MVP Sports Talk

Marlon Crook Jr. (2013) Junior Highlights

2012-01-30T22:02:00.000-05:00

George Battle (2013) Junior Highlights

2012-01-15T21:29:00.000-05:00

Bowl Schedule

2011-12-04T01:14:00.005-05:00

Gildan New Mexico
Temple 37, Wyoming 15

Famous Idaho Potato Bowl
Ohio 24, Utah State 23

R+L Carriers New Orleans
Louisiana-Lafayette 32, San Diego State 30

Beef 'O' Brady's St. Petersburg
Marshall 20, Florida International 10

S.D. County Credit Union Poinsettia
TCU 31, Louisiana Tech 24

MAACO Las Vegas
Boise State 56, Arizona State 24

Sheraton Hawaii
Southern Miss 24, Nevada 17

AdvoCare V100 Independence
Missouri 41, North Carolina 24

Little Caesars
Purdue 37, Western Michigan 32

Belk
NC State 31, Louisville 24

Military Bowl Presented By Northrop Grumman
Toledo 42, Air Force 41

Bridgepoint Education Holiday
Texas 21, California 10

Champs Sports
Florida State 18, Notre Dame 14

Valero Alamo
Baylor 67, Washington 56

Bell Helicopter Armed Forces
BYU 24, Tulsa 21

New Era Pinstripe
Rutgers 27, Iowa State 13

Franklin American Mortgage Music City
Miss. State 24, Wake Forest 17

Insight
Oklahoma 31, Iowa 14

Texas A&M 33, Northwestern 22

Hyundai Sun
Utah 30, Georgia Tech 27 (OT)

AutoZone Liberty
Cincinnati 31, Vanderbilt 24

Kraft Fight Hunger
Illinois 20, UCLA 14

Meineke Car Care of TexasChick-fil-A
Auburn 43, Virginia 24

TicketCity
Houston 30, Penn State 14

Outback
Michigan State 33, Georgia 30 (3OT)

Capital One
South Carolina 30, Nebraska 13

Taxslayer.com Gator Bowl
Florida 24, Ohio State 17

Rose Bowl Game presented by Vizio
Oregon 45, Wisconsin 38

Tostitos Fiesta
Oklahoma State 41, Stanford 38

Allstate Sugar
Michigan 23, Virginia Tech 20

Discover Orange
West Virginia 70, Clemson 33

AT&T Cotton
Arkansas 29, Kansas State 16

BBVA Compass Bowl
SMU 28, Pittsburgh 6

GoDaddy.com
Northern Illinois 38, Arkansas State 20

Allstate BCS National Championship
Alabama 21, LSU 0

A (Proposed) Solution to the English Premier League's Debt Crisis

2011-10-29T22:24:00.002-04:00

By Edgar Walker

In terms of popularity and exposure in the United States, England’s Barclays Premier League has grown exponentially over the past two years, and for good reason. It’s the most-watched professional sports league in the world, and of all the soccer leagues on Earth, the EPL’s brand of soccer is the most entertaining to watch. MVP Sports Talk’s Edgar Walker reflects on the massive debt crisis crippling many EPL clubs, and brings forward his own proposal to solve the problem.

The FA, England soccer’s governing body, rules over the affairs of the international squads representing the countries, as well as the country’s domestic leagues. Recently, the British government has been putting pressure on The FA to reduce debt levels at some of the major squads in the Premier League. As a result of inflated transfer budgets and player salaries, along with expensive development projects, some of the top English-based clubs are facing massive debt situations, with the worst cases nearing £1 billion.

What many American fans of the EPL don’t realize is that clubs are not guaranteed revenue, as they are in the major leagues in the U.S. Even struggling franchises, namely the Florida Marlins, Jacksonville Jaguars, or Sacramento Kings, still turn profits each season of operation because of shared revenue agreements in the MLB, NFL, and NBA. Because of the promotion/relegation system seen in soccer leagues around the world, revenue sharing is unseen because of the fluid atmosphere of the leagues. Additionally, many of England’s largest cities are home to several different clubs. Because of this, clubs are almost never given any sort of public funding to help build stadiums, develop areas around the stadium, et cetera. On top of all this, consider the over-inflated transfer market, and the fact that each year, more and more money must be spent by clubs who are trying to stay competitive and economically viable in a top-flight league. Eventually (or in some cases, very quickly), the various expenses add up, and put clubs in a financial bind.

My proposal is a simple one; punish clubs on the field for their misbehavior off the field. In the same way that the MLB has a “luxury tax” for those teams that are the most aggressive spenders, the EPL should establish a point deduction system for the biggest spenders in each transfer window. For every £10 million a club spends on transfers, they’d be deducted one point before their season began. The same would go for the January transfer window. There are three reasons why this would be an effective solution for The FA to utilize:

1) Debt would not increase as quickly; clubs such as Manchester City and Chelsea would not spend enormous sums of money on overpriced players in the transfer window.

2) The transfer market would return to a more reasonable state. Clubs without super-rich owners could compete for the same quality players as the cash-laden clubs of the league. In turn, the league would be more competitive; TV ratings would rise, and more fans would be interested in the latter months of the season.

3) Teams would look to reduce spending by turning to their youth academies, and specifically looking to develop cheap, English players. Consequently, the national team would have an influx of talented, well-coached young players coming from academies.

Obviously this solution is one with a few flaws, and it would undoubtedly incite outrage from the rich clubs who are used to spending large sums of money to be competitive. With that said, it’s an idea worth looking into, and at this point, any idea is worth something. The debt problem is widespread in the EPL and across the world, and in a time when the world economy is in worse condition than it’s been for years, it makes little sense for soccer clubs to spend more and more money each year.

Edgar Walker is a young, Baltimore-based sportswriter. Check out his work on Baltimore Sports Report, or follow him on Twitter.

Congrats to the St. Louis Cardinals

2011-10-28T23:29:00.000-04:00

On being the 2011 World Series Champions.

TCU Expected to Join Big 12

2011-10-07T16:44:00.002-04:00

The Big East Conference held discussions today about possible conference expansion without TCU who was originally expected to join the league in 2012. The Horned Frogs are now expected to join the Big 12 and create regional rivalries with other teams in Texas.

-A

Week One NFL Predictions

2011-09-08T18:24:00.005-04:00

By Edgar Walker

It’s almost time for football, and it’s only fitting that here at MVP Sports Talk, we predict some of Week 1’s games. Alongside me with his predictions will be site founder Andrew Feather.

Below the chart, we’ll each discuss why we predicted three specific games the way we did.

**Games will be listed as HOME vs. AWAY**

Matchup	Edgar	Andrew
Green Bay vs. New Orleans	Green Bay	Green Bay
Chicago vs. Atlanta	Atlanta	Atlanta
Houston vs. Indianapolis	Houston	Houston
Kansas City vs. Buffalo	Kansas City	Kansas City
Jacksonville vs. Tennessee	Jacksonville	Tennessee
Cleveland vs. Cincinnati	Cleveland	Cleveland
St. Louis vs. Philadelphia	St. Louis	Philadelphia
Baltimore vs. Pittsburgh	Baltimore	Baltimore
Tampa Bay vs. Detroit	Tampa Bay	Detroit
San Diego vs. Minnesota	San Diego	San Diego
Washington vs. New York Giants	New York Giants	Washington
Arizona vs. Carolina	Carolina	Arizona
San Francisco vs. Seattle	Seattle	San Francisco
New York Jets vs. Dallas	New York Jets	New York Jets
Miami vs. New England	New England	New England
Denver vs. Oakland	Oakland	Oakland

Green Bay vs. New Orleans-
Edgar: I’m going with Green Bay here to defend their home field and get off to a good start following their Super Bowl win. I think the Saints will give the Packers a tough game, but Aaron Rodgers is a stud quarterback who’s set to have the best season of his career, and he should torch the New Orleans defense. It’ll be a shootout, for sure.

Andrew: I’m going to go with Green Bay here too in this game featuring the past two Superbowl Champions. Both teams are very good, and in my book both are making the playoffs, but the dynamic Packer’s offense led by Aaron Rodgers and their D led by Clay Matthews will prove to be too much for the Saints.

Baltimore vs. Pittsburgh-
Edgar: This is consistently one of the best games to watch in the NFL. If you want to see good football, tune into this game, and be amazed by the intensity these two teams bring to the table in Week 1. I think Baltimore gets the edge because of their home field advantage, but this game is always a toss-up, and usually defies all logic when it comes to predictions.

Andrew: This game pits two of the NFL’s toughest teams and defenses in a battle will surely not disappoint. Because Baltimore has home field advantage in addition to Ray Rice, who i think is poised to have 15-20 TDs this year, I am picking them to take part one of this bitter rivalry.

St. Louis vs. Philadelphia-
Edgar: I like the Rams, and I think the Eagles are cocky. With that said, I chose St. Louis with a bit of hesitation. I like the team they’re building, and I think they have not only the talent, but the will to defeat Philly. The fact that the game is on the Rams’ home turf helps their chances. If the Rams pull off the victory, it will be a close one, and it will probably be somewhat due to a poor performance from Michael Vick.

Andrew: Unlike Edgar, I’m going to go with the safe pick here and take the revamped Eagles team to take this one. Michael Vick is one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL and is throwing to a fast, experienced receiving corps. I really like whats going on with the Rams and I think Sam Bradford will be one of the best QBs in the league in two years, but for now they don't have the firepower to beat the Eagles.

Edgar Walker is a young, Baltimore-based sportswriter. Check out his work on Baltimore Sports Report, or follow him on Twitter.

Embattled Dodger’s Owner offered $1.2 Billion for Team

2011-09-02T12:29:00.004-04:00

Los Angeles Dodgers owner Frank McCourt has been offered $1.2 billion for full ownership of the team by Los Angleles Marathon Founder Bill Burke. This offer is just the latest in line of what has become a saga of Frank McCourt’s financial mishandling of the Dodgers as well as his nasty, multi-million dollar divorce, which has been going on for over a year. This proposal will offer McCourt, who filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy on June 27, at least some time before Major League Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig seizes the franchise and gives MLB full control over the club. Right now the club’s finances are controlled by an agent assigned by Selig to the team but without McCourt’s permission they can not move any players or sell the team.

According to multiple sources, if Major League Baseball were to seize the club, which they have been contemplating for a while, they would first allow McCourt to try to arrange a deal (like this one) before forcing sale of the team. Earlier this year the McCourts had reached a divorce settlement that was dependent on a twenty year $300 million television contract with Fox. Because the deal also would result in a personal loan to cover payroll and Selig believed McCourt was doing this to game the system in place (team money is not for the owner’s personal use), MLB rejected the deal.

If the sale of the club were to go through, the $1.2 billion would be the highest price ever paid for a Major League Baseball team. If McCourt were to accept the offer, it would first need to be approved by Selig and then pass a vote by the Major League Baseball Owners Association to be sure that the other owners think that Bill Burke would make a good owner. If the team were to be sold, many Dodgers’ fans and Los Angeles area baseball fans alike would be overjoyed because even though the divorce was settled in court, it has played a role on the field and in the team’s lack of success this season. A new owner would bring in a fresh face and a fresh start for a franchise in trouble.

-A

2011 Fantasy Football Rankings by Position

2011-08-23T23:03:00.003-04:00

By Edgar Walker

It’s late August, a time of change as kids return to school and most of the country’s joyous Summer vacations wind down. For many sports fans however, late August means one thing; fantasy football.

Many of you will be taking part in fantasy drafts over the next two weeks, and here at MVP Sports Talk, we want to make it easier for you to succeed in your league. Check out our top 10 fantasy football rankings by position. If the player has a parenthesis to the right of their name, the number inside that parenthesis is the player’s overall rank.

QB:

Aaron Rodgers, GB (5)
Philip Rivers, SD (8)
Drew Brees, NO (12)
Tom Brady, NE (14)
Michael Vick, PHI (18)
Matt Ryan, ATL (20)
Ben Roethlisberger, PIT (21)
Peyton Manning, IND (25)
Matt Schaub, HOU
Tony Romo, DAL

RB:

Arian Foster, HOU (1)
Jamaal Charles, KC (2)
Chris Johnson, TEN (3)
Adrian Peterson, MIN (4)
Ray Rice, BAL (6)
Maurice Jones-Drew, JAX (7)
Frank Gore, SF (11)
LeSean McCoy, PHI (13)
Michael Turner, ATL (16)
Rashard Mendenhall, PIT (17)

WR:

Calvin Johnson, DET (9)
Roddy White, ATL (10)
Andre Johnson, HOU (15)
Greg Jennings, GB (19)
Dwayne Bowe, KC (22)
DeSean Jackson, PHI (23)
Larry Fitzgerald, ARZ (24)
Hakeem Nicks, NYG
Reggie Wayne, IND
Mike Wallace, PIT

TE:

Jason Witten, DAL
Antonio Gates, SD
Dallas Clark, IND
Vernon Davis, SF
Mercedes Lewis, JAX
Jermichael Finley, GB
Jimmy Graham, NO
Tony Gonzalez, ATL
Dustin Keller, NYJ
Brandon Pettigrew, DET

D/ST:

Green Bay Packers
Pittsburgh Steelers
New England Patriots
New York Jets
Philadelphia Eagles
Baltimore Ravens
Detroit Lions
Chicago Bears
San Diego Chargers
San Francisco 49ers

Edgar Walker is a young, Baltimore-based sportswriter. Check out his work on Baltimore Sports Report, or follow him on Twitter.

Miami Booster Scandal

2011-08-17T00:16:00.003-04:00

If you have seen the allegations made by University of Miami Booster Nevin Shapiro about benefits he gave players, coaches, and recruits you are probably just as shocked as us that the U was able to turn a blind eye on the scandals and wide array of NCAA violations that occurred between Shapiro's affiliation with the school in 2002 and his arrest on allegations of a $930million ponzi scheme in 2010. At first I was unsure about the facts behind the case and thought his argument was a little bit far fetched. After I read Yahoo Sport's Writer Charles Robinson's report on the situation which he broke yesterday after hundreds of hours of research and interviews and I can see clearly that The school and their staff knew what was going on and just decided not to report it.

