UCONN Spring Weekend

Maybe people are being a little too hard on UCONN spring weekend. The 2010 was spring weekend was mostly quiet, sans an assault outside a bar that left a non-student in the hospital. This violent act was the worst of the 84 arrests.
Out of the 84 arrests, 70 of them were non student related, including the two from the assault. For you non Math whizzes, that leaves 14 student arrests. Not too shabby if you ask me.
Consider how many bar fights happen throughout the country on any normal weekend. The assault could have happened at any time, and practically anywhere, for the two non students, but it happened to come during this weekend of rowdiness.
If most of the arrests came from non-students, I’m not quite sure how one could say this is a black eye for UCONN itself. This has been a UCONN staple for 50 years, and has been much worse in the past.
Here’s a spoiler alert for naïve people, a lot of kids drink and party in college. Getting rid of this event will not stop that. Maybe there is something UCONN or the Storrs and state police could do to tame it down a little, but canceling the event all together is certainly not the answer.

Enough about Tim Tebow

At some point this year, everyone took a pill that made them completely forget the difference of the level of play from college football to the NFL.
Case in point, the lovefest that is showered upon Tim Tebow, I think it's high time everyone shut up about him.
Some probably consider what I just said blasphemous. Some will say "but Matt, he is such a competitor, he is such a gamer, look what he did at Florida." Again, just shut up.
 If anyone thinks for one second that him tweaking his throwing motion fixed the biggest hole in his game better wake up, he has a lot more work to do then that.
Consider the offense he ran at Florida. My high school ran it, University of Florida ran it, and what NFL team runs it as it's main offensive package? No one, and don't tell me the wildcat is made for Tim Tebow. The wildcat has been figured out and will never take the place of a throwing quarterback offense.
Tebow was always lauded for his toughness, because he would take off with the ball and deliver a hit to a defender. Show me a SUCCESSFUL (keyword) running quarterback (I swear if anyone says Michael Vick you should stop watching football).
I'll end on this, raise your hand if you know who Taylor Wyndham is. There's a few hands raised. He delivered a hit on Tim Tebow that gave him a concussion. Guess what's going to happen in the NFL, where EVERYONE can play, and is most likely better than Wyndham.
"If anyone can succeed, Tim Tebow can." I'm sick of that argument, I think it is a slap in the face to a lot of other people who were in the 2010 NFL draft, and Broncos fans should seriously start second guessing their organizations decision to draft Tebow in the first round.

Bad Ben

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell suspended Ben Roethlisberger for the first 6 games of the upcoming season, following an incident that occurred in a Georgia nightclub between Ben and a 20 year old sorority girl.

Formal charges were never filed, and no arrests were made, so there are people, either dumb or Steelers fans or both, that will say "well how can Goodell suspend him? He wasn't found guilty!" Well, Ben's not a rockstar, he's an nfl quarterback, and he's been involved with questionable behavior before.

First and foremost, Ben is a 28 year old two-time Super Bowl winning quarterback, representing the most decorated franchise in NFL history, from a city built on hard work and blue collar people. I think it's high time he checked his skirt chasing at the door. If you're Ben Roethlisberger, I doubt its hard to "scratch that itch," why put yourself in that idiotic of a situation, multiple times at that.

The case has come down to a lot of "he said, she said," and I cannot place the blame on one soul party. I cannot acknowledge allegations that Ben's bodyguards dragged this young lady into the bathroom and whatever happened was not consensual but forced by Ben, because that account is coming from drunk people who may be protecting their friend. That being said, I also cannot say that Ben wasn't doing anything wrong, because I think it's pretty clear he was.

I'm ok with the punishment for the crime, and hope that, in the days leading up to the draft, future NFL stars realize that it isn't just throwing touchdowns on Sundays, but there is a certain obligation and higher standard all NFL players should be aware of, and live up to.

Yankee Stadium

If you're not a Yankee fan, it's ok, nobody is perfect.

I've been a Yankee fan since I was young, I guess it started as a rebel against my Red Sox fan parents, but turned into a die hard passion.

My friend and I attended a game this past Sunday. If you have not had the chance to check out George Steinbrenner's Bronx crown jewel, do it, the place is very stunning.

