Ric's Rants: My take on the world of sports

On Thin Ice: NHL Season Opens in Obscurity

2010-10-14T19:17:00.005-04:00

"If a tree falls in the woods and no one is around, does it make a sound?" That saying could be attributed to the beginning of the NHL, which started its regular season on October 7, 2010. The problem is, the season opened in Europe and not many people noticed.

This is a sport that was formerly considered part of the Big Four, along with baseball, basketball and football. So to kick-off the new year with little to no fanfare across the Atlantic Ocean is not really a step in the right direction.

The more time goes by, the more apparent it becomes that the powers that be in the NHL have no clue how to build the sport. From the inability to market their stars, to the lousy television coverage, and from the resistance to learn from other leagues, to the perceived incompetence of commissioner Gary Bettman, hockey continues to fall behind.

To the casual fan, the faces of the NHL are only Sidney Crosby and Alexander Ovechkin. That is fine, but with the majority of the teams located in the U.S., how about promoting some American players? American fans are always loyal to teams local to them, but would be more loyal to the league as a whole if some of their fellow countrymen were carrying the sport.

By playing games in Helsinki, Stockholm, and Prague, you are catering to the international fan. But when it comes right down to it, it is the local market fans that you need in the seats for the rest of the regular season to pay the bills. Taking away two chances for parents to bring their kids to home games will only hinder developing young fans that will grow up with your product.

Not only are the games on at unreasonable times when they are across the pond, but the television coverage is also nonexistent. With the NHL's current deal to show games on Versus and NBC, a vast majority of the U.S. viewing audience will not see a live game until the Winter Classic is played on January 1. That is almost three months after the season has started.

The NFL tried regular season games in London, and it just didn't work. The time the game had to be played, the scheduling problems it caused for the team and the league, and the lack of interest from American fans that lost a home game just aren't worth it. While hockey is a much more international game, these problems the NFL faced also affect the NHL.

And what good did it do the league to have games played when no one could watch them? The other major sports make a spectacle of the beginning of the season. It is important to create an atmosphere of excitement for bringing back the fans after the long offseason.

The NFL has their Kickoff Weekend, MLB does Opening Day with a marquee matchup for the first prime time Sunday night game on Opening Weekend, and the NBA selectively schedules games with teams and players that the fans are interested in seeing to start their campaign. This is all good marketing ploys to maintain popularity and to attract new fans.

Further proof of the poor coverage can be seen by looking at the programming on ESPN. They show games for the NFL, MLB, NBA and MLS. NASCAR races for both the Sprint Cup and Nationwide series are on the "Family of Networks." And there is still boxing and even a weekly MMA show. The only major sport without a highlight/analysis show or game broadcast is hockey.

The commissioner's office will probably say that ratings and attendance were both up last year. The thing they won't tell you is that it was an artificial bump. Versus was available in more homes which helped. Also the ratings, attendance and interest are always at a high during an Olympic year.

The question is, what has the league done to capitalize on the increased visibility? By not getting a better TV deal, having talk of not allowing the NHL players in the 2014 Olympics, and the European season openers, it appears that more harm than good was actually done.

If Commissioner Bettman and the team owners don't get it together, they will no longer have to worry about the Big Three sports ahead of them. They will also be looking up at the Next Three sports of NASCAR, Soccer (MLS) and MMA. And if that happens, then it won't be long until we get to tell our kids about a game we loved that now only exists in sports' history books.

"Quit Saying That" - Sports Phrases That Need Abolished

2010-04-02T20:16:00.004-04:00

Hey all Ric's Rants followers:

Please check out my latest slide show blog at Bleacher Report. Just click on the link below or copy and paste the URL into your address bar. All comments are always welcome.

Thanks as always for reading my rants. I know that is a few minutes of your life you can never get back, but I appreciate it nonetheless.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/372662-quit-saying-that-sports-phrases-that-need-abolished

Why Peyton Manning Doesn't Need Another Super Bowl To Be The Greatest

2010-02-07T13:06:00.002-05:00

Joe Montana, John Elway, Brett Favre, Dan Marino, Fran Tarkenton, Johnny Unitas, Otto Graham, Sammy Baugh. These are names that tend to be brought up anytime there is a discussion or debate of the greatest quarterback of all time. The recent thoughts have been whether or not Peyton Manning deserves to be considered the best of the best or not.

There have been pros and cons brought up by the media and common fans alike. And as in most arguments, the facts are only used to validate which side is being defended. I am sure I will be accused of that as well, but that is what makes this my opinion.

With Manning at the helm, the Colts set an NFL record with 115 regular season wins in the 2000's. There are those that will discount this record since the NFL didn't always play 16 games a year and there are teams that missed out on potential games due to strike shortened seasons. Those are both valid points.

However, Donovan McNabb's Eagles, Tom Brady's Patriots, Ben Roethlisberger's Steelers, and the Drew Brees/Phillip Rivers lead Chargers all played the same number of regular season games that the Colts did. And shouldn't Manning be given credit for what he did based on the rules and schedules at the time he played as opposed to being penalized for changes to the schedule and missed games from strikes that he had no control over?

You can also point to Manning's playoff appearances. The Colts have made the playoffs nine of the last ten years. That achievement by itself should warrant much more praise than it is currently getting.

Although this is only his second Super Bowl appearance, sometimes just getting to the postseason is an accomplishment in itself. While Manning may not have the best playoff stats, the fact that the Colts' defense did not perform well either should be taken into account as well when looking at the seven playoff losses attributed to Manning.

The biggest point that leads to arguments seems to be the number of Super Bowl rings. While this is important, the overall impact the number or rings seems to have been blown out of proportion.

Some say that Manning cannot be the best because he only has one ring and Tom Brady has three. So if it just just about the number of rings, why isn't Terry Bradshaw and his four rings considered head and shoulders above everyone else? Or how about Otto Graham with four AAFL and three NFL Championships in a ten year career which took place before the introduction of the Super Bowl?

It has been mentioned that only if Manning gets his second ring by beating the Saints, then he can be considered the best. If Manning does not get the win at Super Bowl XLIV, then does than mean the Peyton is only as good as Mark Rypien, Jeff Hostetler, and Brad Johnson?

If greatness is only measured by rings, does that mean that Trent Dilfer and Doug Williams should be regarded as being better than Dan Marino since the Dolphin great never won the big game? I have a hard time thinking anyone would win that debate.

There are also intangibles that pure statistics cannot give a true measure. Poise in the pocket, reading defenses, game management, adjusting your play during the game, taking advantage of what the opposing defense gives you , and many others. Peyton Manning with rank at or near the top in each of these and probably most other intangible categories that can be thought of to help determine the what makes a great quarterback.

This is a topic that will be debated for years to come. There are always going to be people that look at different aspects of a particular quarterback's career to call them the best.

Some will look at Favre's stats and records, Brady's rings, Montana's poise, Marino's talent, and so on and so on. Peyton Manning still has plenty of years left to surpass each of these great players in almost every statistical category. He can also have all of his intangibles looked upon as favorably compared to, or be better than, anyone that has ever played the game.

Whether he plays another 15 years and wins four more Super Bowls or if he hangs it up after possibly losing to New Orleans, Peyton Manning has already had a great career. Whether you look at statistics or look at what he brings to the game that cannot be defined by numbers, Manning can already be called arguably the greatest quarterback of all time.

And sometimes, the argument is the best part of an ambiguous title such as this since everyone has their own criteria to determine their own winner.

Once he does decide to wind down his career, there will most likely be a new up and comer that the media and NFL experts will say can be better than Manning. As time goes on, the game will continue to change and the position will continue to evolve.

There will be records broken and the unmeasurable intangibles will be compared. This will only make it tougher to determine who the best is, who the best was, and who the best will be in the future.

But that will be a rant for another day.

If Al Davis Was Right, USC Is The Third Team To Mistakenly Hire Kiffin

2010-01-13T18:06:00.006-05:00

Oakland Raiders owner Al Davis is quoted as saying "I picked the wrong guy." He was referring to his recently fired head coach, Lane Kiffin. Davis gave the 32 year old USC assistant a chance to coach in the NFL and it went horribly wrong.

Kiffin was accused of being a liar and bringing disgrace to the Raiders organization.

Somehow, he found another team in need of a coach to give him a second chance at the University of Tennessee.

Now after just over a year in the SEC, he has bolted for the premier program in the Pac-10, Southern Cal. By leaving almost as quickly as he got there, he has made it look like Tennessee made a mistake hiring him as well.

While on the surface this looks as simple as him going back to where he got his start, there appear to be more layers to this story.

If one is to believe the media reports, the Trojans wanted a higher profile coach like NFL stalwarts Jeff Fisher of Tennessee or Jack Del Rio of Jacksonville. When they were not available, they started looking at the Carroll family tree.

The only one it seems they could get quickly was Kiffin. Since he was an assistant under Carroll at USC from 2001-2006, he has ties to the program and its recent glory years.

Surprisingly, USC is also getting Norm Chow to leave UCLA to come back and be the Trojans’ offensive coordinator. This is the same post he held under Carroll until leaving to try his hand in the NFL with the Titans, before returning to college for the crosstown rival Bruins.

USC needed someone now, with National Signing Day less than 3 weeks away, they may lose some of their prize recruits due to having no coach in place. Now, with Kiffin on his way to LA, the Men of Troy are hoping that some of the prize recruits that were going to attend Tennessee, will follow the former Volunteer Head Coach to the West Coast.

I don’t think Kiffin’s heart was really into coaching at UT. It just happened to be the best high profile job available at the time, so he jumped at it. And now he has jumped at the next best job available to where he feels he belongs.

Notwithstanding the tumultuous season with the Raiders, what has Kiffin really accomplished as a head coach? In his 14 months in Knoxville, he is know for his smack talking against Florida, six minor NCAA violations, and a very average 7-6 record.

Kiffin acts and talks a good game with an attitude of unearned bravado. He seems to continuously lie out of both sides of his mouth to players, supporters, administration, and possibly, his own staff.

Yet he and his seemingly overblown ego keep getting paid to take the next big opening. And he keeps getting these offers without really having the resume to deserve them.

It also seems a little fishy for a school that is on the cusp of NCAA sanctions in both basketball and football for recruiting issues would take a chance on Kiffin. Why would you want to bring in a guy with his own problems with the NCAA to take over a program that is already in hot water?

Not to mention, he may have already violated more rules by trying to contact some of his current recruiting class at Tennessee to convince them to join him on the left side of the country.
Not a very good business plan to clean up your program. Maybe the basketball team should bring in Kelvin Sampson too, but I digress.

But with that said, this could be a good thing for all parties involved.

Tennessee will get someone who loves the tradition and will do everything they can to be a part of their entire program, not just there for the pay check and the press coverage.

USC gets a coach that is "family", having been a former assistant. He also is bringing with him several former members of Carroll’s staff to help out. With this coaching staff and the young players that are returning, the Trojans should be right back towards the top of the polls in fairly short order.

Kiffin gets to go back home to Southern California where he feels he belongs, much closer to Hollywood than to Rocky Top. As one writer has put it, traded in the banjos for the beach. Seems like a good deal if you can get it.

Can't say I blame him, but it seems very disrespectful to those he left behind. The coach can leave for the money and the bright lights with no penalty, but the kids he abandoned can't transfer without losing eligibility.

It doesn't seem fair, but that is a rant for another day.

The MMA Fights I Want in 2010

2010-01-09T01:30:00.001-05:00

Hello Ric's Rants followers. Please check out my latest slide show blog on my Bleacher Report account. Just click on the link below or copy and paste the link into your address bar. As always, let me know what you think with comments either here or on Bleacher Report.

Thanks for stopping by.

Ric

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/322705-the-mma-fights-i-want-in-2010

My Conference is Better than Yours - What Happened to Team Loyality?

