tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-313718522024-02-08T12:16:27.792-05:00On The SportslinesThis blog is written by the cast and staff of "On The Sportslines" a sports talk TV show seen LIVE in New York City every other Thursday and then posted to the web over the weekend. Thanks for reading and check out the show: www.youtube.com/onthesportslines.On The Sportslineshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11906260032076175373noreply@blogger.comBlogger144125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31371852.post-74505574020315111332020-02-15T15:08:00.001-05:002020-02-15T15:08:49.858-05:00NFL Draft: A Crap Shoot<div style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: sans-serif;"><b><i style="background-color: #fff2cc;">by Nolan Toppin</i></b></span></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: sans-serif;"><b><i style="background-color: #fff2cc;">OTSL Executive Producer</i></b></span></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc; font-family: sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc; font-family: sans-serif;">I have<b> TWO </b>sporting events that I look forward to every year. </span></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc; font-family: sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc; font-family: sans-serif;">1. NASCAR (aka Daytona 500)</span></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc; font-family: sans-serif;">2. The NFL DRAFT</span></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc; font-family: sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><span style="font-family: sans-serif;">I like to see who gets drafted by who; and</span><span style="font-family: sans-serif;"> I also get to do my best Mel Kiper Jr. impression to see if I can foresee what he sees. It reminds me of a line from the movie "Forrest Gump". "Life is like a box of chocolates, you NEVER know what you're gonna get". </span></span></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc; font-family: sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><span style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Just like the draft, you hope to get a franchise player </span><span style="font-family: sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 13px;">and not a bust. But I always wonder when teams make their selections, do you take the best player available or the best position player available? If you make the right selection, HALLELUJAH! M</span></span><span style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">ake the wrong decision, D'OH! The decision that teams make could affect</span></span></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">players careers as well as the future of the franchise.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">This year we have Joe Burrow, QB from LSU, who most experts predict will be the #1 overall selection in the draft, and also listed as the second best player in the draft. We also have Chase Young, DE from OHIO STATE, who will probably go #2 overall. Mel Kiper Jr. and Todd McShay both have Young listed as the best player in the draft. </span></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">Then there's everyone else who declared for the draft. Whether you get taken in the Top 5; late in the First Round; or 199th overall; you hope to make an impression on the team that drafted you. </span></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">Some do, most don't. This just shows you how important making franchise-changing decisions can be. And why the NFL Draft is the ultimate crap shoot.</span></div>
On The Sportslineshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11906260032076175373noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31371852.post-69467679472574380282019-10-27T17:19:00.001-04:002019-10-27T17:19:14.859-04:00Dear Michael Jordan, HAVE A SEAT!<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i style="background-color: #fff2cc;">By Anthony Strait, OTSL Panelist</i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><br /></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-size: 10pt;">I admit it, I’m part of a generation that is big on nostalgia.
In 2019 where we have so many advances in science, technology, entertainment
and so many choices, its commonplace to hear someone yearn for how things were
in 1999. Sports are no exception to this rule and one person who has greatly
benefited from this nostalgic feel is Michael Jordan. No question his impact on
basketball is set in stone, and along with his accomplishments on and off the
court, he is arguably the greatest to ever do it. But at what point does the
previous generation stay in the past? Personally, I grow tired of the previous
generation talking down on the current one with a “back in my day” mentality
that feels so elitist. </span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #1d2228; font-size: 10pt;"> <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #1d2228; font-size: 10pt;">Case in point: Jordan‘s recent Today Show interview. When asked
about guys who would be unbeatable in a game he named guys he played against or
with. Fair enough, since experience is the best teacher in life. But when
Stephen Curry was mentioned, MJ’s ever inflated ego just couldn’t help itself.
He said Steph is a great player but not a Hall of Famer yet.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #1d2228; font-size: 10pt;">Uh....say what? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #1d2228; font-size: 10pt;">Of course the Jordan apologists of the world ran to his rescue
to defend him like they have defended a legacy that needs no defending on so
many occasions. But at what point do we stop giving him a pass and acknowledge
him for what he truly is? A egotistical, petty man who can’t take his ball and
go home. This isn’t the first time Michael’s petty ego has struck. A few
years ago he took shots at LeBron James because he felt his legacy was somehow
threatened. “Five beats three” when comparing Kobe’s rings to LeBron’s. Of
course Jordan’s math stinks because Bill Russell’s 11 beats his six, but don’t
get the Jordan fans riled up on that one. To be fair and honest, he is the last
person who should ever have an opinion on legacies and talent. He’s been a
total train wreck in both categories. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><span style="color: #1d2228; font-size: 10.0pt;">For the record, if Stephen Curry retired tomorrow his accomplishments
would make him Hall of Fame-bound. </span><span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;">Over 10 years in the NBA, he’s shot 47.7% overall, 43.6% from
beyond the arc, and 90.5% from the free-throw line. And that’s on top of
averaging 23.5 points, 6.6 assists and 4.5 rebounds per game. He’s a three-time
NBA champion; a two-time MVP; and essentially the greatest shooter of all time.
</span><span style="color: #1d2228; font-size: 10.0pt;">In
fact, the guy Jordan sees as a non-Hall of Famer has managed to accomplish
something Jordan never did: become the first and only unanimous league MVP in
history. Maybe Michael’s standards are so high from his playing days that it has eroded his mind at his advanced age.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #1d2228; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #1d2228; font-size: 10pt;">If you want examples of MJ not being great on judging talent you
can go back to his Washington Wizards days. Yes, it’s the forgotten years that
Jordan loyalists in both the mainstream media and social media try to pretend
never happened. As part-owner and President of Basketball Operations how could
he fail? This was Michael Jordan after all. The man who went 6 for 6 in the
finals would have the Wizards on top right? Well, that didn’t turn out so well.
While he did shed some bad contracts, he also made questionable moves like
trading Richard Hamilton and drafting Kwame Brown. The biggest mistake was returning
to the court as a player as the Wizards missed the playoffs both seasons Jordan
was in uniform.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #1d2228; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #1d2228; font-size: 10pt;">He has been a majority owner of the Charlotte Bobcats/Hornets
for 10 years now and it’s safe to say he needs 10 more to even out his track
record.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Under his ownership the
team has made the playoffs a total of three times with no playoff
series wins in that span. The same man also managed to make another bad
decision with the drafting of Adam Morrison, which turned into a mess. He did draft
Kemba Walker, who became a All-Star, but failed to build a good team around him.
Eventually he let Walker leave via free agency and woefully overpaid Terry
Rozier to replace him. As the Bobcats they are the owners of the worst winning
percentage in NBA history thanks to a 7-59 record in the strike-shortened
2011-12 season. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #1d2228; font-size: 10pt;">Whenever Curry gets into the Hall of Fame I doubt his speech will be as
salty and vindictive as MJ’s was. When he was inducted a decade ago, Jordan
used his speech to attack everyone who was part of the Bulls front office
during their run. Curry’s, I assume, will be much more humble than the GOAT’s
petty rant. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #1d2228; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>
<w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>
<w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
</w:Compatibility>
</w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276">
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin-top:0in;
mso-para-margin-right:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt;
mso-para-margin-left:0in;
line-height:115%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
<!--EndFragment--></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="color: #1d2228; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="background-color: #fce5cd;">MJ has been riding the coattails from his playing days for the
longest time, masking his inability to evaluate talent. This is why it puzzles me
when people take his words as bible all the time. At this point, however, Jordan
just comes off as an old man with a “get off my lawn” mentality. We don’t need
his opinion on status when it’s painfully clear he doesn’t know talent unless
he is looking in a mirror. From now on we need to just tell Mike the same thing
we tell the other players from the past: to go sit in that rocking chair and
drink your lemonade. The one place Jordan is in a class by himself is the one for being a real Hall of Fame Jackass.</span><span style="background-color: white;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
On The Sportslineshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11906260032076175373noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31371852.post-20209401822040843082018-08-18T11:05:00.001-04:002018-08-18T11:05:36.123-04:00Fear the Turk<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>by Anthony Strait, OTSL Panelist</i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i><br /></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The
summer breeze is a mist of fresh air that marks both the beginning of a journey
or the end of one. Around NFL training camps the sense of hope, renewal and
optimism flows as rich as the Gatorade leaving the buckets. Men young and old
push themselves through the grueling heat as if they embraced the proverbial
kitchen and coaches watch them with careful eyes. All for the chance to earn a
spot among the elite group of men who will be allowed to embark on a road that
32 teams hope will take them to Atlanta and the Super Bowl. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The
intensity of the summer heat is followed by a stormy cloud that leaves many
thunderstruck and a wake of destruction in the broken dreams of many. For that
gray cloud of NFL atonement holds no sure form, just the words that could be
confused with daggers: "Coach wants to see you...bring your
playbook." It is called The Turk and it is the Turk who for five
weeks becomes the most powerful force in an organization. It is the Turk who
bears the news that allows men to continue the dream or pick up the pieces of
said dream.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The
identity of the Turk can vary from team to team. It can be a young intern
tagging along with a head coach or even the equipment manager with acne. Perhaps it is a young coach looking to work their way up the ranks who is tasked
with being the voice of doom. How about that very nice secretary whose calm
demeanor becomes a double edged sword? Whomever it is, who takes on the role, they
realize that it is not a easy job to track down a player to tell him his dream
is over. No one even knows for sure where the term originate. The closest
and perhaps most logical explanation can be found in a quote from 2001 by
Pittsburgh 970AM's Scott Paulsen:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“I
imagine that the NFL started using "Turk" because of the</span></i></b><b><i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Turkish
soldiers of the 17th and 18th century and their long, curved scimitars.</span></i></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">It's
a wonderful visual. Beware the Turk. He comes late at night,</span></i></b><b><i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">armed
with a long, curved sword that he'll use to cut you from the team!"</span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #26282a; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">While clearly not
the actual origin of such a name, it is arguably the best description. The Turk
with his or hers daggers stalking the halls, acting as the Grim Reaper and
beginning to "cut" down targets one by one in a slow agonizing manner<span style="color: #26282a;">.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">For 700 players cut
day might as well be called another name: D-Day. They will be trying to avoid
the inevitability of the Turk catching up to them. Perhaps turning the phone on
vibrate and pretending to </span>accidentally<span style="font-size: 12pt;"> miss that call helps. Maybe going into
physical hiding is the way to go. For the younger players, getting cut from a
NFL roster could be their first taste of football failure. For the veterans, the
realization of going from making millions to nothing in a second is enough to
leave anyone humbled. The idea that a man will be told by one individual that
their dream will not continue is a gut punch even if some land on other teams. For
the Turk, the delicate balance between compassionate human being and strictly
following instructions is part of the role. Anyone who has ever watched Hard
Knocks should know these encounters aren’t pretty. Players are angry,
heartbroken and even dumbfounded when they are told the coach want to see them.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">There are stories
of guys who were cut threaten physical harm to coaches, as was the case when
former coach Lovie Smith cut a guy while an assistant in Tampa Bay. Friendships
between teammates are tested when both players are on the bubble. It all leads
to a simple sit down with the coach, a hand shake, and a trip to the secretary
to confirm your booked flight home. The Turk does the job no one wants and the
players never want to be on the other end.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">But there is hope
for those who do get the ax.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Guys
like Kurt Warner, Wes Walker and even James Harrison have been cut from teams
and put together stellar careers. Even a famous movie star like Dwayne Johnson
was once cut from his CFL team. There is always the chance a player gets added
to the practice squad. It’s the NFL version of a paid internship. Run the other
team’s playbook and make everyone look good. Those who survive the final cuts
breathe a sigh of relief as their dreams continue.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">September 1<sup>st</sup>
looms as final cut down day before the start of the regular season. The rosters
begin to shrink after the second preseason game and continue until every team is
down to the required 53 players. In the meantime, the Turk is watching with
keen eyes. He or she is stalking his potential next victims during the dog days
of August. The Turk is the voice of NFL doom and it is his (or her)
responsibility to carry out a hit job on the coaches’ orders. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>
<w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>
<w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
</w:Compatibility>
</w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276">
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin-top:0in;
mso-para-margin-right:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt;
mso-para-margin-left:0in;
line-height:115%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
<!--EndFragment--></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The players will
spend the next few weeks looking over their shoulder for the most powerful
being in training camp may not be far behind. They are the Turk and cutting
down dreams is their business. And
between now and September 1<sup>st</sup> business will be good and plentiful. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
On The Sportslineshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11906260032076175373noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31371852.post-49940121359547699042018-07-29T13:23:00.002-04:002018-07-29T13:23:16.955-04:00Reversal of Fortune <div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>By Anthony Strait, OTSL Panelist</i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> The
NBA Draft is one of sport’s most premier events in one of the biggest cities.
The draft is a night where childhood dreams become reality. Kids who dream of
making it to the NBA realize it on this night. Brooklyn becomes basketball
central as the future meets the present and the teams take the first steps
towards the next season. The night can also remind you that the National
Basketball Association is a business and as such, personal feelings go out the
window. Players who were drafted are often traded for one another and deals
involving future picks are made. Five years ago saw such a trade take place and
to this day change the fate of two franchises. The Boston Celtics and Brooklyn
Nets will forever be linked by an “all-in” draft night trade that saw the
rebirth of one team and the demise of another.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> Entering
the 2012-13 NBA season there was a sense of renewal around the Nets. The move
from New Jersey to Brooklyn gave a doormat franchise a chance to start over. Its
best years had come a decade earlier with consecutive NBA finals appearances,
but had fallen on tough times towards the end of its 35-year stay in Jersey. A
new owner; new logo and colors; along with a brand new arena; and the Nets were
ready to take a bite out of a market that had largely been dominated by their
cross-town rivals the New York Knicks. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; text-indent: 0.5in;">The Nets started the season hot out of the gate, including a
win over the Knicks. After a blistering November the Nets went cold in the
month of December. The Nets fired Coach Avery Johnson after losing 10 of 13
games and replaced him with PJ Carlesimo. Led by Deron Williams and All-Star
Brook Lopez, the Nets rebounded to finish with a 49-33 record. They entered the
playoffs as the fourth seed in the East, but after taking three games to one
lead in the series the Nets faltered. The result was a first round upset loss
to an injury-plagued Chicago Bulls team which included a 99-93 game seven loss
at home. Despite the disappointing end, the first season in Brooklyn was
largely considered a success.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The Boston Celtics run among the elite in the league was
coming to a slow end. Age had begun to catch up to their Big Three of Paul
Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen. After a NBA championship in 2008 and a
return trip to the finals in 2010, Boston would slowly decline. The Celtics had
one more push in 2011-12 but fell to the Miami Heat and their Big Three of LeBron
James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh in the conference finals. The 2012-13 season
saw Boston struggle through injuries and inconsistency. Rajon Rondo played only
38 games due to an ACL injury. The Celtics won just 41 games and did not win
the Atlantic division for the first time in five years. The Boston Marathon
bombings rocked the city and the country that April. The Celtics, like many of
the Boston teams, looked to galvanize a city in mourning. Despite strong
efforts from Pierce and cutting into a 3-0 series hole; the Celtics ultimately
fell in six games to the Knicks in round one. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">With the contract of Coach Doc Rivers also expiring, the loss
marked the end of the run of the Celtics Big Three. While Boston was looking at
a lengthy rebuild, Brooklyn - thanks to its success - felt it was one key move
or two away from contending for a championship. Looking to make a big splash to
steal the backpages from the Knicks; the Nets decided to go all in at a title
run. The NBA draft took place on June 27, 2013 in the Nets backyard, the
Barclays Center. Brooklyn was looking to make that move that would put them
over the top and entrusted GM Billy King to make it. The Celtics were more than
accommodating, or so it appeared. With Rivers now a coach for the Clippers, the
rebuild could start in earnest. The Nets were already developing a reputation
for dealing to Win Now at the cost of future help for the team. They traded
draft picks to sign Deron Williams and gave up a ton to acquire Gerald Wallace
in 2012. But it would pale in comparison to the move they made on draft night. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The deal seemed like a home run on Brooklyn’s end. The Nets
received </span><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Kevin
Garnett, Paul Pierce, Jason Terry and D.J. White from the Celtics. In return
the Celtics received Gerald Wallace, Kris Humphries, MarShon Brooks, Kris
Joseph, Keith Bogans, three first-round picks (2014, 2016 and 2018), plus the
right to swap first-rounders in 2017. Brooklyn was immediately elevated as a favorite
to dethrone the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference. The Nets, with the trades,
watched their payroll skyrocketed to $200 million dollars including luxury tax.
Garnett’s inclusion required him to wave his no-trade clause but it also made
the trade much more complicated for Brooklyn. The Celtics received what they
needed to rebuild, with new coach Brad Stevens tasked with guiding the historic
franchise through its growing pains. A key to this trade was that the picks
were unprotected, meaning the Celtics could swap their own draft pick for the
Nets should they finish with a worse record. The Nets were praised for the move
and tickets sales went through the roof as many anticipated a deep playoff run.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The 2013-14 season began with championship
expectations for Brooklyn but things went bad from the start. Lawrence Frank
was removed from his assistant coaching duties by new coach Jason Kidd. Deron
Williams sprained his ankle in the off-season and missed training camp and most
of the preseason. New guys Garnett and Pierce, discontent with the culture and
structure of the organization, only grew as the season rolled on. Brook Lopez
would be lost for the season with a broken foot while, in-fighting among Kidd,
the front office, coaching staff along with locker room turmoil, cast a shadow
on a team many felt was a contender. The team got out to a 10-21 start but
rebounded to win 44 games and the six seed in the East. The won their first
playoff series in several years by defeating Toronto, but lost in five games to
Miami despite winning three of four regular season meetings with the Heat. Joe
Johnson emerged as clutch while Pierce played well and Kidd grew as a coach.
