Sports Splash @levine-lehigh-blog - Tumblr Blog

Sports Links

Some links to relevant and interesting sports stories:

Legend of the Master's green jacket - http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/golf-devil-ball-golf/masters-stories-legends-behind-famous-green-jacket-234338509--golf.html;_ylt=ArH9TQ1OAp_ARw..3ymLmNnYupV4;_ylu=X3oDMTFlbnQxMnBkBG1pdANTdXBlciBCbG9nIEluZGV4BHBvcwMyMQRzZWMDTWVkaWFCbG9nSW5kZXg-;_ylg=X3oDMTFlamZvM2ZlBGludGwDdXMEbGFuZwNlbi11cwRwc3RhaWQDBHBzdGNhdAMEcHQDc2VjdGlvbnM-;_ylv=3

Early Surprises of the MLB season - http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1601357-biggest-surprises-from-early-in-the-mlb-season

Millwall's Hooligans - http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/golf-devil-ball-golf/masters-stories-legends-behind-famous-green-jacket-234338509--golf.html;_ylt=ArH9TQ1OAp_ARw..3ymLmNnYupV4;_ylu=X3oDMTFlbnQxMnBkBG1pdANTdXBlciBCbG9nIEluZGV4BHBvcwMyMQRzZWMDTWVkaWFCbG9nSW5kZXg-;_ylg=X3oDMTFlamZvM2ZlBGludGwDdXMEbGFuZwNlbi11cwRwc3RhaWQDBHBzdGNhdAMEcHQDc2VjdGlvbnM-;_ylv=3

Sleepers for 2014 World Cup - http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1599529-5-second-tier-nations-who-could-feasibly-triumph-at-world-cup-2014

Kobe's Rant - http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nba-ball-dont-lie/kobe-bryant-goes-facebook-vent-vowing-return-while-151947306--nba.html;_ylt=AktbjalYLIPTxsPcya1zJvDYupV4;_ylu=X3oDMTFlN3JuZXRrBG1pdANTdXBlciBCbG9nIEluZGV4BHBvcwMyMgRzZWMDTWVkaWFCbG9nSW5kZXg-;_ylg=X3oDMTFlamZvM2ZlBGludGwDdXMEbGFuZwNlbi11cwRwc3RhaWQDBHBzdGNhdAMEcHQDc2VjdGlvbnM-;_ylv=3

#links #sports

Sports Thoughts

This post-game speech by Wichita State coach Gregg Marshall embodies what many times people fail to realize about the power of sports. The Wichita State men’s basketball team made an incredible run to the Final Four as a 9 seed and the raw emotions displayed in this video by Coach Marshall are the underlying emotions that true athletes feel each and every day they take the field. Below are a few of the quotes that I found most memorable and what message I think can be taken away from them:

“It been so much to watch you grow, watch you compete, watch you play angry.”

Every team starts the season somewhere but no team or individual part of that team is the same when they finish the season. A sports season changes who you are as a person.

“You guys have taken us on one heck of a ride. And all of us are grateful, all of us. The coaches, managers, trainers, presidents, fans, the city, the state.”

Many times a sports team’s influence goes way beyond its immediate members. It always takes more than just two teams playing to make sports happen. Sports can have an influence so great, it’s sometimes unexplainable.

Example: Post 9/11 NY Mets game. Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_PtYWC9Sr0k

“Whatever your dreams are, you are going to achieve them. “

Sports allow dreams to become reality. Maybe it’s simple for some, just scoring that one goal or making that one play you always dreamed of (I will never forget the high school rivalry soccer game when I assisted my older brother for the winning goal). For others, it’s putting in the blood and sweat during the off seasons to be able to call yourself champion at the end of the season.

“Whatever you choose to do, you will always have this to draw from. The work that you put in.”

The work ethic and attitudes learned on a sports field apply to every aspect of life. There is no substitute for hard work and dedication. If you want something bad enough and you are willing to work towards it, there is nothing that says you can’t accomplish it.

“It’s not the end ‘cause you guys have done something that now every team that ever plays at this university is going to strive to repeat and one up you.”

