Tuesday, May 31, 2005

Packers to Retire White’s Jersey

At half time of their game against the Cleveland Browns on September 18 the Green Bay Packers are going to retire the #92 Jersey of the late Reggie White.

The Packers had already planned to do this before White’s death on December 26. Team president Bob Harlan met with White last September to inform him that the team was going to retire his number during the 2005 season.

"He was very honored," Harlan said. "I told him to look up there (the facade of Lambeau Field) and picture his name with the other numbers. He knew how special this was."

Only four players in the franchise's 86-year history have had their number retired - fullback Tony Canadeo (3), receiver Don Hutson (14), quarterback Bart Starr (15) and linebacker Ray Nitschke (66).

Reggie White was a two-time defensive player of the year and will be a first ballot Hall of Famer in 2006. White was also elected to 13 consecutive pro-bowls.

Many people have various opinions as to who White was off the field, but few question who he was on the field. As a member of the Philadelphia Eagles, Green Bay Packers and Carolina Panthers White earned the respect of teammates and colleagues as one of the most dominant defensive players to ever play the game of football.

As an ordained minister White often was criticized because of comments he regarding his convictions on homosexuality, and cultural and racial barriers.

Monday, May 30, 2005

Baseball Predictions

Baseball season is just over a fourth of the way done and things are just now getting interesting so I thought I would make a few predictions of what will happen by the end of the summer. Here is the way I see the divisions shaping up.

AL EAST

The Baltimore Orioles will not maintain their hold on first place. As the summer wears on they will give way to the Boston Red Sox and the New York Yankees. The Yankees/Red Sox rivalry will settle the division and this year the boys from Boston will be division champs.

AL EAST FINAL STANDINGS
Boston
NY Yankees
Baltimore
Toronto
Tampa Bay

AL CENTRAL
Really the only race in this division is for second place. In my opinion the Chicago White Sox already have this division wrapped up. The Cleveland Indians are in third place and currently nine games back. They will make a run and over take the Minnesota Twins for second place.

AL CENTRAL FINAL STANDINGS
Chicago White Sox
Cleveland Indians
Minnesota Twins
Detroit Tigers
Kansas City Royals

AL WEST
This division will come down between the Texas Rangers and the LA Angels. The Rangers are streaking right now winning eight of their last ten games. I think they will continue to lead the division. Another team that will make a move in this division is Oakland. I think they will climb out of the cellar and pass the Mariners.

AL WEST FINAL STANDINGS
Texas Rangers
LA Angels
Seattle Mariners
Oakland A’s

AL WILD CARD
New York Yankees

AL FIRST ROUND PLAY-OFF MATCH UPS
Chicago White Sox vs. NY Yankees
Boston Red Sox vs. Texas Rangers

NL EAST
This could be the most fun division to watch in baseball. The Washington Nationals continue to surprise people by how well they are playing and the Philadelphia Phillies continue to surprise people by how bad they are playing. The race for first place will come down between the Florida Marlins and the Atlanta Braves. It amazes me to say this but I think the Marlins have better pitching than the Braves.

NL EAST FINAL STANDINGS
Florida Marlins
Atlanta Braves
N.Y. Mets
Washington Nationals
Philadelphia Phillies

NL CENTRAL
There just isn’t any competition in this division for the St. Louis Cardinals. I think the Houston Astros will pull themselves out of last place, but they won’t get close to first. The Chicago Cubs will be the biggest threat to the Cardinals, but I just don’t see them getting close either.

NL CENTRAL FINAL STANDINGS
St. Louis Cardinals
Chicago Cubs
Pittsburg Pirates
Houston Astros
Milwaukee Brewers
Cincinnati Reds

NL WEST
The San Diego Padres have been on fire lately, but they have the Arizona Diamondbacks breathing down their necks. Also, look for the LA Dodgers to get in there and make this a legitimate three team race.

NL WEST FINAL STANDINGS
Arizona Diamondbacks
LA Dodgers
San Diego Padres
San Francisco Giants
Colorado Rockies

NL WILDCARD
Atlanta Braves

NL FIRST ROUND PLAY-OFF MATCH UPS
St. Louis Cardinals vs. Atlanta Braves
Florida Marlins vs. Arizona Diamondbacks

Last Week's Poll Results

Should Ricky Williams be allowed to return to the NFL?
Yes 52%
No 48%
Total of 27 voters. Thanks for voting! Be sure to check out this weeks poll.
If you could only watch one sport what would is be?
Baseball
Basketball
Football
NASCAR

Chatter Box for the week of May 30th

Give us your thoughts on sports.

Sunday, May 29, 2005

Feeling the Heat

The Miami Heat gained back their home court advantage Sunday night with a 113-104 victory over the Detroit Pistons. The bad news for Detroit is that they are now in a must win situation for game four, but the good news is that game four is at The Palace.