I have always understood why college athletes would take money and benefits from agents and boosters. The athletes are college students, people who are generally not the richest in the first place. These benefits let them splurge a little bit and help the players out. What I don't understand is why the school didn't report it. It only makes it worse for them, because in today's world, eventually the media is going to break every major violation and eventually you will have to pay for your actions, so why not just fess up then and take lesser consequences. Because of the sheer number of players and the length of time and money this involved, I only see one punishment that will fit. The University of Miami, one of the historically great football programs will receive the Death Penalty.

-A

SEC does not extend invite to Texas A&M

2011-08-14T19:31:00.005-04:00

Despite what many people think, it was Texas A&M that approached the SEC, not the other way around, about joining the conference. Although the Southeastern Conference showed interest in Texas A&M last season, the vote to extend an invite fell through, partly because they couldn't find a fourteenth team to add to the conference. The Aggies, upset about ESPN's Texas Longhorn Network and the power it would give the school among other problems in the Big 12, hoped tojoin the SEC in competition this fall. About the issue of conference expansion, University of Florida President Bernie Machen, the chairman of the league's presidents and chancellors committee, said that meetings on Sunday "reaffirmed our satisfaction with the present 12 institutional alignment." Even though they are satisfied for now, he did leave the door open for expansion in the future saying "We recognize, however, that future conditions may make it advantageous to expand the number of institutions in the league," Machen said. "We discussed criteria and process associated with expansion. No action was taken with respect to any institution including Texas A&M."

MVP Sports Talk will stay updated on this matter

-A

Texas A&M Set to Join SEC

2011-08-13T12:04:00.004-04:00

Texas A&M is expected to announce Monday that it will be moving to the SEC to play in College Football's premier conference. The SEC is also in pursuit of getting A&M rival Big 12 school Missouri and two ACC Schools, Clemson and Florida State, to join the conference and possibly having schools that are less than competitive in its feature sport be dismissed from the conference at least in football. If they do keep all of their schools, it will become what would be the first true "Power Conference" and provide as an example for other conferences looking into expansion.

*Update* Missouri's Athletic Director has said that the school will not be joining the SEC but we will follow that matter and provide further information as it becomes available.

-A

The American League Wild Card Race

2011-08-11T10:41:00.003-04:00

We at MVP Sports Talk are happy to announce that we have a new member joining our writers. Jacob Adler, who has guest posted for us before will be joining us as our new head baseball writer. You can visit his sports blog The Nerd with the Sports Report here, and follow him on twitter @jacobadler

The wild card situation is odd. When the spots were added, traditionalists were outraged while the supporters claimed that it was the right thing to do since sometimes there were great teams missing the playoffs because they had a division rival with a better record. Since it has been implemented in 1995, four wild card teams have won the World Series, most recently with the 2004 Red Sox and has been just another mark of the Bud Selig era, angering traditionalists while pleasing some “modern” fans. Even though there is talk of another wild card spot to give teams in the AL East a break (they have the Yankees, Red Sox, and Rays), this year there is only one per league and a team in the AL East will most likely take the wild card, with the Yankees taking the final playoff spot

I don’t think that anybody that is sane expects a team not in the AL East to get the wild card. Yes, that’s a double negative, but think about it. With the poor performance from the Minnesota Twins this year, the AL East boasts three of the best four American League teams in the Yankees, Red Sox, and Rays, with only the Rangers from the west rounding out the top four. Overall, I’d rank the teams Red Sox, Rangers, Yankees, and Rays, although I think you can make a case for any of the first three to be at the top. The Rangers have a two game lead over the Angels for the AL West crown, but are four games behind the Yankees, who are sitting in second place behind Boston.

Really, I’m not sure how the Angels are still in the race, but they could try to copy the 2001 Diamondbacks duo of Curt Schilling and Randy Johnson with Dan Haren and Jered Weaver, but I don’t think that will happen. Although they both were phenomenal in the first half, especially Weaver with his sub-2.00 earned-run average, Haren is known to be better in the first half than second and Weaver’s peripherals show he has the tools to do what he’s doing but with the exception of the ERA part. Weaver’s lowest qualified ERA was his 3.01 mark last year, and obviously that number is not 1.78, but back to the Angels, I think if they end up taking the division it will be because of a Rangers collapse or an extreme hot streak.

I think the Rangers are the X-factor in the race, controlling the race. If they take the division, I think the Yankees will beat the Angels for the wild card, but if they don’t, the Yankees are in trouble. The Rangers didn’t make a move for a big bat at the trade deadline, but made their bullpen even better with the addition of Mike Adams and Koji Uehara. Their rotation with C.J. Wilson, Alexi Ogando, Derek Holland, Colby Lewis, and 2011-breakout Matt Harrison is definitely deep enough for a playoff run but you never know with injuries, which could possibly be the Achilles’’ heel of this team. Stars Nelson Cruz and Josh Hamilton are frequently on the DL and the Rangers’ lineup is quite weak without those two bats. I think the American League West is theirs for the taking, but I don’t see them getting the wild card because they have to be pretty sloppy to lose the division.

The Boston Red Sox have an interesting situation. With the emergence of Josh Reddick in the outfield, the Red Sox continue to strengthen their lineup (although one could argue they weakened it with the addition of Carl Crawford) and are possibly strong at every position except for shortstop, where they are slightly above average with their Jed Lowrie/Marco Scutaro platoon. What will make the difference for the rest of the year is the rotation, where the role of the third starter is in question. Obviously, Josh Beckett will be the #1 with his great comeback numbers this year, and leukemia-survivor and no-hitter-thrower Jon Lester as the #2, there is no clear number three. The Sox have Tim Wakefield, who has been a much-needed help this year, former phenom Andrew Miller, the now-injured Clay Buchholz, newly acquired Erik Bedard, and John Lackey, who has proved how much he was not worth his contract two years ago. I think Miller is definitely out of the question, Wakefield will be limited to long relief because he is a 45-year old knuckleballer, and I’m not sure about Buchholz’s status with his injury and if and when he will return this year. That leaves Bedard and Lackey. This is more playoffs than wild card race, but if the Red Sox draw the Yankees during the playoffs, Lackey will be in the rotation, especially after his recent performance against the Bombers. He out-pitched CC Sabathia, and has been great against New York, a trait that means he could have a positive future with the Red Sox after all, but Bedard, the former ace of the Baltimore Orioles, has had a good overall year so far while Lackey and his 6.14 ERA have not. The key for the Red Sox’ playoff hopes is to find who they want playing in the meaningful games, and if they can do that and make the right decisions, they will make the playoffs, most likely with the AL East title.
I am doing the Yankees last because this is on the wild card, and I think the Yankees have the best shot at it. Why? They didn’t make any big moves at the non-waiver trade deadline, and they have put together a good, although unlikely rotation. Among the unlikely are former-Cy Young winner Bartolo Colon, Freddy Garcia, and Ivan Nova. They are joined by ace CC Sabathia and A.J. Burnett. There was a big question mark in spring training about who would close out the Yankees after Sabathia, Burnett, and Phil Hughes, but Colon, Garcia, and Nova have taken advantage of Phil Hughes surprisingly poor performance this season and have take advantage to the fullest, each making at least 20 starts and all having earned-run averages of 3.85 and under. Also, with the continuing troubles of Joba Chamberlain and this season Rafael Soriano, David Robertson has been invaluable to them with his 1.38 ERA and 13.99 K/BB ratio. The biggest reason that I think the Yankees will win the wild card is that they are good, but simply not as good as the Boston Red Sox. They lost to the Rangers in the ALCS last season, but I strongly think Texas’s bullpen acquisitions will lead them to the AL West crown. In other words, the Yankees are good, but not too good.
I do think the Yankees will get the wild card, but here are a few interesting situations:
Yankees go really hot, along with Angels, bypass Red Sox and Rangers. Advantage Red Sox. Although I think the Rangers are more equipped for the playoffs, I think it will simply come down to management. I respect Ron Washington and he is one of the best managers in the game today, but you got to think that Terry Francona will be higher on that list. You have to account for how hot the Red Sox have been since their 2-10 start in April, and when the Red Sox are healthy and playing well they can be the best team in the majors.
Yankees vs. Rangers.
Rangers win because of the Yankees rotation. I was just talking about how great it has been, but Sabathia and Burnett won’t cut it. The reason that their mediocre pitching goes unnoticed is that the Yankees score a lot of runs. Really, Burnett has a 4.60 ERA and like Lackey, has proven to his club that he is not an elite pitcher deserving of a huge contract. I think I’m also not giving the Rangers enough credit for their World Series appearance and how well they’ve done without Cruz and Hamilton when they are out and in the offseason picking up Mike Napoli. Like the Rangers didn’t have enough power already. Anyway, the Rangers are a good team and I think the only team that could keep Texas from a playoff spot is the Red Sox (and technically the Angels if they overtake Nolan Ryan’s club in the division).

I didn’t mention the Rays because there is an extremely small chance that they could overtake either of their division opponents for a playoff spot.

Analyzing the Trade Deadline

2011-08-01T14:04:00.007-04:00

By Guest Writer Jacob Adler
You can visit his sports blog The Nerd with the Sports Report here, and follow him on twitter @jacobadler

The trade deadline in baseball is one of the more exciting parts of baseball, as there is a flurry of trades in a short time period. Teams looking for an extra boost exchange prospects for role players, rentals, or stars. Teams out of contention trade away guys that aren't in their future for guys that will. And some teams just sit back and relax. What I'm about to do is analyze the few trades that I think will make a difference.

1) Hunter Pence to the Phillies
The Phillies were in obvious need of a right fielder and they got an All-Star in Pence (albeit with Houston). They were in the running for Carlos Beltran but backed out of the way because they didn't want a rental player. With Pence, he will be in the lineup for this year and next, because his contract expires at the end of next year. By then, Philly will have their right field problems solved with either Dominic Brown or Pence starting in right field, whoever Charlie Manuel and Ruben Amaro Jr. think is the answer. Now to what the Phillies gave up, they gave Houston GM Ed Wade top prospects Jarred Cosart and Jonathan Singleton while also handing over Josh Zeid. Cosart, a starter, and the first baseman Singleton were the Phillies' top two prospects behind Dominic Brown, while Zeid is a 2nd-tier prospect that has struggled in the minors this year with a 5.65 earned-run average at Double-A Redding after spotting 2.93 in Single-A ball last year. Back to Pence, it is obvious how much the Phillies believe in the 28-year old right fielder because of his price tag, but with .307 batting average to go along with 11 homers and 63 RBI, Pence is the right-handed batter the Phillies need in their lefty-stacked lineup.

2) Michael Bourn to the Braves
Like their division counterpart Philadelphia, Atlanta added an outfielder at the deadline, getting the speedy center fielder Bourn, also from Houston, who leads the majors in steals with 39. Atlanta GM Frank Wren was also pursuing the previously mentioned Pence, Carlos Beltran, and Ryan Ludwick. Wren decided not to pull in the switch-hitting Beltran because he didn't want to give up a top pitching prospect like Mike Minor or Arodys Vizcaino (Julio Teheran was way off-limits) because that price was not worth it "for a rental." Many Braves players such as Chipper Jones were on board with the acquisition because it gave Atlanta a much-needed pure leadoff man, which the Braves, "haven't had that kind of threat in the top of [the] lineup in a long time" said Jones, as the Braves' last pure leadoff man had been Kenny Lofton back in the 1990s. This move makes more sense than Atlanta getting Pence, Beltran, or Ludwick because it gives the Braves both a centerfielder and a leadoff man (Beltran is the only one that can play center but he prefers right and none of them can bat in the #1 slot).

3) Derrek Lee to the Pirates
Although a shout-out goes to the Texas Rangers, who yesterday added Koji Uehara and today Mike Adams, solidifying their bullpen, the final trade that will have a big influence on how the rest of the season plays out is not the Adams trade nor the Fister/Pauley trade but the Derrek Lee trade. Last night, Lee was traded to Pittsburgh for first base prospect Aaron Baker. Why is this an important trade? The Pirates are currently in third in the NL Central, but they are above .500 and have played well this season as a whole. Most people know that whatever the Pirates do influences the Wild Card race as well as the NL Central race, as Pittsburgh is only 3.5 games out of the division lead and 7.5 back in the Wild Card. By adding Lee, the Pirates are gambling that Lee can be the playoff-experienced veteran they need to finish out the year strong and hopefully make the playoffs. However, he has been to four postseasons and the only time his team made it out of the first round (2003 Florida Marlins), Lee batted .208 with only one homer. If Lee performs well the rest of the season and if something happens to the Brewers (I'm not considering the Cardinals as a threat because of the Pujols free agent talk and lack of Adam Wainwright), then the Pirates could have a legitimate shot at playing in October.

Why do we like sports?

2011-07-20T14:12:00.003-04:00

Why do we like to watch sport competitions? Even people who never engage in sport, or any physical activity for that matter, often find themselves in front of the TV, watching football, soccer, basketball, baseball, and hockey. Sports fans all around the world gather around the television every day to watch their favorite teams play. Some never even miss a single competition or game. This article presents several reasons, trying to solve the mystery involved in this known phenomena of love for sports.

One of the main reasons people like to watch competitions is because they tend to identify themselves with the winners. When they watch the precise moves of Rafael Nadal or Maria Sharapova, see the winning game of the Champions League, or watch their team win the Superbowl they feel as if they themselves perform the brilliant move, and brought a victory to their team. Winners get attention from the media and the public, they are interviewed, they appear on TV. The public enjoys watching the known faces, hearing what hey have to say and seeing their winning formula. A fan, who may have never played soccer in his life, likes to see UEFA Cup, because he can identify himself with the top professionals.

Another reason is the unpredictability of sports games. You can never know how the game will end, which forces you to sit tightly and wait for the crucial moment, which designate all the twists and turns of the game. The course of sports game is always unpredictable: although you can make bets and try to guess the today's winner, but it is never certain, which makes the game interesting to watch.

Different, but also important reason for watching sports has to do with our national identity. When the British watch Liverpool and Chelsea, when Americans watch Packers and Bears, Yankees and Red Sox, they tend to identify themselves with the players and see all the failures and gains as if they were their own. Sports events nowadays are considered to be one of the most important factors which help to raise the person's national identity.

There are several reasons which may answer the question "why do we like sports?" Perhaps we never tend to think about these reasons while watching football or baseball. But they are important to think about.

You can watch your favorite sports and teams at - sportingo.com

MLB Midseason Predictions

2011-07-13T00:02:00.002-04:00

Well the break has come along and the NL just defeated the AL 5-1 in the All-Star game, so its time for our mid-season predictions.

