The University of Miami Hurricanes has been the most successful college football program in the last twenty-five years. The Hurricanes have five national championships, two heismen trophy winners, countless All-Americans, and more first round NFL draft picks than any other college program. Year in and year out the hurricanes are in the middle of the national championship hunt. The hurricanes have been the gold standard for college football powerhouses for years.
The Miami fan base became spoiled from the years of immense success on the football gridiron. As this season began, the pressures of a national championship were still lingering in the air, even though this was an obvious rebuilding year. We, the fans, expected Miami to be fighting for an ACC championship berth, much like we expect every year. However as we stand now with our less-than-stellar record, it seems as if the fans have all but given up on this year. Consecutive losses to bottom-feeders North Carolina and Georgia Tech seemed to have caused the preverbal ship sails to loose wind. And with the toughest stretch of the schedule fast approaching, the immediate future does not look good.
Nevertheless, Randy Shannon is the right man for the job. After watching the first half of the season, I have never felt so strongly about the integrity of a head football coach. Shannon has to deal with the arduous task of repairing the shattered shell of what used to be the proud Miami Hurricanes. Larry Coker was arguably the worse head coach in the history of the Hurricanes, but Shannon has the team headed back in the right direction. The first full class of Shannon recruited players is currently listed as a top ten class by rivals.com, a college football recruiting website. More importantly, he has instilled the much-needed discipline that the program lacked during the Coker era. As fans, we need to rally around Randy Shannon and our new Hurricanes. Randy Shannon lives, breathes, and dies Hurricane football. This is the start to a new and proud era of Miami Hurricane football.
Sunday, October 21, 2007
Thursday, October 18, 2007
Is Fantasy Football Destroying Loyalties?
Ever since its conception 1962 fantasy football has been looked at with disdain by many while being adored by countless. The obsession that’s has driven countless fans to curse and hate their own team because their opponent had a player on that team fills many sports analysts with disgust. As an illustration, Bryan Burwell, a sports writer, stated it simply “fantasy football is evil.” He describes himself as a Washington Redskins fan who engaged in a fantasy football team with his friend. They drafted Emmitt Smith and Michael Irving, both Dallas Cowboys 
(who are rivals with the Redskins). When Dallas played Washington he realized that he was secretly rooting for his fantasy players to score and he threw out his values as a Redskin fan.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20882395/#storyContinued
This same situation has happened to millions of players. There are about 14 million fantasy football players throughout the US and Canada. With the successful players drafting simply on talent/potential and not by team affiiation or moral charcter. No drafter cares if Terrell Owens is having issues with his coach as long as he gets the ball. And no one cares when Chad Johnson gets a fine for doing too elaborate of a touchdown celebration.
Fantasy players are all about the stats. Additionally, almost every one of them drafted a player that will play against his or her “team.” Well when their player strolls into town whom is the fan going to root for? His player or his team? I encountered this same problem this past Sunday. My brother, a die-hard Jets fan, was playing against Thomas Jones in his fantasy league.
He was actually getting mad that Jones was playing well and helping move the Jets down the field. This made me realize that fantasy football divides loyalties.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20629828/
For all of its flaws, fantasy football has still had some positive affects. Most players with fantasy teams can name every starting receiver, quarterback, and running back for every team. Resulting in name recognition that helps players become known through commercials and sponsorships. But most players hate fans with divided loyalties. Retired NFL QB Jake Plummer stated, "I think it's ruined the game." Tiki Barber, ex Giants running back, also stated thathere's an incongruity in the wants.” So there is only question to ask yourself when “tconsidering playing fantasy football; when you have Chad Johnson and he is playing your beloved Steelers, do you want to root for your team to lose?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fantasy_football_%28American%29
(who are rivals with the Redskins). When Dallas played Washington he realized that he was secretly rooting for his fantasy players to score and he threw out his values as a Redskin fan. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20882395/#storyContinued
This same situation has happened to millions of players. There are about 14 million fantasy football players throughout the US and Canada. With the successful players drafting simply on talent/potential and not by team affiiation or moral charcter. No drafter cares if Terrell Owens is having issues with his coach as long as he gets the ball. And no one cares when Chad Johnson gets a fine for doing too elaborate of a touchdown celebration.
Fantasy players are all about the stats. Additionally, almost every one of them drafted a player that will play against his or her “team.” Well when their player strolls into town whom is the fan going to root for? His player or his team? I encountered this same problem this past Sunday. My brother, a die-hard Jets fan, was playing against Thomas Jones in his fantasy league.
He was actually getting mad that Jones was playing well and helping move the Jets down the field. This made me realize that fantasy football divides loyalties.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20629828/
For all of its flaws, fantasy football has still had some positive affects. Most players with fantasy teams can name every starting receiver, quarterback, and running back for every team. Resulting in name recognition that helps players become known through commercials and sponsorships. But most players hate fans with divided loyalties. Retired NFL QB Jake Plummer stated, "I think it's ruined the game." Tiki Barber, ex Giants running back, also stated thathere's an incongruity in the wants.” So there is only question to ask yourself when “tconsidering playing fantasy football; when you have Chad Johnson and he is playing your beloved Steelers, do you want to root for your team to lose?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fantasy_football_%28American%29
Monday, October 15, 2007
The 250 Million Dollar Baby
David Beckham. A name everyone has heard...a face everyone has seen...but what's the deal? For a brief history lesson, David Beckham was a soccer superstar. Among his many impressive statistics, Beckham has: 58 appearances as Captain for the English international team, Six Premiership wins, two FA Cup wins, and a Champions League win as a Manchester United player, and four seasons on Real Madrid, a historically great soccer team. Earlier this year, however, Beckham signed a 5-year, 250 million dollar contract with the L.A Galaxy from the one and only MLS.
Alongside this 250 million dollar transaction came 250 million dollars worth of media attention. Networks of all kinds rammed pictures, videos, and life updates of Beckham down our throats for weeks. There was even a "Beckham Cam" during the LA Galaxy matches, keeping David in focus the entire time he sat injured on the bench. All this attention surely meant that Beckham was going to provide one hell of a show, draining shots on our American keepers all day. But alas, Beckham sat injured on the sideline for most of his first season for the Galaxy.
