Today in Sports

Mark McMorris off the Money Booter in X Games Aspen 2013

These are just some of my thoughts on the happenings in the sports world right now, nothing more.

1) Stephen Curry getting snubbed from the All-Star Game

Yeah, Curry not going to New Orleans looks bad. He's averaging 21 ppg, 6.5 apg, and 4 rpg. He's shooting 45% from beyond the arc. Normally, Warriors players' stats are bloated because of the up-tempo, little-to-no defense system Don Nelson used to run. But under Mark Jackson, they're playing defense and Curry has led them to an impressive 26-16 record that no one saw coming.

The big question is, though, who's place should he have taken to be on the team? Every reserve All-Star is usually deserving; the starters are the ones who often don't deserve a spot on the team because of the casual fan. Would you replace Tony Parker for Curry? They have comparable numbers, and in my mind it's basically a toss-up. You can't take Zach Randolph out for him; the Grizzlies needed a representative, and the Warriors already have one in David Lee. So should Curry be in instead of Lee? Warriors fans would probably tell you that Curry is the team's leader, not Lee, although the big man has been incredibly efficient and is deserving of a spot.


2) The X Games

I'm an extremely casual fan of action sports; in fact, I only watch them when the X Games are on. I've watched the X Games for the past five years or so, and they're extraordinarily entertaining.

What I can't stand, though, is that longtime host Sal Masekela stepped down and was replaced by a fine dame with an Australian accent. Masekela, a genuine fan of the Games, really brought personality and enthusiasm to the broadcast. While Ramona Bruland is a pleasure to look at, she's incredibly dull to listen to and seems like she hardly wants to be there.

Mark McMorris, a 19-year-old who could someday take Shaun White's place as the face of the sport of snowboarding, defended his gold in Slopestyle. White was off his game; he finished fifth.

If you haven't watched at all yet, at least tune in tomorrow for the Snowboard SuperPipe final. I sound like I'm running an advertisement but you'll be impressed.


3) College basketball: no one wants to be number one

Duke became number one for the second time after Louisville and Indiana faltered, then proceeded to get walloped by 27 by the Miami Hurricanes. Villanova's knocked off two top five teams this week, as they beat No. 3 Syracuse today, and Louisville a few days ago. Louisville is starting to fall out of the contending picture as they've lost three straight. Michigan or Kansas is going to be the team to take the crack at No. 1, and see if the target isn't too big for them.


4)  Gregg Williams hire

Word's just come out that the Titans hired Gregg Williams to be an assistant head coach. You know him as the guy behind the Saints bounty scandal. My question is, why? The Saints' D was never very good with him, and he brings bad publicity.


5) Manti Te'o story

Just kidding. I wouldn't to that to you.


6) Los Angeles Lakers

Wouldn't do that either.

Rare Leaked Footage!!

There have been a lot of Manti Te'o jokes hurled around the past few days. This one is my favorite. If you watched the Republican National Convention, you'll really appreciate it.

Pictured below is a rare look at Clint Eastwood conversing with Te'o's girl.

And although I of course abstain from posting nudity on this blog, when it's Te'o's girlfriend, I just can't resist this photo of her that's been circulating around the Web:

Thoughts From the Ravens - Broncos Double OT Thriller

1) I'm sure you've heard it already - the Ray Lewis legend lives on, largely in part to himself. He far and away led everyone with seventeen tackles in the 77-minute slugfest. He could hardly put words together in his post game interview; the 37-year-old left everything he had out on the field.

2) Watching Torrey Smith repeatedly scamper right past Champ Bailey made me think of my Eagles and the way highly esteemed corners Nnamdi Asomugha and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie got torched umpteen times a game. Bailey, the fourteen-time Pro Bowler and eventual Hall of Famer, showed his age against the younger, speedier Smith. On switching to safety in the future, Bailey recently said he didn't think he'd want to do that. But it may be able to extend his career.

3) Though of course hundreds of factors contributed, one could argue the brutal blown coverage on the 70-yard game-tying TD by Jacoby Jones, which sent the game to overtime, cost the Broncos a place in the AFC Championship. The pass came with 31 seconds remaining, on a desperation heave by Joe Flacco aided by a terrible route taken to the ball by the talented 22-year-old safety Rahim Moore. "The loss, it was my fault," Moore said. "I got a little too happy. It was pathetic. My fault. Next time I'll make that play." He was on the verge of tears after the game. The worst part of these epic contests is the heartbreak that comes with nearly every one.

