The Sport Report

Is It Really a Sport If Nobody Hits Anybody?

admin — Thu, 21 Apr 2011 00:00:00 +0000

This is a common question that is asked among many people, and although many people do take this question seriously others find it to be very silly. The people who play sports are athletes, and to be considered a professional athlete you must compete in a professional sport. Since this can be any professional sport from ice skating to football, how can you say that one sport is less of a sport just because there is no physical contact involved?

Dancing is considered a professional sport and some dancers start dancing at the age of a toddler, and those who play football may not begin playing until high school. Since the dancer started longer shouldn’t they be more of an athlete, making dancing more of a sport? All athletes train for the same amount of time, and they all dedicate their lives to the sports that they are playing. To say that one sport is not a support because there is no physical contact is ridiculous.

Just because people aren’t hitting one another all athletes still get injured, they still compete, and they still endure the most rigorous physical training, so to say that one sport is not because people aren’t running into is untrue, and that statement is for the ignorant.

Did the Tournament Committee Get It Right This Year?

admin — Wed, 06 Apr 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Asking if the NCAA Division I Men’s Tournament Committee got it right is like asking someone who their favorite Simpson’s character is: your going to get a lot of different opinions from a lot of different people. Expanding the field to 68, the committee got to give three more teams spots in the tournament. While you don’t exactly know who those last three teams were, you can pretty much guess that their were Southern California, Virginia Commonwealth and Alabama Birmingham. Were these teams more deserving then, say, Colorado, Virginia Tech, and Saint Mary’s? It all depends what expert you talk to and what formula you believe in most.

While everyone at your Tournament party, http://www.partyon7th.com/sportsparty.html may have a different opinion, when it comes down to it looking at the first couple of rounds tells you a lot on whether or not a team deserved to be in the tournament. Alabama Birmingham? An ugly first round loss to Clemson may have proven otherwise. Southern California? They were able to hang with VCU for a half, but they eventually didn’t prove their metal. VCU, on the other hand? They are the only “First Four” team to advance past the first weekend, and with a great shot to be in the Elite 8, they are the committees true success story.

Why the Big Dance is So Special

admin — Wed, 23 Mar 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Not everyone pays attention to sporting events like the Super Bowl, the World Series, or the NBA Finals; but, even if it’s for the sole purpose of making a bracket that will score you a few bucks in your office pool, everyone pays attention to the Big Dance. It’s not because anyone particularly likes basketball more in March than any other time, though it’s possible that March Madness is indeed contagious. It’s not even a case of office-pool monetary gain, though that surely doesn’t hurt. It’s that, more than any other sporting event, the NCAA Tournament offers us a sense of drama and a sense of dreams.If you’re a fan of the Dukes and Kentuckys of the world, the Big Dance offers you a chance to see your team of 20 somethings pursue the pinnacle of athletic achievement. If you instead embrace the underdog, then you can have the pleasure of seeing the George Masons, the Northern Iowas, the Butlers of the world wreck havoc on the order of the basketball universe and achieve more than they ever dreamed possible. Even in the face of the longest odds, every team in the Big Dance knows that it just takes six or seven good games to win the prize. Maybe a 16 seed has never beat a 1 seed yet, but maybe, just maybe, this year will be that year. And, in the end, that’s what makes the Big Dance so appealing, so addicting, so wonderful; that endless air of possibility.

First Pick for the Panthers

www.thesportreport.com — Wed, 05 Jan 2011 00:00:00 +0000

To put it lightly, the Carolina Panthers have had a rough season. For most casual NFL fans out there without a Direct TV plan and self-loathing sports viewership habits, it’s more than likely you haven’t actually seen a Panthers game in 2010. But as their atrocious 2-14 record will attest, little has gone right for the franchise which will most likely replace not only its head coach but a number of starters during the off-season. Among the most high profile off-season additions will be the Panthers number 1 overall draft choice, which could be used to go a number of different directions. Here’s a look ahead at some of the players who may declare, help to hurry the much maligned Panthers through the rebuilding process.1. Andrew Luck Considered by many to be the top quarterback in a potent class, perhaps the question is whether or not Luck will enter his name for consideration (still with 2 seasons of NCAA eligibility remaining). Though Carolina selected QB Jimmy Clausen with their second round pick only a year ago, a prospect of Luck’s caliber only comes along every few years, were the Cats to waiver in their commitment to the incumbent.2. A.J. Green Arguably the most talented wide receiver to come out of college since Randy Moss, Green possesses similar upside with favorable character considerations. If Carolina decides to stick with Clausen under center, the brass will still have to bring in weapons for him to work with. Steve Smith is has been the only relevant receiver in the passing game since the second coming of Muhsin Muhammad, while Green would provide a bigger target with elite level tools.3. Robert Quinn Though it’s more likely the Panthers try to infuse some talent to an anemic offense, there is a chance the team bolsters its defense early, where local UNC product Robert Quinn is in consideration to be the top defensive player off the board. Aside from geographic proximity, the Quinn/Panthers parallel doesn’t end there, with neither Carolina nor Quinn playing a single meaningful game this season. The Panthers were saddled with a lack of serviceable players, meanwhile Quinn was ruled ineligible following an NCAA investigation into his amateur status after interaction with agents.

