With one month left, the MLB regular season is coming to an end very quickly. Many teams are still fighting for the chance to make the playoffs and some teams have thrown in the towel and began playing for next year. The most exciting month in baseball is September, and leads to many close games and playoff vibes before the playoffs get started. There are many stories coming into this last month of the season, from the Stephen Strasburg inning limit to whether any team will have a Red Sox/Braves type collapse like last year. There is also the new addition of two extra wild card teams that will make the races even tighter as the season gets close to the end. I want to take a look at each division, as well as the wild card picture going into the last month.
AL East:
The Yankees have a three game lead over the Orioles and a four game lead over the Rays in the division with 32 games left for each team. The Yankees have two series left against both teams. This division is very likely to come down to the wire and the bad news for the Yankees is they end with a series against the Red Sox that could determine their fate. While the Red Sox may be done this season and having a fire sale with all their players, it is still a rivalry and the Sox would love to keep their arch rivals from winning the division or even keep them out of the playoffs for good. The Rays and Orioles both still have a strong chance of making a wild card spot if they are unable to win the division, if they continue to play well down the stretch. I believe the Rays win this division and the Orioles and Yankees fight it out for one of the wild card spots.
AL Central:
This division race is separated by 2.5 games between the White Sox and Tigers, with the White Sox leading the division right now. Both teams have a Cy Young Candidate, the White Sox with Chris Sale and Tigers with Justin Verlander, and both teams have pretty potent offenses that could make this race very interesting. The two teams play each other twice in the early part of September. This race could come down to the last series of the season, in which the White Sox play Cleveland and the Tigers play Kansas City. I believe the Tigers with their playoff experience find a way to win the division for the second year in a row.
AL West:
As a Rangers fan this race is a little to close for me right now. The Rangers have a four game lead over the Oakland A's. The A's have been one of the best teams in baseball since the all-star break and everyone continues to wait for them to stumble, but so far they continue to prove everyone wrong. These two teams have two series left against each other and they are both in the last two weeks of the season, with the last being in Oakland the last weekend of the season. The Angels who were supposed to battle the Rangers for the division are too far out, and their only chance is a wild card spot in which they are still four games out of the second spot. I believe with the Rangers' potent offense they are still able to pull it out and win the division.
AL Wild Card:
The wild card race will not be as fun as some of the division races, but the fun part will be the one game between these two teams to start the playoffs. I believe the two wild card spots will be filled by the second place teams in the AL East and AL West.
NL East:
The Nationals have had a lock on this division for awhile now, but with Stephen Strasburg being benched once he reaches his innings limit the division could get interesting again real quick. Right now the Braves are five games back of the Nats, but they have still have a chance. The Braves only have one more series against the Nats so they will need help from the other teams in their division. The good news for the Braves may be that the Nats have been struggling lately and are losing their star pitcher in the middle of a pennant race. I do believe that the Nationals will get it together and win the division, but they may have a short stay in the playoffs without Strasburg.
NL Central:
This may be the only race that is pretty much over going into September, barring a major collapse by the Reds in the final month. The Reds have the best record in baseball, and an eight game lead over the defending world champion Cardinals. The Reds are already good, and get their best player, Joey Votto, back going into September.
NL West:
The Giants and Dodgers are going to make the NL West race very interesting going down the stretch. The two teams have two more series against each other, with one being the last weekend of the season. The two teams have moved in the opposite direction over the last few weeks and could affect the teams dramatically in the last month of the season. The Giants lost their main source of offense when Melky Cabrera was suspended for 50 games for using PEDs. The Giants offense is already abysmal, so they will have to depend on their pitching to get them to October. The Dodgers on the other hand have added some reinforcements to their team going down the stretch. They added a big bat in Adrian Gonzalez, who can help out Kemp, Hanley Ramirez, and Ethier in the middle of the lineup. They also added Josh Beckett, who may be able to add depth to a weak rotation. The Giants currently lead the Dodgers by 3.5 games going into September. I believe the Dodgers will take the division because of their depth and additions.
