This Thursday, an annual summer event that brings almost every kid out on the skate park inside will begin for the sixteenth time. That event of course is the Summer X Games. Personally, I am more a fan of the Winter X Games, due to the fact that they take place at a time where there isn't much else to do but stay inside and find something to watch on TV. However, the Summer X Games bring with it a sense of excitement that almost no other sporting event on earth can provide. That sense of excitement can also be the most obvious downside of extreme sports; the chance for serious bodily injury, or even death. Think about it for a moment; football has improved equipment in order to minimize the risk of injury to players. NASCAR has instituted numerous safety precautions in order to avoid another tragedy that took the life of one of their most iconic drivers. Extreme sports has gone the opposite direction, trying to go "bigger" and "more insane", even after the death of motocross rider Jeremy Lusk and paralysis of BMX rider Stephen Murray. In no other sport will you see athletes doing things more dangerous than before, so soon after a tragedy. One of the things that make these sports so interesting is that there is no ceiling for the possibilities. Cuts, bruises, broken bones, lacerated internal body parts; these athletes will stop at nothing to take their sport to the next level. Some critics call it stupid, but you know what? I dig it. Taking things to the next level is what these sports were built on, and until they reach a point where they can't go any bigger or higher, these sports will continue to grow in popularity. These men and women are true warriors, and even if you don't have very much interest in their respective sport, you have to admire their unwillingness to back down from a challenge, even one that presents clear dangers. MMA and UFC be damned. If you want to see athletes who truly show no fear, tune into ESPN's network of channels Thursday through Sunday to watch X Games 16, and you'll see no fear.
What every sports media type in the country wanted to see happen became a reality today. Terrell Owens has signed with the Cincinnati Bengals, and the media could not be happier. "Batman and Robin," Chad Ochocinco calls it. I wonder if Ochocinco has been told that while someone does get to be Batman, the other must settle for the role of Robin, which I'm sure neither of them want to do. There will have to be a clear number one and two receiver on this team. If there isn't by around Week 4, then one of the receiver's isn't doing their job, and it will be reflected in Cincinnati's record. Cincinnati's potential headaches don't end there, though. Fellow receiver Antonio Bryant, running back Cedric Benson, and receiver Matt Jones have all had their issues as well. After reading all five of those names again, it's clear to see that with all the potential problems, Cincinnati does have a lot of talent. If the Bengals organization is able to successfully manage the egos of T.O. and Ochocinco, and the rest of the team can stay out of off-the-field trouble, then the Circus in Cincinnati could be a good thing after all.
The Pac-10 has announced that it will change the name of the conference to the Pac-12 when new members Colorado and Utah join in 2011. Is it just me, or does this name changing thing seem a little premature? I've said this numerous times, and in an interview yesterday on Mike and Mike in the Morning, I heard Texas football coach Mack Brown say it as well; the Pac-10 (or whatever it wants to call itself) will likely become a sixteen team super-conference in the near future. The Big 10 hasn't announced any plans to change the name of the conference, and I could be mistaken, but I don't think that the Big 12 is going to demote itself to the "Big 10 West" any time soon, either. I know this isn't that big of a deal, but it doesn't seem like it's necessary to change the name of the conference in a time of such uncertainty in college football. Don't even tell me that this isn't a marketing ploy, and that it isn't in the back of Commissioner Larry Scott's mind that they will likely have to change the name yet again when the conference expands a second time.
- K. Becks
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Monday, July 26, 2010
Time Is Ticking
Time is ticking for the New York Yankees to make a move that will give them another solid arm in their pitching rotation. The trade deadline is just days away, and time isn't the only thing that is working against them. With Cliff Lee gone, Roy Oswalt wanting to stay in the National League (and currently talking to Philadelphia), and now Dan Haren being shipped to Los Angeles, the Yankees options are slipping away one by one. I understand that the Yankees are still playing exceptionally well, and not picking up another pitcher in a trade isn't exactly going to kill them. However, this is the Yankees that we are talking about. They don't leave any room for doubt, and without another great arm in their starting pitching rotation, that is exactly what they will have, even if it is just a little.
You know who is hoping that Terrell Owens will join Chad Ochocinco in Cincinnati? Me; and just about every other sports media outlet in the country. Think of all the possibilities; Ochocinco and T.O. team up to win Super Bowl. Ochocinco and T.O. butt heads in the locker room, causing tension in Cinci. Ochocinco and T.O. leave field to update their fans on Twitter. Any one of those aforementioned "headlines" could realistically happen if the two were to join forces in Cincinnati. In all honesty, the possibility that would be most likely to happen would be that T.O. and Ochocinco would not be able to handle each other, and would create tension in the locker room. Unless T.O. changed his entire persona that he has had throughout his entire NFL career, he will want to be the number one receiver. However, you can't say that having both of them on one team wouldn't be great entertainment. Plus, if Cincinnati is willing to take the risk, it could even work out well for them. Ochocinco is still a good number one receiver, and having T.O. as a two is great for a team that is on the cusp of being an elite team in the NFL. In an ideal world, the two would not only entertain, but compliment each other's play on the field, making Cincinnati a feared offensive team. Well, an ideal world for everyone not in the AFC North.
Welcome to the club, Matt Garza. Tonight, you became the fifth pitcher this year to throw a no-hitter, joining Ubaldo Jimenez, Edwin Jackson, Roy Halladay, and Dallas Braden (the last two mentioned threw perfect games). This is so great for baseball in my opinion. With every perfect game, baseball is distancing itself from the Steroid Era that cast a dark cloud over the game for the past decade or so. Tomorrow on SportsCenter, the talk will not be about Alex Rodriguez, who is still searching for his 600th home run, but about Garza. I'm not saying that we shouldn't cover Rodriguez at all, but the fact that his soon-to-be accomplishment will likely come so soon after a perfect game is fitting. It's almost symbolic, as if these tainted performances we have witnessed will eventually be overshadowed by those that have been done honestly. The sun is finally beginning to peek around that ugly dark cloud that has been around baseball for more than half of my lifetime.
Either Lane Kiffin is a snake, or he is an extremely persuasive man. Almost everyone in Tennessee would choose the first option, as Kiffin is now being sued by the Tennessee Titans for luring away running backs coach Kennedy Pola. I have a hard time figuring out why Pola would want to coach at USC, with their postseason bans and all. Also, I find it hard to believe that you can trust a man who has not once, but twice, left the team he coached for greener pastures. Kiffin is kind of like the bachelor who can get any woman he wants because he has a way with words. Eventually though, the bachelor loses his touch, because it becomes known that his words are hollow. I'm wondering how many more empty promises it will take before Kiffin can no longer talk guys into joining him.
