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Last Word On Sports

Sports News Since 2011. Honestly.

Last Word On Sports Logo

Sports. Honestly. Since 2011

Month: February 2012

Where Will He Go: An Off-season With Peyton Manning

Posted on by Anto Dowsett

As he gets hit, he heaves the ball deep down the sideline to Reggie Wayne. As Wayne separates, the ball if perfectly placed – just one more notch on the future Hall-Of-Famer’s belt.  But this time Manning’s down, and he’s not moving.  Could this spell the end of Peyton Manning?

Now if you watch football in any sort, you would know this is not what happened, because there was not one specific hit that can be identified as the cause of the neck injury Manning is now facing. According to Jim Irsay, “the injury built up over time.” “This injury” was not a small one, and in fact this injury is one of the main reasons why the Colts finished 2-14 last season. The neck injury Peyton suffered caused him to undergo three different surgeries and due to these surgeries, Peyton was not physically fit to play in any games last season. Further, this specific injury has brought about utter chaos in the football world.

Since the Colts finished 2-14, they were last in the NFL and they will receive the first overall pick in April’s rookie draft, and many experts believe they will go on to draft Stanford’s quarterback, Andrew Luck. Luck has been named one of the greatest draft prospects since Peyton himself, and the Colts couldn’t pass on a chance like this, could they? But if they do draft Andrew Luck, NFL’s cap is not set up to allow any team to employ two potential all-pro quarterbacks, which poses quite the conundrum.  So what are the Colts to do?  Draft the unproven, yet young and healthy, Andrew Luck and win in the future, or will they keep Peyton, trade the first pick for a multitude of picks and try to build around Manning to win now?

On Twitter, Jim Irsay has made it clear that if Peyton was deemed to be healthy, the Colts would not get rid of him. But now that two different doctors have pronounced that Peyton is physically fit to resume play, it seems as if Jim is going to go back on his word. Through this social networking site, Irsay has all but confirmed that the Colts have officially released Manning. But with his $28 million bonus due March 8th, many believe that the confirmation will occur within the next few weeks. Nevertheless, with Manning being physically fit, and with him wanting to play more than anything else, I believe he will do whatever it takes to once again play for an NFL team.  The only question remains is which team will he play for?

There are multiple suitors that can make a case for why Peyton would be a good fit with their respective team. Some of these teams include: the Cardinals, the Jets, the Redskins and the Dolphins.

Personally, I believe that the best opportunity would be with the Arizona Cardinals. They just signed Peyton’s quarterback coach from the Colts to be their quarterback coach, and Peyton is apparently having dinner with their top talent. This talent they currently possess is a top-five receiving weapon named Larry Fitzgerald, who has shown his amazing ability by catching 170 passes for 2,548 yards from quarterbacks John Skelton, Max Hall and Kevin Kolb in just two years. If an all-pro receiver isn’t enough to sway Peyton’s choice, it can also be said that the NFC West is the most conquerable division in all of football and would pose the easiest path to another Super Bowl for Manning. Just think what Kurt Warner was able to do with Larry and you will see why this opportunity should make Manning’s mouth start watering. Although, he does have other options.

He could sign with the New York Jets who say they are “one piece away” from a Super Bowl ring. They have a tremendous defence, and an above average receiving core. But if I were Peyton, I would want to play in the nicest weather possible, not in the terrible winter’s that New York can have.

The Redskins can also make a case as a team that is suitable for this famous all-pro quarterback. Their defence is of good quality and they have some nice weapons on offence, but with Mike and Kyle Shanahan running the show in Washington, it seems doubtful that the game-managing Manning would be able to work efficiently with this duo.

Last, the Dolphins possess a great young receiver in Brandon Marshall, a defence who came along at the end of last season, a running game that exploded with Reggie Bush, a franchise blind side left tackle in Jake Long and, as a cherry on top of the cake, Manning already owns a condo in South Beach. Furthermore, in the beautiful weather of Miami, Manning would get the chance to duel it out with his top rival, Tom Brady, twice a year. Coincidentally, he would receive what seems as an easy 2012 schedule facing the likes of the 49ers, Bengals, Cardinals, Jaguars, Raiders, Rams, Seahawks, Texans and Titans. Oh yeah, he would get to face Indy.  Seems a little too perfect, doesn’t it?

