Reggie is giving it back. This is something that I have wanted to happen since I became convinced that there were violations committed. However, I still have one problem. Mr. Bush says that giving the illustrious college football trophy back to the Heisman Trust is not an admission of guilt. Real classy Reg, real classy. Come on! Just admit it! Don’t go the route of so many baseball steroid junkies and that of Pete Rose and deny something that you’ve done when there is so much evidence to the contrary. Frankly, I’m sick of writing about this subject, but every time I think I can finally put it to rest,ole Reg finds a way to make an even more classless move than before. So, you gave back a statue. Who cares. Admit to making bad decisions. It’s ok. You’ll be forgiven. That’s how our society works. Be classy Reg, be classy.

#4

          Well, Brett Favre is back in an NFL jersey. He didn’t retire. He came back. Told you so…

Air Mail!

         This pass Sunday three different QBs had fifty or more attempts. They all lost. I’m all for high scoring dynamic offensive play-calling, but come on people we have to have some semblance of balance in our offense. I’m talking to you Colts, Rams, and Bengals. Come on Colts. I know that Peyton is awesome and he is basically the motor that drives that offense but running the ball is good too. It sets up play action passes, and we all know how much you guys like those. Also it is not like “Sweet Joseph” was stinking it up in the all important average yards per carry area, 4.4 is pretty good. Rams, I know that you really want to win. I get that. No one wants to be irrelevant. I mean how relevant can you be when Rush Limbaugh wants to be your owner? The thing is you must have balance if you’re going to get anywhere. You have a stud RB build around him as well as that new QB with the obscene contract. Bengals, I’m going to make this short and sweet. Stop it! Stop it! No! Bad! You’re a great running team with a better than average defense. I know you have that new toy at WR but you have to stick to what is working for you. I’m not mad. Just disappointed.

 TD Technicality…

          Megatron was robbed. Once again the Bears win a game that they should have lost. Tuck rule anyone?

It has happened. Finally something that I have been pushing for since his days with the Red Sox, has come to pass. I have been a huge proponent of having Manny on the White Sox. It is the perfect fit. Do you really think the White Sox are worried about what Manny is going to say to the press with Ozzie at the helm? Do you think that he is too quirky? Nope. The answer to both questions is “nope.” There is so much going on with the White Sox, Manny will be in good company. If you are a complete loon on a team of serious mature people to are obviously going to act out. However, if you put that loon with one of more loons in an environment that knows how to deal with said loons…it…is…magic. Yes, it could end up in a massive train wreck of a controversy, but if that happens then it’s a win-win-win situation. The team wins because frankly the Manny will produce. The fans win because ESPN will cover that train wreck like Darrelle Revis and anyone in the NFL . Finally, I win because I get to watch the whole drama play out. Manny in black and white? Yes please!

Re-Write History

This is my plea to the Heisman Trust. Take Reggie’s trophy away and give it to Vince Young. Reggie did something that caused his former college team to suffer a lot. Now, I don’t know if hiring Lane Kiffin was one of the sanctions, but if so Reggie should be exiled, but until I get proof that USC was force to hire Goofy McMoron I’ll assume that is on the University. Reggie is somewhat responsible for punishing the kids who are now playing for the Trojans. They can’t play for a national championship for 2 years. There are less scholarships so that means kids going to the college they want. As a fan, I don’t like USC. The fact of the matter is what is happening to them is terrible, and everyone is paying for it besides the main player who is responsible. Vince played his tail off that year, give him the trophy. Shame on you Reggie.

Tis The Season for Gridiron

This is the time of the year that I look forward to all summer long. After the NFL draft, it is like a no man’s land when it comes to football news (don’t you even talk about Favre to me. That is not news. That is what we like to call filler.) ,but when this time of year rolls around it all starts with a bang! Especially, college football. It is one of the most dynamic sports on the planet! I love it! Watch Boise State this year! Ok, moving on.