Two messages here:

First, sports can immortalize you. One shot, one pass, one play. People will remember what happened.

Second, whatever you accomplish in a season, no matter how successful you are, you better believe that there is someone who fell short of their goals and are doing everything in their power to accomplish them next season. Your work as an athlete is never truly complete.

#ncaa #sports #dedication #lessons

NBA playoffs

Not every basketball fan you ask likes the NBA regular season (I do not happen to be one of those fans). Many people claim the lack of defense and effort until the 4th quarter of the games turns them away. But these are also the same fans that will tune in for the NBA playoffs, which lucky for all fans is right around the corner. April 20th the world’s best and most talented will take the court against each other in hope of winning a championship ring.

Each matchup is a best of seven games and can turn into a strategic battle that all sports fans will appreciate. Series are played in a 2–2–1–1–1 format, except for the finals which is played in a 2–3–2 format. The team with the better regular season record gets the first two games at home, which is a huge advantage if they can go up 2 games early in the series. For the away team, it is vital for them to steal one game on the road if they want the slightest chance of advancing.

The higher seed must then go on the road to try to continue the momentum they hopefully built on their home court. If they failed to win both games at home, it is crucial that they win one of their road games to avoid going into a 3 games to 1 game hole. However, if after the first 4 games the series is tied 2 games apiece, good luck predicting what will happen next. Both teams get one more home game no matter what, and no one is going to lose in front of their home town fans without a huge fight. These are some of the world’s greatest athletes and competitors and they will not go silently into the night.

The NBA playoffs format is set up such that the fans benefit mightily. The alternating of home and away games gives the series momentum changes that are not seen in all sports. This year I expect nothing less than greatness from one of my favorite events in sports.

#nba #playoffs #series #2013 #champion #format

College Athlete Revisited

After reading Harry’s post on the media in sports, specifically college sports, I could not help but think of the immense pressure the media puts on the amateur athletes in today’s world. I remember when this press conference happened; the video was all over ESPN and news channels. At the time I thought of it as a joke, as one of the funniest things I had seen a coach do in a post-game press conference. However at watching the video 6 years later (and older) I realize the real point behind the coach’s rant and why he was so upset with the reporter who wrote the article.

College athletes, specifically those in big-time sports programs, often receive just as much press attention as some professional athletes. Their play is evaluated game to game on radio talk shows and in newspapers, sometimes very critically. Grant these players are usually receiving free tuition from the university but it still seems unjust that the media would attack amateur student athletes, especially when they have done nothing wrong.

Like Coach Gundy said in his rant, frequently the media goes after the player who didn’t play well even though his only fault is he didn’t perform well on the field. It doesn’t mean he was not giving it 100% of his effort and was a bad representation of what a good student athlete should be. Sports have a funny way of being cruelly unfair to some people with the best character. I do not think I have ever seen media coverage of a sub-par player with high grades and outstanding character. The player’s athletic abilities usually have to be outstanding before the media will even care about how he does in school or what he does with his time away from the field.

It seems to me the media is giving the wrong impression of the reality of student athletes. Like Harry mentioned in his post, only a small percentage of these student athletes will go on to play professional sports. And yet, this small percentage is probably given a majority of the media’s time when covering college sports. What about the athletes who do all the right things, give it their all both in the classroom and on the field, yet fall short when it comes to the highlight reels? But it is quite obvious to me the media would rather spend their time covering the athlete of failed multiple drug tests, likes to party hard or flips off opposing fans during the game. I know these stories sell and money is the motivator behind much of what is covered, but just once tell me about someone “boring”. That “boring” athlete is probably the one who young kids should be looking up to as a role model.

#ncca #media #atheltics #osu #mikegundy

the bond of teammates

Last night during the Louisville/Duke Elite Eight basketball game in the NCAA tournament, Louisville guard Kevin Ware suffered one of the most gruesome injuries ever broadcast on national television. It was a big game with another powerhouse college program but in a split second none of that mattered any more. The millions of viewers on television and the thousands watching on television had their breath taken away.

