It's all fun and games until money is involved

Image Credit: New York Daily News/ Sabo - NY Mets 2B Jose Reyes

When you have a player locked-up with a contract for a couple of years, regardless if you're team has a successful championship year or a losing year- it's still all good, because there is always next year.

But if that player is in a contract year or is able to opt-out from their contract, then the worrying starts. Such is the nature of sports and such is the predicament which befalls the New York baseball teams. While there are some teams and players which have developed a mutual respect for each other and will be loyal when time of resigning comes around, these cases are rare.

There are nearly 150 players in the Major League Baseball that will take the role of a free agent and of those players, the New York Yankees and the New York Mets have two of the biggest valued agents in CC Sabathia and Jose Reyes. The big question in this baseball-town is whether or not these teams can return their major players, or hook in an even bigger fish.

The Yankees have already made an offer to CC, and the Mets are looking to test the market with Jose. Sabathia is reportedly looking for a record deal, and I suppose Reyes will also be looking for the most money that he can collect. Both players have amazing stats and reputations, but in the end it comes down to business. Sometimes with all the fun, the memories and the familiarity, people forget that sports is also a business and the players and organizations have to do the best to succeed efficiently.

For fans its hard to imagine a player like Albert Pujols, who has known one team (the World Series Champion St. Louis Cardinals) in another uniform, but think about it this way; for Albert, Albert needs to get the best deal for Albert's services. It's fairness, not selfishness.

Of course unless of course he wants to play for a certain team (see LeBron James, Chris Bosh, and Joe Mauer). But if the Brewers don't resign Prince Fielder, although fans will be upset, its another part of sports. The media makes a good job to insight fear into fans by proposing the opposing teams that are interested in their star, but honestly fans should realize this reality already.

In the article below by the daily news it outlines the players on the Mets that will become free agents after this year and details about them. Fans will have to face the harsh reality that all seven of these players including All-Star second baseman and battling title winner Jose Reyes could be on a different team next year unless the organization acts. But again it will act in with its best interest at heart, because while there is fun and games in sports, it's still a business.

Source: NY Daily News

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/mets/shortstop-jose-reyes-ny-mets-heading-free-agency-article-1.969276

Michael Beasley and Sports Journalists' Role in NCAA Violations

Story Link

Michael Beasley in the news because he is suing his former agent for conspiring to represent him while he was still a teenager. In addition, he is suing his former AAU coach for providing his mother with money that was illegal, in terms of NCAA rules.

Now, this isn't necessarily the story that interests me. The more interesting point, I found, is what the role of a journalist is when it comes to NCAA rules and their enforcement.

The NCAA uses a system of rule enforcement that is largely based on self-reporting and the reporting of others to tip them off to violations. Does this mean that sports journalists are really the NCAA's police?

The underbelly of NCAA is not clean. Some people know that and some people don't. But why has it become the job of those in sports journalism to find violations (those that are not illegal in the eyes of United States law)?

Are crime journalists obligated to find crimes and report them to cops? Of course not. It is the police officer's job to find criminals and newspapers simply report on them.

Investigative journalists who uncover fraud and other malpractices are working in the interest of the consumer or the general public. Their reporting benefits the wider mass of people.

By reporting NCAA violations, journalists are ultimately working for the established organization.

The true free press in the United States was designed to fight tyranny, or the concentration of power in one entity. The NCAA is a completely concentrated entity, with journalists ultimately working for it to enforce rules.

What the NCAA calls violations (players selling their property; getting paid, as in the Cam Newton investigation, to play) is what the free market calls "business".

The job of a sports journalist should be to protect players from abuses of the NCAA and not the other way around.

The Nail in The Coffin of The Epstein Regime

As if the clubhouse shenanigans, the general manager resigning, the manager being fired, and a late September collapse weren't enough for the Red Sox organization, another blow has been dealt to the New England based ball club with the news yesterday that John Lackey will miss the entire 2012 season due to mandatory Tommy John surgery.

At this point, fans in Beantown must be sarcastically asking themselves "what next?" This is certainly one of those scenarios which fits the old adage when it rains it pours.

This could not have been remotely close to what newly appointed Red Sox general manager Ben Cherington had in mind for his first official press conference. Tuesday, amid his welcome party, Cherington dealt the news to Red Sox Nation like the angel of death himself in regards to the future of the 2012 season. Lackey, a former Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim standout, is currently signed with the Red Sox through 2014, with a club option in 2015. To this point, Lackey's output can not be what Theo Epstein had envision when he signed the big righty to a 6 year, $82 million dollar contract three years ago.

Lackey will be the second high profile Red Sox starter to undergo the heavy rehab-laden surgery, in addition to Japanese pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka. It is a surgery which often times players return from better than ever, if not at least to the same level of effectiveness.

On a satirical note, maybe if he had a clubhouse attendant pouring the beers for him this would have never happened. Cheers to that.

Information used during this blog post can be found here: http://espn.go.com/boston/mlb/story/_/id/7148697/boston-red-sox-john-lackey-tommy-john-surgery

T.O. to Old?

Yesterday, Terrell Owens held a workout for NFL teams to show he was ready to return to the field after his ACL tear this off season only problem though was...no team was there.