So, has Beckham lived up to his worth of 250 million dollars? No. Does it look like he could possibly come back to full health, take the field and regain his former glory? No. David Beckham will most likely retire after the five year contract for the LA Galaxy ends. He is getting old, and although he is a superstar now, his play has been significantly decreasing in quality every year. He has not been nearly as productive recently for Real Madrid as he was for Manchester United, where he made his name, and let’s just say he has been less then stellar producing goals from the bench for the Galaxy. Beckham is more of a celebrity than he is an athlete. I’m sure on of the major reasons he even decided to make the move to LA, rather than other teams in
CF 2007: The Upset Disease is Contagious
After another day of upsets in college football on Saturday, it is safe to say that NO team is a safe bet to make it to the BCS Championship Game in January. The LSU Tigers and California Golden Bears, ranked #1 and #2 respectively, were both upset on Saturday. The Tigers lost in triple overtime to the Kentucky Wildcats 43-37, while the Golden Bears lost to the Oregon State Beavers 31-28. This comes a week after the USC Trojans first home loss since 2001 at home to Stanford 24-23. Moreover, this comes after the craziness of Week 5 in college football when seven of the top thirteen teams were defeated, including Florida, Oklahoma, Wisconsin, West Virginia, Texas, Oregon, and Rutgers.
So far in the year of 2007, the top 25 rankings have changed more drastically in the early part of the year than I can remember. Yes, every year has its upsets. But, these losses were for teams such as Michigan, Louisville, Wisconsin, and Texas, which were all preseason ranked inside the top 10 and were also part of the preseason discussion at making a serious BCS run. But, I cannot remember such an amazing story such as Appalachian State shocking Michigan, who has the most wins of all time in college football. Wisconsin is now ranked outside the Top 25 and it's embarrassing to think they were a top five team. Besides, Louisville's won against Cincinnati last night, but they had not showe
d up to play all season until last night. Finally, Texas and Mr. McCoy = OVERRATED, who recorded their first 0-2 Big XII conference start in 51 years.Nevertheless, Ohio State, South Florida, Boston College, Arizona State, Kansas, and Hawaii all remained unbeaten this week. But considering the way teams have been upset left and right, I know this will probably not stay for long. Could this be the year we see a two loss team in the BCS Championship game? (And possibly no unbeatens) Who knows. All I know is that on any given Saturday, the unexpected can happen. So, Ohio State, South Florida, Boston College and others, watch out this weekend. Your date could be due.
It is Time for a Playoff in College Football?
Any college football fan will tell you that this year has been the craziest year in college football ever. There have been so many upsets this year that the rankings have been turned upside down. Division II Appalachian state flexed its muscles and beat a pre season ranked number five Michigan, the great University of Southern California lost to Stanford in a thriller at the Coloseum. Who would have thought that the University of South Florida would be ranked number two in the country and argueably the best team in the great football state of Florida. How has Ohio State already come all the way back to be ranked number one again? 
It is clear to see that college football is becoming a more balanced playing field and as we have seen this year anything can happen. The BCS is holding back what could be a lot more exciting football season if everyone had a chance to run for the national title. We have seen many preseason top ten teams completely knocked out of the rankings and teams who have never even been ranked in the top 25. It is unreasonable to keep our old system in hand because it is completely unfair to lower ranked schools who have talent and can come up and beat the bigger and more prestigious programs.
A playoff tournament with the top 24 would definetly make the college football season more fair and would truly crown a national champion who has been tested by all the best teams within the top twenty four. I am not saying that we should get rid of the ranking sysytem all together, I just think that the rankings should be used to form a bracket at the end of the season in which all the teams in the bracket have a chance to win the national championship. Rankings are changing so fast that who can really tell who should be ranked where. With a playoff system it would not matter as much because everyone would have a chance to make a run at the end of the season in a playoff.
Parody: Not Reserved for the NFL anymore.
The NFL has always been praised for its high level of parody from year to year. This parody is demonstrated by examining the Super bowl Champions of recent years: 2000 - St. Louis Rams, 2001 - Baltimore Ravens, 2002 - New England Patriots, 2003-Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 2004 and 2005 - New England Patriots, 2006 - Pittsburgh Steelers, and 2007 - Indianapolis Colts. Although the New England Patriots remain the exception to the rule, this shows that any team has the opportunity to win a championship in any given year .
The NFC South, more than any other division, experiences the ups and downs that this parody creates in the NFL. Since its conception in 2002, a different team has won the NFC South every year, and since 2003, the team that finished in last place won the division the following season. This season appears to be following the same trend, as the New Orleans Saints, who won the division last year with a record of 10-6, have stumbled their way through the first part of the season, falling to 1-5. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who finished 4-12 and last in the division last year, lead the division with a record of 4-2 and have responded to much adversity thus far in the season, losing their first and second string running backs to injury.
Unfortunately, the Patriots look poised to win yet another Super bowl. The Tom Brady to Randy Moss combination seems unbeatable, and Wes Welker is more than happy to do the dirty work. Surprisingly, the NCAA, not the NFL has been a great example of parody . No one team has been able to maintain the number one spot recently, and incredible upsets has left college football analysts in disbelief. After seven weeks, the number one team has changed three times. There is only one team from the Big Ten ranked in the top 10, and it is Ohio State with the number one ranking. After LSU was stunned by Kentucky, California appeared poised to take over the number one spot until they were upset by Oregon State. This surprising season has left many people asking, "What does a number one team even look like in today's NCAA?" If this current trend continues, the answer to this question will become increasingly muddled.Sunday, October 14, 2007
The $300 Million Dollar Man
In the off-season following the 2000 MLB season the Texas Rangers and Alex Rodriguez agreed upon the largest contract ever in sports history. In total the record breaking contract was ten years $252 million, but now it appears the two-time MVP will be opting out of the last three years of his contract in search of a deal worth even more money then his lucrative contract with Texas. Alex Rodriguez is represented by baseball’s “super agent” Scott Boras, who is known for racking in the dollars for his high-profile athletes which include Carlos Beltran, Barry Zito, and most recently Daisuke Matsuzaka. Many believe that it is actually Boras not Rodriguez who is pushing for the new contract.
It appeared the New York Yankees made their stance clear on A-Rod earlier this year, general manager Brian Cashman stated that the Yankees would not go after Alex Rodriguez if he decided to opt of his contract at the end of the year. After completing what is sure to be his third MVP season Yankees owner George Steinbrenner does not want to see Rodriguez leave especially with a new stadium scheduled to open up in 2009. Alex Rodriguez can bring a team a lot of potential income in the form of ticket sales, merchandise, and TV revenue is he really worth $30 million a year? Assuming Rodriguez does sign a new deal next year he will most likely be making more money then both the entire Florida Marlins, and Tampa Bay Devil Rays roster. Potential suitors rumored to be interested in Rodriguez include the Cubs, Angels, Giants, and the Red Sox. The #1 question going into this offseason is where will Alex Rodriguez be playing baseball next year?