In the second part of the first half, Ware went up to block a shot near the sideline and when he came down . . . well when he came down his right leg broke under him. The lower part of his leg snapped in half and the bone was sticking out from under his skin. This gruesome and graphic injury happened right in front of his coach Rick Pitino and the whole Louisville bench. The reaction of the players on both sides really puts it in perspective for those of us who weren’t there.

The Duke players were stunned, turning away and walking towards their bench in disbelief of the severity of the injury. Legendary Duke Coach Mike Krzyzewski was left expressionless; his face unable to change from a concerned looked for his opponent.

The Louisville players on the bench who saw it happen right at eye level (the team’s bench sits lower than the court since the game was being played in a dome) turned away immediately and some players started running towards the tunnel. The Louisville players on the court instantly collapsed to their knees and covered their faces in hope that what they saw wasn’t real. When they rose from the floor, many of them were in tears for their teammate. The raw emotion shown by the players and coaches just goes to show how strong the bond of a team can be. They huddled together while Ware was attended to by trainers and eventually put on a stretcher to be brought to the hospital. When it was all said and done though, the game must go on.

Miraculously Louisville was able to gather their emotions and go on to destroy a very good Duke team in the second half. They played for their injured teammate who inspired them with a few last words before he left the court.

“Don’t worry about me. I’ll be okay. You guys go win this thing” –Kevin Ware

#louisville #duke #ncaa #marchmadness #ware #injury #brokenleg #coachk #rickpitno

US vs Mexico Perspective

Last Tuesday night, the United States men’s national soccer teamed tied Mexico 0-0 in Mexico City’s infamous Azteca stadium (home to over 105,000 passionate home fans for every qualifying game in the past decades). While the typical American sports fan might look at the score and think it the game was a failure for the Americans, I can assure you it was anything but. A look at the American’s position for qualification for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil paints a picture in which American fans should be excited by the tough-fought tie.

The format for qualifying out of the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football (CONFACAF) is simple. Six teams made the final round of qualifying (USA, Mexico, Honduras, Costa Rica, Honduras and Jamaica. Each team will play each other twice, once at home and once away. 3 points are earned for a win, 1 for a draw and no points are awarded for a loss. The top three teams in the standing at the end of the games will earn automatic bids to the World Cup. The fourth place team has the opportunity to qualify in a playoff game versus a team from the Oceania region.

The United States opened qualifying with a 2-1 loss in Honduras that put doubts in the minds of many of its fans and players. There was questioning in the media if the new coach, Jurgen Klinsmann, was the right man to be leading the team with his questionable tactics and substitutions. Some of this pressure was relieved when the US defeat Costa Rica 1-0 in Denver (Costa Rica’s appeal to FIFA for a replay due to snowy conditions was denied). Those three points pulled the US out of the basement of the group and put them back on track. However Tuesdays night’s game against Mexico, who many consider to be the most talented team in the group, was a real test to see if the Americans possessed the toughness to put aside all the problems and sour history that American soccer has and qualify for the 2014 World Cup.

So why was this 0-0 draw so impressive? Listed below are what I believe are 5 main points that can be taken away from Tuesday night’s game:

1. Points on the Road - The Azteca is one of the world's best home stadiums and Mexico’s record in qualifying games there reflects this. The Americans team is 0-13-2 in World Cup qualifiers in Mexico. Stealing a point on the road when the American coaching staff had no doubt planned their road to qualification without earning any points in this game is a big victory. It always the US a little more breathing room in their remaining road games. Additionally, the US tie takes away the aura of invincibility that Azteca has always had for visiting teams and gives confidence to other teams in the group to do the same.

2. Mexico only earns one point – Mexico was considered the favorite to finish at the top of the CONFACAF qualifying group and the US’s biggest rival. This was Mexico’s third tie in three qualifying games. It leaves the Mexican team with 3 points and second from the bottom in the group. By the end of the game on Tuesday night, you could hear the Mexican home crowd becoming restless with their team’s performance. No one doubts that Mexico will bounce back from this rough start, but their shuddered confidence at the moment will make that climb to the top of the group that much harder.

