Ah, the rules. Everyone has their own ideas about which ones are good, and which ones need to be changed. That's why in this two part series I am going to talk about proposed rule changes and what new rules could be implemented to benefit the NFL. In part 1 (what you're reading now), I'm going to talk about some of the rule changes Roger Goodell has proposed, and at some point in time might be interested in implementing in the league.
Just to let you know, if you love Roger Goodell, support Roger Goodell, or are Roger Goodell, you might not want to read this. Why? Because basically, I think his rules are dumb. Here's why.
1) Expanding regular season to 18 weeks: Here's a clear case of the NFL just wanting to make some money. The players are opposed to this, and they have reason to be. Two more weeks means many more injuries, and in the long term, not much change in overall standings. Is it really going to make that much of a difference if a team goes 9-7 versus 10-8? A team like this will be on the bubble either way. Plus, it adds in more traveling for each team. There really isn't a huge issue with the way the season is set up currently. A few more games might be nice from a fan's perspective, but the wear and tear on the players is too much.
2) Expanding playoffs to 14 teams: Again, all I see in this is $$$. All this would do is make it easier to get into the playoffs, making the league less competitive and more about just being decent, rather than good. At this point, teams are rewarded for mediocrity. In the current system, we still have teams making the playoffs with .500 records, or even losing records (see 2011 Seahawks). We don't need to change the system. Plus, three wild cards just seems odd to me. In addition, I like the fact that two teams get byes in each conference. Lastly, isn't the problem we all have with the NBA playoffs how every year a couple teams in the east make the playoffs with a 35-47 record because over half of the teams in the NBA make the playoffs? The NFL would be in a very similar situation.
3) Expansion teams in Europe: Seriously? This one might warrant it's own article, it's so bad. Here are just a few reasons why this wouldn't work. Most players are strictly against it and some say they would retire if the NFL had teams in Europe. The NFL International Series games in London hardly got any coverage in English newspapers. There was already a league called NFL Europe that ended in 2007, and wasn't that successful (lost 30 million per season). It makes no sense for travel if their is only one European team, and adding more is extremely difficult. Lastly, it could no longer be called the National Football League. Enough said.
4) Eliminating Kickoffs: This is where things get a little tricky. You probably remember me saying that I don't want to cause unnecessary injuries to players. Actually, this is the reason Goodell primarily states for getting rid of kickoffs. However, the average team kicks the ball off around five times per game (that's about four scores and one to start a half). Additionally, roughly half of kickoffs are touchbacks. So, there are about five kickoffs returned in every NFL game. This takes up about 20-30 seconds of a 60 minute game, and is basically insignificant when it comes to injuries. However, the role of kickoffs are huge. Special teams is 1/3 of the game, and kickoffs are a huge part of special teams. One kickoff return for a touchdown can completely change a game. Just ask the Broncos when they were thinking about a second half comeback in this past Super Bowl. Kickoffs help the game much more than they harm it.
5) Extra Points: There are two potential changes for extra points. One is eliminating them altogether, and making touchdowns worth seven points. The other is moving them back so they are equivalent in distance to a 40-yard field goal. First of all, making them 40-yard field goals is ridiculous, because extra points aren't supposed to be that difficult. What's the point of making one forty-yarder worth three points and one only worth one measly point? Getting rid of them altogether is the most reasonable suggestion, since 98.5% of the time they go in. However, even these plays which may seem automatic can make a huge difference. If you're team has every been up six points in the closing seconds of a game, and the other team is about to score a touchdown, you want to have a chance to block that kick or have the kicker miss it, which would send the game to OT. And who could forget John Carney's 2003 miss that took the Saints out of the playoffs. Please, watch that and tell me we should get rid of extra points.
Well, that's it for part one. I hope you enjoyed reading my opinions on Roger Goodell's proposed rule changes. My personal opinions (part two) should be out within the next few days. What do you think about these proposed changes? Do I have it right or am I way off the mark? All comments and criticisms are welcome.
Thanks for reading,
Connor
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Sunday, July 27, 2014
Tuesday, July 22, 2014
The 6 Biggest Problems with the MLS
Beginning play in 1996, Major League Soccer (MLS) was founded because FIFA made the US promise to establish a soccer league in exchange for the US hosting the 1994 FIFA World Cup. The beginning of the MLS was rough, including losing an estimated $250 million over its first five years. The young league experimented frequently with rules and whether or not to "Americanize" the game with features such as penalty shootouts to break ties and a clock counting down instead of the standard up-counting clock featured in most of the world.
In recent years, the MLS has grown a lot, and there are many reasons for this. For one, the US Mens National Team has performed well on an international level, advancing past the group stage of the World Cup in three of their last four appearances. The "Americanized" rule changes I just mentioned were also eliminated from play in 1999. European players such as David Beckham and Thierry Henry have spent the tail end of their careers in the MLS, trying to help promote the "Beautiful Game" in the States. A huge change, in my opinion, has been the creation of soccer-specific stadiums instead of american football stadiums. This has also led to the addition of expansion franchises in cities that don't have an NFL team.
However, despite all the growth that the MLS has gone through, which I admit is impressive for a sport that until recently had been more of an elementary school sport than a professional one, to this day there are still a variety of problems plaguing the MLS, that if fixed I believe would lead to a better received league with a stronger international reputation along with more domestic fans in the US.
As you will see with the majority of this list, I tend to believe that instead of "Americanizing" the MLS, the league should do everything it can to "Europe-ize." Why? Because Europe has been using a proven system that has worked for a century. Through all this time the major european leagues have already done the trial and error and all big leagues have basically reached the same conclusion about how a league should be set up. Plus, a more familiar league system would draw more international fans, as well as American fans who currently prefer to watch more prestigious leagues, such as the Barclays Premier League, La Liga BBVA, and the Bundesliga.
Here are the six biggest problems with the MLS, along with what I believe are reasonable and effective solutions that would benefit the league.
1) Get Rid of Conferences: What I don't really get is why a two conference system was implemented in the first place. The only real reason must be to create a system more similar to American sports leagues such as the NFL and NBA. However, conference systems work in these leagues because teams play rivals, division, and conference teams more often than other teams, leading these teams to be ranked separately from other teams. In soccer, each team plays every other team home and away, which means there is no real use for conferences but to complicate the process of ranking teams. For instance, Portland Timbers, who are seventh in the eastern conference, have just as many points as New York Red Bulls, fourth place in the western conference. Also, the conferences have an uneven number of teams since the league is still expanding and has 19 teams, unlike the even number used by most of the world.
2) No Playoffs: Again, soccer is just one of those sports where it is custom to not have a playoff. The best team during the regular season wins, and the spots that would be playoff spots go to spots in things such as the Champions League. The teams that finish in the bottom of the league get relegated. In most sports, teams don't play home and away against every team which is why it is necessary to give the best teams a chance to prove their superiority over teams they don't typically play. Just like the problems with conferences, the scheduling of soccer just doesn't suit the idea of playoffs, as every team faces the same competition in the regular season, so the regular season standings should make it clear who the best teams are.
3) Transfer Window Problems: One big problem with American soccer in general is that while most leagues are truly are global leagues, with dozens of countries being represented, very few Americans play in Europe and very few non-North American players play in the MLS. One big reason behind is the transfer window. Every league that follows FIFA regulations has an up to 12 week window where players are eligible to be traded and loaned out to other teams, along with an up to four week window during the season which follows the same rules. The problem is that the MLS' transfer window doesn't line up with that of most major leagues, which makes it extremely difficult for MLS players to move to Europe and vice-versa. This could be switched by over the course of a few years slowly modifying the season start and end times so that over time the transfer window can match most big european leagues.