2010-01-01T21:44:00.004-05:00

Ohio State-Michigan, Alabama-Auburn, Oklahoma-Nebraska, USC-UCLA, Pittsburgh-West Virginia, and Miami-Florida State. These matchups are the kind of rivalries that college football watchers used to dream about. There is respect, hatred, bragging rights, and the occasional game trophy on the line for the teams and fans alike.

For years, fans have chosen sides, caused family infighting, started arguments at work and at bars, and rooted like there is no tomorrow for their favorite team. But for some reason, it has turned from being loyal to a team to fans feeling a sense of self-importance, greater worth, and the right to trash talk at other conferences because of how a select few at the top do against the rest of the country.

When is the last time you heard a Boston Red Sox fan say, "The AL East is obviously better than the NL East because New York beat the Phillies to win the World Series. Go Yankees!"

Or how about a Cleveland Browns fan proclaim "the NFC West is awful because the Cardinals lost to our AFC North brothers the Steelers in the Super Bowl!"

That doesn't happen. Only in college football do you hear the perennial bottom dwellers of a BCS conference disparage another conference because of what their conference champion in a bowl game or in a regular season high profile game.

Recently, the Big 10 has become the whipping boy of all SEC fans because Ohio State lost back-to-back national title games to Florida and LSU, respectively. But when is the last time that a team like Vanderbilt or Mississippi State beat, or for that matter even played, a top tier Big Ten team? So why do their fans feel they have the right to bash Ohio State and Penn State for their recent bowl struggles?

I am not specifically picking on SEC fans, they are just currently the most vocal about it due to their success in football over the last seven years. Four of the last six titles and Alabama in in this year's National Championship game. The SEC has a right to crow about it, but the lower level teams are beating their chests like they actually won the big games themselves.

I realize that being a fan of the Buckeyes, many may think I am just crying sour grapes. Having attended Kentucky, I do watch a lot of SEC football as well and have an appreciation for how they play. It is not a matter of who wins or loses, it is how the fans handle the success of others in the conference that their own team cannot achieve.

When the Buckeyes lost to Florida, my SEC friends had a good laugh at my expense. When LSU won the following year, you would think my friends had won the lottery. But they are mostly Kentucky fans. They generally loathe Florida and LSU, but somehow my friends felt they had earned a free pass to pile on with the Gator and Tiger fans.

When the USC Trojans beat Oklahoma to win the title for the 2004-2005 season, does anyone remember the fans of 1-10 Washington calling out the Sooners and Texas? It is utterly ridiculous that some people act this way.

And it is not just college football fans that practice these shenanigans. ACC basketball fans do the same thing.

When Duke or North Carolina have great teams, the worst of the league claim they are better than the SEC, the Big 12, and the Big East because of what the top rated Tar Heels and Blue Devils have done on the national stage. This is regardless of the fact that these less than competitive teams are sitting with 20-plus losses and dropped games to Ivy League and Patriot League teams on a yearly basis.

More and more fans are leaning towards this trend in most college sports. There is no clear reason why this started. It may be when the media started buying conference broadcasting rights rather than individual team rights. If a certain station is the official station of a conference, all of their commentary and analysis tend to be bias towards their contracted league.

If you watch NBC, you hear about how great Notre Dame tradition is. CBS screams the praises of the ACC and SEC. ESPN just got the rights for the future SEC games and gives a rub to the Big East. Fox Sports leans towards its broadcast partners in the Pac-10 and the Big 12.

It is real easy to look at the last five to 10 years and jump on the bandwagon of a certain team or conference when they are currently having success and the media keeps pumping up the legend of the last 48 months.

A true fan sticks with their team through the great seasons and the long droughts alike. Feel free to appreciate another team's style of play or respect another conference's dominance over a short period of time. Root for others in your team's conference in bowl games and tournaments if you please. All of this is typical fan behavior and it does not put a blemish on the feelings you have for your favorite team.

Do not pat yourself on the back and feel the need to bash other teams and conferences based on the success of others. Do not feel superior to other conferences that you don't play against yourself because others in your conference won a game. Do not hide in shame when your team goes 1-11 and then turn around and rip a 10-2 team that lost to the best your conference has to offer.

There is a lot to say about fans showing passion, just make sure it is directed in the right direction. Support your conference, defend your team in good times and bad, and talk smack to your biggest rival like your life depends on it.

Just don't go overboard with the misdirected hatred and the ludicrous superiority complex because of a few great teams that happen to be aligned in the same league. Please pick a team and go with them, don't piggy back on the prosperity of a conference. Stop basking in their glow when 364 days out of the year you are hoping the other team's entire roster comes down with the Swine Flu the week before you play them.

Now it is off to have my wife beat me at Wii Sports again, and then wait on the abuse I will take from her friends about how they are better than me, too.

But that is a rant for another day.

Is the SEC best, or is Everyone Else Underrated?

2009-11-10T12:51:00.002-05:00

Once again the common school of thought is that the SEC by far is the class of college football this year. While there is no denying the success of Florida, Alabama, and LSU, it does not seem fair to the write off the rest of the nation based on the top quarter of one conference.

There are a lot of fans that think the national championship will be decided in Atlanta disguised as the SEC Championship. Although recent success may warrant that thought, don't forget that in the first seven years of the BCS, six different conferences won the title. This shows that anyone can be beat in any given year.

While the SEC has three teams ranked in the top ten, they are also the only SEC teams ranked in the entire top 25. If you look at the current BCS rankings as a whole by conference, the rest of the nation stacks up favorably to the mighty SEC.

The SEC has 3 of 12 teams ranked for 25%, Big 12 has 2 of 12 for 17%, Pac 10 has 4 of 10 for 40%, Big Ten has 4 of 11 for 36%, ACC has 3 of 12 for 25%, Big East has 4 of 8 for 50%, and Mountain West has 3 of 9 teams ranked for 33%. Conference USA and the WAC have one team each with Houston and Boise State receptively.

It is hard to compare each conference without more games against each other, but some like to look at last year's bowl standings. The SEC went 6-2, including the National Championship game. The Big 12 was suppose to be the next best conference, but the SEC was 2-0 head to head with Florida beating Oklahoma and Ole Miss beating an 11-1 Texas Tech.

However, the Pac 10 went undefeated, albeit with no games against the SEC. The Big 12 and Conference USA both went 4-2.

Also, the SEC's two loses were against teams from the Big Ten and the Mountain West. These are typically conferences that most of the nation look down upon.

Using just the bowl records still does not give the SEC the overwhelming dominance that most are thrusting upon them.

With that being said, it is still easy to see why the SEC gets so much praise. They currently have the top two teams in the polls. They also have the number nine team, who has only lost to those top two teams.

They have won the the last three national championships, and four of the last six. They have a 19-7 bowl record over the last three years.

There are other teams outside of the SEC that deserve a look as well. Texas looks like a lock for the other spot in the BCS title game against the SEC champion. Cincinnati, TCU, and Boise State should all finish the season undefeated and will all have a case for being considered should Texas stumble.

With each having four teams ranked, the Big East, the Big Ten, and the Pac 10 all have the opportunity to prove themselves this bowl season. While these conferences may be matched up against each other in several games, they should each get a few shots at knocking a little luster off the SEC's shine.

So while the SEC rules the roost at the top, the rest of the nation could have an argument for being just as good, if not better, top to bottom based on the overall rankings and last years bowl performances.

Feel free to heap all the accolades you want on the SEC, they have earned it. But don't overlook the rest of the nation. There are teams and conferences out there that are better than most give them credit for.

Cincinncai Bearcats vs USC Trojans - Who Should Be Ranked Higher?

2009-10-27T14:52:00.003-04:00

With the BCS standings in their second week, a lot of the focus is on who deserves to be ranked where and how things may shake out by the end of the regular season.

One of the most intriguing arguments is pairing the résumés of the Cincinnati Bearcats and the Southern Cal Trojans.

While most in the media are giving USC the usual rub, is it really fair to write off the chances of the defending Big East champions?

It is easy to automatically give the edge to USC based solely on their storied history. Just look at Pete Carroll's winning percentage, the number of BCS bowls they have been to, and the number of NFL players that have come from the school. Clearly they are the better program in terms of national relevance.

Cincinnati has only had three 10-win seasons in the history of the program. Just last season they made it to their first ever BCS bowl game. This is a team that since its inception in 1885 has fewer conference championships (10) than USC has national titles (11). It is no wonder that the Bearcats seem to be getting little respect from the national media.

Right now, most in the media, as well as the supposed BCS experts, say that if both teams win out that USC will be ranked higher come season's end. Should the right circumstances present themselves, an 11-1 USC would play for a national championship while a 12-0 Cincinnati would be on the outside looking in.

The overall strength of schedule seems to favor the Trojans. Seven games into the season, USC looks to have played the better competition. USC's opponents played have a combined record of 25-25 while Cincinnati opponents are 21-29.

The Bearcats also look to be on the short end in looking at the end of the schedule as well. The remaining teams on UC's docket are 21-15. The rest of USC's opponents are 25-13.

USC has already played three teams that were ranked at the time they played. Cincinnati only boasts one victory against a ranked opponent. Each has two games left against currently ranked teams.

If you look at both conferences, it looks like a dead heat. Both the Pac-10 and the Big East currently have three ranked teams in the AP poll. They also each have one team in the "Others Receiving Votes" category.

The Big East, while looked on like a dirty stepchild to the rest of the BCS conferences, looks to have the better record out of conferences. The Pac-10 has a good record against the rest, going 20-8. The Big East, having more games against non-conference teams, are 28-8.

The two teams have one common opponent in Oregon State. USC won 42-36 at home in a game that the Beavers had a very good chance of pulling the upset late in the fourth quarter. Cincinnati played at Corvallis and came away with a more convincing victory, by the score of 28-18.

Both teams have had to play without their starting quarterbacks. USC went on the road to Washington with freshman sensation Matt Barkley on the sidelines. That didn't work out so well for the Men of Troy, falling to the Huskies 16-13.

Cincinnati welcomed Louisville with possible Heisman candidate Tony Pike nursing a shifted plate in his non-throwing wrist. The Bearcats won in a rout 41-10.

There are good points on both sides for who should have the better number in front of their name on the ticker each week. Ultimately, this will most likely be settled by the uninformed voters of the Coaches' Poll and the computer rankings. While USC will most likely benefit from their name value, Cincinnati is proving that this year they belong in the conversation with the nation's elite.

It would be a shame if an undefeated team from a BCS conference gets left out of a possible title game opportunity because of the perception of their league is lower than the reputation of a one-loss team. I guess this is the kind of situation that will bring up playoff over BCS talk again, but that is a rant for another day.

Gogoplata for Gold: Olympic MMA in Rio 2016

2009-10-05T19:04:00.003-04:00

With all the attention this last week given to who will host the 2016 Olympics, which was won by the Brazilian city of Rio De Janeiro, one of my friends asked me what I thought about MMA making its debut at the the Games. There are several good points on both sides of the argument. Although I personally don't see it happening, it is a topic that should make for some great debates.

One of the best reasons in favor of adding MMA is it's growing popularity. Even though the Olympics bring out nationalism and patriotism amongst all countries across the world, the overall importance of the Games has been waning over the years. Sure there are some sports that garner more attention, such as basketball, soccer, gymnastics, swimming, track and field, and volleyball. However, bringing in the demographic that drives MMA cannot hurt. Bringing in viewers that may stay to watch other sports can only help the viewership.

There are also other combat sports already a part of the Olympics. Boxing, wrestling, fencing, and Taekwondo are all currently being contested. Karate was brought up as a possible addition but did not receive enough votes. Since most of these, except for fencing, are part of Mixed Martial Arts, it makes sense that adding MMA would be a natural progression.