Will Heat Win 70?

admin — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 21:56:59 +0000

While LeBron James may have taken all relevant comparisons to Michael Jordan off the table with his most recent change in employer and area code, Wade’s Pippen is already seeing his team linked to the Bulls era. Jeff Van Gundy made headlines when boldly forecast the heat can win 73 games this season. 73 is a number in basketball much like 62 used to be in baseball, perhaps more accurately compared to the Dolphins’ 19-0 undefeated season in 1972. Quite simply, 72 regular season wins, a feat accomplished by the ’95-’96 Bulls then followed by an NBA Championship, is the closest any team has ever come to perfection, 73 would be one better. Most fans, players and analysts believe the number to be nearly untouchable, after all, the ’71-’72 Lakers’ 69-win total was already an intimidating mark (1972 sure was an impressive year for sports). Losing only 10 games over the course of an 82 game schedule is no small feat, arguably equally impressive to that of going undefeated in the much shorter football season. In 2007, the Patriots managed to match the Dolphins’ unscathed regular season mark (16-0) but fell victim to the Giants in the Super Bowl.So do the ’10-’11 Heat have a realistic chance at making history and joining the ranks of their elite predecessors? Van Gundy argues “if their healthy, the discrepancy between their talent level and the next level is so great, that I just don’t see how they lose games.” They may win more than they will lose, don’t be so certain this year’s Heat are as well rounded as that Bulls team. Wade and James are superstars and Bosh is close, if not already there, but together they the team’s two premiere players too closely mimic each other. Neither is reliable from outside nor have a Jordan-esque killer instinct in big games (though Wade is more likely to assume that role). Bosh posts impressive 20-10 numbers, but Rodman’s 15 rebounds per game may be more valuable to a team loaded already loaded with firepower. Overall only time will tell if the Heat have what it takes to reach the next plateau of NBA greatness; doing so will take more than a 3-man effort.

NBA Takes It’s Talents to London

mrice — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 21:56:25 +0000

Come March it appears as if the NBA will be taking its talents to foggy London town. Not nearly as heartbreaking to fans in America as perhaps the last time that phrase was used to describe a newsworthy basketball relocation, if only because the NBA’s stint in the UK will last for merely 2 games. On March 4^th and 5^th the Toronto Raptors will square off against the New Jersey Nets in the city’s O2 Arena. This will mark the first two regular season contests to cross the pond, though not the first time the NBA has held games in England, or even O2 Arena for that matter. London has played host to NBA exhibition games for several seasons now, but in 2011, NBA Commissioner David Stern and his team of higher ups decided the time is right to up the ante.Of course, playing in front of foreign crowds may benefit the NBA in terms of relevance and exposure overseas, furthering its already widespread global fan base (thank you Dream Team), however there are significant logistical concerns to playing a game so far away in the midst of a normal regular season schedule. For starters, the NBA season is grueling, spanning 82 high energy games, already posing a problem for even well conditioned rookies who tend to hit a wall after the first half of the season. Even savvy veterans have struggled to put up the same numbers or missed time with injury in season’s following off-season tournaments such as the FIBA World Championship. With jet lag, travel time and the additional fatigue such a trip could place on the body, is it worth the publicity to spend and regular season time abroad? Furthermore, does it place the teams that make the trip at a competitive disadvantage? Don’t expect to see the Kobe Bryants of the league to quietly make the trip without raising the issue. This year, at least, competitive balance should be relatively unaffected as both Toronto and New Jersey look to be locked deep in the cellar, leaving Londoners wondering, “is there anything on TV that night?”