Here are my predictions for the end of the season division leaders and wildcards. (start of season prediction in italics)

AL East
New York Yankees (New York Yankees)

AL Central
Detroit Tigers (Minnesota Twins).

AL West
Texas Rangers (Texas Rangers)

AL Wild Card
Boston Red Sox (Boston Red Sox)

NL East
Philadelphia Phillies (Philadelphia Phillies)

NL Central
St. Louis Cardinals (St. Louis Cardinals)

NL West
San Fransisco Giants (San Fransisco Giants)

NL Wild Card
Atlanta Braves (Milwaukee Brewers)

Predicted World Series Match- up

Yankees vs. Phillies

MLB AllStars 2011

2011-07-03T14:35:00.000-04:00

American League

Starters
1B: Adrian Gonzalez, Red Sox
2B: Robinson Cano, Yankees
3B: Alex Rodriguez, Yankees
SS: Derek Jeter, Yankees
OF: Jose Bautista, Blue Jays
OF: Curtis Granderson, Yankees
OF: Josh Hamilton, Rangers
DH: David Ortiz, Red Sox
C: Alex Avila, Tigers

Reserves
1B: Miguel Cabrera, Tigers
2B: Howard Kendrick, Angels
3B: Adrian Beltre, Rangers
SS: Asdrubal Cabrera, Indians
OF: Michael Cuddyer, Twins
OF: Jacoby Ellsbury, Red Sox
OF: Matt Joyce, Rays
OF: Carlos Quentin, White Sox
DH: Michael Young, Rangers
C: Russell Martin, Yankees
C: Matt Wieters, Orioles

Pitchers
RHP: Josh Beckett, Red Sox
RHP: Felix Hernandez, Mariners
LHP: David Price, Rays
RHP: James Shields, Rays
RHP: Justin Verlander, Tigers
RHP: Jered Weaver, Angels
LHP: C.J. Wilson, Rangers
LHP: Gio Gonzalez, Athletics
RHP: Aaron Crow, Royals
RHP: Brandon League, Mariners
RHP: Chris Perez, Indians
RHP: Mariano Rivera, Yankees
RHP: Jose Valverde, Tigers

National League

Starters
1B: Prince Fielder, Brewers
2B: Rickie Weeks, Brewers
3B: Jose Reyes, Mets
SS: Placido Polanco, Phillies
OF: Lance Berkman, Cardinals
OF: Ryan Braun, Brewers
OF: Matt Kemp, Dodgers
C: Brian McCann, Braves

Reserves
1B: Gaby Sanchez, Marlins
1B: Joey Votto, Reds
2B: Brandon Phillips, Reds
3B: Chipper Jones, Braves
SS: Starlin Castro, Cubs
SS: Troy Tulowitzki, Rockies
OF: Jay Bruce, Reds
OF: Matt Holliday, Cardinals
OF: Hunter Pence, Astros
OF: Justin Upton, D-backs
C: Yadier Molina, Cardinals

Pitchers
RHP: Matt Cain, Giants
RHP: Roy Halladay, Phillies
LHP: Cole Hamels, Phillies
RHP: Jair Jurrjens, Braves
LHP: Clayton Kershaw, Dodgers
LHP: Cliff Lee, Phillies
RHP: Tim Lincecum, Giants
RHP: Ryan Vogelsong, Giants
RHP: Heath Bell, Padres
RHP: Tyler Clippard, Nationals
RHP: Joel Hanrahan, Pirates
LHP: Jonny Venters, Braves
RHP: Brian Wilson, Giants

Why a Playoff system should replace the flawed BCS in College Football new and improved

2011-06-15T02:02:00.003-04:00

This was a paper I did for school, I got an "A"

Flawed, unfair, even unconstitutional and illegal; all words used to describe the Bowl Championship Series (BCS), a computerized system which ranks teams and ultimately decides bowl matchups including the National Championship, has been one of the most controversial topics in all of sports the past few years. Because the BCS is a computer run system, there is always a chance for flaws with humans putting in results. Also it uses a computer determined strength of schedule rating, something many believe cannot be determined until the end of the season. In addition to being flawed, the BCS is unfair. If a team is not in one of the six conferences (Pac-12, ACC, Big12, Big 10, SEC, Big East) that automatically send their conference champion to one of the five BCS bowl games, they are a long shot to make one of the bowls and pretty much denied a chance to compete in the Championship game. On top of all this there are investigations both inside the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and by the Federal Government regarding misuse of NCAA money by the Fiesta Bowl employees and antitrust laws being violated by the BCS. There is one simple solution to all of these problems: swap the BCS with a college football playoff. A playoff would give multiple teams in every conference a chance to compete for the ultimate prize. If the NCAA does not institute a college football playoff, the process of determining a National Champion will be flawed for years to come.

The potential mistakes that can be made when a human inserts game scores into a computer are numerous, and this is one of many flaws in the BCS system. Last season in the final BCS rankings an error like this occurred. The day those rankings were released, CBS Sport’s Jerry Palm reported a blunder made by Wes Colley, who didn’t put the score of the Appalachian State-Western Illinois Division IAA playoff game into the computer. This mistake had a massive impact on the rankings and four teams in the top 25 had to be swapped around. In addition to this mistake, the BCS does not double check the rankings and only Colley’s formula for the ratings, and not that of the whole BCS, are available to the public (Palm). Another flaw in the BCS is that if a team loses one game, especially for a team that is in a non- BCS conference, could be detrimental to their whole season, and losing two is out of the question if they want any shot at the national championship. If a playoff system is instituted it would add some breathing room for teams that may have an early season slip up. ESPN football analyst Mel Kiper Jr. compared the need for a college football playoff to the NFL saying “In the NFL, I have always believed that the teams playing their best football in mid-to-late November have the best chance to reach the Super Bowl. In Division I-A football, teams need to peak right away and maintain that consistency throughout the season, from beginning to end. With one slip-up, a team's chance for a national championship could be over” (Kiper). He also wondered why under the system, a team could smash another in the conference championship game, but then lose out to that same team for a BCS bowl bid a week later. To explain this he referenced Colorado and Nebraska questioning how can Colorado dominate Nebraska 62-36 and win the Big 12, yet somehow lose out to the Huskers for a spot in the Rose Bowl” (Kiper)? These issues would be fixed by giving teams a chance to play head to head in a playoff.

In addition to the BCS being flawed, it is also an unfair system to many teams, especially those outside of the automatic bid conferences. An example of unfairness in the BCS would be in 2007. That year the University of Hawaii was the only undefeated team in college football with bowls left to be played, but at the time they were ranked an absurd number ten behind multiple two loss schools. The unfairness went even further when instead of being invited to play in the National Championship, they were invited to the Sugar Bowl and watched the Championship be played by a one loss school (Ohio State) and a two loss team (LSU). Terry Mitchell made a point about how if it is used, keep the BCS to a minimum saying “The BCS has no business jumping one-loss teams over undefeated teams or two-loss teams over one-loss teams. Instead, it should consider strength of schedule to fill the role of a tiebreaker among teams with identical records. For example, if the season ends with three undefeated teams, the BCS should select which two get to play for the championship. If there are exactly two undefeated teams, then the BCS wouldn’t have anything to decide – those two teams would automatically play for the title. If there is one undefeated team and a bunch of one-loss teams, the former would automatically get a bid to the championship game and the BCS would select their opponent among the latter” (Mitchell). Other examples of non- BCS schools being unfairly misplaced out of the National Championship game are a 12-0 Boise State for an 11-1 Florida (2006) and a 12-0 Utah squad replaced by either 12-1 Florida or 12-1 Oklahoma (2008). With a playoff these teams would have been able to all play head to head to see who really was the best team in college football that year.

On top of all of the flaws and unfairness, some BCS officials might not be the most honest people in the world. According to a report by Katie Thomas of the New York Times, it was revealed that officials of the Fiesta Bowl (employees of the BCS) used bowl money to funnel funds to politicians, fly elected officials for the state of Arizona around the US, throw thirty- thousand dollar birthday parties for the Chief Executive Officer, and even racked up a bill of over one thousand dollars at a strip club. According to Thomas the allegations of political contributions were among the most serious and troubling writing "The most serious revelations involve nearly a dozen employees who told investigators that the chief executive and others working for the bowl encouraged them to make political contributions, then reimbursed them with phony bonus payments” (Thomas). This news made the NCAA question their control on BCS officials as well as think about if the Fiesta Bowl should be allowed to remain a BCS game. Eventually they were allowed to, but the incident helped raise questions about whether the problems would be solved if a playoff was set forth.

Another investigation is going on right now, but this one doesn’t involve a single bowl game, it involves the whole BCS. Recently the Department of Justice released a statement saying they were investigating if the BCS violated Anti- Trust laws. According to the Associated Press “BCS executive director Bill Hancock told the Associated Press on Thursday [June 2, 2011] that a Justice Department attorney last week asked for a voluntary background briefing on how the BCS operates. Hancock said he agreed to provide one, but that no date has been set yet” (The Associated Press). This would be the first time in over five years that the BCS and the Justice Department has gotten together to talk about potential violations of anti-trust laws. If the Justice Department determines that anti-trust laws were broken by the BCS, then college football and the NCAA would most likely be forced to switch to a playoff system giving them a completely fair way to determine an undisputed National Champion.

If a playoff is installed in college football no longer would the system be flawed and unfair. No longer would BCS officials be able to corrupt the game on and off the field. No longer would the National Champion be able to be at all disputed. A playoff is right for the game and the fans, and needs to be implemented immediately.

Works Cited

"The BCS: Legal, or Unconstitutional?" Sports - CBSSports.com Sports News, Fantasy Scores, Sports Video. 5 Nov. 2010. Web. 1 June 2011. <http://uradufuss.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/6181208/25670661>.

Jr., Mel Kiper. "Mel Kiper - Playoff Is Only Cure for BCS Woes - ESPN.com." ESPN: The Worldwide Leader In Sports. 11 Dec. 2001. Web. 03 June 2011. <http://espn.go.com/melkiper/s/2001/1210/1293013.html>.

The Associated Press. "Justice Department to Meet with BCS This Summer | AccessNorthGa." North Georgia News | AccessNorthGa.com. 2 June 2011. Web. 05 June 2011. <http://www.accessnorthga.com/detail.php?n=239218>.

Kinslow, Tom. "Fiesta Bowl Investigation: Report Reveals Parties, Trips and Strip Clubs | Bleacher Report." Bleacher Report | Entertaining Sports News, Photos and Slideshows. 29 Mar. 2011. Web. 05 June 2011. <http://bleacherreport.com/articles/648260-barry-bonds-evan-longoria-shaka-smart-and-tuesdays-top-sports-buzz/entry/57326-fiesta-bowl-investigation-report-reveals-parties-trips-and-strip-clubs>.

Mitchell, Terry. "The Unfairness of the BCS Is Now Showing." CommenTerry. 28 Nov. 2007. Web. 04 June 2011. <http://commenterry.blogs.com/commenterry/2007/11/the-unfairness.html>.

Palm, Jerry. "Glitch Leaves LSU, Boise State in Wrong Order in Final BCS - NCAA Football - CBSSports.com." Sports - CBSSports.com Sports News, Fantasy Scores, Sports Video. 6 Dec. 2010. Web. 02 June 2011. <http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootball/story/14395939/glitch-leaves-lsu-boise-state-in-wrong-order-in-final-bcs>.

Staples, Andy. "BCS Computer Error Reveals Massive Flaw in College Football System - Andy Staples - SI.com." Breaking News, Real-time Scores and Daily Analysis from Sports Illustrated – SI.com. 7 Dec. 2010. Web. 02 June 2011. <http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/writers/andy_staples/12/07/bcs-math-error/index.html>.

Thomas, Katie. "Fiesta Bowl Spending and Donations Questioned." Editorial. The New York Times 30 Mar. 2011, B11 sec. 29 Mar. 2011. Web. 05 June 2011. <http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/30/sports/ncaafootball/30fiesta.html?_r=2&ref=sports>.

Potential Canditates for the Head Job at Ohio State

2011-05-31T08:54:00.010-04:00

As most people know, the biggest news in college Athletics was the resignation of Ohio State Football Coach Jim Tressel amid numerous NCAA violations and an alleged cover up of the evidence. With the resignation, Ohio State, one of the most prestigious jobs in college athletics is open for the first time in a decade and there are numerous candidates for the spot. Here we will talk about why or why not certain candidates would, or would not take the job.

Top Three

Urban Meyer- This is my choice for the Ohio State Job. Meyer is from Ohio, was an assistant coach at the University in the 80's and said that it was one of the jobs his wife could not veto (Michigan and Notre Dame were the others). With the job for the season probably taken by interim Luke Fickell he could take the time off to be with his family to recover his health and be with his family. Also he is the big name that would fit at OSU has the personality to coach a big time college program like he showed at Florida. One cause for concern for Meyer hopefuls is that he released a statement saying I am committed to ESPN and will not pursue any coaching opportunities this fall. I have thoroughly enjoyed working with the people at ESPN this spring and remain very excited about my role with the network this fall. It is to be noticed that he said this fall and may be open to the idea of taking the post in 2012.

Bo Pelini- Like Meyer, Pelini is another Ohio guy and this could come into the decision process if he is approached. He attended college at Ohio State and played football there from 1987-1990 so he has connections and reason to go there to lead his Alma Mater. He was an assistant coach in the NFL for eight years and has been a coach at prestigious institutions such as LSU and Oklahoma. Most recently he has turned around a Nebraska team and has led them to a 3-1 bowl record in his four years there. The one question is, would he want to leave all that potential that Nebraska has on the table to take a job that will possibly be smothered in NCAA Sanctions?

Bob Stoops-Stoops, like both Myer and Pelini, is an Ohio native and one of the best known coaches in college football. Over the past twelve seasons, which he has spent at Oklahoma he has compiled a 129-31 record and won a national championship while coming in runner up in three more. If he takes the Ohio State job he would also be leaving one of the country's most unstable conferences for one with a wide fan base and no signs of decline. Stoops is 50 and if he was to take a new job, this would be the one.