With the growth of Mixed Martial Arts not only in the United States, but worldwide, this is becoming more of a global force. From organizations like Dream and Sengoku to Strikeforce and the UFC, there are fighters from six different continents represented. With that kind of widespread participation, it only makes sense to put this sport on the type of stage that only the Olympics can provide.

Let us not forget that the Olympics are being held in Brazil. Even the casual fan can tell you that submission specialists rely on Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Royce Gracie introduced the MMA world to this art all the way back at the first UFC event. With as heavily ingrained in the sport as BJJ is, what better place than Rio to add the sport that highlights it on a fight to fight basis.

With all that being said, there are just as many reasons why the Olympics will not consider adding MMA anytime soon. The first of which is the divide on whether MMA should be a legitimate sport or not. There are still athletic commissions in the US alone that will still not sanction it as a sport. Whether it is due to a fundamental lack of understanding of the evolution of MMA or just blind hatred of what some deem as "senseless brutality", there is not a clear consensus on the feelings towards legalization in this country let alone the world.

To give this argument against MMA some support, all one has to do is look at another sport that has tried for years to become an Olympic sport, bowling. One of the biggest knocks against adding bowling was the lack of a single governing body. Until 2005, bowling in the US was overseen by the American Bowling Congress, the Women's International Bowling Congress, the Young American Bowling Alliance, and USA Bowling. Since there were four different groups responsible for the rules and regulations in America alone, there could be no clear choice on who would submit the guidelines for running an Olympic event. On top of that, we haven't even mentioned ruling bodies from all the other nations worldwide.

This could be a similar hurdle for MMA. Since different states have different rules, as well as regulatory variations country bu country, who will set the standard. There are a lot of key rules that would have to be addressed. Will it be contested in a ring or a cage, are elbows on the ground legal or illegal, what is the rule about attacking a downed opponent's head? And we haven't even brought up weight classes.

Another knock is the general newness of the sport. While the UFC has grown exponentially over the years, MMA in general has not had the needed time to grow on an international scale in terms of its amateur ranks. Since I cannot see any established organization, like the ones previously mentioned, letting their best fighters and champions participate and possibly get hurt or embarrassed by representatives of rival companies, the Olympians would need to be made up of non-professionals. While countries like the US, Japan, possibly Canada, and a very select few European and Asian countries may have some sort of amateur programs, there does not seem to be the global support needed to adequately supply this type of an event.

As nice as it would be to hear an announcer the caliber of Bob Costas say, "And later tonight, we will talk with the young man who won his gold medal buy way of a D'Arce Choke," it is not going to happen anytime soon. With more mainstream sports like softball and golf still on the outside looking in, MMA cannot even get in on the conversation. I am not even sure that a BJ Penn rear naked choke, Anderson Silva's knee strikes, or some Georges St. Pierre ground and pound could make the IOC submit to this idea.

Spiked Big Blue Kool-Aid: Kentucky Wildcats Fan's Optimism Crossing the Line After Beating In State Rival Louisville Cardinals

2009-09-20T18:22:00.006-04:00

Let me start out by saying that I am a former student of the University of Kentucky and would like nothing more than for them to win every game in every sport, especially football (unless they play my beloved Ohio State Buckeyes). But when a team that had been a perennial doormat in the SEC East all of a sudden becomes a respectable team by going to three straight bowl games, it is natural for expectations to be elevated.

The problem becomes that while seeing the team continue to improve over the last few years, the view of those expectations can become skewed. There is a fine line between being a fan with high hopes about the potential of this year's team and being totally delusional to the state of the Wildcats compared to the rest of the other teams in not only the SEC but in all of the FBS.

Here are a few quotes I have seen online and on the local news broadcasts after the 31-27 win over Louisville:

"After today's game, the rest of the nation needs to look out because we proved we are a Top 10 team."

"The Wildcats are now a legitimate SEC contender."

"UK showed that they belong in the conversation with the elite of the SEC."

"After seeing how Florida struggled with Tennessee, Kentucky's win over Louisville proves that the Gators may be in trouble next week."

While all of these are meant with the best of intentions and show how deep the love is of the fans, I don't think that Kentucky's 2-0 record warrants a total overhaul of the SEC football pecking order just yet. Beating two teams that you are suppose to beat does not a automatically make one a Juggernaut.

Kentucky beat a Miami, OH team that lost its first two games by a combined 90-0, and didn't score its first points until the third quarter of their third game. The RedHawks still lost that third game 48-26 after the other team called off the dogs in the fourth quarter. Doesn't make UK's rout on a neutral field look as impressive as it once did.

The Wildcats then struggled at home to hold off a very game Louisville team for the Commonwealth Cup. This is the same Cardinals team that was picked to finish seventh in a less than stellar Big East. Hard to see how barely beating a freshman quarterback lead team that is suppose to finish second to last in their own conference can elicit such thoughts of greatness.

If you look at Kentucky's next four games, there are rough waters ahead. Up next is #1 Florida followed by #4 Alabama, both of whom will came to Lexington. After that, the Cats go on a two game road trip to face the Steve Spurrier coached South Carolina Gamecocks and then to battle the much improved Auburn Tigers that currently have a record of 3-0. It is a a very real possibility that they could be 2-4 after this stretch, leaving the Big Blue Nation to wonder what happened to that supposed great start.

The fans need to listen to the cliches that most coaches and players spew in just about every interview, you need to focus on the next game and don't worry about the rankings or the rest of the season. Top ranked Florida coming to town next week is a daunting task in and of itself. There are a lot more pressing matters to worry about than the national perception or the votes of the pollsters.

Worry about the defense and its poor tackling effort against the Cards.
Worry about taking care of the ball after a three turnover quarter.
Worry about a game plan to slow down Tim Tebow.
Worry about how to keep the offense moving and putting points on the board against the Gators.

The Wildcat should win the four games following the tilt against the Tigers. Even if they don't pull out another victory until they face Louisiana-Monroe, they should be bowl eligible at 6-4 going into the final games against Georgia and Tennessee. So even if they don't live up to the hype and praise being heaped on them after their 2-0 start, it looks like Head Coach Rich Brooks should be poised to take this team to an unprecedented fourth consecutive bowl game.

If Kentucky comes out a plays up to their potential, they can be a handful for anyone in the SEC, even Florida. However, the fans need to realize not only how good their beloved Big Blue can be, but realize how good their opponents are as well. It may not be politically correct in Lexington to say that UK may not quite be ready to take over as the top dog just yet, but there is still more to prove.

I just hope that Big Blue Nation can take a deep breath and be happy with this team, no matter how things turn out over the rest of the season. As much as I would like to see an undefeated season, I can take a step back at see what the Cats are truly up against and know it is unlikely. It will take winning a few of these next four games will go a long towards making UK look like the team that these fans are gushing about. Should Kentucky end up 5-1 or even 6-0 at the conclusion of the Auburn game, I will gladly order a jug of that Big Blue Kool-Aid.

UFC 103 Franklin vs Belfort: Main Event Breakdown

2009-09-13T13:57:00.001-04:00

At this Saturday's UFC 103, former UFC Middleweight champion Rich "Ace" Franklin will welcome the returning former UFC Light Heavyweight champion and UFC 12 Heavyweight tournament winner "The Phenom" Vitor Belfort back to the Octagon. Even though this will be contested at a catch-weight, this bout should have huge implications on how each fighter fits into their respective weight's title pictures.

Franklin, coming off a victory over Wanderlei Silva, had recently been attempting to work his way up the ladder at 205 lbs until agreeing to his last two fights at 195. Belfort, who has not fought in the UFC since losing a split decision to Tito Ortiz in February 2005, has been tear since dropping to 185 and looks to be on the fast track for a title shot versus Anderson Silva.

Styles make fights, so here is how I see these two stacking up against each other in several aspects of the match up:

Stand-up Game

Rich Franklin was known for having some of the best stand up in the middleweight division, until his two losses to Anderson Silva. Of his last 12 victories, wight have been by knockout or technical knockout. Although he doesn't seem to have one punch knockout power, his striking accuracy and the way he uses his punched to control the fight is what has made him one of the best fighters in the world.

Vitor Belfort may have the fastest hands in the division. His striking always seems to come with bad intentions. Even though it has been over eight years, Belfort had the power to overwhelm heavyweights with ease. Although he may have lost some power over the years due to the dropping in weight classes, he still has plenty of dynamite inside those five ounce gloves.

Franklin seems to have trouble with faster opponents, but does well to keep shorter fighters at bay with his reach. Belfort doesn't care what size you are, but working your stand-up in the octagon is different than the ring. I give a razor thin edge to Franklin.

Ground Game

Franklin only has one submission win in his last 12 fights, although he does have good ground and pound. Belfort also only has one submission victory's ground and pound is as good as Franklin's, but The Phenom is a Gracie Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt and was an amateur BJJ champion. So although the GnP is a push, the BJJ gives the nod to Belfort.

Big Fight Experience

Belfort has fought some of the biggest names in MMA. His previous opponents include Chuck Liddell, Alistair Overeem, Tito Ortiz, and Randy Couture to name a few. Unfortunately, most of those fights took place prior to 2006.

Franklin has had almost nothing but big fights since his victory over Ken Shamrock in April 2005. That is what happens when you become the Middleweight Kingpin in the UFC.

The only common opponent they have in the last five years is Dan Henderson. Belfort lost by unanimous decision while Franklin dropped a split decision that really could have gone either way.

No disrespect meant to Terry Martin and Matt Lindland, but Belfort has not had to fight Anderson Silva twice, Wanderlei Silva, Travis Lutter, and Yushin Okami all in the UFC. Edge goes to Franklin.

Prediction

This may be one of the closest contested non-title main events in quite some time. Both have a lot to shoot for, and could lose ground in the pecking order with a bad performance.

Franklin typically is the bigger, stronger fighter when fighting at middleweight. He seemed to have that advantage over Wanderlei, but that was Wandy's first time cutting that low. Belfort has fought has high as heavyweight in the past, and his last two fights were at 185, so the cut won't affect his power and cardio.

When Belfort in mentally right going into a fight, he usually has the goods to out think his prey. However, hunting the former 185 champion is a whole different animal since Franklin knows how to game plan as well as anyone having to do so for multiple title fights.

Rich Franklin has the championship pedigree, the octagon experience, and the skills to beat almost anyone at either 185 or 205. However he seems to struggle some with fighters that push the pace and that he can't out muscle. Not only will Belfort push the pace, but his power may be more than Franklin is bargaining for. I do think that both guys possess what it takes to win, but I will go with Vitor Belfort by 2nd round TKO.

2009 Kentucky Football Preview - Can The Wildcats Continue to Improve?

2009-07-27T20:42:00.006-04:00

For the first time since the early 1950's, the University of Kentucky Wildcats have won three straight bowl games. The once "on the hot seat" head coach Rich Brooks has instilled a new attitude into the team and the fan base, making all who will listen believe he can keep this winning momentum going for years to come.

This year may be the toughest campaign for the Cats in quite a few years. With several key players gone from last year's Liberty Bowl winning team, and the rest of the Southeastern Conference stacked from top to bottom again, it will be interesting to see how the returning starters and new role players will step up to the challenge.

Whether it be the offense, the defense, or special teams, each squad has their own set of obstacles and difficulties to overcome for this season.

Offense - In order for this team to thrive in the cutthroat SEC East, Kentucky will have to get much better production from the quarterback position. Mike Hartline is the returning starter, but will have to show better leadership in the huddle and be more consistent with his passes and decision making. If these things don't improve, then the Junior incumbent will be constantly looking over his shoulder at a trio of inexperienced, yet talented, backups just waiting for their chance. Will Fidler looked good in the spring practices while leading his team to the win in the Blue-White game. Incoming Freshmen Ryan Mossakowski and Morgan Newton come in highly rated nationally and will be eager to show what they can do.

