Home Court Pays Off for the Silver Knights
APPLE VALLEY - The Riverside Prep girls volleyball team didn’t need an actual home court to stay undefeated in league play. They didn’t need the game to start on time either.
Thursday’s home matchup against Cross Valley League rival University Prep was played 11 1/2 miles from Riverside Prep and UP showed up an hour late because they couldn’t get a bus to Sitting Bull Middle School, where the match was played.
Despite the difficulties, the Silver Knights defeated the Jaguars 3-1 (19-25, 25-21, 26-24, 25-15) to remain atop the CVL standings.
“Normally we do our home games at their gym,” Riverside Prep coach Amy Sarkesian said. “Last year we did that, and I’m convinced that was part of the reason we lost against them. They have so much support there that we were the vistors even for our home game. I told the athletic director, please, this year give us our home game against UP at Sitting Bull.”
The Silver Knights (6-2, 3-0 CVL) beat the defending league champion Jaguars (6-6-1, 2-2 CVL) for the second time in as many matches. Riverside Prep won this time without Ofa Moa Samfong, whom Sarkesian called their star. SamFong is on vacation and out of action for two weeks.
With SamFong out of action, a pair of seniors stepped up for the Silver Knights.
“Destiny Fernandez and Vanessa Keyes both did an excellent job tonight picking up the slack,” Sarkesian said.
Fernandez had 12 kills, three aces, two blocks, and one dig to lead the Silver Knights. Keyes added
University Prep took the first set 25-19, in large part due to 16 errors by Riverside Prep.
Both teams committed more than 15 errors in the second set, but the Silver Knights were able to grab a 25-21 victory.
“I don’t think we changed (anything) at all,” University Prep coach Heather Martin said. “RP stopped making mistakes they were making, and we just started making a few more.”
The Silver Knights grabbed the lead when they won a back-and-forth third set 26-24, punctuated by a kill by Chelsea Baker.
Riverside Prep and Baker carried the momentum into the fourth set. Baker had three straight aces for at one point and 10 of the senior’s serves resulted in points for the Silver Knights.
“We came back strong,” Sarkesian said. “The league that we’re in, there is not a lot of competitive teams. They get really flustered with UP especially beacuse they’re our rival school. I was really proud of them tonight.”
University Prep is still looking for the mojo it had last season. The Jaguars have a new look after losing four starters from last season’s league championship team.
“RP stepped up their game a little bit,” Martin said. “Overall, I’m not displeased with them. There were some long games, some long rallies, and they kept through it pretty well.”
Marissa Rados led the way for the Jaguars with seven kills and 27 digs.
Friday, September 28, 2012
Jose's second volleyball article.
Thursday, September 27, 2012
NFL Week 3 Power Rankings
NFL Power Rankings
1) Houston Texans (3-0) - Undefeated with two very convincing road
victories under their belt, The Texans did exactly what they had to do
during their visits in Denver and Jacksonville. With a strong
running-game from the tandem of Arian Foster and Ben Tate, Houston is
looking every bit the power-house that was expected. Matt Schuab has
thrown five touchdowns - four in his last game against Denver. They
face Tennessee this week following intriguing match ups against the
New York Jets, Green bay, and Baltimore. The next four weeks will
indicate if Houston is for real.
2) Atlanta Falcons (3-0) - Also undefeated, the Falcons are coming off
a 27-3 victory over San Diego. This week Atlanta will face the
struggling Carolina Panthers. Matt Ryan has a QB rating of 91.6 to go
along with eight TDs to start the 2012 campaign. The biggest surprise
so far for Atlanta has been tight end Tony Gonzalez. Tony G. is still
productive, reeling in a TD in each of the first three games. Gonzalez
has been spreading the field for wide receivers Roddy White and Julio
Jones, making Atlanta’s passing game one of the best in the league.
3) Arizona Cardinals (3-0) - The Cardinals are the least convincing of
the undefeated teams, but have been getting it done mostly in part to
their passing defense - ranked 7th overall. Arizona has held opponents
to a impressive 4.7 yards per pass-play. They dodged a bit of a bullet
in Week-2 against New England when the Patriots failed to convert a
game tying two-point conversion late in the fourth quarter. The
Cardinals are coming off their most convincing victory over Kevin
Kolb’s former team. Against the Philadelphia Eagles, Kolb completed 17
of 24 passes including a pair of TDs. Arizona's defense should not
have a problem against Ryan Tannehill (31.9 QB rating) and the Miami
Dolphins this week.
4) Baltimore Ravens (2-1) - Joe Flacco has been rolling and Ray Rice
is doing what he does best. Fot the first time in team history, The
Ravens have an offense that is actually better than it's defense. An
emotional Torrey Smith scored TDs less than 24 hours after the loss of
his brother in a motorcycle accident in Sundays victory over New
England. Baltimore looks to gain a lead as they host division rival,
the Cleveland Browns, in Thursday night's game of the week.
5) San Francisco 49ers (2-1) - Many believe this is the best team in
football, but after being upset by Minnesota, the 49ers have regressed
in my book. Frank Gore has been impressive averaging 5.9 yards per
rush. Michael Crabtree has converted 12 1st-downs, but has failed to
find the end-zone. Vernon Davis has been Alex Smith’s security blanket
catching four of Smith’s five TDs. San Francisco faces a Darrelle
Revis-less New York on Sunday, that should open things up for
Crabtree.
6) New York Giants (2-1) - After losing to Dallas in Week-1, the
defending Super Bowl champs bounced back with a shootout in Tampa Bay
where Eli manning exploded for 510 yards. The New York football Giants
are coming off a another victory, this time shutting down Carolina's
Cam Newton (three interceptions). With Hakeem Nicks questionable for
Sunday’s divisional match-up against Philadelphia (3rd overall passing
defense), Manning and the Giants might have a hard time getting things
done.
7) Philadelphia Eagles (2-1) - Michael Vick has thrown six picks and 3
TDs, but yet his team managed victories over Cleveland and Baltimore.
Against Arizona, Vick didn't have throw a TD or a INT, and the Eagles
failed to find the end-zone. Their upcoming game against New York will
be a good test as to what the 2012 Eagles are about.
8) Green Bay (1-2) - Even though the NFL can’t overturn the clear
interception that has tainted the Packers record, we all know what we
witnessed on Monday Night Football. The Packers don’t seem to be
moving the ball very well, but they still have Aaron Rodgers and a lot
of weapons at his disposal. Their offensive line has not been playing
up to par allowing an astonishing 16 sacks. If adjustments are made,
Green Bay can most definitely return to form. The controversial loss
to Seattle may have been the very thing that will kick start Green
Bay’s season.
9) New England Patriots (1-2) - Barely losing to Baltimore and
Arizona, New England seems to be trying to figure things out. With the
loss of TE Aaron Hernandez due to injury, The Patriots have signed WR
Deion Branch and TE Kellen Winslow. Not the power house they once were
but still a very competitive group looking for another ticket to the
playoffs.
10) Dallas Cowboys (2-1) - Tony Romo and the Cowboys came out shooting
Week-1, hit a brick wall in Seattle, and looked a bit sluggish against
Tampa Bay. But I will give Dallas the benefit of the doubt and let
them play the "Replacement Refs Had Their Hand in the This" card - 13
penalties for 105 yards. The penalties may have been the reason the
cowboys failed to produce on offense. Whether or not, the Cowboys
season will based on how the O-Line holds up and if Romo can avoid
turning the ball over.
11) New York Jets (2-1) - After three weeks, Mark Sanchez has
prevented divine intervention by keeping Tim Tebow on the bench, aside
from wild-cat formations. The loss of Darrelle Revis will definitely
affect their ability to prevent the deep-threat. Sanchez will now need
contribute more production in upcoming games against San Francisco and
Houston in the coming weeks.
12) Chicago Bears (2-1) - Jay Cutler has thrown a pick in each game
this season, including four against Green Bay in Week-2. Chicago’s
neither a defensive or offensive team, having problems on both sides
of the ball. Their biggest flaw might be the offensive line which has
allowed 11 sacks and has not been there long enough to let Jay Cutler
and his receivers to get anything done.
13) Seattle Seahawks (2-1) - Receiving a present from the replacement
refs aside, the Seahawks sit at 2-1. Mostly due to the fact that they
have managed to keep teams out of the end-zone. Seattle has allowed
the least amount of points thus far and are shutting down opposing
team's run-game. The Seahawks are dead last in passing-offense at
127.7 yards per game , but they have managed to beat Green Bay and
Dallas, and now go on the road to face St. Louis and Carolina.
14) San DIego Chargers (2-1) - San Diego dominated Oakland and
Tennessee, but come on, it's only the Raiders and Titans. Atlanta came
to San Diego and held them to just a field goal. The Chargers look to
rebound this Sunday as they head to Kansas City.
15) Denver Broncos (1-2) - After the coming out party in Week-1 for
Peyton Manning against Pittsburgh, the "Peyton Manning is Going to
Bail us Out" Kool-aid has become the beverage of choice in Denver.
Manning has been better than expected, but he is not the Manning of
old. The Broncos will need that Manning if they are going to have a
chance of winning their division.
16) Pittsburgh Steelers (1-2) - The Steel Curtain is far from being
your Father's Steel Curtain. The Steelers gave up 31 points to Denver
in Week-1 and 34 to Oakland this past Sunday. The Steelers are
suffering from injuries - Troy Polumalu and James Harrison out of the
lineup definitely opens things up for opposing offenses. The tandem of
Antonio Brown and Mike Wallace has been very productive, Big Ben has
taken nine sacks but has thrown eight TDs and only one INT.
17) Cincinnati Bengals (2-1) - After Baltimore had their way with them
in Week-1, the Bengals have won two straight, doing so scoring over 30
points both times. The onslaught stems from getting nice production
from "The Law Firm" BenJarvus Green-Ellis and having four receivers
with over 100 yards. "The Red Rifle" Andy Dalton and the Bengals have
found themselves tied for 1st in the AFC North to start the 2012
season.