3. Establishment of solid defensive discipline – The US was playing without first-choice goalkeeper Tim Howard in a qualifying game for the first time in years. Howard is as a leader on the American team, bringing years of international soccer experience and the knowledge to orchestrate young, inexperienced defensive players. His replacement Brad Guzan and the defense stepped up to the challenge and managed to keep a clean sheet against a very talented Mexican attack. The emergence of center defender Omar Gonzalez as a ball-winner will do wonders for the US defense going forward.

5. Confidence going forward - The tie moved the US (1-1-1) into third place for the region after three of 10 matches, one point behind Panama (1-0-2). The Americans and Costa Rica both have four points, but the Costa Rican’s are ahead on goal difference. After a rough start, the Americans are starting to find their identity as a team and the results are a reflection of this.

So a 0-0 soccer tie may not be the most exciting sporting event to watch. I understand this as a soccer fan. But as a fan of the American national team, there are so many more elements that come into play than the actual result. One game can change the confidence of a team and be the difference between qualifying (which everyone expects of American soccer at this point) and a colossal failure which could negate the strides soccer has made in this country in the past few years. After playing at Jamaica on June 7th, the US men’s team will be at home for four of its last six qualifiers. Hopefully the stretch of games will see the American’s move to the top of the group and secure their place for Brazil 2014.

#usmnt #soccer #mexico #fifa #confacaf #Qualifying #brazil2014 #worldcup

CJ McCollum

Anyone who goes to Lehigh should know the name C.J. McCollum. As the best player on Lehigh’s basketball team and one of the best players in school history, he has made a name for himself. And last year with Lehigh’s amazing upset over Duke, he stole the national spotlight with his phenomenal performance that yielded 31 points. With that performance the talk of C.J.’s potential as a NBA prospect grew enormously. But the NBA draft would have to wait one more season, much to the joy of Lehigh sports fans, as McCollum decided to return to school for his senior season and earn his degree in communications.

Unfortunately for McCollum, his senior season brought less fortune than his junior year. In January, he suffered broke his foot and was declared out for the rest of the season. But the talk of him being a legitimate NBA prospect has not waned. Come June, there is a very good chance McCollum will be taken in the first round of the NBA draft.

What has kept a player, who has been sidelined for most of the season, in the discussion of scouts? What makes his game so appealing and why do scouts believe his game will transition well into the best basketball league in the world?

To start, before his injury McCollum was averaging 24.0 points per game and shooting over 50% from 3 point range. As a volume scorer who was taking many shots per game, this efficiency is what professional basketball has become about. At 6’3” with a long wingspan, McCollum has the length to play a combo shooting guard in the NBA. He can guard other shooting guards while having the length and ability to beat larger guards off the dribble. As a high volume shooter and scorer, his capabilities on the offense end should appeal to general managers across the league.

What he lacks in top level athleticism, McCollum makes up for in his crafty play on the perimeter. His fluid, reliable jump shot is no doubt one of the most attractive parts of his game, something some of the most athletic college prospects fail to develop at the next level. I could see him developing in a solid shooting guard that provides a spark off the bench for his team or develop into more of a traditional point guard, lowering his number of shots per game but creating more for his teammates. With unquestioned character and off court intangibles, McCollum could be the diamond in the rough of the NBA 2013 draft.

Evidence of C.J.'s offensive skills: http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/1008890/20120316185847.gif

#cj mccollum #nbadraft #nba #basketball #ncaa #lehigh

Sad Farewell Big East

This year marks the ending of the Big East basketball tournament as we know it. Next year a few schools will be leaving for the Atlantic Coast Conference and the year after the remaining teams will split. It is a sad day for sports fans everywhere. Everyone is losing out on one of the best annual sporting events that has been ongoing since 1980.

At only 20 years of age, I have not even seen the best this tournament has had to offer. I could only imagine what it was like to watch all-time great players like Patrick Ewing, Ray Allen, Allen Iverson and Carmelo Anthony just to name a few. Coaching legends such as Jim Callhun, Jim Bohenim, Rick Pitno, John Thompson Sr. and many more battled it out on the world’s biggest stage in Madison Square Garden. The Big East tournament is one of the few sporting events I can specifically remember from my elementary and middle school days. There was always something special about the powerhouses in college basketball putting it all on the line way before the national champion is decided. If I can only remember the past 10 years of the tournament and feel such disappointment in its end, the sadness must be one hundred times that for any sports fan born before me.