Is it the age (37) or is it maybe the baggage that Owens will bring that doesnt just include his cleets, shoulder pads, helmet and his sharpie.

Last season, Owens nearly eclipsed the 1000 receiving mark to go along with 9 touchdowns while with the Bengals so we can't really think age is the reason teams are staying away.

Owens is without a doubt a Hall of Fame player but his attitude has been his hindering attribute through his career and at this point, there is no way for him to fix it.

I think that there are still a team that will take a chance on him but it will be slim. The Rams and Titans look the most promising but then again, why would a team who has no chance at the playoffs go bring Owens in? Especially the Rams with a young QB in Sam Bradford.

I say the only way you see Owens in a uniform is if a playoff bound team loses a wideout and needs to replace them. Other then that. Owens 2011 season is in doubt.

What do you say?

LINK

Farmers Play Fantasy Baseball, Too

Thousands of wild baseball fans participate in fantasy games through The National Fantasy Baseball Championship, but one man wins. Twice.

Lindy Hinkelman has won two of the last three contests in this "league," and he has earned over $300,000 in prize money. When he's not acting as a fantasy manager, he's farming pigs in Greencreek, Idaho.

The small town farmer credits a lot of his success to his experience on the farm:

"Raising pigs and this baseball thing really go together. There are certain things in farming: keeping track of productivity, indexes for your sows, the genetic lines there. To do well, you’ve got to be pretty proficient in numbers. Math has always been my strong suit. I can see things with the numbers."

Fantasy sports got their start in 1980, but the concept really caught on with the boom of the internet. The fantasy sports association says that about 13 million people currently play fantasy baseball, second only to fantasy football.

What does this say about society as both sports reporters and sports watchers? It is a crazy phenomenon that is financially paying off for fans. Think of it this way: Hinkelman made more money off of fantasy championships than most reporters, stadium workers and other employees in the industry.

In some ways, this fantasy obsession benefits the sports industry: more people are watching, paying attention and tracking games. With their fantasy team on the line, fans now watch the games of all teams, not just their own. At the same time, does this desire to win a fantasy game kill the essence of watching a game in the first place? Is it creating the wrong kind of fans?

Staying Classy

http://espn.go.com/new-york/nfl/story/_/id/7144471/new-york-jets-rex-ryan-san-diego-chargers-stay-classy-san-diego

This past weeks football game between the Chargers and the Jets was a difficult one to watch for me personally. I know that being in New York right now, I am definitely the minority when it comes to that, but putting loyal aside for a second. It was a good football to watch. There was a lot of drama, there has been history between these two teams in recent years, and the team that was losing had an opportunity to win the game during the last minute. The Chargers managed to blow an eleven point lead after dominated the first half of the game. The Chargers came out flat while the Jets made some good halftime adjustments. After such a dramatic comeback, it begs the question, did the Chargers lose the game or did the Jets win the game? Chargers tight end Randy McMichael made his stance clear when he said that the Jets had no affect on the outcome of this game saying that the Chargers lost it. While former Charger and current Jets cornerback Antonio Cromartie says that the Jets won it. Jets head coach Rex Ryan didn't answer the question about who won or lost the game but did remind San Diego to stay classy.

Is Tim Tebow The Next Big Thing

Sunday's late comeback over the winless Miami Dolphins already has people talking about the great things Tim Tebow seems almost destined to accomplish. But just how good was Tebow on Sunday? Tebow completed just 13 of his 27 pass attempts, and only threw for 161 yards, yet his late game heroics have caused a hysteria in the media. In the last minutes of the game, Tebow threw for 2 touchdowns, and rushed for a 2 point conversion to force overtime. The Broncos would go on to win this game after a 52 yard FG in overtime, and Tebow instantly became the star that Broncos fans hoped he would be, even though his performance was pretty mediocre. Tebow and the Broncos are set to face the Detroit Lions next week, a team that has surprised almost everybody even though it is currently coming off of a 2 game losing streak. This should be a real test for Tebow, and is his first real chance to prove he has what it takes to be a starter in the NFL.

Kevin Parrom Works Back from Tragedy

Story Link

This was a very good feature story from Jeff Goodman of CBSSports.com about Arizona forward Kevin Parrom.

What has happened to Parrom over the past few months is one of the saddest sequences of events that one could think of any person, let alone a college-aged person, could go through.

His grandmother died of cancer. Not too long after, he found out that his mother's condition had degenerated and she was losing her battle with cancer. While on a trip to see his mother in the Bronx, he was shot in the leg and hand. His mother died shortly thereafter.

I commend Jeff Goodman on a well-written feature that deals with a very emotional subject, obviously. I liked the way he led into the story. It was a very blunt and emotionally-charged sentence that draws you into the rest of the story.

Goodman came over from Fox in the spring and has been a great addition to the ever-improving CBSSports.com lineup. I prefer their writing to ESPN's. Very insightful, with not only news, but features like this, as well.

UCLA vs Arizona Streaking/Melee/Blowout, So What?