Even with the loss of Tony Dixon, the Kentucky backfield still looks to be in decent shape. Moncell Allen and Alfonso Smith seem to be leading the charge early in the off season. Derrick Locke is still recovering from knee surgery, but if the former high school track star can return to form without missing much of his speed, this is a group of tailbacks that this offense will heavily rely on to move the chains.

With the outspoken voice of the wide receivers, Dickie Lyons Jr, no longer running routes, the targets for the passing game will be mostly less familiar names. Luckily for Cats fans, all-everything player Randall Cobb looks to be the best option, since switching from quarterback, to break it big from the receiver position. With the solid play of Maurice Grinter at tight end, and the potential of the remaining young receiving corps, this is a group that may need to overachieve to keep hopes of a fourth straight bowl appearance alive.

Defense - The hardest hit by departures, the defensive unit will have to perform with a lot of new faces. The biggest adjustment will be in the trenches. Having lost Myron Pryor, Ventrell Jenkins, and Jeremy Jarmon, the line will be almost brand new. The returning Rickey Lumpkin will have to be the glue that keeps this unit together. With what will probably be a rotation of several linemen to start the season, the defensive front will have to grow up fast in order to be effective at stopping the run and pressuring the quarterback.

The linebackers seem to be in better shape. Only losing one starter, this bunch will be heavily relied upon to help control the game. With NFL Draft prospect Micah Johnson anchoring this group, look for big things from one of the most talented groups on the entire team.

The defensive backs are a promising collection of players. Lead by another NFL prospect in Trevard Lindley, the safeties and corners have the potential to make this one of the best defenses in the Rich Brooks era. They will have to bail out the young line when it makes mistakes, and they will make mistakes. However, with some timely interceptions and some big open field tackles, Kentucky's DB's should be able to keep the Cats in every game.

Special Teams - The specialists seem to be in decent shape going into the upcoming season. Lones Seiber is entering his third season as the place kicker. Look for Randall Cobb and a healthy Derrick Locke to return punts and kickoffs, as well as some of the talented freshmen that were recruited for their speed.

The only place of concern is with the punter. Having All-SEC selection Tim Masthay graduate leaves Kentucky without one of its best weapons in the battle for field position. Returning pooch punter Ryan Tydlacka will take over the duties. He punted for both teams in the Blue-White game and seemed comfortable as the full time punter rather than just a situational player. If the Redshirt Sophomore can continue to grow into his new role and gain confidence in his ability, he too can be a weapon that can be depended on in crucial moments.

Overall - When a team in the middle of the pack in the loaded SEC loses five starters on offense, six on defense, and their best special teams player, it is hard to imagine them gaining ground on the elite of the conference. Rich Brooks has built the program his way, regardless of what the fans originally thought about him. Each and every year he has improved the depth of the team and that should pay off this year.

What the Cats have coming back are solid players with a handful of them being NFL ready. The depth will have to be there to make up for the stars that have moved on. Coach Brooks has said he recruited a lot more speed to help keep up with teams like Florida and Georgia.

Prediction: Overall 7-5 (SEC 4-4) This team is much more talented then the SEC Media gave them credit for by picking Kentucky to finish last in the East. With a moderately difficult out-of-conference schedule, and a favorable draw of SEC West teams by avoiding LSU, Ole Miss, and Arkansas, the Big Blue Nation should be poised to finish with a trip to a fourth straight bowl game.

What Should the Kentucky Wildcats Do With Billy G

2009-03-25T21:16:00.004-04:00

There is a lot of speculation as to whether the University of Kentucky should send head coach Billy Gillispie packing or give him more time to rebuild the program. Living in Lexington, I get to hear from both sides of the fence, but the "Fire Billy G" contingent seems to be yelling louder. As with all good coaching decisions, there are two sides to this argument.

I can totally understand why the large majority of Cats fans want the coach sacked. This is the tradition that Rupp built. UK has won more games than any other Division I team in history. Kentucky is second in NCAA tournament titles with seven. This is, for crying out loud, the team that ESPN loves to cover just so they can get a good camera shot of Ashley Judd. Look at what Billy has done to the Big Blue Nation.

For the first time in almost 20 years, Kentucky is not in the NCAA field of 65. They got bounced from the NIT in the quarterfinals, and look over matched doing it. They finished fourth in the SEC East, and it wasn't a surprise. Let me say that again...FOURTH! They have lost to Gardner Webb and VMI at home in the hallowed Rupp Arena since Billy G took over. This team has played all year with no direction, no consistency, little passion, and no help for potential NBA prospects Jodie Meeks and Patrick Patterson.

And if all the on the court problems are not enough, Coach Gillispie seems to not be the greatest off the court representative the school has ever seen. His DUI arrest in Texas is well documented. There are tons of rumors of his drinking escapades running rampant in Lexington, including being kicked out of hotels and being banned from some of the city's finest restaurants. He has also had several altercations with the media. He has bashed ESPN sideline reporters for "dumb questions" and has displayed a horrible attitude with some of the local media that has not gone over very well with the fan base.

But with all that being said, firing the second year man may not be the wisest course of action for the University or for the development of the program. He currently would have to be paid a six million dollar buyout. With UK raising tuition, again, this payment to get rid of an athletics coach could be a public relations nightmare. Also, with the problems Athletic Director Mitch Barnhart had trying to hire a coach after Tubby Smith left, going through another coaching search may further tarnish the reputation of the school more than a couple of struggling years on the court.

The fans here were so quick to run Tubby Smith out of town because he couldn't recruit, his style of defensive play was boring, and didn't get the Cats back to the Final Four in the last ten years he was in Lexington. Even though Tubby was averaging 26 wins a year, that was not good enough. Now Gillispie has come in a recruited some good talent, including the aforementioned Patterson. With the verbal commitments of prep star Daniel Orton, Kentucky high school product Jon Hood, and Texas prep point guard G.J. Vilarino, this young team looks like they are starting to get the pieces necessary to reestablish Kentucky as an elite program like the fans demand. Gillispie needs time to bring in more of his own players and graduate what was left by Smith. If the fans hated Tubby's recruiting classes so badly, why can't they give Billy G time to get rid of what was left behind and see what he can do once the roster is full of "his" guys.

Every team goes through ups and downs. The beloved Rick Pitino has been NIT bound twice since he took over at Louisville. The man that UK fans wanted initially, Flordia's Billy Donovan, just got knocked out of his second straight NIT. Even Duke, North Carolina, and UCLA have had down years. It happens to all the great programs, but it is hard to blame a guy that has only been here two years. Additionally, the proverbial cupboard was bare of any significant talent when he got here, except for Meeks.

I agree that Billy Gillispie has some image problems, the team turns the ball over too much, and the lack of coach's flexibility with his offensive and defensive schemes are enough for Big Blue Nation to call for his head. I also think he deserves two to three more years to bring back the luster to this once shining beacon of basketball programs with his recruiting classes and his seemingly endless desire to tackle this challenge. Either way, Kentucky is definitely in for a trying off season, and it will not be boring.

5 Things We Learned From UFC96: Jackson vs Jardine

2009-03-08T19:20:00.003-04:00

Hello Ric's Rants followers. I have made my first attempt a creating a slide show blog. I was unable to do it here on this site, so please check it out on my Bleacher Report account. If you cannot click on the link below, please copy and paste into the address bar of your browser. Even if you are not a MMA or UFC fan, please check this one out and let me know how you think I did. Thanks.

Ric

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/136141-5-things-we-learned-fron-ufc-96-jackson-vs-jardine

Stanley Cup Finals: How The NHL Is Slashing Itself In The Foot...Again!!!

2009-03-07T12:43:00.002-05:00

It was announced that games one and two of the Stanley Cup Finals will be aired on NBC this year. Games three and four will be shown on Versus, and the final three games of the series, if necessary, will be back on NBC. While this may seem like a good idea at first glance, there are still problems with the NHL and the way they are marketing the league.

With the first two games being on NBC, this will give the NHL a chance at a bigger weekend audience. If past numbers tell us anything, it is that this move really won't make a huge difference. Hockey fans would rather see a clinching game than the series opener. While NBC reaches 112 million households, Versus only reaches 75 million households, which will greatly deprive a large portion of the viewing public from seeing a potential Cup clinching win in a four game sweep.

Over the last ten years, either ESPN or Versus has shown the first two games of the Finals. The remaining games of the series were shown on larger viewership networks. This still is not the greatest option either. It can be difficult for the casual fan to understand the dynamic of the two teams and how the flow of the series has gone not having seen the first two games. This is the equivalent of watching a three hour dramatic movie, but just getting to see the last 75 minutes.

The NHL has two true showcases every year, the All Star Game and the Stanley Cup Finals. Somehow they seem to screw up both opportunities to gain fans. This can be seen in the viewership totals and the scheduling of the televised games. This does not even include the poor attempt at gaining an audience with the nationally televised regular season games. The commissioner's office has done way more harm than good in their decisions on how to air this great sport.

If the NHL wants to grow in the public eye, the Stanley Cup Finals has to be readily available to be seen by as many viewers as possible. Putting some of the games on a network that only 65% of Americans have available is not the smartest move. Whether fans cannot see the first two games or a potential clinching game, both scenarios are bad for the league. This just looks like another example of Commissioner Gary Bettman over thinking a horrible idea.

Fedor Emelianenko: What to do after he beats Josh Barnett?

2009-02-13T16:55:00.002-05:00

With a third round submission victory over Gilbert Yvel at Affliction: Day of Reckoning, Josh Barnett looks likely to be the next opponent for Fedor Emelianenko's WAMMA Heavyweight Championship. Fedor, having dispatched of Andrei Arlovski with a highlight reel knockout, continues to show why he is considered the best pound for pound fighter in the world (and I realize it is really a dead heat for #1 P4P with Anderson Silva and Georges St. Pierre). Should Fedor beat Barnett, which I except him to do with ease, what will be left for the Russian to do against the Affliction roster?

There is not another top heavyweight waiting in the wings for the Fedor/Barnett winner. After Affliction's first card, most people were proclaiming that the group of heavyweights was far better than what the UFC had. Now that may have been true at first, the depth of competition leaves much to be desired. So let's look at what is left.

Former IFL heavyweights Ben Rothwell and Roy Nelson have not measured up in their last fights to warrant a title shot. With Rothwell now fighting for Adrenaline MMA after losing to Arlovski, and Nelson's last fight also being a knockout loss to Arlovski, neither have proven that they deserve to be in the same ring with the best heavyweight on the planet.

Fedor has already beaten two former UFC champions in Arlovski and Tim Sylvia. Andrei Arlovski is looking forward to making his professional boxing debut, so an immediate rematch is not going to happen. Sylvia has lost three of his last four bouts, and has become the guy that no one wants to watch fight anymore (I am yawning just thinking about watching another Sylvia fight). This makes the two most deserving opponents currently signed to Affliction not viable options.

There are only five other heavyweights that have fought for Affliction thus far. Gary Goodridge, Pedro Rizzo, Kirill Sidelnikov, and Gilbert Yvel have all lost their only fights with the company. That leaves Paul Buentello, who is 2-0. In his two wins, he didn't look overly impressive. He also as called out Kimbo Slice, a fight he should be able to win. It just does not seem to me that Buentello's mental approach is not ready for a high profile match the magnitude of a tilt versus Fedor.

Unless Affliction can bring in some big names from Japan or steal a major star from the UFC, the promotion may be in bigger trouble than it is rumored to be in already. Affliction has centered both of it's cards around Emelianenko, but they have been against former champions of the UFC. Josh Barnett is not a household name in the United States, but true MMA fans know this is also a very good opponent.

