Random Sports Babbling Post 2

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Haven't been able to watch it, but I am keeping track of what's going on... the US actually looks pretty good, especially considering how the Netherlands beat the Dominican Republic... perhaps DR and PR won't be as good this time around?

 

Liverpool - Real Madrid = 4 : 0

 

That was completely the expected result, but not how I figured it would get there. My predictions were 10-15 points in UCLA's favor, but I thought it'd be close at half before being blown open.

USC-v-UCLA should be a great game, that's awesome...

And 6OT's for UCONN versus Syracuse, insane. I love basketball tournaments.

 

My NCAA bracket has been taken to the woodshed... and thoroughly abused about 73 times or so.

 

I think my only one in there was Washington, but my main problem was probably putting a little too much stock in efficiency ratings and such rather than just results and the eye test. I was really close to having UCLA in there as well since they are statistically great, but I've actually watched them so I was reluctant.

My sweet 16 has 11/16 which isn't too good... I was only wrong with West Virginia, Wake Forrest, UW, Cal, and Oklahoma (I was feeling USC or Michigan to get to the second round and decided to go with UM). There's a lot in between that that got screwed up though.

edit: I forgot that I picked Cal to beat Memphis. That's ove-rating the PAC-10... I was figuring that athletes and 3pt shooting could do it, but that idea never got off the ground

 

Washington State's basketball coach Tony Bennett will be at Virginia next year (early reports indicate). Frankly the only surprise that this brings is wondering why he didn't leave a year earlier, when Indiana, and LSU offered jobs. I'd have to say that LSU job, with his wife from the Bayou, would have been the better option...

 

Michigan State versus North Carolina in the championship game and it should be a good one. UNC's team is absolutely stacked and really playing well right now, and Michigan State has hit their stride and is playing close to home. Based off just talent and depth, UNC wins easily, but you can never be too confident against a Tom Izzo squad. I believe that Roy Williams is over-rated as a coach and Izzo is one of the best in the business at the other end. Despite this, I have to pick UNC to win based on their players, but would love to see Michigan State defeat them.

An odd note is that Michigan State seems to be the only top tier program that I really like (outside of PAC-10... well UCLA). I have no love for Duke/UNC/UCONN/Kansas, but somehow Sparty won me over. I'd guess it's because I liked Mateen Cleaves a lot as a 10 year old or whatever when I first started playing basketball. I wanted to play like him, even though I really had no clue what it meant back in the day.

 

Opening Day today (well, technically yesterday) between my two favorite teams - Red Sox and the Rays (rooting for the Rays as usual). I get to go to the game on Wednesday!

 

Went to the Rays-Sox game tonight... and the Rays won! Woot, 7-2 victory, although it was a lot closer than the score would indicate. Lots of close calls that could have gone either way.

 

The English Premiership players had their player of the year bash and have actually managed to reach a new level of stupidity, quite an achievement for them. The winner, Ryan Giggs, has played in about a third of his side's games . This was a pure sympathy vote for a model pro coming to the end of his career. Their system of voting in February is also looking extra stupid this year (the season runs from August to May). The team of the year includes quite a lot of players whose form has collapsed since, some who spent a lot of time injured and a second (on top of Giggs) who doesn't play in his own team (their injured striker has recovered). The young player of the year has been useless since the voting ended. That's ok though, Stephen Ireland should clearly have won but it serves the granny killer right for refusing to play for his country . I'm tempted to test what words I can get past the swear filter but I'll refrain.

 

I dont see it as a sympathy vote but rather the recognition of a fantastic player who has had a fantastic career and has shown that he is still one of the best midfielders in the premiership. Personally I think Vidic should have won based purely on this seasons performances alone, but it would be wrong to recognise Giggs' award as anything other than entirely deserved. Stephen Ireland has been far too anonymous away from home to be a real contender, especially when you consider the other shortlisted attacking midfielders.

 

Giggs is a legend but player of this year? It's not supposed to be a lifetime achievement award.

Man City have been dreadful away from home but Ireland has generally been one of their most consistent players I would have thought. I don't think the shortlist is that impressive. Evans and Da Silva aren't first choice. Agbonlahor and Young have been miserable for ages now, Lennon was terrible in the first part of the season. Young deserved it based on when they voted but I'd say Ireland has been the most impressive over the entire season.

 

The Boston-Chicago series is providing more reasons as to why I still like the NBA.

 

It looks like we will get more of the same in both the LA-Houston and the Boston-Orlando series..

 

I just watched Pacquiao vs. Hatton. Hatton was drastically out-thugged. One year ago I would have said differently..but today I say that Pacquiao would beat Floyd Mayweather - and I think that Mayweather will choose to not fight Pacquiao out of fear(I hope I'm wrong about this - $25 million may be enough for Floyd to risk his ego and I would love to see the match.)

Pacquiao forced De La Hoya to quit after the eighth round(late-2008)-- an amazing feat I thought not possible. It took Floyd Mayweather 12 rounds to beat Oscar by a sound decision. Now Pacquiao has knocked Hatton *cold* in 2(!) rounds when it took Mayweather 9 rounds to knock him out.

Now, I'm well aware that styles make/decide fights. However, Pacquiao is so superior in almost every aspect that I consider him to be a large favorite in a possible match-up with Mayweather. At 140 lb. weight class, Pacquiao cannot be beaten by *anyone* in the field right now, regardless of how many times Mayweather verbally asserts himself as the best.

 

Manny is really something special, and because I hang out with a lot of Filipinos it is hard not to be a fan. I was really impressed by the power he displayed against Hatton and would love to see a fight against Mayweather. I don't think Floyd would get knocked out as he never gets a good solid hit against him, but I think it would be an easy decision towards Pacquiao.

 

CIG,
You make a good point about how hard it is to hit Mayweather with a flush shot. In the very recent past I considered Mayweather to be the best fighter I'd ever seen (barring Roy Jones in his prime, of course).

Pacquiao has developed into a fighter who (in my opinion) cannot be beaten by anyone at the 140 lb. limit. Mayweather may well duck a possible match with Pacquiao and with good reason....I think Manny would knock Floyd out in the later rounds of this dream bout.

Firstly, Manny can chase and attack Floyd with powerful shots for 12 rounds....Manny's endurance allows him to maintain a devastating intensity for an entire fight. Even Floyd will slip up within 12 rounds and get caught with a clean left hook from Manny.

Secondly, Manny has Freddy Roach in his corner. Freddy is maybe the most intelligent trainer in the game....probably even more so than Emanual Steward or Buddy Mcgirt. Roach would devise the best possible strategy to deal with Mayweather.

Thirdly, Manny would be able to execute the plan layed out by his trainer due to his utter lack of ego. Manny enters the ring and lays waste to his opponents as a matter of business. When asked about his victories, Manny never deviates from the sincere assertion that he is just doing his job....that knocking his opponent unconscious is nothing personal, while Floyd struggles with his ego everytime he enters the ring.

Man, I hope Mayweather mans up and faces Pacquiao.

 

Rafa falls to Söderling in Roland Garros, what a shock! This might be Fed's best chance to take that elusive French Open crown and complete the set.