ICE RUNS THROUGH ROCKIES VEINS
The Colorado Rockies have stood firm against all adversity since winning 20 of their last 21 games. After capitalizing on the Mets meltdown of a 7 game lead heading into the playoffs, the Rockies have never looked back. When lined up eye to eye, their opponents continue to blink first, including their most recent victory tonight against Arizona 4-1.
The Rockies took full advantage of their home field playing through a rainstorm defeating the desert dwelling Diamonbacks, who struggled to play ball amid chilling 30 degree temperatures and severe winds. An incredible 90 bags of Diamond Dust was used by Colorado's ground crew to try and combat the falling rain on the field. The National League Championship Series is now 3-0 in favor of Colorado who remain one game away from completing the sweep against Arizona.
The Denver community is up in arms, excited about their Colorado Rockies being one game away from making it to the World Series, according to Mike Schlereth of ESPN. As a citizen of Denver, he explained he is used to the buzz at the water cooler being about the Denver Broncos, especially as the NFL season is now in full form. Not this year; all the talk is about baseball's cinderella story.
Colorado cannot get comfortable with their 3-0 series lead as it was only 3 years ago when the 2004 Boston Redsox came back from a similar 3-0 deficit against the Yankees. However, it appears that most likely the Redsox of 2007 will face the Rockies in this year's World Series. If thats the case, Boston should learn that this Colorado team is to be taken seriously.
The Ramblin' Rockies
The Ramblin’ Rockies seem to be the talk of the town in Major League Baseball. And why shouldn’t they be? Their story has been nothing short of amazing late in this season leading into the postseason. In an article titled “Unbeatable Rockies find yet another way to win” Jayson Stark, of ESPN.com, writes “But heck, does the plot line even matter anymore? Do the details ever get in the way of the Colorado Rockies these days? They win when they hit. They win when they don't. They win when they pitch. They win when they don't. They win when they score early. They win when they score late. And Friday, they even won when their closer blew a save with one out in the ninth inning. It's enough to make you wonder: Is there any way they haven't found to win a game over the past four weeks?”The past couple of weeks for the Rockies have
been unbelievable and historic winning 19 of their last 20 games; a feat that is difficult no matter which sport is being played. As a matter of fact the Rockies are the first National League team at this time in the season to accomplish this feat in 72 years. The last team was the 1935 Cubs. They are also the only team in history to continue this streak into the postseason where they have won 5 straight and are about to clinch the sixth straight victory. So how have they been able to do this? Why aren’t the teams with the big payrolls pulling off streaks like this? The answers to these questions are what make baseball one of the best sports in the world. Baseball is a TEAM sport where there can be a different hero every night of the series, as proved by this Colorado team, it is a sport where everyone can contribute while working together towards the same goal; winning.Ryan Spilboroghs of the Colorado Rockies has said this about the historic event "Look around this clubhouse, you think it feels historic to us? Not at all. When it's historic will be sometime in November, when we're out of this clubhouse and we're not thinking about it. Right now, we're just playing good baseball. And every guy can't wait to get to the ballpark and do something special." Even though they have become apart of history in Major League Baseball the Rockies remain to concentrate on the game at hand and will not look into the future helping them to continue this great run.
So will the Rockies lose at all in this postseason? Nobody knows what the answer to this question is but as I sit here in my apartment watching the Rockies lead 4-1 with two outs to go in Game 3 of the NLCS it’s beginning to look more and more probable.
19-0
Is 19-0 really fathomable? Since I can remember, every football preseason entails the question: Who will be the last team to lose and how deep into the season. Not this year. The question is now, will the New England Patriots lose a game this season. There is every reason to read into this issue because this team exudes perfection in every aspect of the game. Starting from ownership all the way down to player personnel. Is this the year the '72 Dolphins have been fearing?
During the most advertised free agency to date, the Patriots signed pro bowl linebacker Adalius Thomas and perennial hall of famer Randy Moss. These additions added star power to a team who doesn't need it. The genius of head coach Bill Bellichick enables his team to win handily week after week despite any animosity with the media or NFL. The preparation is evident and the perfect season reflects it. 5-0 isn't enough, they demand perfection.
Simply put, the play of the New England Patriots through the first 6 weeks has been nothing short of extraordinary. Brady is putting up record-breaking numbers with 20 touchdown passes, Peyton Manning's single season record is in serious jeopardy. The depth of the receiving core is unprecedented making it easy for Brady to operate. It doesn't hurt that he has only been sacked 5 times all year.
The numbers are unbelievable, the coaches want more, is perfection really possible? The art of a Bellichick win is a plan created for the week. This plan has proven results and there is no reason they cannot win 16 regular season and even run straight through the playoffs for the unimaginable.
The Decline of an Era Brings the Rise of Another
Mixed Martial Arts fighting, namely the UFC or Ultimate Fighting Championship is growing in its popularity at a phenomenal pace. This growth comes at the decline of the once extremely popular sport of Boxing. However it gets little to no respect from places such as ESPN, as the link to the MMA section on ESPN.com sits in the "more" section above the Little League World Series and WNBA links. And when is the last time you turned on Sportscenter to a piece on last nights UFC pay-per-view main event.
Apparently there is something to fear about this increasingly popular sport. It is written off as barbaric and thuggish where boxing is a poetic and graceful sport(its hard to imagine anything Mike Tyson has done as graceful) yet only the latter has seen an in-ring death. And how much more graceful is a sport where many of its pre-match press conferences and weigh-ins end up in rumbles of their own. What MMA really is, is a display of all facets of fighting. Not only with the boxing or striking aspect as it is called in MMA, but also with the extremely important ground game. Although boxing is a true sentiment to a mans fighting ability, when is the last time you were in a fight at a bar and said, "whoaaaa wait a minute!!! Lets settle this like men.............I'm gonna go get my boxing gloves."