The tournament always seemed to come with unexpected excitement. Every year there were the favorites, the underdogs and the team that got hot just at the right time. But you never knew who that was going to be. There was the unknown shooting guard who went from irrelevant to legend in the short time it took for the ball to leave their hand to when it dropped through the basket as the buzzer sounded (I’m looking at you Gary McNamara). Anything could happen; it was March Madness before the Big Dance even began. Buzz beaters galore and tears on both sides when it was all said and done. I wouldn’t want my sports any other way.

#bigeast #tournament #marchmadness #basketball #college #NCAA

Johnny Football Disappears

I recently read an article about the 2013 Heisman trophy winner Johnny Manziel (as known as Johnny Football). The article focused on the unique fact that Manziel has chosen to take all online classes from Texas A&M this semester. The most popular face in college football, and possibly all college sports, is basically not required to spend any time on campus if he chooses. Is this a sign of changing times or just a unique situation for a special individual?

Of course there are some good reasons why Manziel decided to take all online classes. As a national celebrity, the reality of being on campus for Manziel is that he would be surrounded by his biggest fans and admirers at all times. Everywhere he would go, in the dining halls, on the walks to class, and in the classroom he would spend time dealing with over-zealous fans. He would immediately become the center of attention wherever he set foot on campus. For a 20-year-old college student that could be a little too much to handle. Too many distractions can be the start of a slippery slope as we have seen with so many other promising young athletes.

As a university, Texas A&M is particularly proud of its online schooling options therefore have no issues with Manziel’s decision. For them, it’s the perfecting marketing opportunity to try to increase enrollment and funding for its online classes.

However when you look at this through the eyes of NCAA officials, this has the potential to open the door for questionable status of student athletes. Online class work could theoretically be done by any person with access to the student’s username and passwords to their online courses. This opens many arguments about the eligibility of certain students to participate in athletics is they didn’t have to attend a single class all semester and had someone help them with their online assignments (or even worse, just get someone to complete all your assignments for you). If all of a sudden college sport’s biggest star decides he is not going to attend any “live” classes, you have to imagine there are other college athletes who are going to follow suit and do the same.

#johnny #football #heisman #NCAA #online classes #education #eligibility #college

Favorite Blogs

Listed below are five of my favorite blogs/twitter accounts. Hopefully if you share any similar interests, you will check them out.

1. Dirty Tackle – This blog has been a favorite of mine for years now, ever since I started following the European soccer leagues seriously. It is run by the soccer bloggers who work for Yahoo sports. The blog combines serious soccer articles about upcoming matches/review of league games/player transfer rumors with funny, more light-hearted articles making fun of players and occurrences. As an American soccer fan, it allowed me to really get interested in every aspect of the sport. Though it is not updated as frequently as I would like, it is worth checking every few days to stay up to date.

2. Total Frat Move (@totalfratmove) twitter – I understand the reputation that comes with being in a fraternity in today’s world. I am not going to sit here and defend these institutions and the purpose they serve, that’s for another day. But I am going to tell you as a 20-year-old fraternity male I find this twitter feed absolutely hilarious. Some of the tweets are blown way out of proportion and are completely unrealistic. But that doesn’t mean I am unable to relate to the tweets. Usually throughout the day I am able to find a couple tweets that directly relate to something one of my brothers did during the semester.

3. Men’s Health Fitness – As a guy who got hooked on going to the gym this past summer, the internet has been a goldmine of information about health and fitness for me. I am always interested in new workouts or techniques I can utilize in my time at the gym. I have found the Men’s Health blog online always has well-written articles that aren’t too lengthy or filled with rambling scientific language. The articles keep it short and to the point, exactly what I am looking for when I am browsing the internet.

