March Madness on Afternoon Frosting

Check out my guest post, KENTUCKY FTW, on my friend, Julie Wolvek’s blog, Afternoon Frosting.

http://www.afternoonfrosting.com/2011/03/kentucky-ftw.html

 

MARCH MADNESS 2011

MARCH MADNESS- My absolute favorite time of the year! The tournament starts this Thursday and I have just completed my bracket. Rather than going into detail about all my picks, I am just going to go over the ones I find (and think you will find) most interesting.

Let’s go region by region, starting with the East.

EAST:
It kills me to say this, but I have Ohio State winning the whole thing. Both my parents are Wisconsin alum so it is hard for me to pick Ohio State to win it all but I just don’t see them losing to anyone.
I have Xavier making it all the way to the elite eight, only to get stopped by Ohio State. Although I have tons of friends who went to Syracuse and I don’t know anyone at Xavier, I think overall, they are a better team. Don’t get mad, but I think the Orange are overrated. I also have Xavier beating North Carolina because let’s face it, it gets boring picking the baby blue all the time.

WEST:
I picked Memphis to beat Arizona. This pick is more of an “I wish” than an “I think.”
My favorite team in the west this year happens to be San Diego State. I have so much confidence in them that I even picked them to beat the Blue Devils. I was tempted to have them beat Ohio State in the final four but I just couldn’t do it because the only way I see Ohio State losing is if their freshman guard caves under the pressure.

SOUTHWEST:
I have Purdue going pretty far. In fact, I have them beating both Kansas and Notre Dame to reach the final four. Other than Purdue, there was not much I could do with this region.

SOUTHEAST:
This could be Pittsburgh’s year. I have them heading to the finals to dance with Ohio State.
Like I said earlier, both my parents were Badgers so I couldn’t let Wisconsin lose until the round of sixteen. I have them beating Belmont and Kansas State but losing to Pittsburgh.
Another upset I have is Gonzaga over St. John’s followed by them beating BYU. The only reason I think Gonzaga will beat BYU is because the Mormon school’s big man was suspended from the team for having sex. Yes, you read that right. SEX=SUSPENSION. However, I do have Gonzaga losing to Florida in the sweet sixteen.

RECAP:
My final four is Ohio State, San Diego State, Purdue, and Pittsburgh. I believe Ohio State and Pittsburgh will meet in the finals with championship honors going to the Buckeyes.

Let the MADNESS begin!

The United States to take on Canada in the World Juniors

Since someone recently told me my blog was boring because it is all about football, even though this happens to be football season, I figured I would try something different. Consider the fact I am dating someone uninterested in all sports unless they are played on ice with a stick and a puck, I have decided to make this post about hockey. This winter, I have attended more professional hockey games than I ever have before. Two. That is also two more games than any other winter.

In high school, I used to go to every single hockey game because when you are sixteen years old, a Friday night hockey game and an after party in some kid’s mansion was the best deal in town. In college, because I went to UMass, I attended a handful of hockey games but having to walk to the Mullins Center in the freezing cold was not my idea of a fun way to kick off the weekend.

Anyways, I promised you guys a hockey post and that is what you’re going to get. I toyed with the idea of writing a post about the Winter Classic or about the Rangers resident hottie, Sean Avery, but when I heard that Canada and the United States would be facing off in the semi-finals of the World Junior Championships; could I really have found a better hockey rivalry to write about?

Let’s rewind to last year’s Juniors tournament. Canada and the United States played each other in the championship game and the U.S. won in overtime. This year’s game will prove to be just as exciting since it is a known fact that neither team really likes each other and they will by vying for a spot in the championships.

The United States has an edge in this game. First off, they have a better goalie than the Canadians. U.S. goalie, Jack Campbell, has been more solid throughout the competition than Canada’s goalie, Mark Visentin, who is coming off a shaky game against Switzerland.

Another important aspect of the game to look at is the powerplays. The Americans have scored seven of their fifteen goals in the tournament on the powerplay. This game will no doubt be a physical one so it is imperative for the U.S. to take full advantage of the powerplay scenario.

Canada will be the toughest opponent the United States has had to face this tournament, but with a better goalie and effective skating and shooting on the powerplay, the U.S. should be able to pull out a win. I will surely be sitting on the edge of my seat during this game with some spiked hot apple cider in hand.

 

Head, Body, Head, Body

“Everybody’s heart is the same size. It is your will that enables you to take punches and go through pain and to never give up.” –Micky Ward

After seeing the movie, The Fighter, I have become slightly infatuated with welterweight champion boxer, Micky Ward. Everyone must go see this movie, in fact, I don’t think I have ever watched a sports movie that I enjoy more and trust me, I’ve seen a lot of them.