Tiger Fails to Roar Back

mrice — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 21:55:23 +0000

Just days after coming off his worst career performance, finishing 79^th in an 80 man field after shooting 18-over par, Tiger Woods was forced to immediately look ahead to the fast approaching PGA Championship. For one of the first times in his career, it seemed like a long shot to say the least that Woods will win his 15^th major championship, much less any tournament in the near future, which would bring his professional win total up to 97. While his personal life bottomed out months ago in a well documented public scandal, Bridgestone represented, at least hopefully represented, the low point in his on-course performance. Tiger followed up with one more forgettable encore in the last major of the year, finishing tied for 28^th place.When he took the tee at Whistling Straits, for the first time in a long time someone other than Woods was actually favored to win a tournament in which Woods was in the field, in terms of actual betting odds. In Las Vegas, gamblers found Mickelson listed as the 12-1 favorite to win the tournament. Woods was tied as the runner up with young Irishman Rory McIlroy, given a 15-1 chance. In a tournament that featured north of 150 players, such odds might have been considered reasonably good, but considering that prior to Woods’ forgettable showing at Bridgestone Woods odds to win were 6-1, the disparity between the two figures paints a graver picture. Despite all of his domestic troubles and sporadic play since his brief leave of absence from the Tour, there were still a large contingent of golf fans who expected Tiger to challenge for the trophy, if not win the weekend, every time he took the tee. In this sense, Bridgestone represented a remarkably tangible turning point in Tiger Woods career, an unscheduled stop on the Tiger Woods bandwagon where it appears a lot of believers finally chose to take the exit. Will Tiger make it back to his elite status, filling his once preordained destiny as the greatest golfer of all-time. It’s certainly still possible, though the PGA Championship did little, if any, to provide a sense of optimism.

NFL Hall of Fame Inducts 2010 Class

mrice — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 20:40:59 +0000

The 2010 Hall of Fame class recently enshrined in Canton, OH, sees some of the premiere names that defined football over the course of the 1990′s, along with a few who have been waiting a little longer for their moment in the sun, immortalized with football’s highest honor. Here is a look at this year’s select few who have been recognized among the greatest football players of all time.Jerry Rice Rice was an obvious selection in his first showing on the Hall of Fame ballot. The most prolific receiver in NFL history, Rice set the standard for the position while catching passes from fellow Canton residents Steve Young and Joe Montana for the 49ers. The 13 time Pro-Bowler is the league’s all time leader in TD receptions (197), receptions (1,549) and receiving yards (22,895).Emmitt Smith The NFL’s all-time rushing leader certainly had no doubt he would find himself in the Hall of Fame as soon as he became eligible. Not only did he set the league’s high watermark for rushing yards (18,355), he is also the record holder for rushing TDs (164) and rushing attempts (4,409), spending all but the final two years of his career with the Cowboys.John Randle Once an undrafted free agent, Randle terrorized quarterbacks from the defensive tackle position for the Minnesota Vikings, made famous not only by his signature sacks but his face painting antics and a trash talking mouth that would make Gary Payton look like Mr. Rogers.Russ Grimm The former offensive guard for the Redskins was part of the legendary front line dubbed “The Hogs,” flattening defenders for the better part of a decade, helping skill position players such as Art Monk and John Riggins to enter the HOF years earlier.Rickey Jackson After roaming the midfield as a linebacker for the Saints from ’81 to ’93, Jackson finally won a Super Bowl with the 49ers, though his heart will always be with WhoDat Nation. Jackson recorded 10 sacks in 6 separate seasons, retiring as the Saints all time sack leader and second in NFL history with 28 fumble recoveries, one behind Jim Marshall.

Haynes-worthless?

mrice — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 20:40:12 +0000

Perhaps never before has it been so newsworthy that an NFL player merely completed practice. Not since Allen Iverson’s famous “you talkin’ bout practice rant” has the subject of a player’s non-game time dedication come under so much public scrutiny. Of course, when your 7-year 100 million contract is the only thing in sight bigger than your massive 6’6” 350 lbs. frame, almost anything you do is sure to garner a little more attention than the average 9 to 5 employed, lanky-bodied American.After choosing to skip the Redskin’s off-season workouts entirely, followed by his appearance at only one day of the Redskins’ mandatory mini-camp, Albert Haynesworth was the only Redskin player required to pass a conditioning test before being declared physically fit enough to participate in official team practices. Dissatisfied with the direction of the Redskins defense under Defensive Coordinator Jim Haslett, implementing a switch from a 4-3 scheme to a 3-4 in which he would have to line up at nose tackle, Haynesworth’s absence loomed nearly as large as his imposing figure would have in the team locker room, though throughout the episode he claimed he would be in shape and ready to play when the time came. Upon return his return, however, Haynesworth failed the conditioning test, which according to most accounts, is quite standard across the NFL and by no means a high bar for a reasonably in shape regular Joe, much less a professional athlete.To start the test, a player must complete a 300 yard shuttle run, at 25-yard increments, in under 1 minute and 10 seconds. The player is then given a three and a half minute break, after which he is required to complete the same task, this time in less than 1 minute and 13 seconds. That’s it. No 5 mile run; no carrying a baby calf up a mountain. Haynesworth finally completed the fitness test on Saturday morning, after multiple attempts and 10 days deep into training camp, though his knee was too sore afterwards to practice, he began practice this week, allegedly “competing” for a starting job according to Coach Shanahan.