I know I'm getting lazy, I haven't been motivated to write for six months, but now I feel the juices flowing and I'm compelled to let it all out. Following a week in which we witnessed the Indians do the seemingly impossible by sweeping the Reds to retain the Ohio Cup, to painfully watching one of Cleveland's former heroes win it all in his new attire, to ending it all with some justice being served in Pennsylvania, emotions have run the gamete for so many.
The Ohio Cup was a joy to watch as the home teams held up in each of their own venues, while maintaining at least a share of first place in their respective divisions. Since Inter-league play began, I don't believe that either the Reds or Indians have met while being where they are now. It was a nice change of pace for the series and Ohio baseball, although nobody was really watching. Hopefully they can both finish strong and meet again in October to decide who the better team is THIS season, once and for all! I bet the folks at the MLB and FOX offices would love that... The All-Ohio World Series!
Speaking of All-Ohio, the once, and arguably still, favorite son of Ohio athletics, who took his talents from the North Coast of Cleveland to the sunny shores of South Beach Miami, won his first NBA title on Thursday. Love him or hate him, there has to be some semblance of respect for him, after all, he was the most heavily touted high school basketball player ever, and yeah Cleveland, we did salivate a little too much over the young man. I'm not condoning how he left us, but it was his right and his choice. Perhaps we've been so angry that his departure set the Cavs back 10 years, that we failed to recognize that the person we should really be angry at is the guy who writes the checks. Dan Gilbert could have done so much more to bring in the support Lebron needed to win, but for whatever reason, (and I refuse to believe that players refuse to play in Cleveland when they go to places like Sacramento and Salt Lake City every year), he didn't and couldn't. Lebron was immature and lacked the proper guidance necessary when making a decision like he did, but his agent, handlers and Nike all drooled over the idea of him playing in Miami on a mini Dream Team. That, combined with Gilbert's bullheadedness and Cleveland's lack of guidance left us in the dust. Yeah, we're rebuilding, and things are looking promising, but did anyone REALLY think that the Cavs would win a title before Miami like Dan Gilbert said they would? C'mon man, get serious.
Regardless, Lebron has won, and Cleveland is still waiting for its first parade since 1964.
Finally, but most importantly, late last night, a jury in rural Pennsylvania found former assistant Penn State football coach Jerry Sandusky guilty on 45 counts of child sexual abuse. It was pleasing to know that the justice system in this country is not totally broken, but it is still disheartening knowing that the young men that he abused still have to live with the nightmares of what happened to them for the rest of their lives. Although no one seems to want to admit it, it is my opinion that we all know what fate awaits Mr. Sandusky when he arrives at whichever correctional institution he is sentenced to live out his days at. (The one good thing about criminals in prison is that they have a justice system of their own when it comes to child molesters, as many of them are parents themselves.)
For those who are supporters and/or alumni of Penn State University, it is a very difficult situation. The institution and program that they have supported for so long is now destined to be shrouded in this darkness for years to come. The legacy of Joe Paterno and his staff will not be that they won so many games... it will be that they won all of those games at a cost. They turned a blind eye to something horrific, so that they could selfishly continue to compete. Say what you will, but the actions of Penn State will not only affect their university, but also every other school in the Big Ten and the NCAA. It will impact how coaches and programs are perceived at the high school and Pop Warner level, nationwide. Even NFL players and coaches will feel the repercussions of the Sandusky scandal as they try to reach out to the community through football camps and events.
Whatever innocence was left in America's gladiator sport is now surely gone. Even more depressing, is that the innocence of so many (one being TOO many) young boys will forever be lost as well due to this man who called himself the "tickle monster", when all he really is.... is a REAL MONSTER!
Just here to tell you how I really feel. It's mostly about the sports teams here in the Miami Valley and around Ohio, but also about other things happening in the region, state and nation that have an appeal to those of us with ties to the Dayton area.
Saturday, June 23, 2012
Saturday, January 7, 2012
Playoff Chaos Theory
Alright, Happy New Year and let's gear up for some playoff football.