Is it not possible that MMA fights are just plain more entertaining? The last boxing match I had the "pleasure" to view was the highly amped Floyd Mayweather-Oscar de la Hoya fight last spring that was regarded by much of the media, as boxing's last hope. And after hours of meaningless under card bouts featuring fighters I've never heard of (this as a moderate fan of the sport) the much hyped main event ended in a split decision in favor of Mayweather after 12 rounds of mildly entertai
ning boxing at best. If that was the fight to "save" boxing it doesn't stand a chance. Especially when compared to pay-per-view events in the UFC where even the under card events can be equally if not more entertaining than the main event. Not even the return of "The Real Deal" Evander Holyfield could stir up excitement in a dying sport.
ning boxing at best. If that was the fight to "save" boxing it doesn't stand a chance. Especially when compared to pay-per-view events in the UFC where even the under card events can be equally if not more entertaining than the main event. Not even the return of "The Real Deal" Evander Holyfield could stir up excitement in a dying sport.It is also possible that Boxing struggles in popularity as it struggles to find a superstar within its sport. This is unlike the UFC which has the likes of Chuck"The Iceman" Liddell and the now recently retired Randy Couture, whose retirement is comparable to that of a Joe Frazier in boxing yet recieved little attention by such media outlooks like ESPN
Lets not forget the fact that in order to resurrect a dying sport, boxing in this case, you need the appeal of the younger generations as these are the people who will grow up and show interest and pump money into the sport. I however see no attempt what so ever by boxing do this, where The UFC has thrived in this aspect. It's quite possible that Boxing is too stubborn and rich in history to "stoop down" to low levels such as using a network like Spike TV as their main spot for not only promotions but also the occasional live fight.
Professional Boxing has had its run of greatness and will always have a place in American Sports History, but it's time it moves over and gives way to what is the future........and that is none other than the UFC.
Randy's Reconstruction
Randy’s Reconstruction
The first time I saw Randy Shannon in person I was awed by the man’s intensity. It was to the point that when he returned my gaze I did not dare to maintain eye contact. When everybody thinks about Randy Shannon they think discipline. Susan Miller of The Miami Herald even goes as far as labeling Shannon as “clearly being a
disciplinarian.” Although I heard about his infamous rules, I wasn’t so sure to what to make of them. However a four and three record has really made me wonder what it is that these rules hope to accomplish.
Surely after the team had been through two-gun related incidents and a huge brawl with FIU last season, changes had to be made. Some of the rules that were listed in Gary Smith’s Sports Illustrated article “Hiding in Plain Sight,” include: no guns, no cell phones in class, treating women appropriately, no eating or wearing hats during team meetings, no freshmen or sophomores living in apartments, and no GPAs under 2.5. What’s even better than these rules are their consequences. For example, if a player violates the gun rule he will be kicked off the team and dismissed from school.
Tim Reynolds’ article from The Associated Press “Shannon Sending His Message Loud and Clear in Miami,” quotes Randy Shannon saying “That’s all the rules are for, to keep all the distractions down from what we’re trying to accomplish.” In my opinion, it is ingenious. Along with stripping their names of jerseys and rearranging seating in the locker room and meeting rooms, it forces players to be accountable for one another and increase bonds of team unity. It has instilled respect and responsibility in the players and it is beginning to show.
Although it is unrealistic to think the transformation would be complete before the end of this season, I can’t help but wonder if it will be enough. The players are still not producing as a team on the field. Despite a few individuals there is still a lack of heart, passion, and intensity during the games. It seems that there is a parallel between our “fair-weather fans” and our players: When we’re winning they’re on fire, but when we’re losing they could care less.
The first time I saw Randy Shannon in person I was awed by the man’s intensity. It was to the point that when he returned my gaze I did not dare to maintain eye contact. When everybody thinks about Randy Shannon they think discipline. Susan Miller of The Miami Herald even goes as far as labeling Shannon as “clearly being a
disciplinarian.” Although I heard about his infamous rules, I wasn’t so sure to what to make of them. However a four and three record has really made me wonder what it is that these rules hope to accomplish.Surely after the team had been through two-gun related incidents and a huge brawl with FIU last season, changes had to be made. Some of the rules that were listed in Gary Smith’s Sports Illustrated article “Hiding in Plain Sight,” include: no guns, no cell phones in class, treating women appropriately, no eating or wearing hats during team meetings, no freshmen or sophomores living in apartments, and no GPAs under 2.5. What’s even better than these rules are their consequences. For example, if a player violates the gun rule he will be kicked off the team and dismissed from school.
Tim Reynolds’ article from The Associated Press “Shannon Sending His Message Loud and Clear in Miami,” quotes Randy Shannon saying “That’s all the rules are for, to keep all the distractions down from what we’re trying to accomplish.” In my opinion, it is ingenious. Along with stripping their names of jerseys and rearranging seating in the locker room and meeting rooms, it forces players to be accountable for one another and increase bonds of team unity. It has instilled respect and responsibility in the players and it is beginning to show.
Although it is unrealistic to think the transformation would be complete before the end of this season, I can’t help but wonder if it will be enough. The players are still not producing as a team on the field. Despite a few individuals there is still a lack of heart, passion, and intensity during the games. It seems that there is a parallel between our “fair-weather fans” and our players: When we’re winning they’re on fire, but when we’re losing they could care less.
Kentucky WILD-cats
When you think of the University of Kentucky Wildcats, the first thing that comes to mi
nd is basketball, as far as sports fans are concerned at least. But thats not the case this year, as the Wildcat football team has catapulted from the cellar of the SEC to one of the best teams in college. From an offense led by a possible Heisman candidate to a defense that is one of the most underrated in the game, the Wildcats are quickly becoming a perrenial powerhouse in the game, along with the rare likes of South Florida, Boston College and other great surprise teams.
nd is basketball, as far as sports fans are concerned at least. But thats not the case this year, as the Wildcat football team has catapulted from the cellar of the SEC to one of the best teams in college. From an offense led by a possible Heisman candidate to a defense that is one of the most underrated in the game, the Wildcats are quickly becoming a perrenial powerhouse in the game, along with the rare likes of South Florida, Boston College and other great surprise teams.Today, we saw the "other" Big Blue rocket back into the top 10 in most polls, and even moved as high as #7 in the BCS rankings. Ten days earlier, a lot of people figured the Wildcats were exposed as overrated when they lost at South Carolina. Saturday night, they had their credentials re-established. Now this is becoming a dangerous team in the best division in all of college football.
Here are just some of the factors from the LSU game leading up to the dominance of UK. They have an O-Line that was able to hold one of the best defensive lines in the country in LSU, without a single sack all game (including 3 OTs). They have a third-string tailback in Derrick Locke (arrived at UK on track scholarship) that carried the ball 20 times for a gritty 64 yards and a crucial touchdown by just inches. Their kicker, Lones Seiber, what a name by the way, after missing 3 PATs this season, came through in the clutch, drilling 3 important field goals in the 4th quarter and OT (including a 43 yarder, which if missed would have lost the game). And of course finally they have Andre Woodson. A guy that went from Heisman hopeful to not so hopeful after a poor performance against South Carolina. But after a 250 yard, 3 TD performance, Woodson is once again back on track.
