Category: General Sports

After far too many hours of watching pep bands, cheerleaders, and screaming college kids yelling: “We’re number one!” at the camera, here’s who impressed, depressed and neutralized us on Week 2 of the college football season.

Another piece of my childhood left the game of football this week- Jerry Rice. In his own time and on his terms, Rice decided that it was time to call it a career…at least for now. If you’re like me, just the name Jerry Rice brings back a flood of memories. I’m not just talking about memories of touchdown passes and crisp route running, I’m talking about memories of an era. For twenty to thirty-something’s, the career of Jerry Rice has last throughout our childhood, teen years, and into adulthood.

Unpredictability. That’s one of the reasons why fans love football. Various factors contribute to this perfect storm: injuries, team chemistry, and player breakthroughs just to name a few. In my vanity, I will share my daring predictions for the 2005 season.

When I was young, the flight of free agency in major sports hadn’t quite taken off of the runway and although trades occurred, it seldom involved major stars. These days of course, it has become almost a sporting event in itself. Team sports such as football, basketball, and baseball stay in the headlines during the off-season with the barrage of free agency, trades, and all of the rumors that swirl around it. My questions is this; what kind of impact, if any, does this have on the young sports fans who cheer for their favorite player on their favorite team?

Here was a man who had it all, a high nineties fastball and a knee buckling curve, a rubber arm and steel back bone, an intense glare with pristine perception, but most importantly the talent in reserve to move above the status of legend.

Here was a man who threw it all away and still recieved second chance after chance. A man who succumbed to temptation and betrayed himself. A man who looked in the mirror and mocked his gifts. A man who fell back on his accomplishments instead of elevating above them.

Here was a man who had the key to New York City only to open all the wrong doors. Here was a man whose tale spun from adventure to tragedy. Here is an example of the saddest thing in life, which is wasted potential.

Here is a human being.

Here was a man.

With preseason play coming to a close, and the NFL season only one week away, it’s time to make largely unfounded but highly anticipated season predictions. Though I condemn the idea in principle, I could not resist predicting the records of each team. I acknowledge that quite a bit can change during the course of a season, so I do not expect these records to accurately predict so much as convey how I envision the relative strength of each team’s opening day roster. So, without further ado…

As Ken Griffey Jr. was carted off the field in the late innings of Sundays game versus the Braves, the only word that came to my head was bittersweet. It was a memorable night for The Kid in more ways than one, as he tied Mickey Mantle for 12th on the all-time home run list with the 536th of his career, and 35th of the season, but then needed assistance in the 12th inning after spraining his ankle.

Here are the power rankings as we move into the last month of regular season baseball. Questions and comments are appreciated as always.

Lance Armstrong and Barry Bonds are great athletes. They are the best at what they do, and they are both the most popular figure in their respective sports. They have had great careers and have a ridiculous amount of accomplishments to their credit. Bonds has won the National League MVP award seven times in his career, Armstrong won the Tour de France seven times in a row. What more could these two men have in common?

Here are the MLB power rankings for another week. Comments are always appreciated.