But after just one season the plug was pulled on the “all or nothing” Nets. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Jason Kidd moved on to Milwaukee after a failed
power play and a falling out with Nets management. The team itself disappointed
on and off the court and the organization lost more than $144 million. As a
result owner Mikhail Prokhorov closed the check book, a major reversal from his
reputation of sparing no expenses. The Nets lost much of the assets acquired
from those trades for nothing as Pierce, Shaun Livingston, and others either
left as free agents or were traded. Kevin Garnett would be traded back to
Minnesota halfway through the next season. Lionel Hollins was brought in to
replace Kidd and clashed with everyone including Williams, who was now a shell
of the All-Star he was earlier in his career. The Nets made the playoffs in
2014-15 despite a losing record but were eliminated by Atlanta in six games. Just
like that, the biggest trade had blown up and left Brooklyn in shambles. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The Boston Celtics entered the 2013-14 season
basically devoid of any real talent. With Brad Stevens at the helm, the Celtics
would finish 25-57 and miss the playoffs. It would be the last time to date
that Boston would miss the playoffs. The following year saw the Celtics ship
the last piece of the Big Three era out of town as Rondo was traded to Dallas
and Isaiah Thomas was acquired from Phoenix. Boston won 40 games and returned
to the playoffs before being swept by the Cavs. The 2015-16 season saw another
increase in wins as the Celtics won 48 games but again failed to advance past
round one. The next season saw the wins increase to 53 games as Thomas became a
MVP candidate. Boston advanced to the Eastern Conference finals before losing
in five games. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The draft picks the Celtics got out of the
trade have led to some key players being added that largely contributed to the
success of the team this past season. Terry Rozier, Jaylen Brown were draft
selections Boston made by swapping picks with Brooklyn which came due to the
Nets having one of the worst records the last three seasons. Perhaps the
biggest came in 2017 as the number two pick went to Boston instead of Brooklyn
and Jayson Tatum was selected. Tatum became an emerging star and rookie of the
year candidate as the Celtics made it back to the conference finals. Added depth
helped the team overcome injuries to Gordon Haywood and Kyrie Irving. The 2018
draft was the last season the Celtics owned the Nets draft pick but was used in
the trade to bring Irving to Boston from Cleveland. The Cavs drafted Collin
Sexton with the number eight pick. The Nets also regret the draft picks given
away in other deals which led to the Portland Trail Blazers selecting all-star
Damian Lillard. A pick traded to the Lakers resulted in Kyle Kuzma being
drafted. While Boston was able to rebuild almost right away, the Nets have felt
the weight of a gamble that failed since that fateful night in 2013. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>
<w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>
<w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
</w:Compatibility>
</w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276">
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin-top:0in;
mso-para-margin-right:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt;
mso-para-margin-left:0in;
line-height:115%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
<!--EndFragment--></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">After years of what-ifs and miscues, Brooklyn
will have its own draft picks and cap room next summer. The Celtics for their
part are contenders in the Eastern conference and will be again going into the
2018-19 season. Five years later this trade is viewed by many as one of the
worst trades in history as it left one team crippled for years while boosting
the rebuild of another. The Nets, in a bid to win a championship under
unrealistic expectations, became a cautionary tale in the business of NBA
trades and their short-sighted moves became magnified with each budding young
talent they missed out on. Danny Ainge cemented his reputation as one of the
best front office executives by turning the Celtics into contenders and adding
young talent for the future. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Next summer both teams will be on equal footing
entering the offseason as five years later Brooklyn finally has a light at the
end of the tunnel. One of the worst trades in the modern era of sports will be
completely paid in full. </span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>
<w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>
<w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
</w:Compatibility>
</w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276">
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin-top:0in;
mso-para-margin-right:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt;
mso-para-margin-left:0in;
line-height:115%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment--><!--EndFragment-->On The Sportslineshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11906260032076175373noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31371852.post-41626234227147404412018-06-17T15:58:00.003-04:002018-06-17T15:58:44.095-04:00The Demise of U.S. Soccer<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>by Anthony Strait, OTSL Panelist</i></b></div>
<br />This month all eyes will turn to Russia as one of the most exciting events will take place: the FIFA World Cup. 32 of the world's best teams will compete through group play and then the knockout rounds all in hopes of reaching the finals in Moscow. 20 of the 32 teams will be making consecutive appearances -- including defending champion Germany -- while countries like Iceland and Panama will make their first tournament appearances. It’s a three week event that brings the world together via love for native land or love of soccer. The FIFA World Cup played on a fresh pitch is a celebration that all of us love to witness.<br /><br />The United States, however, will not be a part of that celebration of the beautiful game. For the first time since 1986 the men's soccer team will be no more than mere spectators to a tournament they had been a participant in for five straight cycles. The U.S. had plenty of chances, time, and opportunity to show the world that they belonged among the world's best. Why shouldn't they have felt confident about their chances? Each of the last two World Cup tournaments saw the U.S. reach the round of 16. However, inconsistency with coaching, failure to develop talent, and possibly unearned arrogance all came to a head last October. With a berth at stake, everything that was wrong led to one of the most embarrassing results ever and four painful years to regroup.<br /><br />In the last four FIFA World Cups the United States were led by four different coaches, all of whom brought different degrees of styles with various results. Steve Sampson led the group into the 1998 World Cup in France. That team lost all three group play matches and was more known for the controversy of then captain John Harkes having a affair with a teammate's wife as the reason why he was cut prior to the tournament. 2002 saw U.S. Soccer fare much better under Bruce Arena; making the quarterfinals for the first time since 1930. 2006 saw regression under Arena as the team only scored one goal in three group play matches and were quickly eliminated. Bob Bradley led the team into the 2010 World Cup and won its group for the first time since 1930, but was upset by Ghana in the knockout round. In 2014 Jurgen Klinsmann was the coach of team USA. His tenure started out with the questionable decision to leave Landon Donovan off the team, opting instead for youth. The U.S. advanced to the knockout stage but again would lose their round of 16 match. Klinsmann's coaching style was criticized by many who felt it was too conservative.<br /><br />It seemed like the United States were on the right track as far as developing into a soccer power, but then the team struggled and Arena was brought back after Klinsmann was let go following consecutive losses. The losses seemed to mount after the 2014 World Cup, starting with the 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup. They dropped home losses to Mexico and Costa Rica which made qualifying much more difficult. They had to win on the road at some point. <br /><br />The roster the U.S. carried also showed a total lack of depth and flaws in player development. Goalie Tim Howard was a hero for his play in Brazil but had clearly lost a step. At the same time it can be said that too much was put onto the shoulders of 19-year-old Christian Pulisic. There are no in-betweens for the U.S. roster as it was heavily dependent on veterans or guys just not ready. The gap of talent of players in their 20’s showed during this stretch as team USA’s inevitable doom loomed over them. <br /><br />It all came down to one result; all the ups and downs and coaching changes came down to one match. The U.S. simply needed a draw against Trinidad & Tobago to qualify for Russia. On a less than ideal pitch that was mocked by the USA Soccer 's social media page, it was Trinidad & Tobago who scored the first two goals. The U.S. would get one, but draw no closer. Combined with wins by Panama and Honduras, the shocking 2-1 loss left the U.S. on the outside of the World Cup. You can also say it left them on the outside of the elite soccer nations as years of progress went down in flames. Arena resigned three days later and now the United States is at a major crossroads. They elected to go younger starting last month with a friendly but it should have been done after the fact. <br /><br />So now this is what we are left with. The United States, with all of its vast resources, can't get 11 solid players together with any consistency. While the rest of the world looks forward to the World Cup in Russia; the U.S. is back to the drawing board to try and get to the elite status it thought was within reach just a few years ago. Their female counterparts have done it correctly, incorporating younger players like Mallory Pugh alongside veterans like Alex Morgan, Megan Rapinoe and Carli Lloyd. <br /><br />Maybe the men should have taken notes. Perhaps they need a coach who will play with more of the attacking style needed on the grand stage. The U.S. men's team should really take their time figuring it out; they will have about four years to work with. On The Sportslineshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11906260032076175373noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31371852.post-67206678419775118232018-04-23T13:38:00.003-04:002018-04-23T13:38:28.094-04:00Lord Stanley<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>by Anthony Strait, OTSL Panelist</i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i><br /></i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves/>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:DoNotPromoteQF/>
<w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther>
<w:LidThemeAsian>JA</w:LidThemeAsian>
<w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/>
<w:EnableOpenTypeKerning/>
<w:DontFlipMirrorIndents/>
<w:OverrideTableStyleHps/>
</w:Compatibility>
<m:mathPr>
<m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/>
<m:brkBin m:val="before"/>
<m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/>
<m:smallFrac m:val="off"/>
<m:dispDef/>
<m:lMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:rMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/>
<m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/>
<m:intLim m:val="subSup"/>
<m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/>
</m:mathPr></w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="276">
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="59" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<style>
<!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:Calibri;
panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
margin-top:0in;
margin-right:0in;
margin-bottom:10.0pt;
margin-left:0in;
line-height:115%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
mso-default-props:yes;
font-size:11.0pt;
mso-ansi-font-size:11.0pt;
mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
.MsoPapDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
margin-bottom:10.0pt;
line-height:115%;}
@page WordSection1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in;
mso-header-margin:.5in;
mso-footer-margin:.5in;
mso-paper-source:0;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
-->
</style>
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin-top:0in;
mso-para-margin-right:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt;
mso-para-margin-left:0in;
line-height:115%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>It is said that it is the most
coveted prize in all of the four major sports. It weighs in at 34.5 pounds and
stand at 35 inches tall. The bands are engraved with the names of those who
were fortunate to survive the gauntlet and lift the spoils of victory above
their heads. We are two weeks into the journey for one team of “destiny” to add its
story to the countless others that make up those silver bands. It is the holy
grail...it is the Stanley Cup.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>No other trophy in sports carries
more traditions and stories than Lord Stanley. Originally awarded in 1893, it was
commissioned one year prior and named after Sir Fredricks Arthur Stanley, Lord
Stanley of Preston who was then Governor General of Canada. Originally known as
the Dominion Hockey Challenge Cup, the first nineteen winners were determined by
challenge games and league play. The Montreal Amateur Athletic Association was
the first team to ever win the cup, a bowl in its original form. Since 1910 - when
the National Hockey Association took possession - the cup has been the symbol of
hockey supremacy. Since 1926 only teams in the National Hockey League have competed for the ultimate prize.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The road to the cup is often
referred to as the toughest road in all of the sports. For two months 16 teams will compete to see who can survive. The playoffs is in itself a wild
ride worthy of the satisfaction that waits at the end. So many variables can
shape as well as determine if a team has destiny on its side. Upsets happen
regularly in the playoffs and the team with home-ice isn’t guaranteed victory. The
2016-17 Chicago Blackhawks became victims of this notion by capturing the best
record in hockey. Then they ran into a Nashville team that got hot and the Blackhawks were swept in
embarrassing fashion. Things can change on a bad hop like it did to Mike
Richter in the 1992 playoffs that turned the tide of a series. Plenty of
heroics echo through time, and speaking of time, you play on until a team can
score the tie-breaking goal. The point of sudden death is as synonymous as the
euphoria of surviving to take the next step. Though it all it ends with a
healthy handshake. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>To reach the end of the journey is
to enrich you in the many traditions that are engraved in silver. The many
faces that have sipped the spoils of success from the top bowl. To be a winner
in the end is to be the toast of the town for a day whether it’s a big city or
a small community. The childhood dream of spending a day with the trophy has grown as big as the expectations of a fan base chanting “WE WANT THE
CUP”. It's enough to send chills down your spine. The cup is the symbol for "team" and one that brings a team together like it did for the 1997-98 Red Wings. A
team that made the journey and made sure everyone knew Vladimir Konstantinov
was the biggest member. It can feel light as a feather like it did when Ray
Bourque waited 22 years to lift it high above his head like it was touching the
heavens. Of course you don’t touch the cup until you win it or it’s the only
one you touch but don’t tell Stephane Matteau or Sidney Crosby who broke that
rule and suddenly their teams won the prize.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The cup is so perfect yet it is
imperfect to its core. Misspellings during engraving and even “X”-ed out names add
to its legend and charm. Unlike the other trophies, the cup has its own identity
that can never be duplicated in part because the cup itself is never duplicated. The
1980-81 Islanders is spelled “ILANDERS” while the 1983-84 Oilers has a named
covered by a series of 16 Xs. The irony is that it takes 16 wins from
April to June to have your name engraved in its barrel ring and you hope it’s
spelled correctly. 2,528 names are engraved in the rings in total. The older
ring is removed and placed in the Hall of Fame to join the original bowl and locked
away in a vault. A handful of women have had the honor of having their names engraved. The keeper of the cup is as popular as the men who win it, and as a
player you forget to shave for a while but the reflection off it looks like a
million bucks. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>To sacrifice for the cause is to be
unselfish. To survive and advance is to be one step ever so closer yet still so
far. The delight of the final seconds ticking off is only matched with the
captain skating over to claim the ultimate prize. The team photo is as etched
in time as the names that will join countless others on that very cup. You keep
it for a full year, only to try to do it all again the next year. To drink from
it is to savior the moment, and to hold it is to hug something you love so much
that you never want the moment to end. This cup has history and a name…its
name is Stanley and every kid dreams of meeting him one day. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<!--EndFragment--><b><i></i></b>On The Sportslineshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11906260032076175373noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31371852.post-79133784108930230022018-03-28T22:55:00.000-04:002018-03-28T22:55:08.296-04:00The Madness of March<div style="overflow-wrap: break-word;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="overflow-wrap: break-word;"><b><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">By Nolan Toppin, OTSL Executive Producer</span></i></b></span></div>
</div>
<div style="overflow-wrap: break-word;">
<span style="overflow-wrap: break-word;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><br style="overflow-wrap: break-word;" /></span></span></div>
<div style="overflow-wrap: break-word;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="overflow-wrap: break-word;"><span style="overflow-wrap: break-word;">To my colleague and friend, Jay Kaplan, March Madness has always been </span></span>"The Most Wonderful Time of The Year!" I'm sure it is, for the millions and millions of people who fill out brackets in their office pools for bragging rights. Then you watch the games to see how the games unfold. But I always had a question: do you like to root for the favorites or the upsets? This just happens to be one of those years in which there are more upsets than favorites.</span></div>
<div style="overflow-wrap: break-word;">
<span style="overflow-wrap: break-word;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><br style="overflow-wrap: break-word;" /></span></span></div>
<div style="overflow-wrap: break-word;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="overflow-wrap: break-word;"><span style="overflow-wrap: break-word;">My personal choice leans more towards upsets, and I don't claim to be an expert </span></span>on college basketball. It makes the tournament more interesting. All of or at least most of the favorites were eliminated after the first two rounds. Teams like Virginia, Xavier, North Carolina, Cincinnati, Tennessee, Michigan State, and Arizona. That's the excitement of the tournament.</span></div>
<div style="overflow-wrap: break-word;">
<span style="overflow-wrap: break-word;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><br style="overflow-wrap: break-word;" /></span></span></div>
<div style="overflow-wrap: break-word;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="overflow-wrap: break-word;"><span style="overflow-wrap: break-word;">Like Tom Hanks, who played Forrest Gump once said, </span></span>"You never know what you're gonna get." You also never what's gonna happen. Take for instance, UMBC, which could stand for</span></div>
<div style="overflow-wrap: break-word;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="overflow-wrap: break-word;"><span style="overflow-wrap: break-word;">U MUST BE CINDERELLA, as opposed to University of Maryland-</span></span>Baltimore County. Since seeding began in 1979, Number 1 seeds were 135-0 versus Number 16 seeds. Until UMBC did the unthinkable, knocking out #1 Overall seed Virginia in a rout. It may NEVER happen again; but they will ALWAYS be a part of history, as well as a trivia question.</span></div>
<div style="overflow-wrap: break-word;">
<span style="overflow-wrap: break-word;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><br style="overflow-wrap: break-word;" /></span></span></div>
<div style="overflow-wrap: break-word;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="overflow-wrap: break-word;"><span style="overflow-wrap: break-word;">Then there is the University of Loyola Chicago, an 11 seed, making it to the </span></span>Final Four. This is only their 2nd tournament appearance since 1963; and that year they won it all. These are just two schools that most people would not know or ever heard of. With one of them possibly making the best Cinderella run ever. No matter who wins this year, it certainly</span></div>
<div style="overflow-wrap: break-word;">
<span style="overflow-wrap: break-word;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; overflow-wrap: break-word;">has been a memorable tournament; one for the ages.</span></span></div>
<div style="overflow-wrap: break-word;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br style="overflow-wrap: break-word;" /></span></div>
<div style="overflow-wrap: break-word;">
<span style="overflow-wrap: break-word;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><br style="overflow-wrap: break-word;" /></span></span></div>
<div style="overflow-wrap: break-word;">
<span style="overflow-wrap: break-word;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><br style="overflow-wrap: break-word;" /></span></span></div>
<div style="overflow-wrap: break-word;">
<span style="overflow-wrap: break-word;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><br style="overflow-wrap: break-word;" /></span></span></div>
<div style="overflow-wrap: break-word;">
<span style="overflow-wrap: break-word;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><br style="overflow-wrap: break-word;" /></span></span></div>
<div style="overflow-wrap: break-word;">
<span style="overflow-wrap: break-word;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><br style="overflow-wrap: break-word;" /></span></span></div>
<div style="overflow-wrap: break-word;">
<span style="overflow-wrap: break-word;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><br style="overflow-wrap: break-word;" /></span></span></div>
<div style="overflow-wrap: break-word;">
<span style="overflow-wrap: break-word;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br style="overflow-wrap: break-word;" /></span></span></div>
<div style="overflow-wrap: break-word;">
<b style="overflow-wrap: break-word;"><br style="overflow-wrap: break-word;" /></b></div>
On The Sportslineshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11906260032076175373noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31371852.post-53869551526258349002018-03-15T11:27:00.001-04:002018-03-15T11:27:14.359-04:00The First Unicorn<div style="text-align: center;">
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>
<w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>
<w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
</w:Compatibility>
</w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276">
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin-top:0in;
mso-para-margin-right:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt;
mso-para-margin-left:0in;
line-height:115%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment--><span style="line-height: 115%;"><b><i><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">by Anthony Strait, OTSL Panelist</span></i></b></span><!--EndFragment--></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><b><i><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></i></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">March 5<sup>th</sup>,
2018. The Brooklyn Nets are at home hosting the Chicago Bulls at the Barclays
Center. On this night the Nets were honoring one of the best players in
franchise history. Of course to do that they had to go back to their New Jersey
Nets days. For a whole generation of fans attending, their fondest and perhaps
earliest memories involved teams that featured Jason Kidd. So you can forgive
them when they reacted to getting a Drazen Petrovic starting lineup action figure
with a look of bewilderment. After all, Petrovic’s time with the team occurred
in the early ‘90s back when the Nets played in East Rutherford. What they
perhaps didn’t know is just how good Petrovic was; long before even stepping
onto a NBA court. Before Kristaps Porzingis was dubbed “The Unicorn”, Petrovic
just may have been the first unicorn in the NBA. Petrovic’s story is more of a
lasting legacy than a “What If”… a great talent whose career and life was cut
tragically short.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Born
in Sibenka, Croatia, Petrovic’s path to basketball started early as his oldest
brother and current Brazil national team coach Aleksandar pursued the sport. By
the age of 13, Drazen was playing in the youth selections of the local
professional club and by 15 he was on the main team. With Petrovic leading the
way, Sibenka reached the finals of the FIBA Radivoj Korac Cup on two separate
occasions. In 1983 at 18 he led Sibenka to a win over Bosnia for the Yugoslavian
club championship; but it was taken away the next day by the National
Basketball Federation citing refereeing irregularities.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"></span>It
would be the move to Cibona and playing for the KK Cibona National Team where
he would establish himself as one of the best Europe had to offer. Following a
mandatory year in the military, Petrovic would win both the Yugoslavian League
Championship and the Yugoslav National Cup. During this time he was also a
member of the Yugoslavian National Team that would win bronze in the 1984
Olympic Summer Games and Silver in 1988. Playing for the national team saw
Petrovic team with future NBA players like Vlade Divac and Toni Kukoc. In the ‘80s
and early ‘90s Petrovic became a star in Europe and a hero for many in what
would later become the war-torn disintegration of Yugoslavia. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">With
his success overseas, it was only a matter of time before Drazen would grace
the NBA. The Portland Trail Blazers drafted Petrovic in 1986 but it would be
another three years before he would debut in the NBA. The Blazers bought out
his contract with Real Madrid and he joined the team for the 1989-90 season.
With a team that boasted Clyde Drexler, Terry Porter and veteran Danny Young, Petrovic
struggled to get playing time in a new limited role that he was not accustomed
to. The following year only became worse as Danny Ainge was brought to the team
in a trade. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">It
wasn’t until a three-team trade that sent him to the Nets that Drazen Petrovic
began to flourish in the league. Although initially coming off the bench, the
Nets started Petrovic in the 1991-92 season. Paired with second year star
Derrick Coleman and rookie Kenny Anderson; the Nets saw a 14-win improvement
from the previous season and made the playoffs for the first time since 1986.