4) Include Promotion/Relegation and Create a Fixed League Size: MLS has been rapidly expanding since its creation, and have added four teams since 2010, growing the league size to 19 teams. Most leagues cap off at 18-20 teams worldwide. Some leagues have up to 24 teams, but these leagues such as the FL Championship, are not top tier leagues. The MLS is set to grow to 21 teams next season, and a 22nd team has been given to Atlanta to join in 2017. Miami seems to also be in the process of being awarded an expansion team which would grow the league to 23 teams. With so many teams joining, questions must be asked about the intentions of the league and where we will cap off. Is the MLS trying to create a 30-team league used by the likes of the NBA, MLB, and NHL? This system would create many problems with scheduling, and would jeopardize the reputation of the league, in my opinion. The smart move would be to grow to attempt to at some point in time, branch out into 2 tiers, and implement the promotion and relegation system that has worked so well worldwide. For one, it ends the practice of tanking, as such actions would lead to a demotion or relegation into a second tier league. This increases competition in the league, and allows for domestic cups such as the F.A. Cup system in England. England should be used as a guide for this expansion process, as the English Football League system is comprised of around 7000 teams and 24 levels, even including multiple leagues on many levels.
5) Establish Youth Academies: A main part of the player development in the world is through the process of youth academies, where kids, sometimes still elementary school aged that have potential are guided through their growth by professional clubs in hope of one day being good enough to be promoted to the professional team. Instead, the MLS opts for a draft where the best college players are drafted to MLS teams. This hurts player growth because by the time players begin playing professional soccer, they are 22 years old, many years are wasted that now have to be spent developing the players. By the time they are 25-26 years old, they don't have as high a ceiling and are less valuable. In international leagues, top players are promoted between the ages of 16 and 19, and are typically loaned out to lower level teams to get valuable professional experience so that they can become ready to play top level soccer for some of the best teams in the world. MLS players drafted out of college don't get the experience of being groomed into the systems of top teams or gaining professional experience at a young age.
6) The Lack of Big Name Teams and Rivalries: Much of this has to do with the fact that the MLS as a league is very young and simply hasn't had the time to develop real big name teams such as European greats like FC Barcelona, FC Bayern Munich and Manchester United. The rivalries such as FC Barcelona vs Real Madrid, and Manchester United vs Manchester City do not exist. In american football terms, there is no New York Giants vs Philadelphia Eagles, or Chicago Bears vs Green Bay Packers. MLS doesn't have a legacy where when a fan goes to a game they know the teams have bad blood and even if the teams are struggling, this game is valued more than any other. Unfortunately, there is no simple solution to fixing this besides time. Rivalries have to be created by players, such as the Magic Johnson's Lakers vs. Larry Bird's Celtics rivalries, and are sustained over time. The MLS will see its popularity rise if it can create a rivalry anywhere near some of the greatest rivalries in sports.
Overall, I'm proud of what the MLS has done, as it is slowly but surely becoming a more recognizable league. I just want it to keep improving so that more people will become interested in the league so that over time the MLS and North American soccer will grow to rival that of the biggest soccer nations in the world. And that will only happen if the MLS makes some much needed changes.
What do you think? Should the MLS moving to a more European system or should it continue to experiment with new ways of organizing a professional soccer league? Any comments and opinions are welcome.
Thanks for reading,
Connor
In recent years, the MLS has grown a lot, and there are many reasons for this. For one, the US Mens National Team has performed well on an international level, advancing past the group stage of the World Cup in three of their last four appearances. The "Americanized" rule changes I just mentioned were also eliminated from play in 1999. European players such as David Beckham and Thierry Henry have spent the tail end of their careers in the MLS, trying to help promote the "Beautiful Game" in the States. A huge change, in my opinion, has been the creation of soccer-specific stadiums instead of american football stadiums. This has also led to the addition of expansion franchises in cities that don't have an NFL team.
However, despite all the growth that the MLS has gone through, which I admit is impressive for a sport that until recently had been more of an elementary school sport than a professional one, to this day there are still a variety of problems plaguing the MLS, that if fixed I believe would lead to a better received league with a stronger international reputation along with more domestic fans in the US.
As you will see with the majority of this list, I tend to believe that instead of "Americanizing" the MLS, the league should do everything it can to "Europe-ize." Why? Because Europe has been using a proven system that has worked for a century. Through all this time the major european leagues have already done the trial and error and all big leagues have basically reached the same conclusion about how a league should be set up. Plus, a more familiar league system would draw more international fans, as well as American fans who currently prefer to watch more prestigious leagues, such as the Barclays Premier League, La Liga BBVA, and the Bundesliga.
Here are the six biggest problems with the MLS, along with what I believe are reasonable and effective solutions that would benefit the league.
1) Get Rid of Conferences: What I don't really get is why a two conference system was implemented in the first place. The only real reason must be to create a system more similar to American sports leagues such as the NFL and NBA. However, conference systems work in these leagues because teams play rivals, division, and conference teams more often than other teams, leading these teams to be ranked separately from other teams. In soccer, each team plays every other team home and away, which means there is no real use for conferences but to complicate the process of ranking teams. For instance, Portland Timbers, who are seventh in the eastern conference, have just as many points as New York Red Bulls, fourth place in the western conference. Also, the conferences have an uneven number of teams since the league is still expanding and has 19 teams, unlike the even number used by most of the world.
2) No Playoffs: Again, soccer is just one of those sports where it is custom to not have a playoff. The best team during the regular season wins, and the spots that would be playoff spots go to spots in things such as the Champions League. The teams that finish in the bottom of the league get relegated. In most sports, teams don't play home and away against every team which is why it is necessary to give the best teams a chance to prove their superiority over teams they don't typically play. Just like the problems with conferences, the scheduling of soccer just doesn't suit the idea of playoffs, as every team faces the same competition in the regular season, so the regular season standings should make it clear who the best teams are.
3) Transfer Window Problems: One big problem with American soccer in general is that while most leagues are truly are global leagues, with dozens of countries being represented, very few Americans play in Europe and very few non-North American players play in the MLS. One big reason behind is the transfer window. Every league that follows FIFA regulations has an up to 12 week window where players are eligible to be traded and loaned out to other teams, along with an up to four week window during the season which follows the same rules. The problem is that the MLS' transfer window doesn't line up with that of most major leagues, which makes it extremely difficult for MLS players to move to Europe and vice-versa. This could be switched by over the course of a few years slowly modifying the season start and end times so that over time the transfer window can match most big european leagues.
4) Include Promotion/Relegation and Create a Fixed League Size: MLS has been rapidly expanding since its creation, and have added four teams since 2010, growing the league size to 19 teams. Most leagues cap off at 18-20 teams worldwide. Some leagues have up to 24 teams, but these leagues such as the FL Championship, are not top tier leagues. The MLS is set to grow to 21 teams next season, and a 22nd team has been given to Atlanta to join in 2017. Miami seems to also be in the process of being awarded an expansion team which would grow the league to 23 teams. With so many teams joining, questions must be asked about the intentions of the league and where we will cap off. Is the MLS trying to create a 30-team league used by the likes of the NBA, MLB, and NHL? This system would create many problems with scheduling, and would jeopardize the reputation of the league, in my opinion. The smart move would be to grow to attempt to at some point in time, branch out into 2 tiers, and implement the promotion and relegation system that has worked so well worldwide. For one, it ends the practice of tanking, as such actions would lead to a demotion or relegation into a second tier league. This increases competition in the league, and allows for domestic cups such as the F.A. Cup system in England. England should be used as a guide for this expansion process, as the English Football League system is comprised of around 7000 teams and 24 levels, even including multiple leagues on many levels.
5) Establish Youth Academies: A main part of the player development in the world is through the process of youth academies, where kids, sometimes still elementary school aged that have potential are guided through their growth by professional clubs in hope of one day being good enough to be promoted to the professional team. Instead, the MLS opts for a draft where the best college players are drafted to MLS teams. This hurts player growth because by the time players begin playing professional soccer, they are 22 years old, many years are wasted that now have to be spent developing the players. By the time they are 25-26 years old, they don't have as high a ceiling and are less valuable. In international leagues, top players are promoted between the ages of 16 and 19, and are typically loaned out to lower level teams to get valuable professional experience so that they can become ready to play top level soccer for some of the best teams in the world. MLS players drafted out of college don't get the experience of being groomed into the systems of top teams or gaining professional experience at a young age.