- K. Becks
You know who is hoping that Terrell Owens will join Chad Ochocinco in Cincinnati? Me; and just about every other sports media outlet in the country. Think of all the possibilities; Ochocinco and T.O. team up to win Super Bowl. Ochocinco and T.O. butt heads in the locker room, causing tension in Cinci. Ochocinco and T.O. leave field to update their fans on Twitter. Any one of those aforementioned "headlines" could realistically happen if the two were to join forces in Cincinnati. In all honesty, the possibility that would be most likely to happen would be that T.O. and Ochocinco would not be able to handle each other, and would create tension in the locker room. Unless T.O. changed his entire persona that he has had throughout his entire NFL career, he will want to be the number one receiver. However, you can't say that having both of them on one team wouldn't be great entertainment. Plus, if Cincinnati is willing to take the risk, it could even work out well for them. Ochocinco is still a good number one receiver, and having T.O. as a two is great for a team that is on the cusp of being an elite team in the NFL. In an ideal world, the two would not only entertain, but compliment each other's play on the field, making Cincinnati a feared offensive team. Well, an ideal world for everyone not in the AFC North.
Welcome to the club, Matt Garza. Tonight, you became the fifth pitcher this year to throw a no-hitter, joining Ubaldo Jimenez, Edwin Jackson, Roy Halladay, and Dallas Braden (the last two mentioned threw perfect games). This is so great for baseball in my opinion. With every perfect game, baseball is distancing itself from the Steroid Era that cast a dark cloud over the game for the past decade or so. Tomorrow on SportsCenter, the talk will not be about Alex Rodriguez, who is still searching for his 600th home run, but about Garza. I'm not saying that we shouldn't cover Rodriguez at all, but the fact that his soon-to-be accomplishment will likely come so soon after a perfect game is fitting. It's almost symbolic, as if these tainted performances we have witnessed will eventually be overshadowed by those that have been done honestly. The sun is finally beginning to peek around that ugly dark cloud that has been around baseball for more than half of my lifetime.
Either Lane Kiffin is a snake, or he is an extremely persuasive man. Almost everyone in Tennessee would choose the first option, as Kiffin is now being sued by the Tennessee Titans for luring away running backs coach Kennedy Pola. I have a hard time figuring out why Pola would want to coach at USC, with their postseason bans and all. Also, I find it hard to believe that you can trust a man who has not once, but twice, left the team he coached for greener pastures. Kiffin is kind of like the bachelor who can get any woman he wants because he has a way with words. Eventually though, the bachelor loses his touch, because it becomes known that his words are hollow. I'm wondering how many more empty promises it will take before Kiffin can no longer talk guys into joining him.
- K. Becks
Monday, July 19, 2010
Don't Worry A.J., We'll Take That Door Down
Just when the Yankees thought they had gotten lucky, receiving news that A.J. Burnett's injured hand would not keep him from missing a start, more bad news came their way; Andy Pettitte is now on the DL for at least a month with a groin injury. The Yankees look like the best team in baseball right now, but Pettitte's injury has to make the organization at least a little uneasy. After the Cliff Lee deal slipped through the cracks a few weeks ago, the Yankees are in need of another pitcher in order to feel very confident in the second half of the season. With Sergio Mitre (Sergio who?) being the man who will supposedly take Pettitte's place while he is on the DL, the Yankees need to find a pitcher before the trade deadline. In my opinion, they should aggressively pursue Houston's Roy Oswalt. Oswalt has made it publicly known that he wants to play for a winning team, and that just isn't going to happen any time soon in Houston. Also, the Yankees have the prospects available to make a deal with the Astros, who are in dire need of rebuilding tools, possible. If the Yankees were to land Oswalt, they would be getting a starter who is arguably just as good as Cliff Lee, and much better than Mr. Mitre (with all due respect to Sergio, of course). If it were to happen, talks of an "unbeatable" Yankees pitching core would likely resurface. I'm not saying I want to see it happen; I'm just saying that if I were the Yankees, it'd definitely be something I'd be thinking about doing.
Maybe the Heat organization should tell their superstar trio to stay as far away as possible from all media personnel. Ever since Dwayne Wade, Lebron James, and Chris Bosh hooked up in South Beach, everything they say is being examined under a microscope. Take for instance what Dwayne Wade said on Sunday. In explaining how the media will blow every losing streak the Heat have next season out of proportion, Wade made the mistake of claiming that "you all are going to make it seem like the World Trade has just went down again". Uh oh. Now, I am aware that Wade should not have worded his response differently, but the fact of the matter is he is right. He hit on an extremely sensitive topic, which wasn't necessary, but the media will do exactly what he said. You can't tell me that when the Heat drop a few consecutive road games that ESPN won't be speculating as to whether or not there are locker room issues, and that the Cleveland sports media will be screaming "Karma!". My advice to Dwayne Wade is, next time you have a legitimate point, don't try to use fancy wording.
This isn't all the surprising, but the Reggie Bush case opened the floodgates to the NCAA investigating student athletes receiving illegal benefits. The NCAA is now investigating the University of Florida after an allegation that former offensive lineman Maurkice Pouncey took money from a sports agent sometime between last year's SEC Championship game and the Sugar Bowl. If the allegation is found to be true, then the Gators may have to vacate their Sugar Bowl win over Cincinnati. If the NCAA thinks that they are curbing this kind of behavior by imposing that kind of punishment, they are mistaken. How exactly will Maurkice Pouncey be affected? Will he have to give back his Sugar Bowl ring or any of the other goodies that he received from the Sugar Bowl? No. Will he have to give back the money he received? Not if the NCAA imposes punishments that they have dished out in similar cases in the past. The point is, it's all well and good that the NCAA is trying to curtail this kind of activity, but they aren't really punishing the right people. The University of Florida shouldn't have to shoulder the blame; Pouncey should. The fact is, these kinds of things are happening at the big-time football university near you, and very few people know it's happening until those involved are long gone. Until those who actually committed the infraction are punished, this type of thing will continue to occur.
