Sometimes you just need to sit back and say “Wow”. I’ve been thinking a lot about how lucky we are to have seen some of the greatest players ever to play their sport. Jason and I are in our mid 20′s and I have to say that we’ve seen the best group of athletes that any era has to offer. Like any normal young boy I was obsessed with sports. How could a kid my age not be? I had the cream of the crop of athletic role models and all time greats. The class of the sporting world. We grew up watching some of the best. We watched Jordan dominate the court, “The Drive” from Elway, Cal Ripken Jr. never miss a day at the office and “The Great One” take hockey to a whole new level. It pained us to watch Lemieux, Magic and Barry Sanders leave their games too soon. Dan Marino, Nolan Ryan, Larry Bird, Jerry Rice… We had it made.
Our teenage years continued to amaze viewers. Emmitt Smith made the Cowboys “America’s Team”, Terrell Davis rushes for 2,000 yards, Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa’s home run race brought America’s past time back from the strike and into our hearts. Randy Johnson will probably be the last 300 game winner baseball ever sees. We saw that go down. Mike Tyson even bit a guy’s ear off.
There’s no shortage of Hall of Fame athletes here. With retirement looming for Mariano Rivera, Brett Favre, Shaquille O’neal, there’s still plenty of time left on our television sets for the next batch. Peyton Manning and Tom Brady have taken the QB rivalry to the extreme, Derek Jeter and Albert Pujols continue to define baseball, and Kobe’s fist full of rings will run the court until he hangs em up. But who’s next? Don’t worry, the future looks very bright. The group of young talent around today has the potential to surpass any player I’ve mentioned here. The Akron Hammer, Lebron James has already caught more attention than anyone to touch the floor. Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby actually make me kind of pay attention to hockey. Adrian Peterson, Larry Fitzgerald and Ben Roethlisberger are already claiming their spots among football greats, and Chase Utley, Tim Lincecum and Joe Mauer are changing baseball every pitch. If there was ever a dark age of sports it’s definitely behind us, because these kids are revolutionizing their games every day.
Mike Schmidt’s retirement is probably the most important sports moment for me. It was the first time I saw a truly human side from an athlete and watching as a young child it left a lasting impression on me. What’s your big sports memory?
We are all fans. We all have our allegiances. We show our colors not just on game day, but at every chance we get. Even in the off season. In fact, there is no off season. How we came to the decision to dawn our colors may be very different. But at the “end” of the season, only one team stands. That is one team out of 30 or 32, depending on which (pro)league you want to talk about. We spend months rooting for our teams, hoping that ours will be that one. The reality is that every season the odds are against us and our team(s). So how do some of us get to be so lucky?
For me, every season is a “there’s always next year” season. Aside from rooting for the Detroit Red Wings (who I barely follow until the playoffs), my teams seem to consistently flop. Football is king, and my team is the Cleveland Browns. They have been a mess for years. The Detroit Tigers missed the playoffs this year by choking at the end and losing the division to the Twins. I side with the Pistons in basketball, but they are the team I am least attached to. I grew up a Laker’s/Magic Johnson fan, but I really don’t care who wins in basketball.
My colleague Mike, however, has been living the life recently. It really is sick. I don’t know many people more passionate about who they root for, and I certainly don’t know ANYONE as lucky as he is when it comes to team success. He’s a baseball and football guy, and his teams are the Philadelphia Phillies and the Indianapolis Colts. Can you really ask for two more legit franchises? You can read all about his Phillies HERE. They have already landed a spot in this years World Series and won the damn thing last year. With their young talent, they will be a threat for years to come. Man, that must be rough. The Colts are headed towards their 8th straight playoff appearance, which will be their 10th in 11 years. Peyton Manning, arguably the best quarterback of all time, has shown no signs of slowing down and is looking for his all time NFL best 4th MVP. It must be nice to have a consistent starting quarterback. The Browns have had 21 changes in quarterback since 1999. Oh, did I mention that we didn’t even have a team in Cleveland for a couple years?
I’m only really skimming the surface here, but it’s just not fair. I suppose every fan has to pay their dues, stick it out with their teams through the down times, and hope for better days. Perhaps it is because I spend my sports days around a dude whose teams actually win games that it seems like it has been forever that I have had something to cheer for? Whatever. It’s not like I’m going to stop supporting my teams. I’m glad that he gets to see his teams do so well. The dude is real contagious too. Try not rooting for his teams after watching a Phils or Colts game with him. It’s damn near impossible, unless perhaps your team is going against his.