6) The Lack of Big Name Teams and Rivalries: Much of this has to do with the fact that the MLS as a league is very young and simply hasn't had the time to develop real big name teams such as European greats like FC Barcelona, FC Bayern Munich and Manchester United. The rivalries such as FC Barcelona vs Real Madrid, and Manchester United vs Manchester City do not exist. In american football terms, there is no New York Giants vs Philadelphia Eagles, or Chicago Bears vs Green Bay Packers. MLS doesn't have a legacy where when a fan goes to a game they know the teams have bad blood and even if the teams are struggling, this game is valued more than any other. Unfortunately, there is no simple solution to fixing this besides time. Rivalries have to be created by players, such as the Magic Johnson's Lakers vs. Larry Bird's Celtics rivalries, and are sustained over time. The MLS will see its popularity rise if it can create a rivalry anywhere near some of the greatest rivalries in sports.
Overall, I'm proud of what the MLS has done, as it is slowly but surely becoming a more recognizable league. I just want it to keep improving so that more people will become interested in the league so that over time the MLS and North American soccer will grow to rival that of the biggest soccer nations in the world. And that will only happen if the MLS makes some much needed changes.
What do you think? Should the MLS moving to a more European system or should it continue to experiment with new ways of organizing a professional soccer league? Any comments and opinions are welcome.
Thanks for reading,
Connor
Sunday, July 20, 2014
Rory McIlroy's and His Dad Score Big Paydays Despite Mediocre Final Round
Ten years ago, when Rory McIlroy was fifteen years old, his dad made a bet. He bet 400 pounds that his son would win the Open Championship before he turned 26 years old. The odds on that bet were 500-1, because honestly who wouldn't take that bet? It probably seemed like a father with some crazy hopes and dreams for his kid. Now Rory McIlroy is 25, and today was his last chance to win the bet for his dad. He entered the final round of this year's third major, the Open Championship, with a six stroke lead garnered through an incredible -16 performance over the first three days of the tournament. A win would give his dad 200,000 pounds and a great story to share.
Tiger Woods wouldn't be an issue. After a respectable three under par first round, the former best player in the world struggled for the remaining three days, finishing +6 and in 69th place. He just hasn't looked the same in the past few years and despite the sizable number of Tiger believers left, I don't think he ever really returns to his former self, let alone pass Jack Nicklaus for most majors all-time.
The main competitors seemed to be Rickie Fowler, who surprised no one by wearing orange today, and the forever runner-up Sergio Garcia. From the beginning of the round, it was evident today wouldn't be a walk in the park for Rory. Through six holes, Sergio Garcia had come from behind by seven strokes to three. Garcia birdied three of the first six holes, moving up to -12, where McIlroy fell from -16 to -15.
It was the easiest day on the week on the course as a whole, and many players were able to shoot -5 or better on the day, including -7s by Jim Furyk, Marc Leishman, and Shane Lowry who all finished in the top 10, as well as Chris Wood. Holes 16 and 18 had more birdies than pars, even.
For most of the back nine the story was the same, and Rory McIlroy held a three shot lead. At times it looked like McIlroy was in a bit of trouble, but Rickie Fowler failed to hit a few crucial fairways and greens, while Sergio Garcia took two shots to get out of the bunker on hole 15.
In the end Rory McIlroy, at -17, won by two strokes over Garcia and Fowler, with Jim Furyk at -13 and Australians Marc Leishman and Adam Scott at -12. Phil Mickelson had a decent week finishing 23rd at -5.
With this win, McIlroy becomes only the 7th golfer to win the Open Championship wire to wire, leading at the end of every round with no ties. He is also the third youngest golfer to win three major titles, only trailing all-time major leaders Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods. Oh, and Rory and his dad win a total of just over 2,000,000 US dollars if you convert pounds to dollars.
I guess this round goes to show how hard it is to win a golf tournament, especially a major when trailing by at least six shots coming into the final day. Rory McIlroy didn't have a great day, but he made up for it on the first three days.
Thanks for reading,
Connor
Tiger Woods wouldn't be an issue. After a respectable three under par first round, the former best player in the world struggled for the remaining three days, finishing +6 and in 69th place. He just hasn't looked the same in the past few years and despite the sizable number of Tiger believers left, I don't think he ever really returns to his former self, let alone pass Jack Nicklaus for most majors all-time.
The main competitors seemed to be Rickie Fowler, who surprised no one by wearing orange today, and the forever runner-up Sergio Garcia. From the beginning of the round, it was evident today wouldn't be a walk in the park for Rory. Through six holes, Sergio Garcia had come from behind by seven strokes to three. Garcia birdied three of the first six holes, moving up to -12, where McIlroy fell from -16 to -15.
It was the easiest day on the week on the course as a whole, and many players were able to shoot -5 or better on the day, including -7s by Jim Furyk, Marc Leishman, and Shane Lowry who all finished in the top 10, as well as Chris Wood. Holes 16 and 18 had more birdies than pars, even.
For most of the back nine the story was the same, and Rory McIlroy held a three shot lead. At times it looked like McIlroy was in a bit of trouble, but Rickie Fowler failed to hit a few crucial fairways and greens, while Sergio Garcia took two shots to get out of the bunker on hole 15.
In the end Rory McIlroy, at -17, won by two strokes over Garcia and Fowler, with Jim Furyk at -13 and Australians Marc Leishman and Adam Scott at -12. Phil Mickelson had a decent week finishing 23rd at -5.
With this win, McIlroy becomes only the 7th golfer to win the Open Championship wire to wire, leading at the end of every round with no ties. He is also the third youngest golfer to win three major titles, only trailing all-time major leaders Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods. Oh, and Rory and his dad win a total of just over 2,000,000 US dollars if you convert pounds to dollars.
I guess this round goes to show how hard it is to win a golf tournament, especially a major when trailing by at least six shots coming into the final day. Rory McIlroy didn't have a great day, but he made up for it on the first three days.
Thanks for reading,
Connor
Wednesday, July 16, 2014
Filling Out my ESPYs Ballot
Tonight is the 22nd annual ESPY awards, the awards show for excellence in sport. To celebrate, I've decided to take a crack at the ballot and see who I'd pick to win each award.
*Disclaimer: I don't predict every award, because I feel I don't know enough to vote intelligently on all categories, such as athletes with disabilities. I do vote for most categories, however.
Best Male Athlete: This one was a close call between Kevin Durant and Peyton Manning, but in terms of setting records I'll give it to Peyton.
Best Female Athlete: I'm giving this one to Minnesota Lynx guard Maya Moore, the WNBA Finals MVP for all the contributions she made to the best team in the WNBA.
Best Moment: Mariano Rivera's final game is my pick, seeing as the US defeat over Ghana was just a group stage match, and Kevin Durant's MVP speech wasn't even really a sports moment. I imagine next year I'll be choosing Derek Jeter's final game.
Best Team: This choice seemed difficult at first, considering how many champions there are to choose from, but after eliminating the college teams and LA Kings (only third in their division in the regular season), I went with the Seattle Seahawks because of their incredible defense that killed the Broncos in the Super Bowl.
Best Comeback Athlete: Here I was down to Russell Westbrook and Sidney Crosby, based on their season performance rather than one good game. I went with Crosby for leading the NHL in points.
Best Breakthrough Athlete: I decided on Masahiro Tanaka in this category because I feel he has the best chance of al the candidates to become an all-time great someday.
Best Championship Performance: Kawhi Leonard was the easy choice for me for how he completely turned the series around in games 3-5.
Best Game: This one was a no-brainer for me. A NFL playoff game with 89 points and a 28 point comeback? Colts vs. Chiefs gets the vote.
Best Upset: While Mercer beating Duke was nice, Duke is upset prone and the real underdogs of the NCAA tourney were UCONN, winning March Madness as a 7-seed.
Best NFL Player: Same as my best athlete, Peyton.
Best NBA Player: In a close one between LeBron and KD, I decided to pick the reigning MVP, as these awards are just about last season. Kevin Durant's the pick.
Best MLB Player: I find it incredible what Clayton Kershaw's been able to do over the last two years. Best pitcher in the game by far, and I think best player as well. Heck, he's even batting above the Mendoza line at .226 right now!
Best NHL Player: I'll go with the points leader, Sidney Crosby, simple enough.
Best Driver: Jimmie Johnson is making history every season, and now has six titles. I don't think there's a more worthy candidate.
Best Coach: Come on, it just has to be Gregg Popovich after this past NBA playoffs. And best of all, he's coming back next year with Tim Duncan.
Best MLS Player: I mean, seriously, why vote against the MVP. You kind of win that award for a reason! Mike Magee of Chicago Fire gets my pick.
