Saturday, January 31, 2009
January 31
Yes, I know I'm a day late, but forgive me. I would like to say congratulations to Rafael Nadal and to Fernando Verdasco. What a match it was. Verdasco looked incredible; his offensive style of play threw Nadal for a loop, but he held tight, played his defensive tennis and pulled it out. I would dare say Fernando Verdasco might be the third best player in the world. His athleticism is impressive to say the least, but I am looking forward to a great men's final. Tennis doesn't get the respect it deserves, by the way. These are outstanding athletes and the sport is very entertaining to watch, but these days people don't go for it, just like they don't go for baseball or soccer. It's all about football and a little basketball and even some hockey. The fast paced, high scoring, hard hitting, instant gratification sports. If there's not a lot of scoring or if people aren't crushing each other, no one appreciates it. But, that's the way society works these days; everything has to entertain us right now. No one cares about how much skill it takes to play the sport or how great it is to see a hard fought, low scoring game. I can't believe how many times I've heard, ''I don't like baseball, it's boring." That's just foolishness. Baseball is the furthest thing from boring. The guys are throwing the ball 90 miles an hour! And then the other guys are actually hitting it! Do you realize how good of an athlete you have to be to play the sport? It's wildly entertaining, you just have to appreciate it, so don't tell me it's boring. Go out and learn about the game, then watch one, you'll see how great it truly is.
Thursday, January 29, 2009
January 29
I know what people say about the NCAA basketball's regular season; that it's just a pre-season tournament with no real point to it, well I beg to differ my friends. Anyone who has followed the season so far should agree. It's been a great season where we've seen that there are a lot of teams who have a chance to go all the way. I know non-conference play can be tedious to watch, but the conference games are great, especially, of course, in the ACC and the Big East. Look, there are about 12 teams with a legit shot at winning the title: North Carolina, Duke, Wake Forest, Pittsburgh, Louisville, Uconn, Oklahoma, Michigan State, Notre Dame, Purdue, Georgetown, and Memphis, and there are even a few more. These teams are all battling it out for those 4 number 1 seeds, and it's been exiting. From upsets of top teams to last second under the basket in-bound plays, we've seen a lot this season. As a sports fan, I appreciate the season because it lets us get to know the teams and it's a lot of fun to watch. No person who calls themselves a sports fan could disagree.
I've never been a big Andy Roddick fan, and I don't think I ever will be, but he impressed me in this Australian Open. He was moving well, he was playing more aggressively, and he just looked like a tennis player, dominating every one of his matches. That is, until he came face to face with the monster. Roger Federer beat Roddick in straight sets and looked just like the champion we've all seen. Roddick played pretty well, but his level of talent is just no match for Federer, and you can't really give him too much grief about this loss. He looked good, and no one expected him to get by Novak Djokovic, but he played very well in that shortened match and he is starting to look like the tennis player he was once supposed to be. I think he'll do very well this year, and he's definitely worth watching. Staying with the Aussie Open for a minute, I am extremely impressed with the play of Fernando Verdasco. This guy came from out of no where to beat a few of the best players in the game. Now he plays his country man in Rafael Nadal, a match that I am looking forward too. They have a very similar style of play, both have excellent footwork and great shot placement, however, Nadal is number 1 for a reason, and I am (boldly, I know) predicting another Federer v. Nadal final. It should be a great one.
