tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-57438018502149512292024-11-05T21:48:43.517-05:00My opinions and insights on events from the world of sports.Steve Engbloomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00268157482401004257noreply@blogger.comBlogger359125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5743801850214951229.post-28108454745962824572013-01-31T10:26:00.001-05:002013-01-31T10:26:07.867-05:00

Here we go again... Not just one, but two "stories" (and they might be just that, stories) linking professional athletes to performance enhancing drugs and/or hGH or a combination of the two. It almost seems as if the Miami New Times and Sports Illustrated were going head-to-head for headline grabbing. For the Miami New Times, they unloaded (and will continue to unload) information and

Steve Engbloomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00268157482401004257noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5743801850214951229.post-37021163039049790172013-01-22T15:03:00.002-05:002013-01-22T18:18:08.621-05:00

The Super Bowl matchup is set: the Baltimore Ravens and the San Francisco 49ers will square off in SB XLVII. Now we know there are two weeks (well, a little less than that now) in which to absorb as much as humanly possible about the teams and their players. The main focus for each team? For the Ravens, it is undoubtedly Ray Lewis. While many are quick to praise Lewis for his NFL

Steve Engbloomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00268157482401004257noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5743801850214951229.post-35935114581815755722013-01-19T11:07:00.002-05:002013-01-20T23:42:50.385-05:00

Over the past few days, we've read and heard plenty in regards to Lance Armstrong and Manti Te'o.  So much, in fact, that some within the Twitterverse would wish they would simply vanish.  Not really vanish, but I think you get the point.  Not sure how you feel about either subject, but here goes mine... With Te'o, I could honestly care less.  I mean I want to know the facts

Steve Engbloomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00268157482401004257noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5743801850214951229.post-52053858156777436182012-02-03T14:58:00.000-05:002012-02-03T17:48:37.914-05:00

Well...almost a year away. Over that time, I've enjoyed some opportunities. Some of which I continue, others that I have chosen to no longer pursue. I even tried my hand at re-branding...of sorts. But this was the first "home" and it beckoned me on almost a daily basis. I have a slew of items to cover. Let's not put them off any longer... NHL Be serious now. Prior to last evening, has anyone

Steve Engbloomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00268157482401004257noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5743801850214951229.post-4237700230999760502011-03-22T12:13:00.000-04:002011-03-22T12:13:42.508-04:00

I know I went off on a form of a rant regarding the NFL players and how through their own words they're not helping their cause in the court of public opinion. This isn't a retraction or an extension of that. This post differs from that. Greatly. Let me ask you this. Are you really thinking of all these NFL players and owners right now? Seriously think about your answer here. I'm not in any way

Steve Engbloomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00268157482401004257noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5743801850214951229.post-74148655962369245712011-03-21T17:27:00.000-04:002011-03-21T17:27:44.890-04:00

Image by Getty Images via @daylifeMany sources have indicated that Tennessee has in fact fired men's basketball coach Bruce Pearl. This incident does bring forth an interesting dilemma that is quickly becoming a firestorm on Twitter. Why? Some are of the opinion that Pearl should not have told the NCAA the truth. He should have kept lying about breaking the rules. He would still have a job if he

Steve Engbloomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00268157482401004257noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5743801850214951229.post-14005121389587232032011-03-18T18:16:00.000-04:002011-03-18T18:16:19.778-04:00

Image via WikipediaNo, Bruce Pearl has not stepped down at Tennessee. The title is for another reason. If today was in fact Bruce Pearl's last game as the top guy with the Tennessee mens hoops program, his team  could have sent him out on a worse note. Don't get me wrong. I do hold Pearl accountable...very slightly. You hold him accountable because it's his program. He runs the show. But

Steve Engbloomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00268157482401004257noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5743801850214951229.post-1524266642333466702011-03-18T00:35:00.000-04:002011-03-18T00:35:38.662-04:00

Image via WikipediaDay one is done. Upsets abound. Hearts broken. Survive and advance, that's the motto at this time of year. If you win, you continue playing. Lose and you go home. Tough biz this NCAA tourney. Some thought as I look over the action... Morehead State: Now the country is aware of Kenneth Faried. The guy is an absolute beast on the boards, but he can score as well. He didn't have

Steve Engbloomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00268157482401004257noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5743801850214951229.post-87341960308608991662011-03-17T14:49:00.000-04:002011-03-17T14:49:13.184-04:00

