Let's get real people

I am watching the LSU Georgia game right now. It has been a great game. So far there have been three fourth quarter comebacks. With 1:03 left in the game AJ Green made a great catch to put the Bulldogs up. He climbed over the DB, who had perfect coverage, and came down with the ball. He got up and ran straight to his teammates passing up an opportunity for some well deserved trash talk. He made no gestures to any LSU players or fans. Still, the referees felt it necessary to throw a flag for excessive celebration. I have to say that I could not care less about the outcome of the game. I am a fan of neither team. This was the worst penalty I have ever seen. The worst part about it is that it set up LSU to score on their next possession due to the fact that UGA had to kick-off from their 15 yard line.

On the third play of the drive LSU broke a long run and scored a go ahead touchdown. After running back Charles Scott crossed the goal line he dropped the ball and pointed toward the sky. This also brought a flag for excessive celebration. Georgia could not pull out the same magic that LSU was able to, but nevertheless LSU owes a big thank you to the referees.

I think the powers at be in both the NCAA and the NFL need to get real on their views on celebration. Let people have fun doing what they are doing. Football is a game after all, and games are supposed to be fun. Obvious taunting is one thing, but most of what gets penalized is just fun. You are supposed to be happy when you score. Most people don't score that many touchdowns, so it is natural to celebrate them. I think it can be obvious when a player is trying to taunt the other team or simply express their joy for scoring. I am tired of league administrators being so involved with what is happening on the field. If everyone is safe then officials should let them do what they want. It is especially unfortunate that these bad decisions had huge impact on the game.

My Take on My Favorite Player

It took a commotion as big as Brett Favre to bring me out of my hiatus. With all of the venom being spewed by my friends and sports pundits alike I feel I have no choice but to make my voice heard.

I say to all of you: Why do you care?
Why do you care if Brett chooses to play for 100 more years? As far as I know exactly none of my friends are or have ever been Green Bay, Favre, or Minnesota fans. So, I ask again. Why do you care? If you haven't invested cheers, tears, part of your soul, and your whole lifetime rooting for this man then why does it bother you if he changes his mind a multitude of times? You are simply tired of hearing about it. There are people who actually have a beef with him. I will put my self near the front of that line. I grew up watching Brett play and he is and always will be my favorite player. I have no problem with him wanting to play more. If there are people like me who are fine with what he is doing how can you hate him for it?

How is Brett's pining for the spotlight any different then Chad Johnson or Terrel Owens. Jason Whitlock hit it on the head in his recent article- http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/9959442 - when he compared Brett to Britney Spears. He does want the eyes of the world on him. What people overlook is the fact that we give him the attention he and every other celeb craves. I promise you if everyone stopped watching the World Wide Leader when they have whole SportCenters devoted to Brett they would ease up on the coverage. As I have said before your problem isn't with Brett or what he is doing your problem is with ESPN. Everyone who hates Brett for all of the coverage you are forced to listen to also needs to hate: New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox, A-rod, Lebron James, Kobe Bryant, Las Angeles Lakers, Tom Brady, the latest MLB player accused of using steroids, and every other dick ESPN sucks on a weekly basis. As I said above most people have no affiliation to Brett Favre or the Green Bay Packers so what he chooses to do should not matter to you.

The only problem I have is that Brett has gone to one of the most hated teams for Packer fans. In my house the Vikings are second only to the Fucking Bears. Brett Claims to cherish the 16 seasons he spent in the Green and Gold but how much can it really mean to his when he goes to their hated rival? I understands his reasons. He wants to stick it to Ted Thompson for forcing him out. In a way I understand. He way the mayor of the town and in some ways Brett deserved a lifetime reign. I just hope he knows he is turning his back on so many fans who supported him no matter what. Fans who cheered nearly as loud for the Jets as the Packers last season. Even a staunch a Brett supporter like me cannot root for the Vikings. I will continue to hope for his personal success, if only to make everyone shut the fuck up, but I will also hope the Vikings lose every single game as I do every season.

