The Whole Gay Thing Aside
I watched some intarwebz replays of the disallowed US goal against Slovenia and it was dead solid perfect. That call should disqualify the lousy bastard who made it from ever officiating a football match again. (Is it less gay if it goes by "football" instead of "soccer?" Maybe. It's worth a try anyway.)
Showing posts with label sprots. Show all posts
Showing posts with label sprots. Show all posts
Saturday, June 19, 2010
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Feetsball Redux
I had the most delicious meal of schadenfreude last night as I watched the Washington Snyders get their asses handed to them by the reasonably competent Philadelphia Eagles. Little Danny Snyder's ego play to own a collection of large men who are probably just like the ones who tormented him on the grade school playground is turning out to be just the fustercluck I expected when he bought the team (and reconsidered when he brought in Steve Spurrier and later Joe Gibbs to coach - I was wrong to reconsider).
There's something kind of epic in a team that opened their play with six straight games wherein their opponent was winless (albeit the first game of the season was against a very good NYG team so it's a bit specious to say that) and managed to 1) "amass" two wins and 2) give two horrible teams (Detroit and KC) what are likely their only wins this year. Epic fail, of course, but still epic.
I'm working on the idea of Li'l Danny's buying of the team as akin to an LBO but I'm not sure I can carry that conceit out. But if I do, you'll be the first to read it here.
I had the most delicious meal of schadenfreude last night as I watched the Washington Snyders get their asses handed to them by the reasonably competent Philadelphia Eagles. Little Danny Snyder's ego play to own a collection of large men who are probably just like the ones who tormented him on the grade school playground is turning out to be just the fustercluck I expected when he bought the team (and reconsidered when he brought in Steve Spurrier and later Joe Gibbs to coach - I was wrong to reconsider).
There's something kind of epic in a team that opened their play with six straight games wherein their opponent was winless (albeit the first game of the season was against a very good NYG team so it's a bit specious to say that) and managed to 1) "amass" two wins and 2) give two horrible teams (Detroit and KC) what are likely their only wins this year. Epic fail, of course, but still epic.
I'm working on the idea of Li'l Danny's buying of the team as akin to an LBO but I'm not sure I can carry that conceit out. But if I do, you'll be the first to read it here.
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Professional Feetsball
OK. Watching the Arizona Cardinals play the New York Giants on the night football show. On the graphic at the bottom of the screen, the teams are identified by the following designations: AZ (natch) and NYG.
Are we not tempted to read that last one as a word since it has two consonants and sometimes vowel? Raaaaacist NFL!
OK. Watching the Arizona Cardinals play the New York Giants on the night football show. On the graphic at the bottom of the screen, the teams are identified by the following designations: AZ (natch) and NYG.
Are we not tempted to read that last one as a word since it has two consonants and sometimes vowel? Raaaaacist NFL!
Friday, March 27, 2009
The News Senor, She Is Mixed
I said I wasn't going to be upset if Duke lost. And I'm not.... But, a 23 point loss? That's just sad. Villanova's not that good and Duke's not that bad.
Otherwise, Jake has a disc's worth of sacred music available for free download as well as his new CD coming out in the not-too-distant future. Always a good thing. And Basia has just released her new CD, "It's That Girl Again." Another good thing. I shall have to have them!
On the other hand, I have "Don't It Make My Brown Eyes Blue" as an earworm today. Dammit!
I said I wasn't going to be upset if Duke lost. And I'm not.... But, a 23 point loss? That's just sad. Villanova's not that good and Duke's not that bad.
Otherwise, Jake has a disc's worth of sacred music available for free download as well as his new CD coming out in the not-too-distant future. Always a good thing. And Basia has just released her new CD, "It's That Girl Again." Another good thing. I shall have to have them!
On the other hand, I have "Don't It Make My Brown Eyes Blue" as an earworm today. Dammit!
Sunday, March 22, 2009
NCAA Round Of 16
After watching much basketball this weekend, it struck me that the brackets were falling very true to seeding this year. The East region features the 1, 2, 3 and 4 seeds. The South region features the 1, 2, 3 and 4 seeds. The West region features the 1, 2, 3 and 5 seeds (that would be the #4 seed losing to the #5 seed - not that big an upset). And the Midwest region being the least true to prediction with the 1, 2, 3 and 12 seeds still standing. Wake Forest is the #4 seed that really screwed the pooch this time around. A #1 ranked team at one point, a team that beat UNC (a darn good bet for the crown now that Ty Lawson's back), beat Duke (so pppbbblllttt! on your pooch screwing) and went deep into the season undefeated. Only to bow out in the first round. I'll reduce it to letters: FU WFU. You embarrassed the ACC yet again. You lost badly to a 13 seed which then lost badly to a 12 seed.
