Now that is has been a few days since the World Series ended it is time to give a final take on the Fall Classic. For the uninformed the St. Louis Cardinals defeated the Texas Rangers 4 games to 3 in the best of 7 series. First let me begin by saying this was one of the best series I can remember for quite some time. Most of the games were very closely contested and were decided by 1 or 2 crucial plays here and there. The series should have been decided on one play in game 6.
Nelson Cruz, right fielder for the Rangers, had a chance to end game 6 and the series but was unable to make a catch running back and to his left with 2 outs in the bottom of the 9th inning. Understand this was not a routine play but it is a play that Cruz has to make or at the very least nearly kill himself crashing into the wall to make. Instead he seemed to slow up anticipating the wall was there, jumped awkwardly, and missed the ball by a few feet. This mishap allowed the Cardinals to tie the score and they would eventually go on to win in the 11th inning.
This is all forgotten if the Rangers go on to win game 7, unfortunately no fairy tale ending was "in the cards" for the Rangers. St. Louis easily won game 7 to claim their 11th World Series championship. The Rangers are runners-up for the 2nd year in a row. And Nelson Cruz will in all likelihood be remembered much in the same way as Bill Buckner is remembered with one key difference. While Buckner's error in game 6 of the 1986 World Series did allow the winning run to score, that game was already tied and at best he makes the play and the Red Sox are out of the inning. Being up 3 games to 2 at that point in the series this error is huge but not series deciding. They may or may not go on to win game 6 if he makes the play. If Cruz makes the play the game and the Series is over and the Rangers have won the 1st World Series in franchise history.
Immediately after game 6 I joked with some friends that if the Rangers lost game 7 that Cruz should be on suicide watch. Obviously I was joking and I honestly hope his teammates and the franchise get behind him. As we all know from a press conference by their manager Ron Washington last year regarding his testing positive for cocaine use, the Texas Rangers love Ron Washington and Ron Washington loves Ron Washington. The only question I have is does either party love Nelson Cruz right now?
Monday, October 31, 2011
Friday, October 28, 2011
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Tebow Or Not Tebow...That is the ?
To much fanfare and criticism Tim Tebow of the Denver Broncos started his 1st game this year, the 4th game of his career, at quarterback this past weekend. Now anyone with a TV knows most of the story. Tebow was a much maligned 1st round draft pick by the Broncos last year after a storied career at the University of Florida. Many have questioned his accuracy, his footwork, his ability to read pro defenses and nearly every other part of his game.
The consensus seems to be that while his game is not prototype NFL quarterback he does seem to do the one thing that you want your QB to do and that is win games. It wasn't pretty by any means last week. Through about 55 minutes he had led the Broncos to no points and he had thrown for 3 yards. In the last 5 minutes of regulation and in overtime he led them to 18 points and the win. He finished 13/27 for 131 yards. The most important stat there is the W. We will see how many more wins he will be able to lead them to on what appears to be sheer will and determination. We will also see if his inadequacies will catch up with him and he is forced to switch positions to become a full time starter in the NFL.
Ultimately as a football fan who has no rooting interest in how the Broncos do as a team I only have to ask myself one question when it comes to how I feel about Tebow. Would he start on my fantasy team? NO!
The consensus seems to be that while his game is not prototype NFL quarterback he does seem to do the one thing that you want your QB to do and that is win games. It wasn't pretty by any means last week. Through about 55 minutes he had led the Broncos to no points and he had thrown for 3 yards. In the last 5 minutes of regulation and in overtime he led them to 18 points and the win. He finished 13/27 for 131 yards. The most important stat there is the W. We will see how many more wins he will be able to lead them to on what appears to be sheer will and determination. We will also see if his inadequacies will catch up with him and he is forced to switch positions to become a full time starter in the NFL.
Ultimately as a football fan who has no rooting interest in how the Broncos do as a team I only have to ask myself one question when it comes to how I feel about Tebow. Would he start on my fantasy team? NO!
Friday, October 21, 2011
Thursday, October 20, 2011
NBA Action, it's.....who gives a crap?
So the NBA is locked out or on strike or whatever the case may be. The question is will anyone notice? The announcement that the 1st 2 weeks of the regular season and all the preseason has been cancelled has registered a -200 on my giveashit-o-meter. As did the news last night that the 'superstars' of the league are planning an exhibition tour of Europe since they have nothing else to do at the moment.
I'm not an NBA hater, like most people I will watch when playoff time comes around but that's pretty much it. Face it NBA your regular season product is boring! It will never have the excitement generated by college basketball. Just thinking about Midnight Madness last week got me excited for the upcoming season.
Will Uconn repeat? (YES, I'm a Husky) What newcomers will dominate? Are UNC and UK as good as we think they will be? You never have questions like this when discussing the NBA. The only question I ever have is when do the playoffs start?
I'm not an NBA hater, like most people I will watch when playoff time comes around but that's pretty much it. Face it NBA your regular season product is boring! It will never have the excitement generated by college basketball. Just thinking about Midnight Madness last week got me excited for the upcoming season.
Will Uconn repeat? (YES, I'm a Husky) What newcomers will dominate? Are UNC and UK as good as we think they will be? You never have questions like this when discussing the NBA. The only question I ever have is when do the playoffs start?
Friday, October 7, 2011
T-C-U-Later!
Before the ink even dried on TCU's agreement to join the Big East it appears they are now headed to the Big 12. Or is it the Big 11? Oh wait its the Big 9, with A&M leaving but TCU is joining so it's the Big 10? Wait no we already have a Big 10 so that's not going to work. It's exhausting trying to figure out these conferences.
As conferences continue to expand and shrink it truly does beg the question; why even have conferences? Now obvious arguments aside, step back and think about it for a moment. In 10 years, with the billions and billions of dollars continuing to be made by the big boys of college sports, there will be no conferences. The top schools will figure out that ultimately they really don't need the NCAA with all its rules and regulations and will break off and form their own association.
Regions will not matter, academics will not matter. $$$$$ will. C.R.E.A.M.
As conferences continue to expand and shrink it truly does beg the question; why even have conferences? Now obvious arguments aside, step back and think about it for a moment. In 10 years, with the billions and billions of dollars continuing to be made by the big boys of college sports, there will be no conferences. The top schools will figure out that ultimately they really don't need the NCAA with all its rules and regulations and will break off and form their own association.
Regions will not matter, academics will not matter. $$$$$ will. C.R.E.A.M.
CASH RULES EVERYTHING AROUND ME!
DOLLA, DOLLA BILL Y'AAAAAAAAAAAALL!
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