Who’s a Grumpy Little Fan? You Are, You are…

I am an Indianapolis Colts fan. The Colts are a great team and have been a great team for a long time. However, the fans of my beloved team can be very knit-picky. I think it is mostly due to media coverage of the team overblowing some of the team’s weaker points, but I digress. I’ve just noticed that when it comes to any kind of hardship there are usually two kinds of reactions. The first is the die-hard fan. He sticks with the team through rain or shine. He cheers them and he’s the guy who predicts a Super Bowl win every year regardless. Now this guy can be annoying, but nothing is more annoying than the second kind of fan. This is the jaded fan. This fan is all doom and gloom all the time. They avoid drafting their own players in fantasy drafts and scoffs and anyone who does. Look I know I don’t have much to complain about with the Colts, but I remember the days before Peyton Manning and there will come a time when Peyton has to hang up the cleats. I can only hope that I stick with my team even when things aren’t looking so hot.

-Jonathan “J$” Shreves

    If you are a professional football fan then you probably have some sort of opinion on the preseason. Some people see it as the bringer of good news that the regular season is on its way. Some see it as a sneak peek into how their team is going to fare in the coming season. Other, however, see the preseason as an enormous waste of time. Those people are wrong. The preseason is your friend, but just like any other friend you have to know how to treat and react to it for the relationship to work.

Preseason Personalities: The Worrier

          Everyone knows a Worrier. They are the first to condemn the coming season after a loss in the first game of the preseason. This person will watch the preseason as if every game is a playoff game. This simply is not the case. Look at it this way the Indianapolis Colts, the winningest team in the past decade, has a terrible preseason record over the same stretch of time. This is because of the organizational focus and purpose behind their approach to the preseason. The preseason is a time to get timing down between QB and WR. It is a time to knock some rust off for the veterans and get the rookies acclimated to professional play. Most importantly it is about experiencing different parts of the professional game in an environment where winning is not crucial. So, if your team is blown out in the first game of the preseason don’t fret. It’s just the preseason. Having said that, it’s true some teams are just bad, so they will play bad whether it is in the preseason or the regular season. All I am saying is don’t get rid of the season tickets and go into mourning because your team lost a game that does not matter.

Preseason Personalities: The Gloater

          If there is one person who needs a reality check more than the worrier it is the Gloater. This is the guy who after his team wins big in the preseason predicts a Super Bowl win and the beginning of a dynasty that will rule over the other teams in the NFL for years to come. The Gloater puts way too much stock in preseason performance. The Raiders, who have not been good in a while, have a pretty good preseason record over the last 4 years but it does not translate into actual success. Regardless of whether a game is played in the preseason, the regular season, or the post season there has to be a winner and a loser (unless they tie which is lame). So, I am not saying that if your team does well in the preseason then it is a bad sign. Simply do not look too hard at the win/loss column when evaluating your teams chances in the coming year.

Preseason Personalities: The Hater/  The Apathetic

          The first two individuals have a problem with putting too much stock in the wrong areas of the preseason. The Hater or those who are simply apathetic about the preseason do not put any stock in the preseason and don’t see the point of these four exhibition games before the “real football” starts. These people are simply misguided. They too are looking at the preseason with the wrong focus and motivation. If you go into a heartwarming family flick expecting to see a spine tingling horror movie you are going to be disappointed. The same is true for the preseason. If you go into it looking for games whose win/loss outcome have ramifications for the team’s future the preseason will seem like a pointless waste of pigskin. There is much more to the preseason than just the wins and losses. If you can adjust your “sports watching palette” accordingly the preseason can not only be important to your fandom but also exciting.