Best International Athlete: I'm going for Rafael Nadal in this one, for winning his thirteenth and fourteenth majors. Sorry Ronaldo, looks like you can't win everything. I even think I put him behind Inbee Park and Sebastian Vettel in this category.
Best WNBA Player: Again I'm taking the MVP. I'm not going to choose against who has been crowned best player already. Candace Parker is my choice.
Best Male Golfer: Adam Scott's got my vote, as he is extremely consistent and always feels within range of winning tournaments, especially majors.
Best Female Golfer: Inbee Park won three of the four majors, is ranked #1 in the world, and won player of the year honors. Tough call, huh?
Best Male Tennis Player: Here's the deal. Novak Djokovic wasn't nominated for best international athlete, although I may have chosen him there. He gets my vote for this award, however, as I was extremely influenced by this year's Wimbledon. (Plus Nadal wasn't too good in that).
Best Female Tennis Player: Who am I to vote against an all-time great with 17 majors? Serena Williams was a dominant player this past year again and deserves this award.
Best Male College Athlete: My pick goes to National Champion and Heisman winner Jameis Winston, lobster thief or not.
Best Female College Athlete: If you watched UConn's women's team, I don't think you can vote against Breanna Stewart, who led a perfect 40-0 team to the title.
Best Play: The Davis FG return in the Alabama - Auburn game is definitely my top play of the year. Just the unlikeliness of this happening and how much it meant for Auburn was enough, but it also knocked out Alabama from title contention, perhaps ending a dynasty.
*Disclaimer: I don't predict every award, because I feel I don't know enough to vote intelligently on all categories, such as athletes with disabilities. I do vote for most categories, however.
Best Male Athlete: This one was a close call between Kevin Durant and Peyton Manning, but in terms of setting records I'll give it to Peyton.
Best Female Athlete: I'm giving this one to Minnesota Lynx guard Maya Moore, the WNBA Finals MVP for all the contributions she made to the best team in the WNBA.
Best Moment: Mariano Rivera's final game is my pick, seeing as the US defeat over Ghana was just a group stage match, and Kevin Durant's MVP speech wasn't even really a sports moment. I imagine next year I'll be choosing Derek Jeter's final game.
Best Team: This choice seemed difficult at first, considering how many champions there are to choose from, but after eliminating the college teams and LA Kings (only third in their division in the regular season), I went with the Seattle Seahawks because of their incredible defense that killed the Broncos in the Super Bowl.
Best Comeback Athlete: Here I was down to Russell Westbrook and Sidney Crosby, based on their season performance rather than one good game. I went with Crosby for leading the NHL in points.
Best Breakthrough Athlete: I decided on Masahiro Tanaka in this category because I feel he has the best chance of al the candidates to become an all-time great someday.
Best Championship Performance: Kawhi Leonard was the easy choice for me for how he completely turned the series around in games 3-5.
Best Game: This one was a no-brainer for me. A NFL playoff game with 89 points and a 28 point comeback? Colts vs. Chiefs gets the vote.
Best Upset: While Mercer beating Duke was nice, Duke is upset prone and the real underdogs of the NCAA tourney were UCONN, winning March Madness as a 7-seed.
Best NFL Player: Same as my best athlete, Peyton.
Best NBA Player: In a close one between LeBron and KD, I decided to pick the reigning MVP, as these awards are just about last season. Kevin Durant's the pick.
Best MLB Player: I find it incredible what Clayton Kershaw's been able to do over the last two years. Best pitcher in the game by far, and I think best player as well. Heck, he's even batting above the Mendoza line at .226 right now!
Best NHL Player: I'll go with the points leader, Sidney Crosby, simple enough.
Best Driver: Jimmie Johnson is making history every season, and now has six titles. I don't think there's a more worthy candidate.
Best Coach: Come on, it just has to be Gregg Popovich after this past NBA playoffs. And best of all, he's coming back next year with Tim Duncan.
Best MLS Player: I mean, seriously, why vote against the MVP. You kind of win that award for a reason! Mike Magee of Chicago Fire gets my pick.
Best International Athlete: I'm going for Rafael Nadal in this one, for winning his thirteenth and fourteenth majors. Sorry Ronaldo, looks like you can't win everything. I even think I put him behind Inbee Park and Sebastian Vettel in this category.
Best WNBA Player: Again I'm taking the MVP. I'm not going to choose against who has been crowned best player already. Candace Parker is my choice.
Best Male Golfer: Adam Scott's got my vote, as he is extremely consistent and always feels within range of winning tournaments, especially majors.
Best Female Golfer: Inbee Park won three of the four majors, is ranked #1 in the world, and won player of the year honors. Tough call, huh?
Best Male Tennis Player: Here's the deal. Novak Djokovic wasn't nominated for best international athlete, although I may have chosen him there. He gets my vote for this award, however, as I was extremely influenced by this year's Wimbledon. (Plus Nadal wasn't too good in that).
Best Female Tennis Player: Who am I to vote against an all-time great with 17 majors? Serena Williams was a dominant player this past year again and deserves this award.
Best Male College Athlete: My pick goes to National Champion and Heisman winner Jameis Winston, lobster thief or not.
Best Female College Athlete: If you watched UConn's women's team, I don't think you can vote against Breanna Stewart, who led a perfect 40-0 team to the title.
Best Play: The Davis FG return in the Alabama - Auburn game is definitely my top play of the year. Just the unlikeliness of this happening and how much it meant for Auburn was enough, but it also knocked out Alabama from title contention, perhaps ending a dynasty.
Sunday, July 13, 2014
World Cup FINAL Prediction
32 teams started on a quest for greatness 31 days ago. 30 have fallen. Only two remain, and these two teams - Germany and Argentina - now have a chance to play the most important game of their lives. This one game will decide the fate of two nations' hopes and dreams, and may even define legacies.
Argentina is trying to pull off the greatest win in their nation' history by winning the World Cup on the home soil of their biggest rival, Brazil. Leading the way is the best player in the world, Lionel Messi, who could become one of the all-time greats with this precious accolade. This game may put him on Maradona level. But it hasn't been just Messi. The whole team has played incredible. In the three knockout round games so far, Argentina has not conceded a single goal. Angel di Maria scored in the 1-0 win over Switzerland, Gonzalo Higuain was the hero in the 1-0 defeat of Belgium, and Argentina took down the Netherlands on penalties. I also believe Javier Mascherano has been incredible in playing both as a defender and as an attacker.
Germany looks like an unstoppable force. What else is there to say after the 7-1 thrashing of Brazil a few days ago? Their midfield is the best in the world and it just isn't even close. The brilliant display of passing against Brazil was something I may not see for a long time to come. Even when a player had a shot where they'd score about 50% of the time, they made a pass to someone with a 75% shot, who would make a pass to someone with a 100% chance, because by that time Julio Cesar was out of goal. Not to mention they have Manuel Neuer, the best goalkeeper in the world. It's going to be tough scoring against them. Thomas Muller might be the player of the World Cup, and players like Sami Khedira and Toni Kroos provide excellent attacking options. Even players like Andre Schurrle can come off the bench and manage to score goals with ease.
So what's the prediction for this one? A possession game from Germany with slow, build up play, and Argentina trying to capitalize on the counter attack with some of the best forwards the world has to offer. I expect it to be intense, but in the end I believe Die Maanschaft prevails. Germany 2 - Argentina 1.
Saturday, July 12, 2014
NASCAR's Sprint Cup Playoff System Rewards Luck, Not Consistency
*Disclaimer: This post, while sometimes using the term NASCAR, is specifically talking about NASCAR's Sprint Cup Series.
NASCAR, whether you think it's a sport or not, is currently the 4th favorite sport in the US, according to an annual Harris Poll most recently done in January of this year. Despite this surprising finding, I believe it ranks last place of all sports in determining who makes the playoffs.
Now I admit that NASCAR faces a harder decision than most main sports do, because most team sports base performance on a record of wins and losses, where the teams with the best records make the playoffs, or in most soccer leagues win the league itself. NASCAR can't use a system of wins and losses, because even if there are people working together, such as a driver, crew chief, and pit crew, and "teams" such as Hendrick Motorsports and Roush Fenway Racing, they don't go up against one opponent at a time.