I sit here embarrassed that it has taken the World Series to inspire some baseball talk here at Taking The Over. The defending champion Philadelphia Phillies won their second straight National League pennant and await the best the American League has to offer.
The Philadelphia 40 man roster has some great stories. I guess you could include them in the “big market” teams. Philly is a big city with no shortage of sports phanatics. The thing that makes the Phillies unique is how this team was built. Built being the key word, not bought. Last season Philadelphia won their first World Series in 28 years, and they did it without a single big name free agent. Philadelphia has high hopes to repeat that feat this year. This team was built through GREAT scouting from former General Manager Pat Gillick, and continued with his predecessor Ruben Amaro. With great scouting you draft properly. All Stars Ryan Howard, Chase Utley, and Jimmy Rollins, along with defensive specialist and clutch hitting monster Carlos Ruiz, were all brought up through the Phillies’ farm system. The hurlers are no different. With studs Cole Hamels, J.A. Happ, Brett Myers, Ryan Madson all drafted and promoted to the bigs from within, the Phillies can boast one of the best drafted teams in baseball. No other team has this much talent brought up from the inside.
It isn’t just the draft that makes the Phillies the best talent evaluators in baseball. Let’s talk about players that other franchise’s simply gave up on. All Star Shane Victorino, picked up by the Phils in 2004 when the San Diego Padres couldn’t find room on their roster for him. Another All Star, Jayson Werth was plagued with injuries in Los Angeles. The Dodgers decided it’d be best to move on without him. The Phillies gave him a home in 2007 and its paid off big. With visions of Albert Pujols CRUSHING Brad Lidge in the 2005 playoffs many thought Lidge’s career was done. After several demotions from closing, to set up man, to situational reliever in Houston, Lidge finally got a chance to close games for the Phillies. And he did just that. Lidge’s first season in Philly was as perfect as it gets. He closed out each of his 41 save opportunities, and retired the final batter of the World Series. This season has been a bumpy one for Brad, but Manager Charlie Manuel’s confidence in Lidge has not changed. Lidge remains the Phillies Closer and is back to form in the 2009 playoffs. When the Mets offered Pedro Martinez an insulting, slap in the face deal he opted to just sit back and wait for a team to need his services. And when the injury ridden Phillies rotation called he answered. Martinez looks like his old self again going 5-1 in 9 games with a 3.63 earned run average(ERA) and has struck out 37 batters while only issuing 8 base on balls. Gillick brought in work horse Joe “Big Belly” Blanton in a trade with the A’s in 2008. He has come up about as big as his waist line since arriving in the land of cheese steaks. Blanton has pitched over 190 innings for 5 straight seasons now. Last year he won 9 games in 13 starts as a Phillie and the boy likes to hit. Joe became the first Phillies pitcher ever to hit a home run in the World Series.
With Pat Gillick retiring after last season, Amaro brought a slightly new attitude to keeping the team on top. This years free agent signing of Outfielder Raul Ibanez has come up huge for the Phils. After a career high season at the plate in Seattle, the Phillies brought him in to boost the already gigantic offense. Raul posted career highs in home runs(34) and slugging percentage(.552) and was voted into his first All Star game this year in Philadelphia. Now the biggest acquisition of them all… Cliff Lee. Philadelphia sent four top prospects to Cleveland in exchange for last year’s American League Cy Young award winner. Since joining Philadelphia, Lee has posted a 3,39 ERA with a 7-4 record and 3 complete games. Cliff Lee is a freak. He is an innings eater throwing 13 career complete games, and has pitched over 200 innings in his last four full seasons. Cliff Lee is just what the Phillies needed and has shown no signs of slowing down in his first career post season.
The World Series starts Wednesday night and we’re in for a wild one.
Bobby Wilder’s Monarchs are slowly but surely gaining some respect among the FCS football voters. 4 weeks ago Old Dominion earned its first votes in the FCS top 25 poll, receiving 5 votes. This week the ODU Football Monarchs claim 16 votes. They received one less vote than the Hofstra Pride team that sits at 2-2 in the CAA, Old Dominion’s future conference and the best conference in division 1aa football. While you can not deny Old Dominions opponents have not been up to the level of play that a CAA team would face, it’s how the Monarchs handle the teams they play that has them in the other coach’s ear when its time to vote.