The video up above has been spiraling around the inter-web for days. It certainly will for weeks, and years later it'll pop-up somewhere again. To summarize, what happened here is a streaker, dressed as a referee, stops play by blowing a whistle, runs out on the field and then starts to undress and initiate his prank. Of course the crowd loved it, and what happened after that, they love too. The teams both got into a huge brawl that cleared the sidelines and delayed the game. Most critics believe the reason for the brawl was not the prankster's actions, but the emotional tension from UCLA, which was down 42-7 to a team that had previously only won one game. For they're players-- and even their fans-- tensions were running high, but this isn't anything to be worried about, this is sports!

Streakers and pranksters of various kinds, fights that stop games, interrupt play and get players, fans and managers fined or imprisoned, and blowouts, beat-downs, routes-- this is all sports. This is the same things we've been watching for a long time. There are many other qualities that define this form of entertainment, but in this one game there were so many elements that make sports the reason why fans watch it. Of course we wouldn't like to see this happen at every game, that would be nonsensical, but once a while when emotions reach their peak and everyone explodes and something unusual happens, it makes for great entertainment. Listen to the fans cheer at the streaker and the fight in the background for example.

There are so many memorable fights, beat-downs, and pranks that have thrived in sports lore keeps the history going that it honestly would be too boring if everything went smoothly every time. Now and again its fun to see these kind of occurrences. I've maybe watched this video about 10-times, and then saw it again on SportsCenter. Sports wouldn't be the same without these occurrences, and they will happen again- because the true fans love it.

Definitely approved!!

-- La Guerre

Source:

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/904543-ucla-vs-arizona-fight-video-fake-referee-not-responsible-for-classless-brawl

When will Theo have his day?

All but the press conference has take place in the acquisition of former Boston Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein by the Chicago Cubs organization. The only thing left to wonder, is what his role will he play in Shy Town?

The original speculation by most, was that Epstein would continue in Chicago as a GM, but now talks of the Cubs hiring Padres executive Jed Hoyer to fill that role put a huge question mark on the hiring. Sports Illustrated's Jon Heyman reported that the speculated move could leave Epstein in the position to be President of the Cubs Organization.

When Padres GM Hoyer was asked upon the speculation, he brushed off comments insisting he was preoccupied interviewing hitting coach candidates.

The Cubs have had a vacancy in the GM office since Jim Hendry was relieved of his duties in mid August. Needless to say, this is a problem the Organization needs to resolve with the all important free agent period being right around the corner.

Major League Baseball tends to discourage clubs from making comments which detract from the spectacle of the World Series, so the guessing game begins as to when an announcement will be made. The most recent interruption for non fall classic related news was a few years back when the league allowed the ownership sale of the very same Cubs during October of 2009.

We will all have to sit on the edge of our seats and wait to see what happens as this drama continues to unfold as the Cubs attempt to end their run of futility from the front offices down.

Information for this story found here: http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20111018&content_id=25697942&vkey=news_mlb&c_id=mlb

What's the hold up?

A 16 hour meeting took place until early Wednesday morning between NBA players, owners and Federal mediator George Cohen to determine a new deal, but all parties left without reaching an agreement. 

The meeting will continue starting at 10 a.m. in hopes of compromising between players and owners. What happens if they do not agree?

Does this mean boyfriends would actually have to think of activities to do with their girlfriends during the time they usually have allotted to watching basketball games? Will celebrities have to find a new place to hang out this year, instead of their usual court-side seating game experiences?

It is interesting to see where this story will go and see if they make any progress at today's meeting and reach a solution. If not, boyfriends everywhere have some planning to do.

iFootball with iPads

"[Football] fans use mobile devices to watch multiple games at once and to analyze data in real time. Meanwhile, players pore over Polaroid photographs during breaks or wait as officials measure out first downs using sticks attached to chains."- NYTimes

In 2011, the majority of the population is obsessed with technology; from iPads to iPhones, tablets to fancy laptops, and all the conveniences that apps and the Internet provide. It only makes sense, therefore, that people utilize these advances in their work place to make their lives easier, including the NFL.

The Baltimore Ravens are among the many teams who are replacing their over-sized and out-dated binder playbooks with iPads and other tablets. The technology not only serves as an easier way to carry plays, but also as a calendar, nutrition schedule, and work-out plan, to name a few. Players can also easily log onto social media outlets and reach their fans, boosting the PR and marketing for their team.

The coaches are able to remotely make changes to schedules and plays, and the front office also has the power to delete information on any device should it fall into the wrong hands.

The technology has so many possibilities, yet it also faces some serious obstructions. Playbooks and photographs are allowed on the sidelines of a game, but a tablet is not.

The playbook app is also a roadblock for many; it is difficult to navigate and if the wrong password is entered three times, all the information is immediately erased from the device. And while some players are loving the technology, others are stuck in their old ways.

For now, this technology has only been seen with the Ravens and Buccaneers, but it is only a matter of time before the rest of the NFL sees these changes. Will the tablets ever be allowed on the sidelines? And on the business end, will there be a future deal with Apple?