One and Done
College basketball season is right around the corner, with perennial powers like Kentucky, Kansas, and more having their "Midnight Madness" practices kicking off the preseason. And no college basketball discussion could be complete without the talk of the potential superstars in the incoming freshman class. Last year was a special one for freshman, with Greg Oden and Kevin Durant emerging as perhaps the two best players in college hoops, ending with their selections at numbers 1 and 2, respectively, in the NBA draft.
Picking out and following "Diaper Dandies", as Dick Vitale would say, has always been a major topic of discussion during hoops season. But with the signing of the Collective Bargaining Agreement between the NBA and the Players' Union two years ago, freshman suddenly became a whole lot more important. One of the agreements in the CBA stipulated that a player must be at least 19 years of age in order to be eligible for the draft, which effectively eliminates people jumping straight from high school to the pros.
That might be a damper to talented high school players who want to get paid right away, but to us the fans, it makes college basketball season that much more interesting. As seen in previous years, sometimes all a team needs is one superstar player to ride through the season and deep into March Madness. For example, Carmelo Anthony of Syracuse back in 2003 lead his team to the title. Along side him was a another freshman, Gerry McNamara. This past season, Ohio State rode to the title game on the backs of the "Thad Five", referring to the group of five stellar freshman recruits that Thad Matta accrued prior to the season. And after that run, three of those freshman entered the draft; Oden of course, his high school teamate Mike Conley Jr., and Daequan Cook.
This just goes to show that freshman who stick around for one year are becoming increasingly important in today's game, while the seniors who stay for four years are starting to become overlooked. This is the second year of the minimum age rule, and there are some exciting freshmen out there to keep an eye on. Eric Gordon at Indiana, Michael Beasley at Kansas State, and O.J. Mayo(right) at USC are three of these players to watch out for this season. These young studs could propel their teams deep into the postseason.
Canes Struggle to Find their Swagger
It looks to be another dreadful season for Hurricane football. This season began with some promise after last year's 7-6 record. New head coach Randy Shannon looked to be the disciplinarian needed to fix the team's losing attitude and instill the vintage Cane swagger from previous championship teams. Shannon has been raised in the Cane football program: he played Linbacker for the 1987 National Chamionship Hurricane team and then was an assistant for Canes for 13 seasons, including defensive coordinator the past 6 seasons. Altogether, he has been a part of 3 of Miami's 5 National Championships in school history. New offensive coordinator Charlie Nix, formerly Georgia Tech coordinator, was a questionable signing due to the Yellow Jackets lackluster offense in recent years, but promised to shake thing up on the offensive side of the ball.
After the first 7 games of the season, it appears Shannon and the rest of his coaches won't be turning the ship around this year. They have struggled against easy opponents such as FIU(0-6) and Duke(1-6) while also losing to UNC(2-5), Georgia Tech(4-3), and getting blown out by Oklahoma(6-1). While the defense and offense are both to blame for the poor production, the most glaring deficiency on this Hurricane team is the lack of talent, especially at the skill positions. Looking back at the 2001 Canes National Chamionship team, 20 of the team's 22 starters went on the play professional football.
While this team has talent at some positions, it almost certainly will not come close to producing up to par with the talent-stocked teams of the past at UM. Only two stars stand out on this UM squad, safety Kenny Phillips and lineman Calais Campbell, and even they have been somewhat quiet in 2007. Wide Recievers have been unable to consistently cause threats to opponents and defensive backs have been as reliable as my dad's 1988 Toyota pick up. Even the usually explosive running game has been somewhat inadequate. Some blame playcalling, but true playmakers put the ball in the endzone regardless of what play is called (for the most part).
Although this season doesn't seem capable of anything better than the MPC Computers Bowl that the team competed in last year, the future does show hints of Miami past dominance. Butch Davis, the head coach of the Canes from 1995-2000, was known for recruiting talent with few resources. The truth is his best resource was in his backyard. South Florida is known for producing the best high school football talent in the nation year in and year out, particularly Dade County. So shutting down South Florida and keeping all of the recruits here is what Butch Davis did to get Miami back on the map.
Randy Shannon is already using the same recipe to get UM back on the winning road. Going to Miami Norland High School and staying in Miami most of his coaching career, Randy has been able to form relationships with many of the high school coaches in South Florida and in turn find the best prospects. Already Miami has one of the top recruiting classes for 2008, with all but two of the commits coming from Florida and five of those coming from the nation's #1 high school football team, Miami Northwestern. Lets just hope the cream of the crop is as good as advertised.
Is TBS Good for Baseball?
I was shocked when I learned that the NLDS and ALDS, as well as the NLCS were going to be aired on TBS. These are playoff games we are talking about. How does TBS, which survives on syndicated sitcoms, end up with the MLB playoffs? Apparently, they conjured up enough money to outbid ESPN and Fox for the coverage. In all fairness to TBS, they saw a chance to improve their ratings, and took full advantage of it. But as a fan, the last channel I want to be watching baseball on in October is TBS (if you are a Braves fan, I am very sorry).Being a Yankee fan, I paid most attention to the Indians-Yankees series. Chip Caray (who is this again???) was chosen by TBS to be the play-by-play reporter, along with Bob Brenly and Tony Gwynn as color commentators. While Brenly and Gwynn offered good insight into each game, Caray, became increasingly annoying. For example, the Indians had a runner on 1st base in the early innings of game 2, and the batter laid down a sacrifice bunt rig
ht in front of home plate. It was apparent that Posada had only one play, the runner at first. Caray, apparently, felt that this was going to be the play of the game, screaming out, “And the Yankees are only going to have one play!” I was actually stunned. It wasn’t so much what he said, but how he said it. By the way, the runner was stranded on second. Later on in that same game, Grady Sizemore led off with a triple. While Sizemore is rounding second base, Caray begins shouting, “Speed, speed, speed, speed, speed, speed!” followed by 10 seconds of complete silence. Honestly, I myself am speechless. How do you react to an unnecessary barrage of “speeds”?