Image by Vincent J. Brown via FlickrI first have to admit this. I'm not by any stretch of the imagination a daily (or even monthly) reader over at GQ.com. There's no specific reason why I don't, but every once in a while, I get directed to a post on there. Some I find interesting, others I find not so much. The title of the piece is what usually draws me there. Case in point, (a tip of the cap

Steve Engbloomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00268157482401004257noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5743801850214951229.post-83231440674395076572011-03-16T12:02:00.000-04:002011-03-16T12:02:59.538-04:00

Image via WikipediaIn this day and age of the 24/7 news cycle, the court of public opinion can be swayed instantaneously. That has evolved into an even more valuable tool in informing the public in regards to your stance. The masses can be swayed to your side and provide a bit of oomph for you cause. Not the case here. Take the NFL players for example. Three recent stories/quotes have severely

Steve Engbloomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00268157482401004257noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5743801850214951229.post-17350643729040834042011-03-15T19:19:00.000-04:002011-03-15T19:19:49.824-04:00

Image via WikipediaWe all knew when Stephen Strasburg had to be pulled from a start last season, things were not going according to plan for the Washington Nationals. Their "money ticket" would have to go under the knife for Tommy John surgery and miss the remainder of 2010 and most, if not all, of 2011. So where do you turn after that? The answer isn't (and wasn't) 2010's #1 overall pick,

Steve Engbloomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00268157482401004257noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5743801850214951229.post-68025900446183929182011-03-15T14:23:00.001-04:002011-03-15T14:24:12.669-04:00

Image via WikipediaEven teams that seem to have everything have issues develop. The supposed already 2011 National League champion Phillies are just that team. When the Phillies pulled off the coup in signing Cliff Lee, many in the baseball world were resigned to giving every piece of hardware to anyone or anything wearing a Phillies uniform. Then, the injuries started to creep in. Domonic

Steve Engbloomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00268157482401004257noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5743801850214951229.post-53666206124812768402011-03-14T18:59:00.003-04:002011-03-15T11:49:07.171-04:00

Image via WikipediaMost of the off-season news concerning the Mets revolved around two things: hiring a new manager and the financial "matters" of the owners. New GM Sandy Alderson was laid the task of replacing Jerry Manuel after a few sub-par seasons. The Mets have a fair amount of talent, but the results never matched that talent. Alderson brought in Terry Collins. Collins career MLB record (

Steve Engbloomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00268157482401004257noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5743801850214951229.post-52775356148783847202011-03-14T11:07:00.000-04:002011-03-14T11:07:15.845-04:00

I'm sure we've already heard about a million times that UAB and VCU don't deserve to be in the filed of 68. I'm also sure you've already heard that Virginia Tech and Colorado (and any other bubble team) got screwed by the inclusion of UAB and VCU. Even Harvard should be hacked at that as well. But let's look at the bracket as a whole for a few. I have my own observations and here they are a few.

Steve Engbloomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00268157482401004257noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5743801850214951229.post-30783692918261876392011-03-10T12:45:00.000-05:002011-03-10T12:45:05.372-05:00

Image via WikipediaIf there's one team the can play a wild card role within the NL East this upcoming season, the Florida Marlins are just that team. They have punch. They have pop. They have arms. So why is no one mentioning the Marlins as a dark horse to win this division? Maybe there's a place or two. Kind of reminds me of the Cincinnati Reds of last season, but the Marlins hill seems a

Steve Engbloomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00268157482401004257noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5743801850214951229.post-54829592233960289842011-03-09T17:31:00.000-05:002011-03-09T17:31:59.825-05:00

Image by Getty Images via @daylifeThe ever popular draft guru (or so he's referred as) Mel Kiper, Jr. was on a two hour conference call today regarding his latest mock draft. The popular subject, of course, was Cam Newton. Not surprising considering Newton has lately become the greatest thing since sliced bread or so some think. Kiper is NOT one of those. Courtesy of Joe Reedy of Cincinnati.com,

Steve Engbloomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00268157482401004257noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5743801850214951229.post-31338418901948512832011-03-09T11:51:00.001-05:002011-03-09T12:14:35.577-05:00

Image by Getty Images via @daylifeAnother day, another case of college football gone awry. It's getting as tiresome as taking about PEDs in baseball. We've endures the Auburn-Cam Newton fiasco. Just the other day it was brought to light that the University of Oregon used a service in order to land a recruit...and doled out $25,000 in that process. Now, Ohio State head coach Jim Tressel is alone