ODU found a gem in the desert when landing red shirt sophomore Thomas DeMarco out of California. DeMarco is leading an Old Dominion offense that is 13th in rushing, averaging over 193 yards per game on the ground. DeMarco himself is responsible for many of those yards as he is 31st overall in total offense with 1,650 yards on the season, and averaging over 235 a game. ODU’s spread styled offense and Reid Evans’ 42 yard touchdown catch this weekend was par for the course as the Monarchs have the 13th highest scoring offense among FCS schools racking up 33 points per game.
While the high octane offense seems to be having its way with whoever lines up across from them, the defense could stand some improvement. Opposing teams seem to be having their way with the Monarchs defense, but somehow Old Dominion has 25 takeaways this season. And while only coughing up the ball 10 times themselves, that gives them the third best turnover differential in football. That number alone can account to a very large part of the Monarchs early success. This defense will give up yards, they will get scored on, but they will also make the big play and come up with a turnover when the team needs it the most.
While its really easy to overlook something as unexciting as a 4th down punt with such a high scoring offense and play making defense, I will not forget to mention Old Dominion’s Jonathan Plisco. Johnathan out of Newport News, boots the ball over 46 yards per punt, which gives him the third best average among FCS punters. Football is a field position game, and with one of the top punters around the Monarchs find themselves winning the field position battle more often than not.
As I said earlier, ODU’s schedule is full of lesser caliber teams. The Monarchs will soon join the Colonial Athletic Association, by far Division 1-AA Football’s best conference. The CAA had 4 of the final 8 playoff teams from last season and again has several top 25 ranked schools this season. ODU will have to step up their game and face some real competition when its time to play the big boys of the CAA. But to help prime themselves for the jump in opposing talent they’re mixing in a few HUGE games for next season. The 2010 schedule will have two home games against top 25 teams. September 18th the Monarchs will host its first CAA member and perennial playoff team when the William and Mary Tribe come to Norfolk. You’ll hear no lofty goals or expectations from me on this one. The Tribe are a top FCS school and should wipe the floor with ODU. If ODU just contends it will be a moral victory in my eyes. Just prove that you belong. Still in the 2010 season the Monarchs will be full of underclassmen still improving every week. They can not be expected to come out and beat a team like William and Mary or Cal Poly, who will play at Foreman Field on October 9th. I really like the fact that ODU recognizes that they have a soft schedule and need to beef it up for some respect. With the inaugural season this team is having I don’t see why they shouldn’t get some tougher opponents in here and compete with other good football programs.
My upset of the week is going to the Baltimore Ravens beating the Minnesota Vikings in the Metrodome. Lets look at the facts here, the Vikings have beat the Browns, Lions and Rams convincingly but just squeaked away with victories hosting the 49ers and Packers. They’ve played a very soft schedule and should be sitting at 5-0. The Ravens are coming off back-to-back losses from the Patriots and the Bengals. This team just CAN NOT afford to drop their third straight. Their schedule is a gauntlet of playoff caliber teams. Playing in a very competitive AFC North, the Ravens know how much every game matters. They just gave up their first 100 yard rusher in like 40 games or something? The Ravens are pissed. The Ravens NEED this win. This week the Baltimore defense will make it priority #1 to bottle up Adrian Peterson, who’s lone 100 yard game came against an awful Browns team. Force Brett Favre into mistakes, capitalize on offense. This should be a great game, two of the leagues best defenses playing coupled with powerful offenses that have big play potential on every snap. While the Vikings do sit at 5-0, they have just not shown to me that they belong among the best teams in football. Beat this Ravens team and I may have to eat crow on this one. Until then, I’m taking this Baltimore team to shut down the Vikings offense and win this game. Ravens +3, take the over.
Mike Lawson xxx
You want a reason why the Vikings are gonna win this week? Here you go:
This guy loves the endzone. And he’ll get there at least 2 times on Sunday. The Ravens had problems stopping the run last week for the first time in a long time and I’m looking for that to continue this week. They will try and stuff the run, which will allow Brett Favre to attack through the air at will. I really think this game will be a 10 point difference when it’s all said and done. The lanes will open up for Peterson and he will reach the secondary before the Ravens will know what to do about it. Nobody breaks big runs as well as he does, and can take the hits the Ravens dish out too. The Ravens offense will have trouble with the Minnesota defense. There aren’t enough weapons on that side of the ball for the Ravens to hang around. What has the makings of a defensive struggle is going to turn into a high scoring affair. I like the Vikings -3. Take the Over.
