I have never understood it.It doesn’t make sense.It is something that is simply a cop-out for making a mistake.It is a way out of a situation that one way or another, you are going to be yelled at.I cannot blame officials for doing it, for I wouldn’t want to be put in the same situation.When those last minutes of the game come around, let them play is what we all say.Well, the fact is that basketball loses a lot of credibility for using that argument.
Many people do not like watching basketball because it is such a frustrating sport regarding the refs.No other sport is there arguments over every single call, and I mean every single one.So, why do we change our standards during the last few minutes?Obviously the big story is the non-call in game 4 of the Western Conference Finals.Should it been called or not?That argument will never be resolved, but the common argument is that the refs should not be the ones to determine the game so let the players play.This is very confusing.Unlike football where a simple hold may not have a huge effect late in the game, a foul on a shooter no matter how hard or soft will have an enormous effect.If nothing else, the players know (sometimes more than they think) when they are fouled.When hit in the arm, it is nearly impossible to make a long jumper.So, when it is late in the game, the foul should be called even closer in my opinion because you should have a legitimate chance to make the shot!
Officials in basketball are in the worst situation at all times.I know I would not want to be a ref in a big game situation because you will never get that call right according to somebody.Still, it seems to me that in a game that is so subjective, fouls should be called consistently no matter what the situation is.If the foul would have been called in the first quarter, it should be called in the fourth.If nothing else, teams will agree that they want nothing more but a consistently called game.That is true in any sport.Both teams should be called the same.Both teams should have an fair opportunity at the end of the game, and when you don’t call the game the same as it was early in the game, you are not giving them that opportunity.
Over the last week, we have seen two bad calls made by umpires that took runs off the board. The MLB needs to implement some type of replay. If nothing else, there needs to be some type of replay for home run issues. Where else could it be used? I don’t necessarily agree with all of these but options include strikes and balls, base-runners, and fly balls in the outfield. My choice would be to use replays for everything except strikes and balls.
One argument against this implantation is that it takes the “human element” out of the game. What does that mean? Well, it means that the team that does not deserve the call or the win end up on top. I do not understand why we want to enable to possibility of making mistakes. The technology is clearly available. While I love fans that come up with excuses and post them on message boards around the internet, I am a bigger fan of watching teams win because they deserve it.
Another argument is that it will “disrupt the flow of the game.” Again, this makes no sense to me. This isn’t hockey or basketball where players can get hot and lose their rhythm. Baseball has no flow. Let’s be honest baseball fans. It is a slow, relaxing game. A hot hitter is not going to be cooled off because he has to wait 38 minutes instead of 35 to get his next at bat. I love baseball but a 2 minute break to make sure a call is right is so worth it.
In the end, they need to implement this right now. The home run replay is essential because they are simply taking runs off the board. Implementing replays for calls on the base-paths are another idea that I think is very important. My general opinion is that baseball and all sports should be won by the team who actually deserves to win. Let’s take the “human element” out of the game and let the players enjoy pure victory and defeat.
The NHL cannot be serious. Gary Bettman seems to be just stubborn at this point. He has to realize the NHL is not a marquee sport right now. They have to do everything they can to get people to watch. Yes, it is the Stanley Cup Finals starting up this weekend, but it is just not what it once was. The majority of sports fans are going to select the NBA playoffs over the NHL. It is sad, but it is true. All sports fans realize it. The NHL seems to not realize that.
What is the big story for the Stanley Cup? It is a perfect matchup! Bringing two huge hockey markets together will make the NHL relevant again! I agree that it is great to see Detroit and Pittsburgh face off against each other. So, with all that the NHL cuts one of the markets in half by selecting to play the games at the same exact time as the Detroit Pistons play the Boston Celtics for the first three games of the series. It is a death sentence. Being from Detroit I am biased about how annoying it is that we must pick one or the other (I get to go to the Pistons game!), but it bothers me more that the NHL is simply going to lose viewers. Most people will pick the NBA over the NHL. If that weren’t the case, we wouldn’t have to tune to VS. to watch hockey.
I honestly do not know the logistics for setting up schedules, but I find it hard to believe that the series was already set up to start on Saturday. If that is the case, the NHL should have done whatever it could to not knock out half of the biggest hockey market in the country. It is just another confusing move by the NHL. In any case, go Detroit.