This year all of the talking heads and experts are salivating over the high octane offenses in Green Bay, New Orleans and New England. Some are totally stoked with the defenses of Baltimore and Pittsburgh (what's new?). Well I'm here to give my chaotic revelations for this years Super Bowl hunt.
For the first 28 editions of the Super Bowl, the NFC was the most dominate conference, sending teams like the 49ers and Cowboys, or some other power house every year. The AFC usually was dominated, except for the Steelers years in the 70s. Then, in the mid-90s, things gradually started to change. First, the Bills run four appearaces off in a row, each one resulting in a more humiliating loss than the last, then the Chargers sneak in, only to get bamboozled by the 9ers. The Steelers and Cowboys both reunite in the big game for the first time in 20 years the next year, followed by Green Bay reclaiming their moniker as "Title Town" and Elway finally winning not one but two rings off of the legs of a decent running game and Shannon Sharpe.
But that's when it all really turned strange. Perhaps it was the parody that so many people in and around the league talk about, but teams started making it to and winning the Super Bowl for the first time in unfathomable fashion.
In '98, the Broncos beat an Atlanta Falcons team that had never been there.
In '99, the former Oilers, now Titans reach their first, but lose by a foot giving the Rams their first ring.
In '00, the old Browns, currents Ravens reached and won their first Super Bowl. Although the Colts had won in Baltimore before them, it was this teams first... (much to the dismay of Browns fans everywhere!)
In '01, the Patriots went to their first Super Bowl since being smashed by the '85 Bears and won one of the most surprising championships ever, starting a new dynasty behind Tom Brady and the Hoodie.
In '02, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers... a team that played it's first two seasons without a single win, made it to and won the whole enchilada.
In '03, the expansion Carolina Panthers made it, only to be beaten by a field goal and the Pats.
In '05, the Seahawks made it to their first, losing a good game to Bill Cowher and the Steelers.
In '06, Indianapolis won their first championship as a city. Yes the Colts had won it before, but had been seemingly been cursed since moving to Indy from Baltimore in the 80s.
In '08, in what had to be one of the wildest playoff scenarios ever, the Arizona Cardinals, the oldest team in the league, hosted the NFC Championship and won, advancing to the Bowl, only to lose in the closing seconds by a still suspect Santonio Holmes TD for the Steelers.
Then in '09, the Saints came marching in for the first time and defeated the Colts.
So let me sum this up for you... in 13 years, 8 teams have reached the Super Bowl for the first time, 2 of which won it. 1 team, or city in this case, won for the first time, 2 other teams won their first rings. Which brings me to this year's edition of the NFL tournament. Everyone seems to think the Packers and Pats are going to square off in Indy because they're both the #1 seeds.... THAT RARELY HAPPENS!!!
Let's take a look at who's in it this year...
In the NFC, of course there's the #1 Packers, and a very surprising #2 49ers team under first year head coach Jim Harbaugh. #3 seed New Orleans is ranked as the second best team in the league, but for some reason has lots of trouble away from the dome. #4 is the New York Giants who played the underdog role versus the Pats a few short years ago and won behind a stout D and Eli Manning. The wild cards are #5 Atlanta and at #6 the Detroit Lions, yes the Lions.
In the AFC, it goes #1 Patriots, #2 Ravens, #3 Houston Texans, who are making their first ever appearance in the playoffs, #4 Broncos (Tebows), and the wild cards are the #5 Steelers, who don't seem right as a wild card, and the #6 Cincinnati Bengals.
So breaking it down, the rich are looking to get richer, while the rest are trying to gain some jewlry.
Green Bay is looking for ring number 5
The Giants are pushing for their 4th
San Fran, undefeated in the big game, is trying to tie the Steelers and win their 6th
Pittsburgh, and their obnoxious fans, are looking to upgrade to #7
The Pats are marching toward ring #4
The Broncos, their 3rd
Saints only their 2nd
The Bengals have been to the show twice, losing both times to the 49ers, while the Falcons have been only that one time I mentioned, losing to Denver.