18) Detroit Lions (1-2) - Detroit has the most efficient passing game
in the league at 334 passing yards per game. Calvin Johnson has over
300 yards on the season, but has only one TD. The Lions can put up
points but find themselves giving up just as many. Their defense isn't
the force it was last season, and will probably have Matt Stafford out
at least a game due to injury. Shaun Hill will have to step up big if
the Lions look to stay relevant in their division.
19) Buffalo Bills (2-1) - Fred Jackson has been out since Week-1 with
a sprained right knee, C.J. Spiller promptly put the Bills on his
back. Enter Week-4, he too is suffering from a shoulder injury,
possibly leaving Buffalo without a strong running game for the weeks
to come. Spiller is listed as doubtful and Jackson questionable. Ryan
Fitzpatrick and third-string RB Tashard Choice will need to step it up
in order to keep their winning streak alive. The Bills faces new
England looking to rebound after consecutive tough-losses.
20) Oakland Raiders (1-2) - Oakland’s offense came to life this past
Sunday against a banged up Steeler’s defense. Darrius Heyward-Bey
suffered a vicious helmet to helmet hit that landed him in the
hospital and is listed as doubtful for Sunday’s matchup against
Denver. Carson Palmer proved that he can connect with his other
receivers and is starting to look more comfortable in the pocket. The
Raiders will face a tougher defense task, and will give indication as
how far they have come since trading for Palmer last season.
21) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1-2) - Tampa Bay's defense is ranked first
against the run, but ranking dead last in passing yards, allowing
353.3 yards per game. Their offense isn’t impressive at all ranking
30th in passing yards and 21st in rushing. This teams lacks weapons
and lacks defensive play making ability. The lone bright spot has been
rookie RB Doug Martin taking over the backfield after demonstrating
the skill-set we saw in his years at Boise State.
22) Washington Redskins (1-2) - Robert Griffin III has a QB rating of
69.3, 209 rushing yards, and seven total touchdowns. Washington leads
the league in points scored but the defense hasn’t been able to hold
leads. If Washington's D could put together some stops late in the
game, the Redskins could see themselves in contention for a Wild-Card
spot if not the Division.
23) Minnesota Vikings (2-1) - Coming off a very impressive win over
San Francisco, the Vikings have a favorable schedule for the next
seven games before their Week-11 Bye. Christian Ponder has yet to
throw a pick this season and Adrian Peterson has proved all doubters
wrong.
24) Carolina Panthers (1-2) - Cam Newton has yet to show any
progression this season. Steve Smith is still proving that he is a
premier receiver in the league with six receptions of 20 yards or more
and 11 1st-down conversions. Carolina is a pass first team and the
lack of balance could be holding them back.
25) St. Louis Rams (1-2) - The magic number was six this past Sunday.
Six points and six sacks. Sam Bradford was hurried too often and was
unable to get anything going. Their offense ranks 27th in passing and
20th in rushing. Upcoming games at home against Seattle and Arizona
can give St. Louis some opportunities to figure things out with their
offensive line.
26) Kansas City Chiefs (1-2) Jamaal Charles is coming off a monster
game and has propelled the Chiefs to the Number 1 ranked rushing
offense in the league. Matt Cassel hasn’t been great with a QB rating
59.3 and four picks to go with three TDs.
27) Miami Dolphins (1-2) - Reggie Bush looks to be starting off his
season on the right foot. Ryan Tannehill has one TD, four INTs, and an
awful QB rating of 31.9. With a receiving corp made of Brian Hartline,
Davone Bess and Anthony Fasano, you can’t put all the blame on the
rookie QB. it's going to be a long season for the Dolphins, maybe they
can focus on getting a rushing title.
28) New Orleans Saints (0-3) - I feel like their record could be 3-0,
but it's not. New Orleans is suffering with out head coach Sean
Payton. Losing to Kansas City in OT and were unable to comeback
against Washington and Carolina. The Saints could be a few adjustments
away to getting back on track but who is going to make the necessary
adjustments? They face the Green Bay Packers this week, both teams
need a big win under their belt after disappointing starts to their
respective seasons.
29) Tennessee Titans (1-2) - Chris Johnson is on my fantasy teams,
feel my pain. Seriously, watching the Titans offense unable to do
anything is nauseating. They are last in rushing yards at 39 yards per
game, mostly in part that they don’t run with only 45 total attempts -
33 from Johnson. Tennessee has problems and being a one dimensional
offense isn’t helping their cause.
30) Jacksonville Jaguars (1-2) They beat Indianapolis, got crushed by
Houston, and lost in OT to Minnesota. Blaine Gabbert’s QB rating of
42.3 finds himself in a similar situation as Miami’s Tannehill, no
receivers. BUT, at least he has MJD to help carry some of the burden.
31) Indianapolis Colts (1-2) - Andrew Luck isn’t exactly going to save
the Colts all in one shot. The rookie has plenty to learn but is
working through it. Luck is second in total QBR at 82.0 just ahead of
Ben Roethlisberger and behind Matt Ryan, but ranks 26th in actual
passer rating. So the glass can be considered half full or half empty
when it comes to Luck and his rookie campaign thus far. The Colts will
go only as far as Luck can take them. (No pun intended)
32) Cleveland Browns (0-3) - Philadelphia, Cincinnati, and Buffalo to
start the season. Now Baltimore, the New York Giants, and Cincinnati
the next three weeks. 0-6 could be in the Browns' future. Brandon
Weeden isn’t exactly going light up the score board and Trent
Richardson isn’t going to put the Browns on his back and take them
anywhere, anytime soon. Scouting for their first overall pick next
year should be the main thing to focus on now for Cleveland.
-Daniel
-Jose
1) Houston Texans (3-0) - Undefeated with two very convincing road
victories under their belt, The Texans did exactly what they had to do
during their visits in Denver and Jacksonville. With a strong
running-game from the tandem of Arian Foster and Ben Tate, Houston is
looking every bit the power-house that was expected. Matt Schuab has
thrown five touchdowns - four in his last game against Denver. They
face Tennessee this week following intriguing match ups against the
New York Jets, Green bay, and Baltimore. The next four weeks will
indicate if Houston is for real.
2) Atlanta Falcons (3-0) - Also undefeated, the Falcons are coming off
a 27-3 victory over San Diego. This week Atlanta will face the
struggling Carolina Panthers. Matt Ryan has a QB rating of 91.6 to go
along with eight TDs to start the 2012 campaign. The biggest surprise
so far for Atlanta has been tight end Tony Gonzalez. Tony G. is still
productive, reeling in a TD in each of the first three games. Gonzalez
has been spreading the field for wide receivers Roddy White and Julio
Jones, making Atlanta’s passing game one of the best in the league.
3) Arizona Cardinals (3-0) - The Cardinals are the least convincing of
the undefeated teams, but have been getting it done mostly in part to
their passing defense - ranked 7th overall. Arizona has held opponents
to a impressive 4.7 yards per pass-play. They dodged a bit of a bullet
in Week-2 against New England when the Patriots failed to convert a
game tying two-point conversion late in the fourth quarter. The
Cardinals are coming off their most convincing victory over Kevin
Kolb’s former team. Against the Philadelphia Eagles, Kolb completed 17
of 24 passes including a pair of TDs. Arizona's defense should not
have a problem against Ryan Tannehill (31.9 QB rating) and the Miami
Dolphins this week.
4) Baltimore Ravens (2-1) - Joe Flacco has been rolling and Ray Rice
is doing what he does best. Fot the first time in team history, The
Ravens have an offense that is actually better than it's defense. An
emotional Torrey Smith scored TDs less than 24 hours after the loss of
his brother in a motorcycle accident in Sundays victory over New
England. Baltimore looks to gain a lead as they host division rival,
the Cleveland Browns, in Thursday night's game of the week.
5) San Francisco 49ers (2-1) - Many believe this is the best team in
football, but after being upset by Minnesota, the 49ers have regressed
in my book. Frank Gore has been impressive averaging 5.9 yards per
rush. Michael Crabtree has converted 12 1st-downs, but has failed to
find the end-zone. Vernon Davis has been Alex Smith’s security blanket
catching four of Smith’s five TDs. San Francisco faces a Darrelle
Revis-less New York on Sunday, that should open things up for
Crabtree.
6) New York Giants (2-1) - After losing to Dallas in Week-1, the
defending Super Bowl champs bounced back with a shootout in Tampa Bay
where Eli manning exploded for 510 yards. The New York football Giants
are coming off a another victory, this time shutting down Carolina's
Cam Newton (three interceptions). With Hakeem Nicks questionable for
Sunday’s divisional match-up against Philadelphia (3rd overall passing
defense), Manning and the Giants might have a hard time getting things
done.
7) Philadelphia Eagles (2-1) - Michael Vick has thrown six picks and 3
TDs, but yet his team managed victories over Cleveland and Baltimore.
Against Arizona, Vick didn't have throw a TD or a INT, and the Eagles
failed to find the end-zone. Their upcoming game against New York will
be a good test as to what the 2012 Eagles are about.
8) Green Bay (1-2) - Even though the NFL can’t overturn the clear
interception that has tainted the Packers record, we all know what we
witnessed on Monday Night Football. The Packers don’t seem to be
moving the ball very well, but they still have Aaron Rodgers and a lot
of weapons at his disposal. Their offensive line has not been playing
up to par allowing an astonishing 16 sacks. If adjustments are made,
Green Bay can most definitely return to form. The controversial loss
to Seattle may have been the very thing that will kick start Green
Bay’s season.
9) New England Patriots (1-2) - Barely losing to Baltimore and
Arizona, New England seems to be trying to figure things out. With the
loss of TE Aaron Hernandez due to injury, The Patriots have signed WR
Deion Branch and TE Kellen Winslow. Not the power house they once were
but still a very competitive group looking for another ticket to the
playoffs.