Should he defeat Barnett and run his record to 3-0 since coming stateside, it looks like Emelianenko will have to go elsewhere to find someone worth training for. Whether he goes to Japan for possible fights with Alistair Overreem or Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic, or finally comes to terms with the UFC for matches with the likes of Randy Couture, Brock Lesner, or Frank Mir, I would hope that Fedor won't just wait for the next tomato can Affliction will throw at him.

Billy Gillispie and the Kentucky Wildcats: What's Going Wrong in SEC Play

2009-02-06T22:41:00.003-05:00

After starting SEC play 5-0, the Kentucky Wildcats have dropped their last three. The fans are getting restless with the play of this year's team. So what will it take to get the Cats back to their winning ways.

Some of the problems start with the perimeter defense. After ten years of Tubby Smith's philosophy of the "Ball Line Defense", this year's poor performance defending the three-ball may make the fans want to call Minnesota to apology for running him off. Not every team is going to hit 32 footers all night long like Mississippi State did, but UK has to pressure the outside threats a lot better.

This team also need to find a third and fourth scorer. It is well documented how great of a scoring duo Jodie Meeks and Patrick Patterson are this year. But if I am the opposing coach, I double team both with the understanding that my five guys can outscore Kentucky's other three. The rest of the team needs to have the confidence to take the open shot in order to free up the two main threats. It would not hurt for the open shots to go in on occasion, as well.

The biggest problem seems to be a combination of turnovers and inconsistent point guard play. These two go hand in hand, but the whole team is guilty of turnovers. Whether it is youthful mistakes or the occasional brain hiccup, UK has found almost every conceivable way to give the ball to the other team. They may have even invented some new ones.

The point guard positions is being played by committee, with each man having their own problems. Michael Porter shows flashes of great passing, but won't shoot enough and makes too many stupid mistakes. DeAndre Liggins makes a lot of freshman mistakes. He also shoots too many bad shots, as evident with his current 38.6% field goal average. And Kevin Galloway has not developed as expected, and his lack of minutes is not helping his confidence.

This team does have a huge upside. They have a Player of the Year candidate who can blow up for 50 points at any time in Jodie Meeks. Patrick Patterson is the best big man in the SEC. There is only one senior, which means this is a team that has potential to keep getting better. The new guys on this team like Liggins, Galloway, Darius Miller, and Josh Harrellson keep getting better every time out, Wildcat fans are some of the best in the nation and they have a tendency to push the team through hard times. This is also only coach Billy Gillispie's second year leading the troops in Rupp Arena. He proved he is a very good coach at Texas A&M, he just needs time to build the program.

The players need to continue to adapt to the coach's scheme. Billy G. needs to continue to bring in great recruiting classes. Someone need to teach these guys how to hang on to the ball and how to hit an open shot. Although this team may not get Kentucky back to the NCAA Final Four, it won't be long until the Wildcats are right back atop the rankings as an elite program again. Let's just hope they don't throw that chance away.

Strikeforce Buys EliteXC, Hopefully Didn't Buy Love Affair with Kimbo

2009-02-06T20:46:00.003-05:00

With Strikeforce buying the the assets, video library, and some of the fighter contracts from the now extinct EliteXC, the question is what to do with all the new toys. The obvious focus will be on which fighters will compete under the Strikeforce banner, especially Robbie Lawler, Gina Carano, and of course Kevin "Kimbo Slice" Ferguson.

I would hope that Strikeforce watched the mess that EliteXC made by resting all hopes on a cult figure rather than around the best representation of mixed martial artists on the roster. With guys like Lawler, Scott Smith, Yves Edwards, and Nick Diaz under contract, the promotion has many familiar names to bring in hardcore fans. You add in a good mix of young up-and-comers and you have the recipe for good fight cards.

Strikeforce can use Gina Carano as the focal point to bring female MMA fighters into the mainstream. With proper marketing, good matchmaking, and the recognizable face of the former "American Gladiator" to draw ratings, the women's division can that something different needed to compete against the likes of Affliction and the UFC.

The production needs to be better as well. They need their announcers build up the credentials of each fighter, not tell us how badly they failed in the UFC. They need put together fighters that make for an exciting matches based on their styles, rather than put all the top guys against tomato cans to build a false reputation. They need to promote the fighters that deserve to be headliners, and let the less experienced guys and girls learn the ropes on the undercard.

And that brings us to Mr. Ferguson. If Strikeforce wants to make a quick buck, then featuring Kimbo is the way to go. The general MMA fan will tune in to see if he can bounce back from the embarrassment at the hands of Seth Petruzelli, hoping the previous hype was justified and the loss was a fluke. True MMA followers may watch to if Slice is still the fraud that hardcore fans always thought he was, wishing for another brutal beating by another underachiever. That is, of course, if they tune in at all.

I hope that Strikeforce paid attention to the mistakes made by the previous owners of its latest acquisitions. Because building your franchise around a guy with very little experience, a decent cult following, and virtually nothing to offer other than a Youtube built reputation works great. Just look at what that did for EliteXC.

UFC 94 ST-PIERRE VS PENN 2 - My Predictions

2009-01-27T18:57:00.004-05:00

Every now and then, there comes an event that is not to be missed. If you are a football fan, you are watching the Super Bowl. If you like hockey, the Stanley Cup playoffs are a must. This Saturday's UFC 94 is one of those events for the MMA faithful. This will probably be the best UFC card of the year, top to bottom. The only one this year that may top it could be UFC 100. And that's only if Dana White has an unusual extravaganza of great fights being reserved for that event.

I am by no means a mixed martial arts expert, but here is what I think will happen this weekend.

Matt Arroyo (3-2-0) vs. Dan Cramer (0-0-0)
These are both veterans of The Ultimate Fighter reality show. I have seen a few of Arroyo's fights, and my only knowledge of Cramer is what was shown on TUF. Two young, hungry fighters trying to make a name for themselves. I just think Cramer looked better on the show than Arroyo has shown in is offerings thus far in the Octagon.
Prediction: Cramer by 1st round TKO

Jake O'Brien (10-2-0) vs. Christian Wellisch (9-3-0)
I have not been overly impressed with what I have seen from Wellisch. O'Brien is coming off a lopsided lose to Cain Velazquez. I see O'Brien regaining the form that he showed in dominating Heath Herring and win this one with ease.
Prediction: O'Brien by Unanimous Decision 30-27

Chris Wilson (13-4-1) vs. John Howard (10-4-0)
The UFC debuting Howard has held titles in WFL, Ring of Combat, and Combat Zone. Wilson went the distance with Sherdog.com world-ranked Jon Fitch, in a fight that saw Howard rock Fitch early. I just don't see Howard winning his first match inside the Octagon.
Prediction: Wilson by 2nd round KO

Manny Gamburyan (10-4-0) vs. Thiago Tavares (17-3-0)
This fight matches two guys with similar styles. They both like to use their strength to overpower their opponents, they both have good submissions, and they are both looking to bounce back from loses. The difference will be Manny's Judo throws against Thiago's Muay Thai. I see Tavares using his striking to keep his shorter opponent at bay and not allowing Gamburyan to utilize his throws.
Prediction: Tavares by Unanimous Decision 29-28

Jon Fitch (21-3-1) vs. Akihiro Gono (28-13-7)
Gono is coming off a hard fought split decision loss at UFC 8p to Dan Hardy. Fitch is coming off a five round routing at the hands of Welterweight Champion Georges St-Pierre. Gono likes to think his strength lies in his experience. He'll be experiencing unconsciousness as Fitch regains his dominant form that propelled him to a title shot in the first place.
Prediction: Fitch by 1st round TKO

Nate Diaz (10-2-0) vs. Clay Guida (24-6-0)
Diaz has been perfect in the Octagon since being crowned the winner of TUF season5. With older brother and UFC vet Nick Diaz in his corner and in his ear, Nate's attitude is beginning to overshadow his blossoming skills. Guida has won 3 of his last 4 fights, with his only loss being to Roger Huerta at The Ultimate Fighter Finale in December 2007. Guida was winning by a landslide until getting caught with a knee, then getting choked out in the third round. Diaz likes to use his length to keep his opponent at distance until he is ready go take it to the ground and look for a submission. Guida fights with constant energy looking to push the pace, and is not afraid to use his strength and wrestling to control the match on the ground. Diaz may just be the future of the Lightweight division, but Guida's pressure looks to be more than Nick's little brother can handle.
Prediction: Guida by 3rd round TKO

Karo Parisyan (26-5-0) vs. Dong Hyun Kim (11-0-1)
Parisyan is looking to bounce back after a controversial stoppage lose to Thiago Alves at UFC Fight Night last April. Coming into this match healthy after battling Panic Attacks and a back injury that caused him to pull out of a scheduled match against Yoshiyuki Yoshida at UFC 88, the Judo practitioner is looking to get himself back into the Welterweight title picture. The Korean Kim is 2-0 in the UFC with victories against England's Jason Tan and TUF alum Matt Brown via split decision in his last fight. Kim is also proficient in Judo, holding a 4th degree black belt. A win against a fighter the caliber of Karo would definitely make Kim's stock skyrocket. Unfortunately, Parisyan has already fought a who's who of the division's best and Kim just doesn't stack up yet.
Prediction: Parisyan by Unanimous Decision 30-27

Stephan Bonnar (14-4-0) vs. Jon Jones (7-0-0)
When you think of the name Stephan Bonnar, what is the first thing that comes to mind? Admit it, you said the two wars with Forrest Griffin. For all the images of Bonnar swinging for the fences in their epic battles, he is more than a MMA fighter with two Golden Gloves Boxing titles. Stephan has a good ground game with great submissions, just ask James Irvin and Mike Nickels who both tapped to "The American Psycho." Jon Jones won his UFC debut in August with a unanimous decision victory over fellow first timer Andre Gusmao. Jones is a junior college wrestling champion and a Greco Wrestling All-American who is very athletic and has very unorthodox striking. This has all the makings of an exciting fight, but Bonnar should have the advantage in this one.
Prediction: Bonnar by 2nd round submission

Lyoto Machida (13-0-0) vs. Thiago Silva (13-0-0)
This match up of undefeated warriors should vault its winner closer to a potential title shot later this year. Machida's tactical counter striking is not the most pleasing style to watch, but is very effective. The lack of excitement in his fights is probably why he has not been fast tracked to a shot against the 205 lbs. king. Silva can be very aggressive, but his black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu also makes in dangerous in a ground war. This will probably see Silva pushing the action, chasing the defending Machida around the ring while Lyoto is just counter punching until he finds an opening. I like an aggressive fighter in most cases, but catching Machida is just what he is hoping Silva will do.
Prediction: Machida by Unanimous Decision

Main Event for the UFC Welterweight Championship Welterweight Champion Georges St-Pierre (17-2-0) vs. Lightweight Champion BJ Penn (13-4-1)
This rematch of a disputed split decision won by St-Pierre in 2006 is the talk of the MMA world. For the first time in UFC history, two current champions will face each other. Both men can claim a Sherdog.com world ranking in the top 5 pound-for-pound. St-Pierre seems to get better every time we see him. He has won 9 of his last 10, only losing in a mental stumble against Matt Serra, which he later avenged. His combination of explosiveness and athleticism is seemingly unmatched among the 170 lbs. division. Penn could very well be the best mixed martial artist in the world bar none, if only we would see the dedication to training that befits a true world champion every time out. Penn has looked like the kind of world champion we have all hoped for in his last handful of fights, but can he continue to be that man. GSP has looked unstoppable in his last few fights, but the question is whether he can overcome the mental errors that have plagued him in past big fights. I think this will be the early front runner for Fight of the Year, and should set the table for the kind of match that every UFC fighter should aspire to have. This is a coin flip, but I have to pick someone.
Prediction: St-Pierre by Unanimous Decision 49-48

How to fix the NHL All-Star Game

2009-01-25T11:20:00.003-05:00

There has been a lot of complaining about the All-Star game for the NHL this year. Whether it is the fact that both conferences only have 2 teams represented in the starting lineup (this is before Sidney Crosby withdrew due to injury and was replaced by Tampa Bay's Martin St Louis) or the new rule causing two Detroit players to be suspended one game because of no-showing the game, it seems like no one is happy. That is, of course, unless you are a fan of Montreal, Chicago, Anaheim, or Pittsburgh. There has got to be a way to make it better, for the players and the fans. No solution is going to keep everyone happy, but I have a few ideas.