Which leads me to Houston and Detroit. Houston is an expansion franchise riddled with injuries and questions marks, but have never made it this far. Detroit won 4 championships before they started calling them Super Bowls, but have been mediocre at best, with the exception the Barry Sanders years, where they under achieved, and 2008, when they went 0-16. What's stopping either if not both of these teams from doing what so many others have done in the past 13 years?
The critics will say, no experience, tough road venues, injuries.... blah, blah, freaking blah. EVERY TEAM HAS A SHOT IN THE PLAYOFFS!!!
Now that we've gotten that out of the way, here are my predictions for the 2011/2012 NFL playoffs;
Wild Card Weekend
AFC
#4 Denver loses to #5 Pittsburgh
#6 Cincy losses to #3 Houston
NFC
#4 Giants lose to #5 Falcons
#3 Saints fall to the #6 Lions
Divisional Round
AFC
#2 Ravens defeat #3 Texans
#5 Steelers beat #1 New England
NFC
#2 San Fransisco loses to an overlooked #5 Falcons team
#6 Lions DEFEAT #1 Green Bay because the Schwartz is strong with them.
Championships
AFC
#2 Baltimore Ravens humiliate #5 Steelers
NFC
#5 Atlanta Falcons surprising host and lose to the #6 Lions.
SUPER BOWL
Ravens 17 - Lions 16
Laugh all you want, stranger things have happened. Green Bay was #6 last year, Giants were in '07. All you have to do is get in and win.
Till next time, get your popcorn ready, and enjoy.
This year all of the talking heads and experts are salivating over the high octane offenses in Green Bay, New Orleans and New England. Some are totally stoked with the defenses of Baltimore and Pittsburgh (what's new?). Well I'm here to give my chaotic revelations for this years Super Bowl hunt.
For the first 28 editions of the Super Bowl, the NFC was the most dominate conference, sending teams like the 49ers and Cowboys, or some other power house every year. The AFC usually was dominated, except for the Steelers years in the 70s. Then, in the mid-90s, things gradually started to change. First, the Bills run four appearaces off in a row, each one resulting in a more humiliating loss than the last, then the Chargers sneak in, only to get bamboozled by the 9ers. The Steelers and Cowboys both reunite in the big game for the first time in 20 years the next year, followed by Green Bay reclaiming their moniker as "Title Town" and Elway finally winning not one but two rings off of the legs of a decent running game and Shannon Sharpe.
But that's when it all really turned strange. Perhaps it was the parody that so many people in and around the league talk about, but teams started making it to and winning the Super Bowl for the first time in unfathomable fashion.
In '98, the Broncos beat an Atlanta Falcons team that had never been there.
In '99, the former Oilers, now Titans reach their first, but lose by a foot giving the Rams their first ring.
In '00, the old Browns, currents Ravens reached and won their first Super Bowl. Although the Colts had won in Baltimore before them, it was this teams first... (much to the dismay of Browns fans everywhere!)
In '01, the Patriots went to their first Super Bowl since being smashed by the '85 Bears and won one of the most surprising championships ever, starting a new dynasty behind Tom Brady and the Hoodie.
In '02, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers... a team that played it's first two seasons without a single win, made it to and won the whole enchilada.
In '03, the expansion Carolina Panthers made it, only to be beaten by a field goal and the Pats.
In '05, the Seahawks made it to their first, losing a good game to Bill Cowher and the Steelers.
In '06, Indianapolis won their first championship as a city. Yes the Colts had won it before, but had been seemingly been cursed since moving to Indy from Baltimore in the 80s.
In '08, in what had to be one of the wildest playoff scenarios ever, the Arizona Cardinals, the oldest team in the league, hosted the NFC Championship and won, advancing to the Bowl, only to lose in the closing seconds by a still suspect Santonio Holmes TD for the Steelers.
Then in '09, the Saints came marching in for the first time and defeated the Colts.
So let me sum this up for you... in 13 years, 8 teams have reached the Super Bowl for the first time, 2 of which won it. 1 team, or city in this case, won for the first time, 2 other teams won their first rings. Which brings me to this year's edition of the NFL tournament. Everyone seems to think the Packers and Pats are going to square off in Indy because they're both the #1 seeds.... THAT RARELY HAPPENS!!!