4. The Fake ESPN (@TheFakeESPN) twitter – This is one of the first accounts that I followed on Twitter and really introduced me to the world of parody on Twitter. The Fake ESPN usually follows up real sports stories with its own sarcastic tweets about the story. As an avid sports fan, I always look for the spin that this Twitter account is going to take on the real news.

5. Pharmalot – This is a blog that is of personal interest to me. As a journalism/science writing major I have focused most of my professional studies on the pharmaceutical business. It is written mostly by Ed Silverman with articles contributed by many different members of the pharmaceutical world. It’s a fairly high-level blog which does not worry about tailoring its content to people outside of the drug/medical business. Updated every day, it has provided me with business insights and up-to-the-minute news about upcoming drug approvals.

#blogs

Duel Twitters

When I started this semester, I really had no idea how much time I was going to spend on my computer and social media platforms completing homework for my classes. That’s correct; I said homework on social media platforms. My two classes which were looking to engage the students on the internet were English196 Writing for the Internet and EES028 Biodiversity and Conservation. Specifically, both classes utilized Twitter and really wanted to create an online community discussion for the students outside of the classroom.

Prior to this semester I had been operating a personal twitter for close to 3 years and had racked up almost 929 tweets. I mostly used twitter to joke around with my close group of friends from my hometown and to remember some of the more ridiculous things that happened to me as I adventured through my freshmen year at Lehigh. As a social platform, I actually enjoyed it more than Facebook because of Twitter’s flexibility to be able to follow your specific interests and carve out your own niche within the Twitter community. For my academic purposes, I decided it was best to just create a new account outside of my personal account and didn’t think twice about it.

Six weeks into the semester and I can safely say having two Twitter accounts is changing my life. Maybe not in any monumental way, but trying to keep up with 2 separate Twitter feeds is time consuming. Between the two classes, I find myself tweeting upwards of 20 times a week just for homework assignments. That doesn’t include the time I take to read other students tweets I and tweets from the professor about upcoming assignments/lectures. I would have never thought that I would be spending my days drawn to Twitter to complete my homework assignments. In the past, Twitter had been the platform in which I posted about the funniest things that happened to me throughout the week (actually, mostly weekends).

In order to try to keep these two worlds separate, I settled on keeping my personal Twitter on my smart phone and my academic Twitter on my computer. I need the physical separation though I am starting to realize how strange the situation is. I am using the same platform for both situations, each on different ends of the spectrum. When I log onto Twitter on my computer I am going on to complete work for my classes that ultimately lead to my graduation of Lehigh. When I take out my smart phone to go on Twitter, I am embracing one of the biggest distractions that prevent me from doing work for my classes. What a weird world this is becoming because of digital communications.

#twitter #education #digital

Interesting video from Corning Display Technologies about future potential applications of technology and specialty glass. Do you think that this video could one day become reality?

100% disappointment

In one of my previous posts, I optimistically analyzed the United States men’s national soccer team’s chances in their game against Honduras and their chances of qualifying for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. After watching one of the worst performances from the USA unfold before my eyes, I want to examine what went wrong and where the team must go from here.

To say the performance of the United States men’s soccer team against Honduras was a disappointment would be an understatement. A 2-1 loss when you score first against Honduras is not an acceptable result from a team that supposedly is aiming to be one of the top 20 national teams in the world (let’s just leave out my dreams of the team winning a World Cup one day).

It was obvious that Honduras, as the home team, used every advantage they could get from playing at home. The game kicked off at the hottest point of the day and by the second half it was evident to everyone that the American players were losing their legs. In addition to the hot weather, the grass on the field had been allowed to grow out and was cut extremely long for a match of this level. The idea behind this was to slow the American team down and take away the athletic advantage the visiting team owned. And of course hats off to the home team for their game plan and grinding out a tough victory at home.

The USA started the game off sluggish. But that was to be expected from their lack of training together and the long travels many of the players had to make to play in this game. In addition, there were many inexperienced players thrown into the starting lineup who have never played in final round qualifying match before. But when the USA went up 1-0 on a sublime assist from Jermaine Jones and a solid finish from Clint Dempsey, I was sure the US was going to snap out of their funk and start dominating the game.

