NFL Preview

The best thing for baseball? Parity.

Every year during the dog days of summer, my interest in baseball heightens. For a two week period when the daily high temperatures reach close to 100 degrees, I will sit down and watch multiple baseball games. At no other point during the year will I be able to sit and watch an entire baseball game without becoming bored. This year, however, may be different.

The reason? Parity.

The separation of "contenders" and "pretenders" occurs somewhere during the month of July, when those teams with legitimate playoff chances begin to distance themselves from those "flash in a pan" teams. As we approach that stretch of this season, it is easy to argue that 19 of 30 teams still have a shot at reaching the playoffs. Only 11 teams are 8.5 games or more behind first place in their respective divisions. Furthermore, there are zero teams with a minus-100 or worse run differential. Last year at this time, there were three. The "bad" teams are getting better, and the "best" teams aren't quite as good.

Major League Baseball has been dominated by teams that can spend millions and millions of dollars on top players. The phrase "buying a championship" is uttered in the same sentence with Yankees and Red Sox almost on a daily basis. But the Giants proved last year that parity is growing in baseball, and this season has confirmed that parity is indeed a trend.

The two most intriguing beneficiaries of this trend have to be the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Seattle Mariners. The Pirates have such a rich history of success and Hall of Fame players, yet many people couldn't tell you the last time the team made the playoffs (1992). Heck, many people couldn't tell you the last time the Pirates even had a chance to make the playoffs.

This year is different. Pittsburgh is three games out of first place in the Central Division, with only a minus-11 run differential. Three games back. As I type this, it's hard for me believe it. Even I have gotten used to the futility of the Pirates. Last year at this time, they were 17 games back with a minus-182 differential. Pittsburgh is a feel-good story waiting to happen - the entire country knows how bad they have been, and there's not a single person (outside of maybe St. Louis, Milwaukee, or Cincinnati) that doesn't want the Pirates to stay in the hunt for the remainder of the season.

The Seattle Mariners are similar to the Pirates, but with one added twist. Ichiro Suzuki is going to go down as one of the greatest hitters to ever play the game. He is a first-ballot Hall of Famer. Yet, the Mariners have stunk for the better part of a decade, and most of the country forgets just how good Ichiro is. The same can be said for Felix Hernandez, although his winning of the 2010 Cy Young award has brought him closer to household-name status. Even with two of the best players in baseball, Seattle has had trouble generating team success since their last playoff appearance in 2001.

Last year at this time, the Mariners were 14 games out of first place. This year, they are only three games back. Their run differential has shrunk from minus-68 to minus-11. They are the feel-good story of the American League, but more because of their current roster rather than their Hall of Fame alumni. Ichiro can be looked at the same way Dirk Nowitzki was looked at a few months ago - an aging superstar trying to cement his legacy by winning a championship.

So as the month of July begins, I will be holding my breath. I'll cautiously look at the boxscores in the newspaper each day. As the temperature rises, I will be hoping that the Mariners and Pirates and all of the other low-payroll teams can stay in the hunt and challenge the "big-spending" teams. If that happens, my annual two week baseball-watching period may just have to increase.

The Curious Case of Bobby Lou

The Boston Bruins won the Stanley Cup last night, dominating game 7 of their series with the Vancouver Canucks 4-0. The Bruins physicality and depth ultimately wore the Canucks down, and goaltender Tim Thomas was an absolute wall for Boston.

Another factor that contributed to the outcome of the series was the inconsistency of Vancouver goalie Roberto Luongo. In games 1, 2, and 5 (in Vancouver) Bobby Lou surrendered only two goals against. In games 3, 4, and 6 (in Boston) Luongo allowed 15 goals.

The fact that someone could be so meteorically good one night and so terrible the next is a conundrum that ultimately motivates us to watch sports. On any given night, something remarkable could and probably will happen - especially in the NHL Playoffs. Luongo's inconsistency was an intriguing reason for neutral fans to tune in to the Stanley Cup Playoffs even before the Canucks reached the final (he was shaky in their opening round series against Chicago before regaining his form in the conference semis and finals.)

What is fascinating to me is the thought process of Bobby Lou after getting shelled in games 3 and 4. Did he say to himself "alright, I gotta do better than that, I'm capable of playing alot better" or did he say "welp, that sucked, good thing we have the home-ice advantage"?

The mind of LeBron James can be examined the same way. Was James trying to give himself a pep-talk in-between games of the NBA Finals? Did he let the insane amount of pressure affect his mood and ultimately forget about enjoying the moment? Did he underestimate the Dallas Mavericks?

Rory McIlroy can be viewed similarly. McIlroy went into Sunday at Augusta with a lead that quickly evaporated en route to a final round 80 that left many wondering when/if he could regain his confidence. Now, Rory is once again in the driver's seat - this time at the U.S. Open. I would be fascinated to read his mind and know what he's thinking - does he acknowledge the pressure, or attempt to brush it off and ignore it? Does he think back to his collapse at the Masters, or pretend it never happened?