Just about everyone in the football world wonders where this four time MVP and Super Bowl champion will go, but this process will take time, potentially all off-season, and it involves a few steps, with the first one occurring before March 8th when the Colts will ultimately decide to release Peyton Manning.

…and that is the last word.

Abandoning Ship? What is Happening to the Good Ship Argonauts?

Posted on by Carl Mostacci
Could Lamport Stadium become the Argos home?

The Toronto Argonauts started the 2012 CFL Off-Season with a bang.  They acquired all-star quarterback Ricky Ray in a trade (which I already ranted about in a previous article)  and hired Scott Milanovich as their head coach, leaving Jim Barker to focus on general managing duties.

However, weeks later it seems like the oars are falling off the boat in Argo-Land. Jonathan Himebauch, Milanovich’s offensive coordinator choice, vacated the job six weeks after accepting it for a coaching position with Wake Forest University.

The team’s training facility was destroyed by a fire in December.  Team President Bob Nicholson resigned in late January to persue other interests and to top it all off, they may be punted (pun intended) out of their home as Major League Baseball’s Toronto Blue Jays, explore the possibility of installing natural turf in SkyDome, the stadium both teams call home.

I can see why Himebauch left for the NCAA coaching job.  Opportunities like that do not come around everyday, so he can not be faulted for jumping at the chance. Himebauch can earn more money, coach in his native United States and be in a brighter spotlight by coaching US college football.

Nicholson leaving his post caught me off-guard.  Toronto is hosting the 2012 Grey Cup.  I would think he would want to be a part of that.  His departure concerns me, and leads me to believe all is not well with the boatmen and there off-field struggles continue.  Grey Cup Chairman, Chris Rudge, has assumed both roles.

As a Ticat fan, you would think I would relish seeing the Argos in turmoil, but that couldn’t be further from the truth.  Actually, this concerns me because both teams need one another to survive long-term.

I don’t think grass can be grown indoors at SkyDome, but perhaps there is some form of advanced sod-growing technology that I don’t know about.  According to reports, the first and third baseline seats will permanently have to be secured to prevent damage to the grass.  As a result of this, the stadium would no longer be able to be converted to football, and the Argos would be homeless.

Many have suggested the Argos should examine playing at BMO Field.  We all know the story how the team turned down this opportunity before the stadium was built, leading to soccer-only dimensions being put in place, which are too small for Canadian football.

But I think the Argos have to think out of the box and try something new.  Back in 2001, then team owner Sherwood Schwartz, examined moving home games to Toronto’s Lamport Stadium.  The idea was rejected mainly because it only seats 15,000, lacks parking, concessions and many other modern amenities their current home offers.   At the time, I believed the idea was ridiculous, too.

However I have since had an about-face.  Even if they try it for one game, it won’t hurt.  The Argos average attendance the last ten years has been at, or below, 20,000.  A sea of blue empty seats sadly is visible at their home games, which leaves a minor league public perception.  I’m sure a few thousand extra seats can be added to Lamport Stadium, boosting its capacity to what the Argos average each game.  The fans will be sitting closer together in an outdoor stadium, that although smaller, is more full and will provide a more intimate and fun atmosphere for a football game.  In addition, as the stadium’s only and primary tennant, the Argos would be able to call the shots, have priority to stadium availability and be able to pick dates they want to play football on, instead of working around the Blue Jays and whatever else Rogers schedules in their current home.  Finally the stadium is still located relatively close to downtown Toronto and is easily accessible by public transit.  All of these opportunities will lead to the team having a stronger public perception in the Toronto area.

Don’t believe me?  Just ask the Montreal Alouettes.  During their first two seasons back in Montreal after a ten year absence, they averaged under 8,000 fans per game playing at 60,000 seat Olympic Stadium, which is not located  downtown.  But a U2 concert at the Big “O” forced the Alouettes to play a 1997 home playoff date at decaying Perceival Molson Stadium on McGill University Campus.  What initially seemed as an embarrassing situation for the team, turned out the be a blessing. Montreal fans loved watching football outside, in an intimate atmosphere located downtown.  The change was very well received, resulting in it becoming a permanent solution the following season, except for the odd playoff and regular season game.