Lastly, I’d like to make a quick comment on the K-Zone, TBS style. What a disaster. For the first few games, there were squares within squares, and a circle would pop up somewhere around where the pitch was. A third grader could have come up with something that was easier to understand. Luckily, TBS realized the problem. However, instead of solving it and completely ridding themselves of the worthless graphic, they decided to make the supposed “strike zone” red. Now, we know where TBS thinks the strike zone is, it just doesn’t make any sense.
MLB has been attempting to recover from the strike year in 1994, and the recent steroid investigations. Overall, there has been a resurgence, but the current coverage on TBS is sure to turn off some viewers, and I hope no one watches Frank TV.
The Colorado Rockies have been the talk of the MLB Postseason since they tied for the NL Wildcard spot with the San Diego Padres. In the first round of the NLDS, they had to play a tough Philadelphia Phillies team. Their pitchers were able to shut down the explosive offense of the Phils leading them to a sweep and a spot in the next round.
I don’t think anyone would have predicted this at the beginning of the season. The Rockies have been off the radar since the last time they made the playoffs in 1995. Along with the Royals, some considered them to be the joke of the NL. Now all of that has changed. The Rockies proved themselves worthy of being in the postseason by beating one of the “hottest” teams in the NL. Now they are going up against another “hot” team, the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Game one of the NLCS is going to be an interesting one. Each of these “streaking squads” has something to prove. The D-backs had to survive the Padres for the NL West title and the Rockies had to win 13 of their last 14 to survive for a Wild Card playoff game against San Diego (which they won and are still winning). It was said, “the one common fabric I see ... is that these guys really epitomize 'team.' This is not a collection of individuals playing for a team. This is a collection of individuals playing AS a team.” I agree with this quote. These guys are not like the Yankees or the Red Sox simply because they don’t have the resources, namely money, to get big named players. They are a good mix of young and veteran players all striving to reach the World Series.
Saturday, October 13, 2007
Year of the Upset Continues
Upsets and underdogs are everywhere in college sports history. From Rudy to The Throw to George Mason, college sports have been witness to some great triumphs throughout history. However, there has been an increase in seemingly impossible upsets this season i
n college football. It all started week 1, with Appalachian State stunning the University of Michigan after two blocked field goals to become the first former Division 1-AA team to beat a top 25 team. Week 2 saw another surprising (although much more pedestrian) upset with a young South Florida team upending an Auburn team that was on the cusp of entering the top 10. Since then Michigan is still unranked, South Florida is now ranked 5th, nine out of ten top ranked teams fell in weeks 4 and 5, teams such as Kentucky and Indiana have become major names in the National Championship discussion, and the once mighty USC Trojans fell to a nearly 40 point underdog that was Stanford.
This week 6 more top 25 teams were humbled by "lesser" teams, including the top two teams in the country. Some went out with a bang (LSU in triple overtime), others put up a fight (Cal losing by 3), and some simply rolled over and played dead (Penn State routs Wisconsin). Also succumbing to the 2007
upset bug were Florida State, Cincinatti, and Illinois. With the exception of Illinois, all of these teams have been in the national spotlight and in the discussion for the national championship in the past few years. In contrast, teams like South Florida, Missouri, Hawaii, and Kentucky who have not been involved in championship talks for years, if at all, one of whom has only been in the BCS division for 6 years (USF) are making headlines as they skyrocket to the top of the rankings. As the shake up of the former Division 1-A football rankings continues, the question on a lot of people's lips is simply why?
It certainly can't be talent. While Kentucky and USF have top quarterback prospects in Andre Woodson and Matt Grothe, the big programs such as Michigan, Miami, and USC have similarly rated prospects across the board and down the depth chart, and that trend will seemingly continue. According to Rivals.com, those three teams have the 11th, 9th , and 5th ranked recruiting classes for this upcoming year. So no, it's not that these once no name teams suddenly have all the top talent in the country. According to Yahoo! Sports writer Terry Bowden, it comes down to confidence and coaching.
The small teams simply aren't intimidated by the big names anymore. While upsets have never occurred on this magnitude or number in past years, the big upsets that do occur are nationally televised games, or are at the very least covered exhaustively for the week following by national media on the television or on the internet. Because of this, teams like USF or even Appalachian State have the belief that if they play hard they will not only be able to out work their bigger opponents, but actually defeat them. Part of this is also their coaches. Not only have the coaches been able to gameplan and coach up their players, but they have also becom
e more and more open to new ideas in terms of offensive plays or defensive sets. The first evidence we had of this was Boise State in the 2006 Fiesta Bowl. Not one, but two trick plays allowed Boise State to come back and upset then 8th ranked Oklahoma. Next came Appalachian's two field goal blocks, Hawaii throwing anywhere from 40 to 60 times a game, and Missouri's fast paced hurry up offense. On the defensive side, a center who plays defensive end (South Florida's George Selvie) and West Virginia's 3-3-5 set up have helped those teams climb to the top of their conference as well as the nation's polls.
So what can we expect for the second half of the season? Well for one thing, more of the same. After knocking of top ranked LSU, Kentucky plays no. 13 Florida, who was ranked in the top 5 at the beginning of the season in week 8. Michigan can continue to find retribution when they play 18th ranked Illinois. And one of the season's surprises, USF, needs to be wary as they face Rutgers, last year's surprise out of the Big East. Not to mention at least 3 matchups the week after are between currently ranked teams. As the rankings become more and more muddled towards the end of the regular season, I can only say this: thank goodness for flex scheduling, and God help the BCS rankings.
n college football. It all started week 1, with Appalachian State stunning the University of Michigan after two blocked field goals to become the first former Division 1-AA team to beat a top 25 team. Week 2 saw another surprising (although much more pedestrian) upset with a young South Florida team upending an Auburn team that was on the cusp of entering the top 10. Since then Michigan is still unranked, South Florida is now ranked 5th, nine out of ten top ranked teams fell in weeks 4 and 5, teams such as Kentucky and Indiana have become major names in the National Championship discussion, and the once mighty USC Trojans fell to a nearly 40 point underdog that was Stanford.This week 6 more top 25 teams were humbled by "lesser" teams, including the top two teams in the country. Some went out with a bang (LSU in triple overtime), others put up a fight (Cal losing by 3), and some simply rolled over and played dead (Penn State routs Wisconsin). Also succumbing to the 2007
upset bug were Florida State, Cincinatti, and Illinois. With the exception of Illinois, all of these teams have been in the national spotlight and in the discussion for the national championship in the past few years. In contrast, teams like South Florida, Missouri, Hawaii, and Kentucky who have not been involved in championship talks for years, if at all, one of whom has only been in the BCS division for 6 years (USF) are making headlines as they skyrocket to the top of the rankings. As the shake up of the former Division 1-A football rankings continues, the question on a lot of people's lips is simply why?It certainly can't be talent. While Kentucky and USF have top quarterback prospects in Andre Woodson and Matt Grothe, the big programs such as Michigan, Miami, and USC have similarly rated prospects across the board and down the depth chart, and that trend will seemingly continue. According to Rivals.com, those three teams have the 11th, 9th , and 5th ranked recruiting classes for this upcoming year. So no, it's not that these once no name teams suddenly have all the top talent in the country. According to Yahoo! Sports writer Terry Bowden, it comes down to confidence and coaching.