10) Dallas Cowboys (2-1) - Tony Romo and the Cowboys came out shooting
Week-1, hit a brick wall in Seattle, and looked a bit sluggish against
Tampa Bay. But I will give Dallas the benefit of the doubt and let
them play the "Replacement Refs Had Their Hand in the This" card - 13
penalties for 105 yards. The penalties may have been the reason the
cowboys failed to produce on offense. Whether or not, the Cowboys
season will based on how the O-Line holds up and if Romo can avoid
turning the ball over.
11) New York Jets (2-1) - After three weeks, Mark Sanchez has
prevented divine intervention by keeping Tim Tebow on the bench, aside
from wild-cat formations. The loss of Darrelle Revis will definitely
affect their ability to prevent the deep-threat. Sanchez will now need
contribute more production in upcoming games against San Francisco and
Houston in the coming weeks.
12) Chicago Bears (2-1) - Jay Cutler has thrown a pick in each game
this season, including four against Green Bay in Week-2. Chicago’s
neither a defensive or offensive team, having problems on both sides
of the ball. Their biggest flaw might be the offensive line which has
allowed 11 sacks and has not been there long enough to let Jay Cutler
and his receivers to get anything done.
13) Seattle Seahawks (2-1) - Receiving a present from the replacement
refs aside, the Seahawks sit at 2-1. Mostly due to the fact that they
have managed to keep teams out of the end-zone. Seattle has allowed
the least amount of points thus far and are shutting down opposing
team's run-game. The Seahawks are dead last in passing-offense at
127.7 yards per game , but they have managed to beat Green Bay and
Dallas, and now go on the road to face St. Louis and Carolina.
14) San DIego Chargers (2-1) - San Diego dominated Oakland and
Tennessee, but come on, it's only the Raiders and Titans. Atlanta came
to San Diego and held them to just a field goal. The Chargers look to
rebound this Sunday as they head to Kansas City.
15) Denver Broncos (1-2) - After the coming out party in Week-1 for
Peyton Manning against Pittsburgh, the "Peyton Manning is Going to
Bail us Out" Kool-aid has become the beverage of choice in Denver.
Manning has been better than expected, but he is not the Manning of
old. The Broncos will need that Manning if they are going to have a
chance of winning their division.
16) Pittsburgh Steelers (1-2) - The Steel Curtain is far from being
your Father's Steel Curtain. The Steelers gave up 31 points to Denver
in Week-1 and 34 to Oakland this past Sunday. The Steelers are
suffering from injuries - Troy Polumalu and James Harrison out of the
lineup definitely opens things up for opposing offenses. The tandem of
Antonio Brown and Mike Wallace has been very productive, Big Ben has
taken nine sacks but has thrown eight TDs and only one INT.
17) Cincinnati Bengals (2-1) - After Baltimore had their way with them
in Week-1, the Bengals have won two straight, doing so scoring over 30
points both times. The onslaught stems from getting nice production
from "The Law Firm" BenJarvus Green-Ellis and having four receivers
with over 100 yards. "The Red Rifle" Andy Dalton and the Bengals have
found themselves tied for 1st in the AFC North to start the 2012
season.
18) Detroit Lions (1-2) - Detroit has the most efficient passing game
in the league at 334 passing yards per game. Calvin Johnson has over
300 yards on the season, but has only one TD. The Lions can put up
points but find themselves giving up just as many. Their defense isn't
the force it was last season, and will probably have Matt Stafford out
at least a game due to injury. Shaun Hill will have to step up big if
the Lions look to stay relevant in their division.
19) Buffalo Bills (2-1) - Fred Jackson has been out since Week-1 with
a sprained right knee, C.J. Spiller promptly put the Bills on his
back. Enter Week-4, he too is suffering from a shoulder injury,
possibly leaving Buffalo without a strong running game for the weeks
to come. Spiller is listed as doubtful and Jackson questionable. Ryan
Fitzpatrick and third-string RB Tashard Choice will need to step it up
in order to keep their winning streak alive. The Bills faces new
England looking to rebound after consecutive tough-losses.
20) Oakland Raiders (1-2) - Oakland’s offense came to life this past
Sunday against a banged up Steeler’s defense. Darrius Heyward-Bey
suffered a vicious helmet to helmet hit that landed him in the
hospital and is listed as doubtful for Sunday’s matchup against
Denver. Carson Palmer proved that he can connect with his other
receivers and is starting to look more comfortable in the pocket. The
Raiders will face a tougher defense task, and will give indication as
how far they have come since trading for Palmer last season.
21) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1-2) - Tampa Bay's defense is ranked first
against the run, but ranking dead last in passing yards, allowing
353.3 yards per game. Their offense isn’t impressive at all ranking
30th in passing yards and 21st in rushing. This teams lacks weapons
and lacks defensive play making ability. The lone bright spot has been
rookie RB Doug Martin taking over the backfield after demonstrating
the skill-set we saw in his years at Boise State.
22) Washington Redskins (1-2) - Robert Griffin III has a QB rating of
69.3, 209 rushing yards, and seven total touchdowns. Washington leads
the league in points scored but the defense hasn’t been able to hold
leads. If Washington's D could put together some stops late in the
game, the Redskins could see themselves in contention for a Wild-Card
spot if not the Division.
23) Minnesota Vikings (2-1) - Coming off a very impressive win over
San Francisco, the Vikings have a favorable schedule for the next
seven games before their Week-11 Bye. Christian Ponder has yet to
throw a pick this season and Adrian Peterson has proved all doubters
wrong.
24) Carolina Panthers (1-2) - Cam Newton has yet to show any
progression this season. Steve Smith is still proving that he is a
premier receiver in the league with six receptions of 20 yards or more
and 11 1st-down conversions. Carolina is a pass first team and the
lack of balance could be holding them back.
25) St. Louis Rams (1-2) - The magic number was six this past Sunday.
Six points and six sacks. Sam Bradford was hurried too often and was
unable to get anything going. Their offense ranks 27th in passing and
20th in rushing. Upcoming games at home against Seattle and Arizona
can give St. Louis some opportunities to figure things out with their
offensive line.
26) Kansas City Chiefs (1-2) Jamaal Charles is coming off a monster
game and has propelled the Chiefs to the Number 1 ranked rushing
offense in the league. Matt Cassel hasn’t been great with a QB rating
59.3 and four picks to go with three TDs.
27) Miami Dolphins (1-2) - Reggie Bush looks to be starting off his
season on the right foot. Ryan Tannehill has one TD, four INTs, and an
awful QB rating of 31.9. With a receiving corp made of Brian Hartline,
Davone Bess and Anthony Fasano, you can’t put all the blame on the
rookie QB. it's going to be a long season for the Dolphins, maybe they
can focus on getting a rushing title.
28) New Orleans Saints (0-3) - I feel like their record could be 3-0,
but it's not. New Orleans is suffering with out head coach Sean
Payton. Losing to Kansas City in OT and were unable to comeback
against Washington and Carolina. The Saints could be a few adjustments
away to getting back on track but who is going to make the necessary
adjustments? They face the Green Bay Packers this week, both teams
need a big win under their belt after disappointing starts to their
respective seasons.
29) Tennessee Titans (1-2) - Chris Johnson is on my fantasy teams,
feel my pain. Seriously, watching the Titans offense unable to do
anything is nauseating. They are last in rushing yards at 39 yards per
game, mostly in part that they don’t run with only 45 total attempts -
33 from Johnson. Tennessee has problems and being a one dimensional
offense isn’t helping their cause.
30) Jacksonville Jaguars (1-2) They beat Indianapolis, got crushed by
Houston, and lost in OT to Minnesota. Blaine Gabbert’s QB rating of
42.3 finds himself in a similar situation as Miami’s Tannehill, no
receivers. BUT, at least he has MJD to help carry some of the burden.
31) Indianapolis Colts (1-2) - Andrew Luck isn’t exactly going to save
the Colts all in one shot. The rookie has plenty to learn but is
working through it. Luck is second in total QBR at 82.0 just ahead of
Ben Roethlisberger and behind Matt Ryan, but ranks 26th in actual
passer rating. So the glass can be considered half full or half empty
when it comes to Luck and his rookie campaign thus far. The Colts will
go only as far as Luck can take them. (No pun intended)
32) Cleveland Browns (0-3) - Philadelphia, Cincinnati, and Buffalo to
start the season. Now Baltimore, the New York Giants, and Cincinnati
the next three weeks. 0-6 could be in the Browns' future. Brandon
Weeden isn’t exactly going light up the score board and Trent
Richardson isn’t going to put the Browns on his back and take them
anywhere, anytime soon. Scouting for their first overall pick next
year should be the main thing to focus on now for Cleveland.
-Daniel
-Jose
Wednesday, September 26, 2012
Jose's First Volleyball Game
Fun is Key for Apple Valley
The Apple Valley volleyball team is using the banner hanging in their gym as motivation to add a league championship to the school’s volleyball banner. The school hasn’t accomplished that feat since 1996.
The Sun Devils beat Serrano 3-1 in a Mojave River League match. The Diamondbacks took a 1-0 lead after winning the first set 25-20. Apple Valley didn’t have answer for Serrano’s Savannah Ekis. Ekis led the team with seven kills, Annie Smolenski added three in the first set.
A bit of controversy in the second set tied the score at 24-24, when a point was awarded to Serrano (3-1) after the Sun Devils’ Morgan Lyneis was ruled a late substitution. Apple Valley took the lead after a kill from Lyneis. Lauren Coffee won the set after scoring an ace to even the match 1-1.
The Sun Devils (4-0 MRL) rode the momentum with a 25-23 third-set win capped with a kill from Courtney Klein.
Apple Valley didn’t let up in the fourth and final set after taking a 4-3 lead. Klein managed four straight aces to put the Sun Devils up 15-8, sending the home crowd wild.
After a game winning spike from Sydni Ulibarri, the Sun Devils celebrated at center court. The team and their coach Casie Brooks did something not many teams do with their coach — they were having fun, while still keeping the competitive edge. The team gathered up and did a special dance inspired by the Green Bay Packers.