Everytime I go, I usually go to the concession stands and ask myself the same thing, "why do I pay so much." For two bud lights at the stadium, I could buy a 30 pack outside it. For a hot dog, soda, and pretzel, I could buy a ticket to another game at face value.

Do I justify the spending based on atmosphere, or am I just an idiot? Don't answer that...

Playoff Beard

My face is itchy, the hair isn't coming in evenly, and I look borderline homeless, but I'm determined to stick with this playoff beard.

If you're not familiar with the term, check out the link here (yes it has it's own wikipedia).

The tradition in the NHL was started in the 1980's, but starts anew each and every NHL playoffs, and has even been adopted by some other sports.  I'm going to try and do it with them for the length of the NHL playoffs (almost a month). Here are some star playoff beard pics. And by the way, if you see me and my attempt, don't laugh.

 Sidney Crosby can't really grow a good one...

Ryan Miller a little better...

Roy Halladay, 25+ games winner this season

I know it's a bold statement. He'll make about 32-34 starts, and he'll win 25? C'mon man. Never fear, sports fans, I think odds are actually in Halladay's favor to win the 25. Let's look at some numbers.

If we look at just the past four seasons, Halladay is 69 - 33 with the Blue Jays, playing in the AL East, what some say is arguably the best division in baseball.  With lackluster run support from his team (not finishing in the top 10 of runs scored in those four seasons), Halladay has a record of 10-2 against the Yankees, arguably the best team in baseball and a top 5 run scoring team.

Halladay has had a below 3.00 ERA (an ERA in the 3's is considered really good, anything under is incredible) in 2 of the four seasons, a 3.19 and 3.71 ERA in the other two, seasons in which he won 16 games and finished in the top 5 of the Cy Young voting.

Omitting his numbers before these four seasons (including one that he actually won the Cy Young award), the numbers he's put up recently are amazing. After carrying a team on his back, having good record against the Yankees and the Red Sox (2 of the last 4 World Series winners), and facing a DH every time he pitched (not the opposing team's pitcher), Halladay has proven he's one of the best.

Now all of a sudden, he's transplanted to the NL as the Phillies ace, the same Phillies who have appeared in the World Series the past two seasons. The same Phillies who have led the National League in runs scored and RBI's 3 out of the past four seasons (finishing third in the other). You think Halladay would like pitching for a team that scores a lot of runs for once? Yea, I think so too.

After a season of facing lowly teams like the Mets, Nationals, Astros, Padres, Pirates, Diamondbacks, and Reds, I wil notl be shocked if Halladay is not only Cy Young winner, but a 25 wins guy as well.

Phil Master-ful, Tiger falls short

 You don't have to be a golf fan to appreciate what happened at August National golf course this past weekend. The story going in to the Master's Tournament was Tiger Woods, the story now is Phil Mickelson.

Now, more than ever, the two could not be more different. Black and White, a righty and a lefty, and now the poster boy for infidelity trying to salvage his image against the fan friendly Mickelson who's wife and mother-in-law were both diagnosed with breast cancer within six months of each other last year; events that jarred Phil and had him take time away from the tour to be with his family.

Phil's win was not only good for Phil, but also for Tiger. Tiger completed the weekend tied for fourth, and admittedly missed some shots over the four days that could have made him a contender come Sunday evening. The galleries embraced him warmly, and, after a near six-month absence, was able to waltz into the biggest tournament of the year and show that he is still Tiger the magnificent golfer.

Maybe the term "it played out like a movie script" is used too often or too loosely, but this was indeed an instance that called for the phrase.  Phil, the hero, Tiger, the new anti-hero to some, on the biggest stage of their sport, playing great and playing for reasons that extend beyond golf.

With Phil's win, the heat was off Tiger after he showed that he can still golf, still draw the crowds, and even with everything in his personal life, can still be liked.

After Phil sank his last putt to win the tournament by three strokes, a moment that words don't do justice occurred. Phil walked over to his wife Amy, who had not been on the golf course in 11 months and was in bed most of the week, and emotionally embraced her, an embrace that turned many eyes from dry to watery.

You can't make that stuff up.