We could continue this discussion an dive into the topic of psychology for hours. But ultimately, Roberto Luongo's inconsistent focus and play on the ice contributed to Vancouver coming up short. The real point of this discussion is the mental toughness that is required to play professional sports. To be a professional means to not only exhibit physical gifts, but also display a mind that can handle an extremely high level of pressure and stress. Luongo obviously came up short in the mental aspect of the Stanley Cup Finals.

Much like LeBron and Rory, I fully expect Bobby Lou to recover and become a stronger, more capable athlete mentally. Time will tell if that happens sooner rather than later. The real question - whether such growth will result in championships - remains to be seen.

NFL Draft Recap - which QB will become a star?

Every year, too much emphasis is placed on which quarterback will be selected first and which team will select said QB. Football is a 22-man game, and it is my belief that no one person can take a team from 0-16 to the Super Bowl without loads of help from his co-workers.

That being said, we consume ourselves in analyzing the "top-rated" quarterbacks and reviewing "projections" to determine (within our own minds) if it would be wise for our favorite team to draft a quarterback. More often than not, we find ourselves thinking how cool it would be if the top-rated QB were to be selected by our favorite team.

This year, Cam Newton enhanced this thought process by leaps and bounds. His physical size and ability is insane, but his personality and mental capabilities are suspect. I cannot recall a prospect with so much potential in both directions - potential to be a perennial All-Pro, and the potential to be the next JaMarcus Russell.

So I started to think...is it really a good idea to draft a quarterback in the first round? Is there really such a thing as a "can't miss" prospect at the quarterback position? Wouldn't it be better to minimize risk by waiting until a later round to select a signal caller?

I did some research. Comparing the first round QB selections since 2005 with the fourth round QB selections since 2005, the numbers are obvious (the fourth round is the middle round of the draft, so I figured it would be a good measuring stick):

2005 first round selections: Alex Smith, Aaron Rodgers Jason Campbell

2006 first round selections: Vince Young, Matt Leinart, Jay Cutler

2007 first round selections: JaMarcus Russell, Brady Quinn

2008 first round selections: Matt Ryan, Joe Flacco

2009 first round selections: Matt Stafford, Mark Sanchez, Josh Freeman

2010 first round selections: Sam Bradford, Tim Tebow

Compare the names above to these...

2005 fourth round selections: Kyle Orton, Stefan LeFors

2006 fourth round selections: Brad Smith

2007 fourth round selections: Isaiah Stanback

2008 fourth round selections: none

2009 fourth round selections: Stephen McGee

2010 fourth round selections: Mike Kafka

When looking at these names side by side, its easy to see that the fourth rounders are pale in comparison to the first rounders. Sure, I get what you're thinking...these guys are fourth round draft picks - they aren't supposed to be THAT good. And I agree, these guys aren't that good, and they support the theory that maybe you really do have to draft a QB early to get results.

The bigger conclusion I can draw from this is that just about every year, at least one really good quarterback is drafted in the first round. In 2005, it was Aaron Rodgers. In 2006, it was Jay Cutler. In 2007...well, ok...let's just forget about 2007. In 2008, it was both Matt Ryan and Joe Flacco. In 2009, it was a tie between Matt Stafford, Mark Sanchez, and Josh Freeman. In 2010, it was Sam Bradford.

What intrigues us now is the debate over Cam Newton, and whether he will be the best of the 2011 first round selections. Will he live up to the hype? Or will Jake Locker be the best of 2011? Will Blaine Gabbert emerge the quickest? Will Christian Ponder step in and be a success story with the Vikings?

If history is any indication, one of the above questions is guaranteed to be answered with a resounding "yes."

2011 Puck Pushers Trophy Presentation

Bonds' trial concludes; NHL Playoffs begin

The Barry Bonds courtroom drama is over - for now.

At this point all of you know what happened this past week. And undoubtedly many of you were left scratching your heads once you heard the final verdict. But let's start from the beginning...

Think about the most basic, essential part of this trial for a moment - the government was trying to prove that Barry Bonds KNEW something. They were trying to prove in a court of law that Bonds knowingly took steroids and lied about it to a grand jury. How in the world do you go about proving that someone knew something? How do you begin to provide evidence when you can't physically open up Bonds' skull and say "yep, right here, this portion of his brain is physically damaged because he lied under oath"? Without hard evidence, wasn't this a game of he said/she said?

Well, the government proved that it certainly was not a game, and a conviction was not a long shot. I give the prosecutors a ton of credit for formulating an argument and painting a detailed pictured that elicited at least one guilty verdict, let alone four. Analysts and commentators have been debating whether or not the prosecution won or lost this trial, and I cannot understand those who say they lost.