Ah heck - much more excitement next weekend. I hope Duke can show up all the haters and beat Villanova. I'd love to see them make the Final Four, which then can do if they have a good game. But Duke is not the best team this year. Certainly a top 8, a top 4 if they play their game, but not a national champion.
After watching much basketball this weekend, it struck me that the brackets were falling very true to seeding this year. The East region features the 1, 2, 3 and 4 seeds. The South region features the 1, 2, 3 and 4 seeds. The West region features the 1, 2, 3 and 5 seeds (that would be the #4 seed losing to the #5 seed - not that big an upset). And the Midwest region being the least true to prediction with the 1, 2, 3 and 12 seeds still standing. Wake Forest is the #4 seed that really screwed the pooch this time around. A #1 ranked team at one point, a team that beat UNC (a darn good bet for the crown now that Ty Lawson's back), beat Duke (so pppbbblllttt! on your pooch screwing) and went deep into the season undefeated. Only to bow out in the first round. I'll reduce it to letters: FU WFU. You embarrassed the ACC yet again. You lost badly to a 13 seed which then lost badly to a 12 seed.
Ah heck - much more excitement next weekend. I hope Duke can show up all the haters and beat Villanova. I'd love to see them make the Final Four, which then can do if they have a good game. But Duke is not the best team this year. Certainly a top 8, a top 4 if they play their game, but not a national champion.
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Duke 77, Maryland 65
Fear the what now?
I've pretty much stayed away from the collitch bucketball this year (the brief look at UNC a couple of posts down being a notable exception) but I've grown tired of U Md's constant whining about "Dook." Yes, you beat Duke last year. You've even had remarkable success against Duke in Cameron Indoor Stadium. But the eternal mewling is unbecoming a major college program. Duke is renowned for hating UNC (I actually, do not - I resent the history of clobberation Duke has suffered at the hands of our neighbors but I respect the Tar Heels as a first class team at a first class state university). Now, I guess, Maryland has decided to make Duke the particular object of their ire. So let me point this out: Dookies don't really care about the Terps. We can lose to them without much nose-out-of-jointing. In fact, Maryland had best hope it stays that way. If Duke ever makes it a point of the season to beat Maryland, there's going to be some deep agony in College Park. Sorry. That's just the way it is.
So for now, feel free to indulge your fantasies and consider the Terps a better team than the Blue Devils because of last year's results. It's not like the Terps are a bad team - mai non! It's a signal achievement that they have matured and gotten nothing but better during this season under Gary Williams (a coach for whom I have nothing but respect). But Duke won both home and away. So unless you beat Duke in the tournament (not at all impossible), just STFU about Duke this year. Kthxbai.
Fear the what now?
I've pretty much stayed away from the collitch bucketball this year (the brief look at UNC a couple of posts down being a notable exception) but I've grown tired of U Md's constant whining about "Dook." Yes, you beat Duke last year. You've even had remarkable success against Duke in Cameron Indoor Stadium. But the eternal mewling is unbecoming a major college program. Duke is renowned for hating UNC (I actually, do not - I resent the history of clobberation Duke has suffered at the hands of our neighbors but I respect the Tar Heels as a first class team at a first class state university). Now, I guess, Maryland has decided to make Duke the particular object of their ire. So let me point this out: Dookies don't really care about the Terps. We can lose to them without much nose-out-of-jointing. In fact, Maryland had best hope it stays that way. If Duke ever makes it a point of the season to beat Maryland, there's going to be some deep agony in College Park. Sorry. That's just the way it is.
So for now, feel free to indulge your fantasies and consider the Terps a better team than the Blue Devils because of last year's results. It's not like the Terps are a bad team - mai non! It's a signal achievement that they have matured and gotten nothing but better during this season under Gary Williams (a coach for whom I have nothing but respect). But Duke won both home and away. So unless you beat Duke in the tournament (not at all impossible), just STFU about Duke this year. Kthxbai.
Monday, November 26, 2007
The Foxborough Juggernaut
Earlier on the blog I made a comment on the risible attempt by the Washington Redskins to take on the New England Patriots. After laughing my way through that game, I've been trying to make it a point to watch the Pats play this year since this team will go down in Niffle history as one of the greatest teams ever. Tom Brady will be spoken of with Elway-like reverence when he is finished winning Super Bowls.
