Wednesday, January 27, 2010

What is the SEC's problem???

First the SEC can't find good enough referee's for an NCAA football games in there conference, now the SEC wants to fine schools for rushing the basketball court after a game is over. South Carolina today got fined $25,000 for having their fans rush the court after the huge upset of newly crowned #1 Kentucky.

Why is it the SEC thinks that it can take away one of the greatest staples of college basketball in rushing the court after your college team wins the game? It's not like people are getting hurt all of the time doing this. The SEC wants to be the "no fun league" of college sports. What's next for the SEC, are they going to take the cheering away from the fans next? Cause that is what rushing th court is like. This has been a tradition of college sports for a hundred or so years. All of our greatest college sports memories end with the crowd storming the court or field. It's what makes college sports so great, the thrill of your team as bad as they may be, knocking off the mighty "Goliath" that rules there land.

So SEC when you have an idea to fine the next team that has their crowd rush the court after a big win. Throw it in trash can and accept that this is history and this is what makes the crowds feel so close to there college team. Don't become the "No Fun League" or you will have every college student and fan staying at home to watch a game where they don't have to worry about getting there school fined.

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Getting Ready for Spring Training

Once football season ends for me and the Bears dissapoint me for another year, I start turning my attention to MLB and the begining of Spring Training. I always look forward to the begining of Spring Training not just for the chance to see what the Chicago Cubs can do this year, but how all the teams shape up this year. We have had quite the off season with the moves of Roy Halladay to the Phils and Cliff Lee to the Mariners, but we have also had alot of money pushed towards free agents like Matt Holiday, Jason Bay, and John Lackey just to name a few. With some players having new addresses this year its going to be interesting to see how the divisions are going to stack up. Well I know its early but here are my early favorites for every division in the AL and NL and my playoff picks version 1.0.

AL East Winner- New York Yankees
Sometimes you don't have to go out in the offseason and spend tons of money to bring in new people. Just spend money on the people that got you there last year. Thats what the Yankee's have done. With this division, no one went out this year to really improve there team and the Yankees show no signs of slowing down this year and I think with there rotation staying intact and the lineup that they have they should put up another 100-win season.

AL Central Winner- Kansas City Royals
This is kind of the pick to throw against the wall and see if it sticks. The ownership in KC has really started to understand that sometimes you will have to go out and spend a little money to bring in free agents. With the additions of Scott Posednik and Josh Fields to the line up that they already had they should be much improved over last year. The Division winners from last year, the Twins stood pat in the offseason and didn't add one bat or one pitcher to there team and this may hurt them this year. Also don't rule out the additions of acouple more pieces to make them a little bit better.

AL West Winner- Seattle Mariners
With LA Angels losing alot of talent in the offseason and the Rangers not having the finacial flexibility to add a big piece to the team, I think the Mariners will run away with this division just due to the starting rotation that boasts King Felix and Cliff Lee.

AL Wild Card- Texas Rangers
With the addition of Vlad to an already potent line up that has Michael Young, Ian Kinsler and Josh Hamilton they will be banging home runs out of the ball park at record pace. Also there starting rotation is another year older and with the expirence that they gained last year will make them much wiser this year.

NL East Winner- Philadelphia Phillies
One name is really all that is needed to sum up why they will win this division: Roy Halladay. One of the most dominant pitchers that we have seen in the last 3 to 4 years added to the young talent of Cole Hamels will make this team be very difficult to deal with in the post season.

NL Central Winner- Chicago Cubs
Yes I know this is my "INNER HOMER" coming out in me but really I think last year was kind of a freak year for them cause they were dealing with so many injuries that they couldn't put out the lineup that they invisioned. With Milton Bradley gone, this makes the locker room so much easier to deal with for Pinella.

NL West Winner- San Fransisco Giants
Tim Lincecum and Matt Cain are probably the two best pitchers in the NL behind the Roy Halladay. With the additions that they made in getting Mark DeRosa and Aubrey Huff to there lineup this team will not have the same fate as last year and miss out on the playoffs.

NL Wildcard Winner- New York Mets
With the addition of a power bat like Jason Bay and the come back of injured players like Jose Reyes in this lineup will push the Phillies for the East but I think they will come out and smoke everybody in the wild card.

With the season coming around the corner and more moves to be made, Version 2.0 of Eric's Picks of the Divisions will be coming soon to a computer screen near you.

Thursday, January 14, 2010

Lane Kiffin is a Fool!!!

The big news in college football this week is about how Pete Carroll left USC to go to the Seattle Seahawks and that now Lane Kiffin is leaving Tennessee to go back to where it all started for him at USC and be there new head coach. All I can say to you Lane is, YOU ARE A MORON.

Lets look at some of the facts.

USC went into a steep decline this year cause of the fact that they didn't have a polished QB running the system for them this last year. Matt Barkley is going to turn out to be an OK QB that will get way over valued cause he is playing at a big school like USC. But now you are going to be installing a new offense in for him to get used to and you expect him and this team to be back to promenince. I don't think so!!!

On the defensive side you have your daddy Monty coming to be the Defensive Cordinator and you don't think that for one second that there were other teams that have studied what your dad has done for years and haven't figured a way to beat this system. COMMON? REALLY??

Now onto the most important issues; the two investigations that are going on with your football team. Do you really want to go to a school that has two investagations going on into whether or not your players were getting improper benefits? Thats a big stigma that you are going to have to deal with when you go on recruiting trips and a parent asks you about it cause there kid wants to win a national championship. You cant tell them that everything is going to be ok cause you have no idea. If and when these allegations turn out to be true that NCAA is going to come down so hard on your school its not even funny. Can you say BCS and Bowl Game Probation for the next 5 years? Why not stay at a school that you know will not have to go through problems like this and give yourself a chance (be it a small chance) to get into the BCS picture and possibly a National Championship picture.

SO Lane, when you think about all of this when you go to bed at night you are going to have to ask yourself one question: am I a Fool and a Moron for taking this job? AND THE ANSWER IS A RESOUNDING YES!!!

Lane Kiffin is a Fool!!!

The big news in college football this week is about how Pete Carroll left USC to go to the Seattle Seahawks and that now Lane Kiffin is leaving Tennessee to go back to where it all started for him at USC and be there new head coach. All I can say to you Lane is, YOU ARE A MORON.

Lets look at some of the facts.

USC went into a steep decline this year cause of the fact that they didn't have a polished QB running the system for them this last year. Matt Barkley is going to turn out to be an OK QB that will get way over valued cause he is playing at a big school like USC. But now you are going to be installing a new offense in for him to get used to and you expect him and this team to be back to promenince. I don't think so!!!

On the defensive side you have your daddy Monty coming to be the Defensive Cordinator and you don't think that for one second that there were other teams that have studied what your dad has done for years and haven't figured a way to beat this system. COMMON? REALLY??

Now onto the most important issues; the two investigations that are going on with your football team. Do you really want to go to a school that has two investagations going on into whether or not your players were getting improper benefits? Thats a big stigma that you are going to have to deal with when you go on recruiting trips and a parent asks you about it cause there kid wants to win a national championship. You cant tell them that everything is going to be ok cause you have no idea. If and when these allegations turn out to be true that NCAA is going to come down so hard on your school its not even funny. Can you say BCS and Bowl Game Probation for the next 5 years? Why not stay at a school that you know will not have to go through problems like this and give yourself a chance (be it a small chance) to get into the BCS picture and possibly a National Championship picture.

SO Lane, when you think about all of this when you go to bed at night you are going to have to ask yourself one question: am I a Fool and a Moron for taking this job? AND THE ANSWER IS A RESOUNDING YES!!!