This semester keeping this blog has been a fun challenge. The challenging part has been to remember to put my thoughts onto this blog. I have actually kind of enjoyed writing my opinions though, even though when this assignment was initially given out I was dreading it. I am much more likely to blog in the future, and I may even continue to post regularly on this blog.
I hope that some of you enjoyed reading my opinions, even though this is a class mostly made up of women, I hope you did enjoy the sports talk, and I know quite a few of you are sports fans yourselves. This has been a fun process, and a useful tool to use in the future.
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
St. Louis Sports
The St. Louis sports scene is in a state that I have not seen too many times in my lifetime. During the 1990's, postseason sports was as much a part of St. Louis as the Gateway Arch. But the past two years, there has not been a post-season game played in the Gateway City.
The St. Louis Cardinals won the 2006 World Series, but since then the Cardinals have not been back to the post-season, despite the fact that they finished with more regular season wins this year, than the year that they won the World Series. The Cardinals are retooling in the off-season through free agency, and possibly trades.
The St. Louis Blues had made the playoffs for over 20 consecutive years, but now they have missed out on the playoffs for the past three years. But the Blues have at least begun a youth movement, and are trying to turn the program around. The Blues now have 14 first round draft picks on their roster after making a shrewd move to bring in two middle twenties players, for one middle-twenties aged player.
But the same optimism can not be found in the St. Louis Rams. Of the three St. Louis sports franchises, the Rams are the most hopeless. They have two wins in 2008, and have already fired their coach once this year, and it may be two coaches down if they do not win two more games this season, according to Rams ownership.
The Rams could learn a thing about how to play the game from the Blues. Despite being a young team, with six key players out because of injuries, they have still evened up their record at 8-8 on the season. The Blues still have a shot at the post-season, meanwhile the Rams have a shot at the best draft pick in the NFL come April.
All St. Louis sports fans ask for is effort. The Rams have provided nothing, no effort, and no entertainment value for St. Louis fans. The Blues meanwhile, continue to plug away, playing a physical style of play at 110%, that is the kind of team that fans can get behind.
There may not be any hope for the Rams, but the young, and plucky St. Louis Blues is the city's best shot at seeing playoff action this year. The young team is fun to watch, and their effort is what makes them the hottest ticket in St. Louis.
The St. Louis Cardinals won the 2006 World Series, but since then the Cardinals have not been back to the post-season, despite the fact that they finished with more regular season wins this year, than the year that they won the World Series. The Cardinals are retooling in the off-season through free agency, and possibly trades.
The St. Louis Blues had made the playoffs for over 20 consecutive years, but now they have missed out on the playoffs for the past three years. But the Blues have at least begun a youth movement, and are trying to turn the program around. The Blues now have 14 first round draft picks on their roster after making a shrewd move to bring in two middle twenties players, for one middle-twenties aged player.
But the same optimism can not be found in the St. Louis Rams. Of the three St. Louis sports franchises, the Rams are the most hopeless. They have two wins in 2008, and have already fired their coach once this year, and it may be two coaches down if they do not win two more games this season, according to Rams ownership.
The Rams could learn a thing about how to play the game from the Blues. Despite being a young team, with six key players out because of injuries, they have still evened up their record at 8-8 on the season. The Blues still have a shot at the post-season, meanwhile the Rams have a shot at the best draft pick in the NFL come April.
All St. Louis sports fans ask for is effort. The Rams have provided nothing, no effort, and no entertainment value for St. Louis fans. The Blues meanwhile, continue to plug away, playing a physical style of play at 110%, that is the kind of team that fans can get behind.
There may not be any hope for the Rams, but the young, and plucky St. Louis Blues is the city's best shot at seeing playoff action this year. The young team is fun to watch, and their effort is what makes them the hottest ticket in St. Louis.
Missouri Football
When Gary Pinkel took over the football program at the University of Missouri, it had lost all national prominence. Columbia, MO was not on the football map in America. Gary Pinkel was the head coach when one of his players died during a volunteer summer workout. Since that time, coach Pinkel has looked at his players as part of his family. That one death, has changed coach Pinkel's like, and how he views life, and where football fits into it.
Gary Pinkel has excelled at recruiting and has truly turned the program into one of the most prestigious in the nation. Yesterday it was announced that Gary Pinkel has renewed his contract at Mizzou, and will be staying with the university. This should be celebrated as a major victory for Missouri sports. Here is a salute to Gary Pinkel!
Gary Pinkel has excelled at recruiting and has truly turned the program into one of the most prestigious in the nation. Yesterday it was announced that Gary Pinkel has renewed his contract at Mizzou, and will be staying with the university. This should be celebrated as a major victory for Missouri sports. Here is a salute to Gary Pinkel!