My prediction could not have been more off. After the goal, the play of the team only got worse. Sloppy passing in the midfield gave Honduras the ball high up the field multiple times throughout the game which didn’t help a defense that already looked lost. Both goals that were given up were results of flat-footed defenders not reacting to the ball movement quick enough. While the defense slowly got worse throughout the game, any offensive push up the field was completely nonexistent. Where were the few world-class players the team has when it needed them most? I’m looking at you Michael Bradley and Clint Dempsey. Every player on the team played below their potential and it showed in the final result.

The next qualifying game for the USMNT is at home in Colorado vs. Costa Rica. I will be curious to see what changes are made to the starting roster and the playing style of the team. There are only nine games left to qualify for the greatest sports tournament in the world. Let’s hope the team can turn in a good performance and get back on track for Brazil in 2014.

#usmnt #soccer #usa #world cup #concacaf #honduras

U S A U S A U S A

The 23rd of June, 2010: a day I will never forget. I was a senior in high school and a day before my 18th birthday. It was one of the last days of school but there was only one thing on my mind that day. The USA men’s soccer team faced Algeria and elimination from the World Cup if they did not succeed in winning the match. As the game progressed, my head slowly sank into my hands as I could barely stand to watch the USA struggle to get any rhythm going. Everyone else in the room was watching but I felt no one else shared my pain. Failure to proceed out of the group stages would be another total disaster for American soccer except this time the whole country was watching. As an avid soccer player and fan my whole life, I wanted nothing more than to be able to take pride in our national team. The clock slowly ticked towards full-time and a 0-0 ending was all but certain.

12 seconds later and I was almost in tears. Somehow, some way, the Americans had pulled through will a last minute goal to send them through. In minutes I was exhausted from celebration and collapse into my desk chair still trying to grasp the improbable victory.

On Wednesday night, the United States men’s national soccer team will play the first of six games in the final round CONCACAF qualifying for the World Cup, to be held in Brazil in 2014. The team will not only be playing against a tough Honduras squad on the field but will have to deal with high expectations of a nation and a hostile fan environment. The stadium they will play in is located in San Pedro Sula, which in 2011 was named the most dangerous city in the world. Needless to say this will be a huge test for a team still searching for its identity.

The current roster is much different from the one that entered the World Cup in 2010 and made an improbable run to the quarterfinals. The player who provided the astonishing 90th minute goal against Algeria, Landon Donovan, is taking a break from the sport and won’t be playing in qualifying games. The coach from that infamous game is now the coach of Egypt and the new coach is a German who doesn’t like to answer to anyone. The likely starting eleven players all play for different clubs spread across Europe and North America. Add in inexperience and there is no real telling what to make of America’s melting pot of a roster.

All the negatives aside, I have confidence The Yanks will pull out a victory. The two best players on the roster, Michael Bradley of AS Roma and Clint Dempsey of Tottenham Hotspur, have been starring at their clubs teams. Both players are in the prime of their career and are playing the best soccer of their life. Plus they both play key central roles for this U.S. side. The new coach, Jurgen Klinsmann, brings priceless experience from the top leagues of European football. Hopefully under his guidance the less-seasoned players can avoid costly mistakes while they settle into the intimidating environment that the Honduras home fans are sure to provide. It is no debate that the Americans are the more talented side, but talent alone does not get you a win. Especially in soccer.

An American crazy passionate about the U.S. soccer team? No chance they said. But then again that’s the same thing said about the American’s chances of ever winning a World Cup. One day but until then you’ll know where to find me Wednesday at 4 p.m.

Photo: http://www.dispatch.com/content/graphics/2012/10/17/us-soccer-standalone-art-g4qjr2n9-1sports-soc-guatemala-usa-8-kc.jpg?__scale=w:620,h:415,c:666666

#USA #soccer #mensnationalteam #USAMNT #honduras #football #world cup #qualifying

Take my money

When Ray Allen, Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett all decided to sign for the Boston Celtics in the summer of 2008, a new business model for sports teams was born. To get three veteran, all-star caliber players (each who had never won a title) to agree to smaller contracts with the goal of an immediate championship season was something that had not really been tried before and succeeded. But why had sports gone for decades before top caliber players decided it was better to put their individual wants aside and win a title (which Boston did the next year)?