Famous people as ownership in sports franchises

Even though there is currently a lockout in the NBA it is still making headlines. The Philadelphia 76ers have been sold and out of the several owners two that can be noted are Will and Jada Pinkett Smith. While the Associated Press writer decided to bury this in the nut graph, the Smiths are now another addition to the slough of celebrities that have taken stake in a professional sports team.
Most recently LeBron James bought shares in the biggest sports franchise in the world; Manchester United of the Premiership League in England. Fellow pro athlete Michael Jordan also has a stake in the Charlotte Bobcats of the NBA with hip-hop artist Nelly. And Usher and Jay-Z have ownership deals with the Cleveland Cavaliers, and the New Jersey Nets respectively.
The Miami Dolphins have Venus and Serena Williams, Marc Anthony, Emilio and Gloria Estefan, and of course Jimmy Buffet in their partnership and for a season Jimmy Buffets beer company even had sponsorship rights when it was called Land Shark Stadium. Will it become a frequent practice for famous sports stars, musicians, and actors to make investments in major sports teams? It seems like the routine is leaning towards that idea.
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2011/10/18/sports/basketball/AP-BKN-76ers-Sale.html?_r=1&ref=sports

Big East Exit Fee Goes Up

http://espn.go.com/new-york/story/_/id/7117098/report-big-east-raises-exit-fee-10-million
I found this article to be interesting because our school is in the Big East conference and the conference isn't looking to good going forward. The Big East conference has been dominated by basketball for a long time and it is often the the case that people forget that there are other sports in the conference. Pitt and Syracuse have already announced that they are leaving the Big East and will be joining the ACC. Of course the main reason for this move is money. Both universities are making plenty of money in basketball, but the Big East is not up to par with football. And college football makes the the NCAA millions of dollars every year. I think the exit fee has been raised in an attempt to save the conference and prevent other teams from leaving. But other universities might pay the fee in order to make more money elsewhere.

Red Sox Revealed

Source: http://articles.boston.com/2011-10-12/sports/30271654_1_jon-lester-josh-beckett-terry-francona

If you haven't read this story about the Red Sox, then you are missing on a great piece of journalistic gold. In the article, Inside the Collapse, the Red Sox pitchers, Josh Becett, John Lackey, and Jon Lester were revealed to have fooled around in the locker room, while their teammates where trying to hold on to a playoff season. It criticized the team and examines it's leadership, and most important it comes from the Boston Globe; where it should come from, because they should know this team the best.

It tells the story behind the scenes, and answers the question many people wanted to know when the Red Sox collapse was occurring-- What's going on with this team? The manager had problems out side the field, while losing power in the clubhouse. Players and management weren't getting along, and the Players just slacked off. It's like the tell-all of the clubhouse and the article does just about everything right. The one thing I don't like, but can't really argue with is that there aren't many credible sources. The article quotes many unknown sources and readers can't tell if its true or not.

But otherwise, the investigation done to complete the article was well done, and if the accusations (and I use this word because the information wasn't confirmed by a credible source) then the organization can't argue with the reporting. If something is wrong with the team, the fans deserve to know about it. Reporters aren't only the government watch dogs, but society watch dogs. Fans pay to see these guys its just not right if they aren't giving their all.

I'm sure every sports organization has its secrets, and most fans have know clue what's going on in the background, but that's where journalist need to step in and let the people know what's, what! On the other hand, now that the article is out, most likely the paper will receive some sort of reply from the Red Sox. But hopefully they will sort out these locker room problems for the fans sake.

Approved!!

--La Guerre

The Reinvention of Mike Gundy

Story Link from CBSSports.com

The video, above, has become infamous. Oklahoma State head football coach Mike Gundy exploding at a press conference because he felt one of his players was inaccurately portrayed in a newspaper column.

There are a number of angles to take on this subject, especially when talking about how to deal with a coach who goes on such a tirade, but I'll stick close to what was written by Brett McMurphy in his column on CBS by taking a look at how he assembled the piece.

In the most famous part of Gundy's tirade, he says to the reporters something to the effective of, "Criticize ME! I'm a MAN! I'm 40!"

McMurphy took this and, coincidentally, Gundy won his 40th game since the tirade, this past weekend. That made for a fitting bridge in the story. It has more of an effect on the reader because of this subtle connection.

News-wise, this story has the oddness and the triumph that makes for a good story, along with the visibility of a program that is in the Top 10 in the country. As a national columnist, it is almost the perfect recipe. Especially on an internet medium like this, you want to capture as many audiences as possible and not just narrow it to Oklahoma State fans. This story is structured such that it is a good read for any college football fan.

Would you like ketchup on that Hot Dog, Woods?

Tiger Woods was once the most loved and supported golf player in the industry. People respected him for his ability to play the sport effortlessly and magnificently while maintain a laid back, cool persona.

All of that changed when a sex scandal involving him and an array of women, broke out a few years ago. Woods, a then married man, was having sexual relationships with many women when his then wife model Elin Nordegren, discovered him. 

Since then, Woods has not been able to pick himself up both professionally and personally. He not only lost his family, but he lost the adoration and respect from his fan.

A recent event this past Sunday was an indication of that when the once America's Golf Sweetheart was served with a hot dog thrown during a tournament in San Martin. A man ran into the golf course, hot dog in hand, and threw it at Woods with no success in hitting him with it. The man dropped to the ground and put his hands behind his back and was taken into custody.