Sure, Bonds was only convicted on one out of four charges. But with the deck stacked against them the government worked their way into one guilty verdict, and nearly got two - one juror refused to agree to a guilty verdict for the 'unknowingly receiving injections' allegation.

The head-scratching part of all of this is the future and the question 'where do we go from here'? The other three charges are still in limbo, and the government is deciding whether or not to re-try Bonds on those same charges. Perhaps this is why I was left so unsatisfied once I heard the outcome - I might have to go through this again. I might have to see reporters outside of a courtroom taking pictures of the home-run king as he walks through a metal detector. I might have to watch a legal analyst give the daily report on courtroom proceedings and testimony. I might have to have my own personal debate on how large the circumference of a human head can possibly be.

But until then, only two words can describe my feelings...annoyed and unsettled. The true joy for me will come when Barry Bonds is no longer in the news, and this drawn out, excruciatingly time consuming legal process finally comes to an end.

The NHL Playoffs have begun and today I realized something - those damn Red Wings have a really, really good shot to make it back to the Stanley Cup Finals. In the last five seconds you have undoubtedly realized I'm not a Detroit fan, but I gotta acknowledge how good they looked today against the Coyotes (I was fortunate enough to get game 2 of their series on TV at my apartment).

I could break down teams and do some predictions, but I think the bigger underlying theme to the Stanley Cup Playoffs is the intensity, stress, and physical toll that players will endure in the coming weeks. We as fans appreciate that more than anything. Take Johan Franzen for example - in today's game, he gets absolutely crushed face-first into the boards by a Phoenix defender. Franzen's face was mangled, bloody, and gross. But he returned to the game in the second period and played the remainder of the game with 27 stitches and a giant band-aid on his face. I'm not a Detroit fan, and I really hope they somehow collapse against the Coyotes, but I gotta give credit to players like Franzen who are absolute warriors.

But just for kicks....San Jose over Buffalo in 6 games...

Podcast for March 15th

Idaho: The Sickest State in America

My clock radio alarm went off at 6:30am this past Saturday morning. About ten minutes later I was laying in bed, still mending my emotional wounds from working close to 12 hours on Black Friday. I was in no mood to get out of bed, shower, eat, and drive to work. But then a clip of a play-by-play announcer yelling "The Boise dream is over!!" rang through my radio.

This did not change my feelings about working on a Saturday. However, it alerted me to the heartbroken population of Idaho - the angst, disgust, and sick feeling those people had to be dealing with. Suddenly working on a Saturday seemed less torturous.

As I ate breakfast and saw highlights of the game, I realized just how awful those Boise fans had to be feeling. They had the game won. It was right there. A 26-yard field goal is nothing more than an slightly extended extra point. Heck, even I kinda felt like throwing up.

Think about what Boise St. lost on Friday night. They lost a BCS bowl berth. They lost a chance to potentially play for the National Championship. They lost money - last year, the Broncos earned the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) close to $8 million for appearing in a BCS bowl.

But to the people of Idaho, much more was lost.

On a national level, Idaho is known for two things - potatoes and Boise State football. Personally, when I think of Idaho I think of the movie "Napoleon Dynamite" (I heard once upon a time that the movie was filmed there). The bottom line is this - no one really pays attention to the state of Idaho and what happens there. They (people of Idaho) go about their business, and the rest of the country does the same. What Boise State football brought to the state of Idaho was an identity. The Broncos gave Idahoans something to take pride in - something that they could look at and say "that's OUR team." And the rest of the country not only paid attention, but wondered if that team could possibly play for a National Championship.

So we strained our eyes, trying to make out what exactly was going on down on that blue carpet that high definition TV so annoyingly enhances. We watched Kellen Moore and Titus Young baffle opponents with spectacular throws and catches. Nearly three months ago we watched this team make a 4th quarter comeback and win against a Virginia Tech team many believed to be one of the best in the country. And so we began the process of wrapping our minds around the notion that the Broncos could be a legitimate title contender. For three months, we continually asked the question "Can this team really compete in the BCS championship if given the opportunity?"

That notion was put to bed on Friday night, and a dagger was driven into the pride felt by those citizens of Idaho.

Boise State will continue to play football. The fans will continue filling the bleachers and the turf will be blue as ever. But this senior-laden 2010 team will look much different next season. Will they be able to climb back to the top-3 in the BCS in 2011? Will they be relevant on a national level? That remains to be seen, but the quick and obvious answer is no. However, Chris Petersen has proved himself as a head coach and more recruits are taking a serious look at Boise State. All we can do now is wait and see if the Broncos can grab our attention once again.

Until then - here's to you, Idaho. The potato capitol of America.