BCS Mess
The Bowl Championship Series, which is the college football version of playoffs. But it is not a playoff, and that is why most Americans are so enraged at the current system. The teams that play in the BCS bowls are determined using coaches and media voting, as well as a computer system.
The computers are where most people feel that the system goes wrong, but more and more people fell that polling should not determine who plays for the national title.
Texas Tech was the #2 team in America this past Saturday going into their game against #6 Oklahoma. Oklahoma dominated Texas Tech from the opening kick until the final whistle, beating Texas Tech 65-21. This sent the whole BCS into a massive mess for a second consecutive year. The Big XII South Division is now an even bigger mess, with three teams with only one loss. Oklahoma lost to Texas, Texas lost to Texas Tech, then Oklahoma beat Texas Tech. Confusing enough? Well since those three schools don't have a tie break in head to head matchups, with three schools...it comes down to the final BCS rankings of the season. This past week Texas is the highest ranked team of the three. But if any one of the schools lose this upcoming Saturday, then it will go to head-to-head.
Many Americans are now calling for a playoff system, including new President-Elect Barack Obama. It is my opinion that the newly elected leader of the free world should have more important things to worry about than calling for an 8 team playoff in college football, but it shows how big the issue is. It is certainly time for some change, as who plays for the National Title should be determined on the football field, not on a compuer.
The computers are where most people feel that the system goes wrong, but more and more people fell that polling should not determine who plays for the national title.
Texas Tech was the #2 team in America this past Saturday going into their game against #6 Oklahoma. Oklahoma dominated Texas Tech from the opening kick until the final whistle, beating Texas Tech 65-21. This sent the whole BCS into a massive mess for a second consecutive year. The Big XII South Division is now an even bigger mess, with three teams with only one loss. Oklahoma lost to Texas, Texas lost to Texas Tech, then Oklahoma beat Texas Tech. Confusing enough? Well since those three schools don't have a tie break in head to head matchups, with three schools...it comes down to the final BCS rankings of the season. This past week Texas is the highest ranked team of the three. But if any one of the schools lose this upcoming Saturday, then it will go to head-to-head.
Many Americans are now calling for a playoff system, including new President-Elect Barack Obama. It is my opinion that the newly elected leader of the free world should have more important things to worry about than calling for an 8 team playoff in college football, but it shows how big the issue is. It is certainly time for some change, as who plays for the National Title should be determined on the football field, not on a compuer.
Sunday, November 23, 2008
WHOOPS!
Remember how I said that I was going to import some articles from Word? Well this one didn't post, and I just now caught it, my apologies.
This last Saturday the SBU Bearcats came up with a pretty big win...against a Division-I team, the Utah Utes. This is not like beating Missouri State, instead this is like beating Missouri, as in Mizzou. SBU knew that they would have to play well to even hang with the mighty Utes, and to say that they played well would be an understatement. The Bearcats shot 50% from beyond the three point line. Just so we are all on the same page, when a team shoots 33% from outside they had a pretty good day.
The Bearcats best player even fouled out with about 10 minutes left in the ballgame, but they held on for the win anyway.
So I know since this apparently did not post when I tried to transfer it over from Word it is not out of order, my appologies, the SBU- Utah game took place on Saturday November 15, 2008.
This last Saturday the SBU Bearcats came up with a pretty big win...against a Division-I team, the Utah Utes. This is not like beating Missouri State, instead this is like beating Missouri, as in Mizzou. SBU knew that they would have to play well to even hang with the mighty Utes, and to say that they played well would be an understatement. The Bearcats shot 50% from beyond the three point line. Just so we are all on the same page, when a team shoots 33% from outside they had a pretty good day.
The Bearcats best player even fouled out with about 10 minutes left in the ballgame, but they held on for the win anyway.
So I know since this apparently did not post when I tried to transfer it over from Word it is not out of order, my appologies, the SBU- Utah game took place on Saturday November 15, 2008.
The Showdown
This weekend was the big SBU-Drury showdown. But it was not nearly the game that it should have been, when two top 20 basketball teams get together. SBU dominated from the word go last night, beating Drury 96-77. As I have posted in the past, I wanted no part in broadcasting this game because of an obvious conflict of interest. Instead I went up to Quincy, IL yesterday with the SBU women's basketball team, where they lost 100-84 on the road to a very tought Quincy University team. SBU fell to 1-1 on the season on the women's side.
But with the win last night over Drury, SBU men improve to a perfect 3-0 on the season, including the stunning upset of Division-I Utah.
SBU Basketball is poised to have one of the best years in school history, after arguably already claiming the biggest victory in school history against the Utes.