So looking over the schedule there are some potentially really bad games out there. I’m talking blow outs in half of them. Vegas seems to agree with me. 6 out of 14 games have a spread greater than a touchdown. There are, however, a couple games that I feel will be worth paying attention to, aside from the obvious reason of following your fantasy players.
Atlanta at San Francisco(-2.5) O/U 40.5
I like this game for a couple of reasons. First off, Atlanta was the big surprise team of last season and only got better in the off, adding Tony Gonzalez. They’re 2-1 coming off a loss in New England and their bye week. There hasn’t been anything real impressive about them so far and will need this week to go well for them. With wins over teams that are a combined 1-7, the Falcons need a solid showing on the road. San Fran is playing well. Even with the loss of their top offensive weapon in Frank Gore, they are sitting at 3-1. If it wasn’t for Brett Favre, they’d be 4-0. But there are many who aren’t sold on their success. Why should they be? They’ve taken it to the mighty Rams and Seahawks and squeaked out a sloppy win in Arizona. I’ll give them the almost win in Minnesota, they played well all game and deserved the victory, but a loss is a loss. Both teams are playing with something to prove. No blow out here. Not a lot of offense either. This has 17-14 game written all over it, home team prevails. Take the under.
New England(-3.5) at Denver O/U 41
Battle between master and pupil. Lucky for pupil, the game is at Mile High. I honestly gave Denver no shot at winning 6 games before the season started. They are currently 4-0, which I will say is very deceiving seeing as they have played the two worst teams in the NFL and got a fluke play to win against the Bengals. And even though they were just one decent play call from the 2 yard line(two chances even!!) away from losing to the Cowboys at home, I am going to go with the home dawg in this game to pull out the win. I really think the relationship between Marshall and McDaniels seemingly being repaired is what this team needed. That, along with a (just barely, but still counting)win over the Cowboys, is why I’m picking them. The team is fired up. You want more? Ok, you’ve got Champ Bailey stopping everything while Brian Dawkins is lurking over top meaning Moss won’t be going long. Fred Taylor is the Pat’s favorite option to run the ball but won’t be playing this week. So it’ll be a lackluster running game and short dumps to Welker, who is “questionable” and I don’t know if anyone knows what that means comming from Bill Belichik. If Brady doesn’t get the ball out in time, Elvis Dumervil is gonna be all over him. Dude has been tearing it up and will continue to do so against the Pat’s aging line. Plus, McDaniels is practically responsible for putting in place the single best offensive season by any NFL team ever when he was with the Pat’s. You think he may not know how to infiltrate that better than anyone else? I’m not forgetting that it is still the Patriots and they still can put up points on the best(ie win over Ravens last week). I just think this is a bad week for them to be in town. Picking the Bronco’s with the upset. Definitely Taking the Over.
How can this happen? NFL officiating blows yet another game on what seems like an easy call to anyone with two eyeballs. How do you call a kick that sails wide right good? I don’t know either but it happened last week in Cleveland. The Cleveland Browns are not catching a break from anyone, not even the refs. The Browns scrap and fight their way into an overtime period with the Cincinnati Bengals only to have the game stolen from them by awful officiating. Granted, the game would have ended in a tie if the kick were properly deemed no good, but a 1 in the tie column sure beats the hell out of another tack up in the loss’ for probably the NFL’s worst team. I just can not wrap my mind around how its possible for a professional referee to not be able to look straight up in the air and tell if a ball passes your right or your left.
ESPN has confirmed that the kick sailed NO GOOD, claiming video from an endzone camera shows the ball sailing wide right. Yet no one is showing the video from the camera that is mounted on the goal post. Wouldn’t that give us a clear shot? The kick looks like it may have went over the goal posts, so it would be too high of a kick to see that it missed more clearly, but I think you can see pretty clearly in the highlight reel that this kick is no good.
Watch from 5:17 on, I’ve looked at it maybe 20 times and you can see the ball not break between the yellow upright at all. It clearly stays yellow all the way up, if that kick had made it between the poles it would break into the yellow.
Hello world! This is Taking the Over! Jason and I have talked about doing a sports blog for some time now, and with the help of our lovely and talented internet liaison, Alicia Duffy, its come to life. This is it. Look for plenty of updates and general sports bickering between the two of us.
And you know what? I don’t care whether people are Packers fans or whatever, I’ll reiterate what we said, rooting for Favre is like rooting for America.”- Chris Berman
Fuck you Chris.
Mike Lawson.
over/under: TD passes for Brett Favre hosting Green Bay tonight- 2