2010 NFL Preview, Predictions

It's mind boggling to think that the 2010 NFL season is right around the corner. My summer has gone by far too fast, and I'm sitting here composing this blog post with some degree of depression; Every year, my NFL preview marks a sure sign that summer is almost over. However, a dose of excitement, anticipation, and hope surrounding the upcoming football season all help to replace the lingering depression that accompanies this post.

Before I give you my predictions for division winners, I want to take a second to delve into the biggest dilemma I have been faced with in quite some time. Anyone who knows me personally knows that I have worshipped Donovan McNabb ever since he graced the Carrier Dome carpet with his presence in 1996. When McNabb was drafted, I subsequently became a Philadelphia Eagles fan. Now, I am being forced to root for the Washington Redskins. Seriously? The Redskins?

Let me be clear (as Barack would say) - I don't want to do it. I really don't wanna be (in the words of my old friend Tony Gleba) a "stupid bandwagon fan." I have spent the last 10 years rooting AGAINST the 'Skins. Now I'm expected to root FOR them?

Still, Donovan has been #1 on my list of personal sports heros since I was a just a little tike. I used to throw pump-and-go routes to invisible versions of Marvin Harrison, Kevin Johnson, and Quinton Spotwood in my backyard for hours on end. I guess what I'm saying is that I have no choice - I must support the Redskins and hope that they have a great season...for Donovan's sake.

Alright, moving on to my division by division breakdown starting with the AFC...

AFC EAST

1. New York Jets - this will be a close divisional race, but I see the Jets coming out on top. The experience they gained by advancing to the AFC Championship last season will be invaluable, and the growth of both Mark Sanchez and Shonn Green with elevate the offense. Oh yeah, and they added Santonio Holmes and LaDanian Tomlinson. Their offensive and defensive lines are stacked, and the only big question is how much damage will Darelle Revis do to the team by holding out. My answer: not enough to prevent the Jets from winning the East.

2. Miami Dolphins - the addition of Brandon Marshall makes this team 87% better than last year. Don't ask me where I got that 87%, but you can't deny that their offense will be better. If they can bring an elevated level of physicality on defense, they could snatch a wild card spot.

3. New England Patriots - name one starter for the Patriots secondary. Go ahead, name one. If you're like me, you are still trying to come up with a name. Add to that questions on the offensive line, along with questions about the health of Wes Welker, and you can't fault me for putting the Pats behind the Jets and Dolphins.

4. Buffalo Bills - my advice: forfeit every game this season, and hope that Jake Locker cements himself as the #1 pick in next years draft.

AFC SOUTH

1. Indianapolis Colts - the reason for me picking the Colts to win the division comes down to four syllables, two words, one name: Peyton Manning.

2. Houston Texans - I really think the Texans will make the playoffs as a wild card team this

year. They've steadily improved over the past couple of seasons, and I believe they are ready to take the next step. The biggest question for the Texans is the running game - can Steve Slaton (or whoever else) take enough pressure off of Matt Schaub and keep the offense balanced?

3. Tennessee Titans - Chris Johnson is the best running back in the league, and Vince Young is a proven winner. When it came down to it, I had to ask myself "do you think the Titans will be better than the Texans?" The answer: "AHHHH I don't know. Vince knows how to win. But the losses of Albert Haynesworth two years ago and Keith Bullock this year make me cringe. Gotta believe that the Texans>Titans."

4. Jacksonville Jaguars - my advice to the football fans in Jacksonville: Support your team, buy tickets, do what you gotta do...because L.A. is calling.

AFC NORTH

1. Cincinnati Bengals - yes, that is correct, I am buying into the hype surrounding the Bengals. Carson Palmer now has a ton a weapons at his disposal, and you can't overlook Cedric Benson running the ball. The defense will make enough plays for the Bengals to win the division.

2. Pittsburgh Steelers - the Steelers are coming into this season flying under the radar - and they wouldn't have it any other way. A healthy Troy Polamalu will make a world of difference on defense. If the offense can survive the absence of Big Ben for four weeks, the Steelers will be right in the thick of the wild card chase.

3. Baltimore Ravens - I'm picking the Ravens to finish third in the division based on three

things: injures, injuries, and age. Ed Reed will miss at least the first six weeks of the season. Sergio Kindle, the Ravens top draft pick, is out with a fractured skull. Ray Lewis isn't getting any younger. The offense will be good, but I can't convince myself that they will finish ahead of the Steelers or Bengals....(I really think I could be dead wrong about this pick..)

4. Cleveland Browns - it's a new season, which means the Browns can look forward to finishing last in a stacked division once again. Colt McCoy could be the savior the team has been looking for, however.

AFC WEST

1. Kansas City Chiefs - really? I'm really picking the Chiefs to win the west? Wow. Even I am shocked. Well, think about this: Charlie Weis is now calling plays for the Chiefs. Matt Cassel learned Weis's offense when he was in New England. Thomas Jones gives depth to the running game. Jamaal Charles is an explosive weapon whenever he is on the field. Dexter McCluster is a big play rookie that can have an impact. Eric Berry is probably the most NFL ready rookie right now....Alright, out of all of that hodgepodge, I hope you realize that everything surrounding the Chiefs is positive, not negative, leading me to believe that they will shock the world this year.