- K. Becks
Maybe the Heat organization should tell their superstar trio to stay as far away as possible from all media personnel. Ever since Dwayne Wade, Lebron James, and Chris Bosh hooked up in South Beach, everything they say is being examined under a microscope. Take for instance what Dwayne Wade said on Sunday. In explaining how the media will blow every losing streak the Heat have next season out of proportion, Wade made the mistake of claiming that "you all are going to make it seem like the World Trade has just went down again". Uh oh. Now, I am aware that Wade should not have worded his response differently, but the fact of the matter is he is right. He hit on an extremely sensitive topic, which wasn't necessary, but the media will do exactly what he said. You can't tell me that when the Heat drop a few consecutive road games that ESPN won't be speculating as to whether or not there are locker room issues, and that the Cleveland sports media will be screaming "Karma!". My advice to Dwayne Wade is, next time you have a legitimate point, don't try to use fancy wording.
This isn't all the surprising, but the Reggie Bush case opened the floodgates to the NCAA investigating student athletes receiving illegal benefits. The NCAA is now investigating the University of Florida after an allegation that former offensive lineman Maurkice Pouncey took money from a sports agent sometime between last year's SEC Championship game and the Sugar Bowl. If the allegation is found to be true, then the Gators may have to vacate their Sugar Bowl win over Cincinnati. If the NCAA thinks that they are curbing this kind of behavior by imposing that kind of punishment, they are mistaken. How exactly will Maurkice Pouncey be affected? Will he have to give back his Sugar Bowl ring or any of the other goodies that he received from the Sugar Bowl? No. Will he have to give back the money he received? Not if the NCAA imposes punishments that they have dished out in similar cases in the past. The point is, it's all well and good that the NCAA is trying to curtail this kind of activity, but they aren't really punishing the right people. The University of Florida shouldn't have to shoulder the blame; Pouncey should. The fact is, these kinds of things are happening at the big-time football university near you, and very few people know it's happening until those involved are long gone. Until those who actually committed the infraction are punished, this type of thing will continue to occur.
- K. Becks
Saturday, July 17, 2010
The Wind Moved The Ball Off The Green, Farmer Brown, Not A "Flyin' Saucer"
The leaderboard at this weekend's British Open seems to change as much as the wind, and considering that play on Friday was suspended due to high winds, it changes a lot. At various points throughout the 150th Open Championship, names such as Rory McIlroy, Tiger Woods, Paul Casey, and even John Daly have been moving around the leaderboard like ping pong balls. Even with the unpredictable winds making things tough on anyone atop the leaderboard, it will be hard for Tiger Woods, who sits ten shots back, to mount a comeback capable of pulling off the win. Assuming that there will be no ten stroke comeback by Tiger tomorrow, he will have one more shot at a Major championship this year when the PGA Championship takes place in mid-August. The championship will take place at Whistling Straits Golf Course, which last hosted the PGA Championship in 2004. At that tournament, Tiger Woods finished an unspectacular two-under par, six shots off of the lead. Is it crazy to think that this may be the first year since 2004 (coincidentally, the same year that the PGA Championship was played at Whistling Straits) that Tiger will finish the season without a Major championship victory? More importantly, how does this affect Woods' quest to best Jack Nicklaus' record of 18 career Major championships? A couple of years ago, it was almost a sure bet that Woods would eventually surpass Nicklaus on the all-time list. However, Woods cannot afford to have any more seasons like he has had this year. While he continues to get older, guys like McIlroy keep getting better and closer to their prime.
The possibility of the Big 10 having a championship game in football has become much more realistic ever since Nebraska declared for the conference last month. The question that remains to be answered is where the conference would play the game if they were to have one. I've heard everything from Ford Field in Detroit to Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, and even historic sites such as Lambeau Field and Soldier Field. Isn't it obvious which venue is the best fit for a potential Big Ten title game? Indianapolis is a fairly centralized location considering the teams that make up the Big 10, and it's an indoor facility, which is almost a must unless the conference is located in the South like the ACC. With that being said, Lambeau Field is out, not only because it's outdoors, but because Wisconsin is about as un-centralized a location as possible. The same goes for Solider Field. As for Detroit, it meets the requirements of being indoors and being a central location, but scheduling would be an issue. With the MAC already hosting their title game at Ford Field, one of the conferences would have to play their championship game a week before or after every other conference has their game, which could upset the conference that doesn't play on Championship Week. Also, with Detroit being Detroit, chances are a game in Indianapolis would draw a much larger crowd. In addition to those reasons, the Big 10 already plays their conference tournament for basketball in Indianapolis as well.
Last post I asked my readers if the All-Star game winning streak for the American League was as great as other winning streaks since it is technically still an exhibition game. Well, since none of you responded, I can only assume that none of my regular readers actually watched the game (the game received its lowest rating in years, which is why I feel confident in assuming this). Since the National League won, there is no reason to debate the streak. However, it was an extremely entertaining game to watch, which is why I am perplexed as to why it got such a low rating. The MLB All-Star game is so much more entertaining than the NBA All-Star game or the Pro Bowl, and unlike the NBA or NFL, the MLB's game actually means something. I hope this trend doesn't continue, because you know what happens when the ratings aren't great; someone wants to change something. The only thing that should be changed about the MLB All-Star festivities is the Home Run Derby; other than that, it's great and people apparently are missing out.
I'm getting close to deciding on how I want the Around The Corn Sports Blog shirts to look. Keep checking the Facebook fan page for more information about that, which should be posted in the next week or so. Thanks everyone.
- K. Becks
The possibility of the Big 10 having a championship game in football has become much more realistic ever since Nebraska declared for the conference last month. The question that remains to be answered is where the conference would play the game if they were to have one. I've heard everything from Ford Field in Detroit to Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, and even historic sites such as Lambeau Field and Soldier Field. Isn't it obvious which venue is the best fit for a potential Big Ten title game? Indianapolis is a fairly centralized location considering the teams that make up the Big 10, and it's an indoor facility, which is almost a must unless the conference is located in the South like the ACC. With that being said, Lambeau Field is out, not only because it's outdoors, but because Wisconsin is about as un-centralized a location as possible. The same goes for Solider Field. As for Detroit, it meets the requirements of being indoors and being a central location, but scheduling would be an issue. With the MAC already hosting their title game at Ford Field, one of the conferences would have to play their championship game a week before or after every other conference has their game, which could upset the conference that doesn't play on Championship Week. Also, with Detroit being Detroit, chances are a game in Indianapolis would draw a much larger crowd. In addition to those reasons, the Big 10 already plays their conference tournament for basketball in Indianapolis as well.