Petrovic averaged close to 21 points per game and shot 44% from 3-point range,
which was second in the NBA. His work ethic and on-court aggressive nature made
him a team leader. His unique skill set of deadly outside shooting, improved
defense and sheer passion for the game simply made him stand out at a time
where European players were not in high demand in the tougher NBA.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; text-indent: 0.5in;">It all came together the following season for Petrovic as his
scoring went up to 22.3 points per game. He led all guards shooting a
blistering 52% field goal range and again shot 45% from three. </span><i style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; text-indent: 0.5in;">Petro</i><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; text-indent: 0.5in;"> as he was dubbed by fans stateside,
made All-NBA third team despite not making the All Star team. The Nets again
made the playoffs and looked like a team on the rise in an Eastern Conference dominated
by the Chicago Bulls.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Petrovic
was a pending free agent and traveled to play with the Croatian National team
following the Nets first round loss to Cleveland. He played for the now independent
nation in the 1992 summer games in Barcelona and helped win silver, losing only
to the legendary U.S. Dream Team. Frustrated by his contract not being extended,
he contemplated leaving the Nets and NBA behind for good.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; text-indent: 0.5in;">There were rumors that he agreed to contract offers from at
least two Greek teams. Amidst it all, the Croatian team competed in EuroBasket
that Summer and won the tournament. The team flew to Frankfurt, Germany for a
connecting flight to Zagreb, Croatia. Drazen decided to forgo the flight to
spend more time with his girlfriend. On June 7</span><sup style="line-height: 115%; text-indent: 0.5in;">th</sup><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; text-indent: 0.5in;"> 1993 Drazen
Petrovic, along with his girlfriend and another female passenger were involved
in a car accident. The two female passengers suffered major injuries, but Petrovic
died at the scene, his life cut short at the age of 28. The NBA was hit hard by
tragedy that Summer. Boston Celtics young star Reggie Lewis died of an apparent
heart attack over a month later. Perhaps the most shocking loss would occur
later that Summer with the tragic murder of Michael Jordan’s father James
Jordan. Many attributed this, as well as fatigue, as factors in Jordan walking
away from the game a few months later.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; text-indent: 0.5in;">Petrovic’s untimely death wasn’t just felt in the league as the
loss of a young budding star. In Europe and in Croatia, his passing was
devastating. The impact he had, not just as a star, but as a symbol of hope for
anyone playing in Eastern Europe hoping to succeed in the NBA was astronomical.
The Nets retired his number 3 following his death and wouldn’t see another
franchise changing star for another decade until the trade for Jason Kidd.
Petrovic would be enshrined posthumously into the Naismith Memorial Basketball
Hall of Fame in 2002. In 2007 he was inducted into the FIBA Hall of Fame.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; text-indent: 0.5in;">In Croatia Petrovic’s life is celebrated with the Drazen
Petrovic Memorial Center. His impact is felt today as he is viewed as a crucial
contributor to the influence of the European players that we see in today’s
NBA. His tomb has become a sanctuary for those who knew him as a teammate and
friend. The Cibona stadium was renamed in his honor as were several streets. He
was the subject to a 2010 ESPN </span><i style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; text-indent: 0.5in;">30 for 30</i><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; text-indent: 0.5in;">
documentary which was put together with help from his former teammate Vlade
Divac. The documentary explored their friendship which was brought together by
basketball but torn apart by the realities of civil war. Younger Eastern Europe
players hear the stories and watch highlights along with reading old news clips
just to get a grasp of how good Petrovic was during his career.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>
<w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>
<w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
</w:Compatibility>
</w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276">
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin-top:0in;
mso-para-margin-right:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt;
mso-para-margin-left:0in;
line-height:115%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">As the Nets defeated the Bulls on Drazen Petrovic night, the team
honored him with a video tribute. For many it was the first time seeing him in
action, while those who remembered saw a glimpse of something that was special.
His mother was presented with a commemorative basketball as the retired number
of her son was hung in the Barclays Center rafters. His 43.7% 3-point shooting
is still third all time to Hubert Davis and Steve Kerr. Who knows what might
have been, but we see what doors were opened when we think of Kukoc, Dirk
Nowitzki, Goran Dragic and many other international players who have changed
the way the NBA is being played. </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Drazen Petrovic’s role as basketball icon,
hero, and pioneer is the stuff of mythical proportions. Like a unicorn, we
couldn’t believe what we saw, but when we wanted to see more … it was gone and it
left us far too soon.</span></span><!--EndFragment-->
</div>
On The Sportslineshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11906260032076175373noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31371852.post-75319793521773363852018-03-09T20:46:00.003-05:002018-03-09T20:46:58.154-05:00Six Overtimes<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>By Antony Strait, OTSL Panelist</i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i><br /></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Visitors who
roam the hallowed halls of Madison Square Garden are normally treated to quite
the scenery. In the 100 and 200 levels the greatest moments to ever take place
in the building line the hallways amongst the concession stands and restrooms.
From Marilyn Monroe to the Grateful Dead, if it happened at the Garden it had
to be special. There have been a number of great college basketball games that
have taken place there, in particular one that took place the night of March
12, 2009. That night a basketball game that tipped off at 9:36pm local time
didn’t end until literally the next day at 1:22am. You can’t help but think
when you see that glass display and hallway plaque “Where was I when that game
went to six overtimes?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">It
was the quarterfinals of the Big East Tournament and featured two traditional
powerhouse schools. The Syracuse Orange had put together a 28-win regular
season and were led by their legendary head coach Jim Boeheim. The UCONN
Huskies won 31 games, were ranked 3<sup>rd</sup> in the AP poll, and were led
by their own legendary head coach in Jim Calhoun. Both teams had NBA hopefuls
that would play vital roles on this epic night, including a UCONN freshman
whose Big East glory was still ahead of him. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">In
regulation the game itself played like a match-up between college basketball
powerhouses. The Huskies led by three at halftime behind guys like A.J. Price,
Stanley Robinson, and Hasheem Thabeet. The Orange countered by outscoring UCONN
in the second half by the very amount they trailed at halftime; 37-34. Paul
Harris, Eric Devendorf, Jonny Flynn and Andy Rautins spearheaded Boeheim’s
offensive attack while anchoring his signature Zone defense.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; text-indent: 0.5in;">The game wound down and almost ended in regulation. That
UCONN freshman I mentioned earlier? His name is Kemba Walker and as if it was a
sign of later greatness, he tied the game at 71-71 with a layup. 1.1 seconds
remained when Harris ran the baseline and threw an inbound pass that was
deflected by UCONN’s Gavin Edwards. The ball landed into Devendorf’s hands and
he fired off a 28-footer that found nothing but nylon as time expired. As
Devendorf leaped onto the announcer’s table and Syracuse celebrated, the
officials needed to go to the video review to confirm that the shot came before
the time expired. After review the shot was waived off as the ball was still in
Devendorf’s fingertips as the buzzer sounded. The game went to overtime. Of
course, no one knew that the night had only just begun.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; text-indent: 0.5in;">The numbers from this game were dizzying to keep up with. A
combined 93 free throws attempted by both teams, with the Orange hitting 40 of
their 51 attempts. The teams took 209 shots over the course of the evening.
Both teams would have multiple chances to win the game in overtime. Neither one,
however, was able to end the night or take full control of the contest. Rick
Jackson’s dunk tied the game for Syracuse and Walker’s game winner fell short, leading
to a second overtime. Flynn had a chance to win the game for the Orange in the
second overtime but came up short. In the third overtime it seemed like UCONN
had finally seized control of the game jumping out to a six point lead.
Syracuse rallied back, capped off by Rautins game-tying three pointer to send
the game into a fourth overtime.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; text-indent: 0.5in;">The game was not decided in the fourth overtime or the fifth
overtime. In the sixth overtime, with the night stretching well past midnight, Syracuse
- thanks to Rautins three-pointer - took their first lead since the end of
regulation. Rautins’ dad Leo played in a triple overtime Big East tournament
game two decades earlier and now his son had topped that and then some.
Syracuse held on and won the game 127-117, but it felt more like they simply
survived a war of attrition. 3 hours and 46 minutes was the official game time
and many inside Madison Square Garden were simply exhausted at 1:22am the next
morning. 244 combined points with 102 scored in the six overtime periods. Eight
players fouled out and six players registered double-doubles. Jonny Flynn
scored 34 points and played 67 minutes for the Orange while A.J. Price led
UCONN with 33 points and 10 assists.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; text-indent: 0.5in;">A lot has changed for both teams and the conference since
that fateful night inside Madison Square Garden. Syracuse now calls the Atlantic
Costal Coast (ACC) home while UCONN now plays in the American Athletic
Conference (AAC). The Big East is now strictly a basketball conference and even
the venue that held this epic game went through its own renovation. Many of the
major players in this game did not fare well afterwards and were either out of
the NBA or failed to make it into the league after this night, with one notable
exception. Two years later Kemba Walker led one of the most miraculous runs in
NCAA tournament history. He became a star in the Big East tournament, leading
the Huskies to five wins in five days to win the Big East tournament title.
Three weeks later, Jim Calhoun was hoisting his third national championship trophy
and Walker would take his talents to the NBA where he’d eventually become an
all-star.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>
<w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>
<w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
</w:Compatibility>
</w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276">
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin-top:0in;
mso-para-margin-right:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt;
mso-para-margin-left:0in;
line-height:115%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">The annual Big East tournament is upon us yet again and the Big Apple
stage awaits for new stars to emerge. Nine years to the day of this marathon, fans
who see the displays and artifacts from that night have an appreciation for
those who participated and left literally everything on the line. The only disappointment was someone had
to lose that night, even as both teams received a standing ovation from the
exhausted 19,000-plus crowd as they staggered to shake hands and leave the
court after almost four hours. Basketball fans and historians who long for the
glory days of the Big East became the biggest winners as they witnessed
history. Who knows, maybe the Huskies simply ran out of time…otherwise they
could have gone well into the morning rush hour. </span></span><!--EndFragment--></div>
On The Sportslineshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11906260032076175373noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31371852.post-11173823225570762732018-02-27T16:08:00.003-05:002018-02-27T16:08:56.312-05:00The Fallen King<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><b><i>by Anthony Strait,
OTSL Panelist</i></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">They say
that a king can elevate those around him to unimaginable levels of greatness. A
good king can also be elevated by those around him to protect his kingdom in
times of peril. For 13 seasons a king resided in New York; his kingdom is the small
piece of real estate between the pipes at Madison Square Garden. Henrik
Lundqvist earned the nickname “King Henrik” because he did what most kings do: give
their people hope. Rangers fans and opponents alike knew with Lundqvist in net, the Blueshirts were always in line for victory; and since 2005, 33<sup>rd</sup> Street
and 7<sup>th</sup> Avenue was Henrik’s castle.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The 2017-18
season however has seen the Rangers struggle to possibly their first
non-playoff season in seven years. Like a kingdom defeated in battle, the front
office waved the white flag in the hopes of a brighter future. Core players like
Rick Nash and Captain Ryan McDonagh have been traded in an attempt to rebuild. King
Henrik has become a victim of father time; no longer capable of carrying his
team through an entire NHL season. Now the Rangers and their fans must face the
inevitable future where the king finally relinquishes his crown and steps
aside. The thought of Lundqvist being traded is as real as it has ever been. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The Rangers
struggles are not all on Lundqvist shoulders, but when you have been the
franchise player for over a decade the blame goes with the territory. Defensively
New York has been a nightmare, allowing 34 shots against per game. Injuries and
inconsistent play have left the great goalie to play beyond what he is capable
of at the age of 35. Lundqvist has been pulled at least four times since the All-Star
break and he has shown signs of losing a step. Shots that he stymied in the
past with ease now find the back of the net with more regularity. His record as
of February 27<sup>th</sup> is a mediocre 23-21-5 and he’s allowing close to
three goals per game. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">But for a three
month stretch however the King showed that he was again up to the challenge of
leading the Rangers on the quest for that elusive Stanley Cup. He posted a save
percentage of .927 in November, .936 in December and .921 in January. It was his
play that helped the Rangers stay competitive in the season’s first half. It
was enough to land him in the All-Star game as the Rangers representative. Lundqvist
had once again lifted the Rangers on his shoulders as he had done for so many
years, but at the age of 35 and with declining talent around him, it would not
be sustainable. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">So now the
man who has won a Vezina Trophy and holds a record for consecutive game seven
wins yielded to a rookie making his second start in the NHL. For a man who has
carried a team for so long, this was not the ending anyone pictured. It seemed
like only yesterday the King was at his best as the Rangers won their first
Eastern Conference title since 1994. The man who led Sweden to an unlikely gold
medal in 2006 and holds several team and league records now sits helplessly and
watches as the kingdom he built crumbles. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Such is the
cruel fate to a season that went horribly wrong just days after a fun,
emotional win in the Winter Classic. The team’s future is uncertain and
Lundqvist’s own future with the Rangers is no longer a sure thing. His salary
may be difficult to move in a trade, but with a decline is there a remote
chance of him becoming an expensive has-been backup? Such is the unfairness of
royalty. One cannot stay at the top forever. The Rangers are at the bottom of a
tough Metropolitan Division and will, in all </span><span style="line-height: 18.4px;">likelihood</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">, miss the postseason.
Another year lost for Henrik in trying to win his first Stanley Cup championship. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The fall of
a king can be attributed to many factors. The loss of manpower; father time; decline
in those around him; and self-sabotage. This season Henrik Lundqvist has been
the victim of all of the above. The king will spend the last two months of the
season watching the very kingdom he built at the corner of 33<sup>rd</sup> Street
and 7<sup>th</sup> Avenue collapse.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>
<w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>
<w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
</w:Compatibility>
</w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276">
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin-top:0in;
mso-para-margin-right:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt;
mso-para-margin-left:0in;
line-height:115%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
<!--EndFragment--><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Lundqvist’s future
with the team may be in doubt but his legacy is not. It’s more than enough to
have him in the Hall of Fame one day. It truly is good to be the king…until the
head that wears the crown can no longer bear the burden. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
On The Sportslineshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11906260032076175373noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31371852.post-57501478874983545312018-02-06T12:48:00.003-05:002018-02-06T12:48:56.456-05:00We Call Them Knights<div style="text-align: center;">
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>
<w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>
<w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
</w:Compatibility>
</w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276">
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin-top:0in;
mso-para-margin-right:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt;
mso-para-margin-left:0in;
line-height:115%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
<!--EndFragment--></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><b><i>by Anthony Strait, OTSL Panelist</i></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">October 17<sup>th</sup> 2017: Thousands of fans converge on T-Mobile
Arena on a pleasant Tuesday night. Yours truly was among the fans getting their
smart phones scanned to enter the building. Las Vegas is known as a great vacation
destination for a variety of reasons and I explored a few of those earlier in
the day. Checking out the casinos, eating at In-and-Out Burger, and even
watching the Yankees play the Astros in Game Four of the American League Championship
Series at a local bar. As the fans made their way into the arena it felt more
like a party vibe with activities for the fans and a rock band playing outside
the New York New York Hotel and Casino adjacent to the venue. Except this wasn’t
a concert or a UFC fight card; the event on this night was a professional hockey
game. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Why
is that important to point out? Why paint this kind of picture for a hockey
game? 500 yards away stood the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino. Two weeks prior, the
famed Vegas strip that is usually full of energy and excitement gave way to
unspeakable horror and a tragedy we all felt. The evening of October 1<sup>st</sup>
saw a lone gunman open fire on innocent people who were simply having fun at a
country music festival. Madness laid its head on the 32<sup>nd</sup> floor and
rained bullets down on a crowd of over 22,000 for reasons no one will ever
really know. 58 people lost their lives while 851 people were injured and over
400 needing to be treated for gunshot wounds. It became the deadliest mass
shooting by a lone gunman in U.S. history, somehow topping another tragedy that
took place at Pulse night club in Orlando just one year prior. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">It’s
the kind of scar that won’t go away for a very long time, if ever. As a New
Yorker I still recall like yesterday frantically calling in search of my
brother who worked a couple of blocks from the World Trade Center on September
11<sup>th</sup> 2001. The relief of knowing he was safe later gave way to the
sorrow of watching my hometown hurting in more ways than one. Now, here I was in
Las Vegas a few weeks after the shooting and the wound was as fresh as you can
imagine. I shared an Uber with a local when I was going to my hotel after my
flight and I can remember her saying “Everything is somber, the strip may never
be the same again”.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; text-indent: 0.5in;">Sure enough the strip was quiet albeit for a few tourists
making their way from a show. I just kept thinking to myself was this a good
time to be here? How can I live life to the fullest when so many are still
reeling from a nightmare, that like so many tragic events, no one saw coming?
Even the famous “Welcome to Las Vegas” sign became a makeshift memorial with flowers
now dying after a few weeks, laid alongside cards, burnt out candles and police
tape. The Mandalay Bay didn’t represent a crime scene as much as it represents
an ominous grey cloud of death and chaos that was visible for miles. You just
couldn’t turn away from staring at it no matter how hard you tried, it was that
glaring.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Back
to the night of October 17<sup>th</sup>. So I made my way up the massive
escalator that would take me to my seat. The lineup card that workers handed
out was as big as a NFL coach’s play chart so I simply folded it and put it in
my back pocket. The fans of both teams, the Buffalo Sabres and the expansion Las
Vegas Golden Knights, along with a few fans of other teams filled T-Mobile
Arena. Who were these Golden Knights? With so many hockey-rich traditional
cities for a team to call Las Vegas, Nevada home didn’t exactly scream frozen
ponds and hockey pucks. In pure Vegas style the marching band in a makeshift
castle at the East end of the arena played loud enough to be heard in Reno and
a video intro right out of Game of Thrones ushered the new kids on the NHL
block onto the ice. Even local resident and WWE star Dean Ambrose literally
sounded the alarm to hype up a sold out T-Mobile Arena. The next few hours
would answer a few questions I had walking into that building. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">The
Golden Knights came into existence on June 22, 2016 as they were voted
unanimously to become the National Hockey League’s 31<sup>st</sup> franchise.
Their role as the city’s first sports franchise would come into play later on.
The foundation for a startup franchise had to be put into place. Gerald Gallant
was hired to be the franchise’s first head coach on April 13, 2017 while affiliations
to minor league teams were announced. Weeks later the team participated in the
expansion draft. They picked one player from each of the other 30 teams that
were basically left for the scrap heap. Notable names like former Pittsburgh
Penguins Stanley Cup winning Goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury and James Neal, who
played across from Fleury in the final as a member of the Nashville Predators,
were now teammates looking at a new beginning. No one expected much from the
newbies as far as the season was concerned. Many were skeptical about the
interest from fans and how long it would last when the inevitable losing kicked
in and the reality of a hockey team in Sin City finally set in.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; text-indent: 0.5in;">Then October 1</span><sup style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: 0.5in;">st</sup><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; text-indent: 0.5in;"> happened
and interest gave way to a welcome distraction and a new normal in the face of
a city trying to recapture any semblance of normalcy. The Golden Knights made
their presence felt within the community on and off the ice. Before their home
opener first responders and those who stopped to help the wounded were honored
as the heroes they are in an age where the word “Hero” is thrown around all too
frequently. The Golden Knights, a team of castoffs starring into the unknown,
jumped out to an 8-1 start to the 2017-18 regular season. One of those early
wins took place the night of October 17</span><sup style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: 0.5in;">th</sup><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; text-indent: 0.5in;">. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; text-indent: 0.5in;">Amidst a fun environment, friendly
banter with fans of all teams, even a few fellow Rangers fans that were in
attendance, and some good food, the first overtime in team history took place. David
Perron’s second goal of the night 3:52 into overtime gave the Golden Knights a
5-4 victory. The crowd went home happy and as I walked along a busy Vegas Strip
all seemed right in the world; if even for a brief moment. The Mandalay Bay
didn’t seem as ominous as before. Locals and visitors were having fun again.
Sin City felt like its nickname again if only temporarily. It then dawned on me
that Vegas didn’t need the NHL as much as the NHL needed Vegas.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">The
All-Star break sees the Golden Knights as arguably the year’s best story amidst
a national tragedy. Las Vegas has the best record in the Western Conference and
second best overall. They beat more traditional teams like the Rangers,
Blackhawks and Bruins. They even have wins over both Stanley Cup Finalists
(Penguins and Predators) during this remarkable debut season. The Knights sit
just one win shy of the All-Time record for wins by an expansion team in a
single season with plenty of hockey left to play.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; text-indent: 0.5in;">They won with a Goalie-By-Committee
lineup for a stretch when Andre-Fleury was injured. They won in high scoring
shootouts just as often as they found ways to grind out wins in defensive gems.