2. Oakland Raiders - ridding yourself of a disease as contagious as Jamarcus Russell is like starting your life all over again. The Raiders have all the pieces in place to be good this year...not great, but good, which is a HUGE (que the Billy Fuccillo voice) improvement over last season.

3. Denver Broncos - injuries and the loss of Brandon Marshall have convinced me that the Broncos will finish no higher than third. Timothy Tebow will be fun to watch, but I really can't see the Broncos overly impressing this season.

4. San Diego Chargers - think about everything that has happened in their offseason. LT leaves. Three key players hold out. Phillip Rivers and Antonio Gates stir the waters surrounding LT's departure. Sure, they drafted Ryan Matthews, but can he immediately replace a legend? We're

gonna find out soon.

NFC EAST

1. Dallas Cowboys - this pick really grinds my gears. Personally, I am not a Cowboys fan. Never have been, never will be. Maybe if McNabb goes there I will be...wait, what the heck am I saying?? Regardless, the Cowboys are stacked on paper, which is why I have to put them and their highly annoying/overweight/purely unlikeable head coach in first place.

2. Washington Redskins - McNabb makes them a lot better. Mike Shanahan knows how to win. Clinton Portis can run the ball. Sure, Shanahan's defenses have historically been sub-par, but picking the 'Skins as a wild card team? You can't argue with that.

3. Philadelphia Eagles - the Eagles will be good, but the losses of McNabb and Westbrook will leave the team searching for new on-field leadership. Is Kevin Kolb ready to give that? We'll see, but the uncertainty surrounding player turnover leaves me skeptical.

4. New York Giants - no one is talking about the Giants heading into this season. No one is saying "I think the Giants can go all the way." Maybe thats a good thing. But the other three teams in this division have vastly improved (with the exception of the Eagles - the jury is still out on them). So where does that leave the G-Men? At the bottom for now.

NFC SOUTH

1. New Orleans Saints - this team will be a force again this season. Drew Brees will have them ready to play and ready to make a run at a repeat.

2. Atlanta Falcons - if the defense can hold up, Matty Ice and Michael Turner will make the Falcons a legit wild card contender.

3. Carolina Panthers - if Matt Moore can make plays from the QB position, then the running game can take them places. But for right now, there's no way I can see the Panthers finishing ahead of the Falcons or Saints.

4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - headed in the right direction with Josh Freeman under center, but they still need more pieces to fall in place around him before they become a contender.

NFC NORTH

1. Green Bay Packers - this is a team poised to explode. Aaron Rodgers is on of the best QB's in the league, and the shortcomings of the offensive line limited what Rodgers could do a season ago. Rookie Bryan Bulaga will help the O-line, and if everyone else can stay healthy, look for Rodgers to have a monster season. The defense was legit last season, and I have no reason to believe that will change heading into this year.

2. Minnesota Vikings - forget the QB spot - I really could care less who is under center for the purple and gold this year. Bottom line: the Vikings have a really, really good team. The reason I am picking them the finish behind the Packers is the questions surrounding Percy Harvin and Sidney Rice. If they are anything other than 100%, the Vikings will be limited in their passing attack.

3. Chicago Bears - heres the deal: some guys are winners, and some guys are not. It's a proven fact of life. Jay Cutler? He's not a winner. Which is why I can't see the Bears being good this year.

4. Detroit Lions - the Lions are definitely headed in the right direction. Look for them to win 5 or 6 games this season.

NFC WEST

1. San Francisco 49ers - the biggest question for the 49ers is at QB. Can Alex Smith make enough plays for them to win? All he really has to do is not screw up. Just guide the ship to a 12-4 season. The 49ers have enough pieces in place to make serious waves this year.

2. Arizona Cardinals - the losses of Kurt Warner and Anquan Boldin really hurt. But Matt Leinart isn't terrible, which is why I think the Cardinals will be in the thick of things come weeks 16 and 17. Bottom line: the Cardinals have taken a step back, which the 49ers continue to improve.

3. Seattle Seahawks - much like everyone else, I'm not sold on Pete Carroll being a legit NFL head coach. Seattle has some decent players, but I can't put a whole lot of stock in a team being led by someone who inflicts as much doubt as Carroll.

4. St. Louis Rams - Sam Bradford is the real deal. BOOM, I said it. Watch out for this team in 2014.

Podcast for July 12th

The infamous "Summer of 2010" is about to begin...

Strasburg's arrival, and a look at the World Cup

So I realize that it has been far too long since I have posted. Lemme take this moment to apologize for that - once I find someone willing to pay me 50k annually to write on this, I'll post more often.