Last post I asked my readers if the All-Star game winning streak for the American League was as great as other winning streaks since it is technically still an exhibition game. Well, since none of you responded, I can only assume that none of my regular readers actually watched the game (the game received its lowest rating in years, which is why I feel confident in assuming this). Since the National League won, there is no reason to debate the streak. However, it was an extremely entertaining game to watch, which is why I am perplexed as to why it got such a low rating. The MLB All-Star game is so much more entertaining than the NBA All-Star game or the Pro Bowl, and unlike the NBA or NFL, the MLB's game actually means something. I hope this trend doesn't continue, because you know what happens when the ratings aren't great; someone wants to change something. The only thing that should be changed about the MLB All-Star festivities is the Home Run Derby; other than that, it's great and people apparently are missing out.
I'm getting close to deciding on how I want the Around The Corn Sports Blog shirts to look. Keep checking the Facebook fan page for more information about that, which should be posted in the next week or so. Thanks everyone.
- K. Becks
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
R.I.P Boss
Today, the sporting world lost arguably the greatest owner in all of sports. George Steinbrenner was eighty years old, celebrating his birthday just over a week ago on the Fourth of July. Not everyone liked Steinbrenner; there is no denying that he was a loud, no-nonsense guy at times, who exhibited very little patience with his managers and players. However, people who knew him well were exposed to his softer, more compassionate side that made him a very likable man. Regardless of which side you saw, you can agree that the man was always about winning. These days, it seems like owners that are only about turning a profit, even at the expense of their team's performance, are dime-a-dozen. However, Steinbrenner would readily dish out an obscene amount of money to pick up a player he felt he needed in order to win. The saying goes "you have to spend money to make money", and make money he did. When he bought the Yankees in 1973, Steinbrenner spent about 8.7 million dollars. Now, the Yankees are worth about 1.6 billion dollars. Some people called his tactics bad for the game, but the fact of the matter is, you knew every year when The Boss pulled out his checkbook that his chief motive was to try to put the best possible baseball team on the field. You can't really fault a guy for that, and that is why Steinbrenner will be missed tremendously in the entire baseball community. R.I.P., George.
Even more bad news has hit the city of Cleveland, and no, it's not that owner Dan Gilbert has to pay a 100,000 dollar fine for his remarks about Lebron James. No, it's that center Zydrunas Ilgauskas will leave Cleveland and sign with none other than the Miami Heat. Not only does this mean that Cleveland has no one worth mentioning on their roster, but now it almost assures that the Miami Heat will be the preseason favorites to win the NBA Championship in 2011. The reason that I heard being thrown around that the Heat may have trouble winning with only the Big Three was that they didn't have enough to deal with the tandem of Lamar Odom, Pau Gasol, and Andrew Bynum in Los Angeles. However, with Ilgauskas now in Miami, the tables have been turned. How is Los Angeles going to deal with those two monsters (Ilgauskas and Bosh) down low?
The Tour de France hasn't been getting too much attention on this blog, and here's why it probably won't be getting much more after this; Lance Armstrong, the only reason Americans have really had any interest in the Tour for the last eleven years, has announced that his chance of winning the Tour is pretty much gone. The sad part is that it wasn't really his fault, either. In Stage 8, he got caught up in three crashes, losing valuable time to the leaders during a stage in which he put time on the rest of the pack in previous Tours. Lance is still better than ninety percent of the riders in the race, but I think that this will be his last Tour de France. The great ones never accept defeat when they know they still have enough left in the tank, and Armstrong has accepted defeat.
The All-Star game is currently being played, with the AL holding onto a slim 1-0 lead over the NL in the bottom of the 6th. If they can hold on for the win, it will be their fourteenth consecutive win over the NL in the All-Star game, which is quite a streak. However, is the streak really that great since it is technically still an exhibition game? Let me know your thoughts in the comments section, or email me at aroundthecornsportsblog@gmail.com. Thanks everyone.
- K. Becks
Even more bad news has hit the city of Cleveland, and no, it's not that owner Dan Gilbert has to pay a 100,000 dollar fine for his remarks about Lebron James. No, it's that center Zydrunas Ilgauskas will leave Cleveland and sign with none other than the Miami Heat. Not only does this mean that Cleveland has no one worth mentioning on their roster, but now it almost assures that the Miami Heat will be the preseason favorites to win the NBA Championship in 2011. The reason that I heard being thrown around that the Heat may have trouble winning with only the Big Three was that they didn't have enough to deal with the tandem of Lamar Odom, Pau Gasol, and Andrew Bynum in Los Angeles. However, with Ilgauskas now in Miami, the tables have been turned. How is Los Angeles going to deal with those two monsters (Ilgauskas and Bosh) down low?
The Tour de France hasn't been getting too much attention on this blog, and here's why it probably won't be getting much more after this; Lance Armstrong, the only reason Americans have really had any interest in the Tour for the last eleven years, has announced that his chance of winning the Tour is pretty much gone. The sad part is that it wasn't really his fault, either. In Stage 8, he got caught up in three crashes, losing valuable time to the leaders during a stage in which he put time on the rest of the pack in previous Tours. Lance is still better than ninety percent of the riders in the race, but I think that this will be his last Tour de France. The great ones never accept defeat when they know they still have enough left in the tank, and Armstrong has accepted defeat.
The All-Star game is currently being played, with the AL holding onto a slim 1-0 lead over the NL in the bottom of the 6th. If they can hold on for the win, it will be their fourteenth consecutive win over the NL in the All-Star game, which is quite a streak. However, is the streak really that great since it is technically still an exhibition game? Let me know your thoughts in the comments section, or email me at aroundthecornsportsblog@gmail.com. Thanks everyone.
- K. Becks
Monday, July 12, 2010
Viva Espana!
The 2010 FIFA World Cup has finally come to a close, with Spain finally getting the trophy that has eluded their fine football federation for so long. Although it wasn't as beautiful a game as many World Cup Finals are, the fact is, Spain got it done and they deserved it. Unlike most people in the U.S., I continued to pay attention to the tournament after the United States was eliminated, and I'm glad that I did. I feel that something like the World Cup, which only comes around every four years, is a special kind of event and can be interesting even when there isn't a specific team that I'm rooting for to win. Since there are many of you that probably didn't see anything beyond the Round of 16, this video will fill you in on all the great moments from this year's World Cup. I'm going to miss actually paying close attention to soccer, but there is a slight chance that I'll still be posting in four years time. I'm not that optimistic that the World Cup in 2014 will be as wide open as it was this year though; with Brazil on their home turf, and with a new coach that will likely lead them back to playing the "Beautiful Game", it will be their tournament to lose. My extremely early prediction is that they won't.