This team has more and more taken on the identity of a city whose reputation is
taking on a change of its own. It is becoming a town where the people like
their hockey team; refuse to be slowed down; and is simply too loud and proud
to go quietly into the night. This Cinderella not only is capable of partying
past Midnight, she just might party deep into June and toast the town with the
Stanley Cup itself.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; text-indent: 0.5in;">A knight is a symbol of nobility and
honor. As the city’s first major franchise, the Golden Knights thus far have
honored those who still mourn by continuing to reach out in the community they
call home. Recently they even implemented a “kids-only” policy that prohibits
anyone over the age of fourteen for requesting autographs at practice. It’s
almost a throwback to the young squires who looked up to and emulated the
knights they would one day become themselves. No matter how the season finishes,
the Golden Knights have already cemented themselves as winners even if it’s not
on the scoreboard or the standings. On the same city block where darkness casts
its shadow lays a team that has embraced the city as much as the city has embraced
them in its time of need. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; text-indent: 0.5in;">They are no longer a cast of throwaways,
they are the Western Conference’s best team. They are Knights and like in a
game of chess, the knight is a powerful tool used to win the battle. The
Knights and Las Vegas are determined to win the long term battle…one golden day
at a time.</span></div>
On The Sportslineshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11906260032076175373noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31371852.post-23642977508450283692018-01-29T19:33:00.001-05:002018-01-29T19:33:40.166-05:00We Don’t Hate the Patriots…We Envy Them!
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>
<w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>
<w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
</w:Compatibility>
</w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276">
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin-top:0in;
mso-para-margin-right:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt;
mso-para-margin-left:0in;
line-height:115%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
<!--EndFragment--><br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">By Anthony Strait, OTSL Panelist</span></i></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> We all love
a good underdog story. Who doesn’t love the classic tale of an individual or
group of people who rise above all obstacles and become a symbol of greatness?
It makes for good television and stories we can tell for years. But what
happens when that loveable underdog continues to win? What happens when that
symbol of greatness continues to be so great that we forget they were even
underdogs in the first place? Its real simple, we grow to hate them. We start
to despise their winning and deep down we wait around for them to ultimately
fail because that will teach them for becoming bigger than we want them to be.
Secretly however, it becomes pretty clear that we wish to be like them. We are
a society that builds up greatness like Lego blocks only to tear it down when
we get sick of it. <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> How
else can you explain some of the more successful people in the world seemingly
having a large collection of critics? Everyone hates or supposedly hates the Kardashians
because they are so famous despite their perceived lack of talent. How many
people bash the family but deep down wouldn’t mind having their sizeable bank
accounts? Beyonce, Jay-Z, Amy Schumer, Kevin Hart and now even Cardi-B’s
success story isn’t safe from the bitterness of haters. It definitely rears its
ugly head in the world of sports. Everyone hates the Duke Blue Devils and the
New York Yankees are the evil empire. Sydney Crosby is a crybaby and LeBron James
has his very own “I Hate LeBron James” Facebook page. We latch onto anything
that will discourage us from facing the honest truth: maybe these individuals are
just simply that good.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> This
ideal brings me to the NFL team everyone loves to hate, the New England
Patriots. You pretty much heard it all about this team over the past decade. They
are cheaters, the referees have been bought off by owner Robert Kraft. QB Tom
Brady and all the very unflattering jokes about deflated footballs. Coach Bill
Belichick and “SpyGate”. The question is, if they supposedly can’t win without
somehow cheating, then how come they have been so consistently good for so
long? Once upon a time however the Pats were the underdog story heading into
Super Bowl XXXVI. They faced an uphill climb against the St. Louis Rams and the
“Greatest Show on Turf” with a backup QB name Brady. The Rams themselves were a
loveable story, just two seasons prior winning it all but they were now the
brash team that people wanted to see lose at any cost. Adam Vinatieri kicks a
game winning field goal; Tom Brady leads a Super Bowl-winning drive to set up
that field goal, wins MVP and we have a great story. We can now cherish it and
move on right?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> Except
the Patriots didn’t just fade into obscurity. They added two more Super Bowl
wins over the next three years. The Indianapolis Colts complained about the
Patriots grabbing and holding receivers in the 2003 AFC Championship Game. They
held onto that excuse deep into their playoff rematch the next season. With the
rules changed and actually favoring their vaunted passing game, the Peyton
Manning-led Colts offense that scored the most points in the NFL was held to
just three measly points by New England. Tom Brady and Bill Belichick only got
more powerful when guys like Randy Moss, Wes Welker, Junior Seau joined the fray.
The 2007 New England Patriots went 18-1 including playoffs. We put an asterisk
to it not due to them losing the Super Bowl to the Giants, but because of “SpyGate”.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> “SpyGate”
took place in week one; the team lost draft picks and was labeled cheaters…and
they were blowing teams out after the fact as well. Teams like the Jets and
Steelers always have them on the brain even when New England is not their next
opponent. That tends to happen when you can never figure out a way to beat
them. It becomes an obsession. Hard to ignore that the Steelers upset loss to
the Jaguars was in some part due to them looking ahead to New England. Oh and
who can forget “DeflateGate”? The biggest waste of money and resources ever.
The idea that somehow under inflated footballs was such a big factor in a 38-point
blowout win where the Patriots RAN for over 150 yards shows just how much we
want to take away from their success. Truth is we wish our teams were as good
and consistent in </span><b style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">any</i></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> year let alone the past 17. The Ravens, the entire AFC
East, Seattle and now Jacksonville can be added to the list of teams that
whined about some unfounded advantage when in reality they just can’t beat New
England. </span><span style="line-height: 18.4px;">After all</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">, it’s pretty difficult to beat a team that doesn’t beat
itself.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> The
key to sustained success is consistency. The Pats have had the same coach, same
quarterback and stable front office for 17 years. They have a system and
culture in place where no matter how players come and go, the team is always
set up to compete at a high level. Bill Belichick is surely not the guy you
want to go out and grab a cold one with, and his post-game pressers can cure insomnia.
Tom Brady has the super-model wife; millions of dollars; boyish looks even now at
the age of 40; and STILL plays like a Hall of Famer. Robert Kraft is the owner
of a team of cheaters according to critics. He always pays off the refs and the
league always help the Pats even as the league spent a year trying to punish
them for a few ounces of air in a football. All of these are reasons to hate
this bunch except for the obvious one: they are just damn good.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> The
fans, especially on social media, provide the greatest commentary on our
envious ways. Think back to the Super Bowls against the Seahawks and Falcons
and the AFC title game against the Jaguars. Social media was a parade of Pats
haters licking their chops, ready to bash the Pats when they were losing those
games. Social media had Tom Brady memes all lined up to mock arguably the greatest
quarterback of all time. When the Patriots came back and won all three games, it
was a different tone. Memes and still shots from the conspiracy theorists filled
Instagram trying to prove -- without merit -- how the Patriots cheated to win.
They always cheat right? Twitter gets bombarded with explicit language cursing
the team to no end and seeing your friends cry over the most hated team ever on
Facebook tends to provide great entertainment. We’d just rather drink acid then
tip our hats to a team that has simply done it all and continues to do so.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"></span> The
Super Bowl is coming up and again we will sit and hope for the Patriots to lose,
hoping that this era of greatness will FINALLY end rather than take the time to
enjoy something we may never see again. Deep down however, anyone not a
Patriots or Eagles fan will be wishing it was their team playing for it all.
Why do they ALWAYS have to be so good while our favorite teams struggle to get
over the hump? The Patriots have owned their division and no one has come close
to challenging them. The Steelers, Ravens and others spend all offseason
building to take them on but still fail. Belichick is still around and Brady
still plays at a high level. Critics will be glued, waiting for the next “AH-HA!”
moment when they think the Pats got a break and then will use it to fire up the
next round of “The Patriots are Cheaters” talk should they win another Lombardi
trophy.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; text-indent: 0.5in;"> We don’t hate the Patriots because they are pure evil. Heck,
we don’t even hate them for beating our teams. We hate them because they’ve
been SO good for SO long. That wasn’t the plan way back in 2001. They were
suppose to have their moment and then go away, but they are still here and still
going strong. New England has been the prime example of sustained greatness in
sports. We desire to be great and we hate it when we helplessly watch someone
else be what we want to be. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; text-indent: 0.5in;">Greatness,
no matter any walk of life, breeds contempt and spite. It’s the way nature
tends to work. We hate what we wish to be plain and simple. Fans and teams
around the league don’t hate the New England Patriots, we simply envy them.</span></div>
On The Sportslineshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11906260032076175373noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31371852.post-19691289560485055552018-01-24T12:37:00.000-05:002018-01-24T12:37:42.336-05:00U.S. Soccer’s Glimmer of HOPE<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><b><i>by Anthony Strait, OTSL Panelist</i></b></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Perhaps
there has been no one who has been as successful and as equally polarizing to
the game of soccer than Hope Solo. The 5’9” goalkeeper from Richland,
Washington has the kind of career resume many can only dream of. She is a world
cup winner, two-time gold medalist and has 200 caps as a national team member.
She also holds several U.S. goalkeeper records -- male and female -- including
wins and clean sheets. She’s the first goalkeeper male or female to record 100
shutouts in a career. There is no question Solo is one of the most decorated
soccer players to represent America.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> Solo’s
on-field career also comes with plenty of controversy off the field. In 2007
she </span><span style="line-height: 18.4px;">publicly</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> criticized her coach after being benched just before a World Cup
game. That led to a suspension and many of her teammates shunning her for much
of the post-World Cup matches. In 2014 she was arrested (though not convicted)
for assaulting two family members. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> Solo was later suspended 30 days when her husband -- former
NFL player Jerramy Stevens -- was pulled over for driving drunk in a team van.
Then after a 2015 that saw the women’s first World Cup win since 1991; Solo’s
U.S. soccer career came crashing down in 2016. Following an upset loss to
Sweden in the Olympic Games in Rio, Solo was essentially fired from the
national team following comments where she called the Swedish players
“cowards”. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>So
when the outspoken Solo announced her intentions of running for U.S. Soccer president
you couldn’t help but give a raised eyebrow. Many others rolled their eyes at
the idea and dismissed it right away. She’s one of eight candidates running for
the position and clearly has a slim chance of winning, but if we have learned
anything when it comes to elections is that no one candidate should be
overlooked. Perhaps what U.S. Soccer as an organization needs is a dark horse
to provide a change in perspective. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>U.S.
Soccer itself has gone backwards. While the women’s team has all the wins and
acclaim, the pay gap between the men and women has been an issue for the last
few years. The women were paid half of what the men get for merely showing up
when they won the 2015 World Cup. The Women’s team has been subjected to
playing in far less idea conditions than their male counterparts. It got to the
point that in 2015 they refused to play a friendly in Hawaii due to the field
being in poor and dangerous shape. The men’s team failed to even qualify for
the 2018 World Cup in Russia. It will be the first time since 1986 that the men’s
team will be home watching after qualifying for the previous seven World Cup
tournaments. Bruce Arenas resigned as head coach and now there is a vacancy in
the position. The development for the women’s side has been far more advanced
than the men’s side. Compared to other countries, the talent gap as well as the
level playing field has never been greater.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Hope
Solo is not the only candidate who was a US National team player; former men’s
team player Eric Wynalda is also among the candidates. Yet she may be the best
to understand both sides of the aisle. She has been vocal and active in the
fight for equal pay for women. While her comments have led to backlash and even
punishment; far too often her comments, like her activism fall into the double
standard column since male athletes have said and done worse and have hardly
been punished. Hope also may be aware of developing the next generation of
stars for both men and women teams. While the women’s side has been able to get
stars like Alex Morgan and Carli Lloyd they’ve also been fortunate with the additions
of young budding talent like Mallory Pugh. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The Men’s team hasn’t been as lucky. Most boys in the U.S.
play other sports like basketball and football and not all of the ones who do
play come from a soccer background like a Michael Bradley or Christian
Pulisic. Solo herself was raised in a broken home and may know a thing or two
about needing to find diamonds in the rough like a Clint Dempsey. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">U.S. Soccer could also benefit from a culture change. Solo
charged former FIFA president Sepp Blatter with groping her at an event in 2013.
Seeing the fallout from USA Gymnastics and USA Swimming’s failures to act upon
allegations of sexual misconduct, perhaps Solo’s history can be useful to
prevent something similar happening. Solo has certainly been held responsible
in the court of public opinion so there is no question she would not have a
problem holding others responsible for their actions. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">On Sunday the Women’s National team honored her with a
commemorative jersey for her 200 appearances. The man presenting the jersey,
current U.S. Soccer Vice President Carlos Cordeiro, was called out by Solo in a
candidate forum just 24 hours prior to the ceremony. If anything, it was
symbolic of Hope Solo, never afraid to rattle the cage even as her achievements
as a player take a back seat.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Hope Solo may be far from a perfect candidate and yet she may
be exactly what U.S. Soccer needs in the current political culture we now live
in. She’s stressed the importance of transparency as far as development and
growing talent. She has been one of the major voices for equality as far as the
more successful women’s team being treated on the same playing field as the
men. It’s pretty easy to dismiss her however because of her past and her
trademark outspoken nature makes many uncomfortable. After the men’s team
embarrassed themselves and the women still feel like mere afterthoughts in
spite of its success, her bluntness may be needed. The only question that remains
is will anyone care to listen. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>
<w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>
<w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
</w:Compatibility>
</w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276">
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin-top:0in;
mso-para-margin-right:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt;
mso-para-margin-left:0in;
line-height:115%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
<!--EndFragment--><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
On The Sportslineshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11906260032076175373noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31371852.post-88800798895820667142017-11-21T07:48:00.001-05:002017-11-21T07:50:12.090-05:00 Roy Halladay Was A Philly Kind Of Player<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: #fce5cd;"><b><i>by </i></b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-weight: bold; white-space: nowrap;">Sam Lopresti, OTSL Special Contributor</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: #fce5cd; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-weight: bold; white-space: nowrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="background-color: #fce5cd;"><span style="font-family: "roboto" , sans-serif; font-size: 20px;">Halladay immediately burrowed into the hearts of Phillies fans. His loss will sting for a long time.</span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="background-color: #fce5cd; font-family: "roboto" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1f1f1f; font-family: 'open sans', sans-serif; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: #fce5cd;">To baseball at large, Roy Halladay will mostly be remembered as a Toronto Blue Jay. But his untimely death will hit the city of Philadelphia just as hard as Toronto.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1f1f1f; font-family: 'open sans', sans-serif; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: #fce5cd;">He only spent four years of his 16-year career with the Philadelphia Phillies. Only two of those years saw him at the height of his power, but he is firmly entrenched in the lore of this team. He gave us so many incredible memories in that brief time that it’s not a stretch to say he belongs in the pantheon of the ultimate Phillies greats, both because of the memories he provided and because of the way he went about his work.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1f1f1f; font-family: 'open sans', sans-serif; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: #fce5cd;">Halladay arrived in 2010 in a three-team trade that sent prospects to the Blue Jays and another ace pitcher, Cliff Lee, to the Seattle Mariners. That end of the trade puzzled fans, but the main feeling was one of euphoria. The city still wasn’t used to the success that the Phillies had had in the previous three years, and now the best pitcher in baseball was ours! It was the start of something big.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1f1f1f; font-family: 'open sans', sans-serif; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: #fce5cd;"><span class="m_5718105721593666866gmail-rangySelectionBoundary" id="m_5718105721593666866gmail-selectionBoundary_1510095622530_03744826736049456" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 0; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></span>The memories started early. Within a month Halladay had thrown a pair of shutouts—then delivered one of the greatest moments in Phillies history.</span></div>
<h2 style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1f1f1f; font-family: 'open sans', sans-serif; line-height: 1.07; margin: 30px 0px 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: #fce5cd; font-size: small;">Perfection</span></h2>
<div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1f1f1f; font-family: 'open sans', sans-serif; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: #fce5cd;">I remember it well. As a Phillies fan growing up in New York, watching the team was difficult, but MLB Network was making things easier. I was eating in the kitchen when I turned on the channel and saw they were running bonus coverage: with the Phillies leading 1-0, Roy Halladay was pitching in the seventh inning and hadn’t allowed a baserunner. I immediately called my father, who was having dinner at a family friend’s apartment.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1f1f1f; font-family: 'open sans', sans-serif; margin-bottom: 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: #fce5cd;">“Dad,” I said into the phone, “Do you have access to MLB Network over there? Roy Halladay is pitching a thingy.”</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1f1f1f; font-family: 'open sans', sans-serif; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: #fce5cd;">Thingy is the code my father and I, both respectful of baseball superstition, use when we talk about no-hitters in progress. I immediately clarified: "Actually it's a big thingy" - further code for perfect game.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1f1f1f; font-family: 'open sans', sans-serif; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: #fce5cd;">My dad had watched Jim Bunning pitch his perfect game for the Phillies with his grandfather in 1964. There was no way he would miss this. With the blessing of our friend, who was immediately intrigued himself, my dad turned on the game, and we stayed on the phone together as we watched him complete the second perfect game in team history and the 20th in the history of baseball.</span></div>
<h2 style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1f1f1f; font-family: 'open sans', sans-serif; line-height: 1.1; margin: 15px 0px 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: #fce5cd; font-size: small;">True grit</span></h2>
<div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1f1f1f; font-family: 'open sans', sans-serif; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: #fce5cd;">The 2010 season would be incredible even by Halladay's standards. He went 21-10, the first Phillie to win 20 games in a season since Steve Carlton in 1982. He threw nine complete games and four shutouts, winning the NL Cy Young Award with ease before he put an exclamation mark on the season by throwing the second no-hitter in playoff history in his postseason debut against the Cincinnati Reds, another huge moment in the history of the team crammed into a single year. He arguably pitched even better than he had in his perfect game.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1f1f1f; font-family: 'open sans', sans-serif; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: #fce5cd;">Halladay got out-dueled by Tim Lincecum in the first game of the NLCS that year and took the mound in Game 5 with the Phillies facing elimination. As if the legend of his season could not go any deeper, Halladay suffered a groin injury in the second inning but gutted through six innings to win the game and extend the series. In a blue-collar town like Philadelphia, that kind of grit means something.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1f1f1f; font-family: 'open sans', sans-serif; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: #fce5cd;">Then came 2011, the return of Cliff Lee, the R2C2 rotation, 19 more wins, eight more complete games, and two sparkling performances in the NLDS against the St. Louis Cardinals: eight innings in a Game 1 win and eight more in the heartbreaking Game 5 pitcher's duel with Chris Carpenter when the Phillies were eliminated.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1f1f1f; font-family: 'open sans', sans-serif; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: #fce5cd;">No one thought the window would close on the Phillies or Halladay so soon. Injuries sapped Halladay's effectiveness in 2012 and by the end of 2013, after making only 13 starts, he was out of baseball. The Phillies faded in a similar fashion as injury diminished core players like Ryan Howard and Chase Utley. By 2014 they were the worst team in baseball.</span></div>
<h2 style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1f1f1f; font-family: 'open sans', sans-serif; line-height: 1.1; margin: 15px 0px 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: #fce5cd; font-size: small;">Behind the scenes</span></h2>
</div>
<div>