Other Candidates

Jon Gruden- Former Tampa Bay Buccaneers Coach
Gary Patterson- TCU
Mark D’Antonio- Michigan State

-A

HOFer Killebrew dies of Esophageal Cancer

2011-05-17T16:14:00.003-04:00

Today Hall of Fame baseball player Harmon Killebrew, who over his twenty-two year career swatted 573 home runs, good enough for eleventh all- time, passed at seventy-four from esophageal cancer. Last week the thirteen time all-star saddened the baseball world when he announced that he was going into hospice care to ride out the rest of his life peacefully.

Killebrew, who was nicknamed "killer" was the centerpiece of the Washington Senators/ Minnesota Twins Franchise for twenty-one of his twenty-two years and players in the organization felt strongly about the loss of him today. Twins president Dave St. Peter said "No individual has ever meant more to the Minnesota Twins organization and millions of fans across Twins territory than Harmon Killebrew," and that Killebrew's legacy will be the class, dignity and humility he demonstrated each and every day as a Hall of Fame-quality husband, father, friend, teammate and man." Minnesota Catcher and perennial all- star Joe Mauer also mourned the loss saying "He has treated me like one of his own. It's hard to put into words what Harmon has meant to me. He first welcomed me into the Twins family as an 18-year-old kid and has continued to influence my life in many ways. He is someone I will never forget and will always treasure the time we spent together."

The impact he has made on baseball and on others will exist forever, and we join in offering condolences to his family and to the Minnesota Twins Organization for their loss.

-A

My bracket so far

2011-03-17T23:52:00.003-04:00

Click to enlarge

Sorry Guys

2011-03-02T06:23:00.001-05:00

I haven't been able to post in a while, I have been busy with some other writing duties. I'll try to put something up by the end of next week.

-A

Superbowl

2011-02-04T21:46:00.003-05:00

congrats to the Green Bay Packers on winning the Super Bowl.

Auburn QB Newton to enter draft

2011-01-13T21:51:00.003-05:00

On Thursday night Auburn University announced that Heisman Trophy Winner Cameron Newton has declared for the NFL Draft. This news was announced just days after Newton led the top ranked Tigers (14-0) to a 22- 19 win over the previously undefeated Oregon Ducks (12-1) in the BCS National Championship Game. The win in a defensive battle between two teams with premier offenses was Auburn's first National Championship since 1957.

Cam's incredible season was almost ruined before Auburn had a chance to even play for the SEC Championship game when the University declared him ineligible for his dad's involvement in a pay for play plot with Mississippi State University. Less than 24 hours later though an NCAA Investigations Committee ruled that neither Auburn or Cam had any idea of his father's actions and gave him permission to play. He thanked them by smashing South Carolina for the second time this season and sealing his team's fate in the championship in which he led his Tigers to a long waited celebration.

For the season Newton had 2,854 passing yards with 30 TDs through the air while also leading the SEC in rushing with 1,473 yards on the ground.

-A

Jim Harbaugh San Francisco's new coach

2011-01-07T22:50:00.004-05:00

Former Stanford Coach Jim Harbaugh coming off a fresh 40-12 win against Virginia Tech in the Discover Orange Bowl inked a five year, 25 million dollar contract to coach the San Francisco 49ers. This gives the 49ers a great chance to succeed next season in a very weak NFC West and leaves yet another college looking for a Head Coach.

-A

Orlando Magic trades shake up NBA

2010-12-19T17:27:00.006-05:00

The Orlando Magic made major splashes as they opened up the market with two blockbuster deals in which they swapped stars with the Phoenix Suns and the Washington Wizards. The Magic shipped twelve year vet Vince Carter, along with Marcin Gortat, Mickael Pietrus, and a future first round pick to the deserts of Arizona for Swingman Jason Richardson, Earl Clark, and brings the return of Hedo Turkoglu to Orlando. Turkoglu, who played for the Magic from 2004- 2009 enjoyed the best years of his ten year career comes back to the warm south after spending the past season in Canada playing for the Toronto Raptors.

The other major trade that the Magic made was a straight swap of players with the Wizards sending troubled guard Gilbert Arenas to Florida in return for forward Rashard Lewis, the NBA's 2nd highest payed player. This move helps both the Wizards and the Magic giving Washington much need height inside and adding a talented two guard to Orlando's squad. the Magic really made a splash in the market and may see bright things ahead because of it.

-A

Why a playoff system should replace the BCS in College Football

2010-12-09T22:34:00.002-05:00

One of the biggest controversies in all of sports the last few years has been the Bowl Championship Series (BCS), the way of determining the matchups in the bowls, including the national championship game. What college football really needs to do is to replace the current structure with a playoff system that would give a certain number of teams a chance to play at the national championship game. Under the BCS losing one game, especially for a team that is in a non- BCS conference (BCS conferences automatically send at least one team to a BCS bowl game), could be detrimental to your whole season, and losing two is out of the question. A playoff system is the right way to go for college football because it will add fairness and help decide the real, undisputed, national champion.

“The [BCS] is a five-game showcase of college football. It is designed to ensure that the two top-rated teams in the country meet in the national championship game, and to create exciting and competitive matchups among eight other highly regarded teams in four other bowl games.” (BCS Football)

This is what the BCS’ official site thinks of it but I along with many others think it’s totally wrong. Sometimes teams that go undefeated the whole season, like Utah in the 2008-09 season won’t even get a chance to play for the title game while teams that have a loss do just because they are from a BCS conference. This is not fair to those teams and it might also deprive the sport of actually having the best team win it all. The BCS also isn’t perfect. Just recently a mistake was discovered when the computer didn’t consider a Division II playoff game that had huge implications on the rankings. After they had to recall the rankings and redo them four of the top 25 teams were swapped around. What’s even more troubling is the same type of glitch might have occurred before and put the wrong team to play for the title affecting football history. This wouldn’t happen if a playoff was in place.

Playoffs would also let teams battle it out themselves and provide a huge cash flow for the participating universities. College basketball has a playoff fans and coaches alike love, that is very profitable, and fairly decides who the national champion is. I’m sure it would work in college football too, and I guess there is only one way to find out.

-A

Nico Law Interview (Commits to Iowa)

2010-11-16T15:10:00.006-05:00

Ht: 6'3 Wt: 190

Pos: S Hometown: Clinton, MD

40 time: 4.47s Max bench: 300

Bishop McNamara High School (Forestville , MD) safety Nico Law, a three star rated prospect by rivals.com and one of the most feared defensive players in the WCAC, committed to the University of Iowa to play football next fall. Mr. Law, who received over twenty Division I Scholarship offers made this decision after he took a trip to Iowa City for his official campus visit over Halloween weekend. I caught up with Nico before the Mustangs season finale against the rival DeMatha Stags. Here is what he had to say about his commitment.

AF: What made the University of Iowa stand out above the twenty other Division I Schools that offered you scholarships?

Nico Law: I thought Iowa was the perfect fit. Iowa is a winning team and [has] been a winning team for the past ten years. Their coaching staff has all been there for more than ten years. The majority of their players have eventually moved on to the NFL or achieved something great in life. I think the opportunity to play early was something that I want to do and having the chance to play on a big stage that is filled with 75,000 plus fans. Plus they have one of the best defenses in collegiate football, something I would want to be apart of.

AF: According to a report by the Washington Post you had a negative impression of Iowa going into your official visit this past weekend. What changed your view of the school and the surrounding areas?

NL: My first negative thought was what can I possibly do in Iowa? Nothing! I can’t do this for the next 4 years. When I went up to [the University of] Iowa I actually realized that Iowa was located in Iowa City. There was more to do up there then I thought and the people were more genuine then the type of people I have grown up with, seen, or surround myself with everyday. I felt like I was stepping into the home, a family.

AF: How big of an influence did Coach Ferentz and the staff have on your decision?

NL: The coach had some influence on me as far as stability wise and just being [welcoming]. I respected the coach’s character and started to feel more comfortable about my surroundings.

AF: How big of an affect did the Hawkeyes 37-6 blowout win over previously undefeated Michigan State, a game you were in attendance at, have on your decision to verbally commit?

NL: Man the game was crazy I never seen so many fans in my life! Even though they blew them out it really didn’t impact my decision because I expected that. Iowa is about that business!

AF: Brandon Coleman (McNamara c/o 2010), currently a redshirted freshman at Rutgers stated that a strong relationship with QB Tom Savage played a major role in his college choice. Do you have any such relationships that have swayed you to choose Iowa?

NL: Marcus Coker from the DMV who went to DeMatha and a couple other guys from New Jersey.

AF: What was the whole recruiting process like for you? Did you enjoy it or was it stressful?

NL: The recruiting process was probably the one of the most cherished moments of my life. I got to see over 10 plus college campuses and the way they do things. I got to experience the media like being interviewed almost every other day, meeting wise men who made me mature faster and having the opportunity to actually have my own fans. It was kind of stressful too because you never know what decision you make in life will lead you to the right direction you want to take. I had the opportunity to go to more then twenty schools but you can only choose one. I had to do a lot of research.

AF: When did you first start following Hawkeye Football? Did you follow them at all before they started recruiting you?

NL: I never was a fan but I love watching college football so if you’re on TV, then you better believe I’m watching. So yes, I [had] been watching them before the recruiting process.

AF: In college, specifically the Big- 10 where a smash mouth style of play is commonplace you will be banging bodies with players much bigger then you. What do you plan on doing to be able to match up better physically with these guys?

NL: In my style of play I really don’t look at size. To me it’s all about heart and faith. I got a big heart so I plan to fulfill my aspirations. Each person on the field puts their clothes on just like me, why can’t I be the best on the field? I plan to workout Monday after this football season is over. I’m not really concerned with my size because when I go to college they are going to easily put 20 or more pounds on me. I’m going to workout twice a day and work on areas such as my speed and strength.

AF: Do you believe that it will be easy for you to transition from being an OLB in High School to being a Safety in college?

NL: It is what it is. Whatever I need to do to get on the field I will do to perfection. So if they decide to move me back to OLB, best to believe I’m laying down the law.

AF: Has it been talked about at all whether you will be redshirted freshman year or if you will contend for immediate playing time?

NL: I’m really not sure if I will be redshirted but I highly doubt it. I think this really depends on if I learn the game quick enough.

AF: What did you do over the summer to work on your game leading into the season? Did you attend many team or individual camps?

NL: I have never attended any football camps except Maryland during my sophomore year. I think attending camps isn’t necessary. My whole offseason work out consisted of 4 workouts a day. My whole attitude was to be the best on the field no matter what. In the summer I worked out 6:30-8:30 every morning with my personal trainer Andre. Then worked out again at 12:00, ate lunch, and took a nap. Then had team lifting at 5:30-6:30, worked out on the field, then came home and did my daily routine of a thousand push-ups.

AF: What do you believe your biggest strengths are?

NL: My biggest strengths are probably my heart and speed. I never quit even when my team quits on me. I play for respect and the love of the game. I am faster then most of the people on the field and I have competitive speed.

AF: What do you feel you still need to work on as a player to excel at the Division I level?

NL: I feel as though I can work on everything to help me excel on the collegiate level. If there is an area to become better in, then there is always room for improvement.

AF: Do you plan on going to your remaining official visits before National Signing Day?

NL: I only plan on going to my official visit with Maryland.

AF: You started playing football your freshman year at Bishop McNamara. When you first tried out did you ever even think football would open the doors that they have for you today?

NL: It’s kind of crazy you ask me that because when I look back I still can’t believe this happened to me. I never even played football until high school. I feel as though I’m living a dream. Road to success!

AF: Before I go, how do you think the Iowa Hawkeyes will do next season with you on their team?

NL: They will do the same thing they do every year! Win!

Going to prestigious school like Iowa with great coaching and great competition in practice and in conference as well as having great academics will help Nico continue on his path to becoming a well rounded and successful individual. All of us at MVP Sports Talk want to wish Nico luck as he continues his football career in the spotlight at a top ten university.

-AF

2010 MLB Free Agent Predictions

2010-11-07T01:24:00.005-04:00

Cliff Lee- New York Yankees. They missed trading for him over the summer but they won't miss him again, their wallets will make sure of that.

Carl Crawford- Boston Red Sox. With the Rays looking to shave 35 million in salaries this off- season there is no way that Crawford will be back. Sadly for them he will stay in the division bolstering a strong Sox team.

Jayson Werth- Los Angeles Angels. the consolation prize after the team loses out on Carl Crawford.

Brandon Webb- Washington Nationals. He needs a new start and they want to show they are free agent contenders.

Adam Dunn- Washington Nationals. He wants a four year deal and when he doesn't get it he will come back to the Nats, the same reason he was here in the first place. He also likes the area.

-A

NFL's Crackdown on Helmet to Helmet hits

2010-10-24T23:33:00.007-04:00

Honestly, I think the NFL all of a sudden handing out staggering fine amounts for unflagged hits is just ridiculous. If you hand out a hefty fine for a blatant and illegal helmet to helmet hits like the pair dished out by Patriots safety Brandon Meriweather onto defenseless Ravens Tight End Todd Heap, resulting in a major concussion. In that case where he was penalized for the tackle(s) I agree with the huge 50,000 dollar fine that he received. I even say suspend him. Just don't touch a player for a legal hit.

Two players fined for such tackles last weekend were Steelers linebacker and former defensive player of the year James Harrison and Atlanta Falcons Cornerback Dunta Robinson. Harrison was fined 75,000 for two incidents where he launched his body at the unsuspecting Browns players making a crushing helmet to helmet blow. In neither case were the hits illegal nor was the laundry thrown because they were both on runners, making them legit hits. If the rulebook says you're allowed to do a certain type of tackle you can't fine a player for doing it.

-A

Verify

2010-10-19T22:58:00.011-04:00

Hey CPX Interactive, Andrew Feather Owns this page

United Star Rooney wants out

2010-10-19T22:58:00.007-04:00

Manchester United Forward Wayne Rooney, one of the most recognizable faces in all of the soccer world wants to leave Manchester United, his team since 2004. After allegations of an affair surfaced about the English National Rooney's play just hadn't been the same as it usually was. As he was jeered by away fans and United supporters alike Rooney's play has faltered this season. He has played in only five of his team's first eight Premier League games and only scored one goal after tallying 34 last season.

This got even worse as Rooney has missed the last few games with "ankle problems" according to manager Alex Ferguson. Rooney has denied that he has had any problems with his ankles and says he just wants to play. Ferguson said that he is prepared to have Rooney comeback to the club when his contract expires in 2012 but is more than prepared to transfer his third star forward in the past two years. Teams like FC Chelsea and Manchester City seem to be the top clubs in contention for Rooney, but if he makes the transfer list you can expect to see a lot more interest surrounding this great player with a bit of a temper.

