Dissecting Sports

During the 2004 MLB playoffs, I knew a die hard Boston Red Sox fan who would not watch any of the Sox playoff games on television. She missed game one of the American League Divisional Series because of work and didn’t want to jinx a potential World Series victory. As we all know, the Sox won the Series that year. But to the disappointment of my friend, it was not because of her.

Every where you look, sports players, analysts, and fans have various, ridiculous superstitions to keep their team from losing. It doesn’t matter to them that someone 1,000 miles away could be doing their own ritual to help their team knock off their opponent. All that matters is that they follow their superstition to the exact detail like a person afraid of birds will cross a street to avoid a pigeon.

Continue reading Superstitions…I just want to say, ‘Good Luck!’…

Sports is all about what have you done for me now…or this game for that matter. That statement holds brutally true for NHL goalies. Remember Roman Checkmanek? Yeah, I didn’t think so. I couldn’t even find a dependable link for him. Just look at all the one and out goalies to come from the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Philadelphia Flyers systems.

So who’s to blame? Are goalies really that inconsistent and mentally unstable? Or is it the defense in front of them? Or do managers have itchy trigger fingers like former U.S. Women’s soccer coach Greg Ryan? Put those three components together, and an NHL goalie has the job security of a prostitute, heroin addict working at a police station.

Continue reading The uncertainty of an NHL goalie…

At one event, a mixed martial artist will flip a man to the ground in an attempt to win a match. And at another event, a cheerleader will flip another cheerleader over as part of a choreographed routine. Both moves are similar in design and have a similar purpose. But mixed martial arts is categorized a sport, and cheerleading is considered a hobby or an activity.

What makes them different other than that the mixed martial artist will kick the person he throws to the ground while the cheerleader will run next to the person on the ground saying, ‘Shit! I’m so sorry!’? What categorizes one game a sport and another game in the same field as model airplanes? In my opinion, each event needs three requirements (Direct Competition, Physical Activity, and Talent) to be considered a sport.

Continue reading How to define a sport…

When the Miami Heat traded for Shaquille O’Neal after the 2003-2004 season, they hoped he could lead them to a NBA Championship. And he did in the second year. However, not even two seasons after that championship, Shaq has been traded from the Heat to the Phoenix Suns because of his Mariah Carey-like decline.

Could the Boston Celtics suffer from their own Heat dilemma in a couple of years? Could trading away Al Jefferson haunt them in a couple of years? Celtic fans, stop reading now because I fear the worse if the Celtics do not win a championship this year or next.

Continue reading The Shaq (KG) fear…

The pain still lingers in the middle of my stomach two weeks after a depressing 17-14 Super Bowl loss to the New York Giants (so depressing I will not even link to a recap of the game). Just reading about the New England Patriots or football brings back memories reminiscent of a Stanley Kubrick film.

To help forget the pain, I want to name numerous potential scapegoats for New England fans to latch on to. I say forget because the pain will last forever - similar to the Boston Red Sox 2003 American League Championship Series loss to the New York Yankees. As you can see through the link to that recap, the pain whittles away as time passes - similar to a boy bands career.

Continue reading Super Bowl scapegoats…

Tiger Woods is a golfer - and a golf prodigy. He’s also a respected celebrity, a publicist’s dream, a headline stealer, and a role model. But more importantly he is a son, a husband, a father, and a person. 

The media forgot this when they briefly questioned him for not taking an Al Sharpton-like stand when responding to Kelly Tilghman’s comment about him and Golfweek’s controversial cover. For some reason, it is no longer ok to turn the other cheek, walk away, and be the better person.

Continue reading Tiger Woods quiet stand…

The New England Patriots started stronger than probably any team in the history of the NFL. In turn, the Patriots shattered numerous team and individual records this year. But it will be in vain if they do not win two more games.

On the other hand, the San Diego Chargers have stormed back from a disappointing 1 - 3 start and won two physical playoff games. All of this has validated the hiring of Norv Turner. But a loss to the Pats will have the Chargers and fans reeling like they did under Marty Schottenheimer.

Considering the Patriots have won every game they played this season, the Chargers will hang their heads in sorrow (along with the NFC underdogs the New York Giants) after the AFC Championship game.