Unfortunately, the Argos once again face a difficult crossroads and may be forced to make decisions that ultimately may affect the team’s future.  I’m not saying Lamport Stadium will be the answer.  I don’t know if it is still feasible.  I believe the Argos have to try this experiment, however, even for only one game.  Playing at SkyDome isn’t working and has not done so for quite some time.  So it’s time to go back to the drawing board and consider changes that will help this team make money instead of continually lose it.  I want to continue having the opportunity to yell “ARGOS SUCK” when they play my Hamilton Tiger Cats.  For that reason, I don’t want to see everybody jump off the ship.

What do you think?

…and that is the last word.

 

Phantom's Saturday NHL Picks – February 11, 2012

Posted on by Grant Alexander

Things are getting started early this Saturday, as there are six afternoon games, and six evening games, all of which are going to be on your Saturday pool ticket. It looks like it might not be an overly challenging week, so grab a coffee and your number two pencil, and get ready for the inside scoop to make your day a success. Hopefully you’ll be so happy Sunday morning that you forget all about the lack of football…

Nashville @ Boston

Believe it or not, Nashville has the better record lately, and more points in the standings. But Boston has had time to stew in their 6-0 loss to Buffalo. Look for them to be fired up for this game. I also generally like the home team in cross-conference battles. Boston at 1.45.

Florida @ New Jersey

Florida seems to be treading water these days, after a strong start to the season. They are barely hanging on to a playoff spot over Washington, and desperately need the win. Despite their need, I have trouble taking them over a very good, and surging Devils team. I’ll take the Jersey boys at 1.45.

Los Angeles @ New York Islanders

The odds make this one tough. L.A is the better team by far, and would usually be a no-brainer. However, this game features a 1pm Eastern Standard Time Zone start, which can be a nightmare for a travelling West Coast team. I was expecting to see L.A as a heavy favorite, which would allow me to jump on the juicy home team odds, but it turns out that’s not the case. Proline has obviously factored that in and has the odds as basically even. So in that case I’m back to taking the better team. Los Angeles at 1.70.

New York Rangers @ Philadelphia

If you plan on watching any of the early games today, this is the one to watch. It should be a tight, high-scoring, physical game. And played between two of the top teams in the East. The Rangers have won all four of their prior meetings this season, but three of those games were in New York. I actually like Philly to break the streak here; as I don’t see them getting swept by their division rival, and an afternoon home game is the perfect scenario. I’ll take Philly at 1.70.

Winnipeg @ Pittsburgh

Winnipeg really needs to win if they want a shot at the post season, but they have trouble doing that on the road. And we all know what the Penguins are like at home. Pittsburgh at 1.30.

Edmonton @ Ottawa

This should be a fun game. Ottawa is trying to pull out of a slide, and Edmonton is randomly unpredictable. I like the Sens, but I won’t discount Edmonton at 2 to 1. Ottawa at 1.55.

Tampa Bay @ Buffalo

Can you believe these teams are deadlocked in the standings, 10 points out of first? The Sabres should be able to win this one at home, but wow is Tampa getting good odds! This is one of those games that I would probably take Buffalo in the pool, and Tampa straight up. Tampa at 2.10.

Montreal @ Toronto

It’s hard not to like this classic Saturday night showdown, even if this one does seem a little one-sided. Montreal is the winners of three straight, Toronto losers of two, and if it was in Montreal I would give them the edge, but it’s not, and I won’t. Toronto at 1.50.

Colorado @ St. Louis

St. Louis should be the talk of the town, with only three home losses in regulation. But they seem to be in their division leaders shadow as Detroit sports only two. Either way I wouldn’t want to play either of these teams at home. St. Louis at 1.40.

Columbus @ Minnesota

Columbus is on the road, in the basement, and close to possibly losing their captain. Just don’t pick them. Minnesota at 1.35.

Chicago @ Phoenix

Chicago is having serious goaltending issues right now, as Crawford can’t seem to hold onto the number one job despite the stellar team in front of him. Backup goalie Ray Emery isn’t playing much better either. But in this tilt it shouldn’t matter, as Chicago’s offense should more than compensate. Chicago at 1.55.