-A

The Benefits of Sports

2010-10-13T06:20:00.000-04:00

Most people have played at least one type of, and probably many sports sometime in their life. Organized or pickup, playing these games have probably given them the chance to meet new people, and provided them with new friends and great memories. Participating in sports also helps feed some people’s competitive spirit, increase their talents, gives them a chance to spend time with friends and it presents an opportunity to get out excess energy that has stored up during the school day. For those that don’t participate in athletics, sports still have a lot to offer for them through entertainment. For some, like trainers, coaches and sports analysts, their job relies on professional and college athletic events. Whether it’s running around for fun, honing specific skills, chasing success, entertainment, or even bolstering the economy, sports are a very beneficial part of a life in America.

Sports are first and foremost a game. Games, and therefore sports are meant to allow people to have fun. Also there are many different types of sports, so even if you don’t like one type, there will always be something else for you. They allow you to enjoy your self with others that you like to be around. As a team progresses through a season they become more than a team. They become a family. This makes being out on the playing field even better because you always have more fun when you are with people you like. Individual sports also provide great fun even if you don’t have that family out there with you. They give you the thrill of competing in that one on one environment, or even against yourself if it is a timed sport. Even when you are on the field/ court alone, you always know you have someone there for you watching and that makes it all the more fun.

Athletics also give you a chance to improve skills you can use both in the sport you play, and in life. Along with teaching you things like balance, sports such as soccer, basketball, and football teach you teamwork, one of life’s most important skills. They also teach you to trust your teammate, which in life leads you to trust others around you. What would a football team be if the Quarterback didn’t trust his line to block for him? What would a group project be like if you didn’t trust your partners to do their part of the assignment? In both circumstances it would just be a total mess, and that’s why the lessons we learn in athletics are important on the field and off.

Sports are also beneficial because they give people a reason to work hard at something. Maybe you come from a poor neighborhood with almost no way out. Maybe you struggle through school and no college will accept you. There is an answer for this. Sports. Athletics and Athletic Scholarships to colleges and private high schools offer kids and teens a chance at a good education and a better life. They also give people a chance to make a name for themselves. Another thing sports gives goes hand in hand with the chance at success. It provides the opportunity at financial stability for life. The best athletes today are raking in well over five million dollars from their contracts and you can add a few million in endorsements to that. What they make in a year, many people would love to make in their life. Sports can lead to huge success, what do people have to lose?

In our world where there must be something going on every second of our lives sports offers great entertainment value. First of all it gives people something to debate and talk about. What team is better? Who will win the Super Bowl? Those are questions that can be heard over and over at any point during the year. Sports are one of the biggest markets in the world, and us Americans embrace it. Families and friends get together for cookouts or to tailgate at the stadium or at home before the big college or pro football game that they will all go in to see. Some of the most watched cable television channels are Sports Channels ESPN and ESPN2. Along with all of that, the most watched show/ event on television is the Super Bowl. This just shows how much Americans love their sports.

The sports industry employs many Americans, and the money generated for the private sector and the government alike is one of its primary benefits. The support that sports gives to the economy goes well beyond the amount of jobs it supplies though. At stadiums you may have noticed, they charge a 10% stadium tax on all food and merchandising items. With the amount of these items that teams sell, this raises a whole lot of money for the local and federal government. Having a sports team in the area also helps local businesses such as hotels, restaurants, and bars. People often will fly into a town to watch their favorite sports team. During and after one of these events the bars and restaurants around he stadium will get a huge boost to the amount of customers that they get. Sports teams are an essential part of the American economy because of this huge boost that they provide to the finances of the government and private businesses.

The sports world has the world and country we live in a hold. It is one of the ways we can relieve our stress and ourselves of leftover energy while having fun and improving our physical condition. It teaches us many life lessons and helps us strive for success. It provides many with entertainment and that big game on the weekend provides an escape from the hassle of daily life. And the positive economical impact that the sports market gives to the country is a huge part of why even in a recession we are still staying afloat. Because of all the benefits it gives us, sports are an essential part of life in America.

-A

MLB Races tight til the end

2010-10-03T22:12:00.007-04:00

Two serious MLB Divisional races went right down to the wire, both ending on the regular seasons final day. Today both the Tampa Bay Rays and the San Fransisco Giants clinched the AL East Division and the NL West Division respectively. In a 3-2 12 inning victory over the Kansas City Royal Tampa Bay held of a New York Yankees team that just failed to finish strong (3-7 in last 10), therefore giving the Rays home field advantage up until the World Series if they make it there. There is still hope for Yankees fans, because although they failed to win the division, they still got a wild card spot and have a great chance to make noise in the postseason.

Another Exciting Division clinching game happened today in the Bay Area during which a charging Giants shoved a Padres team that was shrinking under pressure out of its way in a 4-0 win. The victory not only Puts the Giants in and keeps the Padres out of the playoffs, it also puts retiring Braves manager and surefire hall of famer Bobby Cox into the final month of the season to tough it out one more time. This baseball season was exciting all around, and hopefully the postseason will be just as good.

-A

Ichiro Suzuki: New 200 hits record

2010-09-23T15:13:00.025-04:00

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

Week One Injuries Tackle an 18 Game Season

2010-09-18T23:32:00.013-04:00

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

Clinton Portis: Sometimes you got to shut your mouth

2010-09-15T22:19:00.007-04:00

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

USA Wins FIBA World Championship behind Durant

2010-09-12T20:12:00.008-04:00

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

Heisman Winner Ingram Doubtful for Second game

2010-09-09T06:58:00.005-04:00

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

Jeremiah Masoli, was he holding Oregon back?

2010-09-04T22:37:00.002-04:00

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

Jaime Garcia for Rookie of the Year

2010-09-02T23:34:00.000-04:00

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

Manny Ramirez to Join Chicago Today

2010-08-30T06:18:00.007-04:00

Left Fielder Manny Ramirez formerly of the Los Angeles Dodgers is set to join the Chicago White Sox today in time for their game against the Cleveland Indians, one of the worst teams in baseball. Manny though, is not expected to be in the starting lineup because of fatigue from the flight. This is a great opportunity for the aging Ramirez because he will be playing the Designated Hitter position for a team that is in the hunt for a playoff spot. Being a DH will take some pressure off of him and his legs, hopefully helping him stay away from the Disabled List to which he has been a frequent visitor this season.

The White Sox, although taking on an amazing hitter in the heat of a divisional battle have taken on an incredible financial burden. Over the remainder of the season Ramirez is expected to cost over 3.8 million dollars. So far Manny has had an off year hitting only eight home runs with 40 RBI but when he has been healthy, he hitting a deadly .311. In Chicago Manny will probably have to cut his trademark dreadlocks though, because although they want Manny to be Manny, both manager Ozzie Guillen and the Sox organization both want him to look professional while doing this. Actions like this could hurt the support from Manny fans, but if they see him playing in the post season this year all would be forgiven.

I can't wait to see Manny back out on the field.

-A

Stephen Strasburg to have Tommy John Surgery

2010-08-28T15:41:00.004-04:00

Washington Nationals rookie phenom Stephen Strasburg is likely to undergo Tommy John Surgery to replace an elbow ligament. After an MRI session on Thursday, a rumor that Strasburg had torn a ligament in his elbow was confirmed, probably the worst news possible for the re energized Nats who were depending on Strasburg to lead them along their rebuilding path. Strasburg's development, and most likely that path, are going to be delayed another year, pretty much wasting the 2012 for if nothing else, to develop Bryce Harper in the minors and get other pitching prospects ready for a true run.

Strasburg's injury also greatly hurts the chance that the Nationals will resign slugging first baseman Adam Dunn, who while still powerful, whiffs a lot and is getting up there in years. The Nats figure, "why should they give an aging slugger a multi- year multimillion dollar contract when they wont even be in contention for a few years?" And to be honest, I agree with them. Why would you use money you could use to build your future on a "NOW" type off player, don't get me wrong, I love Adam Dunn and think he is a great player, I just do not see him playing a role in the future of this ball club.

One bright spot for the Nationals on the Day of Strasburg's MRI was that pitcher Jordan Zimmerman made his first start of the season after being out a year for undergoing the same surgery. It gives the Nats a glimpse of hope and shows them its not a fatal blow to them, its just a minor setback.

-A

Puljols, 3rd youngest to 400

2010-08-27T02:13:00.000-04:00

St. Louis Cardinals First Baseman Albert Pujols slammed his 400th career home run on Thursday night against the Washington Nationals. Leading off the fourth inning at Nationals Park with the home team ahead 3-1, Pujols smashed a pitch from Jordan Zimmerman, who was making his 2010 MLB debut after needing to have Tommy John surgery last year. With this homer, his 34th of the year Albert became the third youngest player in Major League history to reach that significant milestone and the only player to do so within a decade of their debut. Sadly for Pujols his great day, 2-4, 3 IBB was slightly ruined because after going into the bottom of the ninth with a 10-8 lead the Cards blew it and ended up losing in 13 11-10.

We here at MVP Sports would like to congratulate Mr. Pujols on this historic and memorable achievement and wish him luck in the future.

-A

Nationals Morgan Suspended 7 Games

2010-08-25T23:59:00.005-04:00

Washington Nationals Center fielder Nyjer Moran was fined an undisclosed amount and he was suspended for seven games by Major League Baseball for intentionally pelting a fan in the stands with a baseball. The incident occurred during the ninth inning of a Nationals win on Saturday in Philadelphia, a city widely known for having annoying and profane fans.

When asked about it Nyjer said he could not disclose details but he did say that he was not expecting a suspension for the incident. He has appealed the suspension so while Major League Baseball reviews it Morgan will be allowed to play.

-A

Will we see Strasburg again this year???????

2010-08-22T02:27:00.003-04:00

Have we seen the last of Washington Nationals rookie phenom Stephen Strasburg for the season? We might have, yesterday night he was seen walking off the mound in Philadelphia wincing in pain. When manager Jim Riggleman and a team trainer rushed towards Strasburg Nationals fan's eyes were glued to the TV. As he was walked off the field to a chorus of boos in Philly Nats and Strasburg fans alike wondered if we will see the young rookie again this season. I firmly believe that the next time we see Strasburg throw a ball in a Major League game will be in the Spring of 2011.

If this game was his last for the season, he can surely be proud of the year he has had. When he is healthy he has been lights out going 5-3 with a 2.91 ERA, a WHIP of 1.07, and he has help opposing batters to a .221 average. Also if he has thrown his last pitches he would rank second among rookie years behind only another flamethrower, Kerry Wood with a 12.18 strikeouts per 9 innings.

As a baseball fan, I say leave Strasburg in we want to see him play. As a Cardinals fan I say put on the 15 day DL and don’t make us face him. But as a person who wants to see the Nats rebuild I don’t want him further straining his forearm or getting inflammation in shoulder again. I don’t expect to see Stephen Strasburg for the rest of the year, and I actually don’t mind it.

-A

Put Your Records On (Cover) by Danielle (Non Sports)

2010-08-21T16:03:00.001-04:00

She thinks she sounds bad, please tell her she doesn't

-A

Serena Williams Out of US Open

2010-08-21T12:03:00.000-04:00

Serena Williams one of the great American Women Tennis Players has withdrawn from the US open citing that she is still recovering from foot surgery she underwent after she stepped on a piece of glass at a restaurant. This injury is a big blow to Serena as she was looking forward to redeeming herself after a she threw a massive on court tantrum after a foot fault call by a line judge at last year's Open. She expressed her feelings in this statement, "It is with much frustration and deep sadness that I am having to pull out of the U.S. Open." She decided it would be best for her to pull out after being advised by her doctors to sit out the tournament to let her foot recover. She stated that missing the US Open was "one of the most devastating moments of my career."

This news doesn't only affect Serena, the active leader in singles Grand Slam Championships among women and a three time winner at Flushing Meadows, It also affects her sister and doubles partner Venus. Venus hasn't competed on tour since Wimbledon because of an injured knee and after this blow she will compete in the singles category. Tennis Superstars Andy Roddick and Rodger Federer also commented on the loss of Serena and how it will affect the tournament. Roddick stated that it was a "fairly big-sized hit for the tournament," and "because there's no doubt about who [Serena] the top draw card is in New York City as far as the women's side of the draw." Federer than said "[Serena's missing it has] got to be disappointing for her and for the tournament. I'm sure it hurts, especially with her being an American."

We here at MVP Sports Talk wish Serena luck with her recovery and can't wait to see her back on the court.

-A

College Football Preview

2010-08-20T23:52:00.006-04:00

Here's How I think the conferences in college football will pan out.

ACC

Atlantic

Florida State
Clemson
N.C. State
Boston College
Maryland
Wake Forest

Coastal

Virginia Tech
North Carolina
Miami
Georgia Tech
Virginia
Duke

Big East
Pitt
Rutgers
UConn
Cincinnati
West Virginia
South Florida
Syracuse
Louisville

Big Ten
Iowa
Ohio State
Penn State
Wisconsin
Northwestern
Michigan
Michigan State
Indiana
Purdue
Illinois
Minnesota

Big 12

North
Nebraska
Mizzou
Kansas
Colorado
Kansas State
Iowa State

South
Texas
Oklahoma
Texas Tech
Texas A&M
Oklahoma State
Baylor

Pac- 10
Oregon
USC
Oregon State
Stanford
Arizona
Washington
Cal
UCLA
Arizona State
Washington State

SEC

East
Florida
Georgia
South Carolina
Kentucky
Tennessee
Vandy

West
Alabama
LSU
Arkansas
Auburn
Ole Miss
Miss State

Other Notables
Boise State
TCU
Utah
Middle Tennessee

BCS Champion
Alabama

Heisman Trophy
Mark Ingram (Alabama)

Davey O'Brian
John Brantley (Florida)

Feel Free to comment and tell me what you think

-A

Brett Favre to Return to Vikings for 20th season in NFL

2010-08-19T00:16:00.002-04:00

Brett Favre, Quarterback for the Minnesota Vikings has announced that he will return to the NFL for a twentieth season. Favre, who turns 41 in October is coming off of off season ankle surgery and was heavily contemplating retirement, but since his ankle is holding up he feels he owes the Vikings another season. A season he says will be his last. That's when I cracked up. Everyone knows that Brett won't retire until he decides his ego has been fed enough, so if he doesn't win a Superbowl I am sure we will see this exact same thing next season.

