I saw this article, and while I'm glad that it was my Boise State Broncos that did this to Oregon, I do respect Oregon and now their coach a whole lot more. Read this, and see if it doesn't make you think that there aren't good people out there coaching. I'm glad that they hired Chip Kelley, cause if he said no, they were going to come after Boise State's Chris Peterson (he is an alum, and a former coach from there).
That's right football fans, it's kickoff Sunday. College is two weeks in, but it's the NFL that will take center stage this weekend. The NFL is the most popular sport in the US, and thanks to them we have our all of our Sundays (save for the one we give to our spouses during the bye week) planned out for us. What a great day. Today my Seahawks start back on the road to redemption, to prove to their critics that last years record was due to injuries and not talent. We've mad our additions, and while the window for success might be closing on them, its not shut. So here's to my Hawks, and all of your teams (unless they're the Rams), hoping that they all get off on the right foot.
Ah yes, it's that time of year again. The time where men become boys as they root for their favorite football teams (I'm of course referring to both American football and soccer here). The seasons are just beginning. Hope still abounds in everyone. Everyone still thinks that their teams can be champions. Some of our teams are defending championships, like my very own Red Devils of Manchester (who are doing this for the third year in a row), while others like my Seahawks are just hoping for redemption. Some like Washington State are hoping to rise out of mediocrity, and others like Boise State are just hoping for the chance to prove that they're as good as the rest. Some seasons are coming to and end. The Sounders are fighting their way into the MLS playoffs and the Mariners are doing their damnedest to get themselves out of contention. So here's to us, the fans, and to hoping that the right teams (mainly mine) find their way to the top.
Yesterday, Joe Sakic, my favorite hockey player, decided to call it a career after 20 years in the NHL. While he spent his time with two teams, the Quebec Nordiques and Colorado Avalanche, it was one franchise. So often do you miss this kind of loyalty to a franchise. He stayed, even after they moved. He was always the consumate professional. He has more records than I care to recount here. So thank you Joe, not just for the Stanley Cups, but for how you played the game...like a professional. And if you don't belive me. The Great One, Wayne Gretzky had this to say about him: "I think he's had an outstanding career, a brilliant career ... The thing about Joe is he did it with so much class and so much dignity. Very humble, almost shy, but when he got on the ice he was dynamic, very unselfish."
Gina told me something the other day and I just had to verify it. She told me that she'd heard on the radio that the 4th of July was the holiday with the largest beer sales. That just didn't sound right. I thought, and wrongly it turns out, that this was just because the Super Bowl wasn't considered a holiday. Surely the Super Bowl sells the most beer. However, as this chart below shows, the Super Bowl is number 8...behind Easter. Take a look, what do you think? This chart was posted on January of this year, so it is current, but that still doesn't mean I'm buying. So sound off, are you buying or selling the Super Bowl as the 8th largest beer sales holiday?
Most people in the United States could care less about soccer, but they do so love a winner. Maybe that's the problem with US Soccer, the lack of trophies, or even good results. Well, then here's something for you. Sunday the US Men's National Team will play for the Confederations Cup Championship against either Brasil or South Africa (most likely Brasil). This will be their first ever final in a major tournament (they have played in several consolation games, even placing third in this tournament several years ago). Those that have paid attention already know that it has not been an easy road. The US lost their first two games of the tournament 3-1 to Italy and 3-0 to Brasil. They needed a miracle to make it out of the group stages to the semi-finals. Not only did they need to beat Egypt by three, but they needed Brasil to beat Italy by three. That would tie the US, Italy, and Egypt all with three points in the group, since Egypt had managed to beat the Italians 1-0 last week, and the US would advance on goal differential (difference between goals scored and goals allowed for you non-soccer types). Well, the US got their six goal swing as both the US and Brasil won 3-0. This got the US to the semi-final...against Spain. A Spanish team that is currently ranked number one in the world, has won 15 straight games, and hasn't lost a game in their last 35. I thought the US would do well to not be embarrassed, afterall they hadn't beaten a number one team since 1999 when we beat Brasil 1-0 in the United States. They played an inspired 90 minutes and did something most teams dream of, they held the Spaniards scoreless. The defensive line was beyond outstanding, while the US managaged carefully planned counterattacks that resulted in two goals from Jozy Altidore and Clint Dempsey. The US were opportunists, and they made the most of them. Does this rank up there with the US hockey teams victory over Russia in the Olympics? I don't know. Spain is a team with that kind of dominance and the US, while not highly ranked (number 14 according to FIFA), isn't that kind of an underdog. Who cares, it was awesome and inspired. I damn near had several heart attacks watching, but it's games like that that are the reason I love the game. You don't always have to be the best in the world, just the best in the stadium...and yesterday they were.
The Starting XI
The celebration after Dempsey's goal in the 74th minute seals the victory.