For the majority of the "modern age of NASCAR" which started in 1972, when what is now the Sprint Cup Series was called the Winston Cup Series, the scoring system, while slight changes were occasionally made, worked like this. Regardless of race length or prize money, there would be a standardized point system in which every place finisher would receiver a certain number of points, encouraging serious title contenders to run in all races. The driver with the most points at the end of the season was crowned champion. This was, in my opinion, the correct way for a season to be run. The most points means best racer, and that person wins. It couldn't be simpler.
This changed when the Sprint Cup was born in 2004, along with the "Chase for the Sprint Cup", a ten race playoff following a 26 race regular season. The way of running the Chase has changed over the years, beginning with a still viable system of the top 10 drivers in points qualifying to win the Sprint Cup. In this format, all racers would race ten more racers, adding on to their regular season point totals, and after 36 races the driver out of the 10 who qualified with the most points would win the title. I would've still been fine with this.
Then in the coming years, many slight changes occurred. These included expanding the chase field, adjusting points standings entering the chase by which drivers had the most wins, and adding in wild card spots for racers who didn't finish high enough in points to make the Chase but had still one races in the regular season. If you're confused, I don't blame you. It's not the most easy to understand system, and a flawed one they're obviously still trying to figure out. But moving on, here's the current system, implemented this year.
The fifteen drivers with the most wins are automatically in the chase, and the sixteenth and final spot given to the driver with the most points without a win. Again, these are the only drivers eligible to win the Sprint Cup in the 10 race Chase. Once the drivers are in the chase, a PGA style Fedex Points-like system is implemented, where after three races, the field is cut to 12. After three more, the field cut to 8, and to 4 after three more, culminating in a final race where the driver that finishes highest out of the remaining four drivers wins the Sprint Cup.
What were they thinking? So basically at this point, as long as a driver gets one win during the season, they're practically making the Chase. This leads to all kinds of problems, like for instance Kurt Busch currently in the Chase with a win, despite the fact that a whole ten drivers outside of the Chase have more points! And what about the driver with the most points, Jeff Gordon? He's currently in seventh, just because he only has one win, and six drivers have more. What if he didn't have that one win? What if fifteen other drivers had wins? He would go into the sixteenth and final spot as the remaining driver with the most points. But in this scenario, what if the driver with the second most points didn't have a win either? He would miss the Chase. Technically, someone could finish with a top ten in every race of the season, no wins, and with bad enough luck miss the Chase. Not to mention Jamie McMurray, fifth in the Sprint Cup Series in terms of money earned, but out of the Chase.
Here's one more thing I just don't get. What if a driver misses the Chase, but goes on a miracle run in the ten races comprising the Chase, winning seven. He may have the most overall points at the end of the season, but be ineligible for the title.
What's the best way to fix the system? As I said earlier, go back to the basics, the original Winston Cup system. Most points at the end of the season wins. You can still have a 36 race season, but just drop the whole Chase playoffs bit. I know that hurts publicity, and in the long term it hurts money, which is why a deduce this won't happen, but that's unfortunate, because I would much prefer a system that rewards consistency over the course of 36 races than a racer's ability to win one race, or a racer coming into the Chase fifteenth but winning a few races, and in the end the title.
One last thing. You're probably thinking, "Connor what're you doing? Lebron went to Cleveland and you're writing about NASCAR?" Be patient. A "Perspectives" post is coming very soon.
Thanks for reading,
Connor
Thursday, July 10, 2014
$10,000,000 Lawsuit for Sleeping? (This guy's nuts)
Back on April 12th the Yankees were playing the Red Sox. Big rivalry, huh? One of those games that regardless of how good or bad the teams are, is always great to watch just because of all the bad blood between the two teams. It's one of the biggest rivalries in all of sports. Well at least one fan didn't think so. During the live broadcast of the game one of the cameras caught a less than enthusiastic fan sleeping during the fourth inning. Here's a link if you haven't seen it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1FDrcWTSczs
This was funny and all while it happened, but the real joke is what happened a couple days ago. This guy sued ESPN and MLB for not $1,000, $100,000, or $1,000,000, but $10,000,000 - ten million dollars! And for what did he sue? Because the announcers unleashed an "avalanche of disparaging words against him", which led to "substantial injury to his character and reputation" and "mental anguish." Are you serious?
I find so many things wrong with this that I don't really know where to start. How about the fact that he waited three whole months to sue. Why wait so long? Did he expect everyone just to up and forget about it?
Here's my personal biggest issue with what this guy did. Before the lawsuit, everyone just makes a joke about how it was funny that a guy was sleeping. No one could really tell who this guy was, just that he was sleeping Yankees guy. But now, thanks to his dumb lawsuit, the whole world knows who this guy is. In case you didn't know, he's 26 year old Andrew Rector. Congrats, genius - now everyone will know who you are.
Here's another point (and far from the last I've got). Why, if you want to be out of the news, do you make such a ridiculous and unwarranted lawsuit? He sued for being shown on TV, and now all he just did was put him all over the TV and the internet, now for an even worse reason than sleeping at a baseball game.
Do I need to bring up how much money he sued for again? Oh yeah, TEN MILLION. Maybe a few of his friends made some jokes, but really? He claims to be criticized and harassed everywhere he goes. Now, three months later, we're supposed to believe his life is a living hell? I wouldn't've thought it was even three days after the incident. Why on Earth does this guy need so much money? I can't really think of anything that could've happened that would warrant him suing for near that much money.
Now on to the actual reasons he doesn't have a case. First of all, the commentators made a few jokes, but no real foul language was used and there was no bad intentions. Seriously, there really wasn't anything mean said on air, it was more shock from the announcers that a fan at a Yanks-Sox game could be sleeping through a game. The announcers make more sense than Rector. Who does sleep at a baseball game? I know baseball can seem like a boring sport on TV, but it's not bad to watch in a stadium. Just the fact that this guy could've slept through a homer is enough to make any baseball fan a little sick to his stomach.
By the way, the real legal issue here is that when you buy a ticket you consent to potentially having your actions in captured on camera and potentially shown on TV. That alone destroys any possible bits of an argument this guy has.
ESPN has released a statement saying there is no merit to any of the claims stated in the lawsuit which officially lists the defendant as Major League Baseball.
I'm going to finish with a few more claims of what Proctor says the announcer called him. Apparently, he was described as not worthy to be a Yankees fan, a fat cow, a symbol of failure, and a confused individual that doesn't understand baseball or the Yanks-Sox rivalry. Try to find any of that in the video. Basically, this guy needs some serious help if he believes this one minute video is worthy of a ten million dollar lawsuit. It surprises me that his lawyer and mother both defend his side of this story.
Thanks for reading,
Connor
This was funny and all while it happened, but the real joke is what happened a couple days ago. This guy sued ESPN and MLB for not $1,000, $100,000, or $1,000,000, but $10,000,000 - ten million dollars! And for what did he sue? Because the announcers unleashed an "avalanche of disparaging words against him", which led to "substantial injury to his character and reputation" and "mental anguish." Are you serious?
I find so many things wrong with this that I don't really know where to start. How about the fact that he waited three whole months to sue. Why wait so long? Did he expect everyone just to up and forget about it?
Here's my personal biggest issue with what this guy did. Before the lawsuit, everyone just makes a joke about how it was funny that a guy was sleeping. No one could really tell who this guy was, just that he was sleeping Yankees guy. But now, thanks to his dumb lawsuit, the whole world knows who this guy is. In case you didn't know, he's 26 year old Andrew Rector. Congrats, genius - now everyone will know who you are.
Here's another point (and far from the last I've got). Why, if you want to be out of the news, do you make such a ridiculous and unwarranted lawsuit? He sued for being shown on TV, and now all he just did was put him all over the TV and the internet, now for an even worse reason than sleeping at a baseball game.
Do I need to bring up how much money he sued for again? Oh yeah, TEN MILLION. Maybe a few of his friends made some jokes, but really? He claims to be criticized and harassed everywhere he goes. Now, three months later, we're supposed to believe his life is a living hell? I wouldn't've thought it was even three days after the incident. Why on Earth does this guy need so much money? I can't really think of anything that could've happened that would warrant him suing for near that much money.