Favre led the Vikings to the NFC Championship game last season but nobody should expect the same because he had one of the best years of his career. He passed for over 4200 yards and 33 touchdowns. He also had a career low 7 interceptions and shattered his own mark for quarterback rating with an amazing 107.2. Vikings fans have very high expectations coming into this season for both the team and Favre but there is no reason to expect a season anything like last year. Favre is an old man first and foremost, let alone an old man that is coming off of major ankle surgery. Also last season he had major surgery before training camp. So what the Vikings have is a beat up quarterback who thinks he has something left in the tank.

All I have to say that expect a big disappointment Vikings Fans.

-A

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Bobby Thomson, Dead at 86

2010-08-18T00:55:00.009-04:00

Bobby Thomson, made famous by his "Shot heard 'round the world," a walk off Homer that Thomson hit off of Brooklyn Dodgers (now the Los Angeles Dodgers) pitcher Ralph Branca to win the 1951 National League Pennant, died yesterday at 86. The Blast, which took place on October 3, 1951 won the game 5-4 for his New York Giants and took the playoff series 2-1 from the Dodgers after the Giants had a four run bottom of the ninth and that moment is one of the most famous in baseball history.

During his career, which spanned fourteen years from 1946- 1960 Thomson was regarded as a very good player. He was a three time all- star and often put up high triples numbers. His best season came 1949 when he played in 156 games batting .309 with 24 homers and 109 RBI.

He will be remembered as a very good player and for giving baseball one of its greatest moments. He will surely be missed.

-A

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Redskins Fans Show New Life

2010-08-15T19:21:00.001-04:00

The Washington Redskins have a long and victorious past that is overshadowed by several bad seasons in a row. Have Redskins fans lost hope? The answer is no. While spending the day at Redskins training camp this past weekend, I learned what it meant to be a true football fan. Although the Skins ended 4-12 last season, there was upwards of 200 people at training camp to watch their beloved Redskins.

As the players took the field at 8:30 in the morning, fans lined the walkway and did nothing but cheer. I heard “welcome to Washington” from fans as Donovan McNabb took the field and “Cooooooooooley” echoed throughout Ashburn as Chris Cooley strapped up for practice, but no other player was welcomed as much as Albert Hanseworth. Fans started yelling congratulatory remarks to him since he had recently passed his conditioning test.

As head coach Mike Shanahan took the field, a long and loud round of applause arose from spectators because we all knew that he was the one man that was going to take our beloved Redskins back to the top where they belong.

- Michael Sensenig (Guest Writer)

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NFC East Preseason Predictions

2010-08-13T23:00:00.004-04:00

The Dallas Cowboys are the obvious favorites in the NFC East and should win the division with ease. The ‘Boys offense promises to one of the most explosive in the league with stars such as Quarterback Tony Romo, Half Back Marion Barber, and Tight End Jason Witten, and Wide Receiver Miles Austin, who broke out last year with 1,320 receiving yards. The Cowboys also have a very strong Defense led by sack master DeMarcus Ware and shutdown corners Mike Jenkins and Terrance Newman.

The Washington Redskins have improved a lot this offseason through trades and the draft. After firing Jim Zorn, now the Baltimore Ravens Quarterbacks Coach, they inked the proven Mike Shanahan as their new Head Coach and Jim Haslett, who coached the UFL’s Florida Tuskers to a 6-0 season and a championship game appearance, is their new defensive coordinator. The ‘Skins also drastically improved their offensive line drafting Tackle Trent Williams out of Oklahoma with the 4th overall pick in the draft and trading for All- Pro Tackle Jammal Brown. Now that former All- Pro Defensive Tackle Albert Haynseworth has passed his conditioning and is trying to learn the new 3-4 D the Redskins can focus on winning. Although they probably won’t compete for the Division Title this season, they could contend for a wild card spot.

The biggest splash that the Philadelphia Eagles made this season was trading star quarterback Donovan McNabb in the Division to the Washington Redskins. They also released running back Brian Westbrook cutting ties with what were their two best known players. They have a good, young receiving corps lead by DeSean Jackson. Quarterback Kevin Kolb, who takes over for McNabb has shown lots of potential but if he slips up Michael Vick is waiting for his chance to snap up that job. The Eagles are a good team in a good division with a shot at a playoff spot.

Someone has to be predicted last in this very tough division and I’m going to go with the New York Giants. As always, Quarterback Eli Manning will be good and he has very good receivers in Steve Smith, Mario Manningham, and Hakeem Nicks. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Manning throw for over 4,000 yards again and even improve on his 27 Touchdown Passes. The Giants also have a strong ground game led by running back Brandon Jacobs who hits as hard as any linebacker in the league. As any team in this division, the Giants have a shot at the playoffs and look for their motors to be running all season long.

-A

Tiger Woods at his worst ever

2010-08-09T00:48:00.000-04:00

PGA Tour Golfer and A list celebrity Tiger Woods completed his worst 72 hole tournament finish of all time on Sunday at Bridgestone Invitational, a tourney that he has usually dominated. Woods finished on Sunday with a 77 seven over putting him at +18 for the tournament and tied for 78th in a field of 80. It also became the first time since the PGA Championship in 2003 that he has been above par each of the four rounds and it is only the fourth time in his career tha this has happen. In the misdst of the scandal that unraveled his personal life last fall and is still haunting today Tiger said that he wasn't suprised with his poor play because of all the distractions, and I don't think everyone is.

Hopefully Mr. Woods will get back on track though because for so many years he was the only reason a lot of Americans cared about golf and if focused on the round at hand he can dominate the competition.

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Shaq to join Celtics

2010-08-04T11:38:00.001-04:00

18 Year NBA Veteran Center Shaquille O'Neal who played last season with the Cleveland Cavs is very close to joining the Boston Celtics on a veteran's minimum 1.35 million dollar deal. Although Shaq is not as dominant as he was during his younger years he is still a good center that can muscle with big men on other contending teams like Dwight Howard of the Magic and Andrew Bynum of the Lakers. Last season while playing with LeBron, who bolted for Miami at seasons end, O'Neal averaged career lows in points and rebounds (12.0 ppg and 6.7 rpg respectively), but I believe this was a very good signing for the C's because this will really help bolster a frontcourt that recieved a huge blow with the loss of Kendric Perkins for the first few months of the season. Hopefully Mr. O'Neal can be productive for Boston this season and show he still has it.

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Brett Favre to Retire... Again????

2010-08-03T11:33:00.001-04:00

According to multiple reports, 19 year NFL veteran quarterback Brett Favre is set to retire from the NFL for the third time. Favre is argueably the greatest Quarterback in the history of the NFL and is definatly the the best player in the history of the Green Bay Packers. Although he is no longer the posterboy for the franchise and many Packer's Fans still feel betrayal over his backing out of retirement to join the rival Minnesota Vikings, we will all have a small place in our hearts for what he did to turn around the team when he took over the reins in 1992.

Favre every significant career passing record and no one is even close to him in any of the categories. He retires with 69,329 passing yards, 6,083 completions, and 497 career touchdown passes. His longevity in the game and his gunslinger mentality has done one bad thing for him, he holds the NFL record for career interceptions with 317. He won a Superbowl with the Green Bay Packers in 1997 but failed to win another, but came close many times including the next season where th Pack lost to the Broncos in the Big Game. What is most suprising about this retirement is that Favre is coming off of his best player in years with 33 TD passes, over 4200 passing yards, and a career low 7 picks and this loss hurts the Viking's playoff hopes consideribly. This comes as ahuge shock to everyone that follows the NFL but lets all just hope the third time's the charm and he finally hangs it up for good.

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Memphis set to join Big East

2010-08-02T00:27:00.001-04:00

The University of Memphis, the Mens Basketball Powerhouse that has produced NBA Stars such as Derrek Rose and Tyreke Evans is set to dash from Conference USA to join th Big East for tougher competition and more exposure. The announcement could come as soon as Tuesday.

Jets Revis Misses first day of camp

2010-08-01T23:14:00.002-04:00

The Contract Dispute between All- Pro Corner Darrelle Revis and the New York Jets the superstar to hold out of the first day of camp. After being told in the off-season by Coach Rex Ryan and GM Mike Tannenbaum that he was the best corner in the NFL Revis decided that he wanted to be the highest paid. After receiving a contract extension himself Tannenbaum stated that he had made two large offers that would have made Revis the "Jet for life" that he wanted to be. As it’s easy to tell, Revis rejected both, but rumor has been floating around that the contract would pay only 5.3 million this year and had no guaranteed money in it all. Although I am not a big fan of guaranteed contracts I do believe that he should be paid more than that [5.3 million] and defiantly more than the one million he is set to make under the rookie contract he signed four seasons ago.

On this case I agree with and I encourage him to continue to hold out until he gets part of the money pie. He is one of the best players, let alone defenders in the league and he should be compensated as such, not be one of the lowest played defensive backs on the Jet’s roster. So Darrelle, continue to hold out, get your money, or at least until after the Jets play Green Bay in week eight.

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Rookie Salaries in the NFL, How Ridiculous will they Get?

2010-07-31T02:07:00.002-04:00

Just yesterday Sam Bradford, Rookie Quarterback for the St. Louis Rams and the number one overall pick in this past year's NFL Draft signed a 6 year 78 million dollar deal with a chance for it to be worth as much as 86 million. That’s way too much to be paying any player let alone a guy who missed his last college season with a shoulder injury and who also has never thrown a pass in the League. The worst part though isn't just the amount he is going to be paid over the short span but that 50 million of that is guaranteed. Sam Bradford now can have a career ending injury 2 games in and be set for life and what can the team do about it? Nothing! Look at WR Dez Bryant, the number 24 overall pick by the Dallas Cowboys. He signed a 5 year deal worth 11.8 million dollars, 8.3 mil of that guaranteed and now just a couple of days into camp he is out 4-6 weeks with an ankle injury.

I think everyone knows who the financial burden for these huge contracts fall on. The Fans of Course! What type of penny pinching owner would even think about digging into their own pickets to fuel a championship contender? Not any that I know. Ticket prices have increased at an extremely fast pace and player salaries have done the same. I don't know anybody that needs to be making 14 million a year. If I had their talent I actually wouldn't want that, so my team could go and spend the extra cap space to bring in players to make the team a championship caliber team. What needs to happen in the next CBA is a set salary for rookies at each draft spot.

In no way should an unproven QB such as Bradford or even last years number one pick, Matt Stafford ( 5 year, 72 mil 41.7 guaranteed) be making as much, or more in a lot of cases as some of the better signal callers in the NFL. Joe Flacco, QB for the Ravens took his team to the playoffs in both of his first two seasons while becoming one of the best in the game. His salary, 5 years 11.9 million dollars seems like nothing when you compare it to what these kids are going to make. You never see him complaining though because he is a class act and he knows that he is getting paid more than fairly to play a game.

The NFL and commish Goodell needs to come up with a set system for rookie pay days because before long we will see a 100 million dollar rookie turn into a bust and send a franchise into disaster status for years to come because of one bad investment.

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Major MLB Deals

2010-07-30T22:18:00.003-04:00

Here is a quick summay of all the major deals that have happened in Major League Baseball the past few weeks as teams rush to add players fro the playoff hunt.

July 9th

Texas Rangers Accuire Righties Cliff Lee and Mark Lowe from the Seattle Mariners for Righties Blake Beavan and Josh Lueke, Infielder Matt Lawson, and top first base Prspect Justin Smoak.

July 25th

Anaheim Angels Accuire RHP Dan Haren from the Arizona Diamondbacks for RHP Rafael Rodriguez, Lefties Joe Saunders and Patrick Corbin, and a player to be named.

July 29th

Texas Rangers Accuire 3B Jorge Cantu from the Florida Marlins for Righties Evan Reed and Omar Poveda.

Philadelphia Phillies Accuire Star Righty Roy Oswalt and cash for LHP J.A. Happ, OF Anthony Gose and SS Jonathan Villar.

Chicago White Sox Accuire RHP Edwin Jackson from the Arizona Diamondbacks for RHP Dan Hudson and LHP David Holmberg.

Year of the Pitcher 2.0

2010-07-27T00:09:00.001-04:00

Five no- hitters, one perfect game, that’s the total amount in 1968, which is referred to as the Year of the Pitcher. Five no- hitters, 2 perfect games, and if it were not for a horrible call by an ump, the respective numbers would be six and three. Those are the numbers for this season, and its only July 26th, just imagine what could happen in the next few months as the season draws to a close. Are we going to see ten no-no’s this year? If this keeps pace the Major League record of seven no hit games set in 1991 is sure to be shattered.

Its not just the no- hitters and perfect games that is turning this season into year of the pitcher 2.0, at this point there are seventeen hurlers that have ERAs under 3.00, heck there are even two with ERAs under 2.00 and up until June 11 Rockies Ace Ubaldo Jimenez who has hit a little rough patch this month held his below 1.00.

In short Matt Garza of the Rays followed up multiple pitchers this year by throwing the fifth no- no continuing pitching dominance over hitters.

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Where Will T.O. play next season

2010-07-24T23:27:00.000-04:00

Free Agent Wide Reciever Terell Owens, known more commonly as T.O. is looking for a new team after not reupping with the Buffallo Bills after having his worse season in years. Most people would think that Owens, a pretty much a surefire Hall of Famer would have every team in the league ringing his phone off the hook. Unfortunately for him his ego is well known throughout the NFL and country so even though he is still a very good reciever he would be a locker room cancer, a turn off for a lot of fans, and he wouldn't be a very good influence on the young players on the team. Luckily For him though there are still two teams that are reportedly interested in him, the St. Louis Rams who are desperate for talent at all positions, and the Cincinnati Bengals, who seem to sign every troubled player in the NFL.

Yesterday the Bengals seemed like they had all but locked up Owens from the Rams when TMZ reported that they were "very close to a deal," but after two sources "very close" to the situation falsified the reports the negotiations, if there are any are back up in the air. After the reports were denied, the Rams showed that they were extremely interested by intesifying talks and a high ranking official with the Rams said a contract could be offered to Owens as early as Monday. This huge push from the Rams comes from the fact that although Owens could end up as a bad influence, there is a lot he could teach to the Rams young recieving corps. Also adding T.O.'s presence will take pressure of te running game and will give rookie Sam Bradford a clear cut number one reciever to throw to.