Since the World Cup is over, it is very likely that this will be my last post that mentions the World Cup for quite awhile. With that being said, I promised my buddy Neil that I would put his thoughts on the World Cup in a post. If you recall, Neil wrote a guest article about the Six Nations Rugby Cup back in March, so his work is well documented on this blog.
I believe that the World Cup is kind of like the Special Olympics of hockey, and here is why: While the object of both games is to put a ball/puck into a goal:
1. Everything is about 1/4 of the speed.
2. Everyone falls down at the slightest contact despite not being on ice
3. The ball is 10Xs the size (like a little kid's pencil)
4. The goal is 4Xs the size (Which would ensure more scoring, right? Wrong.)
5. (This one is bad, but...) opponents can't understand each other
6. Everyone cheers for both teams, win, lose, or draw, because it really doesn't make a difference as long as you showed up
Disclaimer: I believe that Special Olympians try much harder than most World Cup participants. No disrespect to them is meant.
Considering that I haven't added much humor in a long time, my thanks go out to Neil for his creative input.
Now that the World Cup has concluded, Major League Baseball is on their All-Star break, and football hasn't started yet, the sports media has nothing better to talk about than the Lebron saga. Quite frankly, I'm sick of hearing about it. There is only so much you can say, and saying the same thing eleven different ways doesn't make for particularly interesting TV or radio in my opinion. However, one new piece of news regarding the situation did surface; Dan Gilbert retracted his statement about the Cavs winning a title before Lebron James and the Heat win one. Can someone say "a little too late"? Gilbert has already come off looking like a child with his tirade, and now even Jesse Jackson is in on the roast of Gilbert. Of course, since Jesse Jackson is all about getting attention, you'll have to read somewhere else what he said about Gilbert, because I will not be a part of the vicious cycle that keeps Jesse Jackson in the news.
Tomorrow is the MLB All-Star game, and although I think that the Celebrity All-Star game (which is currently being played) is much more exciting to watch, I'll probably tune in because, unlike every other sports' All Star game, it actually means something. Also, since this is shaping up to be "The Year of the Pitcher", it could be a great game from a defensive standpoint, which for the most part has been the story in the last few All-Star games as well.
- K. Becks
Since the World Cup is over, it is very likely that this will be my last post that mentions the World Cup for quite awhile. With that being said, I promised my buddy Neil that I would put his thoughts on the World Cup in a post. If you recall, Neil wrote a guest article about the Six Nations Rugby Cup back in March, so his work is well documented on this blog.
I believe that the World Cup is kind of like the Special Olympics of hockey, and here is why: While the object of both games is to put a ball/puck into a goal:
1. Everything is about 1/4 of the speed.
2. Everyone falls down at the slightest contact despite not being on ice
3. The ball is 10Xs the size (like a little kid's pencil)
4. The goal is 4Xs the size (Which would ensure more scoring, right? Wrong.)
5. (This one is bad, but...) opponents can't understand each other
6. Everyone cheers for both teams, win, lose, or draw, because it really doesn't make a difference as long as you showed up
Disclaimer: I believe that Special Olympians try much harder than most World Cup participants. No disrespect to them is meant.
Considering that I haven't added much humor in a long time, my thanks go out to Neil for his creative input.
Now that the World Cup has concluded, Major League Baseball is on their All-Star break, and football hasn't started yet, the sports media has nothing better to talk about than the Lebron saga. Quite frankly, I'm sick of hearing about it. There is only so much you can say, and saying the same thing eleven different ways doesn't make for particularly interesting TV or radio in my opinion. However, one new piece of news regarding the situation did surface; Dan Gilbert retracted his statement about the Cavs winning a title before Lebron James and the Heat win one. Can someone say "a little too late"? Gilbert has already come off looking like a child with his tirade, and now even Jesse Jackson is in on the roast of Gilbert. Of course, since Jesse Jackson is all about getting attention, you'll have to read somewhere else what he said about Gilbert, because I will not be a part of the vicious cycle that keeps Jesse Jackson in the news.
Tomorrow is the MLB All-Star game, and although I think that the Celebrity All-Star game (which is currently being played) is much more exciting to watch, I'll probably tune in because, unlike every other sports' All Star game, it actually means something. Also, since this is shaping up to be "The Year of the Pitcher", it could be a great game from a defensive standpoint, which for the most part has been the story in the last few All-Star games as well.
- K. Becks
Friday, July 9, 2010
Wow, Really?
The title is directed at both Dan Gilbert and the Miami Heat organization. For Gilbert, did you really have to make a fool of yourself by writing a letter to the fans, bashing Lebron James in the process? I always say that when you're too passionate about something, you lose your reason, and that is exactly what Gilbert did in the letter. Guaranteeing an NBA championship for Cleveland before Lebron and Company get theirs is preposterous, not only because Cleveland has nowhere near the talent to do such a thing, but because that sort of promise is something you'd hear from someone who is around the age of twelve. As for the Heat organization, was it really necessary to squirt lemon juice into the eyes of Cleveland fans the day after they had just been sucker-punched below the belt? No one but fans of the Heat really cared about the introduction celebration, so why was it necessary to broadcast it on ESPN2? Lebron did not look happy to be there, and if you were him, would you be either? The last thing he wanted to do was pour salt into the city of Cleveland's wound that, by the way, he created. Once again, I'm not saying that he should have stayed; I'm just saying that his departure created the somber mood felt in his hometown.
Now that "The Decision" is over, at least we can get back to focusing on sports that are actually in season. Today one of the bigger trade deals took place in baseball, with Seattle pitcher Cliff Lee being traded to the Texas Rangers. Early in the day, it looked as if Lee was going to be traded to the Yankees, which would have made it almost worthless to watch the MLB come September with the pitching that they would have had. However, this trade makes the American League much more intriguing. With Lee in Texas, the Rangers have a very decent shot at making the playoffs for the first time since 1999, while the Yankees cannot assume the role as overwhelming favorites to win the World Series. Had Lee gone to New York, it would have been extremely hard to contend with the pitching combination of Lee, C.C. Sabathia, Phil Hughes, and Mariano Rivera. Granted, they are probably still the team to beat, but with Lee they could have been runaway favorites. No matter how much New York fans disagree, that would not have been good for baseball.