The small teams simply aren't intimidated by the big names anymore. While upsets have never occurred on this magnitude or number in past years, the big upsets that do occur are nationally televised games, or are at the very least covered exhaustively for the week following by national media on the television or on the internet. Because of this, teams like USF or even Appalachian State have the belief that if they play hard they will not only be able to out work their bigger opponents, but actually defeat them. Part of this is also their coaches. Not only have the coaches been able to gameplan and coach up their players, but they have also becom
e more and more open to new ideas in terms of offensive plays or defensive sets. The first evidence we had of this was Boise State in the 2006 Fiesta Bowl. Not one, but two trick plays allowed Boise State to come back and upset then 8th ranked Oklahoma. Next came Appalachian's two field goal blocks, Hawaii throwing anywhere from 40 to 60 times a game, and Missouri's fast paced hurry up offense. On the defensive side, a center who plays defensive end (South Florida's George Selvie) and West Virginia's 3-3-5 set up have helped those teams climb to the top of their conference as well as the nation's polls.So what can we expect for the second half of the season? Well for one thing, more of the same. After knocking of top ranked LSU, Kentucky plays no. 13 Florida, who was ranked in the top 5 at the beginning of the season in week 8. Michigan can continue to find retribution when they play 18th ranked Illinois. And one of the season's surprises, USF, needs to be wary as they face Rutgers, last year's surprise out of the Big East. Not to mention at least 3 matchups the week after are between currently ranked teams. As the rankings become more and more muddled towards the end of the regular season, I can only say this: thank goodness for flex scheduling, and God help the BCS rankings.
Go NY Go NY Go?
With the commencement of the NBA season around the corner, the New York Knicks have entered training camp with another dark cloud surrounding the organization. Last year, the buyout arbitration of Larry Brown was taking place, and this year the sexual harassment of Anucha Browne Sanders has, yet again, caused Isiah Thomas to miss the first days of training camp. In this blog, I will discuss whether this year’s dark cloud will foreshadow how the Knicks’ season will play out, as it did their previous one.
Currently, there are more reasons to believe that the Knicks will tank again this season than not. It almost seems as though there are more problems this season than last. The reemergence of the Eastern Conference, especially the Atlantic division, will make it extremely difficult for the Knicks to make the playoffs and ultimately contend for a championship. This arose because of the Celtics off-season moves, which practically solidifies them a place in the playoffs, and the continued growth of the Toronto Raptors and New Jersey Nets. In addition, the relentless progression of the Magic, Cavs, Heat, Bulls, Wizards and Pistons, will make this year’s race to the Eastern Conference playoff much tougher than in past years.
There are also numerous internal problems that the Knicks will have to resolve before the season begins. First and foremost, the Knicks have too many people under contract and on their roster. Jim Dolan and Isiah Thomas have to decide whether to continue with the youth movement and sign the rookies and cut the veterans (Fred Jones, Allan Houston and Malik Rose), or whether to add some veteran leadership and not sign the rookies, (Demetrius Nichols and Jared Jordan). Other internal problems facing the Knicks that pertain to the roster are how to form good chemistry between Zach Randolph and Eddy Curry. Together, Curry and Randolph must be able to successfully occupy a 72 square foot space while they are a whopping 13’8” tall and 555 pounds combined, which takes up an enormous amount of the paint. Plus, neither of them has seen their toes since they entered the League. Also, the mental health of the now infamous Stephon Marbury and his newfound love for Jesus and Italy is another serious concern. Additionally, bench coach Brendan Suhr has to concern himself with finding a large enough seat to fit the tragically massive waste of space Jerome James, who managed to injure himself on the first day of training camp. As it was eloquently stated by Alan Hahn and Eddy Curry, “Jerome James participated in half of the practice, but was on the elliptical machine when the media entered the gym. Curry had a wrap on his calf and he later explained why. “Jerome James,” Curry said, “Anytime Jerome James is practicing, stuff happens.” Furthermore, Coach Thomas must find room in the cluttered rotation for David Lee who will be an automatic candidate for the 6th man of the year award.
In my eyes, if the Knicks stay healthy they can be one of the forces in the Eastern Conference. They have an abundance of talent and building team chemistry has historically been Isiah Thomas’ strong suits. I believe that the Knicks can make the playoffs and could possibly make some noise. It will be very exciting to see the previous western conferences best power forwards square off on different teams in the Atlantic Division. I am looking forward for the season to start!
Friday, October 12, 2007
NL West New Powerhouse?
If there's one thing that this postseason of baseball has showed us, it's that the future of the National League West is very promising. A division once looked at as the worst in baseball, the N.L. West now has some of the best young talent in recent memory. The days of sub five hundred teams and postseason failure are over.
The proof is evident by the fact that two N.L. West teams, the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Colorado Rockies, are now playing in the National League Championship Series for a chance in the World Series. Both the Diamondbacks and Rockies' rosters are very young. Only a combined total of eight players on both rosters have had previous playoff experie
nce.The Arizona Diamondbacks are lead this post season by the youths of Chris Young, Stephen Drew, and Justin Upton. Young batted .237 this season with 32 HR and 68 RBIs. Shortstop Stephen Drew, and rookie outfielder Justin Upton are having incredible postseasons with batting averages of .444 and .429, respectively.
The Rockies are relying on the young talents of outfielder Matt Holiday, shortstop Troy Tulowitzki, and closer Manny Corpas, who is technically not a rookie because he played more than 45 games last season. Colorado has one 19 of its last 20 games including the postseason, which includes a three game sweep of the Chicago Cubs.
It's not just the Rockies and Diamondbacks with emerging youthful talent. Practically every team in the N.L. West, with their deep farm systems, has young developing stars.