4) Since no on in any analysis ever seems to praise the offensive linemen, let's give them some props. The Ravens only allowed Joe Flacco to be sacked once by a vaunted Broncos pass rush featuring Von Miller and Elvis Dumervil. The Broncos allowed just three, but there was also a crucial fumble by Peyton Manning. 

5) The Ravens will have to address their special teams for next week, whether they get the Patriots or the Texans. They allowed Trindon Holliday to return a punt for 90 and a kickoff for 104 (both TDs). On the day, he had 248 return yards, a playoff record.

6) This has been so far and probably go on to be the best postseason game this year.

7) How about John Harbaugh's confidence in his talented rookie kicker Justin Tucker? After getting to the Denver 34, he didn't even bother trying to get any closer, instead being content with a 47-yarder to win the game. Tucker, who had been hitting from 67 in his warmup, proved him right.

8) Though he's still not quite there, Joe Flacco's performance moved him closer to that stupid elite quarterback club thing.

9) Corey Graham's huge overtime interception (his second of the game) came on the most un-Payton Manning-like play by Peyton Manning imaginable. He tried to throw on the move across the field, his only weakness if he has one, and Graham read Brandon Stokely's curl route beautifully.

10) Quote of the postseason, from Ravens coach John Harbaugh: "This football game, did football proud."

The Worst Guys in the NBA

6'11", 253 lb. Kevin Garnett really letting the 6'3, 211 lb. Jose Calderon have it

Many of my blog posts lately have had a negative connotation overall. I'm somewhat of a cynic but it's unintentional. But after reading something about Kevin Garnett today I'm obliged to write this post.

I don't know any of these athletes personally of course, but from being a sports fan you kind of get an idea of who the good guys are. There's also guys in sports who, if you played a game of pick-up ball at the Y with them, you'd probably want to pop them in the face.

Call me a "hater" if you want. These players are pretty well known and may just be your favorite, likely only for their play on the court and not the way they conduct themselves. I'm sorry if that is so. Maybe send him a letter telling him to be a better person or something.

I like to keep the language clean on my blog so I'm not going to say anything worse than "jerk." 

1) Kevin Garnett

He's got quite the reputation as being one of the biggest jerks around. He's the biggest fake tough guy in the league. He's obnoxious. Everyone knows this about KG. He'd be proud to admit it, I'm sure. I don't really care about that, though. Trash talking is fine if he can back it up, and he does with his play. But he takes it too far. It's not all in good fun. He's called Charlie Villanueva (who suffers from alopecia universalis, a medical condition that results in hair loss) a cancer patient. Garnett didn't even own up to that, saying what he meant was Villanueva is cancerous to the league. But that's not even the worst. When Tim Duncan about to shoot a free throw, Garnett allegedly yelled "Happy Mother's Day, mother------!" Duncan's mother famously died of breast cancer when he was fourteen.


2) LeBron James

LeBron isn't a terrible person, but he's everything I can't stand about the NBA. I'm all about athletes being humble, which is why I, along with the city of Cleveland, still haven't gotten over that decision thing on ESPN. Why couldn't he have just gone and signed a contract? Because he's full of himself. I know he's the best basketball player in the world, however much preferential treatment he may get.  He's just unbelievably ignorant. From those comments he made about how his life is so much better than the fans to being a Yankees and Cowboys fan, to the type of fans he attracts (snapback and Beats wearing bandwagoning kids who just bought AJ McCarron jerseys), I just can't stand the guy. His excessive whining, flopping, and traveling is incredibly annoying also. He's not a jerk like Garnett, but I'll never bring myself to be a fan of the King of Traveling.


3) Josh Howard

The NBA is full of wannabe thugs. And who am I to judge them? I shouldn't, but you be the judge of Howard at a celebrity flag football game in 2008, when he said on camera: "The Star Spangled Banner's going on right now and I don't celebrate that s***." He's the kind of guy that had someone take his SAT for him to qualify for college.


4) Stephen Jackson

"Somebody tell serg Abaka. He aint bout dis life. Next time he run up on me im goin in his mouth. That's a promise. He doin 2 much." What the heck is that? Is Ibaka supposed to be scared? Again, why can't basketball players just play the game of basketball? I wish you could just take all the firefighters or volunteer workers in the world and just make them good at sports to replace athletes like Jackson. Sheesh. 


5) Every player with enough of an ego to get a coach fired


6) Latrell Sprewell

He's retired, but he had to be included. Look him up if you don't remember this guy.