Let's take a look at who's in it this year...
In the NFC, of course there's the #1 Packers, and a very surprising #2 49ers team under first year head coach Jim Harbaugh. #3 seed New Orleans is ranked as the second best team in the league, but for some reason has lots of trouble away from the dome. #4 is the New York Giants who played the underdog role versus the Pats a few short years ago and won behind a stout D and Eli Manning. The wild cards are #5 Atlanta and at #6 the Detroit Lions, yes the Lions.
In the AFC, it goes #1 Patriots, #2 Ravens, #3 Houston Texans, who are making their first ever appearance in the playoffs, #4 Broncos (Tebows), and the wild cards are the #5 Steelers, who don't seem right as a wild card, and the #6 Cincinnati Bengals.
So breaking it down, the rich are looking to get richer, while the rest are trying to gain some jewlry.
Green Bay is looking for ring number 5
The Giants are pushing for their 4th
San Fran, undefeated in the big game, is trying to tie the Steelers and win their 6th
Pittsburgh, and their obnoxious fans, are looking to upgrade to #7
The Pats are marching toward ring #4
The Broncos, their 3rd
Saints only their 2nd
The Bengals have been to the show twice, losing both times to the 49ers, while the Falcons have been only that one time I mentioned, losing to Denver.
Which leads me to Houston and Detroit. Houston is an expansion franchise riddled with injuries and questions marks, but have never made it this far. Detroit won 4 championships before they started calling them Super Bowls, but have been mediocre at best, with the exception the Barry Sanders years, where they under achieved, and 2008, when they went 0-16. What's stopping either if not both of these teams from doing what so many others have done in the past 13 years?
The critics will say, no experience, tough road venues, injuries.... blah, blah, freaking blah. EVERY TEAM HAS A SHOT IN THE PLAYOFFS!!!
Now that we've gotten that out of the way, here are my predictions for the 2011/2012 NFL playoffs;
Wild Card Weekend
AFC
#4 Denver loses to #5 Pittsburgh
#6 Cincy losses to #3 Houston
NFC
#4 Giants lose to #5 Falcons
#3 Saints fall to the #6 Lions
Divisional Round
AFC
#2 Ravens defeat #3 Texans
#5 Steelers beat #1 New England
NFC
#2 San Fransisco loses to an overlooked #5 Falcons team
#6 Lions DEFEAT #1 Green Bay because the Schwartz is strong with them.
Championships
AFC
#2 Baltimore Ravens humiliate #5 Steelers
NFC
#5 Atlanta Falcons surprising host and lose to the #6 Lions.
SUPER BOWL
Ravens 17 - Lions 16
Laugh all you want, stranger things have happened. Green Bay was #6 last year, Giants were in '07. All you have to do is get in and win.
Till next time, get your popcorn ready, and enjoy.
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Lions, Bengals and Browns... Oh my! And BCS garbage too!
After what seemed like a brutal weekend in the NFL, the Bengals have proven nothing, the Lions are as questionable as ever and my Browns just need to be flushed. With only four weeks left in the regular season (Where does it go so fast, and why can't baseball move like this?), it seems as if the AFC is poised to send perennials like the Pats, Squealers and Ravens to challenge either Green Bay or New Orleans for the ring. Yeah, Yeah, I know... the Tebow's, or Broncos are looking more believable each week, but don't overlook the Raiders. And either way, neither of them will go deep enough to make an impact.
Cincinnati is barely holding on to the sixth and final spot with four weeks to go, but after getting blown out Sunday by Shitsburg, (yes... I am a hater) will they be able to bounce back and beat them at Heinz if they get that match up come January??? Detroit is in seventh behind Atlanta in the NFC. Both of these teams don't look deserving of being there, unless they can muster up at least 3 wins out of the final four games, which looks like a tough task for both of them. Good luck!
Then we come to my beloved Cleveland Browns... WTF??? Not much to say here except "Maybe next year"... a moniker that hangs over this team like a storm cloud hangs over Charlie Brown's head. (Is there a connection there? Hmmm!) For the sake of the league, and the city, I hope they get it fixed before they clean house AGAIN!
BCS BS!