US Men's National Team

I don't know which is worse the football the US team just tried to play against Brazil, or having to listen to John Harkes try and relive the "glory days" from when he was on the national team. In everything Harkes said he never hit on the one reason why the US weren't successful. They do not have enough talent.

To this point in the Confederations Cup Oguchi Onyewu and Tim Howard are the only bright spots. The 19 year old Jozy Altidore has had glimpses, but his isolation up front due to US players being sent off has made it hard for the youngster. Even at full strength there is no link between the defense and strikers. It is clear that the US needs some sort of midfield talent that can be a catalyst for the team. The likes of Ricardo Clark, Micheal Bradley, and Sacha Kliestan are not cutting it. Their first touch lets them down constantly, they are too slow on the ball, and they do not seem to possess the instinct needed to get the ball to the forwards in dangerous spots. Regardless of what you may think about the calls, the sending off of Clark and Kliestan were solely their doing. In both cases they lost the ball in dangerous areas, and they subsequently made rash challenges trying to make up for it. I applaud their work ethic, but if they were even just a little better on the ball they would not be in those spots.

If you think a midfield maestro isn't what is keeping the US from international success lets look at FIFA's Top 5 rankings:

1. Spain- Most people think the Spanish attack begins with David Villa and ends at the Torres. That is sadly short-selling the midfield. The likes of Xavi, Xabi Alonso, and Cesc Febregas jump start the offense to Spain.




2. Netherlands- The biggest name that stands out for the Dutch side is the hard-nosed Bayern Munich Captain Mark Van Bommel. He is none around the world as a hard tackling playmaker who orchestrates the offense for the Netherlands.





3. Germany- Michael Ballack and Bastian Schwienstieger occupy the center of the German midfield. Ballack seemed to burst onto the international scene in 2002. He and Schwienstieger combined to lead ze Germans a third place finish in 2006.


4. Italy- Where to start with Italy? The Italian midfield cabinet holds an embarrassment of riches. The likes of Rossi, De Rossi, Gattuso, Camoranesi, and most of all Andrea Pirlo. You need to look no further than the second half against the United States to see the disparity. Our back line matched up well against the Italian strikers, but they could not handle the unmarked waves coming from the azzurri's midfield. The third goal was set up by Pirlo single handedly skinning the entire US defense.


5. Brazil- Despite Ranaldinho's departure from the national team Dunga's midfield isn't left wanting either. However, the discussion on who runs the show for Brazil begins and ends with their number 10- Kaka. A 92 million dollar transfer fee only weeks ago shows this midfielders value. His combination of skill and patience makes him deadly anywhere on the pitch.

It would be foolish to think the Americans can simply pull a midfielder of similar quality out of a hat. What I find frustrating is the fact that no one on the roster or even in the pool displays any of the qualities mentioned above. Bradley can win challenges, but then looks lost when he comes up with the ball. Ricardo Clark usually doesn't hurt the team, but he doesn't seem to bring much either. Despite Sacha Kliestan's promise he doesn't seem ready for the big stage yet. Today Harkes mentioned Pablo Mastroeni. While he was in his prime Mastroeni was on of the best midfielders the US as ever had he will be 33 by the time the World Cup kicks off next year. The US will need to find someone younger as we move forward. Once Carlos Bocanegra and Steve Cherundelo return from injuries the back line in conjunction with Tim Howard will be formidable. Our attacking options are can be dangerous with good service. Big brooding bodies like Altidore and Connor Casey are deadly in the area. Landon Donovan has shown to be a marksmen from the penalty spot, but he seems to be nonexistent in the run of play. I think Bob Bradley needs to try and play him in the midfield to see if he can't bring something to the attack there.

I hope that against Egypt on Sunday Bradley throws all caution to the wind and puts out a team to try and score goals. Everyone knows we have the players who can park the bus and defend, but lets show that we can go forward as well.