Preseason Personalities: The Preseason Fan

          The actual Preseason Fan does not fall into the traps that the others seem to find themselves in every August. They are able to see what the preseason is actually about and are able to enjoy the games because they know what is important about them. Here are some general qualities in a good Preseason Fan. First, the fan understands that when watching a preseason game, more than any other NFL game, the focus should be on continuity. A great way to evaluate your team’s chance for the coming year is too look at how the units on the team gelling. Do the plays seem crisp? Do the players seem like they are on the same page? The Preseason Fan also understands that the preseason is an opportunity to get a good look at some young talent that might be further back on the depth chart. If I have learned one thing about teams that are successful in the NFL it is that they are able to keep a sustained flow of good young talent on the team. One day that 6th round rookie won’t be a rookie anymore and could develop into a star player. Now be warned, you have to be careful how you evaluate these players as well. If you are expecting your up and coming middle linebacker to hold it down like Ray Lewis then you’ll be dissappointed. Instead look for the players awareness to the development of the play. Are they often near the tackle being made or are they constantly out of position. Also look for a good motor. Does the player play hard until the whistle or do they seemingly give up on some plays? Look for athleticism and physical prowess. If a WR has good hands, great speed, and determination to learn the nuances of the position they could be great! The third and final characteristic of a Preseason Fan is that they love the game of football. Football is in my opinion the greatest sport. The preseason is an opportunity for fans who have been jonesing for football since the draft to sink their teeth into what is actually some very entertaining and exciting games.

-Jonathan J$ Shreves

In this episode, J-$ and I go over some “recent” sports news happenings (we recorded this the day after Brett Favre supposedly announced his retirement), and kick off our NFL preview with a breakdown of the AFC West. Enjoy!

-Scott, $cott, S-money

http://ia360703.us.archive.org/14/items/SportosisEpisode2/sportosis_ep22.mp3

The premise is simple. It follows the daily lives and routines of the production crew of a New York City-based “Sportscenter” competitor. The entire show is written around the anchors and production team writing and airing a nightly sports highlights and news show. The genius is in how well the show’s writers (led by, if you’re curious, Aaron Sorkin, perhaps better known for his involvement in “The West Wing”) draw parallels between the sports world and basic humanity. Now, I’m a conservative guy, and the show certainly has a liberal bent, but it must be admitted that the show manages to stay away from being overly political. Instead, the subtle themes and lessons from each episode strike a humanitarian chord, and it’s beautiful.

But while every episode has some lesson or moral, not every one is even particularly liberal or conservative. Instead, at times, the show is just insightful. Take, for instance, an episode from season 1 I was watching just the other night. Jeremy, one of Sports Night’s producers, found out his parents were getting divorced and decided to take time off to be with his family. When he returns, he sets his heart on producing a feature on “The Sword of Orion,” an America’s cup yacht that got caught in a storm and wrecked. He dives fully into his project, working at an almost manic pace. He orders naval charts, finds the captains log, and collects old news reports from the other ships that lost contact with the Sword of Orion. When Natalie, his girlfriend, confronts him about his behavior, he reveals that his father had been having an affair with another woman for 27 years — longer than he had even been alive. When she asks why he’s so intent on doing the piece on the yacht, he responds with the poignant line “I think it’s important to find out how exactly this boat that was supposed to make it met with such disaster.”

Seriously, its a great show. It’s sharp, quick, and extremely well written. It’s a comedy, and it’s a drama. It will probably make you smarter.

So check it out. If you’re interested, the dvd set (all three seasons) is just $34 on Amazon (with more special features than the DVD release I bought for $40 in 2003). And you might be able to find a few episodes streaming online somewhere (but of course I certainly wouldn’t condone that sort of thing).

-Scott

It looks like the Texas Rangers are going to be alright after all. The Nolan Ryan group is going to snatch the franchise from the brink of bankruptcy. This is a good thing and I am sure that Nolan and the crew are going to do a great job. What I have a problem with is that the big wigs in baseball are rejoicing not because a team was saved but because Mark Cuban was not granted the right to buy the team. Now I understand that Mark Cuban is polarizing and sometimes even annoying but the guy knows how to own a team. He is not afraid to spend money. He actually cares about the fans, and he would bring a passion to an otherwise smarmy group of MLB owners. That’s not what baseball wants though. It’s the good ole boy way for them. Owners must be rich and boring. Steinbrenner, being the notable exception to this rule, and look what he did. Frankly, baseball is OK with having owners, like those that run the Pirates, who are a poison to the league and keep it from gaining popularity, but heaven forbid the league get a little bit of excitement or color. Here’s to Bud Selig and the rest of the old white guys in the MLB country club.