I did make it back to Bolivar at about halftime of the SBU-Drury game, and I fully anticipated having some mixed emotions, but oddly enough I found myself hoping that SBU won the game. I know this must sound a little crazy coming from a Drury student, but the fact that I have friends on the SBU team, and will be following them the rest of the season certainly factored into my decision.
But for Drury, this was my first chance to really see them play this year, and it appeared that they will be good this year, but the #17 ranking in America? Not quite ready for that yet fellas. This is still a very young Drury team, and one that is still clearly learning the ropes of the motion offense employed by coach Steve Hesser.
All in all this was a statement game for the Bearcats, the NCAA would be wise to listen.
But with the win last night over Drury, SBU men improve to a perfect 3-0 on the season, including the stunning upset of Division-I Utah.
SBU Basketball is poised to have one of the best years in school history, after arguably already claiming the biggest victory in school history against the Utes.
I did make it back to Bolivar at about halftime of the SBU-Drury game, and I fully anticipated having some mixed emotions, but oddly enough I found myself hoping that SBU won the game. I know this must sound a little crazy coming from a Drury student, but the fact that I have friends on the SBU team, and will be following them the rest of the season certainly factored into my decision.
But for Drury, this was my first chance to really see them play this year, and it appeared that they will be good this year, but the #17 ranking in America? Not quite ready for that yet fellas. This is still a very young Drury team, and one that is still clearly learning the ropes of the motion offense employed by coach Steve Hesser.
All in all this was a statement game for the Bearcats, the NCAA would be wise to listen.
Friday, November 21, 2008
Ok, I have been having some internet problems, so I typed a couple in Word, and will import them now that my internet is for the moment, operational.
Earlier this week Albert Pujols was named the Most Valuable Player in the National League, for the second time in his career. Pujols, beat out Missouri State graduate Ryan Howard, claiming 18 of 32 first place votes. Pujols had one of the best statistical seasons of his career, hitting .357, 37 home runs, and 116 RBI.
With numbers like that one might think that it would be impossibe to even question that Albert Pujols should be the MVP. But the problem is that Pujols plays for the St. Louis Cardinals, and they finished fourth in their division, wheras Ryan Howard's Philladelphia Phillies were World Series Champions. If you look at the award, it is not the player of the year award, it is the Most VALUABLE PLayer, which many, including myself believe to mean, without the player, where would the team be. The Cardinals finished with a 86-76 record on the season, and played in one of the toughest divisions in all of baseball. Without Albert Pujols, they would not have had a winning season. They would not have been playing meaningful games in September, and they would have finished much farther out than just four games back of the Wild Card Champion Milwaukee Brewers.
So if people are questioning if Albert Pujols is deserving of the award, the answer should be a resounding yes. In fact we should be talking about Albert's fourth or fifth MVP award, not his second, that should be the real debate.
Earlier this week Albert Pujols was named the Most Valuable Player in the National League, for the second time in his career. Pujols, beat out Missouri State graduate Ryan Howard, claiming 18 of 32 first place votes. Pujols had one of the best statistical seasons of his career, hitting .357, 37 home runs, and 116 RBI.
With numbers like that one might think that it would be impossibe to even question that Albert Pujols should be the MVP. But the problem is that Pujols plays for the St. Louis Cardinals, and they finished fourth in their division, wheras Ryan Howard's Philladelphia Phillies were World Series Champions. If you look at the award, it is not the player of the year award, it is the Most VALUABLE PLayer, which many, including myself believe to mean, without the player, where would the team be. The Cardinals finished with a 86-76 record on the season, and played in one of the toughest divisions in all of baseball. Without Albert Pujols, they would not have had a winning season. They would not have been playing meaningful games in September, and they would have finished much farther out than just four games back of the Wild Card Champion Milwaukee Brewers.
So if people are questioning if Albert Pujols is deserving of the award, the answer should be a resounding yes. In fact we should be talking about Albert's fourth or fifth MVP award, not his second, that should be the real debate.
Thursday, November 20, 2008
A lot has happened since I last posted. First, the football season for Southwest Baptist has wrapped up, but I didn't even have a weekend off, as we have already moved right into basketball season. This Saturday is in fact a major matchup, and in my case a major conflict of interest. SBU will be playing Drury, a matchup of two nationally ranked programs, and two programs to which I am closely tied. I have come to look at SBU as my team, since I ride the bus with, and have become good friends with many players and coaches. But since I am a Drury student, I still fear that some would be listening for a bias in my broadcasting. So this Saturday I will be going to Quincy, IL to broadcast the Women's game.
I love my job, and I have thoroughly enjoyed being the broadcaster for a university, but at times it has become interesting trying to deal with being a Drury student, while being the SBU announcer.
I love my job, and I have thoroughly enjoyed being the broadcaster for a university, but at times it has become interesting trying to deal with being a Drury student, while being the SBU announcer.
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