<div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1f1f1f; font-family: 'open sans', sans-serif; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: #fce5cd;">The memories the man called "Doc" gave Phillies fans will be remembered forever, but we loved him for so much more than that. In a hard-nosed town like Philly, Halladay's work ethic endeared him to fans almost more than what he did when he took the mound. It rubbed off on every player he ever played with, and players like Kyle Kendrick and Vance Worley never saw the success they did after their career paths took them away from Doc's example.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1f1f1f; font-family: 'open sans', sans-serif; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: #fce5cd;">His work ethic couldn't be summed up better than in this <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=https://www.instagram.com/p/BbNf4nwlVNy/?hl%3Den%26taken-by%3Dtherealchaseutley&source=gmail&ust=1511354031352000&usg=AFQjCNHu4i3WdG5Lx1H1U4PBH6nFe-D7Zg" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BbNf4nwlVNy/?hl=en&taken-by=therealchaseutley" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #c52126; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-break: normal; word-wrap: break-word;" target="_blank">Instagram</a> post made by Utley shortly after the announcement of his death:</span></div>
<blockquote style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #353535; font-family: cabin, sans-serif; font-style: italic; line-height: 1.3; margin: 15px 0px 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 10px 50px 10px 70px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: #fce5cd;">My heart hurts writing this. I can still remember the first day we met. It was <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_574572603" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">5:45am</span></span> on the first day of spring training when I arrived. He was finishing his breakfast but his clothes were soaking wet. I asked if it was raining when he got in. He laughed and said “No I just finished my workout” I knew right then- he was the real deal. Thank you Roy for allowing us to witness what it takes to be the best. We will all miss you.</span></div>
</blockquote>
<div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1f1f1f; font-family: 'open sans', sans-serif; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: #fce5cd;">That work ethic was backed up by an incredible humility. Perhaps born of his experience being demoted all the way back to Class A early in his career, Halladay never thought of his success as his work alone. After his perfect game, he ordered Swiss watches for 60 of his teammates, clubhouse staff, and front office personnel. Each watch was engraved with the line score of the game, the recipient's name, and the words, "We did it together."</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1f1f1f; font-family: 'open sans', sans-serif; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: #fce5cd;">He never hesitated to credit his teammates for his achievements. He called Carlos Ruiz "the best catcher I've ever thrown to" last August, and when he won the Cy Young in 2010, he had a replica of the award made and presented it to his catcher. After being named the cover athlete for MLB 2K11, he made a hysterical commercial that saw him taking signs from a pillow with Ruiz's picture on it to make everyday life decisions like which lunch meat to use.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1f1f1f; font-family: 'open sans', sans-serif; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: #fce5cd;">But there is perhaps no better example of his team-first philosophy than how he responded to the formation of the historic 2011 starting rotation. In the run-up to the season, when Halladay, Lee, Hamels, and Roy Oswalt were being presented as the Four Aces, Halladay took exception to the fact that #5 starter Joe Blanton was being overlooked. To Doc, there were not four aces. There were five.</span></div>
<h2 style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1f1f1f; font-family: 'open sans', sans-serif; line-height: 1.1; margin: 15px 0px 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: #fce5cd; font-size: small;">Why we truly love him</span></h2>
</div>
<div>
<div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1f1f1f; font-family: 'open sans', sans-serif; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: #fce5cd;">All these things brought Roy Halladay close to the hearts of Phillies fans. But there is one other thing—perhaps the most important. Something that no one outside of Philadelphia will really be able to understand.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1f1f1f; font-family: 'open sans', sans-serif; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: #fce5cd;">Philadelphia has often lived in the shadow of more glamorous sports cities like Los Angeles and, especially, New York, which is just 94 miles away. Combined with the fact that the Phillies are, by record, the losingest franchise in baseball history, big-time players often pass over the Phils for teams like the Yankees or Mets.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1f1f1f; font-family: 'open sans', sans-serif; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: #fce5cd;">That's why the trade that brought Roy Halladay to Philadelphia in the 2009-10 offseason really struck a chord with Philadelphia fans. Roy Halladay had a no-trade clause in his contract with the Blue Jays. He had his pick where he would go if he moved on from the only team he had ever known. It's why the Mariners pursued Lee as part of that three-way deal, because Halladay had turned Seattle down.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1f1f1f; font-family: 'open sans', sans-serif; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: #fce5cd;">It's this last point that is the foundation that holds up all the other reasons that Doc will be revered by Phillies fans for generations to come despite having such a brief peak in Philadelphia. It's the same reason that Jim Thome and Cliff Lee are treated with similar adoration despite their relatively short careers with the Phillies.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1f1f1f; font-family: 'open sans', sans-serif; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: #fce5cd;">Roy Halladay, the best pitcher of his time, at the peak of his powers, could have gone anywhere he wanted.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1f1f1f; font-family: 'open sans', sans-serif; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<em style="background-color: #fce5cd; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">And he chose us.</em></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
<em style="background-color: #fce5cd; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Sam Lopresti is a Contributing Writer to RealSport.</em></div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
<em style="background-color: #fce5cd; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">They have graciously allowed us to put this on our blog. </em></div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
<em style="background-color: #fce5cd; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">You can find the originally published version of this piece at</em></div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
<em style="background-color: #fce5cd; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=https://realsport101.com/news/sports/mlb/mlb-roy-halladay-was-a-philly-kind-of-player/&source=gmail&ust=1511354031351000&usg=AFQjCNEet-kPmJOYK8oQSS25B-Rry5nNQw" href="https://realsport101.com/news/sports/mlb/mlb-roy-halladay-was-a-philly-kind-of-player/" style="color: #1155cc; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" target="_blank">https://realsport101.com/<wbr></wbr>news/sports/mlb/mlb-roy-<wbr></wbr>halladay-was-a-philly-kind-of-<wbr></wbr>player/</a> </em></div>
On The Sportslineshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11906260032076175373noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31371852.post-18761343096025844642017-06-03T14:18:00.001-04:002017-06-03T14:18:33.765-04:00Tribute to ESPN's "The Sports Reporters"<span style="background-color: #fce5cd;"><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" /></span>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i><span style="background-color: #fce5cd; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">By Pedro Hazel, Jr. & Steve Ferguson - OTSL's Creators</span></i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Segoe UI, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida Grande, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: #fce5cd; font-size: 13px;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span></span></div>
<br />
<span style="background-color: #fce5cd; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Sunday, May 7th, was the last showing of "The Sports Reporters" on ESPN after nearly 30 years on the air. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: #fce5cd; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: #fce5cd; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The show was originally hosted by current Orioles broadcaster Gary Thorne, but was graced by two great hosts: Dick Schapp and John Saunders. Schapp passed away in 2001 and Saunders last year. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: #fce5cd; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: #fce5cd; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"The Sports Reporters" had a very special meaning for Steve and myself along with Jay Kaplan and former host Joel Mahan. "On The Sportslines" was created to be a cross between "The Sports Reporters" and "The Best Damn Sports Show Period", though we are more irreverent than "Reporters" but not as much as "Best Damn".</span><br />
<div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1496512711299_35352" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px;">
<span style="background-color: #fce5cd; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px;" /></span></div>
<div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1496512711299_35335" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px;">
<span style="background-color: #fce5cd; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The very first show we did in 2001 featured Joel and Steve. I wasn't even on it as I was recovering from the flu. I hosted the second show and continued hosting "Sportslines" until the fall of 2006. On several of the early shows I hosted I would sit second to right with the other hosts just like John Saunders and the panel on ESPN. </span></div>
<div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1496512711299_35337" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px;">
<span style="background-color: #fce5cd; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px;" /></span></div>
<div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1496512711299_35344" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px;">
<span style="background-color: #fce5cd; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">It's unfortunate that a great show that was a Sunday staple for ESPN for nearly three decades has left the air. We thought it was one of the most intelligent and well thought out shows ever done that aired on ESPN with the exception of "Pardon The Interruption". </span></div>
<div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1496512711299_35344" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px;">
<span style="background-color: #fce5cd; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1496512711299_35344" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px;">
<span style="background-color: #fce5cd; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">It's a very sad ending to such a great program, but Steve, myself and the rest of us at "On The Sportslines" will continue to keep the spirit of "The Sports Reporters" alive every time we do our show.</span></div>
On The Sportslineshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11906260032076175373noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31371852.post-16120453794451393702017-03-12T14:24:00.000-04:002017-03-12T17:24:30.035-04:00An OTSL Selection Sunday Conversation<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>By Steve "The Rabbi" Rabinowitz (OTSL Producer) & Jay Kaplan (OTSL Lead Analyst)</i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i><br /></i></b></div>
<b>STEVE RABINOWITZ:</b> It's the most wonderful day of the year, welcome to <i><b>Selection Sunday</b></i>! In this column, me and my partner, Mr. Jay Kaplan, will look ahead to what WE think the brackets will look like. How does this day rank on the ladder of sports days for you sir?<br />
<br />
<b>JAY KAPLAN:</b> Oh, this is the appetizer to the Main Course for me. This is where all the back-and-forth and Bracketology dissection finally comes to a head. The Rubber meets the Road today. The interesting thing for me this year, is that unlike most years, the Committee will not really have to deal with much in the way of Bid Thievery.<br />
<br />
<b>SR:</b> This is one of those years where the Bubble is very small and there's still a tiny discussion we need to have on that but let's start with the cream of the crop: the #1 Seeds. Jay, Villanova will be a consensus #1 overall, and despite Kansas losing in the Big 12 tourney, they look like a #1 as well. The other 2 top seeds are in question, which is shocking. Some people are saying Duke should get a #1 (which I think is ridiculous) over Carolina, and there's always that question about Gonzaga. What say you, especially to the former since you're an expert in all things Tobacco Road?<br />
<br />
<b>JK: </b>Well Duke has impressed over the last 4 days. First team to ever win 4 games to win the ACC tournament en route to the tournament title. I understand where the argument comes from that they should be a #1 seed. However, I don't see that UNC losing to Duke in the ACC tournament as the reason they lose their #1 seed. The question for me regarding Duke as a #1 is not whether that knocks UNC off the Top Line, but does it knock Gonzaga off the Top Line? That being said, I think you also have to take into account whether Arizona is more deserving as a #1 seed based on how things played out last night in the PAC-12 Tournament Championship game.<br />
<br />
<b>SR: </b>I think overall, if the Zags get knocked down to a #2 in the WEST, they'll take it and say thank you. Gonzaga actually beat Arizona early in the season on a neutral court so, to take into account that you have a one loss team, who won the regular season and post-season conference titles and you're telling me they are worse than the team that only won in the postseason tourney, and the fact that Arizon has 3 more losses? Doesn't fly for me. As for Duke? The body of work in the regular season PLUS the fact that they looked inferior to Carolina until Berry went out on Friday, makes me think they're a #2. Love the ACC to death, but I'm not putting someone who was the FIFTH best team in their conference in the regular season on the Top Line. By the way, the true nightmare for Gonzaga would be if UNC was the #2 in THEIR region. It'd be the ultimate Screw You from the NCAA.<br />
<br />
<b>JK: </b>I have the utmost respect for what Mark Few and the Zags have done, but I would not be surprised if Gonzaga gets knocked down to the #2 line and Arizona moves up to the #1 line. Top tier teams of the PAC-12 are up there with the top tier teams in any of the Power 5 conferences. I have a feeling that even if Gonzaga holds on to their spot on the #1 line, whomever the #2 in their region turns out to be will be a team that is likely deserving of a #1. I agree with your premise that Duke's overall resume is not #1 seed-worthy and I agree that Berry being forced to sit that very long stretch with foul trouble was what turned the tide in Duke's favor. Granted, Justin Jackson being MIA didn't help, but as I said to you during the game, Berry is the engine that drives the Carolina offense.<br />
<br />
<b>SR: </b>Yeah, I kind of wouldn't be surprised if Gonzaga dropped to the #2 line (especially since they were the last overall #1 four weeks ago on the mock bracket the committee revealed), but I think if it comes to Arizona over Gonzaga, I do have a problem and would almost be a bad precedent set by the committee. Bubble talk is always the other major talk around this time of year; and it's a very small bubble. Joe Lunardi (and others) have a group of 6 that are in that scary territory: Wake Forest, Syracuse, Rhode Island, USC, Illinois State, and Kansas State. Which 2 of these teams shouldn't get to go dancing (and remember, Rhode Island is playing today so they might be off this line anyway).<br />
<br />
<b>JK:</b> Well, I think that Rhode Island<i><b> can</b></i> get in even if they don't win today, but they'd prefer a "Win-And-They're-In" lock. I have to agree with ESPN's Jeff Borzello that Illinois State is a long shot. They do have a Top-30 RPI and 12 wins away from home, plus a 14-point win over Wichita State in their first meeting. On the flip side, they went 2-4 against the RPI Top 100, have 2 losses to teams outside the Top 100 and Wichita State blew them out in their next two meetings, including that 71-51 win in the MVC title game. Lunardi cannot get Syracuse right by his own admission. I cannot seem to either. Though if it comes down to them or USC, I'd lean <i><b>slightly</b></i> towards the Cuse due to the ACC being the best conference in the country. The tough part is that they are also being measured against a member of their own conference - Wake Forest - who would seem to have a better case for getting off the bubble and into The Dance if you compared both ACC teams against each other.<br />
<br />
<b>SR:</b> Yeah, so watching Seth Greenberg this week, makes me think Syracuse won't get in over USC. Syracuse's non conference losses are remarkably unimpressive: UCONN, Georgetown, St. John's. Horrible for a Big East team rather than one from the ACC. Also, they have NO road victories in conference against anyone outside of the bottom 4 of the conference. Ridiculous. Coach Jim Boeheim wasn't there to start the season last year, but he's there now. No excuses, Syracuse is out. Illinois State also is out, only because of the fact that there's no reason other than that 27-6 record to put them in. As much as USC is unimpressive, the way that the top of the PAC-12 is allows me to put a 4th team in. Everything else seems to fall into place for me: Rhode Island is playing well late; and has a neutral court win over Cincy; and Kansas State has really played well against the top of the Big 12.<br />
<br />
<b>JK: </b>USC does have a solid resume - I just took another look at it and it's better than I remembered - so if you're asking me who they knock out of those 6 teams you mentioned, I'd have to change my mind now and go with Syracuse losing out. USC's resume, like Wake's, is more worthy of getting off the Bubble than Syracuse's upon further review.<br />
<br />
<b>SR: </b>OK, so, while we look at the Bubble and the Top, the middle gets tremendously overlooked. So, looking at the brackets, give me one team that you feel will be over-seeded when the brackets come out in a few hours and one that will be under-seeded.<br />
<br />
<b>JK: </b>You always save the EASY question for last! I'm not as high on Baylor as some other folks are. I think that when the brackets come out they'll be off the #2 line, but even as a #3, I think that may be an over-seed. As for under-seeded? I'll be interested to see where Purdue winds up. Lunardi currently has them as a #4, but the question I have is whether the committee holds their loss to Michigan in the Big 10 tournament against them. Do they stay as a #4 or do they fall to the #5 line?<br />
<br />
<b>SR:</b> Michigan is one of the hottest teams in the country, so if Purude falls, I think it'll be more because of the Big 10 as a whole, not that loss. Best game I saw this week. As for over-seeded, I can't help but not understand what the obsession over Florida State is. They have two wins against the RPI top 50 away from home: one against Miami (borderline top 50) and one against Virginia, which happened in December. As a Top 4 (they currently are a #4), FSU will get the luxury of spending the first weekend in Orlando and I don't think they deserve that. Under-seeded? How about some love for the American conference! I'll go with the double answer of Cincy/SMU. Neither are a Top 4 seed, which is shameful. SMU has one of the longest winning streaks in the country and have beaten everyone in front of them, including Cincy on the road. Meanwhile Cincy, along with their 2-loss American conference record, has wins over Xavier and Big 12 Champion Iowa State. Whoever wins deserves a #4 seed, loser deserves a #5 and can have a good case for getting a #4 as well. Remember, UCONN won the title as a #7 seed 3 years ago, and the reason they were seeded that low was their standing in the American conference.<br />
<br />
<b>JK: </b>I am VERY familiar with your feeling that the AAC doesn't get the appropriate amount of respect from the committee. Cincinnati as a #5 and SMU as a #6 by Lunardi does seem to be at least one line lower than maybe they should be, but again, I think this is due to how the AAC is viewed. As for FSU, they are getting the benefit of the ACC and the fact that they are the best conference in the country. Going 12-6 in the ACC is impressive and they have an overall RPI of 12. Their Strength Of Schedule (SOS) and Opponent's SOS are both in the Top 25. I understand why they'll get a #4 seed and I'm not as adamant in my opposition to it as you are.<br />
<br />
<b>SR:</b> See, it's just that outside of Tallahassee, FSU hasn't had that "show me" moment this season. I would say the same thing about Notre Dame, BUT the way they played on a neutral court against "Big Bad Duke" last night proved me otherwise. They'll be properly placed as a #4 or #5 seed.<br />
<br />
<b>JK: </b>I understand where you're coming from on FSU. They don't look like a marquee team, but it's tough to be one in the ACC outside of Tobacco Road. I do agree with you about Notre Dame. Not a fan, but much respect and yes, a spot on the #4 or #5 line will be deserved. Before we sign off, I'm interested to get your take on a potential double-digit seed that could make some noise.<br />
<br />
<b>SR:</b> I'm going to cheat again and give you two answers: Middle Tennessee State is going to be a #11 or #12, and after what they did as a #15 against Michigan State a year ago, I say watch out. Add to that a win vs. Vanderbilt this year, and I'd say they'll be a very popular upset in Round 1, and I think a lot of people might move them to the Sweet 16. The other one? Take a flier on Vermont. They are going to be the only team in this field that will not have lost this calendar year. This is the most talented team since the one that beat Syracuse back in the first half of the LAST decade.<br />
<br />
<b>JK: </b>Vermont was the team I was looking at. They're likely to be a #12 seed and they've pulled the #12 vs. #5 upset in the past. MTSU is interesting, I'll be keeping an eye on them.<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>SR: </b>All of these are things we'll be keeping an eye on when the bracket comes out in just a few hours. Please also keep a look out for our OTSL <b><i>March Madness Special</i></b> airing LIVE on MNN3 this Thursday, 3/16/17 at 9pm, and up online this weekend on our YouTube channel <b><i><a href="http://www.youtube.com/onthesportslines">http://www.youtube.com/onthesportslines</a></i></b>. For Jay Kaplan, I am The Rabbi, Enjoy the upcoming Madness!On The Sportslineshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11906260032076175373noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31371852.post-50230589562185606992017-02-18T12:04:00.001-05:002017-02-18T12:04:10.148-05:00Phil Jackson: From Savior to False Prophet<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>By Anthony Strait, OTSL Analyst</i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">F</span>lash back to March 18, 2014; Phil Jackson received a
thunderous standing ovation as earlier in the day he came home. The man with
eleven NBA championships as a coach had officially returned to the franchise
where he won two as a player. Phil was a member of those beloved New York
Knicks teams that won championships in 1970 and 1973 when the Knicks were the
ultimate definition of that word: TEAM. On this day Jackson was now christened as
the latest supposed savior to a team that had struggled to maintain any success
since 2000. Knicks owner James Dolan had fired GM Glen Grunwald before the
2013-14 season started, mere months after the team Grunwald put together won 54
games, a division title and then their first playoff series win in over a
decade. Now Dolan was again bringing in a big name to save a franchise that has
made self-sabotaging more common in Midtown than rush hour traffic. Only this
time it was the man who once helped the Knicks win titles as a player and also
prevented them from winning more while coaching a man named Michael Jordan.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Now
flash forward to the present.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Days
before the trading deadline in the middle of yet another lost season for the
Knicks. The love and optimism that was felt at Madison Square Garden back on
that March night has disappeared. The aura now felt is one of confusion, chaos
and turmoil. A star player in the midst of constant trade talks and a owner now
embroiled in a ugly PR nightmare with a beloved former player. Lost in all this
is the job Jackson has done since March 18, 2014.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Three years in and the numbers speak for themselves: 72 wins
to 149 losses along with three different head coaches and 45 different players.