NCAA Lacrosse Final

If the absence of a catchy title didn't give away my ignorance about lacrosse the rest of this post show make that painfully obvious. Every year I seem to find myself drawn to the sport of lacrosse. I enjoy watching the semi-finals and finals of the NCAA championship of every summer. Generally I only can watch it for 10 minutes or so at a time. It could be because I know very little about the game. Today's match was different.

The fifth seed Cornell took on defending national champions Syracuse. 'Cuse was the second seed and the clear favorite. Naturally I decided to root for the underdog, and after I watched the Big Red dominate Virginia on Saturday I latched onto Cornell University.

From what I could gather Syracuse had the more potent offense. They wanted lots of shots and a fast-paced game. Cornell, on the other hand, was very deliberate and methodical in the offensive zone.

After withstanding an early Syracuse barrage Cornell started to pull away. The title looked to be theirs when they scored with five and half minutes left to go ahead by three. The wheels came off then for the Big Red. Their methodical attack had been keeping the ball away from the Orange. The final 3:37 saw Syracuse score three goals. The tying goal coming only four seconds from time. The equalizer came off a wild scramble. The 'Cuse player flipped the ball over his head to his teammate just in front of the crease. From there it looked easy, and we were off to overtime. From there a Syracuse counterattack sealed Cornell's fate only a couple minutes into the sudden death period.

I have no idea where this comeback ranks in the annals of lacrosse history. All I am sure of is that it is the most exciting game I have seen. Let me know what you all think if you saw the game.

The Curse of Mad Mick

Luton Town, of English Football League Two, lost today 2 - nill away to Brentford. It was the Hatters' eighth loss of the season, but some say their relegation to non-league football was assured years ago.

In 2005, Luton Town finished 10th in the Football League Championship. Thanks in no small part to a budding superstar Michael Eade. Eade was acquired by the club in 2002. The three years he spent at Luton Town were magical for the club. The Hatters were promoted to the the League Championship and stayed their until 2006. This was just the beginning of the slide for Luton Town.

After his release Eade made the brave voyage across the Atlantic like Pilgrims and Beetles before him. Eade landed at Tyler Junior College in Tyler, Texas. Eade was red-shirted his first year in the states. Although Mad Mick enjoyed his time at Tyler he yearned for the pitch. He migrated north. It looked like a transfer to NAIA Champions Graceland University was on the books. Regrettably this was not the case. Eade would play his football at a different NAIA giant-Park University.

2006 was a hard year for Luton Town as well. Only Leeds United had a worse record the the Hatters. Things weren't looking any better entering the 2007 season, as Luton were docked 10 points for entering administration. Again they were relegated.

In his first season at Park University Eade played in 10 games. He was back-to-back MCAC Defensive Player of the Week in October. Eades 1.01 goals against average lead the Pirates to their seventh straight NAIA National Tournament appearance.

Now we come to 2008. This season was an upstairs downstairs tale when it comes Michael Eade and Luton Town FC. Luton were docked 30 points to start the year. The Hatters has their relegation confirmed April 13 in a draw against Chesterfield. Eade on the other hand had a sub 1 goals against average and notched six clean sheets.

Where would Luton Town be today if they had correctly assessed the talent of this young goal keeper? They certainly would be above the non-league football they are set to compete in next season. Eade is beginning his third season at Park University, and he has his eyes set on the national championship. Maybe Luton Town will think twice before passing on a player of similar caliber in the future.

The Weather is Always Fair in KC

Not even two months ago I would see at least 15 people on Facebook with statuses about the latest Royals game. I knew this was only due to the fact that it was the start of a new season and that they were winning. Now that the team has started to come back to Earth a bit all the love seems to have disappeared. You can hear it on the radio shows, on the streets, and in the stands.

I think that Kansas City is easily in the Top 5 of Fair Weather Towns in the country. Believe me, I take no pleasure in making this claim. I love Kansas City and want nothing but the best for it. I know that winning breeds popularity everywhere. In KC though as soon as things look like they might go wrong fans pull their support.