The Bengals are still very interested in Terrell tough and Starting Quarterback Carson Palmer who when healthy is one of the best in the NFL is pushing hard for the Bengals to bring Mr. Owens in. The Bengals though, before they bring in anyone want to see how their young recievers cando and how Antonio Bryant's knee holds up. If they do add T.O. though they will have a very dangerous vertical game, adding Terrell's speed to home run threat Chad Ochocinco.

Right now though, I believe Owens will be in St. Louis next season teaching and preaching to the young guns while helping Sam Bradford's adjustment to the NFL be a smooth one.

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A Pitcher's Market

2010-07-23T00:42:00.003-04:00

After, Cliff Lee, the top pitcher on the trade market was swapped from the Seattle Mariners to the Texas Rangers for a load of prospects including the highly touted Justin Smoak, teams in the hunt for a pitcher to add a little something to their rotation had to look elsewhere. Luckily for those teams another top of the line starter is out there for the picking. That starter is Roy Oswalt of the Huston Astros. This season has been a down year Astros (39-56) and Roy Oswalt, although is 6-11 record doesn't show it, is having a very good season. So far to go with the pretty pathetic record Oswalt has an earned run average of 3.12 and only allows an average of just over a baserunner an inning. He also strikes out just under a batter per inning for good measure.

Although the teams are thrilled that a pitcher of his caliber is on the market they are less than happy over his demands and the demands of the Astros. What has delayed any deals from happening so far is Oswalt's demands that the team that picks him up exercises his $16 million option for 2012. This has had a big impact on team's abilities to trade for him to the two teams that have the most interest in him, the St. Louis Cardinals and the Philadelphia Phillies, don't know if they can pick up the option because of how much money they have had to and will continue to invest in players that are already there. The teams are also wary to invest three good prospects, the price the Astros are asking for a pitcher that is nearing the end of his prime (he is about to turn 33).

If a deal cannot be made for Oswalt teams have plenty of other decent options that can make a significant impact to a borderline playoff team in a tight race. These pitchers include Dan Haren (Diamondbacks), Ben Sheets (A's), and Ted Lilly (Cubs). Haren could be a #1 starter for pretty much any team in the league and although he is not having even close to his Cy Young Caliber performance last year (he is 7-8, 4.60 ERA) that is a lot in part to bad luck. This batting average against on balls in play has jumped 70 points to .350 from just .280 last season. Ben Sheets, like Haren is off his form this year too. Usually a stellar pitcher, Sheets just hasn't had his stuff this year since returning from surgery. He is 4-9 with an ERA above 4.5 but if he has a new chance with a contender, I would not be surprised to see his season turn on its heels. It is also very likely that he is traded because Oakland picked him up pretty much only so they could get prospects in return for him. Unlike the other three pitchers listed above, Ted Lilly of the Chicago Cubs has never been, and never will be a great starter. What he can promise you though is very good production from the middle of the rotation (he has an ERA well under 4.00 and a WHIP of 1.12) and he can pitch over 200 innings a year providing some much needed relief for your bullpen in a tight pennant race.

Even though they didn't have a chance to land Cliff Lee if your team lands one of these solid players you can be sure that they will have much better production than your #5 starter (except for in St. Louis with Jamie Garcia), but only time will tell who made the move that helps propel their team to a postseason berth, through the playoffs, and to a World Series Championship.

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NCAA needs to change the way they handle violations

2010-07-20T00:15:00.002-04:00

About a month ago powerhouse college football program and perennial BCS contender USC was smashed with sanctions that included a two year postseason ban and loss of 30 scholarships. Now there are incestigations against another BCS contender, Florida, and an ACC team that is ready for a breakout year, in University of North Carolina. This is all because of interactions players had with agents and other people not even involved with the schools. Right now Florida is is looking at a loss of this past year's Sugar Bowl win all because one player, Maurkice Pouncey, allegedly accepted $100,000 from an agent. The whole school is facing embarassment because a student that ditched them as soon as he could for the NFL decided he wanted to make some extra money. In USC's case players that had absolutly nothing to do with Reggie Bush, who moved on to the NFL years ago, or his former coach Pete Carroll, who bolted for the NFL's Seahawks after this season ended, are getting punished. Even worse for them new coach Lane Kiffen has to try to recruit new kids with the fact they will play in no bowls for two years. Also most violations are found after the player leaves the school so whats the incentive for them not to take the money?

Coaches like Carroll if he returns to the college game he will be hit with nothing while Tebow might lose his last college victory and Matt Barkley can't play in the post-season for the next two years. Instead of having to hit every other team with violations the NCAA should allow players to be paid. Not a lot, but something like $150-$250 per week just so they can go out and have some fun. I know it isn't a solve all solution but it would help cut down on the number of violations and actually give some of the multi billion dollar industry of college sports back to the athletes.

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The winding road of Daniel Nava

2010-07-18T01:05:00.008-04:00

Daniel Nava, the 27 year old from Redwood City, California and rookie Left Fielder for the Boston Red Sox has had a long and winding path on his way to the bigs. Daniel was always a small kid, especially during high school. He was only 4'8 70 lbs during his freshman year and by the time he was a senior he had only grown to 5'5 but had gained 80 pounds, increasing to 150 lbs, a little bit over the average weight for his size.

When he got out of high school he decided to attend Santa Clara University where he tried to walk on and was denied a spot on their baseball squad. He proceeded to be the manager of the team during his freshman and sophomore years before the cost of tuition caused him to transfer to the College of San Mateo, a junior college in San Mateo, California. During his first year there he saw an old friend that encouraged him to try out for the team. He did, made it, and by the end of the season he had performed so well that he was named a Junior College All- American. Santa Clara University, the same school that rejected his services just three years before, was so impressed with Nava's performance that they offered him a full scholarship to attend their school for a second time. In the one season he played at Santa Clara he performed well enough to show that he lived up to the scholarship he received batting around a .400 clip and with an On Base Percentage just a smidgen below .500 while earning First Team All- West Coast Conference honors. He also stole 15 bases without getting caught once and showed patience at the plate as he drew walks more often than he was put down on strikes.

After Nava graduated from Santa Clara he was undrafted and decided to sign with the Chico Outlaws of the Golden Baseball League, and Independent League. (A league with teams that have no affiliation to Major League Clubs) Like with Santa Clara, the Outlaws rejected Daniel on his try with the team but brought him in a year later when a spot opened up. The move paid its dividends for the Outlaws because in 2007 Nava smashed 12 round trippers while having an outstanding batting average of .371 and a Ruth like OPS (on base percentage plus slugging percentage) of 1.100. Following this amazing campaign Baseball America named him the number one prospect in the Independent Leagues.

The Red Sox, with the urging of their assistant director of pro scouting, Jared Porter, bought out the contract of Nava for only $1. Of course the total of the deal would add up to $1,500 if the Red Sox didn't release Nava right after spring training. As it turned out, that move was a huge bargain for the BoSox who sent him to Low A Lancaster after spring was over. At Lancaster, Nava continued his surprising run to the top batting .341, slugging 10 homers, and driving in 59 in only 85 games. His performance earned him a call up to High A Salem where he continued to dominate batting .339 before another call. This time he was sent to AA Portland where he played 32 games, batted .364 with 4 homers and an amazing 25-12 BB/K ratio earning the Red Sox Minor League Player of the Month for August/September.

Nava began 2010 with AAA Pawtucket and was there for about 2 months before an array of injuries left the Sox outfield depleted. The man who said he could hardly lift a 32 ounce bat just 10 years ago was now on his way to play in the same uniform and in the same position as Red Sox Legends Ted Williams, Carl Yastrzemski and Jim Rice. He finally got his chance on June 12, 2010 where he debuted as a starter in Left Field against the Philadelphia Phillies. The first pitch he ever saw in the Majors was while the bases were loaded and he abruptly cleared them. The man that couldn't even make his college team had just hit a grand slam on the first pitch he ever saw in the bigs becoming the second player to ever do so. He also became the only player to hit a grand slam on the first pitch he ever saw in the majors while in interleague play. He continued to after his hot start reaching base safely in each of his first 13 games. Currently through 26 games Nava is hitting .294 with 10 doubles.

In Hollywood this story would end with Nava going on to make the MLB Hall of Fame but this is reality, not Hollywood and when the regulars return from their injuries unless one of them has a major drop off this is probably the last we hear of Daniel Nava in a Sox uniform. In this past month he has taken us on a wild ride and hopefully he will have another chance to play regularly because as he enters the prime of his career he has shown potential to be a breakout player in the Majors for years to come.

In short, this amazing young man persevered after he was cut from his college team, went undrafted, and had his independent league contract bought out for a mere $1 is playing solid ball on the game's highest stage for one of the most prolific teams in all of baseball.

-A

2010 MLB Predictions: What to expect in the 2nd half of the season.

2010-07-17T21:17:00.002-04:00

We here at MVP Sports Talk would like to introduce guest writer Charlie McDougall for what to expect during the second half of the baseball season.

The 2010 MLB Picks all star game really showed how the 1st half of the season was. The first half of the season was dominated by strong pitching, will this trend continue in the 2nd half of the season? This sports handicappers believes so. Now the divisional races are as good as they have been in a long time an no race is better than the one in the AL Central with the Chicago White Sox holding a 1/2 game lead over the Detroit Tigers and a 3' game lead over the 3rd place Minnesota Twins. The White sox open up an important weekend series a Minnesota on Thursday July 15th. The American league east is probably the best division in baseball, the New York Yankees have had an emotional week, will it take it's toll on the team or will it prepare them to make another world series run? This sports handicapper believes that the Tampa Bay Rays who are two games behind the division leading Yankees will bring in a hitter to improve their scoring offense and the Boston Red Sox just have too many injuries to key players and will fade away. The AL West has been dominated by the Texas Rangers but the team struggled the last week of the season, getting swept at home by the Baltimore Orioles. Texas will still win the division with the recent acquisition of Cliff Lee. The Rangers currently have a 4' game lead over the second place Los Angeles Angels and will easily hold on with the addition of Lee and the hitting of Josh Hamilton and Vladimir Guerrero. Hold on tight for a great finish to the Major League Baseball season.

The National League also has all three divisional races up in the air with the most interesting one going on in the NL East with the Atlanta Braves on top with a 4 game lead over the 2nd place New York Mets, the Mets have had a recent history of fading in the late month of the season. The 2 time National League champions Philadelphia Phillies have to overcome a lot of injuries but can still contend. The NL Central is led by the surprising Cincinnati Reds, 1 game in front of the 2nd place St. Louis Cardinals, this should be a great divisional race between these two teams with great history, the rest of the division will have to wait until next year. The NL West is probably the most competitive with the San Diego Padres 2 games in front of the 2nd place Los Angeles Dodgers and Colorado Rockies, the Rockies are a team that scares a lot of teams and will make a run. The San Francisco Giants have the pitching staff to make a run also.

You can visit his site at http://www.charliessports.com/ Which is the authority on MLB picks and predictions.

The Great Debate

2010-07-17T00:50:00.007-04:00

For the past five years one of the biggest debates in all of sports is who is a better hockey player, Alexander Ovechkin the flashy Left Winger for a revived Capital's Team or Sidney Crosby the golden boy of Team Canada and star center of the Pittsburgh Penguins. I believe it is pretty obvious to us all that Ovechkin is the more talented of the two but being more talented does not automatically mean he is better because being a complete player means that you have to have leadership skills, the talent, the work ethic, and the desire to go out and win your team hockey games.

Both young men have great claims to the title of being the top player in the game but there can only be a single player that is the BEST in the sport. Here I will go 1 by 1 on certain aspects of their game to see who the edge goes to for the NHL's top player.

EXCITEMENT

Sidney Crosby is a great player who excels at all aspects on the offensive side of the game and can make all fans jump to their feet with his open ice skills or while he is on the break away BUT

Alexander Ovechkin has been a one man show setting of fireworks ever since he arrived in the District from scoring goals while sliding on his back, to setting of the crowd with his creative celebrations, all the way through the sound of the bone crushing hits he lays on players Ovechkin keeps the crowd riled up throughout the whole night.

Edge to Ovechkin

LEADERSHIP

This one has to go to Crosby, He has hoisted the cup as a captian, Ovie hasn't hoisted it at all. Plain and simple.

Edge to Crosby

GOAL SCORING

Although Crosby led the league in scoring last season and has improved his shooting to an outsanding level Ovechkin has what is argueably the best shot in all of the NHL so in this case Ovie is first Crosby is a close second.

Slight Edge to Ovechkin

PLAYMAKING

Ovechkin is a better playmaker than many give him credit for and doesn't show his abilities a lot because he has assumed the role of Sniper on a revamped Caps team but Sid the Kid is the overall best playmaker in the game. He has the quickness and the pinpoint passing to make things happen on the break or in open ice.

Edge to Crosby

DEFENSIVE ABILITY

Crosby has improved on the defensive end and his quickness helps him make up if he gets beaten. He also has fast hands on the pokecheck but Ovechkin wins this batgtle because of his all around defensive play. He can poke check, he isn't afraid to drop in front of a shot, and he will deliver bone crushing hits, which have gotten him in trouble, but usually his checks are clean.

Edge to Ovechkin

TOUGHNESS

This is a weak spot for Crosby who falls just a little bit too easily after less than shattering hits and one of Ovechkin's stronger suits because he seems to like recieving hits as much as he likes to dish them out.

Edge to Ovechkin

On this scale Ovechkin seems to be a slightly better player winning 4-2 in my ratings but its just what I think. Please share your opinions with me by commenting and voting in our poll on the left side of the page.

-A

MLB Midseason Awards and Predictions

2010-07-14T23:35:00.048-04:00

At the Midseason point in the baseball season there has been many suprises in the standings. In italics I have put my preseason choice for an award/playoff spot and next to it is my updated prediction.

