schedule and a team that has a lot build on. Foster, Johnson, Schaub,Daniels have to stay healthy on offense. Wade Phillips has a fast defense who are hungry for a title. The Patriots have the easiest schedule and would crave another shot at the Giants to give Brady his 4th ring. The NFC is loaded. At least 6 teams have the ability to win the title. Packers, Giants, Niners, Saints, Eagles, Falcons, Bears, Lions, Cowboys can win in anyone's stadiums at any time if healthy. Should a wacky season.
The pennant chase in baseball has just gotten interesting. The Yankees are bailing water off of their ship. They are so beat up and hope that returning star players like Arod and Andy Pettite will give them the boost to rejuvenate their season. The Orioles are for real and the Rays have the best pitching. The Angels spent alot of money to get to the post season and succeed. This series with Oakland will is important because they must take care of head to head games in order to gain ground. The Tigers and White Sox just played an epic series where the Tigers earned a sweep. Detroit has the veteran players to get this done based on pitching. The White sox can hit homeruns but can they play to outscore their opponents or out pitch them? The National League the intrigue is just as high. The Dodgers created a Yankee style payroll to win now. They lose to too many bad teams though and I dont think they can get it done. Billingsley was their hottest pitcher and he may be shelved for the season if shot in the arm does not work. Kemp needs to find April's magic and lead this team to the promise land. Nationals are shutting down Strasburg and seemed poised to stay at top of N.L. east. Chipper Jones final month as a Brave will make it interesting as the Braves don't want him to go out a loser. After what happened last year, the Braves are going to make every team earn 27 outs. The Reds are the real deal and if the game goes to bullpen, the game is over. Chapman is a beast. Can you imagine facing a guy who throws 105 miles an hour in cold weather? Ouch babe..
U.S. open tennis is in its final week and Serena and Maria are on a collision course. So are Federer and Djokovic. Andy Roddicks surprise retirement announcement has buoyed ratings but tonight could be his demise. DelPotro hits a big ball and can overpower most opponents. Andy must serve well and steal a few concentration lapse games from Del Potro in order to advance. I will blog about Roddick later this week. Tennis lost Kim Clijsters last week as the young Brit robson showed some flashes of brilliance. Robson also defeated Li Na. Also there are two italian women playing in the quarters for the first time at the U.S. open. Serena is lurking in their quarter if she beat Ivanovic and after winnin 6-0 6-0, in her last match she is driven to reclaim America's prize.
Chad Dawson wants to be a star in boxing, but his fights leave you not wanting to see him fight anymore. He beat Hopkins in an unspired performance but Hopkins is like 50. Sergio Martinez and Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. are about to get it on soon as well and we shall see who is the pound for pound best middleweight is. Martinez is the gold standard but Chavez, Jr. is unbeaten and has grown up right in front of out eyes. Also Jones and Machida will be explosive in MMA. I know everyone wanted Jones to fight Sonnen but this fight will have some great moments.
Denny Hamlins win last week gave him four for the season and he wants this title real bad. The story is whether or not Jeff Gordon or Kyle Busch qualify for the playoffs. This weekend in Texas will be exciting. Gordon had the car last week to win but could not catch Hamlin on the last lap after the restart. Busch has had a quiet season. Normally right now he has had a few wins and has ticked off some other drivers.
Did I mention Golf? The Ryder Cup is in America this time around and Hunter Nahan wants revenge. Mcilroy is number 1 in the world but Tiger is starting to re discover his form on the weekends. Yesterdays perfomance on the final will give him a ton to build on as the season ends. Both are now vying for player of the year honors. Two events left for the Fedex cup.
I COULD TALK ABOUT MORE..
HOCKEY WILL DIE if THEY LOCKOUT THE PLAYERS...
NOW YOU KNOW WHY I lOVE September?