THe UEFA Champions League Championship game was a hard fought 120 minutes of futbol and showcased some of the best talent in the world. Manchester United eventually came out on top, but really didn’t prove they were the better team.
After the second overtime period, it was one to one on the scoreboard. I was prepared to grab a snack and come back to watch the third overtime. Instead, I was shocked, utterly shocked, when the teams were lining up for a shootout! What the hell kind of a way is that to end the championship game in the world’s most popular sport? It basically just shows which team is going to be more lucky on that given day. Man U only won because the 5th and final shooter for Chelsea slipped and fell while he was attempting to shoot the winning goal and the ball hit the wrong side of the post and didn’t go in. A couple shooters later the Man U goalie stopped a shot and it was all over.
To me, this is so ridiculous that this game went into a shootout. What is the point to having a shootout when for 120 minutes both teams have competed so strongly. If the game hasn’t been decided in 120 minutes, let them keep playing! These elite athletes don’t want to kick from a few yards from the goalie five times and see who makes more goals. Instead, they’d probably rather fight it out on the whole pitch until someone finally scores another goal. This is even worse than the PGA Players Championship where the first playoff hole was the 17th, which has the island green. A sporting even of such stature, like the Champions League’s last game, should be played out until the best team emerges victorious.
The title had to contain a joke about the guy’s names right? Well, I apologize. In any case, congratulations to David Cook who won American Idol this season. I am ashamed to say that I watched the show this year. After all these months I have to give some credit to the American public. They finally made a correct choice! David Archuleta has a great voice, but can we just step back and realize what the competition is really supposed to be about? An idol. Archuleta is one of the most awkward people I have ever seen, and his rendition of With You by Chris Brown set the white race back about 20 years in terms of trying to be “cool.” There is no way he is going to be an idol. On the other hand, there is David Cook who has great stage presence and really could have a great career.
But…
What happens from here? My biggest problem with this show, and popular music in general is that it is so generic and unoriginal. My hope is that Cook does not become just another Daughtry. He has great talent, and I wish I knew how much of it he can use with his new contract. The fact is, someone will write a hit song for him. That someone will be a professional in making songs that will be popular. It is like a mathematical equation. It is impressive, but sad at the same time. We are losing the days when creativity and original talent was rewarded with popularity. (Whoa, sorry I am getting way to sentimental)
In the end, I found this a shocker as Archuleta was a favorite all season, but I think America made the right choice if we are truly picking an idol. I never warmed up to Archuleta’s patented “I can’t believe you think I’m good” routine. It wasn’t cute to me, just annoying. Cook looked genuinely amazed that he actually won. Now, let’s see what he does with his new found fame. Oh, and Syesha should have won over everyone else in my opinion.
This is going to be short, but I want to hear what others have to say as well. I was unaware of one of my favorite names ever! Are you ready for this? The name is…
JamesOn Curry
What is your favorite name from a professional athlete?
On Monday night a young Boston RedSox pitcher threw his way into the record books after pitching a no-hitter on 130 pitches with nine strikeouts and just two walks.
No hitters are always impressive whenever they happen, and it takes a special performance on a special night to ever accomplish this task. Monday night’s situation, however, is extra special because Lester, a 24 year-old left hander, battled and beat cancer in 2006 and 2007. And, while the fight against cancer and the long road to rejuvenating your life after it never ends, this young man is able to play baseball at the highest level throwing mid-90 mph fastballs!
This is a fantastic story and accomplishment for Lester and in the MLB, but in the realm of cancer patients and survivors it serves as a tale of inspiration that is sure to give some patients the strength to figher harder to overcome a dyer situation. In my opinion, cancer fighters and their families are some of the toughest people in the world. Just think if the general population, most of whom don’t have a life-threatening illess, worked that hard in everyday life…what a great world in which we’d live. After seeing someone, Lester, rise from that illness to become an elite athlete, it puts a lot of things in perspective. His no-hitter might be one of the most important sporting occurences ever, especially when you think about the off-field influence it may have.
Why does tennis not catch on as a marquee sport in America? There can be multiple reasons given, but here are my top two, which are strangely related.