Now on to the actual reasons he doesn't have a case. First of all, the commentators made a few jokes, but no real foul language was used and there was no bad intentions. Seriously, there really wasn't anything mean said on air, it was more shock from the announcers that a fan at a Yanks-Sox game could be sleeping through a game. The announcers make more sense than Rector. Who does sleep at a baseball game? I know baseball can seem like a boring sport on TV, but it's not bad to watch in a stadium. Just the fact that this guy could've slept through a homer is enough to make any baseball fan a little sick to his stomach.
By the way, the real legal issue here is that when you buy a ticket you consent to potentially having your actions in captured on camera and potentially shown on TV. That alone destroys any possible bits of an argument this guy has.
ESPN has released a statement saying there is no merit to any of the claims stated in the lawsuit which officially lists the defendant as Major League Baseball.
I'm going to finish with a few more claims of what Proctor says the announcer called him. Apparently, he was described as not worthy to be a Yankees fan, a fat cow, a symbol of failure, and a confused individual that doesn't understand baseball or the Yanks-Sox rivalry. Try to find any of that in the video. Basically, this guy needs some serious help if he believes this one minute video is worthy of a ten million dollar lawsuit. It surprises me that his lawyer and mother both defend his side of this story.
Thanks for reading,
Connor
Tuesday, July 8, 2014
Brazil vs. Germany HALFTIME Reaction: Oh. My. God.
I am writing this during halftime. I have fifteen minutes to try to express to you how confused I am, how excited I am, and what has just happened. Disclaimer: this could get crazy.
This kind of game comes once in a lifetime. I don't think I am wrong when I say that this is the most unexpected result in World Cup history. Forget leaving with pride, there's just no chance. Brazil has fallen flat, and the losses of Neymar, but more importantly Thiago Silva, who is serving his yellow card ban, has destroyed this team. In their own country, they have been completely thrashed. Destroyed. Killed. Made to look like fools. This Brazilian team came out unprepared, and resembled a group of elementary schoolers who schoolyard picked a team during recess. If you would've told me this group had never played with each other or even met each other before, I would believe you. I do not hesitate to say that I believe the worst ranked team in FIFA, Turks and Caicos, would be playing much, much better.
From the first second of this game you could tell something was very, very wrong. Brazil was disorganized, giving up the ball every time they touched it. Germany had came prepared, fierce, and were by all means ready to play the best game of their lives. Germany's best game was paired with Brazil's worst. Take any game either team has played and make Germany better and Brazil worse. I'm not sure what is to blame for Brazil's catastrophic meltdown. Luiz Felipe Scolari is going to have to give some kind of crazy halftime speech just to keep the deficit at five goals, a goal difference that any team would be embarrassed to see.
There are incredible statistics to show how insane this is. Brazil hadn't allowed 5 goals in an entire World Cup since 1998. They hadn't lost a competitive match in Brazil since 1975. The last time someone scored 5 goals in a semis match was in 1958. Germany just did that in 30 minutes.
The first goal was a perfectly executed corner kick from Thomas Muller. Then I blinked. Then Miroslav Klose made a good run to get into position in the center of the box. Julio Cesar saved the shot, but parried it right back to Klose, who then scored his sixteenth all-time World Cup goal. By the way, congrats on a historic achievement Klose. After that it absolutely fell apart. I blinked, a goal. I blinked, another goal. Brazil just gave up. It was miserable to watch, and I felt genuinely terrible for the players, fans, everyone. Losing two great players makes a difference, but nothing anywhere near this. Germany just kept piling on the pressure, and they kept scoring.
It was a ruthless performance from the Germans, and the faces on the Brazilian players and fans are each worth much more than a thousand words. The total disappointment, heartbreak, shock, and confusion perfectly tells the story of this match so far, and anyone who has watched the game (over 2 billion people I would guess) can agree with me.
There are so many words I can use to describe this match. Romp, domination, destruction, and annihilation are just a few. There is no excuse for carelessly giving the ball away in perfect position for Germany to score. Germany played great, but Brazil didn't provide any resistance. They just sat back and got dominated.
If any Brazilians are reading this, I am sorry. This has been a horrible half, and for you and your country's sakes, I hope they can somehow turn this around.
Thanks for reading,
Connor
This kind of game comes once in a lifetime. I don't think I am wrong when I say that this is the most unexpected result in World Cup history. Forget leaving with pride, there's just no chance. Brazil has fallen flat, and the losses of Neymar, but more importantly Thiago Silva, who is serving his yellow card ban, has destroyed this team. In their own country, they have been completely thrashed. Destroyed. Killed. Made to look like fools. This Brazilian team came out unprepared, and resembled a group of elementary schoolers who schoolyard picked a team during recess. If you would've told me this group had never played with each other or even met each other before, I would believe you. I do not hesitate to say that I believe the worst ranked team in FIFA, Turks and Caicos, would be playing much, much better.
From the first second of this game you could tell something was very, very wrong. Brazil was disorganized, giving up the ball every time they touched it. Germany had came prepared, fierce, and were by all means ready to play the best game of their lives. Germany's best game was paired with Brazil's worst. Take any game either team has played and make Germany better and Brazil worse. I'm not sure what is to blame for Brazil's catastrophic meltdown. Luiz Felipe Scolari is going to have to give some kind of crazy halftime speech just to keep the deficit at five goals, a goal difference that any team would be embarrassed to see.
There are incredible statistics to show how insane this is. Brazil hadn't allowed 5 goals in an entire World Cup since 1998. They hadn't lost a competitive match in Brazil since 1975. The last time someone scored 5 goals in a semis match was in 1958. Germany just did that in 30 minutes.
The first goal was a perfectly executed corner kick from Thomas Muller. Then I blinked. Then Miroslav Klose made a good run to get into position in the center of the box. Julio Cesar saved the shot, but parried it right back to Klose, who then scored his sixteenth all-time World Cup goal. By the way, congrats on a historic achievement Klose. After that it absolutely fell apart. I blinked, a goal. I blinked, another goal. Brazil just gave up. It was miserable to watch, and I felt genuinely terrible for the players, fans, everyone. Losing two great players makes a difference, but nothing anywhere near this. Germany just kept piling on the pressure, and they kept scoring.
It was a ruthless performance from the Germans, and the faces on the Brazilian players and fans are each worth much more than a thousand words. The total disappointment, heartbreak, shock, and confusion perfectly tells the story of this match so far, and anyone who has watched the game (over 2 billion people I would guess) can agree with me.
There are so many words I can use to describe this match. Romp, domination, destruction, and annihilation are just a few. There is no excuse for carelessly giving the ball away in perfect position for Germany to score. Germany played great, but Brazil didn't provide any resistance. They just sat back and got dominated.
If any Brazilians are reading this, I am sorry. This has been a horrible half, and for you and your country's sakes, I hope they can somehow turn this around.
Thanks for reading,
Connor
Monday, July 7, 2014
World Cup Semis Predictions
There are only four teams left in the World Cup, and the next two matches will decide who gets to play for the title. All four teams are definitely qualified and worthy of reaching this position, but two of them will have their dream cut painfully short of the final goal. Here's who I think advances and reaches the final step in the journey.
Brazil vs. Germany: Both of these teams have been dominant, only drawing one game and winning four. Of course the main headline going into this game is the loss of Neymar, the star striker leading the Brazilian attack. Replacing him may be Jo, who had an underwhelming performance as a substitute against Chile. However, Brazil is much more than just one player, which is why this loss doesn't change my opinion of the game. The only problem now is that I didn't have Brazil winning to begin with. Germany is the best team in the world in my opinion, and I love how they are stacked all the way from goalkeeper to striker, even if they go without a striker on occasion. I say Brazil scores on a set piece, but Germany's attacking build up proves too much, maybe even netting Miroslav Klose the goal he needs to set the all time record. Germany 2 - Brazil 1.