Continue reading AFC Championship: Charging back to San Diego…

Eli Manning has shocked the entire football world with his talent and maturity the past two weeks. He has thrown no INTs and completed more than 70 percent of his passes. But to the dismay of New York Giants fans, a 38-year-old wheel of cheese will knock him from his pedestal and crush the Giants dream of a potential Super Bowl win.

Continue reading NFC Championship: Poisoning Giants with cheese…

Every fan knows the drill when a close play happens in a sport that allows instant replay challenges. Watch the first two replays to make a decision and then go to the bathroom, restock the snacks and beer cooler, and return in 2 to 3 minutes to remold your seat cushion. After 3 minutes, a referee (who probably took a bathroom break and chugged a beer as well) will announce what everyone already knew: the correct call.

The only thing worse than the repetition of the same play is the pride Barry Melrose has for his mullet. What I don’t get is why a referee is not in a booth viewing controversial plays long before coaches pull that red flag out of the most disturbing places alive. Seriously, I admire Bill Belichick more than any other coach in the NFL right now, but it cannot be efficient for him to keep the flag tucked in his sock underneath his pants.

Continue reading Fast and correct: A new instant replay…

The New York Yankees offered Alex Rodriguez about $230 million over eight years (an average of $28.7 million a year). But that was not enough for Scott Boras and Rodriguez. Actually, the Yankees contract extension was more than $100 million short. For once, the Yankees did not absorb a terrible contract (remember Raul Mondesi) and have started what I hope will be a domino affect for team owners and general managers. Just say no to A-Rod and Boras.

Continue reading The greed of A-Rod and Boras…

The Boston Red Sox held their victory parade this week. Major League Baseball officials will announce the 2007 season award winners shortly. And baseball’s offseason officially started before the World Series even ended. It is that sad time of year when day games vanish as quickly as Andruw Jones’ hitting ability and weekdays become only the work week again. But it also means football, fall TV, and no more heat waves.

Continue reading Life before baseball season…

Record breaking performances, underdogs, and once thought impossible moments fuel sports. It’s what attracts thousands of fair weather fans and kept 90-year-olds alive hoping to see the Boston Red Sox win another championship.

The Colorado Rockies were the latest underdog team (but definitely not the last) to shock Major League Baseball enthusiasts. And if history proves correct, another lack luster 2007 team will mesmerize America in 2008 and force pro shop owners to order thousands of jerseys for some player only scouts heard of months ago (enter Troy Tulowitzki). That team will be Dusty Baker’s slugging Cincinnati Reds.

Continue reading Dusty Baker gets a year of cheer and jeer…

Brett Favre’s throwing arm is notorious for breaking his receivers fingers and ribs. Fans have to wonder why he holds the futility record for most interceptions thrown because what defensive player would want to step in front of that pass or even try to tip it.

But after under throwing two targets against the Washington Redskins on Oct. 14, analysts believed Favre’s arm had lost some of its zip and if it could lead a young, underrated Green Bay Packers team to a Super Bowl. Little did the analysts know, Favre planned to prove them all wrong on national TV (like only he knows how to do) rather than through a couple of weightless quotes.

Continue reading Brett Favre quiets his critics…

The media circus surrounding the Indianpolis Colts and New England Patriots game started a few hours after the Patriots finished beating the Washington Redskins 52-7. The game deserves some of the attention it will receive, but I fear the media will publicize it more than TBS broadcast Frank TV commercials during the MLB’s divisional series.

Even more concerning is the lack of coverage other important news will obtain, such as the the resurgent New Orleans Saints and the team that leads the league in takeovers is a team no fan would ever guess.

Continue reading Four NFL notes not about the Colts or the Patriots…

With the NBA tip off less a couple of days away (Oct. 30), I have decided to rank every team from 1 to 30. And since the San Antonio Spurs held onto Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, and Manu Ginobili, no one should rank the reigning champs any lower than first. I realize the Spurs have alternated championships since 2003. But either history or the Spurs will have to give, and I wouldn’t bet against Duncan and Gregg Popovich.

Continue reading NBA rankings: Champs come first…