A little over 20 years ago the Chiefs couldn't give away tickets to their games. Then when they started to become respectable there wasn't a ticket to be found. In plenty of NFL cities once they start selling out the fans stick by there team through thick and thin. The last few years have been the thinnest of any for the Chiefs in my lifetime. I have no idea how the front office staff managed to keep every home game on TV this past season. If things don't improve soon we might not see the Chiefs on TV. My biggest gripe isn't with the Chiefs though.

Like I said before earlier this season everyone was on the Royals bandwagon. Now that they have hit the skids fans are nowhere to be found. I contend that these kinds of times are when teams need the fans' support more then ever. I don't think that most people even know when the team plays now. I love sports and I love Kansas City. I want to see be up there with Boston or Chicago with great sports cities.

I hear plenty of cries calling for a team for the Sprint Center. Kansas City hasn't shown that it deserves one. It's like when you were little and you had to take care of a goldfish to show your mom that you could handle a puppy. In this case we already have two fully grown dogs. We leave them unfed and unwatched. Why do we think that any one would turn up to an NBA or NHL team? Between the long season and probable dearth of talent attendance would be minimal. Unless KC can lure a championship caliber team they won't be given the proper support and nurturing they need.

Please Kansas City, I beg you, give our local teams the support they need to succeed. Your time now will be rewarded later.

Best Month Ever?

I know March is mad, but I think May could be the best sports month of the year. Don't get me wrong no one loves March Madness more than I do. I think the first weekend could be best single weekend in sports. May, on the other hand, is the best month.

The baseball season is starting to heat up as it moves into the second month. The quarter mark of the season approaches and fans start to see if their team is for real or not. Contenders begin separating from pretenders. While, there is still plenty of the season left baseball's second month still provides its share of action. This year is no exception. Controversy is dominating the headlines unfortunately. The steroid scandal claimed two more victims, Alex Rodriguez and Manny Ramirez. If you are able to get past that you will see a 30 game hit streak, 2 cycles, 2 steals of home, homers flying out of the New Yankee Stadium, and the arrival of Zack Greinke. If none of those tickle your fancy don't worry, because there are plenty more options.

The NHL playoffs rage in the month of May. The playoffs in the NHL might create some of the most tense games of any sport. There is nothing better then playoff overtime hockey. This season had an eight-seed beat a one. The Ducks of Anaheim beat the top seeded Sharks and took the Red Wings to a game 7 tonight. Even though it ended undramatically the series between the Penguins and the Capitols could have been one of the most important of the year. Being able to watch Sid the Kid go at Alex the Great for 7 games was amazing. They are the two best players the league has to offer. If you crave warmer climates never fear.


Everyone complains about the lack of effort in the NBA. That all changes once the playoffs roll around. This year, like every other year, the playoffs are physical, close, and exciting. Only the Cleveland Cavaliers have been the exception. They have Lebron James though and he more then makes up for it. Half of the series this round have gone the full 7 games. It could set up a Kobe vs Lebron final.


If you are more international in your sporting interests May has got you covered too. The Champions League Semi-Finals and Finals are here too. The top soccer teams from across Europe battle through group stages and two knock out rounds before getting to the final four teams. Champions League is the most prestigious club cup competition in the world. This year Manchester United will look to be the first back to back winner in the Cup's history. They take on Barcelona in Rome on May 27th.



I have saved the best for last. Two thirds of the Tripple Crown are in the month of May. The best two minutes in sports aka the Kentucky Derby is the first Saturday in May. I will admit that I know nothing about horse racing. Derby day brings it out of me though. I love it. You can't keep me away from the TV I just soak it all in. The Preakness is this Saturday. The dream of a Tripple Crown is still alive. Mine that Bird jockied by someone new seeks another long shot victory.


I know that I have left plenty of sporting events out. The Players' Championship at Sawgrass is more then deserving of a spot on my list. I figure I have subjected all my readers to enough pontification on sports I know nothing about. So golf fans out there know that I hold a place in my heart for the Players'. If it were a major it would surely be on the list.