Steve Engbloomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00268157482401004257noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5743801850214951229.post-76447207483488075442011-03-07T23:35:00.000-05:002011-03-07T23:35:29.716-05:00

Image by Getty Images via @daylifeIn my first dive into the National League, we'll look at the Atlanta Braves. Much has changed in the ATL since they were eliminated from the playoffs by the eventual World Champion San Francisco Giants. The biggest being in the dugout with the retirement of manager Bobby Cox. Like a lot of teams, there were a few roster changes that took place as well. Closer

Steve Engbloomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00268157482401004257noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5743801850214951229.post-44562784098689848742011-03-07T12:59:00.000-05:002011-03-07T12:59:33.068-05:00

Image by Getty Images via @daylifeAs a fan of the Cleveland Cavaliers (yes, even post LeBron), I have to confess that there's a part of me that greatly enjoys seeing the Miami Heat in its current state. I'm pretty sure I'm far from the only one taking that stand. Well, Dwayne Wade believes that's the case. “The Miami Heat are exactly what everyone wanted, losing games,” Wade said. “The world is

Steve Engbloomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00268157482401004257noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5743801850214951229.post-55198999300217409332011-03-05T18:17:00.000-05:002011-03-05T18:17:04.098-05:00

Image by Keith Allison via FlickrNo single team lost more good players than the Rays. You would almost believe a firesale had transpired. Well, it kind of did. The team slashed payroll due to several factors of which I won't go too in depth on. The #1 reason is most likely that lack of attendance. It's a shame that a really good team could not draw. Here's who has left Tampa since the end of

Steve Engbloomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00268157482401004257noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5743801850214951229.post-68494032616217755632011-03-04T23:37:00.000-05:002011-03-04T23:37:16.295-05:00

Image by Keith Allison via FlickrWhen you think of the Toronto Blue Jays, you think, first, Jose Bautista. Then you think of all the home runs the offense produced in 2010. Then, you pretty much stop thinking about them. Kind of unfortunate really. The Blue Jays, despite the dealings within the pitching staff, still have a bit of pitching to offer. Granted, not what they had last season, but

Steve Engbloomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00268157482401004257noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5743801850214951229.post-1341103634924173912011-02-28T11:48:00.000-05:002011-02-28T11:48:41.122-05:00

Image by Getty Images via @daylifeIf there's one team that seems to exude an aura over baseball, it's the New York Yankees. 27 World Series Championships is a major feat to say the least. They did snare #27 in 2009. They make a somewhat historic run at the onset of the century as well. Still, the recent tide has flowed away from the pinstripes during the last decade. Cause for concern?

Steve Engbloomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00268157482401004257noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5743801850214951229.post-57300779740761963642011-02-26T17:11:00.003-05:002011-02-26T17:22:16.515-05:00

Image via WikipediaIn continuing the look around the AL East, we stop off at Beantown today. I don't think there's a team that created more noise due to bringing in new guys than the Red Sox. Carl Crawford, considered a top three free agent, and Adrian Gonzalez, a power hitting lefty bat, should provide a lot more punch to a good offense. But there's more to this team. So Gonzo's at first,

Steve Engbloomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00268157482401004257noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5743801850214951229.post-32588653021518805682011-02-26T01:47:00.000-05:002011-02-26T01:47:02.433-05:00

Image via WikipediaIt's been a while, hasn't it? Well, we're back to full swing today as I begin a look at all 30 teams around Major League Baseball. Today, we'll focus on the AL East. No question that for the most part of last season the O's were pretty much viewed as a laughing stock. Enter one Buck Showalter. While he didn't exactly lead any of us believe they could be contenders for even

Steve Engbloomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00268157482401004257noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5743801850214951229.post-52826572287402341622011-02-07T21:09:00.000-05:002011-02-07T21:09:13.183-05:00

OK. The Super Bowl is over bringing an end to the football season. I know that basketball and hockey are still ongoing, but can we get to baseball? Good. I never thought an offseason would feel like it lasted so long. Of course, being a Reds fan, it seemed way longer only because of how the season ended. Oh, and don't forget. Pitchers and catchers are scheduled to report on the 16th. I have a

Steve Engbloomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00268157482401004257noreply@blogger.com1