It's so unfortunate to see that his personal life has led to nearly two years of professional recovery. Despite different companies removing Woods from endorsement deals due to his family situation, his affairs should not affect his game.
An affair is something that at the end of the day, should remain a private ordeal between a couple so that they work through it together and resolve their issues.

The once private man, had his every personal mistake broadcast to the public and magazine cover after cover focused on the man's faults for months at a time. There is no fault on behalf of the media because the player was a married man and should have not been involved in such actions, but they should not have covered it so as to leave his career in shambles.

Woods is slowly picking himself back up and is on the road to redemption. He used to be one of the golden stars of golf before the turmoil and he seems to be building up to that once more, step by step.

Watch the Hot Dog video here:

Holy Cow! Why let the Brewers have all the fun

Bernie Brewer Picture from Google Images.

By Liam La Guerre

There is always more to talk about when you’re covering a team, and that’s why I like this article. As the Brewers are in the postseason, this New York Times article lets us know about Brewer’s baseball culture through the history of its mascots.

And the one thing that I’ve noticed about this team is they like to have fun. To me the various mascots living in Miller Park correlates with that “fun” characteristic. I mean if you don’t believe me, watch a home game, and wait after Prince Fielder belts a line-drive homer to right center – then you’ll see the main Brewers’ mascot “Bernie Brewer” slide down a gigantic, yellow slide, beyond the outfield.

Approved!

Then there are the sausage races. I mean who doesn’t like sausage races. Awesome!

What I really like about this article is that it introduces the audience to another side of the team, but also it pin points one area where others looking in can relate, except for the Yankees, Dodgers, Cubs and Angels, of course, which don’t have mascots. Yet?

If the Yankees created a mascot would we join the fun? Come to think of it, what kind of mascot would it be? The Angels and cubs shouldn’t have this problem, but what could represent the Yankees. Scooter the Holy Cow of the Staten Island Yankees isn’t a bad idea. It brings back the memories of one of the Yankee greats –Phil Rizzuto—and it’s different.

Maybe it’s just too embarrassing to represent the big, strong, tough, dominating Yankees in the Bronx, but think of all the benefits—exciting kids and younger fans and more interaction with the crowd. Mr. Met has done such a great job in Queens, he was inducted into the mascot Hall of Fame. Holy Cow! Why let the Brewers have all the fun, maybe it’s time to join in.

-- La Guerre

Sources:

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/11/sports/baseball/in-brewers-sausage-race-theyre-all-wieners.html?_r=1&ref=sports

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Major_League_Baseball_mascots

Mason is In-N-Out

http://espn.go.com/new-york/nfl/story/_/id/7090313/new-york-jets-trade-derrick-mason-houston-texans-conditional-pick-sources-say
Veteran wide receiver Derrick Mason was traded today from the New York Jets to the Houston Texans for a conditional seventh round pick. This was a surprising move considering the fact that Jets head coach Rex Ryan said that Mason would have a big year as the team number three receiver in the slot, predicting that Mason would catch 80 passes this year. The Jets have had a slow start to the year with a 2-3 record in what is shaping up to be a very competitive AFC East with the surprising success of the Buffalo Bills. Mason now ends up with a team that also has high expectations to win their division. With the injury of their star wide receiver Andre Johnson, Mason could be a part of the Texans offense immediately. Some believe that this trade is away to wake up some players on the Jets roster by indirectly telling them that no one's job is safe, and if you don't get the job done, you could be out the door.

Twitter and Basketball

In today's social media and technology obsessed society, it is no surprise that athletes have taken to the Twitter world as much as anyone else. Some use it to connect with their fans, some use it to promote themselves, and still others use it to vent their frustrations.

Kenyon Martin, who is playing in China after he was not offered a deal with the Denver Nuggets, is among those who don't realize how quickly their 140 characters can create enemies.

His site has been taken down after the account posted: "All Haters Should catch full blown Aids and Die! Do the world a Favor! and rid us of ya all!"

Martin insists that he did not write the tweet himself, but the damage has been done.

On the other hand, many NBA athletes have proven themselves to be impressively levelheaded on Twitter in light of the lockout that threatens their seasons.

The players union may be handing out some heavy instructions on proper Twitter behavior, but it has certainly been noted that the tweets are neither whiny nor negative. Such political correctness and fan-focus is not always the case with these social-media savvy athletes.

Many of the players are focusing on the fans and the employees of the arenas who are suffering financially from the lockout. No one knows what kind of obscenities are being said behind closed doors, but for now, the players are using their tweets to constantly improve their public images. It certainly can't hurt, during a time like this, to have their fans sympathize with them and pick sides in the conflict.

LeBron James serves as the perfect example; "I wanna sincerely say sorry to all the fans! It’s a sad day for all of us, especially u guys! There’s no US w/o You. #loveuguys."

Its Tebow Time in Denver!