The NFL starts with the Cowboys and Giants on Wedsnesday and the Cowboys are banged up and really don't know what to expect. This season will either be a coming out party for new eleite teams or the same stuff different day. I like Houston alot. They have a soft schedule and a team that has a lot build on. Foster, Johnson, Schaub,Daniels have to stay healthy on offense. Wade Phillips has a fast defense who are hungry for a title. The Patriots have the easiest schedule and would crave another shot at the Giants to give Brady his 4th ring. The NFC is loaded. At least 6 teams have the ability to win the title. Packers, Giants, Niners, Saints, Eagles, Falcons, Bears, Lions, Cowboys can win in anyone's stadiums at any time if healthy. Should a wacky season.
The pennant chase in baseball has just gotten interesting. The Yankees are bailing water off of their ship. They are so beat up and hope that returning star players like Arod and Andy Pettite will give them the boost to rejuvenate their season. The Orioles are for real and the Rays have the best pitching. The Angels spent alot of money to get to the post season and succeed. This series with Oakland will is important because they must take care of head to head games in order to gain ground. The Tigers and White Sox just played an epic series where the Tigers earned a sweep. Detroit has the veteran players to get this done based on pitching. The White sox can hit homeruns but can they play to outscore their opponents or out pitch them? The National League the intrigue is just as high. The Dodgers created a Yankee style payroll to win now. They lose to too many bad teams though and I dont think they can get it done. Billingsley was their hottest pitcher and he may be shelved for the season if shot in the arm does not work. Kemp needs to find April's magic and lead this team to the promise land. Nationals are shutting down Strasburg and seemed poised to stay at top of N.L. east. Chipper Jones final month as a Brave will make it interesting as the Braves don't want him to go out a loser. After what happened last year, the Braves are going to make every team earn 27 outs. The Reds are the real deal and if the game goes to bullpen, the game is over. Chapman is a beast. Can you imagine facing a guy who throws 105 miles an hour in cold weather? Ouch babe..
U.S. open tennis is in its final week and Serena and Maria are on a collision course. So are Federer and Djokovic. Andy Roddicks surprise retirement announcement has buoyed ratings but tonight could be his demise. DelPotro hits a big ball and can overpower most opponents. Andy must serve well and steal a few concentration lapse games from Del Potro in order to advance. I will blog about Roddick later this week. Tennis lost Kim Clijsters last week as the young Brit robson showed some flashes of brilliance. Robson also defeated Li Na. Also there are two italian women playing in the quarters for the first time at the U.S. open. Serena is lurking in their quarter if she beat Ivanovic and after winnin 6-0 6-0, in her last match she is driven to reclaim America's prize.
Chad Dawson wants to be a star in boxing, but his fights leave you not wanting to see him fight anymore. He beat Hopkins in an unspired performance but Hopkins is like 50. Sergio Martinez and Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. are about to get it on soon as well and we shall see who is the pound for pound best middleweight is. Martinez is the gold standard but Chavez, Jr. is unbeaten and has grown up right in front of out eyes. Also Jones and Machida will be explosive in MMA. I know everyone wanted Jones to fight Sonnen but this fight will have some great moments.
Denny Hamlins win last week gave him four for the season and he wants this title real bad. The story is whether or not Jeff Gordon or Kyle Busch qualify for the playoffs. This weekend in Texas will be exciting. Gordon had the car last week to win but could not catch Hamlin on the last lap after the restart. Busch has had a quiet season. Normally right now he has had a few wins and has ticked off some other drivers.
Did I mention Golf? The Ryder Cup is in America this time around and Hunter Nahan wants revenge. Mcilroy is number 1 in the world but Tiger is starting to re discover his form on the weekends. Yesterdays perfomance on the final will give him a ton to build on as the season ends. Both are now vying for player of the year honors. Two events left for the Fedex cup.
I COULD TALK ABOUT MORE..
HOCKEY WILL DIE if THEY LOCKOUT THE PLAYERS...
NOW YOU KNOW WHY I lOVE September?
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