Vancouver @ Calgary

I love the western Canadian matchup, but as these teams are in the same division, they seem to be in different leagues right now. Calgary has won a few lately, but the Canucks are far superior. Vancouver at 1.45.

Favorites

Boston
New Jersey
Pittsburgh
Toronto
St. Louis
Minnesota
Chicago
Vancouver

Pick ‘ems

Los Angeles
Philadelphia
Ottawa

Underdogs

Tampa Bay

OWC (Odds Worth Considering)

Nashville 2.20
New York Islanders 1.80
Edmonton 2.00

That’s it for this week. Look for more Phantom picks coming next week. And as always, good luck, and let me know how you did!

Serie A, Review Week 22 and Preview of Week 23

Posted on by Frank Giuliano

Review of Serie A, Week 22

Week 22 was a tricky one for the Serie A as Italy has been struck with an arctic blast of extreme cold temperature that the Italians have not experienced in decades! In the nation’s capital, AS Roma destroyed Internazionale FC with a well rounded result, 4-0. Nerazzurri boss Claudio Ranieri was very disappointed with his side’s performance as he returned to the Stadio Olimpico for the first time as an opponent. Roma youngster Fabio Borini bagged a brace for the Giallorossi. ACF Fiorentina defeated Udinese Calcio 3-2 in an incredibly entertaining match-up with excellent flow of play from both teams. Stevan Jovetic scored twice for the Viola. Juventus FC remains undefeated and top of the table with a tie at home against Siena. In the second half, the Bianconeri poured on the pressure, but the Siena defence held off the Old Lady’s siege. Juve had penalty appeals waived, but replays show that Vergassola of Siena clearly handled the ball in the 18-yard box. At the San Siro in Milan, AC Milan continued to struggle as they tied SSC Napoli 0-0. Zlatan Ibrahimovic showed his frustration by slapping Napoli defender Aronica, for which he received a red card and a three-game suspension from the Lega Calcio. This bone-headed move really hurts the Rossoneri who are already short-handed in all sections of the park. Ibra will miss key fixtures against Udinese Calcio, but more importantly he will sit out the top-of-the-table clash against Juventus.

 

Preview of Week 23

As was noted, Italy continues to be hit by blizzards and freezing cold temperatures which, so far, have caused two Week 23 match-ups to be postponed namely Bologna v Juventus and Parma v Fiorentina.

 AC Milan starts the weekend off in Udine where they will take on third-place Udinese Calcio. The bianconeri of Udine will be aiming to keep their undefeated home streak against a broken Rossoneri side. This game is important for both clubs as they are in need of the three points in order to keep pace with Juventus at the top who currently has two games to recuperate, both being against Parma and Bologna away from Turin. The Diavoli are currently displaying a poor run of form, more recently coming from a Coppa Italia defeat at home against Juventus in midweek. They will also take on Arsenal in the Champions League in the upcoming round of games. Rossoneri coach Massimiliano Allegri has called for the excuses to end and to start winning games again. There is no better time for this than now against a Scudetto rival!

Siena v Roma. The Giallorossi would love to obtain back-to-back wins but it will be tough against a stubborn team like Siena who have been playing well as late, most recently defeating SSC Napoli 2-1 in Coppa Italia action at the San Paolo in Naples.

Napoli v Chievo. Walter Mazzarri’s men are without a win in five consecutive league games and desperately want to avoid a fourth loss to Chievo who are more than capable of causing trouble for any team in the Italian league.

Inter v Novara. The Nerazzurri are aiming to put the embarrassing defeat in Rome last weekend behind them with a convincing win against last-placed Novara. Novara’s objective this season is to try to remain in the Serie A and will attempt to take advantage of Inter’s weak confidence and defence early on in this game. That’s the last word…

 