After gaining control of the game late in the third period the Pistons seemed to lose focus on the Heat in the fourth and focus instead on what they believed to be bad officiating. Rasheed Wallace and Chauncey Billups each drew technical fouls for protesting calls in the final period. Miami scored 11 points from the charity stripe during a 13-4 run in the fourth period that put them up for good.

Here are my thoughts on this series. Miami is too good of a team for the Pistons to lose focus on. If you are the Detroit Pistons you can’t turn your attention to anything but the Heat. Secondly, Detroit is too good of a team to have a meltdown like they did Sunday night. This is the defending World Champs we are talking about, and they are in the middle of a slug fest with the team that had the best record in the East. During the final minutes of the third and into the first few minutes of the fourth period Detroit gained complete control of this game, only to give it away. Neither Wade nor O’Neal played well enough in the second half to win the game for Miami. Detroit needs to get back to playing basketball in the same way they did in game one, stingy defense and consistent offense. If not, game four goes to the Heat and the series ends in Miami on Thursday night.

I picked the Pistons to win in seven and I still think they are on track for that. Here’s how I see it going down. Detroit will win games four and six at home and game seven in Miami.

On the Western Conference side, I strongly believe that the Suns have a solid chance to win game four tonight. I also strongly believe that this series is over! I can even see the Suns winning game five at home, but there is no way they make it past game six. The Suns just didn’t turn out to be any match for the Spurs, and even though I have not given them the credit they deserve, San Antonio is hands down the best team in the West.

Thursday, May 26, 2005

Is Instant Replay Necessary in College Football?

In my opinion the NCAA should do everything in it's power to make sure that all games are played fairly, but at what point does this search for fairness disrupt the flow of the game? Last season the Big 10 conference introduced instant replay in it’s conference games. Now the Big 12 is set to join the SEC, Pac-10, Big East, Mountain West and ACC in bringing in instant replay in 2005. This is all based on the success of the Big 10 last season.

Are these conferences moving closer to being like the NFL or are they just trying to get it right on the football field? In the Big 10 replay was used in 28 of the 57 games last season. Of the 43 calls questioned, 21 were overturned. The main concern with replay has been making the games longer. Last season in the Big Ten, games in which replay was used lasted on average three minutes longer, with each replay challenge lasting an average of two minutes and thirty nine seconds.

Under the Big Ten system, all reviews and reversals came from the booth. Calls could be overturned only if there was "indisputable video evidence," and reviewable plays were more or less limited to those involving scoring, fumbles and possession on receptions.

The Big 12 would use that system, but wants to add the on-field monitor so the referee will be able to see the play and discuss it with the official in the booth, even though the referee won't have final say on the call.

So, what do you think? Was college football OK without the aid of replay, or has it become a necessary evil? Make sure to leave your opinions below.

Wadeing Patiently

Dwayne Wade had a late night/early morning conversation with teammates Alonzo Mourning and Shaquille O’Neal in which O’Neal told him to be patient and let the game come to him. O’Neal wanted Wade to know that his teammates were behind him 100%.

Wade responded last night by scoring 20 points in the fourth period to keep Detroit from taking the first two games of the series. After the Heat led 47 to 36 at the half, the Pistons came alive from three point land. At one point they hit seven consecutive three pointers. Then Dwayne Wade took over! There was no doubt that this was his game, his team, and his night. Putting on one of the best performances in the play-offs his night was capped with a break away dunk with one second left to give him a total of 40 points for the game.

However, his biggest play could have been a defensive one. With the game still in doubt, Wade was able to catch up with Chauncey Billups and block his three point attempt from behind. The theme of the night was hustle and Wade was the hustler. Like a pool shark who tanks in a game and then mops up the competition when the money is on the table, Wade was the best player on the floor when the series was on the line. Moving to Detroit down 0-2 would have been devastating for the Heat. Instead Wade put Miami back in the series by tying it up at 1-1, and guaranteeing that it will return to South Beach.

Don’t expect this series to end anytime soon. I see a split in Detroit and the series going back to Miami 2-2.

Wednesday, May 25, 2005

Road Warriors

The San Antonio Spurs have won three consecutive play-off road games, and seem to be well on their way to the NBA Finals. After clinching the series against Seattle on the road in game six, the Spurs have now won the first two games of the Western Conference Finals on the road in Phoenix.

The Spurs have proven they don’t need to play defense to beat the Suns because they can just out score them. Phoenix has made a living this season by running up and down the floor and out scoring their opponents. This time though it’s the Suns who are being out run and out scored.