The Fighter is based on a true story about two brothers from Lowell, Massachusetts (go figure my favorite sports movie would have to take place in Massachusetts). It is not only a movie about boxing but about fighting for the ones you love and the importance of family. Everyone’s families are dysfunctional and the relationship between brothers, Dicky Eklund and Micky Ward is no different. Dicky Eklund was a drug addict, specifically a crack-cocaine addict. His addiction to drugs ended up being the downfall to his boxing career but he will forever be remembered as “The Pride of Lowell.” He fought Sugar Ray Leonard in 1978. Some say Eklund knocked Leonard down and others say Leonard slipped; either way, this was Eklund’s most famous fight. Eklund was better known as a trainer than a fighter and helped his brother, Micky, throughout his boxing career.

Micky Ward fought through the ranks and went from a stepping-stone all the way up to a welterweight champion. His best-known fights are the three against Arturo Gatti. In May 2002, Ward and Gatti boxed for nine rounds until Ward’s left-hook body shot knocked Gatti down. Both fighters were beat up but agreed to a rematch that was to take place in November. In their second meeting, Gatti won. With the score tied at one a piece, in June 2003, the two decided to duke it out one last time. By the end of the fight, Gatti had won but both men needed treatment at a hospital for the injuries they suffered during the match.

Ward retired after his last fight with Gatti. In his career as a boxer, he won 38 fights, lost 17, and had 27 KO’s. Micky still lives in Lowell with his family and works out at the gym where he grew up. In fact, the real West End Gym in Lowell was the gym they filmed at for the movie. Also, Lowell police officer, Mickey O’Keefe, played himself in the movie. He watched both Micky and Dicky grow up and trained Micky when Dicky was in prison.

The story of Micky Ward is an inspiring, gritty tale filled with passion and hardships. He always held his head up high and his “stay-positive” attitude took him from being a kid on the streets of Lowell to a famous boxer. What is his secret? Always remember: “head, body, head, body.”

 

 

Cheers to Calipari

I am sick of hearing about football villains such as the New England Patriots and Michael Vick so let’s talk about my personal favorite sports villain, John Calipari. For those of you who don’t know who that is (if you don’t you should just give up on sports) he is the head coach of the University of Kentucky’s basketball team.

Last season, Kentucky made an early exit in the NCAA tournament but that did not stop them from having the number one draft pick, John Wall, and number five pick DeMarcus Cousins. In fact, Kentucky had five players who were selected in the first round.

You are probably starting to wonder what this has to do with Calipari. One word. RECRUITING. Calipari is known for his excellent recruiting and he has done it again for the Wildcats with the 2011 recruiting class. Calipari has gotten Anthony Davis, Michael Gilchrist, Marquis Teague, and Kyle Wiltjer, four of the top 16 players, to commit to Kentucky. We will be sure to see them wearing blue and white on the courts next year.

Let’s not jump the gun on this season though. Although Calipari may not have the most talented group he has ever composed, the Wildcats still have a lot to offer. He still expects his team to go out there and win most of their games. Calipari will rely on the experience of juniors, Darius Miller and DeAndre Liggins to lead the Wildcats this season.

Kentucky has won all six of their exhibition games and their first two games of the regular season. This week they will head to Hawaii for the Maui Invitational. I wonder if Calipari will be sipping Mai Tais on the sidelines.

 

Cowboys Shock Giants

When a team is favored by 14 points you would think winning the game would be a no-brainer. This was not the case when the New York Giants hosted the Dallas Cowboys. Up until yesterday, the Cowboys were 1-7. They had won one game all season but managed to take a hot branding iron and stamp the Dallas star all over the new Meadowlands stadium.

The Cowboys, now 2-7, lassoed the Giants, tied their feet, and ran away with the football. Quarterback, John Kitna, passed for three touchdowns and began moving the ball in the first half, whereas the Giants did not wake up until the third quarter.

Eli threw for two touchdowns and had 373 passing yards. So for once, the loss was not Eli’s fault. He looked just as confused as ever, but not his typical “I don’t know what I’m doing face,” rather “why aren’t my guys playing D?” face.

It was lights out, literally, for the Giants. There was a power outage at the start of the third quarter yesterday and by the fourth quarter, the Giants’ switch was totally off. They lost 33-20 to the Cowboys at home. Next week, the Giants travel to Philly to take on the Eagles and the Cowboys will attempt to tame the Lions in Texas.

 

NFL Week Nine and A Glass of Wine

I have not written for my own blog in a very long time but now that I am done with writing for other websites for the day, I figured I would sit back, sip on a glass of wine, and write about one of my favorite things, the NFL.

Let’s begin with the Patriots. How is pretty boy Tom Brady doing without the brains of the operation, Randy Moss? He seems to be doing well, and I have to bite my tounge to say that because those of you who read my blog on a regular basis know how much I dislike anything Boston, except Newbury Street.