You would think in sports it would second-nature to sacrifice personal profit for the good of the overall team. While playing youth sports, I was always told that the team comes first. Personal well-being always came after the team’s success. No questions asked. Why does this attitude not reflected in the professional athletes of our day?

I believe this attitude was lost when sports became a big business. This is the harsh reality of professional sports leagues. In a profession where the only thing that separates you from being an all-star player one day and a washed up veteran the next is an ACL tear, contract negotiations can make all the difference for a player. The player has the right to try to secure a financial future for himself and his family. No one ever knows how long a player’s career will last. Therefore when the time comes to sign a new contract, that player will be on the hunt for the contract that does the most for him (almost always the one worth the most money). Unfortunately American sports league have become a ruthless business and there is no significant change anywhere in the near future.

It’s sad to think that our favorite sports stars are motivated by the same thing that motivates Wall-Street investors and CFOs. Obviously they want to win but the bottom line is if they don’t get paid they have wasted their chance. As a young kid, sports stars such as Patrick Ewing and Curtis Martin were gods among men to me. Sports stars still earn my respect but I can’t help this sour taste that lingers around them.

#sports #business

livesinthebalance-deactivated20

levine-lehigh-blog

Reply to Signs of Inequality:

I agree with the idea that Title IX was not a solution to change the public's perception of women's sports and increase support for the events. But I also do not believe that was the realistic aim of Title IX.

Title IX was passed to give girls equal opportunities to participate in sports. Basically for every male sport a school has, the school must also support an equal number of girls sports programs. I fully support this idea that males should not be given more support than females to pursue their athletic goals and participate in one of the greatest high school experiences. Just because males may be better suited to play sports does not mean that females should be denied the opportunity to excel in their given sport.

The day where women's athletics will be viewed on an equal level to male athletics will never come. It is not just about the deeply embedded culture in our society, it is the same in countries around the world. It is odd to think that someone would spend their time watching a slower, less exciting version of the sport (due to body composition and natural abilities, this is just a fact).

The day when a professional women's sports team can beat the top high school male's in the same major sport (basketball, soccer) may be close to being here or already here. But the fact that people have to stop and debate who would win that game just shows how far behind female sports are in gaining equal attention as their male counterparts.

I do not believe its that people do not appreciate the hard work and sweat female athletes put into their sport. But when there is the option to watch a better game in the other gym or on the other channel, its not a question which one I am going to spend my time watching.

rmchristal:

The implementation of Title IX, which called for equal opportunities in inter-scholastic sports for everyone, regardless of gender, was a step forward for female athletes. But was it enough to change the deeply-ingrained attitudes or the popularity and culture around women’s versus men’s...

#Title IX #sports #inequality

American Dreams

Imagine if you will, a young man graduates high school with the exceptional physical tools to be a world-class carpenter. He has steady hands plus an imagine that one day could rival the best in his profession. The individual in question has no intention of attending college as he was never truly dedicated to his studies and spent a majority of his free time improving his craft. However, he soon learns that the national professional organization of carpenter has a rule that he must be of a certain age to practice his skills.

To any capitalist American, this rule may seem a little ridiculous. In a country that holds high value in individual freedoms (i.e. the freedom of speech and the right to bear arms), one to of the core values is the idea that with hard work and dedication anyone can make their own fortune no matter where they came from.

The example about the carpenter can be directly related to high school basketball players and the National Basketball Association. At the moment, an individual entering the must be at least 19 years old during the calendar year of the draft and one year removed from high school graduation. This is a rule the league follows and will continue to follow under the guidance of Commissioner David Stern.

I firmly believed that players should be able to make their own decision when choosing between entering a university and entering the work place. Not only does an individual have the right to make a living, when you take into account what demographic many of the NBA prospects come from the answer is clear. Many of the top talent from high schools come from from lower-income areas that do not exactly excel in academics. Entering the NBA could be a way for a young man to pull himself, and his family, out of the lower-class and into a better life. Does that not have all the factors for the American dream?

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