Week 22 05 Feb 2012
Cesena P – P Catania
Chievo 1 – 2 Parma
Fiorentina 3 – 2 Udinese
Genoa 3 – 2 Lazio
Juventus 0 – 0 Siena
Lecce 0 – 0 Bologna
Milan 0 – 0 Napoli
Novara 0 – 0 Cagliari
Palermo 2 – 1 Atalanta
Roma 4 – 0 Inter
Week 23 12 Feb 2012 (14.00 UK)
Atalanta Preview Lecce
Bologna P – P Juventus(19.45)
Cagliari Preview Palermo(Sat 19.45)
Catania Preview Genoa
Inter Preview Novara
Lazio 3 – 2 Cesena(Thu 19.45)
Napoli Preview Chievo(Mon 19.45)
Parma P – P Fiorentina
Siena Preview Roma(Mon 19.45)
Udinese Preview Milan(Sat 17.00)
FIXTURES
Week 24 19 Feb 2012
Cesena – Milan
Fiorentina – Napoli
Genoa – Chievo
Inter – Bologna
Juventus – Catania
Lecce – Siena
Novara – Atalanta
Palermo – Lazio
Roma – Parma
Udinese – Cagliari

Why Knockouts and Tapouts Are on Their Way Out in MMA

Posted on by Mark Modeski

Here’s a stat that may not come as a surprise to long-time fans of MMA, and UFC in particular: Since 1993, the number of times a fight has been stopped due to a knock-out or tap-out has dropped by nearly 50%.

What’s the deal?!

In 1993, every fight on that first hallowed UFC event came to a finish , while in 2010 only 52% of the fights came to a decisive end. This may not be a directly fair comparison as fights in the first UFC went on until they finished, it wasn’t until UFC 21 when the five-minute round system came into effect that decisions were even a possibility. So maybe that should be our starting point.

In 1999, at UFC 21 when the round system came into effect 75% of fights came to a finish – still a far cry from the 50% we’re “enjoying” today. So, if it isn’t the format, what is it?

Some claim that the number of events has grown so much over the years, that inevitably there are going to be fewer finishes. Sorry, wrong again. For example, in 2008 there nineteen events and a finishing percentage of 68%; in 2010 there were twenty-two events, and alas, I remind you again of that “50%” number.

So, if it isn’t the fact that the fight system has changed, and it’s not the number of events, what is it?

While there are likely a number of contributing factors to the lack of finishes in the UFC, I think we’ve entered a new age of MMA.  It has become the age of the smart fighter, where the victory is more often decided after the final bell. The days of fighters like Cabbage Correira and Tank Abbott, who would come into the Octagon prepared to have their face beat in so long as they could grind out a win on a looping right hook, are gone.

Today we have fighters who enter the stage with a game plan specifically tailored to the fighter they’re about to face. Georges St. Pierre, Frankie Edgar, Anderson Silva, even Chael Sonnen – when you watch these fighters step in against their respective competitor they come in with a game plan to stifle their opponent and avoid getting hit.

If you disagree, I respect your opinion, but please ask yourself one question: Why do Jackson MMA fighters have the highest winning percentage of any other camp? Anyone who knows MMA knows that Greg Jackson is the godfather of the game plan. This past weekend’s Diaz v. Condit match was a perfect example. Diaz is still under the school of thought that you should stand-and-bang with your opponent, whereas Condit came in with a plan to avoid falling into Diaz’s game. I shouldn’t need to tell you who the victor was.

So prepare yourself for more decisions, and say good-bye to the old school mentality of stand-and-bang; they will soon be relics of the past.

… and that is the last word

Follow Mark on Twitter – @LastWordMark

 

The New Game of Football: How Quarterbacks are Changing Defenses

Posted on by Ben Kerr

When Larry Fitzgerald contorted to make an incredible grab in Super Bowl 43, turned up-field, and ran the ball to the house scoring with 2:37 left on the clock, I remember exactly what my first thought was – “What an amazing play!  Does he realize he just lost his team the Super Bowl?”

Stay with me.

There was no doubt in my mind that the Cardinals left entirely too much time for Ben Roethlisberger and the Steelers to respond.  There are some quarterbacks that you just can’t give any time at the end of the game to beat you or else they will, every time.  It doesn’t really matter how the game has been going to that point, because the best of the best at the QB position will elevate their game and get the winning points.  Not only that but they will make it look easy.  This has been the trend in the NFL since the start of the millenia, and by the time the Cards played the Steelers in Super Bowl 43 it was already a fact.

That’s why every Patriots fan in the world had to feel some anxiety when the Giants got the ball back with too much time left on the clock.  It didn’t matter that they only had 15 points in 3 1/2 quarters of football.  It didn’t matter they were starting at their own 12-yard line.  All that mattered, really, was that Eli Manning had climbed into that elite class of QB’s at some point this season; the type of QB that you just can’t give the ball to at the end of the game or else he will beat you – no doubt about it.