I've never been a big Andy Roddick fan, and I don't think I ever will be, but he impressed me in this Australian Open. He was moving well, he was playing more aggressively, and he just looked like a tennis player, dominating every one of his matches. That is, until he came face to face with the monster. Roger Federer beat Roddick in straight sets and looked just like the champion we've all seen. Roddick played pretty well, but his level of talent is just no match for Federer, and you can't really give him too much grief about this loss. He looked good, and no one expected him to get by Novak Djokovic, but he played very well in that shortened match and he is starting to look like the tennis player he was once supposed to be. I think he'll do very well this year, and he's definitely worth watching. Staying with the Aussie Open for a minute, I am extremely impressed with the play of Fernando Verdasco. This guy came from out of no where to beat a few of the best players in the game. Now he plays his country man in Rafael Nadal, a match that I am looking forward too. They have a very similar style of play, both have excellent footwork and great shot placement, however, Nadal is number 1 for a reason, and I am (boldly, I know) predicting another Federer v. Nadal final. It should be a great one.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
January 28, 2009
As a football fan since birth, I've always loved watching the game at any level: college, the NFL, even the AFL once in a while (in times of desperation). However, over the years I have found a few things that make me scratch my head about football; the annoying little things that make me want to put my foot through the TV. Here are the top 5 things that I find the most annoying about the sport these days:
5. Athletes that can't stay out of trouble
This is bothersome, to say the least. Look, I understand that these guys want to go out and have fun just like anybody else, but you have to draw the line somewhere. Taking a gun to a club? Seriously? Is that really necessary? No it isn't. Don't tell me about how athletes feel threatened and need to protect themselves from danger. I get that, but hire a bodyguard, bring along a lot of big, tough guys. Don't bring your gun along, loaded, safety off, and without a license to carry it. That's what gets you into trouble, obviously. There's security at the door for a reason. And how about Mr. Adam Jones. This guy seems to just not get it. You're in trouble with the league, you know you're walking on egg shells and you still go out to the clubs and the strip joints practically looking for a fight. I'm sick of Adam Jones. My biggest question is, how does a nickel back who has 4 picks and 1 sack in his career get so much attention, the guy's just not that good, and certainly not good enough to deserve a nick name, you should prove yourself before being graced with the title "pacman". I am fed up with players who act up, and the league should be coming down harder on these knuckle heads.
4. All the hype leading up to the super bowl
I can't take it anymore. Two weeks of non stop talking about the same two teams. The media has to fish for new stories every day, then we have to hear it on every sports channel. It's one game, sure it's important, but there are other things going on in sports. How about all the parody in NCAA basketball this year? How about the NBA? How about the Australian open? What about the NHL? I'd rather hear about any of that than an hour long special on how Big Ben prepares for the big game. It's getting to the point where I don't even watch my sports shows in these two weeks, it's too much! Give it a rest.
3. Jerry Jones and Al Davis
Ok, these two guys are something special. The Raiders are the joke of the league. There's no one worse. 24 wins in the last 6 seasons, good for a solid 4 wins a season, ouch. Does Mr. Davis not get it? You can't expect to win super bowls when you're the owner, the GM, and practically the head coach. I just don't see what's going through the man's mind. And then there's Jerry Jones. He creates monstrous distractions by signing players like Tank Johnson and Adam Jones, and creating reality television series' about trainers. He throws money around left and right and manages to put together a GREAT collection of talent, they just can't win when it matters. He had some very good years, just as Davis did, but the formula just isn't working anymore. Teams are doing better when the owner stays out of the way. It's time for both of these guys to realize that they aren't super men. Sometimes you need some help, and if you're the Raiders, you need a whole lot of it.
2. Ignorant fans
I go to a couple games a season and I'm continually shocked by what these people can say. I live in Denver so naturally I am a Broncos fan. The last time I went to a game, it was about 20 degrees and raining. In the first quarter Jay Cutler through an interception on the second drive, after he had manufactured an impressive drive during the first possession. After the pick, from behind me I hear a voice: "Get Ramsey in there!" My mouth dropped in amazement. I thought, "Did you hear what you just said? You should be escorted out of the stands immediately for that comment." A little while later, Cutler overthrows Brandon Marshall on a third down play in a tie game, the boos rain down. I don't get it. The g been solid all game, one pick and a good completion percentage, and the fans jump on the guys back, it's like that everywhere. People don't know what they're talking about, they're ignorant. My suggestion: Create a section in the stadium reserved for the fools that act like that, and have a security guard escort them to the "idiot fan section" when they hear a dumb comment so as not to disturb the fans that actually know what they're talking about.
1. The NCAA "championship"
I think we're all in the same boat on this one. Don't give me the "every game counts" speech, that's just ridiculous. The games at the end REALLY count, at the beginning they just KINDA count. Come on, there's no concrete champion in college football, lose at the beginning of the season and you work your way back up, lose at the end and it's all over. Case in point, Florida. Had they lost to ole miss at the end of the season they wouldn't have been in consideration for the crown, instead they win the whole thing. Oh wait, I have a solution, PLAYOFF!!! Get with the program BCS, I can't take this much longer.