Which means I have to say that last night's Eagles-Patriots game rather surprised me. The Pats' mere three-point win was as shocking as the confident, muscular play of the Iggles. I was of the opinion that having gotten past the Colts earlier, New England was ready to roll through the rest of their schedule. But I forget sometimes that there are games that sneak up on a team. The Eagles had every reason to be sky-high for the game having just taken a game flat away from the Redskins (that sound you hear is my distant laughter) and really, nothing to lose in laying every drop of testosterone and every cc of steroids on the line for the game. And they did a helluva job. The Patriots, on the other hand, really had no reason to be jacked up for the game. They have been just crushing opponents and the Eagles haven't shown themselves to be terribly fearsome competition.
The fact that the Pats didn't let a game slip that easily could have been stolen from them shows just what a gutty team they are. I think once Tom Brady realized that the game was at risk, there was no way he was going to let it go.
And, I think, therein lies the story of the New England Patriots this year. Any team that goes up against them had better be prepared to bring it hard. Because the Pats and their almost pathologically truculent coach are setting out to make this team a team that will be talked about with awe in the history of the game. They've won Super Bowls; that's not a goal to energize a championship team, strange to say. But to go undefeated, to set scoring records by multiple dozens of points (possibly even a hundred give or take), to set touchdown records for Brady and possibly for Randy Moss as well - now there's something to make the team leap onto the gridiron and batter their opponents into submission.
They only scored 31 points against the Eagles. Expect scores in the 50s against any team that can't gut it up like Philly did. Let's see if other teams can raise their level to meet the Pats because the Pats are not about to play down their opponents. They may go undefeated into the next season if injuries to key players don't take them down. It's beautiful and almost scary to watch.
And by the way, Red Sox win the World Series, Pats look to run away with the NFL crown and the Celtics have put together the best team they've had in years. Boston should be a happy, happy sports town these days.
Earlier on the blog I made a comment on the risible attempt by the Washington Redskins to take on the New England Patriots. After laughing my way through that game, I've been trying to make it a point to watch the Pats play this year since this team will go down in Niffle history as one of the greatest teams ever. Tom Brady will be spoken of with Elway-like reverence when he is finished winning Super Bowls.
Which means I have to say that last night's Eagles-Patriots game rather surprised me. The Pats' mere three-point win was as shocking as the confident, muscular play of the Iggles. I was of the opinion that having gotten past the Colts earlier, New England was ready to roll through the rest of their schedule. But I forget sometimes that there are games that sneak up on a team. The Eagles had every reason to be sky-high for the game having just taken a game flat away from the Redskins (that sound you hear is my distant laughter) and really, nothing to lose in laying every drop of testosterone and every cc of steroids on the line for the game. And they did a helluva job. The Patriots, on the other hand, really had no reason to be jacked up for the game. They have been just crushing opponents and the Eagles haven't shown themselves to be terribly fearsome competition.
The fact that the Pats didn't let a game slip that easily could have been stolen from them shows just what a gutty team they are. I think once Tom Brady realized that the game was at risk, there was no way he was going to let it go.
And, I think, therein lies the story of the New England Patriots this year. Any team that goes up against them had better be prepared to bring it hard. Because the Pats and their almost pathologically truculent coach are setting out to make this team a team that will be talked about with awe in the history of the game. They've won Super Bowls; that's not a goal to energize a championship team, strange to say. But to go undefeated, to set scoring records by multiple dozens of points (possibly even a hundred give or take), to set touchdown records for Brady and possibly for Randy Moss as well - now there's something to make the team leap onto the gridiron and batter their opponents into submission.
They only scored 31 points against the Eagles. Expect scores in the 50s against any team that can't gut it up like Philly did. Let's see if other teams can raise their level to meet the Pats because the Pats are not about to play down their opponents. They may go undefeated into the next season if injuries to key players don't take them down. It's beautiful and almost scary to watch.
And by the way, Red Sox win the World Series, Pats look to run away with the NFL crown and the Celtics have put together the best team they've had in years. Boston should be a happy, happy sports town these days.
Sunday, October 28, 2007
Visualize Whirled Series
I said the Boston Guys With Clubs might take this series in four. Well, the Coloradio Harp Seal Pups (as I will forever call them now) tried to scratch back last night by closing to within a run but the Red Smacks showed them who's on first (and second, and third and then home) another four times and hammered out another big win. I think the Mile High Guys can win one but they've not shown the pitching chops to get it done. And Beckett is waiting to close this one out.
My sympathies go out to my Janqui-loving friends but I know Jake's probably pretty doggone happy right now.