NL Wild Card:
The NL wild card race is very close with four teams vying for the two wild card spots. The contenders are the Braves, Cardinals, Pirates, and whoever is second in the NL West. These 4 teams are separated by a game and a half for the two spots. I believe with the strength of the Braves bullpen, that they will get in. The Pirates are the other team I believe will get in. They are young enough not to care about the standings and have enough veterans to get there. They also have a pretty easy schedule down the stretch to help them out.
September is a fun time of the year that gives baseball fans all over the country chills. It is filled with excitement and heartbreak with just about every pitch and is as close as some teams will get to the playoffs this year. There is something about this time of year that just makes the other five months of the season worth while. While some teams are out of the hunt, there are still many teams that still have a horse in this race. Good luck to all the teams and fans battling for these ten spots and enjoy!
Thursday, August 30, 2012
Friday, August 17, 2012
Honey Badger Don't Care and Neither Do Some Other College Players
This past week Tyrann Mathieu, the Honey Badger, has been kicked off the LSU football team and reportedly checked in to drug rehab in Houston. This is just one of a few examples this offseason and past few years of college athletes being dismissed from their teams for off the field issues. I do not quite understand this phenomenon that continues to happen year in and year out. Is it because these kids think they are invincible, they just were not raised to be able to tell right from wrong, or just do not have the cognitive ability to think before they act?
Tyrann Mathieu was dismissed from the Tiger football team after sources say he failed multiple drug tests this offseason. Mathieu, who was a key contributor to the Tigers' run to the national championship last year and Heisman trophy finalist, obviously had multiple chances to turn his life around before coach Les Miles made the decision to kick his star player off the team. Coaches cannot have complete control over everything a player does in his free time, so the player needs to be able to take responsibility for his actions. Obviously football was not the priority for Mathieu, seeing that he had plenty of chances to change his habits, going back to last season when he was suspended for failing his first drug test. Isiah Crowell, the starting running back for Georgia last season, was dismissed from the team after being arrested for three weapons charges. Crowell had a bright future at Georgia where he was expected to be a force in the SEC for the next couple of years. Georgia coach Mark Richt has always had a short leash and his players know that. The real question in this story is why Crowell would be carrying a handgun with him around the Georgia campus in his car. The last major dismissal this offseason was Florida State cornerback Greg Reid. Reid has been a star on the Florida State defense the last few years and was expected to do the same this year. He was arrested in July for possession of marijuana and later dismissed from the FSU team. Reid comes from a family of drug problems, where his dad spent jail time on drug trafficking charges. Players getting kicked off of teams for off the field issues is a growing problem that needs to be slowed down or even stopped, both for the individual and team's sake.
These players are icons in their respective cities and some times treated so well that I believe that they think they are invincible. People treat them like gods and give them what they want, even if it breaks NCAA rules. Many of these players come from places that may not have the best family backgrounds, so they may not have the upbringing that some children have. At some point though, the players need to realize that they are not invincible and that when they do not do right there are consequences that need to be faced. Many times these players face less consequences with their first offense because they do not think the team can survive without them. The fact is that in today's sports world there is always someone just as good behind you that is just waiting for their chance to show what they have. Every player these days is replaceable and the sooner these players realize that I think it will get better. The other problem with the NCAA today is that if these kids are kicked off a team for not following rules, they are allowed to go to another smaller division school without facing any consequences. I believe the NCAA needs to step in and do something about this. If a player is kicked off a team for legitimate reasons, they should not be able to go to a Division II school and be able to play that same year. The player should have to sit out for a year no matter what and show that they are able to have good discipline or seek help for their issue before returning to football. These athletes are so young that if they do not get the help they need then they may face this problem the rest of their lives. The NCAA spends so much time making sure no program gets too big advantage that they forget about the kids. The programs are so worried about these athletes making them money that the athletes' well-being goes out the window too many times. It is time for both the NCAA and programs to remember that they are dealing with young athletes that need help and need to be molded and let the money make itself in the long run.