1. America has nothing - That’s right. There is nothing to root for as an American. The top two players are from Europe. After that, there is Andy Roddick, James Blake, and Mardy Fish. You ask the average sports fan and he or she will claim to know one maybe two of those names. Tennis was so popular in the 90s because of the high profile American players. Agassi, Sampras, Courier, Chang, and Martin headlined every single tournament. Now, there is nothing to cheer for.
2. Players pulling out - One of the best women players in the game is calling it quits at 25. Andy Roddick just pulled out of the French Open. Andy Roddick?! Doesn’t he have to make some sort of appearance for the sake of Americans? It draws fans away to see such high profile players pulling out of the grand slams because of an injury.
There are plenty of other reasons revolving around the sport. Still, to see people pulling out of tournaments time and time again turns fans off. It turns me off from watching, and I am not even an Andy Roddick fan. In the end, if professional tennis is ever going to turn the bad ratings around in this country there needs to be a hero. There needs to be someone for the Americans to root for in each tournament.
It is that time again Skip Bayless. Go ahead and bash Lebron for not deserving his “King” name. After watching game 7 of the Celtics/Cavs series I can honestly say that Lebron James did all I can expect of him. He missed a couple of shots near the end, but nobody is ever going to be able to carry the load he does, and take a team as far as he has the last two years. His supporting cast = zero. Yes, that sounds like a broken record, but today’s game was a perfect example of that. It is easy to look at Kobe and say that he makes his teammates better. I agree that he does, but he is in a much easier situation to do that. Who is Lebron’s Pau Gasol? Who is Lebron’s Lamar Odom? Heck, who is Lebron’s Derek Fisher? He has to be the sole leader at such a young age.
Meanwhile, this was one of the best games I have seen in a while. Both teams wanted it so badly, and the Celtics just made the plays when they needed to. I found myself getting frustrated watching the Celtics react in such an unprofessional manner. Yes, you want to show passion, but this team is so over-the-top with their reactions. Every loose ball does not deserve the jumping up and down banging your chest screaming. In any case, they finally got past a couple of weak teams and will now have to go up against a real contender. (I had to be a little bias)
It might not be the biggest story in sports last night. To me, it is a very important moment for the NHL and a telling moment for the Dallas Stars. In case you did not catch the Red Wings/Stars game last night, here is the end of the game.
Number one warning, I am a Red Wings fan attempting to be impartial and simply look at this as a hockey fan. The Stars will undoubtedly blame Osgood for sticking his stick out and striking Mike Ribeiro. I cannot do that for one important reason. The little move that Osgood made is not uncommon in the NHL or hockey for that matter. He stuck his blocker out there to protect himself and teammate Lidstrom from being destroyed in the corner. It was unlucky that Ribeiro ran into the butt end of the stick, but there is no way, and no reason, that Osgood would purposely spear the Stars’ player. Growing up playing youth hockey, there were several occasions that I came close to the goalie and took a shot from the blocker. It is natural for a goalie to protect his goal area.
The real issue here is Ribeiro’s ridiculous reaction, and how telling it is that the Stars could possibly be swept in this series. This type of behavior has no place in hockey, especially the NHL. It is unacceptable to take a swing at another player. I love fighting in hockey. I was even excited at the end of the game when there was a little group meeting behind the net, but then the baseball swing took place. Fighting is normal and should be allowed to a point. Swinging your stick can seriously hurt another player, and that is “intent to injure.” I will try not to be too biased and admit that Osgood looked like he milked the hit a little bit. Still, there is no question in my mind that there is a suspension in store. It will most likely be one game because it is the playoffs, but during the regular season this type of action should be at least five games. There is no reason to ever do this.
The actual series is looking to be a blowout. The Stars are clearly frustrated as they picked fight after fight in the 3rd period acting like a bunch of “Bantam” players. (A hockey level for about age 15) They reacted immaturely. The Wings will not lose their cool. I expected the series to go rather long, but the Stars are not the same in control team the beat the Ducks and Sharks. I wonder why? Maybe the reason is that they aren’t winning. Finally, a quick message for Mike Ribeiro. Watch out for number 25, Darren McCarty, next time you are on the ice. You don’t want him to go Claude Lemieux on you.
Scott
Dan