“I watch football, and everyone knows Aaron Rodgers’ ‘Discount Double-Check’. And they know (B.J.) Raji State Farm (commercial)” said Brooks. “We’ve been having problems with our energy, and just having fun, and them getting serious with working out. So I kind of wanted to make it fun for the girls and I brought in the ‘Discount Double-Check’ and the Raji dance. I told them they better do it tonight. It brought some fun and we’re going to keep doing it.”
The Sun Devils had fun playing, and their hard work paid off. Ulibarri and Lyneis ended the match with double digit kills, Ulibarri with 14 and Lyneis with 11 — Klein ended with nine kills, one block, and and five aces.
Serrano’s Elers ended her night with 14 kills, Nohelly Brown led the D-Backs with 19 kills in a game where the team commited 19 errors — four more than Apple Valley.
The win was huge for the Sun Devils in their quest for the league championship. It was the first victory for Apple Valley over the Diamondback in the last six contests.
“To have that win makes all the work that we’ve put in all these years, the late-night practices, working at home practicing, all come together,” Klein said. “It feels so good to have that win.”
“It was all mental in our head, and we wanted this. We wanted the game, we all knew we wanted it and came together as a team.”
Serrano looks to rebound when the travel to face Sultana on Thursday. Apple Valley hosts Hesperia on Thursday in the hopes to keep the quest for the league championship alive.
Tuesday, September 25, 2012
Jose's Fantasy Football Column for the Daily Press
It’s about time I start a column talking about a running back other than C.J. Spiller. Did you see Kansas City’s Jamaal Charles carrying the ball 33 times for 233 yards coming? I certainly didn’t.
Charles got so many touches because Peyton Hillis left the game with an ankle injury. Charles is a good option at RB, just don’t expect that kind of performance again.
Congratulations to Washington’s Alfred Morris on surviving the “Alfred Morris Three Weeks of Consistency Countdown.” The rookie’s Week 3 stat line of 17 carries for 78 yards and a touchdown is worthy of keeping the streak alive. Morris now has 263 yards and three TDs on the season.
Before the season started, a reader sent us an email predicting Morris as the biggest sleeper of the season. Jose Sanchez, the Daily Press proudly awards you with the inaugural “Deepest Sleeper Ever” award.
How did Buffalo’s “Fool’s Gold” Spiller fare this week? He had four carries for 16 yards and caught two passes for 42 yards, including a 32-yard TD, before leaving the game with a shoulder injury. If you took my advice of trading him, I accept PayPal payments.
Early indications are pointing to Spiller sitting out this week against New England. Fred Jackson has been progressing faster than expected from a sprained right knee ligament, but might not be ready this week. If neither are able to suit up, Tashard Choice will get the call. Choice filled in for Spiller and carried the ball 20 times for 91 yards against Cleveland.
Is it just me, or do you think there’s something special in the water in Buffalo? Possibly some of the “Mike’s Secret Stuff” that Bugs Bunny gave to his team in the film “Space Jam”?
New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning didn’t have the big game I anticipated against Carolina, but it was mostly due to the lopsided score and the emergence of RB Andre Brown. Manning torched the Panthers’ defense in the first half for 208 yards, including a 14-yard touchdown pass to Martellus Bennett to finish the Giants’ first drive of the game. Manning finished with 288 yards, the lone TD, and didn’t throw an interception.
Atlanta hosts the Panthers this week. As easy as it is to point to any QB going up against the Panthers’ defense, this is a dream matchup. I just love Matt Ryan’s chances against one of the worst defenses in the league. Matty Ice is coming off a 275-yard, three-TD performance against San Diego. The Falcons have been airing the ball out and should continue to do so against Carolina.
This week’s hottest pickup will be the Giants’ Brown. He followed a strong Week 2 performance with 20 carries for 113 yards and two TDs. But it was against Carolina. Ahmad Bradshaw has been cleared to return to practice this week and is expected to retain his starting gig. New York heads to Philadelphia for a tough divisional matchup and the Eagles’ defense hasn’t been very good. With Manning spreading the field, whoever the Giants have in the backfield should have a productive game. Even if the injury-prone Bradshaw plays this week, Brown should be worth a spot on your bench.
Personally, if I’m going to make a claim on a RB it’s going to be Detroit’s Mike LeShoure. The second-round pick finally made his NFL debut after missing the 2011 season due to a torn Achillies tendon, then getting suspended for the first two games of this season for violating the league’s substance abuse policy. The Lions host Minnesota this week and LeShoure, coming off a 100-yard performance, is worth a shot given the injuries in the Lions’ backfield.
I think the best pickup will be Giants tight end Martellus Bennett, who is turning into one of Manning’s favorite red zone targets. The 6-foot-6 TE is a perfect red zone target and has proven capable of reeling in Manning’s passes. Through three games, Bennett has 185 yards and three touchdowns. He’s been heavily involved in the Giants’ offense and should be a viable option to start, or a good bench option if you already have a good TE.
I haven’t focused much on special team/defenses because I feel they aren’t all that important as waiver wire pickups. But if you need a defensive improvement, Arizona — which held Philadelphia to just two field goals — should fit the bill. Through three games, the Cardinals have allowed 206 passing yards per game — the seventh fewest in the NFL. They’ve forced five fumbles, recovered four and have two interceptions.
Charles got so many touches because Peyton Hillis left the game with an ankle injury. Charles is a good option at RB, just don’t expect that kind of performance again.
Congratulations to Washington’s Alfred Morris on surviving the “Alfred Morris Three Weeks of Consistency Countdown.” The rookie’s Week 3 stat line of 17 carries for 78 yards and a touchdown is worthy of keeping the streak alive. Morris now has 263 yards and three TDs on the season.
Before the season started, a reader sent us an email predicting Morris as the biggest sleeper of the season. Jose Sanchez, the Daily Press proudly awards you with the inaugural “Deepest Sleeper Ever” award.
How did Buffalo’s “Fool’s Gold” Spiller fare this week? He had four carries for 16 yards and caught two passes for 42 yards, including a 32-yard TD, before leaving the game with a shoulder injury. If you took my advice of trading him, I accept PayPal payments.
Early indications are pointing to Spiller sitting out this week against New England. Fred Jackson has been progressing faster than expected from a sprained right knee ligament, but might not be ready this week. If neither are able to suit up, Tashard Choice will get the call. Choice filled in for Spiller and carried the ball 20 times for 91 yards against Cleveland.
Is it just me, or do you think there’s something special in the water in Buffalo? Possibly some of the “Mike’s Secret Stuff” that Bugs Bunny gave to his team in the film “Space Jam”?
New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning didn’t have the big game I anticipated against Carolina, but it was mostly due to the lopsided score and the emergence of RB Andre Brown. Manning torched the Panthers’ defense in the first half for 208 yards, including a 14-yard touchdown pass to Martellus Bennett to finish the Giants’ first drive of the game. Manning finished with 288 yards, the lone TD, and didn’t throw an interception.
Atlanta hosts the Panthers this week. As easy as it is to point to any QB going up against the Panthers’ defense, this is a dream matchup. I just love Matt Ryan’s chances against one of the worst defenses in the league. Matty Ice is coming off a 275-yard, three-TD performance against San Diego. The Falcons have been airing the ball out and should continue to do so against Carolina.
This week’s hottest pickup will be the Giants’ Brown. He followed a strong Week 2 performance with 20 carries for 113 yards and two TDs. But it was against Carolina. Ahmad Bradshaw has been cleared to return to practice this week and is expected to retain his starting gig. New York heads to Philadelphia for a tough divisional matchup and the Eagles’ defense hasn’t been very good. With Manning spreading the field, whoever the Giants have in the backfield should have a productive game. Even if the injury-prone Bradshaw plays this week, Brown should be worth a spot on your bench.
Personally, if I’m going to make a claim on a RB it’s going to be Detroit’s Mike LeShoure. The second-round pick finally made his NFL debut after missing the 2011 season due to a torn Achillies tendon, then getting suspended for the first two games of this season for violating the league’s substance abuse policy. The Lions host Minnesota this week and LeShoure, coming off a 100-yard performance, is worth a shot given the injuries in the Lions’ backfield.
I think the best pickup will be Giants tight end Martellus Bennett, who is turning into one of Manning’s favorite red zone targets. The 6-foot-6 TE is a perfect red zone target and has proven capable of reeling in Manning’s passes. Through three games, Bennett has 185 yards and three touchdowns. He’s been heavily involved in the Giants’ offense and should be a viable option to start, or a good bench option if you already have a good TE.
I haven’t focused much on special team/defenses because I feel they aren’t all that important as waiver wire pickups. But if you need a defensive improvement, Arizona — which held Philadelphia to just two field goals — should fit the bill. Through three games, the Cardinals have allowed 206 passing yards per game — the seventh fewest in the NFL. They’ve forced five fumbles, recovered four and have two interceptions.
Monday, September 24, 2012
House Rules
"Cause the house always wins. Play long enough, you never change the stakes. The house takes you. Unless, when that perfect hand comes along, you bet and you bet big, then you take the house.” -Danny Ocean from the film Oceans 11
The NFL is the most popular of all American sports due to the fact that it draws so much wagering. Gambling wether legal or illegal has become very popular from the office pools, to the straight up bets amongst friends, even the common fantasy league has some kind of cash prize at the end of the season. I can be sitting down on a Sunday watching multiple games needing someone to cover a four-point spread, but keep the total under 45 all while rooting for players on my fantasy league to come up big. It’s turned the game into a chaos of mixed emotions, all while making it much more exciting.
I’m writing this to open up your eyes to the world of gambling, not to turn you into a degenerate. I plan to give you enough knowledge to add another element to your football experience. With Las Vegas a few hours away from SoCal, sometimes I like to take a trip and lay some bets down and enjoy what the sportsbooks have to offer. So if you’ve never placed a bet in a casino this what you will need to know in order to place a few dollars on your favorite team.