Argentina vs. Netherlands: Out of all the teams remaining, the Netherlands is definitely the one people least expected to be here, despite their finals appearance in 2010. Arjen Robben, despite his questionable flopping, has definitely proven his self as one of the best dribblers in the world. They definitely made headlines by substituting Tim Krul for the penalty shootout, which is the first time in the World Cup a goalie has been brought on for penalties. He did his job, saving two penalties, the same amount he's saved in his last twenty tries for Newcastle. Regardless, they moved on in a 0-0 game against Costa Rica. On the other hand, Messi set up a play that led to Gonzalo Higuain scoring the only goal of their game against Belgium, knocking out the dark horses. Messi is now only two games away from going down as one of the all-time greats, winning a World Cup. This game will be incredible, and I'm having a tough time calling it. My money's on Argentina though, regardless of how it happens. Argentina 1 - Netherlands 0.
Brazil vs. Germany: Both of these teams have been dominant, only drawing one game and winning four. Of course the main headline going into this game is the loss of Neymar, the star striker leading the Brazilian attack. Replacing him may be Jo, who had an underwhelming performance as a substitute against Chile. However, Brazil is much more than just one player, which is why this loss doesn't change my opinion of the game. The only problem now is that I didn't have Brazil winning to begin with. Germany is the best team in the world in my opinion, and I love how they are stacked all the way from goalkeeper to striker, even if they go without a striker on occasion. I say Brazil scores on a set piece, but Germany's attacking build up proves too much, maybe even netting Miroslav Klose the goal he needs to set the all time record. Germany 2 - Brazil 1.
Argentina vs. Netherlands: Out of all the teams remaining, the Netherlands is definitely the one people least expected to be here, despite their finals appearance in 2010. Arjen Robben, despite his questionable flopping, has definitely proven his self as one of the best dribblers in the world. They definitely made headlines by substituting Tim Krul for the penalty shootout, which is the first time in the World Cup a goalie has been brought on for penalties. He did his job, saving two penalties, the same amount he's saved in his last twenty tries for Newcastle. Regardless, they moved on in a 0-0 game against Costa Rica. On the other hand, Messi set up a play that led to Gonzalo Higuain scoring the only goal of their game against Belgium, knocking out the dark horses. Messi is now only two games away from going down as one of the all-time greats, winning a World Cup. This game will be incredible, and I'm having a tough time calling it. My money's on Argentina though, regardless of how it happens. Argentina 1 - Netherlands 0.
Friday, July 4, 2014
World Cup Quarterfinals Predictions
I tell you what, this is when things get really interesting, as if they weren't already. In the round of 16 we saw five games go to extra time and two go so far as penalty kicks. In the end, though, every team that won their group defeated a second place team to advance to the quarterfinals, one step closer to their goal, a mere three games away from winning the World Cup. Each of the eight nations remaining will have to leave everything on the pitch and play the best games of their lives to go down in the history books. Here's who I think succeeds and advances to the semifinals.
Netherlands vs Costa Rica: I think it's absolutely incredible how Costa Rica has made it this far. Winning their group, and then beating Greece after going down a man. This team was seriously underrated entering the World Cup. Then again, so was Netherlands. They've score 12 goals in their four games so far, and were able to snag a win against Mexico in stoppage time. It's been a remarkable performance from Costa Rica but they don't have the star power to go past the Netherlands. Netherlands 2, Costa Rica 0
Brazil vs Colombia: This will be a heck of a game. Colombia has played arguably better than any other team so far in this World Cup. Brazil, on the other hand, has been disappointing in my opinion, drawing Mexico and nearly losing to Chile. James Rodriguez will be required to have another fantastic game to continue Colombia's run, and I think he has it in him. Watch out, it could be all over for the hosts. Colombia 2, Brazil 1
Argentina vs Belgium: In my opinion this is the best quarterfinals match, because it sees two teams that have won every game they've played in the World Cup, and contains two teams that are among the top 4 in odds at the moment. Messi has been fantastic in this World Cup, but no one has been better after the 70th minute than Belgium, who have scored all six of their goals late in matches. This one is a toss up. Players like De Bruyne and Origi have led a great Belgian attack (the US certainly fell victim to it), and Belgium have only allowed two goals (one due to a penalty kick). Be ready for an amazing show here. Argentina 1, Belgium 1 (Argentina on PKs)
Germany vs France: Germany survived their rematch from 1982 with Algeria, but it took over 90 minutes before Andre Schurrle could save the day. A French team that likes to score were held for most of their match with the Super Eagles of Nigeria, but like Germany put on a late show to take control. Here in my opinion is where France really misses their big stars Franck Ribery and Samir Nasri, who aren't participating in the World Cup. Germany 2, France 1
Thanks for reading,
Connor
Netherlands vs Costa Rica: I think it's absolutely incredible how Costa Rica has made it this far. Winning their group, and then beating Greece after going down a man. This team was seriously underrated entering the World Cup. Then again, so was Netherlands. They've score 12 goals in their four games so far, and were able to snag a win against Mexico in stoppage time. It's been a remarkable performance from Costa Rica but they don't have the star power to go past the Netherlands. Netherlands 2, Costa Rica 0
Brazil vs Colombia: This will be a heck of a game. Colombia has played arguably better than any other team so far in this World Cup. Brazil, on the other hand, has been disappointing in my opinion, drawing Mexico and nearly losing to Chile. James Rodriguez will be required to have another fantastic game to continue Colombia's run, and I think he has it in him. Watch out, it could be all over for the hosts. Colombia 2, Brazil 1
Argentina vs Belgium: In my opinion this is the best quarterfinals match, because it sees two teams that have won every game they've played in the World Cup, and contains two teams that are among the top 4 in odds at the moment. Messi has been fantastic in this World Cup, but no one has been better after the 70th minute than Belgium, who have scored all six of their goals late in matches. This one is a toss up. Players like De Bruyne and Origi have led a great Belgian attack (the US certainly fell victim to it), and Belgium have only allowed two goals (one due to a penalty kick). Be ready for an amazing show here. Argentina 1, Belgium 1 (Argentina on PKs)
Germany vs France: Germany survived their rematch from 1982 with Algeria, but it took over 90 minutes before Andre Schurrle could save the day. A French team that likes to score were held for most of their match with the Super Eagles of Nigeria, but like Germany put on a late show to take control. Here in my opinion is where France really misses their big stars Franck Ribery and Samir Nasri, who aren't participating in the World Cup. Germany 2, France 1
Thanks for reading,
Connor
Wednesday, July 2, 2014
Recap Special: Jimmy Graham, NBA Free Agency, World Cup, Wimbledon
This is going to be a crazy post. Essentially, a lot has happened over the past few days, and I mean a lot. Instead of sticking to one sport, I'm going to run down what's happened across the World of sport, and what I think about all of it.
First off is an update on a post I did a couple weeks back over Jimmy Graham and his lawsuit against the NFL. It turns out that Jimmy Graham lost his suit, and will be paid as a tight end in his franchise tag, losing him five million dollars. I understand completely why the NFL won, but as I said in the original article, http://toplevelsports.blogspot.com/2014/06/perspectives-jimmy-grahams-position.html, I don't believe their argument is strong enough. Yes he was drafted as a tight end, but sometimes NBA players transition from say small forward to power forward while they're in the league, and can demand money for their salaries that teams can choose to pay or not to sign that player. In response, Jordan Cameron of the Browns has changed his twitter bio from tight end to pass catcher. I think this is hilarious, but a good idea if he eventually attempts to become a wide receiver, he might have a better chance than Graham. Apparently, the fact that Graham was drafted as a tight end, his twitter page, and the fact that he attends tight end meetings all had to do with the decision. Again, read my previous post if you want to know my full response to this. Basically, I disagree with the decision.
In other news, Kiko Alonso has suffered a torn ACL and will miss the 2014 season. This is heartbreaking for the Bills, as he was an amazing player last year especially early on in the season. Could this loss mean yet another 6-10 season for the Bills? It seems likely...
In terms of the NBA's free agency, there have been some real conflicting stories. Apparently, the Miami Heat believe they can re-sign all of the big 3 and still have over 10 million in cap space remaining. Wade and Bosh in this scenario are happy taking pay cuts limiting their salaries to around 12 million. However, LeBron wants a max contract, Bosh wants 5 years, 80 million, and Wade isn't content with a pay cut either. At least says another report. I don't think the Heat can sign all three players again and still have enough money to build any kind of team around them. It is now seeming increasingly more likely in my mind that Wade is the only big 3 member to return to Miami for the next season. LeBron could easily go to Cleveland, and possibly the Clippers or Rockets, although both of those seem like long shots.