-Jonathan “J$” Shreves

The whole world is talking about it, so that means I have to at least acknowledge it. Reports say that the crazy old man in the #4 jersey is finally hanging it up. This would be devastating news to some (Scott Hale) and a reason to celebrate for others (The NFC North), however, let me take this opportunity to take us on a journey. A journey into the not so distant past. There was a team, led by this same wily old vet, they had just suffered an excruciating NFC playoff loss at the hands of the eventual Super Bowl victors. The field general proclaimed to the world that he would never suit up as a professional football player ever again, and then he did, for two other teams. Don’t worry Brett Favre fans (Scott Hale), not so fast Brett Favre haters (NFC North) until the season starts and Brett Favre is not on the field I don’t believe a single thing about the retirement of old number 4.

CBA: The Season Killer…

On a way more relevant and important NFL note, we still can’t agree on a collective bargaining agreement. Now, like I have said before I am but a simple fan. It is true, I don’t know the fine intricacies that go into getting a momentous deal such as this done. I realize that there are issues that both sides are extremely passionate about, however, I do know one thing. They had better get it done. I think it is important to remember that without fans sports don’t matter. Without fans no one would care about ESPN. It is the passion of the fans that keep entities such as the NFL, NBA, MLB, and even ESPN not only above water, but thriving. Fans can sometimes be ignorant not seeing or understanding the whole picture, but they know enough to understand that replacement players in NFL games or the prospect of a cancelled season is not going to cut it. Fans may also sometimes be overly biased. They can sometimes be blinded by their loyalty to their chosen team. I would argue this is their right. The fact is if I didn’t think my favorite teams were the cream of their particular league’s crop then they probably would not be my teams. The point is, regardless of all the flaws and faults that come from true fandom it is the fans that hold the true power in situations like this. It is only the informed fan that can learn what the issues are a pressure both sides to get a deal done. I’m not saying that fans should start sending letters to the NFL office or the NFLPA headquarters, Congress style, but I’m not saying they shouldn’t. Get informed and get involved.

Trojan Man No Longer…

It makes me laugh that when asked how they feel, in the wake of the USC fallout, ex-players, most notably Reggie Bush, and their former head coach are using language that would be more appropriate if they were talking about a friend who came down with a terrible illness rather than a friend that they pushed underneath a moving mac truck. Reggie Bush breaks the rules, allegedly, and then he escapes to the NFL where he can not be touched by NCAA sanctions leaving his alma mater to take the fall. Pete Carroll may or may not have known or been involved with the rule breaking, but he sure did know when the ship was going down and when it was time to leave. He escapes, just like Reggie, to the NFL safe from feeling the effects of the sanctions. Now, I am the last person who will cry over the fact that the Trojans can not contend for a NCAA Championship, but I will say that I think it is kind of messed up that ex-Trojans who helped cause this situation are treating it like it was something that couldn’t have been avoided or some injustice handed down by the NCAA. Give me a break.

Parting thought…

Everyone is talking about the Dolphins and Jets as improved teams ready to make a run at what used to be the Patriot’s strangle hold on the AFC East. Could this be the Bill’s year? Probably not.

– Jonathan “J$” Shreves

In this episode, Jonathan and I introduce ourselves as sports fans by going over our favorite teams from the NFL, NHL, MLB, and NBA, and we spend some time talking about ways to make soccer (a sport we both love) more popular in the United States. We finish up with a few rounds of our segment “True or False,” where we offer up possible scenarios and then decide whether or not they will happen. Who will get instant replay first, the MLB or FIFA? Will 3 out of the 4 AFC South teams finish with 9+ wins? Will the Cincinnati Bengals repeat as AFC North champs? And how exactly does Chester Taylor fit into the Bears’ offense?

Listen here or subscribe on iTunes!

-Scott

Sportosis Episode 1