Actually, the only question going into that final Giants’ drive was how much time they were going to leave the Patriots to respond after they regained the lead.  In this way I think the Manningham catch was less meaningful than people are making it seem.  Without that catch the Giants probably take a lot more time off the clock and end up launching a potential game winning field goal with just a few ticks.  Because of that catch, the Giants actually drove the field too fast and gave the Patriots a chance to respond, however small that chance was.

Knowing this, was there anything the Patriots could have done differently to avoid this situation at the end of the game?  I can’t question the decision to challenge the big catch by Manningham, thereby burning a timeout.  And I don’t think there was anything wrong with letting the Giants score the TD near the end of the game to try to save some time for the team to respond.  The only thing I can see the Patriots did wrong was trying to shorten the game in the first place.

After stopping the Giants on their first drive of the 4th quarter, the Patriots got the ball back on their own 8-yard line with 9:24 remaining.  Completing a 9-minute final drive against the Giants defense is pretty much out of the question, so is completing a 92-yard touchdown drive.  So why, then, is it that the Pats seemed to go into clock-killing mode?  It would seem like this would have been the perfect time for the hurry-up.  If they drove the field for points then they were up more than a field goal and they would then force the Giants to score a TD to beat them.  Even if that happened there would likely still be time left on the clock to respond with a field goal of their own.

However, if their drive happen to stall, they could punt the ball and still leave enough time left on the clock for their own offense to respond if the Giants scored on their ensuing drive. Still with me?  Instead they seemed to take as much time as possible while driving the ball to mid-field.  When they gave the Giants the ball back with only 3:46 left in the game it seemed like they needed to come up with a stop on defense or risk not having any time to respond on offense.  Maybe they really weren’t trying to kill the clock, or maybe they just didn’t trust their hurry-up offense against the Giants pass rush?

Either way, it is hard for me the believe that Bill Belichick had complete confidence in his defense to get a stop at the end of the game, considering his defense’s performance in recent seasons.  Am I saying the Patriots shouldn’t have punted on 4th and 11 at mid-field to give the Giants the ball back?  Not necessarily; I am just saying that anything is better than giving Eli the ball back with less than 4 minutes to go.

Many fans I’ve spoken with since Sunday night haven’t agreed with my opinion on this topic.  All I can offer as a rebuttal is that every time a big-time QB has the ball in a big game, trailing by one score or less in the dying minutes, that QB has come though every time that I can remember – aside from Super Bowl 44.  in SB44, Peyton Manning threw an interception in the closing minutes with his team behind, and if it wasn’t for the INT ending the game there was little doubt as to whether the Saints could have ever stopped the Colts on 4 straight downs.  In every other situation as long as the QB was given enough time to respond, he has.  That’s just the way it is in the NFL these days.  QB’s rule the game, and only one or two defenses every year can ever be trusted to get a stop.  Coaches need to adjust accordingly and start thinking outside the box, unless they are happy to keep losing conventionally.

…and that’s the last word.

2011 – A Year of Records at the Tracks

Posted on by Dwayne Edwards

Another year in the books, and race fans, it has been another very successful year!

Okay, we didn’t have a triple crown winner in Canada or the States.  And so what if the Breeders Cup Classic winner Drosselmeyer paid $31 along with many other long shots paying $131, $85 and $57. That just adds value for the gambler as many of the stake races of 2011 were won by horses that were not top choices of the betters.

What we did have for the third year in a row was the Horse of the Year, Havre de Grace, being female.  While a big story, for me it wasn’t the biggest.  How about Rapid Redux – you want to talk impressive? This horse has won 22-straight races since 2010, 19 races in 2011 alone. Very few horses even run 19 times in a year, never mind winning all of them.

In my opinion a horse and trainer combo couldn’t put a string of 22 wins in a row, even if they fixed the race or used a different horse each time. Something is bound to go wrong; break bad, poor track condition or get into trouble some where in the race. Rapid Redux is in the record books; 22 consecutive wins and counting. We know he is not in the same class as the best horses in the world, but this is an achievement worth noting, and something that we may never see again as race fans!