On Sunday, the World Cup will culminate in Johannesburg when either Spain or the Netherlands will hoist the famed goblet for the first time ever. Unlike Spain, the Netherlands have been to the Finals twice before but have not yet broken through to win the Cup. I predicted that Spain would win it from the beginning, but I think that either way it should be a tremendous game. Both of these teams are well deserving of being called World Cup champions, and it should be an absolute party for whichever country comes away with the win. Something that is worth noting is that the top goal scorers in the tournament (Netherland's Wesley Sneijder and Spain's David Villa) will be playing, and the Golden Boot award winner could very well be the man who wins the World Cup for his respective nation. As long as the game doesn't come down to penalty kicks, because quite frankly it's a tossup at that point, then it should be a wonderful game to watch.
I'm thinking about making shirts to promote the blog, but mostly because I want to wear one myself. I'll be posting some more information about it on the Around The Corn Sports Blog Facebook fan page, so check that out in the next few weeks if you're interested in getting one. Also, if you have any questions or comments about anything sports, always feel free to email me at aroundthecornsportsblog@gmail.com. Thanks everyone.
- K. Becks
Now that "The Decision" is over, at least we can get back to focusing on sports that are actually in season. Today one of the bigger trade deals took place in baseball, with Seattle pitcher Cliff Lee being traded to the Texas Rangers. Early in the day, it looked as if Lee was going to be traded to the Yankees, which would have made it almost worthless to watch the MLB come September with the pitching that they would have had. However, this trade makes the American League much more intriguing. With Lee in Texas, the Rangers have a very decent shot at making the playoffs for the first time since 1999, while the Yankees cannot assume the role as overwhelming favorites to win the World Series. Had Lee gone to New York, it would have been extremely hard to contend with the pitching combination of Lee, C.C. Sabathia, Phil Hughes, and Mariano Rivera. Granted, they are probably still the team to beat, but with Lee they could have been runaway favorites. No matter how much New York fans disagree, that would not have been good for baseball.
On Sunday, the World Cup will culminate in Johannesburg when either Spain or the Netherlands will hoist the famed goblet for the first time ever. Unlike Spain, the Netherlands have been to the Finals twice before but have not yet broken through to win the Cup. I predicted that Spain would win it from the beginning, but I think that either way it should be a tremendous game. Both of these teams are well deserving of being called World Cup champions, and it should be an absolute party for whichever country comes away with the win. Something that is worth noting is that the top goal scorers in the tournament (Netherland's Wesley Sneijder and Spain's David Villa) will be playing, and the Golden Boot award winner could very well be the man who wins the World Cup for his respective nation. As long as the game doesn't come down to penalty kicks, because quite frankly it's a tossup at that point, then it should be a wonderful game to watch.
I'm thinking about making shirts to promote the blog, but mostly because I want to wear one myself. I'll be posting some more information about it on the Around The Corn Sports Blog Facebook fan page, so check that out in the next few weeks if you're interested in getting one. Also, if you have any questions or comments about anything sports, always feel free to email me at aroundthecornsportsblog@gmail.com. Thanks everyone.
- K. Becks
Thursday, July 8, 2010
Premiering This Fall: Miami Thrice
It's official; Lebron James has announced his intentions to sign with the Miami Heat, joining fellow superstars Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh. Cleveland is heartbroken, Miami is ecstatic, and the rest of the NBA general managers are pulling their hair out trying to think of ways to compete with a team as good as or better than when Jordan, Pippen, and Rodman hooked up over a decade ago in Chicago. What does this all mean? Well, let's take a look from the perspective of a couple of different franchises.
Miami- So, how many years are all of these guys going to be there for sure? Five? Well, then that's how many years they should win the NBA Championship. This is, without a doubt, the best team in the league, and even minor disagreements in roles probably won't slow them down enough to cause significant damage. Add on the fact that Pat Riley is twice the coach that Mike Brown is, and you've got someone to raise the level of Lebron's game and maturity even higher. For all we know, Mario Chalmers and Michael Beasley could develop into talented role-players, which make this team even more dangerous. Miamisty, Dyiami, Dynasty, call it what you want...this team is going to be good.
Cleveland- See: The Drive, The Shot, Art Modell. You can add "The Decision" right up there with the list of things that have crushed the spirits of Clevelanders in the past. It's been awhile, but let's go back to the years B.L. (Before Lebron). Remember what the Cavaliers were then? Terrible. You know what they'll be now? Mediocre. Lebron made this team what they were. Do you know what happens when you take the ice cream out of the milkshake? You get milk. The Cavs will be starting from scratch, and that doesn't bode well for teams in Cleveland (See: Cleveland Browns Rejoining the NFL).
Everyone Else- No, I'm not putting the Knicks or Nets into their own category. The Knicks, other than Amare Stoudemire (who has his own issues), are no better than the Cavs. Lebron wants to win, and New York isn't the place to do it. The Nets, other than Jay-Z being buddies with Lebron, didn't have enough to offer either. As for the rest of the teams in the NBA, see if they can make a trophy for second place. With Miami's new lineup, second place is as good as gold. Quite honestly, I wouldn't be surprised to see Phil Jackson change his mind and decide to retire for good. He has firsthand knowledge of what a team like Miami can accomplish; he coached one. The odds of Jackson completing another three-peat just took a major hit, and I just don't know if he is up for the challenge.
Many times throughout this post, I have christened the Miami Heat as the next pro sports dynasty. I realize that it's not a done deal; they still have to go out and prove that they are the best. However, we're talking about three Olympic gold medalists on one team. We're talking about guys ranked 2nd, 5th, and 9th in the league in scoring last season on one team. We're talking about arguably the best shooting guard, small forward, and power forward in the league on one team. If they aren't the next dynasty, something will have gone terribly wrong.
Now, this is addressed to Cleveland fans. I know that you are probably clearing all of your Lebron/Cavaliers memorabilia off of your mantels, but remember this before you accuse Lebron of being a traitor: everyone wants to win. He gave it all he had, and the truth was that Cleveland didn't give him enough support to win it all. Some say that it will hurt his legacy if he wins with two other superstars by his side. Well, there is another way to think of it. Does it hurt his legacy more to win three or four or five titles with a superstar cast, or to stay "loyal" to Cleveland and never win anything at all? Neil Kinnock once said "Loyalty is a fine quality, but in excess it fills political graveyards." The same is true in professional sports.
- K. Becks
Miami- So, how many years are all of these guys going to be there for sure? Five? Well, then that's how many years they should win the NBA Championship. This is, without a doubt, the best team in the league, and even minor disagreements in roles probably won't slow them down enough to cause significant damage. Add on the fact that Pat Riley is twice the coach that Mike Brown is, and you've got someone to raise the level of Lebron's game and maturity even higher. For all we know, Mario Chalmers and Michael Beasley could develop into talented role-players, which make this team even more dangerous. Miamisty, Dyiami, Dynasty, call it what you want...this team is going to be good.