In addition, it seems like Carmelo is destined for Chicago. Chicago has shown Melo all the facilities and training groups, and they seem like a hand in glove fit. Chicago could be building a super team. The Rockets also want a peace of Melo, however, and are making a strong push for the Knicks star. The only problem with that is that putting Carmelo in a Rockets #7 jersey has angered their actual #7, Jeremy Lin.
Gortat has remained with the Wizards, which is great for them. Gortat has become one of the best centers in the league, and along with John Wall they could become a playoff contender soon.
Another big man needing a home is Pau Gasol. I'm hearing that the Heat would love him at center, but that the Thunder are also looking for the aging big man, who in recent years has become inferior in production compared to his brother Marc. Over the next few days, hopefully all these stories will become a bit clearer.
The World Cup round of 16 matches were better than anyone could have anticipated. With the exception of the Colombia-Uruguay game, every single game was tight and great to watch. Tomorrow will be my quarterfinals preview, so right now I'm going to give a quick reaction to every round of 16 game. The catch? I'm limiting myself to fifteen words for each game.
Brazil vs Chile: South American clash, Luiz header hero, Sanchez strikes, Intense penalty shootout, Pinilla misses, Brazil survives.
Colombia vs Urugay: No more Suarez, James Rodriguez wonder goal, Uruguay deflated, No contest late, Crazy quarterfinal match upcoming.
Mexico vs Netherlands: El Tri attacks early, Dos Santos scores, Unbearable heat, Sneijder beastly, controversial penalty, Mexican heartbreak.
Costa Rica vs. Greece: Unexpected matchup, Costa Rica miracle run, Red card, Greece seizes chance late, Fails in penalties
France vs. Nigeria: Strong performance from Super Eagles, Scoreless duel until late, Pogba scores, seals deal for French
Germany vs. Algeria: Rematch of 1982 controversy, Tight game, Schurrle hero, Algeria comeback short, No record for Klose.
Argentina vs. Switzerland: di Maria attacks, strong Swiss defense, extra time thriller, Messi big assist, almost went penalties.
USA vs Belgium: Tim Howard = God, Belgium dominates midfield, extra time breakthrough, attempted comeback, Defense dooms Howard
Wimbledon has been going on, and it's been an exciting tournament thus far. Serena Williams was forced to retire due to an illness in doubles, and lost in singles, and other top competitors Li Na and Maria Sharapova also lost early in the tournament. On the men's side, the top story was Nick Kyrgios, a rookie 19-year old Australian, beating Rafael Nadal, the #2 player in the world. I love these kind of stories, because it gives you a good look at the future of the sport, and these quality wins can really launch careers. Now left in the mens draw are #1 Novak Djokovic, #13 Grigor Dimitrov, #4 Roger Federer, and #8 Milos Raonic (who defeated Kyrgios today). This will be a great chance for Federer to get one last major win before he retires, and is great for everyone remaining as Nadal and Andy Murray are out of the tournament. The women's side is even crazier with #3, 6, 13, and 23 remaining, so there's a real chance for a surprise winner on that side.
With a lot of games going on right now, especially in the World Cup and Wimbledon, the next week promises to be a very exciting one.
Thanks for reading,
Connor
First off is an update on a post I did a couple weeks back over Jimmy Graham and his lawsuit against the NFL. It turns out that Jimmy Graham lost his suit, and will be paid as a tight end in his franchise tag, losing him five million dollars. I understand completely why the NFL won, but as I said in the original article, http://toplevelsports.blogspot.com/2014/06/perspectives-jimmy-grahams-position.html, I don't believe their argument is strong enough. Yes he was drafted as a tight end, but sometimes NBA players transition from say small forward to power forward while they're in the league, and can demand money for their salaries that teams can choose to pay or not to sign that player. In response, Jordan Cameron of the Browns has changed his twitter bio from tight end to pass catcher. I think this is hilarious, but a good idea if he eventually attempts to become a wide receiver, he might have a better chance than Graham. Apparently, the fact that Graham was drafted as a tight end, his twitter page, and the fact that he attends tight end meetings all had to do with the decision. Again, read my previous post if you want to know my full response to this. Basically, I disagree with the decision.
In other news, Kiko Alonso has suffered a torn ACL and will miss the 2014 season. This is heartbreaking for the Bills, as he was an amazing player last year especially early on in the season. Could this loss mean yet another 6-10 season for the Bills? It seems likely...
In terms of the NBA's free agency, there have been some real conflicting stories. Apparently, the Miami Heat believe they can re-sign all of the big 3 and still have over 10 million in cap space remaining. Wade and Bosh in this scenario are happy taking pay cuts limiting their salaries to around 12 million. However, LeBron wants a max contract, Bosh wants 5 years, 80 million, and Wade isn't content with a pay cut either. At least says another report. I don't think the Heat can sign all three players again and still have enough money to build any kind of team around them. It is now seeming increasingly more likely in my mind that Wade is the only big 3 member to return to Miami for the next season. LeBron could easily go to Cleveland, and possibly the Clippers or Rockets, although both of those seem like long shots.
In addition, it seems like Carmelo is destined for Chicago. Chicago has shown Melo all the facilities and training groups, and they seem like a hand in glove fit. Chicago could be building a super team. The Rockets also want a peace of Melo, however, and are making a strong push for the Knicks star. The only problem with that is that putting Carmelo in a Rockets #7 jersey has angered their actual #7, Jeremy Lin.
Gortat has remained with the Wizards, which is great for them. Gortat has become one of the best centers in the league, and along with John Wall they could become a playoff contender soon.
Another big man needing a home is Pau Gasol. I'm hearing that the Heat would love him at center, but that the Thunder are also looking for the aging big man, who in recent years has become inferior in production compared to his brother Marc. Over the next few days, hopefully all these stories will become a bit clearer.
The World Cup round of 16 matches were better than anyone could have anticipated. With the exception of the Colombia-Uruguay game, every single game was tight and great to watch. Tomorrow will be my quarterfinals preview, so right now I'm going to give a quick reaction to every round of 16 game. The catch? I'm limiting myself to fifteen words for each game.
Brazil vs Chile: South American clash, Luiz header hero, Sanchez strikes, Intense penalty shootout, Pinilla misses, Brazil survives.
Colombia vs Urugay: No more Suarez, James Rodriguez wonder goal, Uruguay deflated, No contest late, Crazy quarterfinal match upcoming.
Mexico vs Netherlands: El Tri attacks early, Dos Santos scores, Unbearable heat, Sneijder beastly, controversial penalty, Mexican heartbreak.
Costa Rica vs. Greece: Unexpected matchup, Costa Rica miracle run, Red card, Greece seizes chance late, Fails in penalties
France vs. Nigeria: Strong performance from Super Eagles, Scoreless duel until late, Pogba scores, seals deal for French
Germany vs. Algeria: Rematch of 1982 controversy, Tight game, Schurrle hero, Algeria comeback short, No record for Klose.
Argentina vs. Switzerland: di Maria attacks, strong Swiss defense, extra time thriller, Messi big assist, almost went penalties.
USA vs Belgium: Tim Howard = God, Belgium dominates midfield, extra time breakthrough, attempted comeback, Defense dooms Howard
Wimbledon has been going on, and it's been an exciting tournament thus far. Serena Williams was forced to retire due to an illness in doubles, and lost in singles, and other top competitors Li Na and Maria Sharapova also lost early in the tournament. On the men's side, the top story was Nick Kyrgios, a rookie 19-year old Australian, beating Rafael Nadal, the #2 player in the world. I love these kind of stories, because it gives you a good look at the future of the sport, and these quality wins can really launch careers. Now left in the mens draw are #1 Novak Djokovic, #13 Grigor Dimitrov, #4 Roger Federer, and #8 Milos Raonic (who defeated Kyrgios today). This will be a great chance for Federer to get one last major win before he retires, and is great for everyone remaining as Nadal and Andy Murray are out of the tournament. The women's side is even crazier with #3, 6, 13, and 23 remaining, so there's a real chance for a surprise winner on that side.
With a lot of games going on right now, especially in the World Cup and Wimbledon, the next week promises to be a very exciting one.
Thanks for reading,
Connor
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