Tyrann Mathieu was dismissed from the Tiger football team after sources say he failed multiple drug tests this offseason. Mathieu, who was a key contributor to the Tigers' run to the national championship last year and Heisman trophy finalist, obviously had multiple chances to turn his life around before coach Les Miles made the decision to kick his star player off the team. Coaches cannot have complete control over everything a player does in his free time, so the player needs to be able to take responsibility for his actions. Obviously football was not the priority for Mathieu, seeing that he had plenty of chances to change his habits, going back to last season when he was suspended for failing his first drug test. Isiah Crowell, the starting running back for Georgia last season, was dismissed from the team after being arrested for three weapons charges. Crowell had a bright future at Georgia where he was expected to be a force in the SEC for the next couple of years. Georgia coach Mark Richt has always had a short leash and his players know that. The real question in this story is why Crowell would be carrying a handgun with him around the Georgia campus in his car. The last major dismissal this offseason was Florida State cornerback Greg Reid. Reid has been a star on the Florida State defense the last few years and was expected to do the same this year. He was arrested in July for possession of marijuana and later dismissed from the FSU team. Reid comes from a family of drug problems, where his dad spent jail time on drug trafficking charges. Players getting kicked off of teams for off the field issues is a growing problem that needs to be slowed down or even stopped, both for the individual and team's sake.
These players are icons in their respective cities and some times treated so well that I believe that they think they are invincible. People treat them like gods and give them what they want, even if it breaks NCAA rules. Many of these players come from places that may not have the best family backgrounds, so they may not have the upbringing that some children have. At some point though, the players need to realize that they are not invincible and that when they do not do right there are consequences that need to be faced. Many times these players face less consequences with their first offense because they do not think the team can survive without them. The fact is that in today's sports world there is always someone just as good behind you that is just waiting for their chance to show what they have. Every player these days is replaceable and the sooner these players realize that I think it will get better. The other problem with the NCAA today is that if these kids are kicked off a team for not following rules, they are allowed to go to another smaller division school without facing any consequences. I believe the NCAA needs to step in and do something about this. If a player is kicked off a team for legitimate reasons, they should not be able to go to a Division II school and be able to play that same year. The player should have to sit out for a year no matter what and show that they are able to have good discipline or seek help for their issue before returning to football. These athletes are so young that if they do not get the help they need then they may face this problem the rest of their lives. The NCAA spends so much time making sure no program gets too big advantage that they forget about the kids. The programs are so worried about these athletes making them money that the athletes' well-being goes out the window too many times. It is time for both the NCAA and programs to remember that they are dealing with young athletes that need help and need to be molded and let the money make itself in the long run.
6' 3" 300 lb TwelveYear Old is not allowed to play Pee Wee Football
A middle schooler from Mesquite, Texas is trying to play pee wee football. The problem is the child is 6' 3" and weighs 300 pounds. He has never played football before and wants to try football at the pee wee level before playing school football. I see a few problems with this whole story that is beginning to gain national coverage and has caused a dispute within the pee wee football league. The coach of the pee wee team does not seem to see a problem with the child, Elijah Earnheart, playing for his team, but the rules state that the limit to play in the league is 135 pounds. My math may not be great, but I do believe Elijah weighs more than double that amount. The league cites safety of the other children as the major reason to not allow Earnheart to play and this is completely understandable. So who is right and wrong in this whole situation?
A twelve year old that weighs 300 pounds is a bit ridiculous, whether he is 6'3" or 5'0''. How can this be possible? Most college linemen are not much bigger than this and are ten years older than Elijah Earnheart. I am not a parent, but I find it hard to put all the blame on the child for weighing this much at such a young age. As child obesity is a major problem in this country already, having a twelve year old weigh 300 pounds is putting this kid at risk for many health issues later on his life. As this is a sports blog, I will leave the rest of the morals out of this post and talk about how bad this could be. With the weight limit being 135 pounds, which seems low for this age group, a player that is that much bigger than all the other kids could make the league very unsafe for any child that has to line up against Earnheart. Whether he has the strength of a normal guy this size or not, just his sheer size puts the children at risk. If he falls on someone that weighs 135 pounds or less, that kid could easily suffer broken bones because their bodies are not ready to support this amount of weight. It also gives Elijah's team a distinct advantage if he shows any promise at all. All the team would have to do is run behind him every play and they would score on more than fifty percent of these plays. Kids at this age do not have all the tools and secrets on how to defeat a blocker of this size and would discourage more kids from playing after lining up against Elijah. The fact is that it is pure ignorance if they allow this kid to play unless they put in some ground rules first, but that may also lead to a lawsuit as well.