Tim Tebow, arguably the greatest player in College Football history, will finally get his chance to start an NFL Game. Tebow has faced some criticism since being drafted in the first round of the 2010 NFL Draft by the Denver Broncos, with many NFL scouts questioning whether he has the intangibles required to be a successful Quarterback. Well the world will get a first glimpse in the near future. Kyle Orton has done everything in his power to lose the starting job, and Head Coach John Fox has finally decided to give Tebow his shot. Although many on the inside question Tebow's ability, his fan base is certainly not up for debate. Tebow is one of the most well liked players in the NFL, and after his sensational near comeback on Sunday, he left the field to a thunderous ovation.

Tebow appears ready to take on the challenge, “Honestly, I’ve heard that a lot, heard that my whole life and I see a lot of good quarterbacks running the ball really effectively from Steve Young all the way down,” Tebow said. “So, I’m going to try to do whatever they ask me to do and if that’s hand the ball off, if that’s drop back, if that’s run around, I’ll do whatever I can do to help this team win football games.”

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news;_ylt=Asc_qoRyzL.8lGzZtfe2Hgg5nYcB?slug=ap-tebowtime

Soccer-larity?

Is it fair to say that soccer has steadily gain more popularity in America?

Over the recent years, broadcasts of National Soccer was about all you could get unless you checked out Telemundo, Univision and the random channel 17 that has no name.

Now, ESPN & ESPN 2 have taken English Premiere as well as the Barcley's Premiere league under their wing. MSG shows Red Bulls games and FSC is a standard channel in every cable package.

I'm an avid supporter of soccer. If you know me, you know this to be true but now-a-days I'd like to say there has been an increase look at soccer.

The US has formed their own big time cup, the CONCACAF League which utilizes the MLS as well as South American teams like Europe does every countries leagues.

Fans are there, they just aren't THERE. With MLB, NFL, and if ever again, NBA of course being the Top 3 favorite, is it unreasonable to say Soccer can make its way up the ladder and knock out NHL for #4?

When you click the link to USA's game verse Ecuador, look at the fans that packed Red Bull arena. I don't see why Soccer can't be gaining popularity.

LINK

A new era begins in Winnipeg

Hockey has always been one of my favorite sports and the new NHL season started just last week. One of the big differences to this season from last year is that the Atlanta Thrashers were bought and moved to Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. While I’m sure there were some die-hard Thrasher fans that were devastated by the move, the city of Winnipeg has NHL hockey back for the first time in 15 years since the old Winnipeg Jets were moved to Phoenix, Arizona.
Hockey is probably the most popular sport in Canada; they have one team in the MLB, one team in the NBA, but seven teams in the NHL. Before the Thrashers moved north of the border, the six teams that already played in Canada had very high attendance ratings showing that people in Canada are very devoted to the sport.
While the New York Jets of the NFL were playing the New England Patriots, I would flip over to the NHL Network and catch bits and pieces of the new Winnipeg Jets versus the Montreal Canadiens in the Jets home opener. While the Jets lost 5-1 the fans still seemed elated, like they were in a dream that had come true, the team might’ve lost, but the NHL was back in Winnipeg and a standing ovation at the end of the game proved their embrace.
A city of just over 633,000 people with a very small metropolitan area even for Canadian standards, Winnipeg has one main newspaper that is now “The official newspaper of the Winnipeg Jets.” I went to the Winnipeg Free Press webpage and looked at the sports section which contained a good amount of articles about the Jets. This one is by columnist Gary Lawless, who really captured the feeling of what it was like to be from Winnipeg and finally have a hockey team once again.
http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/sports/hockey/jets/jets-lose-winnipeg-wins-131439418.html

Memphis' Will Barton Gets Reality Check

Story Link

This was an interesting piece from Jeff Borzello of CBSSports.com about the attitudes of amateur athletes at the high school and college level in the age of social media and the internet.

It in interesting because, as Borzello notes in the piece, it's not the players attitudes that are changing. These kids have always been the way they are. Top players know they're good. The aspect of the recruiting process that has changed is the environment in which they live and play basketball. Everything around them has been amplified because there is so much noise on the internet and with constant, real-time updates on Twitter.

Parents, coaches, and fans say only good things about players, inflating their egos. A reality check like Will Barton got when he was sat on the bench, can be good for a player.

I think it speaks to a larger issue we see developing, particularly in college basketball recruiting, in reference to social media. Fans are becoming recruiters themselves. In no way am I advocating an NCAA crackdown, but the game has changed. Players hear nothing but good things and fans only want to hear good news from reporters. If a reporter has something good to say about a player's relationship to a school, perhaps that he is considering that school, the reporter is regarded as "legitimate". If it is not in that school's interest, fans tend to discredit the source. It has become an echo chamber.

As reporters, we must continue to report truth and remain unbiased. Fans are the ones that need to take the information and use the social medium differently.

Also, as a side note, Borzello is very young, having graduated from college in 2009. He is now one of the main columnists in a group of reporters who make CBS a strong outlet for college basketball news, probably the best in the business. The internet has opened up a lot of opportunities for young writers, and he is an example.

Yankees affected by player's love life.

Following an earlier post that talked about how a player's personal life can affect their careers, the Daily News published an article called titled 'A-Rod, Derek Jeter slumping at plate since splitting with Cameron Diaz, Minka Kelly.' 

The Yankees are not doing as good as expected this season and many attribute their frequent losses to Rodriguez and Jeter. 