The Los Angeles Dodgers' Matt Kemp, James Looney, and pitcher Chad Billingsley have had great years. Second year catcher Russell Martin and rookie closer Takashi Saito played in their first all-star game this past July. With veterans like Nomar Garciaparra and Jeff Kent guiding these young talents, the future looks bright in L.A.
The San Fransisco Giants have two developing pitchers on their roster in Tim Lincecum and Matt Cain. Each had seven wins with ERAs of 4.00 and 3.65, respectively.
The one exception maybe the San Diego Padres, but this is simply because their young athletes have now been in the league for a few years.
The National League West has some of the best young talent in all of Major League Baseball. Nearly every team in the west is using the same template to develop their players, consisting of good economics and deep farm systems. With all the talent pouring out of these farm systems, the National League West will be a force to reckon with in the upcoming years.
Thursday, October 11, 2007
The Dark Era of Sports
Remember a time when sports were clean of illegal performance enhancing drugs, criminals, animal killers, and other cheaters? In every sport it seems like there are a number of problems that are really hurting the integrity of each sport. Its quite sad, being a huge sports fan. Something needs to be done in every sport before things really start to get out of hand.
In the NBA, there is the gambling scandal involving Tim Donaghy and the mafia. Tim Donaghy was betting on games where he was a referee. This leads to the thought of point shaving during games and it makes you second guess the integrity of the NBA. Also in the NBA, you have the sexual harassment case involving New York Knicks GM, Isiah Thomas and a Madison square garden employee, Anucha Browne Sanders. Sanders accused Thomas of making sexual and rude gestures and when Sanders tried to inform MSG and the Knick organization, she was fired. Sanders turned right around and filed a law suit accusing Thomas of sexual harassment and MSG for wrongful termination. The NBA is already fighting an image battle where they are trying to get rid of the "gangster persona"that hovers over the league. As the start of the new NBA season is right around the corner, one must wonder what's next?
A big problem in today's sports is whether or not athletes have used steroids or other performance enhancing drugs. In baseball, it seems like everyday a new name is linked to using steroids or HGH. We all know about Barry Bonds and Jason Giambi, but in this 2007 season, names like Rick Ankiel and Troy Glaus appeared. Rick Ankiel was the feel good story of the year. Ankiel had major surgery on his elbow and then gave up pitching to become an outfielder. When the St. Louis Cardinals promoted him to the majors after a short stint in the minors, he made a huge splash by hitting 9 home runs in a short span while playing excellent defense. However, because of this dark time in sports, every feel good story turns out to be a real disappointment. In recent news Marion Jones, a winner of 5 Olympic medals in the Sydney games, including 3 gold and 2 bronze, admitted to using steroids during 2000 and 2001. Jones stated that she had no idea what she was taking until 2003. Jones now must give up her 5 medals, which is a huge disappointment to the USA olympic team and the people of the USA. A hero to millions of people is now considered a fraud.
In the NBA, there is the gambling scandal involving Tim Donaghy and the mafia. Tim Donaghy was betting on games where he was a referee. This leads to the thought of point shaving during games and it makes you second guess the integrity of the NBA. Also in the NBA, you have the sexual harassment case involving New York Knicks GM, Isiah Thomas and a Madison square garden employee, Anucha Browne Sanders. Sanders accused Thomas of making sexual and rude gestures and when Sanders tried to inform MSG and the Knick organization, she was fired. Sanders turned right around and filed a law suit accusing Thomas of sexual harassment and MSG for wrongful termination. The NBA is already fighting an image battle where they are trying to get rid of the "gangster persona"that hovers over the league. As the start of the new NBA season is right around the corner, one must wonder what's next?
A big problem in today's sports is whether or not athletes have used steroids or other performance enhancing drugs. In baseball, it seems like everyday a new name is linked to using steroids or HGH. We all know about Barry Bonds and Jason Giambi, but in this 2007 season, names like Rick Ankiel and Troy Glaus appeared. Rick Ankiel was the feel good story of the year. Ankiel had major surgery on his elbow and then gave up pitching to become an outfielder. When the St. Louis Cardinals promoted him to the majors after a short stint in the minors, he made a huge splash by hitting 9 home runs in a short span while playing excellent defense. However, because of this dark time in sports, every feel good story turns out to be a real disappointment. In recent news Marion Jones, a winner of 5 Olympic medals in the Sydney games, including 3 gold and 2 bronze, admitted to using steroids during 2000 and 2001. Jones stated that she had no idea what she was taking until 2003. Jones now must give up her 5 medals, which is a huge disappointment to the USA olympic team and the people of the USA. A hero to millions of people is now considered a fraud.In the NFL, commissioner Roger Goodell is trying to improve the image of football. Goodell has had to deal with the Cincinnati Bengals, who, over the last 2 seasons, have had more then 10 players arrested for a variety of things. Goodell has also had to deal with Mr Pacman "I make it rain" Jones and a
number of other players but now he has a real challenge on hand his hands when it comes to Michael Vick. Probably one of the biggest stories in recent years in sports has been the Michael Vick case. If you're wondering why Joey Harrington is the quarterback of the Atlanta Falcons, all you have to do is turn on the television. Vick has been accused of not only killing dogs but also of running an illegal dogfighting ring. Vick was very involved in this dogfighting ring and now faces up to 6 years in jail. It is a very bad situation for football because Vick was one of the most exciting players in the game. With lightning speed and a gun of an arm, he was a lot of fun to watch. Now we have to watch him in a suit, stiff arming reporters as he walks in and out of court rooms.
number of other players but now he has a real challenge on hand his hands when it comes to Michael Vick. Probably one of the biggest stories in recent years in sports has been the Michael Vick case. If you're wondering why Joey Harrington is the quarterback of the Atlanta Falcons, all you have to do is turn on the television. Vick has been accused of not only killing dogs but also of running an illegal dogfighting ring. Vick was very involved in this dogfighting ring and now faces up to 6 years in jail. It is a very bad situation for football because Vick was one of the most exciting players in the game. With lightning speed and a gun of an arm, he was a lot of fun to watch. Now we have to watch him in a suit, stiff arming reporters as he walks in and out of court rooms.
Another big story in football is the accusation made by the New York Jets involving the New England Patriots and a camera-man spy. An employee of the Patriots was caught filming the Jets defensive coaches. This is not the first time a team has accused the Patriots of cheating. The Green Bay Packers accused them of the same thing last year. The Patriots as punishment were charged a first round pick and Belicheck and the organization were fined heavily. Now when people speak of the dynasty the Patriots are putting together, there will always be that question of whether or not they cheated throughout the years.
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