The first thing it to change the selection process for the starters. It is now based solely on the fan's vote. I have no problem with the fans voting, this game is for them. But is it really a showcase of "All-Stars" when one team, in particular the home team, stuffing the ballots to get 4 of the 6 starters. So my thought is to still let the fans vote for the starters, but only one player from each team can be in the starting lineup. This way there are 12 teams represented at the beginning of the game, giving it more credibility and giving fans from more markets a reason to watch. Now fans have to be a little more selective about who they vote for, and it may translate into more people watching more games so they are better educated on who really deserves to be there. In the case of injury causing a starter to miss the game, the next highest vote getter, whose team is not already represented by a remaining player in the starting lineup, would fill in.
So let's take a look at how the team would look using my voting rules

EASTERN ALL STARS
Current 2009 team: F Sidney Crosby*-Pittsburgh, F Alexei Kovalev-Montreal, F Evgeni Malkin-Pittsburgh, D Andrei Markov-Montreal, D Mike Komisarek-Montreal, G Carey Price-Montreal
(*Crosby out due to injury. Coach's choice-replaced by Martin St Louis-Tampa Bay)

My 2009 team: F Sidney Crosby*-Pittsburgh, F Alex Ovechkin-Washington, F Thomas Vanek-Buffalo, D Zdeno Chara-Boston, D Kimmo Timonen, G Carey Price-Montreal
(*Crosby out due to injury. Fan's vote-replaced by Evgeni Malkin-Pittsburgh)

WESTERN ALL-STARS
Current 2009 team: F Patrick Kane-Chicago, F Jonathan Toews-Chicago, F Ryan Getzlaf-Anaheim, D Brian Campbell-Chicago, D Scott Niedermayer-Anaheim, G Jean-Sebastian Giguere-Anaheim

My 2009 team: F Patrick Kane-Chicago, F Ryan Getzlaf-Anaheim, F Joe Thornton-San Jose, D Nicklas Lidstrom*-Detroit, D Dion Phaneuf-Calgary, G Roberto Luongo-Vancouver
(*Lidstrom out due to injury. Fan's vote-replaced by Sheldon Souray-Edmonton)

So now the East is represented by five teams currently in the playoff picture and has the top vote getter (Crosby) being replaced by the second highest vote getter (Malkin). And Pittsburgh is currently the only team not currently in the playoffs based on the standings, they are only one point out. The West has all six teams currently in playoff positions, including the 1-4 seeds based on current standings. This is a better collection of players, which is better for the game and for the fans to see different guys playing on lines together.

I would also like to see a rule put in place that no more than 3 players from a team can be selected to the All-Start Game. No offense to the fans of Montreal for voting in 4 starters, but you can see all four guys play at 42 home games each year. Why would you not want to see the best the league has to offer from every team all in one place. Isn't that what the All-Star Game is suppose to be about.

I would not be opposed to the players voting on the reserves. Every player must vote for 6 forwards, 2 defensemen, and 1 goalie, but are not allowed to vote for guys on their own team. If there are ties in the player's votes, use the fan's vote as a tie breaker. This little wrinkle allows the fans to get the starters they want, the players get a voice since they know the guys they play against better than just about anyone else, and the coaches don't get crucified by the fans and the media for selecting their own guys or their favorite people or former players and can just work on putting together great lines in order to put on a great show for the fans.

There has also been a great deal of debate over the rule that commissioner Gary Bettman put into place that suspends players the first game after the All-Star Game for not participating if they played the last game before the ASG. Most notably, this is affecting Detroit players Nicklas Lidstrom and Pavel Datsyuk. Both were selected as reserves to the West, but both are declining to play due to injury. They both played in the last game before the ASG. Lidstrom has been playing this year fighting tendinitis, and Datsyuk has been playing with an injured hip. They both want to use the break to rest and recover so they can be better prepared for the stretch run of the regular season, and get the team into a position to defend the Stanley Cup. Sidney Crosby is also injured and has withdrawn from playing in the ASG. He did, however, attend the festivities so he is not being suspended. Now, I don't agree with the suspensions, but I also don't feel the players should just blow off the fans either. I propose a monetary penalty. Give each player a bonus of $50,000 for being selected to the ASG. They get the money if they play in the game. If they are injured and are unable to participate, they still get $25,000 for showing up and interacting with the fans. If they are chosen and do not show up at all, the player's $25,000 appearance fee will be donated to a charity of the league's choosing, and the play is fined $25,000 which will be donated to a charity of that player's choosing. I think the charity needs to be either one that is associated with the league, or one that is local to the site of the game. This gives an incentive for the players to show up, but also helps give the players not showing up a way to save face with the fans since charities benefit from the money collected from the league and that player. It should be an honor to be an All-Star, and if this is in conjunction with my new voting rules, it makes the player more responsible to the fans and his piers.

And since we are talking about catering to the fans, how about we find a network that more people get to display this showcase of the greatest hockey players on the planet. I realize that the NHL had to find someone to show their games after the strike, but I don't feel that the game can grow anymore being shown on Versus. I would like to see the NHL back on ESPN personally. Versus is in approximately 39% less households than ESPN. The current TV deal was extended by 3 years as of January 2008 to show hockey on Versus and NBC. So Bettman's great plan to grow the league's fan base is to put the product in less households, and to put the fan's voted league showcase on Versus. Why is the game not on NBC like the Winter Classic was. Having a showcase game on national television can do nothing but improve the chances of gaining new fans. Are you really telling me that the US Figure Skating Championships will bring in more viewers on NBC today the the ASG would if it was on instead? Not to put down the difficulty of a 15 year old girl doing a Triple Lutz, but I don't think so!

Somebody with some common sense and a set of brass pucks needs to knock down Gary Bettman's office door and force him to make better decisions on the direction of the game. I know no one of any true importance within the hierarchy of the NHL will read this, or would even take any of my suggestions seriously. But if the fans of hockey don't speak up, the All-Star Game is destined to fail. But on the bright side, it will never be the worst game as long as the NFL still puts on the Pro Bowl. But that is a rant for another day.

2009 Predictions - AL West

2009-01-19T20:19:00.002-05:00

Now it's time to finish up the AL with the picks for the West

LOS ANGELES ANGELS (2008 record 100-62)

Key Additions: RP Brian Fuentes
Key Losses: RP Francisco Rodriguez, Mark Teixeira
Unsigned Free Agents: LF Garret Anderson, SP Jon Garland

There is good news and bad news for the Angels. The bad news is that the best relief pitcher in baseball and the best free agent bat just happen to be the two players that this team lost in the off season. More bad news is that their is really no one available that will be a comparable to what was lost. And to top that off, the Angels had to trade their first basemen of the future, Casey Kotchman, to the Braves just to get the now departed Teixeira. Now the good news, LA is still in the AL West. May not win 100 games again, but this team should once again run away with the division.

TEXAS RANGERS (2008 record 79-83)

Key Additions: None
Key Losses: OF Milton Bradley, 3B Ramon Vazquez, RP Wes Littleton, C Gerald Laird
Unsigned Free Agents: SP Jason Jennings, RP Jamey Wright

Well, it looks like another long year for the guys from Arlington. They have a good core of young players like Josh Hamilton, Ian Kinsler, and Michael Young. It is good for a team like this to see the success that Tampa Bay had by building through youth and homegrown talent, but there is just not enough of the latter to take the Rangers seriously. Yet.

OAKLAND ATHLETICS (2008 record 75-86)

Key Additions: 1B Jason Giambi, OF Matt Holliday
Key Losses: RP Alan Embree, SP Greg Smith, RP Huston Street, OF Carlos Gonzalez
Unsigned Free Agents: LF Emil Brown , RP Keith Foulke, DH Frank Thomas

It is really easy to look at the A's adding bats with Giambi and Holliday, then coming to the conclusion that Oakland will give the Angels a run for their money for the division title. But as Lee Corso says every Saturday in the fall, "Not so fast my friend!" The two bats do not really address the needs of this team. They are returning only one starting pitcher with an ERA under 4.00, and Justin Duchscherer lead the team in wins with only ten. They also traded away the only true closer on the team in Street. So unless this team and its new hired guns can manufacture around 15-20 runs a game, Oakland looks to take a step in the wrong direction this season.

SEATTLE MARINERS (2008 record 61-101)

Key Additions: 3B Russell Branyan, OF Franklin Gutierrez, 1B Mike Carp, OF Endy Chavez, RP Aaron Heilman, SP Jason Vargas
Key Losses: 3B Willie Bloomquist, LF Raul Ibanez, 2B Luis Valbuena, RP JJ Putz, RP Sean Green, OF Jeremy Reed
Unsigned Free Agents: 1B Miguel Cairo

What can be said about the Mariners that has not already been made fun of. This is a team with three established stars in Felix Hernandez, Adrain Beltre, and Ichiro Suzuki. Outside of them, the roster is loaded with unproven prospects and journeymen than never reached their potential. Seattle made a ton of player moves this off season, but it does not look like the new hires will be much help. Of the additions, only Gutierrez will play everyday, and Heilman looks to be the pencilled in closer. This team either needs a better farm system or a better talent scout to be in charge of personnel. Good Luck M's, hopefully you will not repeat last year's 100+ losses, but don't bet on it.

My prediction for 2009

1. Angels
2. Rangers
3. Athletics
4. Mariners

2009 Predictions - AL Central

2009-01-16T20:54:00.003-05:00

Alright, now it is time to go over the American League Central:

AL CENTRAL

CHICAGO WHITE SOX (2008 record 89-74)

Key additions: SP Bartolo Colon, SS Wilson Betemit, SP Jeff Marquez, SS Brent Lillibridge
Key Losses: SP Horacio Ramirez, RP Boone Logan, SP Javier Vazquez, OF/1B Nick Swisher
Unsigned Free Agents: SS Orlando Cabrera, 3B Joe Crede, OF Ken Griffey Jr, 3B Juan Uribe

The White Sox are always a tough bunch to figure out. They seem to have great talent in places (Jermaine Dye, Mark Buehrle, Jim Thome), and just average in other (AJ Pierzynski, Brian Anderson, and Paul Konerko). On some days, the bunch I listed as average have great games, if not great stretches of games. On the flip side, the guys I have listed as great talent go though slumps for no apparent reason and never seem to fully come out of it. Also I don't fell the guys they added make them better than the guys that they lost. Ozzie seems to manage the team his way, for better or for worse no matter the personnel or the situation. That should make for an interesting year, albeit not a division championship year.

MINNESOTA TWINS (2008 record 88-75)

Key additions: none
Key losses: SS Adam Everett
Unsigned Free Agent: RP Eddie Guardado, RP Dennys Reyes

The Twinkies are one of the best examples of a blue-collar team that there is in all of baseball. Evan with the emergence of Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau in the MVP race the last few years and the potential of Francisco Liriano as the ace of the pitching staff, this is just not a team loaded with guys you wish your team had. They play the game the way the game is suppose to be played, hard nosed and all out every pitch of every at bat. I still feel that your team either gets better or gets worse, it doesn't stay the same. With no notable moves in the off season other than the loss of Everett through free agency, the Twins will be contenders but may not have enough to make the playoffs without some trade deadline deals to improve.