I do believe that if the child really wants to play football, he should have one option and that is to play school football or not at all. It sounds unfair and I know he wants to play with his friends, but school coaches have access to more experience in coaching than most pee wee coaches and would give the kids playing against Elijah a fighting chance. If Earnheart is not able to play football until high school, he runs the risk of being behind in fundamentals which in a full contact sport may put him at risk for injury.
Overall, I believe the pee wee league is doing the right thing by not letting him play, but the parents of this child need to try to talk him into playing school football if he really wants to play. I do believe that if children want to be active they should be, but not at the risk of injuring other children. There is only a few people to blame for the child being this big and the children who are following the rules of the league should not be punished for signing up to play against someone twice their size. If Elijah Earnheart really wants to play he will play school football, if not he needs to understand that there are rules and that safety is the reason he can not play pee wee.
A twelve year old that weighs 300 pounds is a bit ridiculous, whether he is 6'3" or 5'0''. How can this be possible? Most college linemen are not much bigger than this and are ten years older than Elijah Earnheart. I am not a parent, but I find it hard to put all the blame on the child for weighing this much at such a young age. As child obesity is a major problem in this country already, having a twelve year old weigh 300 pounds is putting this kid at risk for many health issues later on his life. As this is a sports blog, I will leave the rest of the morals out of this post and talk about how bad this could be. With the weight limit being 135 pounds, which seems low for this age group, a player that is that much bigger than all the other kids could make the league very unsafe for any child that has to line up against Earnheart. Whether he has the strength of a normal guy this size or not, just his sheer size puts the children at risk. If he falls on someone that weighs 135 pounds or less, that kid could easily suffer broken bones because their bodies are not ready to support this amount of weight. It also gives Elijah's team a distinct advantage if he shows any promise at all. All the team would have to do is run behind him every play and they would score on more than fifty percent of these plays. Kids at this age do not have all the tools and secrets on how to defeat a blocker of this size and would discourage more kids from playing after lining up against Elijah. The fact is that it is pure ignorance if they allow this kid to play unless they put in some ground rules first, but that may also lead to a lawsuit as well.
I do believe that if the child really wants to play football, he should have one option and that is to play school football or not at all. It sounds unfair and I know he wants to play with his friends, but school coaches have access to more experience in coaching than most pee wee coaches and would give the kids playing against Elijah a fighting chance. If Earnheart is not able to play football until high school, he runs the risk of being behind in fundamentals which in a full contact sport may put him at risk for injury.
Overall, I believe the pee wee league is doing the right thing by not letting him play, but the parents of this child need to try to talk him into playing school football if he really wants to play. I do believe that if children want to be active they should be, but not at the risk of injuring other children. There is only a few people to blame for the child being this big and the children who are following the rules of the league should not be punished for signing up to play against someone twice their size. If Elijah Earnheart really wants to play he will play school football, if not he needs to understand that there are rules and that safety is the reason he can not play pee wee.
Thursday, August 2, 2012
Look Ahead at Second Week of the Olympics
Well the first week of the Olympics is drawing to an end, and with that comes an end to most of the swimming, gymnastics, and a few other events. There were some surprises like Granbury's own Dana Vollmer, 17 year old Missy Franklin, and gymnast Gabby Douglas. There was also the expected like Michael Phelps and Ryan Lochte. With the second half starting, the track and field events start, and the soccer, volleyball, and basketball start the knockout rounds. There are many stars that are in this group that begin in the second half and should be watched closely as well.