5. Athletes that can't stay out of trouble
This is bothersome, to say the least. Look, I understand that these guys want to go out and have fun just like anybody else, but you have to draw the line somewhere. Taking a gun to a club? Seriously? Is that really necessary? No it isn't. Don't tell me about how athletes feel threatened and need to protect themselves from danger. I get that, but hire a bodyguard, bring along a lot of big, tough guys. Don't bring your gun along, loaded, safety off, and without a license to carry it. That's what gets you into trouble, obviously. There's security at the door for a reason. And how about Mr. Adam Jones. This guy seems to just not get it. You're in trouble with the league, you know you're walking on egg shells and you still go out to the clubs and the strip joints practically looking for a fight. I'm sick of Adam Jones. My biggest question is, how does a nickel back who has 4 picks and 1 sack in his career get so much attention, the guy's just not that good, and certainly not good enough to deserve a nick name, you should prove yourself before being graced with the title "pacman". I am fed up with players who act up, and the league should be coming down harder on these knuckle heads.
4. All the hype leading up to the super bowl
I can't take it anymore. Two weeks of non stop talking about the same two teams. The media has to fish for new stories every day, then we have to hear it on every sports channel. It's one game, sure it's important, but there are other things going on in sports. How about all the parody in NCAA basketball this year? How about the NBA? How about the Australian open? What about the NHL? I'd rather hear about any of that than an hour long special on how Big Ben prepares for the big game. It's getting to the point where I don't even watch my sports shows in these two weeks, it's too much! Give it a rest.
3. Jerry Jones and Al Davis
Ok, these two guys are something special. The Raiders are the joke of the league. There's no one worse. 24 wins in the last 6 seasons, good for a solid 4 wins a season, ouch. Does Mr. Davis not get it? You can't expect to win super bowls when you're the owner, the GM, and practically the head coach. I just don't see what's going through the man's mind. And then there's Jerry Jones. He creates monstrous distractions by signing players like Tank Johnson and Adam Jones, and creating reality television series' about trainers. He throws money around left and right and manages to put together a GREAT collection of talent, they just can't win when it matters. He had some very good years, just as Davis did, but the formula just isn't working anymore. Teams are doing better when the owner stays out of the way. It's time for both of these guys to realize that they aren't super men. Sometimes you need some help, and if you're the Raiders, you need a whole lot of it.
2. Ignorant fans
I go to a couple games a season and I'm continually shocked by what these people can say. I live in Denver so naturally I am a Broncos fan. The last time I went to a game, it was about 20 degrees and raining. In the first quarter Jay Cutler through an interception on the second drive, after he had manufactured an impressive drive during the first possession. After the pick, from behind me I hear a voice: "Get Ramsey in there!" My mouth dropped in amazement. I thought, "Did you hear what you just said? You should be escorted out of the stands immediately for that comment." A little while later, Cutler overthrows Brandon Marshall on a third down play in a tie game, the boos rain down. I don't get it. The g been solid all game, one pick and a good completion percentage, and the fans jump on the guys back, it's like that everywhere. People don't know what they're talking about, they're ignorant. My suggestion: Create a section in the stadium reserved for the fools that act like that, and have a security guard escort them to the "idiot fan section" when they hear a dumb comment so as not to disturb the fans that actually know what they're talking about.
1. The NCAA "championship"
I think we're all in the same boat on this one. Don't give me the "every game counts" speech, that's just ridiculous. The games at the end REALLY count, at the beginning they just KINDA count. Come on, there's no concrete champion in college football, lose at the beginning of the season and you work your way back up, lose at the end and it's all over. Case in point, Florida. Had they lost to ole miss at the end of the season they wouldn't have been in consideration for the crown, instead they win the whole thing. Oh wait, I have a solution, PLAYOFF!!! Get with the program BCS, I can't take this much longer.
An Intro
Hi, I'm Matt Waters and I'm a fanatic of all sports. I have started this blog because I love sports and I love writing, so it makes sense. This is a blog of my thoughts and feelings of the day's sports. It is meant to be a way for me to share how I feel about sports, and to put it onto paper. Whether a thousand people read it or I write it just for myself doesn't make much difference to me. All that I'm doing is channeling my thoughts onto a blog and hopefully you'll like it.
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