This pandemic we are in has really dampened the spirits of many sports fans worldwide. However, you can be rest assured that your humble blogger will never cave in to a pandemic. Take courage and together we will emerge stronger and more united than before.
Sports is coming back. It’s a matter of when, not if. But we have to have an attitude of “Charge!”, not “Retreat!”, if we’re going to win this war. There’s no way around it.
Read MoreSign stealing in Major League Baseball.
The Astros got caught using technology to steal signs of catchers designed for the pitcher’s exclusive use. A runner on second should be the only one authorized to relay the sign to the hitter, not a centerfield camera or someone in the hitters’ team’s dugout whacking a trashcan. The integrity of the game is in question.
The penalties for illegally stealing signs are in this case a one year MLB ban. The team subsequently let the offenders go and as of the time of this writing there is one more hammer to drop.
The penalties are harsh, warranted, and insufficient at the same time. Harsh because the punishees didn’t themselves engage in the activity. They were warranted because the punishees should have put a stop to the practice yet they didn’t...
Read MoreAh, the old helmet to helmet hit. Yes it made football popular in the 1970s, but, because people’s brains turned inside out, it is banned at all levels of football.
I have always said there are times to be macho, and only to a certain extent. What Raiders LB Vontaze Burfict calling a meeting with Jack Doyle’s mind, aka hitting his helmet with his helmet, was just simply bush league. Burfict got what he deserved, though the suspension will likely be cut in half on appeal.
Now, the fun part. I hope the NFL and NFLPA sanction a made for TV event where Burfict is tied to a goal post and the offensive players who now have future CTE because of Burfict tee off on him.
Sweet vigilante justice.
Read MoreAll right, football fans, it’s about time for the annual six month meeting of the minds. That’s also known as NFL football and it’s in more ways than one. Without further ado, here are my predictions:
(From first to last)
AFC East: New England, Buffalo, Miami, New York Jets
AFC North: Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Baltimore, Cincinnati
AFC South: Houston, Indianapolis, Jacksonville, Tennessee
AFC West: Kansas City, Los Angeles Chargers, Oakland Raiders, Denver Broncos
AFC Wildcards: Los Angeles Chargers, Pittsburgh
AFC Super Bowl Pick: Kansas City
NFC East: Dallas, Washington, Philadelphia, New York Giants
NFC North: Minnesota, Green Bay, Chicago, Detroit
NFC South: New Orleans, Atlanta, Carolina, Tampa Bay
NFC West: Los Angeles Rams, San Francisco, Seattle, Ariz...
Read MoreAh, the old TV blackout. The source of frustration for all local sports fans as far as the local teams go. Let’s face it, world; Sports blackouts are so twentieth century. The population of metropolises has become too great to justify allowing blackouts to exist.
Well, then, how are teams going to fill up their stadiums? First off, run heavy promotional offers, like half-price admission, free hot dog and soda, bobblehead, free programs to the first X number of customers, etc… Teams can also require a viewer to fork over a monthly or annual fee for watching the games. But blacking games out is a huge PR nightmare.
Last I checked, the time machine has not been invented. It never will. Blackouts should not be around in the twenty-first century.
Game on, fans.
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Last night’s Super Bowl brought back memories of my teenage years. Low scoring, dominant defense and special teams, and no major controversies. 13-3. There are those who say this is the worst Super Bowl ever. No, the worst Super Bowl ever, I think, was Super Bowl XXVII between the Dallas Cowboys and the Buffalo Bills. That game wasn’t even close. 52-17 Dallas. Dishonorable mention: Super Bowl XXXVII between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Oakland Raiders. 48-21 Tampa Bay. Blowouts like those are more dubious than the ten point margin displayed in Super Bowl LIII. Defense isn’t pretty to a casual football fan, but to a die-hard who loves to see defense last night’s game was paradise.
The MVP of the Super Bowl was given to WR Julian Edleman, but one can make the case it should be shared amo...
Read MoreFootball is here. Rejoice, fans.
Whether it is a bone headed trade like the Raiders have made five days ago with Khalil Mack or holdouts like the Steelers’ Le’Veon Bell, football unites us all.
So without further ado, here are my pictures for the 2018 NFL season.
(See “What were the Raiders thinking” where it says “The Raiders playoff hopes are survived by…” then the twelve teams I mentioned there, for my playoff prediction. The first four teams of the first six (AFC) are the division winners and the other two are the wild cards. Repeat cycle for the last six teams (NFC).
Super Bowl 53 Preview
Los Angeles Rams over Pittsburgh Steelers
Now for my world-famous First Pick in the next year’s NFL draft prediction (in this case, 2019):
Buffalo Bills
Are you ready for some football?
Read MoreDearly beloved, we are gathered here today for the memorial service… to the Raiders’ 2018 playoff chances.
As you likely have heard by now, the Raiders traded Khalil Mack and two beans (2020 2nd and conditional 5th in 2020) for a bag of beans (2019 1st & 6th, 2020 1st & 3rd). I hope this resembles Jack and the Beanstalk more than a child’s book where the patriarch sells the farm for practically nothing.
This has the potential to be a good trade for both teams, if the Raiders hit on their draft picks that they’ve just acquired. Mack alone to the Bears was worth three 1st rounders. The Bears are not a playoff team, even with Mack, but the Raiders went from a boss to a janitor real fast.
In memory of the Oakland Raiders’ 2018 playoff chances, the NFL family requests donations to the New York ...
Read MoreDomestic violence is never an acceptable occurrence, and those who engage in it should be punished to the fullest extent of the law. Those that cover it up should also be punished but to a lesser extent
Let’s face it, “The cover-up is worse than the crime” is merely a myth. It is known as being an accessory after the fact, which calls for more leinent punishment. The justice system subscribes to this theory. If Perpetrator A hits Victim B, A goes to jail. If Coach C knew about it for years and doesn’t do diddley squat, C is fired. However, if C reported it to his boss, Athletic Director D and D does nothing, then D takes the fall and C gets disciplined only lightly, like a multi-game suspension.
To be fair, we don’t know if B is telling the truth...
Read MoreArmageddon is here in the NBA, the good (King James (LeBron James)) vs. the evil (The Golden State Warriors). This is an example of genuine greatness vs. manufactured greatness. LeBron is the GOAT. The Warriors have four Hall of Famers all on the same team, whereas the Cleveland Cavaliers have just one guy (LeBron) who is a perennial All-star. I hope David slays Goliath in the NBA Finals. LeBron is David and the Warriors are Goliath. But the odds are against him. I say Warriors in six.
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