Category: Eat My Sports

So Roger Goodell did something very un-Roger Goodell like this week, he admitted another mistake, in so many words. We all know the story of Bounty Gate and how Jonathan Vilma has made the league look very bad in its handling of the situation. But Goodell, when faced with appeals, revised some of his suspensions.

Now, let’s not read too much and think that Goodell has turned a new leaf and is the football version of Jesus. But it appears, the shield has suffered enough beatings that cracks have formed and Goodell is starting to listen to reason, and not just, you know, himself.

It’s unfortunate that the league has put itself in these embarrassing situations like in New Orleans and the replacement refs, but at least now we’re starting to see some changes, until it starts affecting the bottom line, then I’m sure he’ll revert.

Oh well, on to the picks. Continue reading Eat My Sports: Is Goodell human?

Well, normally I don’t like to admit I’m wrong, I usually try and find a way to spin the truth in my favor, this one I can’t. Years ago I was convinced that Bud Selig was the worst commissioner in all major sports. His blind eye towards the steroid era followed by ratting out those who made his game what it was reached a breaking point with me. I was wrong. Selig is not the worst leader of one of the major pro sports, he has Roger Goodell to thank for that. But luickily, Selig has done a lot of good in recent years that has made baseball thrive in an era of small ball.

Not many purists liked the idea of implementing a second Wild Card. These were the same people that got pissed off at the first one, and the same people that hate the DH in the AL, whatever. Selig’s introduction of another playoff team has led to the most compelling end to a season since 2010, and that as a rare set of circumstances. But with two days left until the end of the regular season, the AL East, West, second Wild Card and NL Wild card are all still up for grabs, with major seeding implications in every game. Continue reading Eat My Sports: You asked for it edition

No doubt, unless you live literallly underneath a rock, you’ve heard of the blown call heard around the world from the place where the Seattle Seachickens reside. And before we blow up and make this about the refs, take a deep breath and realize that none of this is their fault.

These guys were put in a no win situaion because Roger Goodell is managing the league like a megalomaniac, but if Monday night’s tainted win will accomplish anything, we know now that the real refs, albeit, temporarily, hold the upper hand on the negotiating front. So the refs better act fast. Continue reading Eat My Sports: Referendum

Today marked the death of one Steve Sabol. You might remember him as the reason you missed a lot of classes in college due to his captivating voice on NFL Films. Sabol had the ability to make the 1-15 2007 Dolphins sound interesting. He was a great man who really captivated the essence of what the NFL really was.

We often get saturated with the NFL Network, ESPN and Sports Illustrated having way too many opinions and takes on the sport, but without really having good insight. Sabol was able to break things down to an understanding and intricate level, without sounding too high-handed about the deal.

NFL Films will carry on, but the voice that made us care will never be the same.
Continue reading

Welcome to the beginning of the 2012 NFL season, and of course, my annual predictions edition. My history of predictions is a brief, but well thought out history of this:

2011: Detroit Lions over Houston Texans
2010: Green Bay Packers over Baltimore Ravens
2009: Pittsburgh Steelers over Green Bay Packers
2008: Pittsburgh Steelers over New Orleans Saints

Now, while you might think I don’t know what I’m talking about. Analyze those picks. I predicted the Super Bowl winner correctly twice in four years, had the 2010 Super Bowl matchup predicted in 2009, and had the Saints in the Super Bowl one year before they won it all. So even when I am wrong, I’m not that far off. So, brasss tacks, right? Let’s get down to some predictions. Continue reading Eat My Sports: They’re baaaaaaaaack

Last week I was very bitter. If you recall, I spent roughly 300 words griping about how Theo Epstein had royally screwed over the Red Sox with these outlandish contracts that were going to strap the Sox from making any reasonable moves for the next six years.

Enter the Los Angeles Dodgers of Los Angeles.

The group that is partially owned by Magic Johnson took on $262.5 million worth of salaries that the Red Sox could not get anyone else to take on. Essentially the team said “OK, Magic, here’s the deal, you want Adrian Gonzalez, you can have him, buuuuuuuuuuut, you’re gonna have to pay Josh Beckett $15 million for winning all of six games in the past year, as well as Carl Crawford who has the most laughable contract in sports, and oh, by the way he just underwent Tommy John surgery.” Continue reading Eat My Sports: Hitting the reset button

It has been well documented that the 2012 incarnation of the Boston Red Sox has been a complete disaster. The easy thing to do is point the finger at Bobby Valentine, who while not without blame, is the unfortunate face of this monstrocity. Fried chicken and beer aside, this problem of how bad the Sox really are has roots in the reason they became a juggernaut in the first place, Theo Epstein.

Epstein, who is currently hellbent on destroying another iconic franchise in the Chicago Cubs, made his mark as a brilliant GM who mastered the sabermetrics system that allowed Boston to overachieve and underpay. Somehow, Epstein abandoned this system in the later part of this past decade and simply wanted to overpay the biggest names on the free agent market. Epstein hamstrung the Sox with loaded contracts for players who have crippled the team, or simply can’t stay healty (see: John Lackey, Carl Crawford, Daisuke Matsuzaka and anyone wanting to play shortstop). Continue reading Eat My Sports: Thanks, Theo

This past Sunday marked the much coveted return of the NFL. And while yes, it was the Cardinals against the artists formerly known as the New Orleans Saints, it means we are four short weeks away from 17 weeks of good old fashioned fantasy football.

My fantasy shortcomings have been well documented in EMS over the years, but last year my time to shine came through as my team the Jacksonville Jackuars brought home the golden bottle of Jack (our league trophy) and ended my years of postseason futility. It was not without it’s hiccups though, as in order to be crowned champ, I had to defeat my wife. Continue reading Eat My Sports: No man is a fantasy island

One of the many things that never ceases to amaze me or piss me off about the New York Yankees is their ability to completely surprise you when you thought nothing was coming. The Yankls, who have pretty muich been dormant on the trade talks all season long, acquired Ichiro Suzuki. You know, the Japanese version of Pete Rose that never, ever slows down or loses any of his baseball abilities.

Now, this move doesn’t surprise me that the Yanks got Ichiro, the following things made it just completely weird:
1. It happened on a Monday.
2. The Yankees and Mariners pulled off this trade while playing each other in Seattle, so Ichiro played one game against the Yankees, then suited up the next day for them.
3. Ichiro was on the trading block? Continue reading Eat My Sports: Wait, what?