The Spread
The point-spread at first glance can be confusing and difficult to understand.The point-spread was created to level the game out. Sometimes a team is clearly far superior to their opponent, by giving a favored team a negative start to the game-essentially what is being created is a coin flip. When betting against the spread you are gaining points or losing points to start the game. In all instances where points are involved, the “favorite’ is losing points at the start of the game or it can be interpreted as the “underdog” is gaining points to start the game. In some instances there is not a spread and the line is left at 0 known as a “Pick Em” because essentially all you are doing is just picking a winner straight up, with no points involved.
EXAMPLE
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8:30 PM ET
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Green Bay -3.5 (-120)
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Seattle +3.5 (-110)
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Here, Green Bay is a three and a half point favorite. The best way to understand, the game starts off Green Bay down by three and a half points. Let’s say the final score was Green Bay 27, Seattle 24 - Seattle would be the winning outcome, since they got the half point to cover in their favor. So really the betting outcome is Green Bay 27 Seattle 27.5
Another example, if the line wasn’t -3.5 for Green Bay, rather it was
just minus-three, and the same outcome of Green Bay 27, Seattle 24, it's neither a win or a loss. Since the actual outcome results Green Bay 27, Seattle 27, this is known as a push - exactly like in BlackJack when the dealer and the player hold the same outcome. Here, you don’t win any money nor do you lose any money. In order to bet Green Bay -3.5 or minus-three and win, Green Bay just needs to cover by four points so any outcome of Green Bay winning by four points is a win. One thing to remember the bookmakers always make you bet at a price which is what they call, "juice above". If you bet on Green Bay -3.5 the (-120)
indicates you will have to bet $120 to make $100. If you bet Seattle +3.5 the (-110), you will have to bet $110 to make $100. The juice can vary depending on how much is coming in on either side.
just minus-three, and the same outcome of Green Bay 27, Seattle 24, it's neither a win or a loss. Since the actual outcome results Green Bay 27, Seattle 27, this is known as a push - exactly like in BlackJack when the dealer and the player hold the same outcome. Here, you don’t win any money nor do you lose any money. In order to bet Green Bay -3.5 or minus-three and win, Green Bay just needs to cover by four points so any outcome of Green Bay winning by four points is a win. One thing to remember the bookmakers always make you bet at a price which is what they call, "juice above". If you bet on Green Bay -3.5 the (-120)
indicates you will have to bet $120 to make $100. If you bet Seattle +3.5 the (-110), you will have to bet $110 to make $100. The juice can vary depending on how much is coming in on either side.
THE OVER/UNDER
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8:30 PM ET
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Over/Under 45.5
Over-110
Under-125
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The OVER/UNDER is the easiest of the lines to understand. It is a line predicting where both teams combined points will result in. Again, for example, Green Bay 14, Seattle 21, the total combined points of both teams is 35. The line is 45.5 so 35 is considered under. As shown above, over 45.5 indicates that you can bet on either over 45.5 total points or under. So if you bet on the over, any total of 46 and above will result in a win. If you bet the under, any total of 45 and lower will result in a win. When the line has a half point as the one above does the outcomes are only a win or loss. When the over/under line doesn't have a half point (for example, the line is at 50) outcomes can be a win, loss, or push.
Betting on the over/under line can very fun as you are rooting for either a high score or a low score. It is very easy to be burned by this, as occasionally some teams score a meaningless touchdown at the end of the game that can ruin your bet. Also, keep in mind that over/under bets have a juice on them as well.
The MONEY LINE
(EXAMPLE OF WHAT A MONEY LINE MIGHT LOOK LIKE)
NEW ENGLAND -160
BUFFALO +140
The money-line is basically a pick 'em. You pick who you believe is going to win the game, straight up, no point-spread. Seems easy. Right? However there is a catch because sometimes it is easy for us to just pick a favorite. Usually, the probability of winning would be high, bookmakers aren’t going to just give money away. That would be too simple and flat out dumb on their part. That is where the money-line kicks in, which means you can pick the winner, but the risk is higher. Above New England -160 indicates that you will be paid $100 for every $160 you bet on New England to win. Buffalo however is +140, which means you will be paid $140 for every $100 you bet on Buffalo. On heavy-favorites, the lines can reach -500 and even higher. Making it a bit more discouraging to bet huge dollar amounts just to make 100. This benefits bookmakers because if they get large amounts of dollars on the favorite and the underdog pulls off an upset, they stand to make large amounts of money. If the favorite wins essentially they are only paying out cents on the dollar.
Now that I have explained the three common bets on a football game, these bets also
apply to other sports. The money-lines vary and the spreads accordingly for each sport's scoring systems. Other things that can be bet on are what's called a "proposition bet", better known as “props”. You can bet on an individual players performance. For example, Calvin Johnson, Wide Receiver, OVER/UNDER 97.5 Yards. Prop bets are most popular on bigger games like playoff games and particularly the Super Bowl.
Ridiculous props such as - How long will Christina Aguilera hold the note on "brave" while singing the National Anthem, or what color Gatorade will the winning coach get showered in. Yes, this stuff exists. I will be doing more articles on gambling. I just wanted our readers to get familiar with gambling. I love to do predictions and will start today with my pick for tonight - Green Bay by 3 over 45.
apply to other sports. The money-lines vary and the spreads accordingly for each sport's scoring systems. Other things that can be bet on are what's called a "proposition bet", better known as “props”. You can bet on an individual players performance. For example, Calvin Johnson, Wide Receiver, OVER/UNDER 97.5 Yards. Prop bets are most popular on bigger games like playoff games and particularly the Super Bowl.
Ridiculous props such as - How long will Christina Aguilera hold the note on "brave" while singing the National Anthem, or what color Gatorade will the winning coach get showered in. Yes, this stuff exists. I will be doing more articles on gambling. I just wanted our readers to get familiar with gambling. I love to do predictions and will start today with my pick for tonight - Green Bay by 3 over 45.
-Daniel
A Small Biased Weekend Recap
First and foremost, I want to say may Corrie Sanders rest in peace. The former heavyweight champion was shot to death in South Africa during a robbery. Sander's finest hour in the Boxing ring came in 2003, when he upset and knocked out Wladimir Klitschko. Say "hello" to Bert Sugar and Joe Fraizer for us, Corrie.
Tragedy aside, what an eventful weekend of sports. The San Francisco Giants and the Cincinnati Reds clinched their respective divisions. The New Orleans Saints are now 0-3 in a season without head coach Sean Payton. Kansas City Chiefs' running back Jamaal Charles quieted the naysayers with a brilliant 233 rushing yards on 33 carries performance. The Baltimore Ravens rallied to beat the New England Patriots by a last minute field goal. I wonder if Billy Cundiff was watching the prime-time game?
Ravens' wide receiver Torrey Smith put on a performance of a lifetime on what was a painful night for him and his family. Early Sunday, morning Smith received a call letting him know his brother was killed in a motorcycle accident. Smith rushed to his family and let his team know he wanted to play tonight. It was a performance that brought back memories of the game Brett Favre played in after his father's death against the Oakland Raiders. Smith caught six passes for 127 yards and one touchdown. His 5-yard touchdown pulled the Ravens to within a score at 30-28 in the fourth quarter. After the game an emotional Smith was consoled by Ray Lewis on the field. A very heart warming image.
Speaking of dramatic finishes, the Detroit Lions and the Tennessee Titans went into overtime. Titans' kicker Rob Bironas kicked a 26-yard field goal to give the Titans a 44-41 victory. Tennessee blew a 20-9 halftime lead and became the first NFL team to score five touchdowns of 60-yards or longer in a game. Shaun Hill filled in for Matt Stafford after Stafford left the game with a strained right leg muscle. Hill tied the game after a 46-yard "Hail-Mary" that was tipped from Titans' linebacker Akeem Ayers into the hands of Titus Young at the end of regulation.
The Pittsburgh Steelers and Raiders game lacked the emotion of the prime-time game, but was a nail biter. Daaaaa Raaaaaidaz (you have to say that in a Chris Berman voice) upset the Troy Polomalu-less Steelers with a 34-31 victory. Oakland's WR Darrius Heyward-Bey was carted off the field after taking a hard shot to the head from Ryan Mundy. ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter reported that doctors do not believe Heyward-Bey suffered a concussion, rather a neck injury that will require further testing Monday. Let's hope Heyward-Bey's playing days are not over.
I wont even get into my damn Philadelphia Eagles' shellacking. The Cardinals improved to 3-0 after a 27-6 clipping of the Eagles.
Over on the MLB side of things, The Los Angeles Dodgers salvaged the series in Cincinnati with a 5-3 victory. Dodgers' ace Clayton Kershaw returned to the mound and was effective if not shaky in five innings of work. The southpaw gave up five hits, five walks, five strikeouts, all in five innings. What an odd night of work. Adrian Gonzalez' bat finally showed signs of life with a two home run night. The Dodgers' offense displayed it's depth in the seventh inning when they scored four runs, started by a lead-off home run from Gonzalez. Shortstop Hanley Ramirez fouled a pitch off his left leg in the inning, after shaking off the hit, Ramirez singled to left only to hobble down to first base. Dee Gordon pinch ran and replaced Ramirez. Gordon made a costly error in the eighth inning sailing a throw into the first row of stands on a routine grounder. The error led to a massive-shot off the bat of Dennis Phipps, making his second career start.
With the win, the Dodgers keep pace in the NL Wild Card race, trailing the St. Louis Cardinals by three games with nine games left on their schedule. The Dodgers head to San Diego on Tuesday for three games against the Padres, they head home for the final home stand against the Colorado Rockies and Giants.
Saturday, September 22, 2012
My Night Covering a High School Football Game
"What a success story, when the film plays it gets less gory." - Joe Budden
6:15 p.m. - I arrived to Oak Hills High School earlier than usual since I had never been there. I realize, I got there far too early when kick-off is at 7 p.m. So I hang out in my car and text back somebody special. (Yes, you)
6:30 p.m. - I make my way into the stadium, get in for free with my press badge, use my charm when the Mom in charge of the booster club didn't want to give me a free program. I found both head coaches and made my way to introduce myself to them. Tonight, I happened to run into my old coach from my short-lived playing days in high school.