There were many other spectacular feats last year.  At Woodbine race track in Toronto, Canada, trainers and jockeys had outstanding meets. Mark Casse set a record with 119 wins in one year surpassing the previous record of 89, and also compiling $6.6 million in purses, another record. This was his 5th straight year as leading trainer at the Woodbine meet. We definitely cannot count out two other trainers that come to mind.  Hall of Famer Roger Attfield, added 12 stake races, which included 7 graded stakes, to his outrageous lifetime achievement. Mister two-year-old himself, Ralph Biamonte, as always kept to his ways with the babies winning 7 “two-year old” stake races.

Enough with the trainers, let’s look at some jockeys who made news.  Luis Contreas had a phenomenal year with 212 wins and a record $11.5 million in purses!  He won all three Triple Crown races upon two different horses – Inglorious, a filly who beat the boys in The Queens Plate, and with Pender Harbour for the last two legs. Jockey Patrick Husbands was impressive once again, falling just shy of 200 wins and right near the $10 million mark in purses.  He has been incredibly consistent since the turn of the millennium.

The Soveriegn Awards, where the best of 2011 in Canada are celebrated, come to us on April 5th.  Good luck to all nominees, especially to fellow Fort Erie Race Tracker, Betty Jo Williams.

With this in mind, it can’t go without mentioning that 2011 was certainly missing something – a superstar, and no head-to-head match-ups to create the “buzz”. The Sport of Kings missed that in 2011.  Where were those champions of the past such as Ghostzapper, Invasor, Curlin, Rachel Alexander, and the unforgettable Zenyatta? These five spectacular race horses have finished their racing careers, but don’t think that spells the end of their time in the racing industry – they have moved on to the breeding shed!

…and that is the last word.

Miami Drops Duke; Top 7 Hold Ground, Leading Up To Rivalry Week

Posted on by taketheleap
Miami's Reggie Johnson (42) reacts following a basket against Duke. His Hurricanes upset Duke at Cameron on Sunday afternoon, 78-74. (photo courtesy of hurricanesports.cstv.com)

Here are your (lengthy) Points of Interest from the last week in college basketball:

  • Formerly-ranked Illinois knocked off #9 Michigan State on Tuesday night, 42-41. MSU drops out of the Top 10 to #11 with the loss.
  • In one of ten games that pitted ranked teams against each other this week, #23 Michigan knocked off #20 Indiana on Wednesday, 68-56. The win moves the Wolverines up to #22.
  • Perpetual yo-yo Gonzaga dropped to Brigham Young (BYU) Wednesday night, 83-73. The loss drops the former #24 Bulldogs out of the AP Top 25… again.
  • Notre Dame almost played itself into the Top 25 by knocking off #15 Marquette at home, 76-59, Saturday afternoon. The Irish fell a few votes short of the #25 slot, despite several quality wins against ranked teams.
  • The #12 Florida Gators bested former #25 Vanderbilt on Saturday, 73-65, in a great second half. The win moves Florida up to #8 in the AP Poll. With gutsy wins like this, the Gators should be marked down as a dark horse for March Madness. A Final Four birth is not out of the question.
  • #3 Ohio State marched into the Badgers home floor and knocked off #19 Wisconsin on Saturday afternoon, 58-52.
  • The Florida State Seminoles; I am writing every week about them it seems and how they have earned their place in the Top 25 with legit wins over ranked teams. Well, they just knocked of #16 Virginia last Saturday, 58-55, one of the three teams everyone expected out of the ACC – the other two being UNC and Duke. Even I never thought they would be in the discussion, but with that win, they can punch their ticket to March.
  • Unranked Wyoming welcomed former #11 UNLV onto their floor Saturday and then held off a late charge to beat the Rebels. The loss drops UNLV to #14.
  • Northern Iowa, also unranked, upset one of my other dark horses for March, former #13 Creighton. The Blue Jays fall to #17.
  • In the game of the week, #4 Missouri held off #8 Kansas, besting them 74-71, Saturday night. The win creates a three-way tie atop the Big 12, with Baylor, Kansas and Missouri all holding 8-2 records.
  • Michigan State made up for their earlier loss to Illinois, by beating their cross-state rivals, #23 Michigan, 64-54, Sunday afternoon.
  • And last but not least, as the lead picture implies, the unranked Miami Hurricanes marched into Cameron Indoor Stadium and knocked off former #7 Duke. The Hurricanes nearly blew a 14-point halftime lead, but held off the Blue Devils to win in OT, 78-74.