American League MVP: Miguel Cabrera (A- Rod)
National League MVP: Joey Votto (Albert Pujols)
American League Cy Young: David Price (Cliff Lee)
National League Cy Young: Ubaldo Jimenez (Adam Wainright)
American League Rookie of the Year: Brennan Boesch (Brennan Boesch)
National League Rookie of the Year: Jaime Garcia(Jason Heyward)
American League Manager of the Year: Terry Francona (Joe Girardi)
National League Manager of the Year: Bud Black (Tony LaRussa)

NL East Champions: Atlanta Braves (Phillidelphia Phillies)
NL Central Champions: St. Louis Cardinals (St. Louis Cardinals)
NL West Champions: San Deigo Padres (Los Angeles Dodgers)
NL Wild Card: Cinncinati Reds (New York Mets)

AL East Champions: New York Yankees (New York Yankees)
AL Central Champions: Minnesota Twins (Minnesota Twins)
AL West Champions: Texas Rangers (Seattle Mariners)
AL Wild Card: Tampa Bay Rays (Bos. Red Sox)

NL Pennant Winner: St. Louis Cardinals (St. Louis Cardinals)
AL Pennant Winner: New York Yankees (New York Yankees)

World Series Winner: New York Yankees (St. Louis Cardinals)

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My top 3 for each major award with my preseason prediction:

American League MVP:
1. Miguel Cabrera (DET)
2. Josh Hamilton (TEX)
3. Robinson Cano (NYY)
Preseason Prediction: Joe Mauer (MIN)
National League MVP:
1. Joey Votto (CIN)
2. Albert Pujols (STL)
3. Adrian Gonzalez (SD)
Preseason Prediction: Albert Pujols (STL)
American League Cy Young:
1. David Preice (TB)
2. Cliff Lee (SEA/TEX)
3. Jon Lester (BOS)
Preseason Prediction: CC Sabathia (NYY)
National League Cy Young:
1. Ubaldo Jimenez (COL)
2. Josh Johnson (FLA)
3. Adam Wainwright (STL)
Preseason Prediction: Roy Halladay (PHI)
American League Rookie of the Year:
1. Brennan Boesch (DET)
2. Brennan Boesch (DET)
3. Brennan Boesch (DET)
Preseason Prediction: Brennan Boesch (DET)
National League Rookie of the Year:
1. Jaime Garcia (STL)
2. Mike Leake (CIN)
3. Jason Heyward (ATL)
Preseason Prediction: Jason Heyward (ATL)
American League Manager of the Year:
1. Ron Washington (TEX)
2. Joe Girardi (NYY)
3. Jim Leyland(DET)
Preseason Prediction: Mike Scioscia (LAA)
National League Manager of the Year:
1. Dusty Baker (CIN)
2. Bud Black (SD)
3. Bobby Cox(ATL)
Preseason Prediction: Joe Torre (LAD)
Next up is my playoff picks (preseason pick):

NL East Champions: Atlanta Braves (Phillidelphia Phillies)
NL Central Champions: Cincinatti Reds (St. Louis Cardinals)
NL West Champions: San Diego Padres (Los Angeles Dodgers)
NL Wild Card: St. Louis Cardinals(Colorado Rockies)

AL East Champions: New York Yankees (New York Yankees)
AL Central Champions: Minnesota Twins (Minnesota Twins)
AL West Champions: Texas Rangers (Los Angeles Angels)
AL Wild Card: Tampa Bay Rays (Boston Red Sox)

NLDS: Padres over Cardinals; Braves over Reds
NLCS: Braves over Padres
ALDS: Yankees over Rangers; Twins over Rays
ALCS: Twins over Yankees
World Series: Twins over Braves

-M

George Steinbrenner, dead at 80

2010-07-14T09:38:00.001-04:00

On Tuesday July 13, 2010 George Steinbrenner, the majority owner of the New York Yankees died of what was reported as "a massive heart attack." Steinbrenner, hated by many and loved by few was one of the most controversial and unknown men in sports. When I woke up on Tuesday and turned on ESPN I just couldn't believe my ears. The man labeled by the media as "The Boss," was gone. Even those that didn't like him or his style of dropping billions on players had to be sad and shocked by the news of this great sports personality passing and they couldn't deny the man's genius. He was a great invester and he knew what he had to do to win.

Sure anyone could buy championships, but he was actually willing to do it, unlike a lot of penny pinching owners that just care about making money. He could also spend as much as he liked, he had made a very smart investment and it paid off. A Yankee's Team which he bought in 1973 for a mere price of under $10 million is now worth upward of $1.5 billion and is the 3rd most valuable franchise in all of sports.

The man also seen as a cancer to baseball and ruled the Yankees with an iron fist has brought the game to great heights. He helped create the flow of free agency and was willing to pay his players shooting up the price of players. This helped other teams because they would get millikons from a luxary tax for overpaying. Also teams sell put pretty much every game when the Evil Empire is coming town because they have millions of fans worldwide and many people will show up just to boo and hate on the visitors from New York. His adventures in free agency have also helped fuel what is arguabley the best rivalry in all of sports, the Red Sox verses the Yankees. What started with the curse of the Great Bambino was heated up by the need for the the Sox to battle the Yankees in free agency to be able to compete in the season.

Steinbrenner, also seen as a loudmouth who just fired people if they lost a game was also a very generous person. You could meet him in a restuaraunt one day and the next he would give you a scholarship to college. He supported the whole New York community after the tragic events of 9/11, when a Little League Team's near his home in Tampa, FL equiptment shed burned down he bought them a brand new one and stocked it with new gear. Also he had bought wings for the hospital in which he died because even though he had some faults, he was a good man who wanted to help the community where ever he went.

Miami Heat NBA Champions 2010, 2011, 2012...?

2010-07-09T16:56:00.005-04:00

On then night of July 8, 2010 at 9:28 PM the hopes and dreams of millions were shattered, one city's economy was smashed so hard it may never rebound, and one man, a hero just minutes before is now one of the biggest villians in all of sports. This of course is LeBron James, who in the dead of night and in similar fashion to the Browns, bolted Cleveland. Mr. James had a different destination though, he was bound for South Beach and the Miami Heat, seemingly betraying his hometown team. "What is so bad about switching teams?" you might ask. Well, it wasn't that he switched teams, it was the way that he did it. In an hour long special on ESPN in Greenwitch, Connecticut LeBron fed his huge ego and acted good guy by having all revenue donated to the Boy's and Girl's Club all while become the most hated man in Cleveland.

While feelings of hatred, denial, and betrayal flow around Cleveland a feeling of rebirth and hope have washed over the city of Miami because this move adds even more star power to what has been an amazing offseason for the new NBA Favorites. They resigned superstar guard and Heat Icon Dwyane Wade, inked allstar foward Chris Bosh, and now the biggest splash of all. They gave King James a brand new throne and most importantly a chance to win Multiple NBA Championships. There is always a small chance that superstars don't mesh, but if their play on the US National Basketball Team is any indication this trio of stars is ready to take the NBA by Storm.

This move is bad news for pretty much the whole of Cleveland, even those that are not Cav's fans because the city's whole economy was based off of the king and his image. It also devalues the Cavaliers franchise by about $200 million and will cause lots of air pollution based off of the number of jerseys that will be burned. Although I do regret that this move demolishes the city's economy, and I think that he could have done in in a more subtle an less egotistical way, I firmly believe that LeBron made the best move for him to win today and into the future.

-A

Where's the love for Mike Leake

2010-07-08T07:43:00.001-04:00

While rookie phenom Stephen Strasburg of the Nationals is hogging all of the attention another rookie pitcher has quietly helped his team to the top of their division. Mike Leake (above), pitcher for the NL Central Leading Cincinatti Reds is right now one of the top contenders for the National League Rookie of the Year award, has a 6-1 Win/Loss record, 67 strikeouts, and a solid 3.38 ERA yet nobody outside of Reds Land seems to be paying him any attention. Right now everyone is just pressed over Stephen Strasburg, his triple digit fastball, and why he should of, or should not have made the allstar team (I'm happy that he didn't, he hadn't had enough starts). Now why would people ignore the real phenom here for a flamethrower with a .500 record (2-2)? Maybe its because Strasburgs changeup has been clocked faster than Leake's fastball, maybe its that Leake only has 14 more Ks in 64 2/3 more innings, or maybe its because of Strasburgs miniscule 2.45 ERA and 1.06 WHIP? Right now I don't know, But what I do know is Mike Leak deserves some respect and hopefully he will get it.

-A

Free Agent Predictions and results

2010-07-04T11:21:00.007-04:00

We all know that this is the biggest free agent class in history with stars such as LeBron, Dwayne Wade, and Chris Bosh up for grabs and everyone has an opinion on where these players will go. Here is where I believe the top 10 free agents this year will end up.

A's predictions

Rudy Gay-Memphis Grizzlies. I say he returns to a young team who can pay him and that has a lot of potential for the future. ACCEPTED
David Lee-New York Knicks. The Knicks Sign him when they don't get LeBron. ACCEPTS SIGN AND TRADE TO GOLDEN STATE
Carlos Boozer-New Jersey Nets. They are starting over, New Owner, New Coach, now a new star. ACCEPTED BULLS OFFER
Amare Stoudemire- New York Knicks. He gets his big contract and he reunites with former D'Antoni who he thrived with.   ACCEPTED
Paul Pierce- Boston Celtics. Pierce completes his whole career as a Celtic and takes a final run at another NBA championship. ACCEPTED
Dirk Nowitzki- Dallas Mavs. No chance he leaves Dallas. ACCEPTED
Joe Johnson- Chicago Bulls. The star they get to complement Derrick Rose. Could also take 119 mil from Hawks ACCEPTED HAWKS OFFER.
Chris Bosh- Miami Heat. Raptors work a sign and trade sending Bosh to play with D-Wade in Miami. Also could go to Chicago.   ACCEPTED
Dwayne Wade- Miami Heat. Teams up with Bosh to make the Heat immediate Contenders. Could Also go to Chicago.   ACCEPTED
LeBron James- Cleveland Cavs. Realizes he wants to stay home. Also he gets 30 million more than any other team can get him. He will win a championship there eventually. ACCEPTED HEAT OFFER

Bryce Harper... The Future of Baseball

2010-07-04T09:13:00.003-04:00

Bryce Harper
Drafted: #1 overall 2010 MLB Draft, Washington
Pos: Catcher (will probably be converted to OF)
DOB: October 16, 1992
Height: 6'3
Weight: 205 lbs
Mission: With the help of flamethrowing pitcher Stephen Strasburg turn a Nationals franchise with a history of losing into a World Series Contender.

Ever since he was 12 years old in 2005 and Baseball America Listed him as the best hitter in the country in his age group, Major League Baseball Scouts have been drooling over him. Well what does everyone want to ask when they hear this? "Who is this kid?" of course. Well this kid is Bryce Harper, whose legend just kept growing after he graced the cover of Sports Illustrated last June, an accomplishment made even greater by the fact that he was only 16 years old at the time. He can fire the ball at 96 miles an hour, faster than most Big Leaguers can throw, he has amazing baserunning skills and anticipation, but his biggest asset of all is his raw power.

When he was just 15 years old and a freshman in high school he smashed a 570 foot tater in a game. Then during his sophmore year he became the first sophmore to be named Baseball America's Player of the year and at a home run derby at the Ray's Tropicana Field he blasted a ball that was still alive and well when it crashed into the dome wall as the longest homer hit at the park a good 502 feet later. He also has the work ethic to make things happen for his career. Instead of staying in high school for his junior and senior years where he would have ended up playing and dominating the same competion he had for years he earned his GED and enrolled at the College of Southern Nevada, a junior college so he could enter the draft this summer.

In the draft, as everyone expected, the Washington Nationals chose the 17 year old Bryce with the #1 overall pick and for the second straight year they have to deal with the relentless Scott Boras, arguably the best agent in baseball. Both Bryce and the Nationals want to get him signed quickly so they could get him on the field to show his talents, bring in money for the Minor League Clubs, and to continue his rise because as everyone knows in baseball, no one is a sure thing.

-A

Doing the Wall Dance

2010-07-03T19:34:00.003-04:00

The whole Washington DC metro area was up on their feet doing the John Wall dance the day after the Washington Wizards selected the University of Kentucky point guard with the first overall pick in the 2010 NBA Draft. Pretty much the whole town, even those who thought that Ohio State swingman and NCAA Player of the year Evan Turner deserved to be the #1 pick, were excited to welcome the unanimous First Team All-American and SEC player of the year to the Verizon Center. Even Adrian Fenty, DC's Mayor, was excited enough to officially name the day John Wall Day in the District. Wall, the first of 5 UK players taken in the first round said that even as a rookie he is ready to take over the team and be a leader. Wall could potentially pair up with former allstar guard Gilbert Arenas to form what could be one of the highest scoring backcourts in the whole National Basketball Association.

The second UK player taken in the draft was 6'11 Foward DeMarcus Cousins at #5 by the Sacramento Kings. Cousins, who is arguably the most talented player in the draft slipped a little bit due to his lapses of judgement and some additude issues. He was a second team All American and if he improves his awareness and discipline he could become a very good NBA player.

First team All American and POY SG Evan Turner of Ohio State went #2 overall to the Philidelphia 76ers and ACC Freshman of the year Foward Derrick Favors went #3 overall to the New Jersey Jets.

-A

Great Job USA

2010-07-03T18:45:00.001-04:00

Although it ended in disappointment during the round of 16 with a 2-1 loss to Ghana in extra time, the United States National Team's run through the 2010 FIFA World Cup was a huge success. From the goal against England that bounced off the gloves of keeper Robert Green, past the blown call that cost the US a win against Slovenia, and all the way through the nail biting victory against Algeria where American fans just couldn't get the feeling that the winning goal would never come out of their hearts the United States Soccer team grabbed the attention of our country during baseball season and while many people were on vacation, a huge achievement in itself. This achievement was made even greater by the fact that Americans like high scoring games and perfect calls, which you will not get at soccer's highest level. Through all that, the American team led by the States greatest player ever, Landon Donovan, and its new coach in his first Cup, Bob Bradley, persevered, stole our interest, and took us on an emotional thrill ride.

The success at this years World Cup also sets the stage for the young players who gained experience on the games highest level to burst through and become leaders of the team in 2014. Another sign for hope at the upcoming world cup is that the core of this years team including Donovan, Midfielder Clint Dempsey, Keeper Tim Howard, and the whole back line will still have plenty left in their tank for another run at the cup. Speedy Foward Charlie Davis who missed this years World Cup after suffering major injuries from a car accident in October will also be back in top form and ready to contribute. The run from this year provides hope for our country that the United States can come to Brazil and shock the world taking home the World Cup Trophy.

-A