6:45 p.m. - I make sure i have my rosters, my stat sheets, my notebook, different color pens (when I keep play-by-play, I use different color pens to show which team has possession of the ball), make sure I have all my "tools of the trade". I posted a picture via Facebook and gave my prediction of the outcome of the game. I predicted - Oak Hills would win the game by 35.
7 p.m. - As kick-off approaches, I met up with a co-worker who happens to be covering the game for the Daily Press (I cover games for the Sun, but intern at the Daily Press). Chat about the game and wait for the kick-off.
7:13 p.m. - A.B. Miller jumps out to a 7-0 lead, wide receiver Kieth Moorefield caps off a 79 yard drive with a one-yard touchdown run.
7:19 p.m. - Miller promptly scores again, this time on a 26-yard pass from Michael Watkins to Rashaun Moore. 14-0 Miller.
7:25 p.m. - Well, what do you know? Miller is up 21-0 after Watkins connected with Moorfield with a 57-yard pass. Boy am I looking silly picking Oak Hills, and with a margin of 35 points.
8:14 p.m. - Halftime. I shake my head wondering where is the relentless Oak Hills defense I had heard so much about entering tonight's game?
8:19 p.m. - I tally up my first half stats, and I start writing out my capsule. I have found the easiest method to writing my capsule is to start as much of it I can as a draft in my email and use my phone on the sidelines to fill in as the game progresses. I tally up my stats and Miller's quarterback already has 227 throwing yards.
8:40 p.m. - Oak Hills gets on the board four minutes into the second half. Gino Masandrea muffs a punt, then picks it up at his team's 41 yard line. He shakes and bakes, gets a few blocks, and burns the punter as he sprints into the endzone, sending the home crowd into a frenzy. 21-7 Miller.
8:44 p.m. - Oak Hills' strong saftey, Phillip Hernandez picks off Watkins.
8:53 p.m. - Sophomore running back DeZhontaey Flecher finds the end-zone after a one yard run to chip Miller's lead to seven. 21-14 Miller
9:01 p.m. - Masandrea reels in a 34-yard touchdown pass from Nolan Brammer to tie game at 21
9:09 p.m. - Watkins finds his favorite receiver, Marte Witt for a 18-yard touchdown after driving the Rebels from their own 20-yard line. 28-21 Miller.
9:14 p.m. - Two plays into the Bulldogs' following drive, Flecher burns through the Rebels' defense for a 74-yard TD run, tying the game at 28 with 9:13 left on the play clock. Ladies and gentlemen, we have ourselves a football game here.
9:20 p.m - Watkins tries to run the ball but is tackled by Kennedy Emesibe, the football comes loose, and Austin Beltrame runs back the fumble 36 yards, giving the Bulldogs their first lead of the contest. 35:28 Oak Hills.
9:25 p.m. - With 7:41 left on the clock, Hernandez completes his second pick of the game at the Rebels' 25 yard-line.
9:27 p.m. - The first play of the drive, Flecher carries the ball into the endzone, only to have the play called back due to a block in the backfield.
9:32 p.m. - Josh Goodman connects on a 33-yard field goal with 4:50 left on the clock, cushioning the Bulldogs' lead. 38-28.
9:38 p.m. - Watkins leads the Rebels down to the Oak Hills' 21-yard line. He throws his fourth pick of the game, and third to Phillip Hernandez.
9:39 p.m. - with 2;06 left on the clock, and the ball on the Bulldogs' own 3-yard line, Flecher bounces off his tackle, and torches the Rebels' defense again. This time setting a school recored, the 97-yard TD run is the longest in the school's short history. Suddenly the game is out of the reach of the Rebels. 45-28 Oak Hills.
9:44 p.m. - with 3 seconds left on the clock, Watkins connects with Witt again for a 32-yard TD, ending the game with a score that sounds better than losing by 17. Final score - Oak Hills 45, Miller 34.
9:46 p.m. - now is the time I start to tally up my stats, and start piecing together my capsule together in my head. My final numbers for the game were; The Rebels' QB, Michael Watkins threw for 471 yards including four touchdowns. Wide receiver Marte Witt reeled in 11 passes for 213 yards - The Bulldog's sophomore RB Fletcher ran the ball for 221 yards and three touchdowns, including a school-record 97-yard TD. Senior strong safety Phillip Hernandez ended the game with three interceptions.
9:52 p.m. - Once Oak Hills' coach Robert Kistner addressed the team it was time to interview him. I came away with this interesting quote. "At halftime we told our boys, we have to go out there and see how much heart we have and come out as a team. Down by 21, it would be easy to fold our tents, but these guys showed how much heart they have tonight. Our defense made adjustments,and we battled through injuries. Our back-ups of the back-ups were playing. We had the sophomores Flecher and Gino both step up big tonight. We have a saying, 'start them young, raise them right'. That's what we did tonight."
9:58 p.m. - I rush back to my car and start on my capsule. My deadline of 10:15 is quickly approaching. I realize I'm not going to make my deadline, but I realize I got to watch a great game. So what if my capsule doesn't make tomorrow's paper, it will be online anyways. I bust my but, looking through my important stats, scoring plays, key moments. Anything that will give my capsule some personality. (My editors don't happen to like personality in the capsules. They want it direct, bland, and to the point.) I don't know if you can tell by reading my previous blog entries, but I'm not bland and I feel my writing never lacks personality.
10:21 p.m. - I missed my deadline by six minutes. I didn't feel like it was my best work, I felt rushed, but I got the job done. I look up and realize I'm sitting in a dark and empty parking lot. Mostly everybody has left. I get a call from my sister, she needs a ride home. Lucky me, brotherly duties. And to top it off, my phone dies just as I hang up with her. I have a long drive home, and no Pandora to listen to. I turn up the volume on my cd player and guess what is blaring through the speakers. If you guessed Taylor Swift, you know me far too well.
-Jose
6:15 p.m. - I arrived to Oak Hills High School earlier than usual since I had never been there. I realize, I got there far too early when kick-off is at 7 p.m. So I hang out in my car and text back somebody special. (Yes, you)
6:30 p.m. - I make my way into the stadium, get in for free with my press badge, use my charm when the Mom in charge of the booster club didn't want to give me a free program. I found both head coaches and made my way to introduce myself to them. Tonight, I happened to run into my old coach from my short-lived playing days in high school.
6:45 p.m. - I make sure i have my rosters, my stat sheets, my notebook, different color pens (when I keep play-by-play, I use different color pens to show which team has possession of the ball), make sure I have all my "tools of the trade". I posted a picture via Facebook and gave my prediction of the outcome of the game. I predicted - Oak Hills would win the game by 35.
7 p.m. - As kick-off approaches, I met up with a co-worker who happens to be covering the game for the Daily Press (I cover games for the Sun, but intern at the Daily Press). Chat about the game and wait for the kick-off.
7:13 p.m. - A.B. Miller jumps out to a 7-0 lead, wide receiver Kieth Moorefield caps off a 79 yard drive with a one-yard touchdown run.
7:19 p.m. - Miller promptly scores again, this time on a 26-yard pass from Michael Watkins to Rashaun Moore. 14-0 Miller.
7:25 p.m. - Well, what do you know? Miller is up 21-0 after Watkins connected with Moorfield with a 57-yard pass. Boy am I looking silly picking Oak Hills, and with a margin of 35 points.
8:14 p.m. - Halftime. I shake my head wondering where is the relentless Oak Hills defense I had heard so much about entering tonight's game?
8:19 p.m. - I tally up my first half stats, and I start writing out my capsule. I have found the easiest method to writing my capsule is to start as much of it I can as a draft in my email and use my phone on the sidelines to fill in as the game progresses. I tally up my stats and Miller's quarterback already has 227 throwing yards.
8:40 p.m. - Oak Hills gets on the board four minutes into the second half. Gino Masandrea muffs a punt, then picks it up at his team's 41 yard line. He shakes and bakes, gets a few blocks, and burns the punter as he sprints into the endzone, sending the home crowd into a frenzy. 21-7 Miller.
8:44 p.m. - Oak Hills' strong saftey, Phillip Hernandez picks off Watkins.
8:53 p.m. - Sophomore running back DeZhontaey Flecher finds the end-zone after a one yard run to chip Miller's lead to seven. 21-14 Miller
9:01 p.m. - Masandrea reels in a 34-yard touchdown pass from Nolan Brammer to tie game at 21
9:09 p.m. - Watkins finds his favorite receiver, Marte Witt for a 18-yard touchdown after driving the Rebels from their own 20-yard line. 28-21 Miller.
9:14 p.m. - Two plays into the Bulldogs' following drive, Flecher burns through the Rebels' defense for a 74-yard TD run, tying the game at 28 with 9:13 left on the play clock. Ladies and gentlemen, we have ourselves a football game here.
9:20 p.m - Watkins tries to run the ball but is tackled by Kennedy Emesibe, the football comes loose, and Austin Beltrame runs back the fumble 36 yards, giving the Bulldogs their first lead of the contest. 35:28 Oak Hills.
9:25 p.m. - With 7:41 left on the clock, Hernandez completes his second pick of the game at the Rebels' 25 yard-line.
9:27 p.m. - The first play of the drive, Flecher carries the ball into the endzone, only to have the play called back due to a block in the backfield.
9:32 p.m. - Josh Goodman connects on a 33-yard field goal with 4:50 left on the clock, cushioning the Bulldogs' lead. 38-28.
9:38 p.m. - Watkins leads the Rebels down to the Oak Hills' 21-yard line. He throws his fourth pick of the game, and third to Phillip Hernandez.
9:39 p.m. - with 2;06 left on the clock, and the ball on the Bulldogs' own 3-yard line, Flecher bounces off his tackle, and torches the Rebels' defense again. This time setting a school recored, the 97-yard TD run is the longest in the school's short history. Suddenly the game is out of the reach of the Rebels. 45-28 Oak Hills.
