Thursday, September 23, 2010

Ichiro Suzuki: New 200 hits record

Right Fielder Ichiro Suzuki of the Seattle Mariners became the first player in MLB history with 10 consecutive seasons of 200 hits or more shattering the record he shared with baseball immortal Ty Cobb by smashing a liner up the middle in a game against the Toronto Blue Jays earlier today. Ichiro, a 10 year Major League vet and 6 time batting broke the record in the fifth inning of the game with Shawn Hill on the mound, scorching the pitch to dead center for an easy single. This hit also ties him with Pete Rose for the most total seasons with 200 or more hits.

A full article on Ichiro will come later, but for now we will celebrate this great accomplishment.

-A

Saturday, September 18, 2010

Week One Injuries Tackle an 18 Game Season

Over the past few years there has been a push to turn the last couple of each NFL Team's preseason games into part of the regular season. One argument in favor of the addition is that players don't need the time anymore . The off-season programs that the players participate in, and the team OTA's and training camp give them plenty of time to stay in shape and learn a playbook. Why not make more serious competition? Also fans are tired of having to pay regular season prices for games that do not count. It just doesn't have that same energy or experience as when players that you have actually heard of are on the field for more than a few plays.

Over the same period of time there has been some minor opposition to the conversion of those final preseason games. What if a coach needs those contests to devise their game plans? Have they had time to set depth charts? Have all necessary cuts been made? All of those questions have floated around but have had minimal impact on the support of the topic. I agree that the NFL should change to an 18 game season, or at least I did until now.

My whole view on the issue turned completely around after witnessing what happened during the first week of the season. During the course of the games, multiple players went down with injuries that can affect their careers, and even their lives after football. From suffering concussions that can keep them out 1-2 weeks (Eagles QB Kevin Kolb) to a second straight season with an ACL Tear (Jets DT Kris Jenkins) each and every injury that happens weekly in the NFL can devastate one's life.

Concussions, even minor ones have been a serious concern to the NFLPA lately. Former players have popped up left and right with diagnosed brain damage because of the violent head jarring, injury causing hits that they fell victim to on a weekly basis during their playing careers. ACL tears are one of the most serious injuries in all of sports. In it, a ligament behind your knee is ripped and requires extensive surgery plus an 8-10 month recovery. This huge recovery time causes the player not just to suffer the huge pain of the injury, but also causes them to miss the whole rest of their season. Although after an ACL injury, players are usually fine, there are quite a few former players with serious trouble walking as result of these injuries.

If an 18 game season is put in place it will involve even more serious injuries because of the high level of competition that will be going on for an extra two weeks. This shows that an 18 game season is bad for the NFL because I would rather see 2 preseason games than see my favorite player miss the whole season with an injury suffered that could have been avoided without the change.

-A

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Clinton Portis: Sometimes you got to shut your mouth

In the wake of the New York Jets being investigated for sexual harassment against female reporter Ines Sainz, Clinton Portis, opinionated running back for the Washington Redskins made some controversial comments while on "The Fan" radio. His comments included:

"You know man, I think you put women reporters in the locker room in positions to see guys walking around naked, and you sit in the locker room with 53 guys, and all of the sudden you see a nice woman in the locker room, I think men are gonna tend to turn and look and want to say something to that woman." and "And I mean, you put a woman and you give her a choice of 53 athletes, somebody got to be appealing to her. You know, somebody got to spark her interest, or she's gonna want somebody. I don't know what kind of woman won't, if you get to go and look at 53 men's packages. And you're just sitting here, saying 'Oh, none of this is attractive to me.' I know you're doing a job, but at the same time, the same way I'm gonna cut my eye if I see somebody worth talking to, I'm sure they do the same thing."

The NFL took swift action by sending an email stating their disappointment in Portis's comments and have led any disciplinary action up to the Washington Redskins. Honestly, I believe Clinton should have just kept his mouth closed here. Already he is an aging running back that has declining skills, but now he goes out and says something demeaning about women? That's just not alright. If I was the Redskins, He would have issued a public apology already, and he would possibly be suspended depending on how sincere he was.

Clinton, just play football and keep your unnecessary discriminatory comments to yourself.

-A

Sunday, September 12, 2010

USA Wins FIBA World Championship behind Durant

For the first time in Coach K's three tries, a team of young stars not named LeBron and Kobe led the USA National Basketball Team to a gold medal in the FIBA World Basketball Championships. This was the first time the US has claimed the gold in the Worlds since 1994. This group was called the B-Team because of the lack of big personalities and superstars but they didn't let that through. They hung together strong throughout the whole tournament to help seal the deal that the US is the best hoops country.

Team USA was led by Oklahoma City Thunder Forward Kevin Durant with 28 points. He also had five rebounds and two blocks. The Laker's Lamar Odom was also a dominating force in the game getting a double- double , 15 points and 11 boards. The team now returns back home to get the players ready to the season the fans actually care about. The NBA.