 

This coming week promises some fantastic games; here are your upcoming Games of Interest for Rivalry Week.

  • What I consider to be the best rivalry in all of sports writes another chapter this week, when the #10 Duke Blue Devils make the eight-mile drive down to Chapel Hill to take on the #5 North Carolina Tar Heels. Based less on geographical proximity and more on years of amazing basketball tradition at both schools, this matchup needs very little hype. But just in case you need some, here’s a video. And a book. And there’s also a t-shirt or two. Tip is Wednesday, 9PM EST.
  • After their loss to #4 Missouri last week, #7 Kansas is thrown from the pot into the fire, with a battle against #6 Baylor. That games goes off Wednesday, 7PM EST.
  • The top team in the country, #1 Kentucky, has a couple of tests this week. First, they travel to Florida, for a battle with the #8 Gators; tip is Tuesday, 7PM EST. Then they get the formerly-ranked Vanderbilt (Saturday, 9PM EST). A tough week for the Wildcats, indeed.
  • #2 Syracuse hosts a pair of rivals this week: #12 Georgetown (Tuesday, 7PM) and the yo-yo Connecticut Huskies (Saturday, 1PM EST).
  • After knocking off Kansas last week, #4 Missouri is rewarded with a Saturday afternoon (1:45PM EST) showdown with #6 Baylor.
  • After their Wednesday game against Duke, #5 North Carolina hosts #19 Virginia. Tip is Saturday, 1PM EST.
  • The #3 Ohio State Buckeyes get another good test this week, hosting #11 Michigan State, in a battle for the top spot in the Big Ten. Tip for the Buckeyes-Spartans is Saturday, 6PM EST.
  • #9 Murray State, still undefeated at 23-0, hosts Tennessee State and Austin Peay this week; Thursday and Saturday respectively.
  • The Aztecs of San Diego State (#13) hosts their border-rivals, #14 UNLV, Saturday, 4PM EST.

 

The games of Rivalry Week always have consequences on the tournament. It will be excited to see what happens this year. Enjoy the games and Go Heels Go.

… and that’s the last word.

GSP vs. Diaz Needs to Happen First!

Posted on by Ben Johnson

UFC 143 was supposed to be the domination of Nick Diaz at the hands of Canada’s pride and joy, George St. Pierre.  But plans went awry with GSP ‘s injury and the fight that everyone wanted to see was temporarily put on hold.  Instead we witnessed Carols Condit use a well-strategized stick-and-move system to score a controversial decision win against Nick Diaz.  He is now on top of the world as interim welterweight champion, as he awaits the return George St. Pierre.

I can tell you right now with the utmost confidence, that GSP is still the unified champion and everyone knows that.  Saturday night only confirmed our suspicions after watching Condit struggle to finish the fight.  I have no doubt in my mind that GSP will pick apart Condit and reclaim what’s rightfully his.  He is clearly in a class of his own in the Welterweight division.

With this loss Diaz is now on the back burner with the focus now on GSP v.s. Condit to determine a unified champion.  The UFC should hold off the welterweight unification match and give us fans the fight we want to see; GSP vs. Diaz.  People will still have interest in this match due to our love for GSP combined with the irritating trash-talking Nick Diaz had done in preparation for the GSP fight.

The welterweight championship is highly prestigious and I can’t imagine the feeling of being recognized as the greatest fighter in your weight class. But what I can say is that there is something that is worth more than a title and that’s PRIDE.  GSP told Dana White that for the first time in his career he was taking a fight versus Diaz personally. When one of your star athletes makes this kind of request, it is only logical to get on board.

I have no issues with Condit defending the belt against another opponent afterward. If anything, it gives him the chance to get some more credibility with a title defense. The winner then can enter the octagon with GSP, after he shuts Diaz’s mouth, to set-up the unification match.  It really doesn’t matter who is holding the welterweight belt because GSP is just going to win it back.

…and that’s the last word.