The man known as “The Zen Master” has created more madness by his actions as
well as his ill-timed words. The Knicks need to save face and admit to
themselves that yet another big name is just that: a big name. Phil is no
savior and now they need to move on in an act of salvation if winning
basketball is to return to Madison Square Garden.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
From
the moment the 2013-2014 Knicks season ended and Phil went over his options he
made one questionable decision and only compounded it with more questionable
decisions. Jackson fired Mike Woodson instead of allowing him to coach the last
year of his contract as Jackson himself made the transition from coach to front
office. One would think an individual in Phil’s shoes would keep things intact
just to make transitioning easier. When he missed out on Steve Kerr he settled
on the just retired Derek Fisher. Jackson’s biggest mistake was not hiring an inexperienced
coach to lead a veteran team but rather insisting that the coach run the
Triangle offense that Jackson and Tex Winter made legendary. Flawed logic
considering today’s NBA which now incorporates small lineups and three-point
shooting more than ever.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
Knicks struggled learning the Triangle and eventually Phil decided to press the
reset button and blow up the roster. Gone were JR Smith and Iman Shumpert – who
would later help the Cavaliers win a championship. The Knicks finished with the
worst record in franchise history – 17-65 – in Jackson’s first full season as
team president. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
He got lucky when Kristaps Portzingis fell into his lap in
the 2015 draft but it’s really the only positive on a resume full of negatives.
The Knicks improved by 13 games in 2016, but a solid start was derailed by a
lengthy losing streak and injuries ruined any hopes of a playoff spot. Phil
fired Fisher after a 23-31 start and again pressed the reset button after the
season. The building blocks he installed gave way to veterans like Joakim Noah
and Derrick Rose in a shift from rebuilding to Win Now mode. It seemed to work
at first in December. The Knicks were 14-10 and sitting third in the East when
Jackson managed to put his foot in his mouth with controversial remarks involving
LeBron James. Jackson referring to James’ business associates as his “posse”
was both dumb and insensitive. In typical Jackson fashion, he offered no
apology. The comments bashing Carmelo Anthony for not passing in spite of
numbers showing differently only began what would now be weeks of a public tug
of war against his own star player.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Nowadays Phil Jackson is symbolic for everything that has
plagued the Knicks for so many years: lack of continuity, lack of patience,
lack of an actual plan and poorly timed bad PR. He passed on interviewing guys
like Tom Thibodeau and Frank Vogel while rumors swirled he would give the head
coaching job to interim coach Kurt Rambis full time with the Triangle again in
mind. He settled on Jeff Hornacek but it still feels like Phil is trying to
coach from afar. In his mind the lack of Triangle offense is why the Knicks are
struggling; not the realization that his team is among the worst defensive
teams in the league. He wants to rebuild around Porzingis but now have Noah’s
$72 million contract eating up payroll for the next few years. The guys he
traded like Tyson Chandler and Raymond Felton are still producing for other
teams. Meanwhile many of the guys he got back in return are no longer with the
team. His failure to build a contending team has now resulted in him throwing
Melo – a man he convinced to stay and trust the process – under the bus. Three
years later and constant changes from a man brought in to bring stability has
resulted in a record more than 80 games under .500. Phil “The Savior” is now
Phil “The False Prophet”.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
In a season that has derailed both on and off the court, whether
it’s the trade rumors swirling around the best player or the owner’s poor
treatment of team alum, Phil Jackson is in the middle of it all. The Knicks
have failed yet again to learn from their past by delving into their past for a
big name. Phil with his rings and resume was supposed to bring instant
credibility. Last summer those rings were not even good enough for Kevin Durant
to sit and have coffee with Phil so you can only imagine how little those rings
look now as the team’s bad reputation sweeps through the league. Jackson’s epic
failure as President leaves the Knicks more in shambles than before he came
home. New York was 127-103 with three playoff appearances and a division title.
The team with Phil managed a 17-win season and a game of musical chairs to see
all the different players who have worn a Knicks uniform. It’s time both part
ways for no other reason than salvation. For Phil it’s his legacy and for the
Knicks it’s to bring in someone who can do the job and revive the franchise without
the fanfare.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
It wasn’t supposed to be this way but when you think back to
that night in 2014 Knicks fans in the building at the corner of 33rd and 7th and
all around NYC wanted to believe. Unfortunately the man hired to save the
Knicks instead has turned into an out of touch Old Man. Knicks fans deserve better;
Carmelo Anthony deserves better; even James Dolan who kept his word about staying
out of Jackson’s way deserves better. The franchise does need to rebuild, but
the simplest solution is really to move on from the Era of Zen. Where one
becomes a false prophet not because they fail but rather because they don’t
realize that they have failed. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Phil will never admit it to himself so it’s up to the Knicks
to do it for him.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>
<w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>
<w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
</w:Compatibility>
</w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276">
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin-top:0in;
mso-para-margin-right:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt;
mso-para-margin-left:0in;
line-height:115%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
<!--EndFragment--></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
On The Sportslineshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11906260032076175373noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31371852.post-11441539277845507022016-09-03T15:02:00.000-04:002016-09-03T15:02:05.374-04:00Freedom of Speech: A birthright…Not A Convenience<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>By Anthony Strait, OTSL Analyst</i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><i><br /></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>For
the last few days, the biggest sports story that everyone seems to have an opinion
on is what San Francisco Quarterback Colin Kaepernick did in protest this past
weekend. The issue I have personally taken with over the past couple of days
isn’t his protest of sitting in silence during the National Anthem. It surely
isn’t his explanation to bring attention to social injustice particularly
police brutality. My personal feeling is while I disagree with his method, I
respect his right to his freedom of speech and expression that is his given
right as an American citizen. The issue I have with this whole situation is the
hypocrisy that has reared its ugly head once again in an America that at some
point became a place where freedom of speech is allowed but only if you say
something that everyone agrees with. The fact that we are so willing to punish
dissent is against the very principle behind the first amendment right that
gives us the freedom to express our views without consequences. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I gave up keeping count of the people who said what
Kaepernick did was disrespectful to our military and those who fought to
protect his freedom. Even with Kaep’s statement of his respect towards our
military and those who served, people still have their minds made up.
Kaepernick is labeled un-American because he protests in a non-violent manner
and disrespected the flag. But how much of this is really based on our own
personal feelings towards the American flag as opposed to what are actual facts
about what the flag stands for? Any game or event you go to you will see people
stand and honor the flag and our military. That is how we choose to interpret
the flag; it’s not how everyone SHOULD interpret the flag. As much as we don’t
acknowledge it, the national anthem does not mean the same for all. In a
stadium filled with thousands of people; you never know if there is one person
who sees the flag as a symbol of greatness while someone else may see it as a
symbol of what’s wrong. You can always have a person who came to this country
for a better life see it as a symbol of hope while a man next to them sees it
with anguish as he still grieves over the child he lost in war. We are basing
Kaepernick’s stance on how we have always personally viewed the anthem and
flag, which is unfair. Everyone’s meaning is different but the right to be
different is what is supposed to set the United States apart from others. The
US Constitution exists for that very reason. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The hypocrisy in those condemning Kaepernick isn’t just
reserved to the flag. How many of those who criticize Kaepernick just months
ago praised the late Muhammad Ali? Everyone in the sports world from the likes
of Drew Brees to Kaep’s former coach Jim Harbaugh spoke out against him. But
these two along with so many in the world praised the legacy Ali left behind
due to his willingness to fight for what he believed in. Why is it okay in one
case but not okay in another? Kaepernick is risking his own livelihood to use
his platform to take a stand on something he feels strongly about. Ali lost
three years of his career and was deemed un-American for not fighting in
Vietnam. Today his life is celebrated not just by his boxing career but his
role in civil rights. How many NFL players have given lengthy quotes on how
they feel about Kaep sitting during the national anthem but remain silent on
issues such as domestic violence or the possibility of having a gay teammate?
Funny how these same NFL players also don’t mention how the league was paid
over $5.4 million by the defense department between the years 2012-2015 to be a
propaganda machine. For all of the talk about how the flag enables Kaepernick’s
freedom of speech and right to protest, why are those saying it having a hard
time simply disagreeing without disparaging the idea that Kaepernick only did
what so many Americans do daily? There is nothing wrong with honoring the
military as there is never enough appreciation that can be shown for them. But
it doesn’t mean those who are honored and serve have exclusive rights to the
idea of patriotism and our anthem.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">As bad as the sports world has been, the fans and social
media have been far worse in this matter. You don’t have to go far for proof. Colin
Kaepernick’s Twitter handle alone showed the ugly racist backlash he received
that almost works double towards proving his point that racial injustice still
exists. Fans ask athletes to take a stand on social matters all the time. The
moment one does and it’s something fans don’t agree with they are told to shut
up and play and they don’t relate because they make millions. Is the problem
with the athlete who takes a stand or the fan who can’t get past his salary or
how many fantasy points he is losing to notice someone with remote power and
influence is trying to make a point? The talks of “There are other ways to
protest” are never followed up with actual ways to protest, at least one that
hasn’t been tried yet and would really work. Kaepernick, whether you agree with
it or not, took a non-violent approach. That is a far cry from some of the
violence protests seen at a Donald Trump rally or even those at a few Black
Lives Matter rallies. Colin did not burn a flag -- which was very commonplace
during protests of the Vietnam War -- nor did he use the sidelines to perform a
staged fake death, which were held frequently a decade ago to protest the War
in Iraq. With my own two eyes I saw people on Facebook speak strongly against
Kaepernick’s approach who I remember took part in those staged fake deaths
while attending Hofstra University years ago. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>
<w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>
<w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
</w:Compatibility>
</w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276">
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin-top:0in;
mso-para-margin-right:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt;
mso-para-margin-left:0in;
line-height:115%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
<!--EndFragment--><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The issue here isn’t simply agreeing or disagreeing with
Kaepernick. As American citizens you, me and anyone who has an opinion are well
entitled to their right to disagree with Colin Kaepernick. It is your God-given
first amendment right to not support the 49ers or never watch a NFL game again
if you choose to. What is lost in all of this is recognizing Colin is within
his first amendment rights to his beliefs and to express them in a non-violent
manner. For those who say he should go to another country is in itself
disrespecting the rights afforded to anyone who lives in a country that
encourages free speech without any repercussions. Kaepernick has vowed to
continue sitting until change of some form is made knowing that his days as a
49er and possibly NFL player may be numbered. You are entitled to your freedoms
to choose either side of this argument as you see fit. Just keep in mind that
he is entitled to his and infringing on it based on not agreeing with it goes
against the very heart of the first amendment that the Constitution and
American flag for many represent as core values of our freedom. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
On The Sportslineshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11906260032076175373noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31371852.post-35148672593765888402016-02-27T15:57:00.001-05:002016-02-27T15:57:21.475-05:00Women in Sports: What We Still Haven't Learned<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">by The Rabbi, OTSL Video
Editor/Producer</i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I am a chauvinist.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Yes, I know that's a very harsh first line, to say such a
thing about myself, but the truth of the matter is this: you are all
chauvinists too.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Why you might ask? It is simply because of the fact
that we have not treated women right in sports.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
For all of the good advances we have seen over the last few
years, most notably the hiring of Becky Hammon by the Spurs as the NBA's first
female full-time assistant coach and the hiring of Kathryn Smith as the NFL's
first full time female assistant coach, we have treated the woman's place in
the world of pro and amateur sports even worse than before.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Before we get to the issues at Tennessee (the reason I'm
writing this column) let's just look at a few reasons why our treatment of
women in what is a male-dominated field is still tremendously wrong.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A little over a year ago, the NBA got into a little bit of
hot water when, after a game, Chris Paul (who is only the head of the National
Basketball Players Association) criticized a female ref after calling a
technical foul which Paul thought he didn't deserve. Postgame, Paul said
about the technical foul, "That's ridiculous. If that's the case, this
might not be for her." The technical was one of many the Clippers received
in that game in which they were routed. If that were a male ref calling
the foul, would the situation have been the same? I doubt it. Even
if it was, the person who is the spokesman for NBA Players should not be saying
things like that. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Last year, ESPN employee and former softball star
Jessica Mendoza became the first female to be a color commentator for an MLB
Playoff game (and she did the job well enough to get asked back into the Sunday
Night Baseball booth this year). While this was a moment that was
celebrated by many, there were some people who were outraged that a woman was
taking what some called a "man's job" and what's even more disgusting
was a tweet by Atlanta sports host Mike Bell saying this:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><br /></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">"Yes tell us Tits
McGhee when you're up there hitting a softball you see a lot of 95 mile an hour
cutters"<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Bell got suspended for this tweet, but a short suspension
doesn't hide ignorance.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Finally, let us take a look at what's going on at
Louisville. The accusations made by a former prostitute a little less
than six months ago that between 2010-2014 Louisville basketball players and
recruits were at dorm parties where strippers were the entertainment provided
by a former assistant coach. Also, some of the (non-college) girls at these
parties were having sex with these former players after that same assistant
coach paid for it. So they were, in a not so nice term, whored out. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
There were two dozen of these such parties. Louisville has a self-imposed
postseason ban this year because of this, with probably more to come from the
NCAA. You know, because the only people that should be punished are the
kids who probably had NOTHING to do with these allegations.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So from those three examples we've established that players
and media personalities think a woman's place in a male-dominated game should
be non-existent, other than to provide "entertainment" to those
"hard-working" male athletes and coaches.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Then there's the University of Tennessee, a school with so
many sexual harassment allegations it showcases those examples as well as
any male "pig" ever could. I'm not even going to mention Peyton
Manning in this article.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
allegations of what he did to a female employee of UT in 1996 just solidify
this even more. Let's stay more recent.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
First, as you may have heard, a lawsuit is currently being
filed by EIGHT former female UT employees basically saying that the
institution "created a culture that enables sexual assaults by
student-athletes, especially football players, and then uses an unusual,
legalistic adjudication process that is biased against victims who step
forward."</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It's a huge claim, one that has examples going back to the 1990's,
which includes claims from last Spring that a Vols football player, accused of
sexual assault, had his suspension lifted just to take finals, so that same
player could be eligible to play the next season. That same player’s
lawyers allegedly were ALLOWED to contact witnesses that were going to be
called during UT's investigation.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Second, three years ago, an alleged rape allegation against
then UT football player Marlin Lane was essentially never disclosed because of
pressure that was put on his alleged victim by fellow UT students and
administrators. Even though the rape claim against Lane was never
reported (and he was suspended while the allegations were still pending for
Spring games and summer practices), details have come out that the woman never
pressed charges because she was threatened on Twitter, and even threatened over
the phone by Lane's girlfriend.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Finally, a year and a half ago, another UT student was
claimed to have been raped by football players A.J. Johnson and Michael
Williams. That night, another fellow player, Drae Bowles, drove the woman
to the hospital as she was hyperventilating and crying. What happened to
Bowles next by players and coaches is beyond disgusting.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
One linebacker allegedly beat up Bowles and punched him in
the mouth, two other players (including Lane) said "people get shot for
that sort of thing", and even (still currently as of this writing) head
coach Butch Jones called Bowles "a traitor". So, even the
people who want to stand up for the rape victims are outcasts.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Tennessee could have done the honorable thing and taken
these allegations as seriously as they should have been, but what would have
been smart about that? Instead, all 16 of Tennessee's head coaches had a
press conference earlier this week, in a move that screamed PR at its worst
level, to basically say why women were just "as equal" at UT as all
the men were. Examples of statements included:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
"It's amazing to me to see the support of our female
athletes," said Vols women's basketball head coach Holly Warlick, a move
that came after a UT media relations assistant halted an interview last week
with one of her star players about the allegations.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
"Our competitors are using (the culture perception)
against us," head coach football Butch Jones said. This cites what
the interview was REALLY about, telling recruiters that everything is going to
be OK. Don't believe the truths!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Finally, this gem, “These stories aren’t being told,”
said softball co-coach Karen Weekly. “That’s why we’re here today — because we
want people to hear the positives.” </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Yeah, that's about all that was for.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
While everything in that press conference was all about the rosy
picture going on at Knoxville (male coaches even come to women's games!), the
crux of the matter wasn't mentioned till 25 minutes into the love-fest (neither
was the lawsuit nor the damning allegations) and it was mentioned indirectly by
a reporter asking a question, not by any of the coaches themselves. In
addition, those allegations against Butch Jones weren't revealed until 48 hours
after the press conference, which just solidifies the disingenuous tone of the
PR fest to begin with.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So, as we reach the end of this column, here's a little
recap about what we've learned about the culture of women in sports (and all of
these examples have taken place or have been revealed in the last 14 months):</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
</div>
<ol>
<li><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">If a woman does all the things a man does in a
position of power like referee, be prepared for extra scrutiny.</span></li>
<li><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Women are subjected to online bullying,
regardless of how good of a job they do, just because they are a woman.</span></li>
<li><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">A woman's main place in the male dominated
college world is to be used as sexual escorts or victims.</span></li>
<li><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">When it all comes down to it, the rights of
victims only come second to a school's athletic success. </span></li>
</ol>
<!--[if !supportLists]--><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
While the allegations that have recently come out against
Louisville and Tennessee reveal an abusive culture related to football and
basketball on campus, rest assured they are most likely not the only colleges or
even professional sports teams where this exists.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This may resonate with you, the reader, or it may not, but
the fact that this isn't more of forefront issue in the world of sports or the
fact that we don't care about this more as a society makes all of us…chauvinists.
</div>
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>
<w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>
<w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
</w:Compatibility>
</w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276">
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin-top:0in;
mso-para-margin-right:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt;
mso-para-margin-left:0in;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
<!--EndFragment--><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
On The Sportslineshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11906260032076175373noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31371852.post-77704314131240521752016-02-13T15:29:00.000-05:002016-02-13T15:29:13.344-05:00THAT OTHER STORY TO COME OUT OF SUPER BOWL 50<div style="text-align: center;">
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>
<w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>
<w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
</w:Compatibility>
</w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276">
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin-top:0in;
mso-para-margin-right:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt;
mso-para-margin-left:0in;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
<!--EndFragment--></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>by The Rabbi, OTSL Video Editor/Producer</i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<b><i><br /></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
If you watched media coverage in the two days after the
Super Bowl, all we heard was about Cam Newton. Why didn't Cam Newton dive
for that fumble? Why did Cam Newton say nothing to the media? Why
is Cam Newton so cocky?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
One more question should be asked: Why are we focusing
on the QB of the team that <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">lost</i></b> Super Bowl 50?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
What the winners did (oh by the way, that would be the
Denver Broncos) in the NFL's Golden Game was extremely historic. Historic
in so many different ways, that when people look back at this Super Bowl 50
years later (Super Bowl 100? Perish the thought) they’ll shake their
heads in disbelief.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The Denver Broncos made history by being the first Super Bowl
team to win having less than 200 yards of total offense. That last
sentence is just mind boggling to me. When you looked at the field on
Sunday, fans had a very good idea that we saw a shell of the Peyton Manning who
played in three previous Super Bowls. What we didn't know was this wasn't
a shell of a former great, this was basically a shell fragment. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Peyton, who seemingly had one job on the field in managing
the game, was responsible for one interception and one fumble. It got so
bad in the second half for Manning, that it kind of looked like in my view that
Head Coach Gary Kubiak didn't let him do ANYTHING. Not even a pass over
ten yards. The best pass that Manning threw, especially in that second
half, was the two point conversion he threw to make the score 24-10. It was
probably the last pass of his career.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Emmanuel Sanders was virtually the only reliable target for
the Hall of Fame QB (he had almost four times as many receiving yards as anyone
else did Sunday night). The running game was decent enough, as CJ
Anderson went for 4 yards a carry (23 for 90yards). All those numbers and
the fact that the offense for Denver was basically two people makes it even more
amazing that the Broncos were not only leading the entire game, they didn't
look like they were in trouble.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Now, we get to the Defense of the Super Bowl Champions.