Cleveland- See: The Drive, The Shot, Art Modell. You can add "The Decision" right up there with the list of things that have crushed the spirits of Clevelanders in the past. It's been awhile, but let's go back to the years B.L. (Before Lebron). Remember what the Cavaliers were then? Terrible. You know what they'll be now? Mediocre. Lebron made this team what they were. Do you know what happens when you take the ice cream out of the milkshake? You get milk. The Cavs will be starting from scratch, and that doesn't bode well for teams in Cleveland (See: Cleveland Browns Rejoining the NFL).
Everyone Else- No, I'm not putting the Knicks or Nets into their own category. The Knicks, other than Amare Stoudemire (who has his own issues), are no better than the Cavs. Lebron wants to win, and New York isn't the place to do it. The Nets, other than Jay-Z being buddies with Lebron, didn't have enough to offer either. As for the rest of the teams in the NBA, see if they can make a trophy for second place. With Miami's new lineup, second place is as good as gold. Quite honestly, I wouldn't be surprised to see Phil Jackson change his mind and decide to retire for good. He has firsthand knowledge of what a team like Miami can accomplish; he coached one. The odds of Jackson completing another three-peat just took a major hit, and I just don't know if he is up for the challenge.
Many times throughout this post, I have christened the Miami Heat as the next pro sports dynasty. I realize that it's not a done deal; they still have to go out and prove that they are the best. However, we're talking about three Olympic gold medalists on one team. We're talking about guys ranked 2nd, 5th, and 9th in the league in scoring last season on one team. We're talking about arguably the best shooting guard, small forward, and power forward in the league on one team. If they aren't the next dynasty, something will have gone terribly wrong.
Now, this is addressed to Cleveland fans. I know that you are probably clearing all of your Lebron/Cavaliers memorabilia off of your mantels, but remember this before you accuse Lebron of being a traitor: everyone wants to win. He gave it all he had, and the truth was that Cleveland didn't give him enough support to win it all. Some say that it will hurt his legacy if he wins with two other superstars by his side. Well, there is another way to think of it. Does it hurt his legacy more to win three or four or five titles with a superstar cast, or to stay "loyal" to Cleveland and never win anything at all? Neil Kinnock once said "Loyalty is a fine quality, but in excess it fills political graveyards." The same is true in professional sports.
- K. Becks
Sunday, July 4, 2010
Live From Omaha
Unfortunately, I didn't really have the chance to blog live from Omaha as I said I would, because I didn't get back to the hotel until very late Monday and Tuesday night. However, it really doesn't matter, because everything I planned on writing can still be written and not lose its relevance. So, it's a little late, but here it is; my "Live From Omaha" special.
Day 1 (Monday, June 28th)
My brother and I got to the stadium around eleven in the morning, because we were going to get in line to upgrade our tickets. This would assure that not only my brother and I, but also my dad and other brother (who were at my brother's baseball tournament) would also get a seat at the game. My brother was smart enough to bring along a camera so that we could document our experience waiting in line, so you can watch the videos below to hear more about that.
After we got our upgraded tickets, we essentially had about six hours to kill. Since our dad was at my brother's game, we had no car and about a mile around Rosenblatt Stadium to work with. After going to the flea market for about an hour, we did the most reckless, exciting thing we could think of for the next two and a half hours; sit under a tree by the porta-potties. You'd think that sitting by twelve steaming portable toilets under a tree with very little shade would keep the ticket scalpers away, but you'd be mistaken. Eventually, most of the scalpers went across the street to the flea market, as they must have figured out that standing in the sun for five hours to make a two dollar commission on tickets is not the most effective way to make money.
At around three in the afternoon, the Fan Fest stuff started to set up outside the stadium. My brother and I decided that the Coke girls were much better looking than the Mello Yello ladies, so we spent the next hour or so walking around the Coke station taking free shots of Coke Zero. After about an hour of walking around pointing out the dimes, we found an area with picnic benches under shade. These picnic benches were not as intriguing as the porta-potties we sat by earlier, but nevertheless, the shade was nice. While sitting at the table, some older woman came up to us and asked us if we wanted a sticker. This is the point where I became a South Carolina Gamecocks fan. No UCLA fan was smart enough to adopt me for the series, and my brother had already bought a South Carolina hat, so it seemed okay to me as long as I made sure not to place the South Carolina sticker over the Ohio State logo on my shirt.
After the picnic tables no longer seemed like the hot place to be, we began to walk around again. A coach bus arrived in the parking lot, and my brother insisted on walking over to it, because he believed it was carrying the South Carolina team. This is the first of two times on the trip that I disagreed with him and he ended up being right. The sting of me being wrong (it stings because it's rare) was alleviated slightly by the fact that I became more pleased with my choice of adopting South Carolina as my team, as I noticed that South Carolina had the better looking female fans. This may have been because 75% of the fans at Rosenblatt were rooting for South Carolina, but it also could have been because no UCLA girls wore shirts that read "I Heart Cocks".
After the players got off the bus, we went back to the picnic tables to sit. At this point our patience was being tested, as we had been waiting for over five hours for our dad and brother to show up and they informed us that the team had decided to go back to the hotel before heading to Rosenblatt. Eventually they showed up, and we got in line (the short one, though, because we had upgraded our tickets) to get into the stadium.
When we got inside, the first thing we did was buy food. Now, before I go on, let me ask you all a question: When was the last time that your food cost more than your ticket? That pretty much sums up the story on the food, although to be fair, it was really good.
And now, for the game. It started out...no, I'm just kidding. This isn't about the game. It's about the experience, and (for the first game, at least) nothing happened worth noting in the stands. That pretty much wraps up Day 1.
Day 2 (Tuesday, June 29th)
We knew that Day 2 was going to be completely different than Day 1. My brother's game was later in the day, which meant that we didn't have to go down to the stadium and wait all day for my dad and brother to show up. However, that also meant that immediately after we got to Rosenblatt, we had to go get in the "General Admission" line behind the stadium because we didn't have reserved seating. I didn't believe that the line formed until around four, but that was the second of two times that I was wrong and my youngest brother was right. However, the sting of this one was not alleviated, as my brother was far more of an ass after we found out he was right. So, we walked behind the stadium and got into the line. We waited in line for about an hour or so, which wasn't that bad because four chicks with E,S,P, and N written on their shirts were by us and kept us busy. I would have preferred that "Entertainment" and "Network" had gone somewhere else, because it was pretty obvious from their girth that we really only came for the "Sports Programming", but I guess you have to take both the good and the bad.