Give San Antonio credit for doing what I didn’t think they could do. I thought they would have to slow the game down with aggressive defense in order to have a chance to win. Instead, Tim Duncan is averaging 29 points a game, Tony Parker is averaging 27, and Manu Ginobili is averaging 23. In case you missed what you just read that’s three players averaging over 20 points a game. Then you have guys like Robert Horry and Brent Barry adding buckets and drawing fouls at the most crucial parts of the game.

I have only missed one play-off series pick and it was because I picked the Sonics to beat the Spurs. It looks like picking against San Antonio is going to cost me again.

Tuesday, May 24, 2005

Detroit Takes Game One

The Detroit Pistons play great defense! They are not bad on offense either. Just ask the Miami Heat. Last night Detroit frustrated Miami on their way to a 90-81 victory over the number one seed in the East.

The Pistons played like a team with confidence and the Heat played like a team that was frustrated. Even with Shaq back in the line up the Heat still struggled against a swarming Detroit defense. O’Neal scored 20 points on 9 of 14 shooting and his sidekick Wade struggled from the field scoring just 16 points on 7 of 25 shooting.

The Pistons also seemed to score at will against the Heat. All five of the Pistons starters scored in double figures lead by Rasheed Wallace’s 20 points. At times the Heat looked totally lost and even helpless. This was most noted after Detroit’s Tayshaun Prince made a short bank shot over Miami’s Dwyane Wade. Wade looked over to his team’s bench and looked as if he had no idea of what to do.

The Pistons took more that home court advantage last night. They took all the confidence from the Heat. Coming off of first and second round sweeps the Heat had not been challenged during the post season. Detroit made a team that once looked invincible to appear dazed and confused. The Heat have a long way to go and Van Gundy will have to show his coaching merit in order to win game two, which has become a must win for Miami. If they go to Detroit down 0-2 then they may not come back.


WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS UPDATE

Game two is tonight at 8:00 CST on ESPN. The Spurs lead the series after out running the Suns 121-114 on Sunday night. The Spurs proved that they can run the floor as just as well as the Suns, led by Tony Parker’s 29 points. I was surprised by the high score of the game because you would think a game that high would favor Phoenix.

Suns guard Joe Johnson will not play in game two tonight.

About My Opinion on Sports

Welcome to my opinion on sports. This is a blog-spot devoted to sports opinions. Everyday (Mon-Fri) I will post an opinion about something in the world of sports with the desire to know what your thoughts are. You can agree or disagree, but we want to know your opinion. If you like this site tell your friends about it and get some good banter going back and forth on your various opinions. If you don't like this site, then wait until you do, and then tell your friends and get the banter going. The only rules are that you keep it clean and you keep it about sports.

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Thanks again for using My Opinion on Sports as your platform to share your opinions on the sports world. Happy posting.

Monday, May 23, 2005

Chatter Box for the week of May 23

Give us your opinion on the world of sports.

Last Week's Poll Results

Who is the best team in Baseball?
Atlanta Braves 32%
Chicago White Sox 29%
St. Louis Cardinals 29%
Baltimore Orioles 11%

41 Total voters

Vote on this weeks poll. Should Ricky Williams be allowed to return to the NFL?

Eastern Conference Finals

There is no question that the Eastern Conference Finals is an ESPN instant classic and it hasn’t even begun yet. Game one is tonight in South Florida and it can’t get here soon enough! Obviously the series hinges on Shaq’s knee. However, some of the Pistons don’t believe that there is anything wrong with the big guy. Ben Wallace said, “Shaq is going to be ready to play. Don't keep feeding into that. There's nothing wrong with Shaq."

I believe that there is most definitely something wrong with him. Shaq has been motivated this season like no other. He has played like a man possessed in an effort to prove that the Lakers made a huge mistake by letting him go. I don’t believe he takes two games off in the play-offs unless it is necessary. Mark it down, Shaq is hurt.

That said, I see no scenario in which he doesn’t play tonight. The Pistons were able to frustrate and limit Shaq in the Finals last year on their way to a sweep of the Lakers. I don’t see a sweep coming for either team in the Eastern Conference Finals. The Heat are a better team than the Lakers were last season, and the Pistons have that Championship swagger to them. So, what’s going to happen when they throw down tonight?

First, Ben and Rasheed Wallace are going to put the brakes on Shaq. They have already proven they can, and even if Shaq is healthy I expect the lay-off to affect his game. Morning and Wade will have to carry the team through the first two games of this series until Shaq is back in full force. If he can’t make it back 100% then the Heat can’t advance to the NBA Finals.

Second, I look for Tayshaun Prince to take over in the frontcourt. He has a big size advantage over Eddie Jones and this could possibly be the mismatch that the Pistons exploit to win the series.

Third, Miami’s bench will continue to be productive. At least they will have to for the Heat to advance. I do believe this is an advantage that the Heat has over the Pistons and like the Prince/Jones mismatch, Miami could exploit this one.