I said the Boston Guys With Clubs might take this series in four. Well, the Coloradio Harp Seal Pups (as I will forever call them now) tried to scratch back last night by closing to within a run but the Red Smacks showed them who's on first (and second, and third and then home) another four times and hammered out another big win. I think the Mile High Guys can win one but they've not shown the pitching chops to get it done. And Beckett is waiting to close this one out.
My sympathies go out to my Janqui-loving friends but I know Jake's probably pretty doggone happy right now.
Thursday, October 25, 2007
Friday, August 24, 2007
Sunday, July 08, 2007
It Only Hurts A Little
The Tour de France is launched for the year of Our Lord 2007. It pains me that Floyd Landis has not been given his win and will not be riding this year. I may have to gin up the energy to do a post about Floyd and why I think he should be recognized as champion but for now, let's look ahead. I don't think there's a "crowd favorite" in this this year's field, certainly not in the US. But, of course, I have my preferences. I'd like to see Levi Leipheimer who's riding for the Discovery Channel team in yellow on the podium in Paris. But would I put money on it? Not really. George Hincapie is another Murrican riding for Discovery and I certainly wouldn't be upset to see him win. But again, I'm not betting.
Were I to put money on a rider, I would bet on Alexandre Vinokourov, a Kazakh riding for the very strong Asana team. It would make benefit glorious nation of Kazakhstan. His ride in the Tour last year was electrifying.
Today's ride was the second stage (London to Canterbury) which was won by Aussie-born Belgian resident Robbie McEwen (Predictor-Lotto) in one of the most blazing final sprints I have ever seen. With five kilometers to go he was at the back of the peleton having suffered a crash earlier in the day. Yet he outsprinted two of the great modern sprinters Tom Boonen (Quick Step - Innergetic) and Thor Hushovd (Credit Agricole) in the last hundred meters. If you haven't seen it, the Versus page linked above at the word "launched" has daily videos. The 3 minute "McEwen Amazing!" shows what he did. Amazing isn't quite enough for his feat of grit and determination and shocking speed. Fantastic.
There was another blaze of speed in the individual time trial prologue yesterday in London. Fabian Cancellara (Swiss - Team CSC) nailed the ITT by 13 seconds over the second place Andres Kloden. He rode 7.9 km in 8 minutes 50 seconds for an average speed of over 33 mph. It was a surprise but probably shouldn't have as he is the current world time trial champion, wearing the champion's "rainbow" jersey into the prologue. Now he gets to wear the yellow which he kept today by finishing in 22nd position but, under the strange time rules of the TdF, with the same time as the winner. That'll happen when the peleton finishes in a bunch.
If you have the Versus channel, please take some chance to watch its TdF coverage. They have very possibly the best crew of expert commentators possible in house. And to watch the live video of the vibrantly colored peleton sweeping over the roads is one of the most beautiful things in televised sport. I'm not a Francophile but I love the Tour.
The Tour de France is launched for the year of Our Lord 2007. It pains me that Floyd Landis has not been given his win and will not be riding this year. I may have to gin up the energy to do a post about Floyd and why I think he should be recognized as champion but for now, let's look ahead. I don't think there's a "crowd favorite" in this this year's field, certainly not in the US. But, of course, I have my preferences. I'd like to see Levi Leipheimer who's riding for the Discovery Channel team in yellow on the podium in Paris. But would I put money on it? Not really. George Hincapie is another Murrican riding for Discovery and I certainly wouldn't be upset to see him win. But again, I'm not betting.
Were I to put money on a rider, I would bet on Alexandre Vinokourov, a Kazakh riding for the very strong Asana team. It would make benefit glorious nation of Kazakhstan. His ride in the Tour last year was electrifying.
Today's ride was the second stage (London to Canterbury) which was won by Aussie-born Belgian resident Robbie McEwen (Predictor-Lotto) in one of the most blazing final sprints I have ever seen. With five kilometers to go he was at the back of the peleton having suffered a crash earlier in the day. Yet he outsprinted two of the great modern sprinters Tom Boonen (Quick Step - Innergetic) and Thor Hushovd (Credit Agricole) in the last hundred meters. If you haven't seen it, the Versus page linked above at the word "launched" has daily videos. The 3 minute "McEwen Amazing!" shows what he did. Amazing isn't quite enough for his feat of grit and determination and shocking speed. Fantastic.
There was another blaze of speed in the individual time trial prologue yesterday in London. Fabian Cancellara (Swiss - Team CSC) nailed the ITT by 13 seconds over the second place Andres Kloden. He rode 7.9 km in 8 minutes 50 seconds for an average speed of over 33 mph. It was a surprise but probably shouldn't have as he is the current world time trial champion, wearing the champion's "rainbow" jersey into the prologue. Now he gets to wear the yellow which he kept today by finishing in 22nd position but, under the strange time rules of the TdF, with the same time as the winner. That'll happen when the peleton finishes in a bunch.