Since A-Rod's break up with Cameron Diaz his average has dropped to .150 and Jeter is said to be under-performing as well.  

Fans said that the players had more inspiration to play harder and better knowing that their girlfriends were in attendance. "If you're with a good woman, in your mind you have the inspiration to play harder."

"There's a direct relationship between their batting averages plummeting and their breaking up with their girlfriends," said Aaron Lynah, 31.

It is unfortunate to see the Yankees take such loses especially if its star players are allowing their personal lives to invade the game. Let's hope they gain their concentration back or at least that Minka Kelly and Diaz come back into their lives to give them a little bit of luck.

Dirty Philly

Here is a story where ethics in media as well as the play of social media in reporting take a turn for the worst.

Two Philadelphia journalist, Les Bowen of the Philadelphia Daily News and Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer, had words for each other first through Twitter and then in person.

McLane tweeted that Vick was expected to start on Sunday even after his recent injury to his hand. Bowen tweeted just moments later that no one knew if Vick would start.

McLane took this as a personal shot and tweeted in response, "“How about if Vick starts Sunday you have to say on [cable show] Daily News Live, ‘I’m an old hack that hasn’t broken a story in years, needs my editor to keep my blog fresh, and missed Vick on Monday because I was cluelessly tapping away on my computer and had to steal quotes from hard-working reporters who have a clue,’” McLane wrote directly to Bowen.

The next day in the locker room Bowen punched McLane in the head before they were broken up.

This story has a lot of ethical dilemmas inside of it. One more obvious is the professionalism of journalist. Going into a locker room where you are expected by the team you are covering to act in a civil manner and start a fight isn't apart of that professionalism.

Both men were out of line in my opinion.

LINK TO STORY

Adrian Belts-Trey, Rangers Advance

Good things come in threes, and today for the Texas Rangers that meant team wins, and home runs for Adrian Beltre.

It took four games, two in Texas followed by two in St. Petersburg, but the club from the lone star state was able to close out the A.L. Wild Card Tampa Bay Rays on the road. What looked like a season that could result in a Cinderella like ending for the Rays, fell short Tuesday afternoon as the bat of Adrian Beltre proved to be too much for 24 year old righty Jeremy Hellickson. After allowing a lead-off home run on only the second pitch of the game to the Rangers Ian Kinsler, things went from bad to worse for the sub 3.00 era regular season pitcher. Rangers outfielder Adrian Beltre hit three solo home runs, successively in the 2nd, 4th, and 7th innings, powering the Texas club to their second ALCS in two seasons. The Rangers won't know who they will play against until the Detroit and New York series concludes Thursday in the Big Apple.

In reflection on the remarkable offensive outburst, which had only been accomplished six other times in the postseason, Beltre had the following to say on the speculation of it possibly being his best day ever as a pro: "Probably the best. I think besides my first big league hit, this is right up there." The most notable of the other occurrences of the troika of dingers is Reggie Jackson's performance in game 6 of the 1977 Fall Classic.

Of course, on the other side of the glory comes the disappointment. The Rays again fall short of advancing to an ALCS, and potentially a World Series berth. As we all know, losing is part of the game, and sometimes that's just how the proverbial cookie crumbles. League veteran Johnny Damon, and former two time World Series Champion, contributed in a post game press conference with the following: ""It's always painful, especially being around the league for this long. We had a good enough team to win, and keep on winning. It just seemed Texas definitely had our number."


Information from this article gathered here: http://scores.espn.go.com/mlb/recap?gameId=311004130

Avery is Gone

http://espn.go.com/new-york/nhl/story/_/id/7058038/new-york-rangers-waive-sean-avery-europe-next

I thought that this was an interesting story because it is the classic story of a fan favorite being cut from the team. It is going to be very interesting to see how New York Rangers fans react to this decision. The Rangers decided to cut winger Sean Avery after what was a competitive training camp. Despite him being a fan favorite, it might be best for the team. As fans, sometimes we do not want to believe that these players do not have anything left in the tank. We want to believe that they can play for ever. There is no doubt that Avery will find work with a different team. He has years of experience and can be a game changer. But the Rangers are in rebuilding mode at this point, and it is not in the teams best interest to rebuild with a 31 year old winger. Avery will be missed (especially by the fans) but sometimes separations in sports are better done sooner rather than later. 

Michigan State Forward Delvon Roe Forced to Retire

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/7036175/michigan-state-spartans-delvon-roe-knee-forced-leave-team

This story struck me on a journalistic level because it is a sad one. This kid, whose athletic talent is readily apparent in the video above and, coming out of high school, was ranked above current NBA players, is forced to retire in his early 20s.

In some longer pieces on his retirement, had nothing but good things to say about this young man and how his career is far from over. Many say he is an intelligent young man and could end up coaching, one day. He also dabbled in acting, working in a small indie film this summer.

Michigan State first broke the news in a press release, so it appears that no journalists were in the situation of knowing the sensitive news and having to decide whether or not to report it. If I had the info, I probably would report it, because it is not a sensitive ailment like cancer or another in that category.

I thought it was interesting that most writers were so positive about Roe's announcement, writing how he was a good basketball player and even better person. I think this is a situation where it is ok to inject a bit of personal feeling, in a subtle, overtone-type of way.

