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?
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