Blog Archives
The Annexation of Patience
There is a trend in sports that has transformed analysts and “experts” into Bingo contestants that frequently stand-up with bravado and gusto to shout “BINGO!” for all to hear.
The only problem is that this occurs after only marking off one letter.
College football punditry is a perfect example of this evolving dynamic. There is a tendency to want to declare with absolute certitude the two best teams in the country each week. Admittedly, it is perfectly okay to speculate about teams and their corresponding achievements and failures. Totally fine. These are fun debates. However, it shouldn’t be exercised in the definitive nature that is done today. Three games into the season and the national championship is already being predicted with incomplete statistics from some of the aforementioned analysts.
Will the BCS Standings remain exactly same by the end of the regular season? Probably not. And that’s partly because of the unpredictable and inspirational dimension of college athletics.
It’s a weird phenomenon: these analysts love to watch college football, but they are more often than not so eager to chisel in stone certain bowl match-ups with incomplete statistics and records that they end up not allowing football teams the “ridiculous” courtesy to work hard, improve and then play their best game by the end of the regular season as a final exclamation point to their fall campaign.
As written above: weird.
While the schedules for most Division 1 college football teams list around 12 games, the attention span for most analysts seems to range from 5-7. At this point, most of the “experts” would have you believe the top two teams are pretty much penciled in (not with a pen, but pencil mind you) and that the remainder of those seasons are mere technicalities.
Of course, do you know how many “technicalities” have resulted in shocking upsets or surprising victories?
One of the amazing aspects of college football (and college sports in general) is that anything can happen…anything! In college, the underdog, whether a single player or an entire team, has the potential and opportunity to shine for that one play or one drive to win the game or to make a strong goal line stand to complete an upset for the ages.
What’s even more incredible is how many of these moments occur during the final seconds of the last games of the season when everything is on the line.
Hopefully, the lighting crew won’t turn off the lights in the stadiums on those players, coaches, teams and fans when those unbelievable plays happen at season’s end.
Technically speaking, that would be a terrible thing to do. And the same notion goes for day games as well.
Otherwise, the world may never have witnessed the incomparable, “Annexation of Puerto Rico” that only works as the last play…
Those “one time” moments help make up the magical fabric of sports.
So, let’s just sit back, relax and watch some football.
You just may see something special.
Happy Monday!
Halftime shows at Ohio State football games cannot be described as uneventful.
This past Saturday, while the Buckeyes and Nittany Lions were preparing for the third quarter, the Ohio State Marching Band once again had something spectacular planned.
The Best Damn Band in the Land (TBDBITL) + Hollywood Blockbusters = Awesomeness!
Happy Monday and Let Your Imagination Fly High and Run Wild this Week!
The New 5-Second Rule
There have been recent reports that the MLS brass is strongly considering flipping the American soccer fan’s world upside down by switching the MLS schedule to sync with the European leagues: From March-November to August-May. While on the surface it may seem like the natural progression to make, think about how much you really like cold weather. Let me clarify: how much do you like sitting in cold weather for 2-2 1/2 hours during the American Winter season?
The reception to this proposition is likely to be more than just chilly (yes, that just happened).
Snow coupled with bone-chillingly cold winds will sweep into several of the MLS stadiums (Seattle, Portland, Vancouver, Colorado, Salt Lake City, Kansas City, Chicago, Columbus, Montreal, D.C., Philadelphia, New York/New Jersey, Boston/Foxborough, Toronto) during what will be critical matches early on, where 3 points, impressive performances and late game heroics will be needed. Will this weather be conducive to coach’s and player’s expectations on the field for a significant and vital portion of the season?
Oh, and let’s not forget the fans. MLS, though growing, is still not Europe and will not automatically sell-out games, especially in frigidly cold weather. It’s also important to note that the Winter season in North America is more intense than the Winter season in much of Europe. Granted, Europe takes a month long break, ranging from part of December-part of January. Still, the first few months of the new year in North America is always cold.
At this point, there appears to be too many risky variables involved. While it would be cool to play games on the same schedule as the best leagues in the world, reality must also be considered. Currently, Summer in America mostly consists of soccer and baseball. That’s a good situation for MLS.
If there should be any changes to MLS, the top priority should be to bring back the Shootout: 5 seconds to score on a breakaway from 35 yards out. However, the starting spot should be moved to 25 yards out from goal to allow for slightly more time for the attacking player to be creative.
Bottom line: the shootout was always exciting!
With all the world class talent in Europe, could you imagine if those leagues adopted this measure? If you remember how exhilarating it was to watch MLS players participate in this overtime thrill ride, just think about Messi, Ronaldo, Robben, Özil, Van Persie, Iniesta, Rooney and Torres using their best tricks at pace on Neuer, Casillas and Buffon in a must-score/must-save situation!?
Now that would bring heat and electricity to “the beautiful game” in even the coldest weather.
When Right is Right
If you essentially always keep a fork in your left hand after cutting a piece of meat, then that is what everyone expects to see when eating a knife-and-fork meal with you. To try and eat a meal with a fork in your right hand after cutting a piece would be silly.
The thing is that, on very rare occasions in private, you’ve been practicing cutting steak with a fork in your left hand, but eating the succulent piece of meat with the fork in your right hand.
Once dinnertime arrives, what will your guests think when they see this unusual spectacle?
Just ask Manchester City goalkeeper Joe Hart. He found out how that felt last night in the Champions League game at the Etihad Stadium when Arjen Robben of Bayern Munich cut and ate the best piece of steak (delicately covered in seasoned salt and gently dipped in A-1 sauce) from his plate right in front of him, with Robben’s “fork” held awkwardly and unsuspectingly in his right hand in the 60th minute.
One thing is for sure: Hart will be remembered as being one of the rare few who have been scored on by Robben’s nearly invisible right foot.
And not only that, but Hart was beaten near post (ie- the keeper’s post!).
Just imagine the possibilities if Robben continues to attack the goal using his left and right foot…
There will be jubilation for some and chaos for others at many a future dinner party.
Jimmy's Daily Planet 