Orange Crush is not even the best way to describe this unit right now, but only
because they are SO much better than their predecessors ever were. On Sunday, they hit Cam Newton 13 times. Eight Broncos
got to the QB who ran the league's number one offense in 2015. As you all
know by now, the chosen one got sacked six times on the night (they also sacked
Ted Ginn Jr. once), with Denver's bookend Outside Linebackers Demarcus Ware and
Von Miller getting credit for 4.5 of them. The only other team to get
seven sacks in a Super Bowl? The 1985 Chicago Bears. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This postseason Denver got to their opponent’s QB 33 TIMES,
which is an unbelievable stat considering the other two signal callers they
manhandled were Tom Brady and Ben Roethlisberger, who are responsible for five
Super Bowl wins. When you take into account Von Miller's two strips of
Cam on Sunday, the final score of the NFL's Golden Game should really read
as: Broncos Defense 14, Panthers 10.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Since the 2000's the NFL has been a game dominated by
offense. “You can't win a game without a great QB performance” people
always say. Super Bowl Sunday proved different. Since 2000, I've
only truly seen two Super Bowl winning performances that have been on par with
Peyton Manning's on Sunday: Trent Dilfer in Super Bowl 38 for the
original team who won with only defense, the Baltimore Ravens (153 yards, 3
sacks, 1 fumble); and Big Ben Roethlisberger in the last anniversary game for
the NFL, Super Bowl 40 (9-21, 123 yards, 2 INT's). Being responsible for
a single TD (Dilfer throwing, Big Ben running) in their respective Super Bowls
was really the only positive thing either of them did.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Peyton really can't even take any
credit for that.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
That Sunday showed us things we've never seen before from a
WINNING team in a Super Bowl.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Whether
it be because of the Broncos own futility on offense or their amazing defense; either
way, it’s truly historic. And either way, the DENVER BRONCOS are the TRUE
story of Super Bowl 50, not the Carolina Panthers.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>
<w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>
<w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
</w:Compatibility>
</w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276">
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin-top:0in;
mso-para-margin-right:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt;
mso-para-margin-left:0in;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
<!--EndFragment--></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Or you know, we can talk more about how Cam is a sore loser
again, your call. </div>
On The Sportslineshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11906260032076175373noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31371852.post-80570910206056820822016-01-31T20:49:00.002-05:002016-01-31T20:49:34.808-05:00Rolling With The Underdog?<div class="p1" style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>By The Rabbi - OTSL Producer/Video Editor</i></b></div>
<div class="p1" style="text-align: center;">
<b><i><br /></i></b></div>
<div class="p1">
There's only one number you need to know going into Super Bowl 50, and that number is TWO.</div>
<div class="p2">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
Why 2? TWO is the number that showed what the Carolina Panthers public perception was for most of the season. TWO is the number that signified the 20 consecutive regular season wins as a fluke to the public. TWO is the number that made the Panthers look like a product of just a really weak NFC. TWO is the number that reminds people that the Panthers were a 7-8-1 division winner a year ago. TWO is the number that had people believing Cam Newton isn't even a Top 10 QB in the NFL, and that's a CRAZY thing to think now.</div>
<div class="p2">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
Okay, so let me tell you what the number 2 actually represents: it was the opening Vegas gambling line of Panthers-Cowboys in Week 12. The Panthers were 10-0 going in the game and the rumblings of a 16-0 regular season were getting louder. Carolina had built up a reputation as a big game team and was about to prove their worth against a Cowboy team whose QB, Tony Romo, would be starting in his 2nd game back from surgery.</div>
<div class="p2">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
Were the Panthers favorites in this match up going in? They were not. It seemed crazy at the time even though the Panthers were on the road in this game and it seems much crazier now. There have been a ton of doubters for this Panthers team all season, are there are a ton of different reasons why. </div>
<div class="p2">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
They're not the sexiest team in the NFC. The Packers have the history and fans; the Seahawks had the two consecutive NFC championships before this season; the entire NFC East (even this year) is more watchable to the average Joe than a singular Panthers game. </div>
<div class="p2">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
They are still very weak at the skill positions to the public. RB Jonathan Stewart had a great year, but he was always known as the slightly better portion of a backfield timeshare until 2015. WR's Ted Ginn, Jr. and Jerricho Cotchery? Please, they're just other teams castoffs, is what many said before this year. Greg Olsen wasn't a #1 TE in many people's eyes, because only two tight ends in the NFL were worthy of that distinction: Rob Gronkowski and Jimmy Graham. Many people thought this team was done when its leading receiver from 2014, Kelvin Benjamin, got injured in training camp.</div>
<div class="p2">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
Then of course there's Cam Newton, now the very likely NFL MVP. He was always considered a pretty good QB, but one that still needed to prove himself worthy of that Number ONE Overall draft pick distinction in 2011 for a ton of different reasons. He had many injuries (which is to be expected for someone who moves as much as Cam does); he was always known as a out of the pocket QB (when the NFL these days embraces more in the pocket QB's); and he was just not considered as much of a leader (like a Brady, a Manning, or a Rodgers).</div>
<div class="p2">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
Unless you've been living under a rock, you all know by now how the Panthers proved the doubters wrong. They beat the sexy Seattle Seahawks on the way the NFC Championship.</div>
<div class="p2">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
They had the skill positions: Stewart was the main back in the NFL's #2 rushing offense; Ginn had the best year of his career, Cotchery proved he was still a viable wideout, Olsen had his 2nd straight 1,000 yard receiving season and developed into the 2nd best TE in the NFL behind Gronk.</div>
<div class="p2">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
Finally there's Newton: He was injury free in 2015; threw only TWO INT's from the pocket in his last 10 games and he is now one of the most vocal leaders in the NFL.</div>
<div class="p2">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
So, what happened in that Week 12 game vs. the Cowboys? Carolina won EASILY 33-14. Jerricho Cotchery was the team's leading receiver in that game; Newton was responsible for almost 230 all purpose yards plus one touchdown; and Cowboys QB Tony Romo through three INT'S and was re-injured by the very stiff Panthers defense.</div>
<div class="p2">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
The opening line for Super Bowl 50? Panthers by 3.5. The public perception changed big time from just TWO months ago, as the betting public moved the line a full TWO points. Now Carolina is favored over Denver by 5.5, and that line might grow even more.</div>
<div class="p2">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1" style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="p1">
Do not doubt the Panthers; they're not anyone's number TWO anymore.</div>
On The Sportslineshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11906260032076175373noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31371852.post-30917955246740930182016-01-12T22:53:00.000-05:002016-01-12T22:53:23.780-05:00I Hate Nick Saban, But...<div dir="ltr" id="yiv4284963304yui_3_16_0_1_1452625475175_15553" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: center;">
<b style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;"><i>By The Rabbi - OTSL Producer/Video Editor</i></b></div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv4284963304yui_3_16_0_1_1452625475175_15561" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv4284963304yui_3_16_0_1_1452625475175_15620">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">His smug, arrogant personality and coldness to reporters reminds me of a college version of Bill Belichick. The smugness is unbearable. His constant rumors about going to the NFL also make me hate his existence in the college game.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv4284963304yui_3_16_0_1_1452625475175_15641" style="font-size: 16px;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv4284963304yui_3_16_0_1_1452625475175_15652" style="font-size: 16px;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">However, the man's presence is necessary to the game. If last night didn't reaffirm it, I can definitely say it now: he is by far the best coach in the modern game.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv4284963304yui_3_16_0_1_1452625475175_15671" style="font-size: 16px;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv4284963304yui_3_16_0_1_1452625475175_15747" style="font-size: 16px;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">I know all the talk by people who are going to talk about his place in the history of college football, will be about how he's better than Bear Bryant, but I don't care. Comparing Saban and Bryant is like comparing apples and oranges. Comparing anyone in the non BCS/CFP era to anyone before is somewhat unfair.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv4284963304yui_3_16_0_1_1452625475175_15621" style="font-size: 16px;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv4284963304yui_3_16_0_1_1452625475175_18747" style="font-size: 16px;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">As an LSU fan, the hatred I have for Saban is legitimate, but I can still respect the man. In a very stacked SEC, Tricky Nick always finds a way to make his team rise above all the rest. Four titles in seven years is a hell of an accomplishment. When you realize why he didn't win those other three years it is even more amazing.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv4284963304yui_3_16_0_1_1452625475175_18797" style="font-size: 16px;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv4284963304yui_3_16_0_1_1452625475175_18844" style="font-size: 16px;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">2011: Cam Newton emerged as a dynamic talent, and yet Auburn still needed a huge second half comeback to beat the Tide in their regular season game.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv4284963304yui_3_16_0_1_1452625475175_18857" style="font-size: 16px;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv4284963304yui_3_16_0_1_1452625475175_18858" style="font-size: 16px;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">2013: The "Kick Six" against Alabama in a game where either team could have won kept the Tide from the National Title game and sent Auburn to play Jameis Winston and the Florida State Seminoles.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv4284963304yui_3_16_0_1_1452625475175_18867" style="font-size: 16px;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv4284963304yui_3_16_0_1_1452625475175_18881" style="font-size: 16px;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">2014: This remains a mystery. I have two theories, though. </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv4284963304yui_3_16_0_1_1452625475175_18881" style="font-size: 16px;">
<ol>
<li><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Ohio State really snuck up on the college football world.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Alabama didn't prepare and treated the National Semifinal the wrong way. </span></li>
</ol>
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Either way, this was an anomaly.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv4284963304yui_3_16_0_1_1452625475175_18889" style="font-size: 16px;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv4284963304yui_3_16_0_1_1452625475175_18890" style="font-size: 16px;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Let's not forget that Tim Tebow might have cost the Tide a title or two as well while he was at Florida.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="font-size: 16px;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv4284963304yui_3_16_0_1_1452625475175_18896" style="font-size: 16px;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">In watching Nick Saban win his 5th national title Monday night, I saw him do a few things we have seen before.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv4284963304yui_3_16_0_1_1452625475175_18902" style="font-size: 16px;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv4284963304yui_3_16_0_1_1452625475175_18943" style="font-size: 16px;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">1. <b>Establish the Running Game</b> </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv4284963304yui_3_16_0_1_1452625475175_18976" style="font-size: 16px;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv4284963304yui_3_16_0_1_1452625475175_18975" style="font-size: 16px;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Sure, Derrick Henry had a quiet second half, but the establishing of him in the first half allowed Alabama to throw the ball, a lot, in the second half, torching a Clemson defense that hadn't been torched like that in any game this season.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv4284963304yui_3_16_0_1_1452625475175_18934" style="font-size: 16px;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv4284963304yui_3_16_0_1_1452625475175_18933" style="font-size: 16px;">
<b id="yiv4284963304yui_3_16_0_1_1452625475175_19111"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">2. Play to his QB's strengths </span></b></div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv4284963304yui_3_16_0_1_1452625475175_18995" style="font-size: 16px;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv4284963304yui_3_16_0_1_1452625475175_18996" style="font-size: 16px;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Yes, AJ McCarron did start a playoff game this week (and did enough to win), but the three previous QB's behind center for the Crimson Tide basically amount to one good player COMBINED in the NFL. Greg McElroy is already working for the SEC network; McCarron is not even the most well-known person in his own household; and although Jacob Coker did have an amazing second half, he doesn't show enough confidence to play QB in the NFL. He held onto the ball WAY too much at times last night, but as always, Saban figured out a way to overcome it and made Coker look like a Heisman finalist in the second half.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1452653477624_2174" style="font-size: 16px;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv4284963304yui_3_16_0_1_1452625475175_19066" style="font-size: 16px;">
<b id="yiv4284963304yui_3_16_0_1_1452625475175_19110"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">3. Out-coach your opponent</span></b></div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv4284963304yui_3_16_0_1_1452625475175_19071" style="font-size: 16px;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv4284963304yui_3_16_0_1_1452625475175_19070" style="font-size: 16px;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">There's a BIG reason why Nick Saban doesn't lose to any of his former assistants and is now 5-0 when playing for a CFP/BCS National Title. He's the best coach on the field. Dabo Sweeney is a young coach who looked really good last night, for about three quarters. Saban pulled out all the stops, especially going all Sean Payton with a surprise onside kick after tying the game at 24 </span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">(yet another face slap to the state of Louisiana)</span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">. </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv4284963304yui_3_16_0_1_1452625475175_19144" style="font-size: 16px;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv4284963304yui_3_16_0_1_1452625475175_19145" style="font-size: 16px;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Which leads me to the one final thing in my praising of The Devil in college football coach form, the way he adapted to what Clemson gave him last night. He didn't have the best player on the field in Glendale (that would be Tigers QB Deshaun Watson) and his team </span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">never showed they had the better unit on the field - </span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">be it offense or defense - </span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">until the 4th quarter. However, the adjustments Saban made led to what truly might be the best of his five national title victories. Saban needed to find ways in the second half to win himself a title and that's when he called for the onside kick; the multiple downfield passes; and screen plays that carved up the Tigers secondary. As I said on the OTSL Twitter feed during the game, when Alabama plays at it's best, you just can't beat a Saban-led team. Clemson brought their A-Game and still came up a bit short.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv4284963304yui_3_16_0_1_1452625475175_19311" style="font-size: 16px;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv4284963304yui_3_16_0_1_1452625475175_19269" style="font-size: 16px;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">That's why Nick Saban is the best coach in the modern college game, as much as I wish it wasn't so.</span></div>
On The Sportslineshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11906260032076175373noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31371852.post-5433528852383579512015-12-31T09:33:00.000-05:002015-12-31T09:33:05.601-05:00Bowl Season - New Year's Eve Edition<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>By The Rabbi - OTSL Producer/Video Editor</i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
I’ve been a little lazy with my bowl preview; Christmas and other stuff has gotten in the way. However, we are now in the REAL part of bowl season. New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day have been remade as huge bowl days in America. I don’t need to give you a reason to care about these games, you should care about all of these games over the New Year’s holiday. So, let’s see what we have in store for the New Year’s Eve portion of the holiday, with the two national semifinals also being played on this day:<br />
<br />
<b><i><u>Peach Bowl: (18) Houston vs. (9) Florida State (-6.5)</u></i></b><br />
Florida State has been a team that, with Jameis Winston at QB, has been used to making playoff appearances and national title games. Now? This team is back in the position they were at before the boy wonder came to Tallahassee: good but not necessarily good enough. They are the beneficiary (or loser) of having to play the Group of 5's, New Year’s Six nominee in Atlanta.<br />
<br />
The Seminoles are here because they lost the biggest game on their schedule (a 23-13 loss to Clemson) AND because they had their big upset along the way (to Georgia Tech). They ended the season hot, including a stone cold beat down of their in-state rival Florida 27-2. The transfer of Everett Golson was supposed to keep this team in the national title picture, but Golson disappointed and he’s not even here for this game. Sean Maguire - last year's #2 QB - is leading the team and is putting up numbers similar to Golson's. The defense for FSU is a lot better than they were months ago though, and Houston hasn’t seen a defense like this.<br />
<br />
Houston gets this big bowl as a big reward for the work they did in the AAC. The AAC had FOUR ranked teams at points this year (3 in the final CFP standings), and Houston was their champ. If not for a letdown against UCONN, the Cougars would be coming into this bowl with an undefeated season. Their coach, former Ohio State Offensive Coordinator Tom Herman, has made this offense more dynamic in 2015. Their QB, Greg Ward Jr. - who is as much of a weapon with his feet as he is with his arm - has led the offense to 10 more points per game this year as compared to last year and if you get into a shooting match with them, you are could be in serious trouble.<br />
<br />
FSU was in a similar situation three years ago going up against an upstart Northern Illinois team. They dominated that game and Jimbo Fisher isn’t the type of coach to lose games like this. <br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>The Pick:</b> FSU 31, Houston 20<br />
<br />
Now, for the co-main events.<br />
<br />
<b><u><i>Orange Bowl: (4) Oklahoma (-3.5) vs. (1) Clemson</i></u></b><br />
Yup, you read that right. Oklahoma, a team coming out of the much maligned Big 12, has a week longer of rust (or rest depending on your point of view) before facing the SAME EXACT TEAM they lost to in last year in the Russell Athletic Bowl 40-6. The Sooners are the favorite in this game, but both teams are different than they were last year.<br />
<br />
For Clemson, it’s about belief, and much more importantly, the <i>"Us Against The World"</i> mentality the team has had in 2015. They finally beat Florida State for the first time in a while, and also ground out (and I really mean <i>ground</i> out) a close victory versus Notre Dame earlier in the year. Their coach Dabo Sweeney has prided the team in two major things: dancing and proving everyone wrong. Pretty much 50/50 with that.<br />
<br />
On the field, Deshaun Watson has been the star that almost everyone thought he would be when he was recruited by the Tigers. He showed some improvement operating in the pocket this season (although he only averaged 12 yards a completion, which is slightly below what you want from under center these days) and more importantly, made fewer mistakes. That leadership from the QB position made Watson a Heisman Trophy finalist, though he finished a distant third. Watson didn’t play in last year’s bowl game and now leading freshman receiver Deon Cain will not be in the game either, due to a drug suspension. Still this team has enough depth at the WR position that Cain's absence should not be a big deal. What is a big deal however, is Clemson’s defense. The Tigers love to blitz and is one of the nation’s best in getting sacks and stopping the run. They live in their opponent’s backfield.<br />
<br />
Oklahoma put up offensive numbers that are Big 12-worthy, but played just enough defense to make others take notice. In their games against TCU, Baylor and Oklahoma State, they had a good enough defensive scheme to slow each down, though all three having injuries to their regular starting QB’s when they played the Sooners no doubt helped. Deshaun Watson is the most talented QB the Sooners will have to face.<br />
<br />
However, the most talented QB on the field, in my opinion, is Baker Mayfield. He had almost 4,000 yards of total offense (rushing and passing) and he was as good, if not better than every QB in the country; especially in the final half of the college football season. Mayfield has the same dual threat capability that Watson does, but he does get sacked. A LOT. 34 times this season. That does not bode well when facing a Clemson team that (as I said) lives in their opponent's backfield.<br />
<br />
After all of that, I hate to say it, but I agree with the crowd. Oklahoma will outlast Clemson in this one and move onto the national title game in Arizona. <br />
<br />
<b>The Pick:</b> Oklahoma 35, Clemson 31<br />
<br />
<b><i><u>Cotton Bowl: (3) Michigan State vs. (2) Alabama</u></i></b><br />
Alabama had their “Come to Jesus” game early in the season: a Week 3 loss to Ole Miss. Michigan State has had about five “Come to Jesus” moments this season; not limited to, but highlighted by a last second win at Rutgers; a win over Ohio State without their starting QB; the longest drive of the college football season to beat Iowa to win the Big 10; and of course the Michigan screw up on a punt which gave the Spartans a walk-off win midseason. Though these two teams met back in the 2010 Capital One Bowl (where Alabama dominated 49-7), the Spartans are a much different program now.<br />
<br />
Connor Cook has the leadership that is desperately needed in this game. However, since suffering a shoulder injury in November, he hasn’t been giving the Spartans the production they have come to expect from their Senior QB. Cook’s bowl game performances have been so solid, that hopefully the 25 days of rest leading up to this game for the Spartans will make Cook’s shoulder (and by extension his game) whole again. Many teams have stayed in the game with Alabama this year and a healthy Cook can blow a game open.<br />
<br />
Michigan State's defense is CLEARLY lacking in comparison to Alabama's, but the Spartans have been able to take care of mediocre QB play this year. Sorry to say Crimson Tide fans, but Jacob Coker is the embodiment of mediocre QB play. The Spartans can make a team one dimensional, which is the biggest thing MSU has going for them in this game against Alabama.<br />
<br />
The Flip Side of that coin is that 'Bama's one dimension is a FREAKIN' Heisman trophy winner in RB Derrick Henry. He gets 30+ carries a game (though only 14 in the Ole Miss loss) and will be the man Michigan State will game plan their entire defensive scheme around stopping. They did a good job stopping Ezekiel Elliott in their win over Ohio State, but Elliott only got 12 carries in that game. Henry has already gashed one Big 10 team in Dallas (the Tide beat Wisconsin here on opening Saturday) and he just might do it again.<br />
<br />
There are not enough words to describe just how GOOD this Alabama defense is. There are LOADS of NFL Talent on this team and that talent has shined brightly (we're talking megawatts here) on the field this season. The key is going to be whether Connor Cook can outplay Jacob Coker by a wide enough margin to keep this really game close. My Prediction is no. I think Michigan State plays into Alabama’s hands and the dream season ends for Sparty.<br />