Before I go today, I just want to rain on the parade of all the SEC parishioners who salivate over how great their conference is. Just because the SEC has won the last five National Title games does NOT mean, in any way, shape or form that the powers that be should pit two teams from the same conference, that have already played one another, in the National Title game. It's crap. Oklahoma State was left out by .09... that's nine 100ths of a point, so that the world could watch two SEC teams fight it out in a sequel to that compelling 6-3 battle back in October. Bottom line, it's way past time to wise up and come up with a new way to crown our National Champions. Otherwise, we might as well let the National Title be decided during the SEC Championship game, and the rest of the bowls will be for conciliatory rankings.
Cincinnati is barely holding on to the sixth and final spot with four weeks to go, but after getting blown out Sunday by Shitsburg, (yes... I am a hater) will they be able to bounce back and beat them at Heinz if they get that match up come January??? Detroit is in seventh behind Atlanta in the NFC. Both of these teams don't look deserving of being there, unless they can muster up at least 3 wins out of the final four games, which looks like a tough task for both of them. Good luck!
Then we come to my beloved Cleveland Browns... WTF??? Not much to say here except "Maybe next year"... a moniker that hangs over this team like a storm cloud hangs over Charlie Brown's head. (Is there a connection there? Hmmm!) For the sake of the league, and the city, I hope they get it fixed before they clean house AGAIN!
BCS BS!
Before I go today, I just want to rain on the parade of all the SEC parishioners who salivate over how great their conference is. Just because the SEC has won the last five National Title games does NOT mean, in any way, shape or form that the powers that be should pit two teams from the same conference, that have already played one another, in the National Title game. It's crap. Oklahoma State was left out by .09... that's nine 100ths of a point, so that the world could watch two SEC teams fight it out in a sequel to that compelling 6-3 battle back in October. Bottom line, it's way past time to wise up and come up with a new way to crown our National Champions. Otherwise, we might as well let the National Title be decided during the SEC Championship game, and the rest of the bowls will be for conciliatory rankings.
Friday, December 2, 2011
Wright Stater and Not So Proud Anymore!
I took in the Wright State vs. Cleveland State game at the Nutter Center last night, which the Raiders dropped in heart breaking fashion 45 - 43, and was impressed by what I saw in the young men on the court, but almost disgusted by what I witnessed off of it.
I'm a long time WSU supporter, as well as alumni of the great Wright State, yet as the 3,300 plus fans in the building sat on their hands for the majority of a closely contested game, a pain began to grow in the pit of my stomach. I started to see why the cross town Dayton Flyers don't want anything to do with playing this team.
The University of Dayton has a rich tradition of academic and athletic excellence that spans over 100 years, while Wright State is still a growing commuter college fortified by the comforts of Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. Dayton fans and alumni have a reason to be snooty and up-tight, but why do the Raider faithful?
As university employees and athletic department members paraded around the floor surrounding the hardwood with an air of arrogance, I realized that some of the pride I had carried with me in my travels around the U.S. and the world was misguided.
I grew up in Fairborn, Ohio (the real location of WSU) and used to watch the Ralph Underhill teams play on a regular basis. There were times that I would sneak in to the university radio station to get a peak at the amateur DJs spinning tunes on a low watt antenna. I loved it. When my time came, I chose to stay close to home so that I could be part of the University that I grew up with. After two years at WSU in the mid-90's, where I got to befriend the likes of Thad Burton and Vitaly Potapenko (The Raider's only NBA lottery pick, only NBA draft pick period for that matter), I decided to join the U.S. Army and serve this great country. For eight years I traveled the nation and the world performing my duties and representing my school.
A couple of hardcore basketball fans had actually heard of Wright State, and I bumped in to another alumnus one day in Central Texas of all places. The pride that permeated from me was immeasurable. When my tours of duty were done and I returned home, I took advantage of the opportunity to return to Wright State and earn my Bachelor's Degree. It was something that I wanted to do for some of the friends I had lost in Iraq that had never gotten the chance to have the college experience. While I was there, I had the privilege of working at the campus radio station, and helped start up a sports department. My greatest sports memory so far in life is calling the 2007 Horizon League Championship game versus Butler, that the Raiders won to advance to only their second NCAA Tournament appearance in school history. The next year I graduated, busted my hump and got a good job working in the field I grew to love as a Skyhawk and Raider... Sports Radio!