9:44 p.m. - with 3 seconds left on the clock, Watkins connects with Witt again for a 32-yard TD, ending the game with a score that sounds better than losing by 17. Final score - Oak Hills 45, Miller 34.
9:46 p.m. - now is the time I start to tally up my stats, and start piecing together my capsule together in my head. My final numbers for the game were; The Rebels' QB, Michael Watkins threw for 471 yards including four touchdowns. Wide receiver Marte Witt reeled in 11 passes for 213 yards - The Bulldog's sophomore RB Fletcher ran the ball for 221 yards and three touchdowns, including a school-record 97-yard TD. Senior strong safety Phillip Hernandez ended the game with three interceptions.
9:52 p.m. - Once Oak Hills' coach Robert Kistner addressed the team it was time to interview him. I came away with this interesting quote. "At halftime we told our boys, we have to go out there and see how much heart we have and come out as a team. Down by 21, it would be easy to fold our tents, but these guys showed how much heart they have tonight. Our defense made adjustments,and we battled through injuries. Our back-ups of the back-ups were playing. We had the sophomores Flecher and Gino both step up big tonight. We have a saying, 'start them young, raise them right'. That's what we did tonight."
9:58 p.m. - I rush back to my car and start on my capsule. My deadline of 10:15 is quickly approaching. I realize I'm not going to make my deadline, but I realize I got to watch a great game. So what if my capsule doesn't make tomorrow's paper, it will be online anyways. I bust my but, looking through my important stats, scoring plays, key moments. Anything that will give my capsule some personality. (My editors don't happen to like personality in the capsules. They want it direct, bland, and to the point.) I don't know if you can tell by reading my previous blog entries, but I'm not bland and I feel my writing never lacks personality.
10:21 p.m. - I missed my deadline by six minutes. I didn't feel like it was my best work, I felt rushed, but I got the job done. I look up and realize I'm sitting in a dark and empty parking lot. Mostly everybody has left. I get a call from my sister, she needs a ride home. Lucky me, brotherly duties. And to top it off, my phone dies just as I hang up with her. I have a long drive home, and no Pandora to listen to. I turn up the volume on my cd player and guess what is blaring through the speakers. If you guessed Taylor Swift, you know me far too well.
-Jose
Friday, September 21, 2012
The Number 27
My Thoughts About It’s Impact On The 2012 MLB Season in SoCal
My Thoughts About It’s Impact On The 2012 MLB Season in SoCal
Entering the 2012 season I swore that there was no better player than Matt Kemp that his ability to swing past the fences and steal bases was going to get him the NL MVP and Triple Crown. He looked every bit of the five-tool speedy slugger he has been advertised to be. With a torrid start putting up arguably the greatest April in baseball history. Finishing with 417 AVG/.490OBP/.893 SLG, 25 RBIs, 12HRs, 24 Runs, and 2 stolen bases.
Kemp was on pace to be a legitimate threat at being the first triple crown winner since Carl Yastrzemski in 1967. Unfortunately Kemp suffered a hamstring injury that landed him a few stints on the DL making his run at the 50/50 club impossible.
During Kemp’s visit to the DL just a few miles outside of Los Angeles county limits there was another #27 doing it big. A 20 year old Rookie was stealing bases and hitting homers. Not to mention stealing home runs in the outfield. As a rookie that missed nearly the entire month of April, Trout leads the Majors in steals, runs, and is currently the runner up for the batting title. His most ridiculous stat his WAR (Wins Above Replacement) of 10.1. Trout's WAR nearly double that of the current runner up.
The Rookie of the Year is a lock. The American League MVP - maybe? Trout has a chance to reach the 30/30 club this year and shows potential of making it to the 40/40 club in the years to come.
I’ve been following both players very closely. As much as I hate watching the Los Angeles Angels of Anahiem. I now spend my evenings flipping between Vin Scully telling me about which farm the current pitcher grew up on, answering the Aflac trivia question of the night, and watching Mike Trout's at-bats. At 20 years old I believe there is nothing he can’t accomplish.
I love the fact that he has out shined the over-paid Albert Pujols and single handedly brought down the annoying “El Hombre” billboards that where supposed to get the hispanics in Los Angeles intrigued to watch an Angels game. Trout isn’t the best hitter, he is the best player. He gets my vote for AL MVP. Yes, over Miguel Cabrera and his near Triple Crown. Why? Because Trout leads baseball in the two most important statistical categories WAR( Wins Above Replacement) and Runs.
Why are these the two most important statistical categories? Because WAR is a true statistic that measures a players actual value compared to his peers. Runs are important because that's what decides a ball game not BA, HR, or OBP - those are statistics to gauge a hitters ability at the plate.
So give Miguel Cabrera the batting title the silver slugger award he’s definitely earned them. Give Trout the MVP he’s definitely proven that no one is more valuable than him.
Ask any GM in Baseball if they can start all over today and select one player to have right now as the focal point of the team, the majority answer would likely be Trout.
Back to Kemp, he’s definitely had an off year plagued by the injuries and all the awful at-bats. He seems to have lost his confidence and will more than likely need a legitimate off-season to get back to his April ways. It could be worse, he could be dating a pop singer, full of distractions, and be missing routine fly balls in front of thousands of people. What a long road its been for Kemp since that awful 2010 season. I’m still not over 2010 and will hold it against him every time he goes hitless why because I’m a bitter Dodger fan, trying to walk off the Frank McCourt shafting. Will I still watch every game convinced that Matt Kemp is going to reach 50/50 next season? Absolutely!
I would love nothing more than to watch the impossible possible. Isn’t that why we watch sports, because we love to see what no one has done before we love to see records shattered and curses broken? All the 50/50 nonsense, next year Kemp gets a clean slate to make a run at greatness. For now he needs to refocus on contributing enough to get his team into the postseason.
-Daniel
-Daniel
Floyd "Money" Mayweather Jr. vs. Manny "Pac-Man" Pacquiao
"Now you're unemployed, all non-void, walking 'round like you're Pretty Boy Floyd" - Grandmaster Flash
I absolutely hate the drama surrounding Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao.
I try not to follow it too much, because every time I buy into it, I wind up with a broken heart. Time after time, some kind of road block pops up and prevents the mega-fight from happening.
- For the record, I think Floyd would run circles around Manny and give him a Boxing lesson far worse than Juan Manuel Marquez has.
One thing about being a Boxing fan, we have to resort to the world of YouTube and internet blogs to find out the latest happenings. ESPN's coverage is weak. I love First Take, Stephen A. Smith and Skip Bayless make my mornings. But one thing I can't stand is when they talk Mayweather/Pacquiao. Stephen A. seems like he would die trying to defend Floyd's honor, and Skip is just your prototypical Pac-tard.
But as I watched this morning, Stephen A. has a new found respect for Pacquiao. Pacquiao and Marquez were on the set of the show yesterday. Of course Pacquiao was bombarded with Floyd Mayweather Jr. questions. What Manny said on national television pretty much made Floyd look like a bitch.
Manny said he will take a 45-55 revenue split in Floyd's favor. He said he would agree to drug tests right before, and right after the fight. Manny hysterically laughed in Stephen A.'s face when he told Manny, he thinks Floyd can beat him. Manny brought up something Floyd said during a phone call (Floyd offered Manny 40 million dollars to agree to a fight, but Floyd get's 100 percent of the revenue the fight brings in), Floyd uttered the words, "what if I lose?"
Whoa! If I'm the best boxer in the world, the pound for pound king, if I'm Floyd Joy Mayweather, I would never mention the words, "what if I lose".
Does Floyd not believe in his ability? Is Floyd Mayweather Jr. really worried Manny Pacquiao could beat him? I just want to know - why hasn't Floyd Mayweather Jr. addressed this via twitter? Floyd has called out Pacquiao on twitter before. Why wouldn't he do it again after Pacquiao called him out on national television?
I want this fight to happen no more than the average Boxing fan, but if this fight never happened, I would be okay with that. There's far too much behind-the-scene politics that play a huge role in Boxing that has drove fans away from the sport. One of the biggest issues that hasn't helped this fight see the light of day is the rivalry between promotion companies, Top Rank and Golden Boy Promotions.
I could get into how the rival promotion companies are killing the sport of Boxing, but I will save that topic for another post in the future.
All I want to know is, what is Floyd Mayweather Jr. doing not addressing Manny Pacquiao? Will he stay quiet, and quietly show up ringside at the Pacquiao/Marquez IV fight in December? Will he go on a twitter tirade again? What the heck is Money May going to do? Is Manny's recent visit to First Take the spark that will make this fight happen in 2013?
- Jose
I absolutely hate the drama surrounding Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao.
I try not to follow it too much, because every time I buy into it, I wind up with a broken heart. Time after time, some kind of road block pops up and prevents the mega-fight from happening.
- For the record, I think Floyd would run circles around Manny and give him a Boxing lesson far worse than Juan Manuel Marquez has.
One thing about being a Boxing fan, we have to resort to the world of YouTube and internet blogs to find out the latest happenings. ESPN's coverage is weak. I love First Take, Stephen A. Smith and Skip Bayless make my mornings. But one thing I can't stand is when they talk Mayweather/Pacquiao. Stephen A. seems like he would die trying to defend Floyd's honor, and Skip is just your prototypical Pac-tard.
But as I watched this morning, Stephen A. has a new found respect for Pacquiao. Pacquiao and Marquez were on the set of the show yesterday. Of course Pacquiao was bombarded with Floyd Mayweather Jr. questions. What Manny said on national television pretty much made Floyd look like a bitch.
Manny said he will take a 45-55 revenue split in Floyd's favor. He said he would agree to drug tests right before, and right after the fight. Manny hysterically laughed in Stephen A.'s face when he told Manny, he thinks Floyd can beat him. Manny brought up something Floyd said during a phone call (Floyd offered Manny 40 million dollars to agree to a fight, but Floyd get's 100 percent of the revenue the fight brings in), Floyd uttered the words, "what if I lose?"
Whoa! If I'm the best boxer in the world, the pound for pound king, if I'm Floyd Joy Mayweather, I would never mention the words, "what if I lose".