<br />
<b>The Pick: </b>Alabama 31, Michigan State 17<br />
<br />
NEXT UP: The New Year’s Day games. That post is going to be a lot less wordy. I swear.On The Sportslineshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11906260032076175373noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31371852.post-16577614481399204952015-12-23T09:14:00.001-05:002015-12-23T09:14:27.894-05:00Bowl Season - Part 2<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>By The Rabbi, OTSL Producer and Video Editor</i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
Welcome to Part 2 of my Bowl preview, and thankfully, I only have one game to put in for Monday so I'm putting in a short week! I know, I'm lazy. <br />
<br />
<b><u>Miami Beach Bowl</u></b><br />
<br />
Western Kentucky (-2.5) vs. South Florida<br />
<br />
1. Why should I care about this game?<br />
<br />
Because the inaugural Miami Beach bowl in 2014 that featured Memphis and BYU, two teams who looked a lot better this season. That game also featured a massive brawl that was one of the pre-CFP highlights of the Bowl season. So, as we establish, fighting is more exciting than talent.<br />
<br />
2. Who should I watch for?<br />
<br />
While South Florida likes to run, we'll focus on enough runners in future columns. Western Kentucky has Brandon Doughty, who led the nation this year in completion percentage at 71.9% and had 45 passing touchdowns. Should make this another high scoring bowl, whether it's high scoring on only one side remains to be seen.<br />
<br />
3. Main storyline?<br />
<br />
This is a damn good game for the 2nd day of bowl season. South Florida was in the mix for the AAC title, and Western Kentucky won every game in the C-USA and by double digits. Western Kentucky is, in my opinion, right behind Memphis and Houston in non Power 5 conference talent.<br />
<br />
4. At stake?<br />
<br />
More for the coaches I think is at stake. For Western Kentucky, Jeff Brohm has taken the team to newer, dominant heights (they competed really well in their only 2 losses to Indiana and LSU). For South Florida coach (and former Western Kentucky QB and head coach) Willie Taggert, a chance to get a signature victory against his former team, and some traction in the all of a sudden ultra tight AAC.<br />
<br />
5. Who wins?<br />
<br />
Western Kentucky continues their run of big bowl games. WKU 49, South Florida 35<br />
<br />
Coming up in the next post: Part 3, looking at the games on Tuesday, featuring one of my favorite college football stories of 2015: Temple.On The Sportslineshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11906260032076175373noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31371852.post-85687442880999766182015-12-19T13:59:00.001-05:002015-12-19T14:35:11.244-05:00Bowl Season- Part 1<div id="yiv8049247593yui_3_16_0_1_1450383827125_4646" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
By The Rabbi, OTSL <span style="font-size: 16px;">Producer and Video Editor</span></div>
</div>
<div id="yiv8049247593yui_3_16_0_1_1450383827125_4796" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv8049247593yui_3_16_0_1_1450383827125_5533" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
I love college football, and I truly love bowl season.</div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv8049247593yui_3_16_0_1_1450383827125_5534" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv8049247593yui_3_16_0_1_1450383827125_5675" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
There might be 40 games (involving FBS teams), and that might be too much for all of you. I don't care. I truly love it.</div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv8049247593yui_3_16_0_1_1450383827125_5677" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv8049247593yui_3_16_0_1_1450383827125_5824" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
So, because this bowl season is crazy and we haven't seen blog posts on here for a while, I'm doing a bowl preview, day by day of this very long bowl season.</div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv8049247593yui_3_16_0_1_1450383827125_5825" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv8049247593yui_3_16_0_1_1450383827125_5826" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
I base each bowl preview with 5 questions:</div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv8049247593yui_3_16_0_1_1450383827125_5836" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv8049247593yui_3_16_0_1_1450383827125_5837" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<b>1. Why should I care about this game? </b></div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv8049247593yui_3_16_0_1_1450383827125_5838" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv8049247593yui_3_16_0_1_1450383827125_5839" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
I know I care but I need to give a reason for you to care.</div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv8049247593yui_3_16_0_1_1450388725209_4738" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv8049247593yui_3_16_0_1_1450383827125_12490" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<b>2. Who should I watch for?</b></div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv8049247593yui_3_16_0_1_1450388725209_4757" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
It's the postseason, and if you're not playing for that ridiculous CFP trophy, you care about your draft stock, plain and simple. </div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv8049247593yui_3_16_0_1_1450388725209_4739" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv8049247593yui_3_16_0_1_1450388725209_4235" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<b>3. What's the main storyline?</b></div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv8049247593yui_3_16_0_1_1450388725209_4758" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv8049247593yui_3_16_0_1_1450383827125_6028" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
This seems a little like #1, but I can give you a thing to watch with the game.</div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv8049247593yui_3_16_0_1_1450388725209_4236" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv8049247593yui_3_16_0_1_1450383827125_6490" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<b>4. What's at stake?</b></div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv8049247593yui_3_16_0_1_1450383827125_6027" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
Again, if you're not in a national semifinal, I have to let you know why we have this game to begin with.</div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv8049247593yui_3_16_0_1_1450383827125_6489" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv8049247593yui_3_16_0_1_1450383827125_6026" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<b>5. Who wins?</b></div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv8049247593yui_3_16_0_1_1450383827125_8312" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv8049247593yui_3_16_0_1_1450383827125_6488" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
I'll even include gambling lines, if you're into that sort of thing.</div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv8049247593yui_3_16_0_1_1450383827125_6025" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv8049247593yui_3_16_0_1_1450383827125_6487" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
Ready, set, analyze!</div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv8049247593yui_3_16_0_1_1450383827125_6041" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv8049247593yui_3_16_0_1_1450383827125_6042" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
Gildan New Mexico Bowl</div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv8049247593yui_3_16_0_1_1450383827125_9250" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<b>Arizona (-8) (6-6) vs. New Mexico (7-5)</b></div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv8049247593yui_3_16_0_1_1450383827125_6044" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv8049247593yui_3_16_0_1_1450383827125_6045" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<b>1. Why should I care?</b></div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv8049247593yui_3_16_0_1_1450383827125_6334" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv8049247593yui_3_16_0_1_1450383827125_6331" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
Bet you didn't know this match up is Rich Rodriguez vs. Bob Davie! That's kind of like Michigan vs. Notre Dame (although they didn't even come close to coaching there at the same time)!</div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv8049247593yui_3_16_0_1_1450383827125_8314" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv8049247593yui_3_16_0_1_1450383827125_8315" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<b>2. Who should I watch for?</b></div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv8049247593yui_3_16_0_1_1450383827125_8316" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv8049247593yui_3_16_0_1_1450383827125_8317" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
Well, since OTSL's Sean Roman's favorite player for Arizona in Scooby Wright is out, and Arizona QB Anu Solomon might not play either, let's go with Wildcat safety Will Parks, the highlight in a defense that tried to hold up the injury machine that was Arizona's offense this year.</div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv8049247593yui_3_16_0_1_1450383827125_9058" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv8049247593yui_3_16_0_1_1450383827125_9080" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<b>3. Storyline</b></div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv8049247593yui_3_16_0_1_1450383827125_9091" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv8049247593yui_3_16_0_1_1450383827125_9090" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
Arizona's motivation: on one hand it's hard for a team with many returning players starting bowl season after playing in the Fiesta Bowl a year ago, however, the team that beat them in that Fiesta Bowl was New Mexico's conference rival, Boise State.</div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv8049247593yui_3_16_0_1_1450383827125_9248" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv8049247593yui_3_16_0_1_1450383827125_9249" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<b>4. Motivation</b></div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv8049247593yui_3_16_0_1_1450383827125_9552" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv8049247593yui_3_16_0_1_1450383827125_9580" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
Arizona doesn't want to end the season 6-7 (and has a ton of people coming back in 2016), New Mexico would like to do their namesake bowl a little bit of justice.</div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv8049247593yui_3_16_0_1_1450383827125_9551" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv8049247593yui_3_16_0_1_1450383827125_9549" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<b>5. Who wins?</b></div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv8049247593yui_3_16_0_1_1450383827125_9582" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv8049247593yui_3_16_0_1_1450383827125_9581" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
We'll go mild upset here: New Mexico 38, Arizona 28</div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv8049247593yui_3_16_0_1_1450383827125_9917" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv8049247593yui_3_16_0_1_1450383827125_9922" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
Las Vegas Bowl</div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv8049247593yui_3_16_0_1_1450383827125_9936" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<b>No 22 Utah (-2) vs. BYU</b></div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv8049247593yui_3_16_0_1_1450383827125_12189" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv8049247593yui_3_16_0_1_1450383827125_12203" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<b>1. Why do I care?</b></div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv8049247593yui_3_16_0_1_1450383827125_12343" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv8049247593yui_3_16_0_1_1450383827125_12483" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
Why shouldn't you care? This is the holy war! They were rivals for a long time (played til 2013), when Utah dropped BYU for Michigan as an out of conference opponents. I always love it when old rivals meet together. It is so damn awkward.</div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv8049247593yui_3_16_0_1_1450383827125_12484" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv8049247593yui_3_16_0_1_1450383827125_12485" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<b>2. Who should I watch for?</b></div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv8049247593yui_3_16_0_1_1450383827125_12649" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv8049247593yui_3_16_0_1_1450383827125_13417" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
The person you saw on the first full day of college football, and that is BYU's QB Tanner Magnum. He won two straight games with a Hail Mary, and had 21 total touchdowns on the season. Pretty good for a guy who replaced Taysom Hill to start the season due to injury.</div>
<div dir="ltr" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv8049247593yui_3_16_0_1_1450383827125_13418" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<b>3. Storyline</b></div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv8049247593yui_3_16_0_1_1450383827125_13419" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv8049247593yui_3_16_0_1_1450383827125_13420" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
So many! Bronco Mendenhall's last game as BYU head coach? The Holy War restarting up in Vegas? Brent Musburger calling the Holy War in Vegas? SO MANY OPTIONS!</div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv8049247593yui_3_16_0_1_1450383827125_13571" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv8049247593yui_3_16_0_1_1450383827125_13570" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<b>4. Stakes</b></div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv8049247593yui_3_16_0_1_1450383827125_15247" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv8049247593yui_3_16_0_1_1450383827125_13850" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
Both teams want a high note ending to seasons that could have been much better. Utah was a good candidate to win the Pac 12 until they lost to USC and UCLA. BYU lost their next two games after that pair of Hail Mary's and ironically they were to two common opponents of Utah: Michigan (Utah won, BYU got drilled) and UCLA (BYU actually played them better).</div>
<div dir="ltr" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv8049247593yui_3_16_0_1_1450383827125_16191" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
5. Who wins?</div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv8049247593yui_3_16_0_1_1450383827125_15223" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv8049247593yui_3_16_0_1_1450383827125_16339" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
I think it's really close, but I think BYU hasn't played an opponent this caliber in a while: Utah 31, BYU 20</div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv8049247593yui_3_16_0_1_1450383827125_16340" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv8049247593yui_3_16_0_1_1450383827125_15222" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
Camellia Bowl</div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv8049247593yui_3_16_0_1_1450383827125_14789" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<b>Appalachian State (-7.5) (10-2) vs. Ohio (8-4)</b></div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv8049247593yui_3_16_0_1_1450383827125_14934" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv8049247593yui_3_16_0_1_1450383827125_14935" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<b>1. Why watch?</b></div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv8049247593yui_3_16_0_1_1450383827125_15075" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv8049247593yui_3_16_0_1_1450383827125_15220" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
Simple: you probably remember when you were a kid (8 years ago!) when Appalachian State beat Michigan in the upset heard round the world. Well, this team is all FBS grown up now, and they've won 17 games since joining the big leagues in 2014.</div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv8049247593yui_3_16_0_1_1450383827125_15221" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv8049247593yui_3_16_0_1_1450383827125_16341" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<b>2. Who to watch?</b></div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv8049247593yui_3_16_0_1_1450383827125_16342" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv8049247593yui_3_16_0_1_1450383827125_16343" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
Mountaineer QB Taylor Lamb. He's only a sophomore, but has become one of the nation's better young QB's. 29 TD's to 8 INT's? More of that please. Of course, like most App St. QB's, he runs too. 8 games with 20 yards rushing or more? Yes please.</div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv8049247593yui_3_16_0_1_1450383827125_16344" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv8049247593yui_3_16_0_1_1450383827125_16345" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<b>3. Storyline?</b></div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv8049247593yui_3_16_0_1_1450383827125_16346" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv8049247593yui_3_16_0_1_1450383827125_16347" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
Can the Mountaineers handle being favorites? Very rare you see a Sun Belt team get favored over a MAC team by so much, but this program seamlessly has transitioned from 1-AA to 1-A (FCS to FBS) without a problem. Will this be the first step to even bigger things?</div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv8049247593yui_3_16_0_1_1450383827125_16631" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv8049247593yui_3_16_0_1_1450383827125_18616" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<b>4. Stakes?</b></div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv8049247593yui_3_16_0_1_1450383827125_16633" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv8049247593yui_3_16_0_1_1450383827125_16632" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
Appalachian State was one loss away from being conference champ, win here could make season 3 in the FBS the first one where they get regular season hardware. Ohio needs to just get some consistency, trying to add a 4th straight victory (although it came after three straight losses).</div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv8049247593yui_3_16_0_1_1450383827125_17844" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv8049247593yui_3_16_0_1_1450383827125_17662" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<b>5. Who wins?</b></div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv8049247593yui_3_16_0_1_1450383827125_17661" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv8049247593yui_3_16_0_1_1450383827125_17663" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
Get to know the 'Neers, they're here to stay: App St. 35, Ohio 17</div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv8049247593yui_3_16_0_1_1450383827125_18298" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv8049247593yui_3_16_0_1_1450383827125_18640" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
Cure Bowl</div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv8049247593yui_3_16_0_1_1450383827125_18641" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<b>San Jose State (-2) (5-7) vs. Georgia State (6-6)</b></div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv8049247593yui_3_16_0_1_1450383827125_18292" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv8049247593yui_3_16_0_1_1450388725209_4058" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<b>1. Why watch?</b></div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv8049247593yui_3_16_0_1_1450383827125_18300" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv8049247593yui_3_16_0_1_1450383827125_18293" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
Well, despite that 5-7 record next to San Jose State, these are two fun programs to watch, and you can tell your friends you watched the Inaugural Cure Bowl, the THIRD bowl to take place in Orlando. Yes third.</div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv8049247593yui_3_16_0_1_1450383827125_18441" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv8049247593yui_3_16_0_1_1450383827125_18442" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<b>2. Who to watch?</b></div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv8049247593yui_3_16_0_1_1450383827125_18444" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv8049247593yui_3_16_0_1_1450383827125_18443" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
Senior QB Nick Arbunkle of Georgia State. Over 4,000 yards passing, and should very likely break the Sun Belt conference's single season passing record in this game. Might be a bench warmer in the pros too, since he knows the pro style down in Atlanta.</div>
<div dir="ltr" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<b>3. Storyline</b></div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv8049247593yui_3_16_0_1_1450383827125_20062" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv8049247593yui_3_16_0_1_1450383827125_20061" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
I love bowl season, but this is the first of THREE teams that are forced into a bowl with a losing record (due to there not being enough over .500 teams). Big time proving ground for the Spartans.</div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv8049247593yui_3_16_0_1_1450383827125_19920" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv8049247593yui_3_16_0_1_1450383827125_20059" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<b>4. At Stake</b></div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv8049247593yui_3_16_0_1_1450383827125_20060" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv8049247593yui_3_16_0_1_1450383827125_19585" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
For San Jose State it's momentum: they come into the bowl on a 1-3 skid and get a huge lifeline to end their season. For Georgia State it's making sure they end their year with a FIFTH straight victory, very impressive for a team that didn't win a single game against a FBS team in 2013 or 2014.</div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv8049247593yui_3_16_0_1_1450383827125_19921" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv8049247593yui_3_16_0_1_1450383827125_19586" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<b>5. Who wins?</b></div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv8049247593yui_3_16_0_1_1450383827125_19922" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv8049247593yui_3_16_0_1_1450383827125_20054" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
Eh, San Jose State 28, Georgia State 24</div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv8049247593yui_3_16_0_1_1450383827125_19587" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv8049247593yui_3_16_0_1_1450383827125_19731" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
New Orleans Bowl (There is an actual sponsor, but they don't pay us)</div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv8049247593yui_3_16_0_1_1450383827125_19732" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<b>Arkansas State (9-3) vs. Louisiana Tech (-2) (8-4)</b></div>
<div dir="ltr" id="yiv8049247593yui_3_16_0_1_1450383827125_20055" style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
<div id="yiv8049247593yui_3_16_0_1_1450388725209_3846">
<br /></div>
<div id="yiv8049247593yui_3_16_0_1_1450388725209_4053">
<b>1. Why watch?</b></div>
<div id="yiv8049247593yui_3_16_0_1_1450388725209_3847">
<br /></div>
<div>
Remember how I sang the praises of Appalachian State before? They still lost to Arkansas State The Sun Belt winners and the C-USA team are going to score, score, and score some more.</div>
<div id="yiv8049247593yui_3_16_0_1_1450388725209_3848">
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>2. Who to watch?</b></div>
<div id="yiv8049247593yui_3_16_0_1_1450388725209_3849">
<br /></div>
<div id="yiv8049247593yui_3_16_0_1_1450388725209_4703">
Jeff Driskel. If that name means something, it's because he used to be the QB at Florida who transferred to try to end his college career on a high note. He did with 24 TD's and over 3,500 yards. Why couldn't he have done that in Gainesville?</div>
<div id="yiv8049247593yui_3_16_0_1_1450388725209_3850">
<br /></div>
<div id="yiv8049247593yui_3_16_0_1_1450388725209_4702">
<b>3. Storyline</b></div>
<div id="yiv8049247593yui_3_16_0_1_1450388725209_4699">
<br /></div>
<div id="yiv8049247593yui_3_16_0_1_1450388725209_3851">
I'm curious to see Louisiana Tech play a bowl game at the Superdome. They haven't played in this bowl before although you think they would have.</div>
<div id="yiv8049247593yui_3_16_0_1_1450388725209_4044">
<br /></div>
<div id="yiv8049247593yui_3_16_0_1_1450388725209_4725">
<b>4. At Stake</b></div>
<div id="yiv8049247593yui_3_16_0_1_1450388725209_3869">
<br /></div>
<div id="yiv8049247593yui_3_16_0_1_1450388725209_3870">
To prove who's the more stable ballclub of two teams who have played a ton of "minor" bowls over the last few years. Feel like that Group of 5 team just might come out of one of these two conferences one of these days.</div>
<div id="yiv8049247593yui_3_16_0_1_1450388725209_3871">
<br /></div>
<div id="yiv8049247593yui_3_16_0_1_1450388725209_3872">
<b>5. Who wins?</b></div>
<div id="yiv8049247593yui_3_16_0_1_1450388725209_3873">
<br /></div>
<div id="yiv8049247593yui_3_16_0_1_1450388725209_3874">
Arkansas State 31, Louisiana Tech 24.</div>
<div id="yiv8049247593yui_3_16_0_1_1450388725209_4379">
<br /></div>
<div>
On our next episode:</div>
<div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1450551373225_2805">
<br /></div>
<div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1450551373225_2804">
The Miami Beach bowl. Played in Marlins stadium, we might see better athletes than the Marlins have and certainly better football than the Dolphins or the 'Canes. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
</div>
On The Sportslineshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11906260032076175373noreply@blogger.com0