But what was it that left that bitter taste in my mouth last night? It wasn't the loss. This team is young and head coach Billy Donlon is doing one hell of a job with what he has. No, my issue was with all of the so called fans and staff that reeked of entitlement and a sense of 'I'm better than you' syndrome. WE ARE WRIGHT STATE FOLKS!!! In all honesty, our school is an afterthought in it's own town, and our fans and alumni have the audacity to carry themselves as if we deserve to be the kings of the mountain. I say remove the stick from your sphincter and get real.
On a night that the young Raiders put on a great display against an experienced Cleveland State team in a loss, and a night on which Wright State took the time to honor the Veterans who deserve all the recognition they can get, I couldn't help but feel like a black sheep in the herd. As an alumnus and Veteran myself, my attendance at the game was looked at as more of an embarrassment to them, while in my mind, heart and soul... I'm the one who's embarrassed to say I'm a Raider.
I'm a long time WSU supporter, as well as alumni of the great Wright State, yet as the 3,300 plus fans in the building sat on their hands for the majority of a closely contested game, a pain began to grow in the pit of my stomach. I started to see why the cross town Dayton Flyers don't want anything to do with playing this team.
The University of Dayton has a rich tradition of academic and athletic excellence that spans over 100 years, while Wright State is still a growing commuter college fortified by the comforts of Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. Dayton fans and alumni have a reason to be snooty and up-tight, but why do the Raider faithful?
As university employees and athletic department members paraded around the floor surrounding the hardwood with an air of arrogance, I realized that some of the pride I had carried with me in my travels around the U.S. and the world was misguided.
I grew up in Fairborn, Ohio (the real location of WSU) and used to watch the Ralph Underhill teams play on a regular basis. There were times that I would sneak in to the university radio station to get a peak at the amateur DJs spinning tunes on a low watt antenna. I loved it. When my time came, I chose to stay close to home so that I could be part of the University that I grew up with. After two years at WSU in the mid-90's, where I got to befriend the likes of Thad Burton and Vitaly Potapenko (The Raider's only NBA lottery pick, only NBA draft pick period for that matter), I decided to join the U.S. Army and serve this great country. For eight years I traveled the nation and the world performing my duties and representing my school.
A couple of hardcore basketball fans had actually heard of Wright State, and I bumped in to another alumnus one day in Central Texas of all places. The pride that permeated from me was immeasurable. When my tours of duty were done and I returned home, I took advantage of the opportunity to return to Wright State and earn my Bachelor's Degree. It was something that I wanted to do for some of the friends I had lost in Iraq that had never gotten the chance to have the college experience. While I was there, I had the privilege of working at the campus radio station, and helped start up a sports department. My greatest sports memory so far in life is calling the 2007 Horizon League Championship game versus Butler, that the Raiders won to advance to only their second NCAA Tournament appearance in school history. The next year I graduated, busted my hump and got a good job working in the field I grew to love as a Skyhawk and Raider... Sports Radio!
But what was it that left that bitter taste in my mouth last night? It wasn't the loss. This team is young and head coach Billy Donlon is doing one hell of a job with what he has. No, my issue was with all of the so called fans and staff that reeked of entitlement and a sense of 'I'm better than you' syndrome. WE ARE WRIGHT STATE FOLKS!!! In all honesty, our school is an afterthought in it's own town, and our fans and alumni have the audacity to carry themselves as if we deserve to be the kings of the mountain. I say remove the stick from your sphincter and get real.
On a night that the young Raiders put on a great display against an experienced Cleveland State team in a loss, and a night on which Wright State took the time to honor the Veterans who deserve all the recognition they can get, I couldn't help but feel like a black sheep in the herd. As an alumnus and Veteran myself, my attendance at the game was looked at as more of an embarrassment to them, while in my mind, heart and soul... I'm the one who's embarrassed to say I'm a Raider.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)