Steven Strasburg made his MLB debut last night, and every single person who saw or heard the game went to sleep last night amazed. The kid is 21, he had never pitched a game in the bigs, his catcher was Ivan Rodriguez (a future first-ballot hall of famer), and Nationals fans sold out their stadium for the first time all season. The pressure on Strasburg was unbelievable, and everyone would have understood if the Pirates knocked him around with four or five earned runs.

But that didn't happen. The Pirates are almost as good as my homemade lasagna (no, I've never made lasagna, but I'm sure if I tried it would turn out horrible), but they are still a professional team. Their players were not playing their first MLB game last night, which says even more about Strasburg - no one has seen anything like him in a very long time.

Yeah, the kid was awesome (I suppose I am allowed to call him a kid because I am two years his elder...*sigh). But before I follow the path of the media and Nationals fans in crowning him the savior of baseball in Washington, I wanna keep in mind the fact that it was ONE start. The next time Strasburg takes the mound, the batters are going to know what to look for. They will have an idea of what is coming. The even bigger test will come when teams (like the Pirates) get a second chance to face the phenom. Not only will players have an idea of what to expect, they'll already know what it feels like to stand in the batters box with Strasburg on the mound, which is a very big advantage in baseball.

So, do I think Steven Strasburg will be a very good MLB pitcher? Yes, depending on his health. Am I ready to bet $100 on him winning at least one Cy Young Award?...not quite.

-

The biggest sporting event on the face of the Earth begins in a few days, and I am very anxious to see how the United States will fare in the World Cup. Cautiously optimistic best describes my attitude, and here's why...

I'm not completely sold on the talent level of the Americans. I'm a casual soccer fan - I'll watch a game or two here or there when I have time, but I'm not as hardcore as some. This may be why I can only name about a half dozen players on the U.S. roster...lemme think for a minute...

Jozy Altidore

Clint Dempsey

Tim Howard

Landon Donovan

Edson Buddle

Oguchi Onyewu (spelling?)

...off the top of my head, thats all I got. Half an hour from now I'll think of someone and say "oh yeah, forgot about him." But for now, that's my list. The sad thing is, I think most Americans could come up with only one or two names if put on the spot.

So yeah, soccer is not huge in the U.S. Right now you're undoubtedly thinking "Richard, tell me something I don't already know?" My point is that much of America has absolutely no idea how their team stacks up against Brazil, Italy, Spain, and the rest of the traditional World Cup powerhouses. Sure, you can look at the U.S. victory over Spain last year and take some optimism out of that, you can feel good about the fact that many U.S. players are now playing professionally on club teams in Europe, and you can enjoy the hype leading up to Saturday's match with England. But what you really can't do is feel 100% confident in a team that you don't know much about.

This is why I am looking forward to Saturday's opening match with England. On Saturday, all Americans will get to learn a ton about those representing our country in South Africa. The "World's Game" will feature the United States front and center, and we ALL will get a chance to see what our team is made of...and maybe, just maybe...learn a few new names as well.

Puck Pushers Trophy Presentation

Podcast for April 13th

Podcast for April 2nd

Let the Madness begin; Let Tiger stay away

Let me begin by addressing the yearly excitement that is March Madness, which begins tomorrow. To answer your questions, YES I did fill out a bracket, and YES I am a homer (I picked Syracuse to win). To me, filling out a tournament bracket is like pulling off a band-aid - the longer you mull it over and think about it, the tougher and more painful it becomes. So, I go over the matchups and take approximately 10 seconds to decide a winner. In previous years, I have stewed over my picks, gone back and forth on winners and losers, looked at potential upsets and point spreads, and I have concluded that it is all garbage. No one knows for sure what's gonna happen, and sometimes the best decision is the impulsive one.

Let's continue on to a couple intriguing storylines...

I honestly thought Cornell would get a better seed, but 12/5 matchups historically have provided many upsets. Not saying the Big Red are gonna make a run, but I wouldn't be surprised if they did. Temple is a tough first round opponent, however, and the Owls have something to prove after not getting a #3 or #4 seed.

A team I have more confidence in is Richmond. I watched the Atlantic-10 tournament finale, which pitted the Spiders against Temple. Although they lost that game, Richmond can play. They are tough on the boards, and have (as Dick Vitale would say) a "PTP'er" (Prime-Time Player) in Kevin Anderson, who was named the A-10 Player of the Year. I really wouldn't be shocked to see the Spiders in the Elite Eight.

Another team I really like is West Virginia. I think much of America is forgetting that the Mountaineers just won the Big East Tournament, and are playing great basketball right now. WVU is battle tested coming out of the Big East, they have a proven leader in Da'Sean Butler, and are riding a huge wave of confidence after beating one of the hottest teams in the country, Georgetown. I picked them to upset Kentucky and make it to the Final Four.