The Power of a Good Sports Team

Detroit, Michigan, once a thriving city bustling with jobs, production and technology, is quickly becoming a ghost town. A 2010 census shows that population has dropped 25 percent since 2000. Blame it on the collapse of General Motors and the devastating effects of this recession. So how does a city that was once the fifth-largest in the country pull out of the daunting stump that it's in?

Sports.

As of Monday, the Lions were 4-0, the Tigers landed a 5-4 win against the Yankees, and the feeling was good in the Motor City.

“I love that the owners brought the Lions downtown and built a new ballpark for the Tigers,” local Scott Hay said.

People flooded the city and lit up the streets with excitement Monday night, giving a boost to both the morale and the economy. The Hockeytown Cafe, a local sports bar in the area, excitedly anticipated a big night for business. Although typical October nights at this bar call for about 10 staff members, Monday's schedule boasted 60 people; all three floors were expected to be filled to maximum.



Many of the people that made up the excited crowd of game-goers remarked that they missed the old Detroit and were happy to see it alive once again. Many fans that showed up were ex-residents of the city; the people who contributed to such a drop in population. There is no doubt that seeing their old city vibrant again tugged on their heart strings a bit. One can only hope that some will make the pilgrimage back to Detroit and give it life once again.

Others were out-of-towners who were excited to see the Detroit teams. Bringing back tourism and nation-wide recognition will only help to pump money back into the local economy.

Is it possible that sports will be what saves this city?

There is no doubt that some pride and good feeling will indirectly help out this economy. More people will gather in bars and restaurants to watch the game, buy sporting merchandise from local vendors, and encourage family members to travel to the city. It may be a slow climb, but this sports season is a light at the end of a very dark tunnel.

Read the full NY Times article here.

Tiger, maybe times-up

Picture: Google Images.

Man, Tiger Woods once had it all. He was living his dream as the number one golfer in the world, making ridiculous amounts of money, and partying so hard that he could make Sean Combs jealous. But as they say, all good things must come to an end—so then he lost.

I won’t bore you with the retelling of the fated night two years ago when his world came crashing (pun intended) down, because you’ve probably heard the story as much as the Jack and Jill nursery rhyme. I also won’t bother you of how awful he’s been playing lately (it’s bad,) but let me reassure your convictions that the Tiger no longer has a commanding roar, or frightening teeth.

Over the weekend Woods dropped again. The embattled golfer is no longer considered a top 50 player after the Dunhill Links Championship in Scotland saw the arrival of a young cat – Louis Oosthuizen-- who tied for fifth and bumped Woods down in the rankings. The last time Woods was not counted within the top 50 best players in world was back in 1996 (I was like six then.) And so I ask Maybe this is it for one of the greatest athletes from the early 21st Century, and maybe it’s times-up for our generation of athletes in general?

Woods isn’t alone. Remember the Gillette commercials Tiger shot with world tennis star Rodger Federer and baseball star Derek Jeter years ago. Now many critics are expecting their time may be coming to an end as well. Actually, both did pretty well in their respective sports, but there was definitely a drop off. For the second consecutive year "Jeet" finished under .300 batting average, and 2011 is the first year that "Fed" didn't win a Slam since 2002. There are many other examples that suggest maybe it’s time for the superstars we once were accustomed to, to step down and allow new ones to take their place. It happens every two decades or so. Athletes wear out, and its time for a new generation.

Source:

http://www.cnn.com/2011/10/02/sport/golf/tiger-woods-ranking/

Commercials:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b1pGU6xjMjk&feature=fvwp&NR=1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P6R404c1NB0

A Day in the Life of Jon Sterling

Whether you like Jon Sterling or not he is one of the most colorful radio broadcasters in the entire MLB. He is also very dedicated to his job not missing a single Yankees game since he started announcing for them in 1989. I thought it was also a good example of a sports story that didn’t involve an actual game. It’s a feature story, but it is on someone who has had such a great influence in the broadcasting world that people praise him and also bash his colorful commentary.
There are over 100 websites dedicated to criticizing Sterling and there is even one writer who has made a career out of pointing out his mistakes and voicing his opinion on how Sterling is a front runner. Phil Mushnick of the New York Post has written hundreds of stories about the way Sterling calls the game and how he isn’t a real play by play announcer. This story was a great feature because John Sterling is full of strange comments and quirky rituals.
Before reading this story I didn’t know much about Sterling, except that he is a very interesting broadcaster and I also happen to like his style of broadcasting. Maybe I shouldn’t have a say in it since I am a Yankees fan but I’m sure that’s what the Yankees Organization would want to hear. He has been with the team for almost 23 years so he must be drawing an audience. My favorite quote from the story was from Joe Torre, another name synonymous with the last decade of baseball in the Bronx. When asked about Sterling’s infamous home run calls Torre simply said “Are the home run calls silly? Sure, but they made me smile.”
If someone can make a stone-faced Joe Torre smile then they must be doing something right.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/02/sports/baseball/voice-of-yankees-draws-high-ratings-and-several-critics.html?pagewanted=4&_r=1&ref=sports