-A

Thursday, September 9, 2010

Heisman Winner Ingram Doubtful for Second game

Last season's Heisman Trophy Winner as NCAA Football's best player Mark Ingram of the Alabama Crimson Tide is doubtful for his team's game against Penn State, another powerhouse football program. Ingram, who had 17 Touchdowns for the National Champions last season also missed this year's first game, a contest against San Jose State which Alabama won easily with his replacement Eddie Lacy running away with 111 yards and 2 TDs.

the Crimson Tide's next test won't be as easy without their star. They will be playing a tough Penn State team, and they might be in for a rough time without Ingram. If Lacy plays up to his potential again though, I believe the Tide will continue to roll

-A

Saturday, September 4, 2010

Jeremiah Masoli, was he holding Oregon back?

Yesterday Ole Miss and former Oregon quarterback Jeremiah Masoli might have shown the sports world that he was holding back the University of Oregon Ducks football team. While his former team in Oregon rolled over the New Mexico Lobos 72-0, Masoli and the Rebels put up a weak performance against FCS Jacksonville State that ended up in disappointment during a 49-48 double overtime loss.

Before enrolling at Mississippi Masoli, now a 5th year senior, had quarterbacked Oregon to a Pac- 10 championship and Rose Bowl appearance last season where they were smothered by a ready Ohio State team. Masoli, then one of the Heisman Trophy favorites for the 2010 season was suspended for the year when he was convicted of breaking into an Frat House and stealing laptops as well as other items. Even after that he didn't seem to learn his lesson when he was caught speeding and possessing marijuana and Masoli was dismissed from the team. Because he had graduated, Masoli used a little know rule to get around having to sit out a year after a transfer season and was practicing with the Rebels almost immediately. Then a couple days ago, the NCAA decided that Masoli's transfer wasn't in the spirit of the rule, but after appeal, NCAA decided that they couldn't punish him for a loophole he found, they allowed him to play once again this year.

The season was supposed to start with an easy win for Ole Miss, but after a disappointing
performance by their new quarterback (7 completions, 109 yards, 1 Int) all of that opening game optimism was sapped. While the Rebels felt the pain of defeat the Ducks optimism for a repeat Pac- 10 title coming into the season has just been multiplied many times and we might have a new Heisman Trophy Candidate in sophomore running back Kenjon Barner who rushed for 147 yards and 4 Tds, had 60 yards through the air and another touchdown. While Masoli didn't impress in his opener against a cupcake team, his replacement quarterbacks combined for 351 passing yards and 2 touchdowns. This proves that Masoli, no matter how well he can play a spread, might have held the Ducks from their full potential last season and cost them a Rose Bowl Championsip.

-A

Thursday, September 2, 2010

Jaime Garcia for Rookie of the Year

While all the hype was on the Washington Nationals' Stephen Strasburg, a future recipient of Tommy John Surgery, St. Louis Cardinals rookie pitcher Jaime Garcia has taken Major League Baseball by storm.  Garcia (born July 8, 1986) was originally drafted by the Baltimore Orioles in the 30th round of the 2004 first year player draft, but after not signing he re- entered the draft the following year.  In 2005 the St. Louis Cardinals drafted Jaime in the 22nd round under the advisory of new scout Joe Almaraz, who had moved to them after the O's.

He started to pitch in the Cardinals Minor League system in 2006 at Class A Quad Cities.  With Quad Jaime went  5-4 with a 2.90 ERA before he was called up to High A Palm Beach where he duplicated his previous record but his ERA raised about a whole point but was still a solid 3.84.  He followed that with an up and down Year at Double A (AA) Springfield going 5-9 but he did have a respectable ERA of 3.75.  The following year his slow progression continued, as he went a combined 7-6 with a 3.65 ERA and earned a cup of coffee in the majors but his real Minor League breakout seemed to come in 2009 where in three different leagues and nine games he went 2-2 with a 2.87 ERA before he had season ending surgery.


This season, Garcia's first full one in the Majors Jaime has gone 12-6, a solid amount of wins for any starter, let alone a rookie that still has a month left in their season.  So far His incredible 2.33 ERA ranks sixth in the National League and he holds opposing batters to a .237 Batting Average against.  One cause for concern is his 58 walks, which compared to his 118 strikeouts is only a measly 2.03 K/BB which needs to improve for him to continue to dominate on the top level.


Overall, I think if Garcia continues to work hard and develop his pitches he can continue to be a a dominant pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals now and well into the future.  I also see him winning a few Cy Young awards over the course of his career, but I can guarantee you, no matter the vote, Jaime Garcia deserves the National League Rookie of the Year Award more than everything.


-A