- Tiger Woods announced earlier this week that he will return to competitive golf at the Masters. Upon hearing of this news, I said aloud "great...so much for watching the Masters."

Tiger is single-handedly sabotaging arguably the best golf tournament in the United States. There will be other professional golfers walking Augusta National in April (heck, there could be a million other golfers for that matter) but no one will notice them. Phil Mickelson could sink a hole-in-one, but everyone would be too busy watching Tiger tie his shoelaces.

I feel bad for everyone else who will be participating in the Masters. Not only will the golfers have to worry about putting the ball in the fairway, they'll have to worry about answering all of the Tiger questions. Their focus on winning a major will be strained by someone who already has 14 of them. Their preparation will undoubtedly have to include extra media attention - to know what to say, how to be politically correct, how to applaud Tiger's return.

I feel bad for anyone who ends up winning the 2010 Masters that isn't named "Tiger." Sure, you won the 2010 Masters, but no one is going to remember your great shots, your clutch putting, or your nerves of steel. People are going to remember the 2010 Masters because of Tiger's return to golf. They might as well put an asterisk on the green jacket along with the words "Tiger's first tournament back."

There is one thing Tiger himself can do to get back on my "happy" side: call a press conference sometime between now and the start of the Masters, and answer questions/provide explanations. If Tiger were to do that, maybe the media attention at the tournament would be slightly less. Maybe everything wouldn't be about Tiger. Maybe the Masters could just simply be The Masters. And maybe I could enjoy watching it.

USA, Canada will bring back the NHL

In 1998, Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa brought baseball back. Their legendary (although steroid fueled) home run race captivated our country, and was the springboard that launched Major League Baseball out of the hole it had dug itself during the 1994 strike shortened season.

Sunday's hockey game between the United States and Canada will do the same for the NHL.

Not too long ago, there was no hockey in America. The lockout that cancelled the 2004-2005 season left hockey enthusiasts wondering if the sport would ever rebound, and put the sport in jeopardy of being removed as one of the "big four" in the United States (basketball, football, baseball, hockey).

Hockey returned for the '05-'06 season, but it wasn't the same. Gone was ESPN's hockey game coverage (Sportcenter still showed highlights, however brief), and mainstream media seemingly didn't care that the Carolina Hurricanes hoisted the Stanley Cup in 2006 (does anyone remember OLN??).

Since that time, the NHL has been gaining steam. Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin have provided the league with superstar appeal and intrigue, and Detroit and Pittsburgh have added excitement, suspense, and star-power to the Stanley Cup Finals.

Sunday's game was what put the NHL over the top of the mountain. Everything leading up to yesterday helped inch the NHL closer and closer to the peak, and USA/Canada provided the necessary shove over the top.

Yesterday was not comparable to Lake Placid in 1980 (nothing will ever compare to that game), but it was a start to a new era of hockey. Look at the star power that yesterday's game had - Sidney Crosby, Ryan Getzlaf, Jarome Iginla, Chris Pronger, and Rick Nash for the Canadian team (those are just a few), and Ryan Miller, Zach Parise, and Patrick Kane for the Americans. The point I'm getting at is that hockey at its highest level was on display yesterday. The excitement and suspense added to the intrigue of the matchup, and I don't doubt that the NHL will reap the benefits going forward.

In 1998, McGwire and Sosa were the heros. In 2010, Ryan Miller and Sidney Crosby have to be considered the heros. Miller has become the face of the United States hockey team, and has let the world know that he is currently the best goaltender on the planet. Without him, the U.S. team wouldn't have come close to the gold medal game. Crosby is Canada's favorite son. He's not "The Great One" but instead he's simply "The Next One," which is a title that adequately salutes his skill and ability without unfairly comparing him to #99. He needs a new nickname though - despite being only 22 years old, "Sid the Kid" seems far too juvenile for someone who has already hoisted a Stanley Cup and won a gold medal.

Four years after the strike-shortened season, Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa brought baseball back. Five years after a cancelled season, the NHL is back...thanks to the Olympics.

First Ever Podcast

Saints, Colts display football at its best

Regardless of who you were rooting for last night, the overriding element that no fan can deny is the extremely high level at which the Super Bowl was played. Both the Saints and Colts made fantastic plays throughout the game, which will be the lasting memory of Super Bowl XLIV for me personally.

Winning is the goal of any team that takes the field. No one really cares HOW they win, just as long as their team has more points than the other team when the clock hits 0:00. So if your team turns the ball over three times, commits a dozen penalties, and you somehow win the game...well then who cares. Yeah, you're gonna try to correct those mistakes for the next game, but for that one brief moment you really are just happy to have won.

Typically, football games are decided like this. One team makes a handful of mistakes, whether it be penalties, turnovers, etc., and their opponent benefits from those mistakes. And I'm sure if you were to go back and watch last night's Super Bowl over again, you would notice a few mistakes here and there that affected the outcome. But those mistakes were microscopic in comparison to the big plays made on both sides.