With the track events starting there are quite a few people to watch. When talking about track you have to start with Usain Bolt, Tyson Gay, and the rest of the Jamaican and American Track teams. Bolt is the best in the world right now in the short distance track events, but faces competition from his own teammate Yohan Blake, who has had success against Bolt in the months leading up to these Olympics. On the American front, look for Baton Rouge native Lolo Jones to have a big impact on the women's side. Not only is she a favorite to medal in a couple events, she brings an electric personality and great story that will make her a fan favorite in London. I can't talk about track and field without giving some props to Red Oak's own shot putter Michelle Carter. She is the daughter of former NFL player and Olympian Michael Carter, so she has someone to help her with the experience as she competes in her first Olympics. She may not be the favorite, but could have a chance at an upset in these games. I also want to wish good luck to Louisiana Tech's Olympians Chelsea Hayes, Jason Morgan, and Ayanna Alexander.
With the other team events entering the knockout rounds, the United States should have a huge presence in basketball, volleyball, beach volleyball, water polo, and women's soccer. On the basketball front, we know what to expect. The United States is the overall favorite as it is a team full of the NBA's best including Lebron James and Kobe Bryant among others. The women's volleyball team is the best in the world and should battle Brazil for the gold medal in that sport and they have already beat the Brazilians and number three China in these Olympics. The men's and women's beach volleyball teams have top teams on each side. Todd Rogers and Phil Dalhausser are a very strong team that could play for a gold medal as long as they stay consistent. The Golden Girls, Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh-Jennings, are the overall favorites for the third Olympics in a row. They have only lost one set in three Olympics thus far, and their main competition will come from the Brazilians as well. The women's soccer team has been dominant so far and should have a good shot at a gold medal run as well.
It has been fun watching the Olympic stories unfold in front of us thus far, and I look forward to the same in the weeks to come. The great thing about the Olympics is that athletes in lesser sports get the recognition they deserve on a world wide level. Athletes you would have never heard of are writing their own history each and every day, and that is the awesome things about sports, you never know what is going to happen.
With the track events starting there are quite a few people to watch. When talking about track you have to start with Usain Bolt, Tyson Gay, and the rest of the Jamaican and American Track teams. Bolt is the best in the world right now in the short distance track events, but faces competition from his own teammate Yohan Blake, who has had success against Bolt in the months leading up to these Olympics. On the American front, look for Baton Rouge native Lolo Jones to have a big impact on the women's side. Not only is she a favorite to medal in a couple events, she brings an electric personality and great story that will make her a fan favorite in London. I can't talk about track and field without giving some props to Red Oak's own shot putter Michelle Carter. She is the daughter of former NFL player and Olympian Michael Carter, so she has someone to help her with the experience as she competes in her first Olympics. She may not be the favorite, but could have a chance at an upset in these games. I also want to wish good luck to Louisiana Tech's Olympians Chelsea Hayes, Jason Morgan, and Ayanna Alexander.
With the other team events entering the knockout rounds, the United States should have a huge presence in basketball, volleyball, beach volleyball, water polo, and women's soccer. On the basketball front, we know what to expect. The United States is the overall favorite as it is a team full of the NBA's best including Lebron James and Kobe Bryant among others. The women's volleyball team is the best in the world and should battle Brazil for the gold medal in that sport and they have already beat the Brazilians and number three China in these Olympics. The men's and women's beach volleyball teams have top teams on each side. Todd Rogers and Phil Dalhausser are a very strong team that could play for a gold medal as long as they stay consistent. The Golden Girls, Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh-Jennings, are the overall favorites for the third Olympics in a row. They have only lost one set in three Olympics thus far, and their main competition will come from the Brazilians as well. The women's soccer team has been dominant so far and should have a good shot at a gold medal run as well.
It has been fun watching the Olympic stories unfold in front of us thus far, and I look forward to the same in the weeks to come. The great thing about the Olympics is that athletes in lesser sports get the recognition they deserve on a world wide level. Athletes you would have never heard of are writing their own history each and every day, and that is the awesome things about sports, you never know what is going to happen.
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