If you have the Versus channel, please take some chance to watch its TdF coverage. They have very possibly the best crew of expert commentators possible in house. And to watch the live video of the vibrantly colored peleton sweeping over the roads is one of the most beautiful things in televised sport. I'm not a Francophile but I love the Tour.
Monday, February 05, 2007
The Soup Bowl
I watched some of it. Yay for the Colts. Yay for Payton Manning. (Yawwwnnn) Commercials. You watch a sports event for the commercials? And men read "Playboy" for the articles.
Sorry for the dyspepsia. But the ship of my life came aground on a big ol' berg of "I don't care." Something must be wrong because I'm not even finding college basketball interesting this year.
I watched some of it. Yay for the Colts. Yay for Payton Manning. (Yawwwnnn) Commercials. You watch a sports event for the commercials? And men read "Playboy" for the articles.
Sorry for the dyspepsia. But the ship of my life came aground on a big ol' berg of "I don't care." Something must be wrong because I'm not even finding college basketball interesting this year.
Friday, January 26, 2007
Not Something I'm Prone To Blog About
Wrestling. Rather, modern American "professional" wrestling. And I'm not really going to get into wrestling per se. I just want to mention a couple of professional wrestlers. Dave "The Animal" Bautista and John Cena. I don't care about their "ring careers" but both have a great deal of charisma. Just as Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson transcended wrestling and has made a decent career for himself as an actor, I think both Bautista and Cena have the style and intelligence to make it in entertainment beyond the exposition that is wrestling. Anything that gets they away from the malignant promoter Vince McMahon is a good thing. Cena is currently in Subway ads with Jared Fogle. I think he does a good job.
Even if you don't care about professional wrestling, take a look at these two guys sometime and see if you don't find that they have something more than the rest of the rasslin' crowd.
Wrestling. Rather, modern American "professional" wrestling. And I'm not really going to get into wrestling per se. I just want to mention a couple of professional wrestlers. Dave "The Animal" Bautista and John Cena. I don't care about their "ring careers" but both have a great deal of charisma. Just as Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson transcended wrestling and has made a decent career for himself as an actor, I think both Bautista and Cena have the style and intelligence to make it in entertainment beyond the exposition that is wrestling. Anything that gets they away from the malignant promoter Vince McMahon is a good thing. Cena is currently in Subway ads with Jared Fogle. I think he does a good job.
Even if you don't care about professional wrestling, take a look at these two guys sometime and see if you don't find that they have something more than the rest of the rasslin' crowd.
Sunday, January 14, 2007
A Weekend of Football
Holy cow. Watching the Niffle makes me long for the Aussie Rules season to start up again. But that's my tsooris and no one else's. I watched a good deal of the playoff games this weekend and made the mistake of reading the noisepaper while listening to the Baldymore Ravens on thie local radio station. E-yuk! I've never heard a worse case of homer syndrome in broadcasting. I was not opposed to the Ravens before listening to the game but now I am delighted at their loss.
I am actually spoiled for football radio. The Redskins (a team I not only don't love but inactively dislike) for years had great quarterback Sonny Jurgenson, great linebacker Sam Huff and long-time local sportscaster Frank Herzog doing their radio broadcasts. They were undoubtedly Redskins fans but they were so good, so honest in their game work that they were a pleasure to listen to. It didn't hurt that they seemed to have an easy camaraderie in the booth. A truly great booth team. It is a significant mark against Redskins owner Little Danny Snyder (short man's syndrome anyone?) that he kicked them to the curb.
Holy cow. Watching the Niffle makes me long for the Aussie Rules season to start up again. But that's my tsooris and no one else's. I watched a good deal of the playoff games this weekend and made the mistake of reading the noisepaper while listening to the Baldymore Ravens on thie local radio station. E-yuk! I've never heard a worse case of homer syndrome in broadcasting. I was not opposed to the Ravens before listening to the game but now I am delighted at their loss.
I am actually spoiled for football radio. The Redskins (a team I not only don't love but inactively dislike) for years had great quarterback Sonny Jurgenson, great linebacker Sam Huff and long-time local sportscaster Frank Herzog doing their radio broadcasts. They were undoubtedly Redskins fans but they were so good, so honest in their game work that they were a pleasure to listen to. It didn't hurt that they seemed to have an easy camaraderie in the booth. A truly great booth team. It is a significant mark against Redskins owner Little Danny Snyder (short man's syndrome anyone?) that he kicked them to the curb.
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