Think about these two stats for a moment: 8 total penalties for 64 yards and 1 turnover. I know that there are countless teams throughout history that have won football games despite committing eight penalties and turning the ball over once. But those eight penalties and one turnover were the combined stats for both the Saints and the Colts.

I know what you're thinking: Peyton Manning made a HUGE mistake by throwing the 4th quarter interception to Tracy Porter that ultimately clinched the game for the Saints. And to a point, I will agree with you. The Colts had run that same slant or z-route at least twice earlier in the game, so maybe it was partly their fault for being too vanilla with the play call.

I will argue in the other direction - Tracy Porter made a GREAT play. Peyton didn't make an awful throw. Reggie Wayne didn't run a terrible route. Tracy Porter did two amazing things on that play: First, he said to himself "WAIT, I've seen this before," and secondly, he instinctively made a break on the ball.

As a former high school and collegiate athlete, I can tell you from experience that athletes perform at their peak when they aren't thinking, but rather reacting and playing on instinct. Porter's interception was 100% instinct based, and it clinched the Super Bowl for the Saints.

The other monumental play was (obviously) the onside kick to open the second half. Kudos to Sean Payton for following the wise words of Herm Edwards. Payton rolled the dice knowing that if successful, his team would be much, much closer to raising the Lombardi Trophy. And his team executed the kick flawlessly.

There were so many other great plays that I don't have time to write about - the Manning touchdown throw to Pierre Garcon, a number of great runs by Joseph Addai and Pierre Thomas, the sack by Dwight Freeney, the goal line stand by the Colts defense (most notably the hit by Gary Brackett on fourth down), Garrett Hartley's Super Bowl record of three field goals of over 40 yards, and you could pick a handful of precision throws by Drew Brees.

Let's face it - we've been spoiled rotten by the Super Bowl over the past two years. David Tyree has become a household name, James Harrison made "the play," and Santonio Holmes made maybe the greatest game-winning touchdown catch in Super Bowl history. Although last night's game didn't have a jaw-dropping play comparable to those, it did display football at its highest level, which definitely did not leave me disappointed.

The taboo of being labeled "Unbeatable"

This morning I listened to the first ten minutes of "The Herd" with host Colin Cowherd on ESPN Radio. His first topic was the stigma surrounding being labeled as "unbeatable" or "the greatest ever." This label has been given to Peyton Manning in recent weeks, and (according to Colin) may cost the Colts the Super Bowl. Cowherd claims that New Orleans will be extra motivated to win on Sunday thanks to the fact that many are already crowning Manning as unbeatable and the greatest quarterback of all-time.

At first, I found this claim to be somewhat absurd. It's the SUPER BOWL, and no team needs extra motivation to go leave everything on the field. But upon further review, history has shown that Colin may be on to something...

Super Bowl III - Jets vs. Colts

- The Colts were heavily favored to beat the miniscule American Football League Champions, and the talk leading up to the big game was that the Jets didn't have a chance. Obviously, the Jets heard the hype, and Broadway Joe's bunch shocked the world and upset the NFL champs.

Super Bowl XXXVI (36) - Rams vs. Patriots

- The Rams were "the greatest show on turf." The game was to be played inside the Louisiana Superdome, further cementing the fact that the Rams would win. They were 14 point favorites. No defense could contain Kurt Warner, Marshall Faulk, Issac Bruce, and Tory Holt. Sure, the Rams had superstars on offense, but the two things they didn't have: Tom Brady and Adam Vinatieri.

Rose Bowl 2005 - Texas Longhorns vs. USC Trojans

- The Longhorns were the defending Rose Bowl champs, but mighty USC was considered one of the best teams of all-time. Reggie Bush, Matt Leinart, LenDale White, and Steve Smith headlined a stacked Trojan offense. Texas was #2, and heard all of the props being given to USC. So what did the 'Horns do about it? They gave the ball to Vince Young and emerged victorious in one of the most exciting National Championship games of all-time.

Super Bowl XLII (42) - Giants vs. Patriots

- The Patriots were in search of 19-0, and were also two-touchdown favorites. Tom Brady had thrown 50 touchdown passes in the regular season, and no one had been able to stop the freight train that was New England. The Giants heard the hype - they had no chance. But Michael Strahan and an inspired bunch of Giant defenders sacked and pressured Brady time and time again, and Eli Manning hit Plaxico Burress with :35 seconds left to secure the monumental upset.

So if these examples are any indication, the Saints have more than a decent chance of winning on Sunday. Drew Brees is probably fed up with all of the "Peyton Manning is the Zeus of football" talk, and can't wait to get on the field to show what HE can do. Will it be enough to win? That remains to be seen, but don't be so shocked if the Saints take home the Lombardi Trophy.