Does Floyd not believe in his ability? Is Floyd Mayweather Jr. really worried Manny Pacquiao could beat him? I just want to know - why hasn't Floyd Mayweather Jr. addressed this via twitter? Floyd has called out Pacquiao on twitter before. Why wouldn't he do it again after Pacquiao called him out on national television?
I want this fight to happen no more than the average Boxing fan, but if this fight never happened, I would be okay with that. There's far too much behind-the-scene politics that play a huge role in Boxing that has drove fans away from the sport. One of the biggest issues that hasn't helped this fight see the light of day is the rivalry between promotion companies, Top Rank and Golden Boy Promotions.
I could get into how the rival promotion companies are killing the sport of Boxing, but I will save that topic for another post in the future.
All I want to know is, what is Floyd Mayweather Jr. doing not addressing Manny Pacquiao? Will he stay quiet, and quietly show up ringside at the Pacquiao/Marquez IV fight in December? Will he go on a twitter tirade again? What the heck is Money May going to do? Is Manny's recent visit to First Take the spark that will make this fight happen in 2013?
- Jose
Game 162
As the 2012 MLB season dwindles down to the final home-stretch, we as Baseball fans are looking forward to the final day of the season.
Last season, the Tampa Bay Rays, Boston Red Sox, Atlanta Braves, and the St. Louis Cardinals saw their seasons come down to the 162nd game of the season.
The Red Sox needed a win in Baltimore or a Tampa Bay loss, as the Rays hosted the New York Yankees. In a weird turn of events, the Red Sox lost after Carl Crawford couldn't field a sinking line-drive off the bat of Robert Andino. The Orioles walked off the field, celebrating knocking off the powerhouse Red Sox. Over in Tampa Bay, the Rays fought back after the Yanks took a 7-0 lead. In the 9th inning, pinch hitter Dan Johnson steps to the plate. Crack! Johnson ties the game at 7.
Moments after the Red Sox lost in Baltimore, Evan Longoria steps to the plate to face Scott Proctor. Longoria, sent a fastball just over the fence in left field to vault the Rays in to the final wild-card spot.
What was special about this moment, was the whole sports world was watching. Prior to 2011, the regular MLB season would end on a Sunday. If we were lucky, we would get a one-game playoff the following night. The only dilemma, Baseball was losing viewers to Football. So what's the best way to gain back viewers? Move the season's ending date to a Wednesday night.
Baseball, if even for one night, had the sports-world on the edge of their seats. The MLB is looking to recreate that same feeling. What better way than adding one extra wild-card team? More contenders involved mean for more meaningful games in early October.
The Dodgers have seen their hopes for a division crown flush slowly down the toilet. Had it not been for the final wild-card spot, their season would essentially be done after losing two of three in Washington.
More contenders = more viewers, more viewers = more excitement, more excitement = more revenue. The MLB has figured out a formula that they will test to see how it fares.
What better story is there in Baseball, than the team who had no business being in the playoffs wins the World Series? That's exactly what the 2011 Cardinals did.
The Cardinals found their way into the playoffs after beating the Houston Astros and Atlanta lost to the Philadelphia Phillies in the final game of the season. The Cardinals carried that momentum in to the World Series against the Rangers.
The Cardinals proved what happens when you give a reluctant team another chance. Who can forget that memorable Game-6 between the Texas Rangers and the Cardinals? Hometown-hero David Freese circling the bases after hitting a walk-off homerun in extra innings after Josh Hamiliton gave Texas a lead. That is a moment Hollywood can't even script.
Stay tuned over the course of the final games of the season. You can be sure to expect fireworks, maybe a little bit of history, or maybe a little bit of David vs. Goliath. The great thing about the game of Baseball - it is not over until the fat-lady sings. A play clock doesn't determine your fate in Baseball. You can't hide from the final three outs in baseball. You can drop to a knee to run down the clock in Football. In Basketball, you can dribble around the court to make sure your opponent doesn't get the ball back. When it comes to Baseball, you can't do anything to take the 27th out of the picture.
This is Baseball at it's finest. Don't take it for granted, you never know what kind of action you will miss. Even in a 7-0 blow-out heading into the seventh inning as the Rays did, you never know what you can miss. Tune in and enjoy what looks like it will be a great post-season.
- Jose
Last season, the Tampa Bay Rays, Boston Red Sox, Atlanta Braves, and the St. Louis Cardinals saw their seasons come down to the 162nd game of the season.
The Red Sox needed a win in Baltimore or a Tampa Bay loss, as the Rays hosted the New York Yankees. In a weird turn of events, the Red Sox lost after Carl Crawford couldn't field a sinking line-drive off the bat of Robert Andino. The Orioles walked off the field, celebrating knocking off the powerhouse Red Sox. Over in Tampa Bay, the Rays fought back after the Yanks took a 7-0 lead. In the 9th inning, pinch hitter Dan Johnson steps to the plate. Crack! Johnson ties the game at 7.
Moments after the Red Sox lost in Baltimore, Evan Longoria steps to the plate to face Scott Proctor. Longoria, sent a fastball just over the fence in left field to vault the Rays in to the final wild-card spot.
What was special about this moment, was the whole sports world was watching. Prior to 2011, the regular MLB season would end on a Sunday. If we were lucky, we would get a one-game playoff the following night. The only dilemma, Baseball was losing viewers to Football. So what's the best way to gain back viewers? Move the season's ending date to a Wednesday night.
Baseball, if even for one night, had the sports-world on the edge of their seats. The MLB is looking to recreate that same feeling. What better way than adding one extra wild-card team? More contenders involved mean for more meaningful games in early October.
The Dodgers have seen their hopes for a division crown flush slowly down the toilet. Had it not been for the final wild-card spot, their season would essentially be done after losing two of three in Washington.
More contenders = more viewers, more viewers = more excitement, more excitement = more revenue. The MLB has figured out a formula that they will test to see how it fares.
What better story is there in Baseball, than the team who had no business being in the playoffs wins the World Series? That's exactly what the 2011 Cardinals did.
The Cardinals found their way into the playoffs after beating the Houston Astros and Atlanta lost to the Philadelphia Phillies in the final game of the season. The Cardinals carried that momentum in to the World Series against the Rangers.
The Cardinals proved what happens when you give a reluctant team another chance. Who can forget that memorable Game-6 between the Texas Rangers and the Cardinals? Hometown-hero David Freese circling the bases after hitting a walk-off homerun in extra innings after Josh Hamiliton gave Texas a lead. That is a moment Hollywood can't even script.
Stay tuned over the course of the final games of the season. You can be sure to expect fireworks, maybe a little bit of history, or maybe a little bit of David vs. Goliath. The great thing about the game of Baseball - it is not over until the fat-lady sings. A play clock doesn't determine your fate in Baseball. You can't hide from the final three outs in baseball. You can drop to a knee to run down the clock in Football. In Basketball, you can dribble around the court to make sure your opponent doesn't get the ball back. When it comes to Baseball, you can't do anything to take the 27th out of the picture.
This is Baseball at it's finest. Don't take it for granted, you never know what kind of action you will miss. Even in a 7-0 blow-out heading into the seventh inning as the Rays did, you never know what you can miss. Tune in and enjoy what looks like it will be a great post-season.
- Jose
Thursday, September 20, 2012
Jose's First Blog
"We having a celebration" - The Game
Yes, it's a celebration. As a freelance sportswriter I felt blogging would make me official. Well, it wasn't my idea. My buddy and partner (pretty much the guy that set this up) Daniel asked if I was interested in blogging, I said HYFR. Sorry, if you don't know what that means.
What will our blog be about? -- The title says it all. This is where I will turn to when I want to vent out my frustrations regarding my favorite teams, my fantasy teams, or simply put... Whatever the heck I want to say.
Why should you read this blog? -- Because you will hear the voice of two sports nerds who are unbiased, uncool, but most of all - unknown.
Okay, I lied. I'm totally biased. Just a fore-warning.
Who am I? -- I'm Jose Quintero. I'm a 24 year old shoe salesman with aspirations of being a sportswriter. I am currently an intern at the Daily Press (Victorville, CA), and I also freelance for the San Bernardino Sun. I cover local high school football games for The Sun every Friday night. My main accomplishment is contributing a weekly fantasy football column to the Daily Press. I hope to hone my craft by this time next year, so I can make some money off my fantasy football "advice".
In a nutshell, I'm mostly going to contribute nonsense to this blog. I'm an avid Boxing fan, expect a bunch of Boxing pieces. Baseball (Dodgers, Rays), Football (Eagles), Basketball (Lakers), fantasy sports, you might even get a review or two on movies or hip hop albums. Who knows?
- Jose
Yes, it's a celebration. As a freelance sportswriter I felt blogging would make me official. Well, it wasn't my idea. My buddy and partner (pretty much the guy that set this up) Daniel asked if I was interested in blogging, I said HYFR. Sorry, if you don't know what that means.
What will our blog be about? -- The title says it all. This is where I will turn to when I want to vent out my frustrations regarding my favorite teams, my fantasy teams, or simply put... Whatever the heck I want to say.
Why should you read this blog? -- Because you will hear the voice of two sports nerds who are unbiased, uncool, but most of all - unknown.
Okay, I lied. I'm totally biased. Just a fore-warning.
Who am I? -- I'm Jose Quintero. I'm a 24 year old shoe salesman with aspirations of being a sportswriter. I am currently an intern at the Daily Press (Victorville, CA), and I also freelance for the San Bernardino Sun. I cover local high school football games for The Sun every Friday night. My main accomplishment is contributing a weekly fantasy football column to the Daily Press. I hope to hone my craft by this time next year, so I can make some money off my fantasy football "advice".
In a nutshell, I'm mostly going to contribute nonsense to this blog. I'm an avid Boxing fan, expect a bunch of Boxing pieces. Baseball (Dodgers, Rays), Football (Eagles), Basketball (Lakers), fantasy sports, you might even get a review or two on movies or hip hop albums. Who knows?
- Jose
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