Let’s look at the Patriots season, starting with week one when they played the Bengals. It’s not that hard to beat Cincinnati, considering they have only won two games and we are going into week nine of the season. In week number two, Brady’s ballerinas were anything but graceful as they lost to Rex and the Jets. As a matter of fact, that has been their only loss of the season.

The Patriots have won their last five games. Last week, they beat Moss, Favre, and some other guys who play for the Minnesota Vikings. Of course Moss flipped out; he doesn’t know whether he wants to be bullied by Belichick or watch Favre’s sex tapes…I mean game tapes. Only time will tell where Moss will end up since he has become one of the biggest variables in the NFL this season.

This brings me to my next point, one that stays the same over time. No matter how many games he plays or how many Superbowls he wins (right now, it is just one) Eli Manning’s facial expression never changes. He never looks like he has a clue about what is going on around him when he decides to throw the ball. Somehow the Giants are first in the NFC East with a record of 5-2.

The other Manning, Peyton, has been playing a less sloppy game of “toss the ol’ pigskin” than Eli, but the Colts have the exact same record as the Giants. They are coming off a three game win streak and travel to Philadelphia (another city I am not a fan of) to take on the Eagles.

This week’s Sunday night game is Dallas against Green Bay. Is anyone starting to feel bad for the Cowboys? Yea, that’s what I thought…Let’s go Green Bay!

Enjoy another weekend filled with football, potato chips, and beer

Graveyard of Favorites

There is nothing like Saratoga in the summertime. The Alabama, a $500,000 grade I stake for fillies was the highlight of today’s 11-race card. The saying, “graveyard of favorites” proved once again to be true when this battle of the coasts was uncontested.

California’s Blind Luck won the race, beating Havre de Grace by half a length. Favorite, and New York-based, Devil May Care, was fourth.

Todd Pletcher, trainer of Devil May Care, probably had his feathers ruffled after watching his odds-on-favorite filly get beaten by not one, not two, but three horses.

The race was run painfully slow and this was emulated by the fact that Devil May Care and Havre de Grace are both speed horses. Blind Luck, on the other hand, is a closer and that is exactly what she did today. She closed out this race as if she was Mariano Rivera and it was lights out for the other five fillies who challenged her.

In other horse racing news today, the $300,000 Philip H. Iselin Stakes at Monmouth Park was won by long shot, Duke of Mischief. Redding Colliery was second and favorite, I Want Revenge, was third.

At Arlington Park, the Arlington Million was won by Irish-bred, Debussy, who beat favorite, Gio Ponti, by a neck.

The favorites in all three big races today were beaten. Like the old Irish saying goes, “a steed does not retain its speed forever.”

Jeter Jips Sheppard

After reading an article about Bob Sheppard’s death, I just had to put my drink down and put in my two cents. Sheppard was the announcer at Yankee Stadium for over 50 years. His voice was legendary.

Unfortunately, Sheppard passed away on July 11, 2010. Although he had not announced a game at Yankee Stadium in three years, a tape recording of his voice announcing Derek Jeter’s at-bat’s is to be played for the rest of Jeter’s career.

This is what prompted me to write.

Not one Yankee player attended Sheppard’s funeral. In fact, the only person in the Yankee organization to do so was Brian Cashman. Where were the rest of the Bronx Bombers?

Don’t get me wrong, I love Jeter, but seriously? I guess Jeter needed a rest after the all-star game and could not get on a play to fly back to New York to attend a funeral for the man whose voice will forever ring in his ears. As Jeter walks up to the plate I hope he has some remorse for his lack of paying his respects to one of the most charismatic voices in all of baseball.

Miami Dream Team!

Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, and LeBron James…the Miami Heat Dream Team! The 2010 NBA free agency came to a close last night with many tuning into ESPN’s “The Decision” to watch LeBron announce which team he would be playing for. Earlier in the week, Wade and Bosh had said they would continue their careers in South Beach and we found out that LeBron would be joining them.

The media went into a frenzy after it was confirmed the three players would join forces in the hopes to bring a championship back to Miami. New York and Chicago fans were disappointed but LeBron’s decision shattered the hopes of Cleveland, yes, the city itself.

Although he grew up in Ohio, he doesn’t owe the Cavaliers anything. He wants to win a championship and teaming up with Wade and Bosh is the best way to do so. LeBron was once a kid who happened to be really good at basketball, and now he wants to win. It is as simple as that. He is not a savior, he is not a king, he’s a guy who wants an NBA championship title.

For everyone who knows me personally, you know I have always been a Heat fan. I am ecstatic that Miami got all three players. I think this could even be a better “big three” than the Celtics. (Sorry, had to throw that in their for all my Massachusetts readers) You could put two of the NBA’s worst players out on the court with these three and it really wouldn’t matter. The Miami Heat know how to wheel and deal and that is exactly what they did. I expect many rings to be won. Everyone (most of the country) who are overreacting at LeBron’s decision, get over it! GO HEAT!!!