Eventually we got into the stadium, and South Carolina was taking batting practice. Since we were in the General Admission section rather than the Reserved Seating section, I quickly noticed that the douche bag-to-normal people ratio was much higher than the night before. However, we got extremely lucky, as one gentleman sitting a few rows in front of us was easily the funniest fan I have ever witnessed at any sporting event. There are no words to describe him; you just have to see him for yourselves.
It didn't end with Barry. These videos aren't very good, as our camera is broken and you can't actually see what you're filming, but it's still worth watching. If you can't figure out what it is, look up "Erin Andrews Look Alike Streaking" on YouTube.
As I said before, this blog isn't really focused on the actual games, but my brother did get footage of the game winning hit, which I think is worthy of being posted.
That pretty much sums up my trip. Now that I've had a chance to experience the College World Series, I'm going to miss Rosenblatt Stadium. Personally, I don't think they really needed the new stadium. The majority of the people that come to College World Series aren't even true fans of any of the teams participating (myself included). They come for the atmosphere of Rosenblatt, and with the new stadium likely going to make ticket prices skyrocket, it's not going to fill up. They had a great thing in Rosenblatt, and it's cliche, but it will no longer be the same. I'm just glad I had a chance to experience The 'Blatt before it's gone.
- K. Becks
Day 1 (Monday, June 28th)
My brother and I got to the stadium around eleven in the morning, because we were going to get in line to upgrade our tickets. This would assure that not only my brother and I, but also my dad and other brother (who were at my brother's baseball tournament) would also get a seat at the game. My brother was smart enough to bring along a camera so that we could document our experience waiting in line, so you can watch the videos below to hear more about that.
After we got our upgraded tickets, we essentially had about six hours to kill. Since our dad was at my brother's game, we had no car and about a mile around Rosenblatt Stadium to work with. After going to the flea market for about an hour, we did the most reckless, exciting thing we could think of for the next two and a half hours; sit under a tree by the porta-potties. You'd think that sitting by twelve steaming portable toilets under a tree with very little shade would keep the ticket scalpers away, but you'd be mistaken. Eventually, most of the scalpers went across the street to the flea market, as they must have figured out that standing in the sun for five hours to make a two dollar commission on tickets is not the most effective way to make money.
At around three in the afternoon, the Fan Fest stuff started to set up outside the stadium. My brother and I decided that the Coke girls were much better looking than the Mello Yello ladies, so we spent the next hour or so walking around the Coke station taking free shots of Coke Zero. After about an hour of walking around pointing out the dimes, we found an area with picnic benches under shade. These picnic benches were not as intriguing as the porta-potties we sat by earlier, but nevertheless, the shade was nice. While sitting at the table, some older woman came up to us and asked us if we wanted a sticker. This is the point where I became a South Carolina Gamecocks fan. No UCLA fan was smart enough to adopt me for the series, and my brother had already bought a South Carolina hat, so it seemed okay to me as long as I made sure not to place the South Carolina sticker over the Ohio State logo on my shirt.
After the picnic tables no longer seemed like the hot place to be, we began to walk around again. A coach bus arrived in the parking lot, and my brother insisted on walking over to it, because he believed it was carrying the South Carolina team. This is the first of two times on the trip that I disagreed with him and he ended up being right. The sting of me being wrong (it stings because it's rare) was alleviated slightly by the fact that I became more pleased with my choice of adopting South Carolina as my team, as I noticed that South Carolina had the better looking female fans. This may have been because 75% of the fans at Rosenblatt were rooting for South Carolina, but it also could have been because no UCLA girls wore shirts that read "I Heart Cocks".
After the players got off the bus, we went back to the picnic tables to sit. At this point our patience was being tested, as we had been waiting for over five hours for our dad and brother to show up and they informed us that the team had decided to go back to the hotel before heading to Rosenblatt. Eventually they showed up, and we got in line (the short one, though, because we had upgraded our tickets) to get into the stadium.
When we got inside, the first thing we did was buy food. Now, before I go on, let me ask you all a question: When was the last time that your food cost more than your ticket? That pretty much sums up the story on the food, although to be fair, it was really good.
And now, for the game. It started out...no, I'm just kidding. This isn't about the game. It's about the experience, and (for the first game, at least) nothing happened worth noting in the stands. That pretty much wraps up Day 1.
Day 2 (Tuesday, June 29th)
We knew that Day 2 was going to be completely different than Day 1. My brother's game was later in the day, which meant that we didn't have to go down to the stadium and wait all day for my dad and brother to show up. However, that also meant that immediately after we got to Rosenblatt, we had to go get in the "General Admission" line behind the stadium because we didn't have reserved seating. I didn't believe that the line formed until around four, but that was the second of two times that I was wrong and my youngest brother was right. However, the sting of this one was not alleviated, as my brother was far more of an ass after we found out he was right. So, we walked behind the stadium and got into the line. We waited in line for about an hour or so, which wasn't that bad because four chicks with E,S,P, and N written on their shirts were by us and kept us busy. I would have preferred that "Entertainment" and "Network" had gone somewhere else, because it was pretty obvious from their girth that we really only came for the "Sports Programming", but I guess you have to take both the good and the bad.
Eventually we got into the stadium, and South Carolina was taking batting practice. Since we were in the General Admission section rather than the Reserved Seating section, I quickly noticed that the douche bag-to-normal people ratio was much higher than the night before. However, we got extremely lucky, as one gentleman sitting a few rows in front of us was easily the funniest fan I have ever witnessed at any sporting event. There are no words to describe him; you just have to see him for yourselves.
It didn't end with Barry. These videos aren't very good, as our camera is broken and you can't actually see what you're filming, but it's still worth watching. If you can't figure out what it is, look up "Erin Andrews Look Alike Streaking" on YouTube.
As I said before, this blog isn't really focused on the actual games, but my brother did get footage of the game winning hit, which I think is worthy of being posted.
That pretty much sums up my trip. Now that I've had a chance to experience the College World Series, I'm going to miss Rosenblatt Stadium. Personally, I don't think they really needed the new stadium. The majority of the people that come to College World Series aren't even true fans of any of the teams participating (myself included). They come for the atmosphere of Rosenblatt, and with the new stadium likely going to make ticket prices skyrocket, it's not going to fill up. They had a great thing in Rosenblatt, and it's cliche, but it will no longer be the same. I'm just glad I had a chance to experience The 'Blatt before it's gone.
- K. Becks
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