CLEVELAND INDIANS (2008 record 81-81)

Key additions: SP Carl Pavano, RP Kerry Wood, 2B Mark DeRosa, 2B Luis Valbeuna, RP Joe Smith
Key losses: RP Jeff Stevens, OF Franklin Gutierrez
Unsigned Free Agents: RP Brendan Donnelly, SP Scott Elarton, C Sal Fasano, RP Juan Rincon

With the exception of the Kansas City Royals, the Indians have been the most active of any team in the Central. It is hard to feel bad for the Tribe after losing CC Sabathia to a trade deadline deal last year. All they did was have another pitcher win the Cy Young in Cliff Lee. If Pavano can regain any of the potential he showed before all his injury problems kept him on the DL during what seemed like the entire length of his contract with the Yankees, he may be the arm that Tribe fans have been waiting for to solidify the back end of the rotation. The signing of Wood makes the end of the game a lot less worrisome, especially with up-and-comer Jensen Lewis primed for a starring role in the bullpen along side Rafael Perez and Rafael Betancourt. The only question is whether or not the bats can light up the scoreboard like they did in 2007 or if they will stay colder than Bismark, ND (which had a temperate of -44 yesterday) like they did in 2008. If the lumber heats up, look for this group of Indians at the top of the standings.

KANSAS CITY ROYALS (2008 record 75-87)

Key additions: 3B Wille Bloomquist, RP Kyle Farnsworth, SP Horacio Ramirez, CF Coco Crisp, 1B Mike Jacobs
Key Losses: CF Joey Gathright, RP Leo Nunez, RP Ramon Ramirez, SP Tyler Lumsden
Unsigned Free Agents: SP Jairo Cuevas, 2B Mark Grudzielanek

KC looks like they are slowly but surely building a good baseball team. This is a long time coming for a team that has not been in the playoffs since they won the World Series in 1985. 23 years is a long time to start making the correct moves to improve the team, but Royals fans will take it. All of the new additions should have immediate impact on the level on play, and no one KC lost should be off great consequence, other than maybe Ramirez. The pieces are starting to fall into place, but the team in the powder blues are still a few years from being legit.

DETROIT TIGERS (2008 record 74-88)

Key additions: SS Adam Everett, C Gerald Laird
Key losses: RP Kyle Farnsworth, SS Edgar Renteria
Unsigned Free Agents: RP Casey Fossum, SP Freddy Garcia, RP Aquilino Lopez, SP Kenny Rogers

What happened to the Tigers? This is a team that prior to the 2008 season was all but in the World Series. Were it not for Seattle and Baltimore, this would have been the worst team in the AL, and they were the most disappointing. Injuries, inconsistency, a perceived lack of effort, and a ton of bad luck (see Joel Zumaya getting hurt playing Guitar Hero) doomed Detroit from the beginning. I don't see a playoff run for Motown, but this year should have them pointed back in the right direction and making life miserable for the rest of the American League Central.

My prediction for 2009

1. Indians
2. Twins
3. Tigers
4. White Sox
5. Royals

2009 Predictions - AL East

2009-01-11T18:03:00.004-05:00

Starting today, we will look and the upcoming Major League baseball season. I will go division by division, looking at each team based on their 2008 finish. At the end I will give my thoughts on how they will finish and who will be the Wild Card. Please keep in mind that not all free agents have been signed and there are sure to be trades between now and the beginning of the regular season.

AL EAST

TAMPA BAY RAYS (2008 record 97-65)

Key Additions: OF Pat Burrell, RP Joe Nelson
Key Losses: OF Rocco Baldelli, RP Trever Miller
Unsigned Free Agents: DH Cliff Floyd, DH Jonny Gomes, OF Eric Hinske

This team looks almost the same as the 2008 version that went to the World Series. If they do not add a big bat to replace Cliff Floyd, look for Burrell to be the DH. There are still options available in free agency to fill the role like Manny Ramirez, Adam Dunn, and Bobby Abreu. Given the Rays success by NOT signing the big free agent, I would bet on Burrell and the rest of the youngsters to do it on their own. Add the phenom David Price to the starting rotation and there is no reason that Tampa cannot stay on top of arguably the toughest division in baseball.

BOSTON RED SOX (2008 record 95-67)

Key Additions: OF Rocco Baldelli, SP Brad Penny, SP John Smoltz, RP Takashi Saito
Key Losses: C David Ross, OF Coco Crisp
Unsigned Free Agents: SP Paul Byrd, 1B Sean Casey, SP Bartolo Colon, SS Alex Cora, SP Curt Schilling, RF Mike Timlin, C Jason Varitek

The Red Sox did not finish second to Tampa Bay for lack of talent. The upstart Rays just plan outplayed the 2007 World Series Champions. With the signings of Penny and Smoltz, the Sox solidified their rotation, but didn't necessarily make it better by leaps and bounds. What will take Boston back to the top of the division will be better production from the core of the team and for the team to play with more heart. I like the intensity of closer Jonatahan Papelbon, the consistency of Kevin Youkilis, and the overall play of reigning AL MVP Dustin Pedroia. However, if Boston doesn't re-sign the heart and soul of this team, Jason Varitek, all the talent in the world won't help this team overtake supremacy of the East.

NEW YORK YANKEES (2008 record 89-73)

Key Additions: SP CC Sabathia, SP AJ Burnett, OF Nick Swisher, 1B Mark Teixeira
Key Losses: 1B Jason Giambi, SP Carl Pavano, SP Wilson Betemit, SP Jeff Marquez
Unsigned Free Agents: OF Bobby Abreu, RP Chris Britton, OF Justin Christen, C Chad Moeller
SP Andy Pettitte, SP Sidney Ponson, C Ivan Rodriguez

It looks like the days of the Yankees just throwing money at their problems are back in full force. The signings of Sabathia and Burnett look to have helped improve the biggest weakness in the Bronx by helping the rotation. But Burnett may be a one year wonder after finally having a season worthy of his hype in 2008. With the back end of the rotation still looking at using much heralded, but rarely successful, Phil Hughes, the Yanks had better hope that CC can win about 35 of his 40 starts (we all know he can do it if he wants) in order to erase the disappointment of missing the playoffs last year. This offense, with and focused A-Rod and Jeter coupled with the addition of Teixeria's big bat, looks like it could average 10 runs a game. And it may need to if the pitching doesn't live up to the expectations.

TORONTO BLUE JAYS (2008 record 86-76)

Key Additions: none
Key Losses: SP AJ Burnett
Unsigned Free Agents: SP John Parrish, OF Brad Wilkerson, C Gregg Zahn

For a team the finished in fourth place in 2008, one would think they would try to improve themselves in order to compete with the Rays, Sox, and Yanks. So far, the only big off season move made by the Blue Jays is not re-signing Burnett and watching on as he went to division rival New York. There are still a handful of free agents available that may help this team improve, but none that will vault them into contention right away. You can always count on pitching ace Roy Halladay winning 20 games and being in the conversation for the Cy Young award, and for the other pitchers to make fans wonder when Halladay's next start is. Last year's signing of BJ Ryan gave the Blue Jays a credible closer, but no one other than Halladay seems to be able to have a lead late enough in the game to use him (and Halladay likes to finish what he starts, so he doesn't use Ryan very often). Unless Toronto has a minor league stockpile of prospects ready to make an immediate impact, I don't see this group of birds flying any higher in 2009.

BALTIMORE ORIOLES (2008 record 68-93)

Key Additions: SP Mark Hendrickson, IF Cesar Izturis, IF/OF Ryan Freel, SP Koji Uehara
Key Losses: SP Daniel Cabrera, C Ramon Hernandez, C Lou Palmisano
Unsigned Free Agents: SS Alex Cintron, RP Lance Cormier, 1B Kevin Millar, OF Jay Payton

What we have here is a failure to improve quickly. The two biggest holes in the lineup from 2008 were at shortstop and in the starting rotation. The signing of Izturis will solidify the most glamorous spot in the infield for the O's. Freel is the type of hard worker that every young player on this team can look at to see how you are suppose to play the game, and he can play any where on the field or bat anywhere in the lineup and make this team better. And while Uehara is an unproven commodity in America, it looks to be a step in the right direction for a staff that had four of five starters with ERAs over 5.00 last season. So even though it seems that Baltimore has been rebuilding since Eddie Murruy, Cal Ripken Jr and Jim Palmer were leading them to the World Series title in 1983, this group is young and getting better, however is still probably a few years away from scaring any other team in the division.

My Prediction for 2009

1. Tampa Bay Rays
2. New York Yankees
3. Boston Red Sox
4. Baltimore Orioles
5. Toronto Blue Jays

Getting fired for taking an interview? Really Boston College?

2009-01-06T18:15:00.003-05:00

The current head coach of the Boston College football team, Jeff Jagodzinski, has apparently been asked to interview for the same position with the NFL's New York Jets. The word out of BC is that if Coach Jag just goes to the interview, he will be fired. While some are outraged with this suggestion, others are applauding the school's decision. I am not sure whether it is right or wrong, but I do see both sides of the argument.

Coach Jagodzinski does have a five year contract with Boston College that does not expire until after the 2011 season. He has a class of recruits and returning players that expect him to be their coach, that's why they want to be Eagles. According to the Athletic Director, Gene DiFilippo, says he and the coach had an understanding that Jagodzinski would be at the school well after the 2008 season. I actual think all of these are good reasons for the potential firing. In this day and age, a contract really means nothing. Coaches sign long extensions for ridiculous amounts of money knowing in the back of their head that they will jump ship for the right situation and the right price. Look no further back then last off season and the move from West Virginia to Michigan of Rich Rodriguez. After taking the job in Ann Arbor, his contract with WVU stated he had a four million dollar buyout for leaving on his contract. He and the school went to court over this clause that was in the contract. If the buyout was in the contract when he signed it, Coach Rodriguez should have to pay. But with some arguing in the media and some more than likely overpaid attorneys involved, they settled the dispute, when there should have been no dispute. AD DiFilippo is making sure that his coach is held responsible for his actions by not honoring his commitment and fulfilling the contract that he signed two years ago. The NCAA puts so many restrictions on the movement of the student-athletes that it is about time someone made the coaches realize that they should have restrictions too.

On the flip side, isn't this just following the American dream? If you do your job well, you should have the opportunity to improve your situation for yourself professionally and for the benefit of your family. In the profession of coaching football, it doesn't get any bigger than coaching in the NFL. If Coach Jag has done a job worthy of getting an interview with the Jets, good luck to you. I would rather have a coach that is garnering that kind of attention than one that gets no offers. This just shows what a good job he is doing with his current program that someone in need wants his services to fix their problems. Also, let us keep in mind that BC would also need a new coach. Now it has been noted that the Eagles would try to fill the job with another coach already on the staff. Playing Devil's advocate for a moment, what would DiFilippo have to do if all the in house coaches follow Coach Jagodzinski to the NFL. Well he would have to start a nationwide search for a new head coach. Some of the best candidates are guys like Turner Gill, Norm Chow, Charlie Strong among others. But in order for any of them to take the BC job, they would have to (dare I say) break there current contracts to take the job. Now just because they all interview for the position does not necessarily mean that they get the job. So why would it be alright for Boston College to interview candidates that are under contract somewhere else but it is not fine for their current coach to look for a better job? There is no logic that says that is ok, other then the old schoolyard mantra "Finders Keepers." DiFilippo have found his coach, now leave him here and find your own coach, NY Jets.

I am not important enough, nor do I get paid enough to say who's thinking is correct. Even though both sides of the argument have merit, it will be the coach and the AD that will have to live with the decision. No matter how wrong they both may be.

Barry Bonds and his Love/Hate Relationship with the Media

2009-01-02T18:53:00.004-05:00

So Barry Bonds had hip surgery in an attempt to get healthy enough to play baseball again. With the way he treats the media, the pending perjury trial, and the volatile nature of how he is perceived in the public, it is inevitable that he will be talked about. His timing is impeccable, as usual, at a time of year when college football bowl games and the start of the NFL playoffs should be the focus of the sports world.

The media cannot seem to get enough of Barry Bonds. On the one hand, they love to crucify him at every opportunity. The amount of coverage of his pending trial for possibly lying in a federal court paled only in comparison to the love affair the New England Patriots got last year while going for the first perfect season since the 1972 Dolphins. And just like preordaining the Pats and the greatest team every (before losing in the Super Bowl), Bonds is already guilty in many peoples eyes. He may have lied to the court, he may have told the trust, or just misstated what he thought he remembered. No one really knows without being in his mind or having video evidence of the actual events in question. Yet without all the actual facts, most would rather see him punished than give him is day in court.

But then there are also those that think he is the greatest thing since sliced bread. Let's compare his chances to get the the Hall of Fame to those of Mark McGuire. Some voters and baseball writers say Barry Bonds is a guaranteed first ballot Hall of Famer. These same people say Mark McGuire is never getting in because they did not like his responses to Congress regarding steroids and the Mitchell Report. Bonds has never failed a drug test and is only accused of lying about possible steroids use. McGuire never tested positive for any banned substances either, but did admit to using Creatine which was legal at the time. So how is it the McGuire is destined to only get into Cooperstown by paying for a tour and Bonds already has his bust in a storage shed just waiting for it to become official? I don't know, but both are just as important to the history of the game. Big Mac's chase of Roger Maris and the single season home run record brought the fans back to a game that was ravaged by the strike. Bonds is the current career and single season home run leader and has more MVP awards then anyone in history. The only difference is the arrogance of the baseball writers and their sense of entitlement to "Preserve the sanctity of the game." People can hate on Bonds, but he never flat out made a statement, or lack of a statement, that the writers can point to like McGuire not admitting to steroid use at the Senate hearings. They both belong in for their on-the-field accomplishments, but only Bonds will get their due to his support but the "right" people.

Depending on which media outlet you get your sports information from, he is either a tumor on the rear end of the National Pastime or a victim of his own success deserving of our admiration and our sympathy. Whether you are a S.F. Giants fan or you like someone else, he is getting a raw deal or he needs to go away and never be heard from again. Love him or hate him, you cannot talk about baseball in the last 20 years without a mention of Barry Bonds. Either way, the current home run king is a polarizing figure that will have sports pundits talking for years.

Winter Classic - Must See Hockey TV

2008-12-30T18:24:00.003-05:00

On January 1st, there is more to watch on the tube than parades and college football. One of the newest, and best, New Year's Day traditions is the NHL Winter Classic. Take a great outdoor setting, two of the best clubs in the league, and the possibility of watching the puck change direction in mid-air due to the Chicago wind, and you have all the makings of a fantastic sporting event.

There are not very many sports venues that are better that Wrigley Field. Whether you take the history of Yankee Stadium, the tradition of the Boston Gardens, or the importance of Madison Square Garden, the home of the Chicago Cubs ranks right up there. I would pay for bleacher seats and a beer in Wrigley before I took free tickets to sit in a luxury box almost anywhere else. Where else can you have this unique event surrounded by the famous ivy and being watched by people on the roof just as if it were baseball season? I would much rather be there, but on watching it on TV will still be fun.

This match-up is much better than recent history would lead you to believe. Let's start with the home team, the Chicago Blackhawks. This is a team that up until last year were just plain terrible. If it had not been for expansion teams, the 'Hawks would be almost the worst team in the last 7 years from the Western Conference. But now there is a great mix of players that make the present and future look really good. They have great young talent (Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews) that just keep getting better every time out, guys in the prime of their career (Martin Havlat and Brian Campbell) that give this team proven star power, and some veterans (Craig Adams and Nikolai Khabibulin) that give this team the experience and leadership needed to keep the ship sailing in the right directions. All of this has the former laughing stock only 4 points out of first place in the division (as of the time of this post) and gives this Original Six franchise some of its luster back. And speaking of Original Six teams with luster, no one currently shines as brightly as Chicago's opponent on Thursday, the Detroit Red Wings. This is a team whose list of what is wrong always seems to fit on a postage stamp. And when it comes to what is right, it is easy to talk about the number of Stanley Cups the Wings of won (that would be 11, including 4 in the last twelve years), the number of Hall of Fame inductees which is too numerous to count (59, by the way), and the fact that Detroit is called Hockeytown USA when trying to describe how good this team is. But if you just look at this year's team, it is very close to a work of art. There are, by my count, between 9-12 future HOF'ers, three of the best young scorers in the league (Henrik Zetterberg, Pavel Datsyuk, and Marian Hossa), solid goal tending, and just about the best blue liner to ever lace up a pair of skates in Nicklas Lidstrom. If it was not for the torrid start by the San Jose Sharks, the team from the Motor City would be odds on favorites to lift the Cup again this year. Add up all of this and you have the makings of a great game and the renewal of a great rivalry.

And if all that wasn't enough, let's throw in the unpredictable weather of the Windy City on January. The forecast for the game is a high of 21 with winds at 19 mph. Now imagine some untimely gusts blowing out to left field while the puck is 15 feet in the air on a clearance from the zone and watch the goalies and coach squirm with anticipation of what will happen next. And remember last year's game was played in a snow storm. If the weather conditions get bad enough, even the person that has never seen a game of hockey will have to watch this as if it was a train wreck waiting to happen.

So the final equation looks like this : One of the best stadiums in all of sports + two Original Six teams, one the defending champs and the other the up and coming home team + the chance of the Windy City living up to its name and wreaking havoc with the playing conditions = a new January 1st tradition that is not to be missed!

Detroit Lions 0-16

2008-12-28T19:40:00.007-05:00

Well, going into last year's NFL season, no one thought we would see a 16-0 team until the Patriots rolled through the league. Granted they did lose in the Super Bowl, but they did not lose a regular season game. Now the very next year, we have the opposite happen with the Lions going 0-16. As hard as it was to watch, it was something that was inevitable based on the way the franchise has been run. But fear not Detroit, there is hope and I am here to tell you why.

First is that Matt Millen is no longer you General Manager. I foresee the Lions NOT drafting a wide receiver in the first round, if at all, this year. Hopefully whoever will have the final say in personnel will look at the success that both Miami and Atlanta had this year and use that as a blueprint to rebuild this team. As bad as both for those teams were last year, they both had promising running backs (and I know the Falcons got Michael Turner in free agency, but he was signed before the draft) and potential big play wide receivers to build the offense around. Detroit has Kevin Smith and Calvin Johnson to give the offense some life. What they don't have is the same thing both the Dolphins and Falcons got in the off season last year, a quarterback to lead the team and manage the game in a way that works with the strengths of the current roster. Chad Pennington and Matt Ryan were not brought into their respective teams to win games, they were brought in to not lose games. Now I am not suggesting that the Lions have to draft a QB in the first round, but if they don't get a good free agent like Matt Cassel, the draft is the best way to build, if you have someone controlling your picks that knows what they are doing.

Second is William Ford Jr. Now that the owner's son seems to have more say, that can only mean good things for the Lions. As long as there is a fossil making the decisions, there is no room for the franchise to grow and catch up with the teams that understand the current state of the league (and yes I am also talking to you Al Davis). Some owners have a passion for and an understanding of the game and can make good choices, and some just think they know. The owners like Ford and Davis, and others that run their respective organizations like thse two guys, think that whatever they do will work for their team and make them more money. Yet teams like the Patriots and the Colts hire the right people in the front office in order to build a successful product on the field. If Junior can have more of a say and bring in the right pieces in the office, which it looks like he is already starting to do by canning Millen, it should translate to W's in a few years.

And third is Rod Marinelli. Now I realize that there is no way that he keeps his job after and 0-16 campaign, but hear me out. This is a guy that, despite the dismal events of this season, never gave up on his guys and never backed down from this challenge. Since a good portion of the team will be back next year, they will hopefully carry over some of Coach Rod's passion. This is a guy that answered every question after every loss with no regard for what he might be asked. I cannot think of another coach that would have stayed as poised as Marinelli did with the nature of the questions. Most people would have just walked out on the interview and not responded. If his players did not see that and feel something, ANYTHING, that would want to make them play harder for this guy then there is a bigger problem then just bad football. Even though Coach Rod may not be on the sidelines next year, the pride he has installed in the team that remains should pay dividends in the long run.

So fear not Lions faithful, even the 0-14 Bucs turned it around to win a Super Bowl (even if it took around 30 years to do it). With a new voice in ownership, and decent draft, some key free agent signings, and a chip on your shoulder to make sure this never happens again, it will not be a surprise to see a Detroit Lions team with a winning record.....sometime in the next 20 years.

Welcome to my Rants/College football playoffs

2008-12-27T19:31:00.004-05:00

Thanks for taking the time to read my thoughts. I am a fan of almost every sport available. Whether it is baseball or basketball, football or soccer, hockey or MMA, I cannot get enough of sports. As many of you will find out, I am not an English or journalism major nor do I own a dictionary or thesaurus, I am just a regular guy that happens to be a big fan of all athletic competition. I will use this forum to spell out what I like and don't like, what works and what needs to be fixed, as well as predictions and my analysis on what has already happened. I welcome your comments and emails. I will try to comment back and respond to as many emails as I can based on the volume and what free time I have. My goal is to post 2-3 blogs per week, time permitting. There is my pitiful attempt at an introduction, so lets get started.

For my first rant, lets talk about the debate over college football having a playoff system or staying with the current bowl system.

I don't think the debate should be there is only one or the other, I think there should be both. I think the first think that needs to be done is reduce the number of bowl games by making it a requirement that at team must have a winning record. There is no reason to subject the TV audience to a bad game by two 6-6 teams from conferences that no one has heard of. If you are not 7-5 or better, enjoy your holidays with your family and watch some teams the deserve to play an extra game.

Second, use the bowl games as your playoff opening round games. I think 8 teams in the playoff is more than enough. No matter how may teams you take, someone is always going to be left out. This way, you can use your four major bowl games that are now called the BCS games (Orange, Rose, Fiesta, and Sugar Bowls) as your national quarterfinal games. These should be played January 1st or 2nd, two each day would allow for maximum viewership. All other bowls must be played on or before December 31 so as not to take away from the "importance" of the playoffs. Play the semifinals the following week at neutral NFL stadiums of teams that have been elimination from there playoffs to make sure it is an equal playing field for both teams in each game to have a shot to make it to the finals. I say this specifically due to the lack of a neutral field that seems to happen in the Rose, Sugar, and Orange Bowls. USC plays selected home games at the Rose Bowl, so how is it a neutral field from them to play Penn State. Same goes for LSU and the Sugar Bowl and either Miami, FL or Florida State at the Orange Bowl. Playing this game a week later should not be any problem since all Division I-AA (I refuse to call it FCS), II, and III all have one week to make new travel arrangements for the next game when their team wins so the Division I-A teams should be able to do the same.

And last, work with the NFL to make a Championship Weekend. Have the NCAA National Championship game the Friday night before the Super Bowl. The game should be held in the major bowl game stadium closest to where the Super Bowl is being help. So as an example, the NFL is playing at Arizona this year, so the National Champs will be crowned at the Fiesta Bowl. This gives the kids a few weeks to heal and prepare for the title game, not a month and a half. Also, they will be close to home for the beginning of the spring semester. Also, this gives the media plenty of time to hype the game. The real winners are the fans. A true champion is crowned on the field, plus there is enough time and a small enough travel distance for the diehards to still try to find a ticket to the Super Bowl too.

So all and all, the bowls stay relevant, the student-athletes don't suffer on the student part, the schools presidents still get the extra money they are afraid to lose by going to just a playoff system, the media can still hype the championships until they are blue in the face, and most importantly the fans get what they want, a true National Champion decided on the field and not by a computer.