Fourth, Larry Brown will out coach Stan Van Gundy. I think no one will disagree which bench has the better coach. Brown is a proven leader and winner. He has a definite edge over his counterpart.

Anyway you size it up this is going to be a great series that should go the full seven games. It all boils down to who has the most intangibles in their favor in that seventh game. I’ll take the Pistons to advance to the NBA Finals.

Play-Off Update:

To date My Opinion on Sports is 11-1 on play off picks.

In the first round I gave you Miami, Phoenix, Detroit, San Antonio, Indiana, Seattle, Washington, and Dallas as winners.

In the second round I gave you Detroit, Phoenix, and Miami as winners, with the Spurs as the team we missed.

Saturday, May 21, 2005

Western Conference Finals

The San Antonio Spurs and the Phoenix Suns will square off in game one of the Western Conference finals on Sunday afternoon and NBA fans will have the opportunity to see a great offense against a great defense. So, who will win? Let's break down the series.

I haven't given the Spurs a lot of credit in the play-offs because I believe they rely too much on Tim Duncan and they don't play well enough on the road. In the five major categories (scoring, rebounds, Assists, steals, and blocks) Duncan leads the team in three of them. You can say that when Duncan is on the Spurs are on. The problem with that is when you get to this point in the play-offs you can't just rely on one man. Jordan had Pippen, Karl Malone had John Stockton, Duncan has ?????? There are a few names you could put in there like Ginobili or Parker, but there just isn't a name that fits yet, and that could turn out to be a problem for the Spurs. One man cannot carry this team into the finals. For the Spurs to have a chance to win the series guys like Robert Horry is going to have to make a significant impact. The Spurs will also have to win on the road. San Antonio dropped a game in Denver and two in a row in Seattle in the first and second rounds.

For Phoenix to win, they will have to get healthy fast. The Suns bench doesn't go very deep and that could create a problem, not in scoring but on defense. Stoudemire is going to score, Nash is going to score, and Marion will score. Everyone that plays for Phoenix will score, but who is going to guard Duncan? One man cannot do it alone. Joe Johnson will have to make his way back to help with that issue. Look for Phoenix to guard Duncan by committee.

In the end I think Phoenix will have too much offense for the Spurs. Tim Duncan could go off and have a great series, but he can't beat Phoenix by himself! The Suns do have a Dynamic Duo in Nash and Stoudemire and they will run the floor. While the Suns are trying to figure out how to defend one man, the Spurs will need to find a way to defend all five guys on the floor for Phoenix.

PREDICTION: Suns win the series.

Friday, May 20, 2005

Williams Tries to Hose the Dolphins Again

Ricky Williams is very interested in returning to the Miami Dolphins! If Nick Saban has any sense at all he will pass on allowing him to return to the team.

Williams cost the Dolphins a chance at a winning season last year when he decided he would rather smoke dope than break tackles. The entire offense was built around him and a month before camp Williams shocked the NFL by walking away. Not only did he cost the Dolphins a chance at a winning season he cost Dave Wannstedt and Jay Fiedler their jobs. Granted both of them were struggling to stay in their respective positions in South Florida, neither had a chance without Williams.

What about the Dolphins fans? They were shafted just as much as the team was. In the 2003 season the Dolphins just missed the play-offs with a 10-6 record. 2004 was to be the season where they competed for the division championship and made a solid play-off run. Instead, without Williams, the Dolphins finished with the second worst record in the NFL at 4-12.

Now that the Dolphins used their 2nd pick in the draft to select RB Ronnie Brown from Auburn, Williams says he is interested in returning. Now it’s the rookie Brown who could be the next victim to receive the shaft from the former Heisman Trophy winner.

The Dolphins had planned to replace Williams with Brown as the running back of the future and as a franchise player. During the first training camp he is supposed to be the center of attention. Bringing Ricky Williams back will only disrupt the Dolphins in their efforts to move on.

In my opinion, Williams doesn’t want to return to the NFL because of a passion to play the game. He wants to return because he still owes the Dolphins $8.6 million and has just entered into a settlement with a South Florida woman to pay $4,200.00 per month in child support and establish a $300,000 trust fund for a child he fathered. That is the motivation behind Williams’ desire to put the pads on again.

If Williams decides to return to the Dolphins then Saban needs to sell him out, but in a different way, this time as a positive for the Dolphins. This is the first time a team would have the chance to build into a championship contender from the trade of one player since the Dallas Cowboys did it with Herschel Walker. By trading Williams the Dolphins could get a load of draft picks to spend on future talent. There are plenty of teams out there who should be willing to make a deal. The Oakland Raiders are the first team that comes to mind.

Being traded is the only way Williams could make restitution for what he did to his Dolphins teammates, coaches, and fans. If he is willing to come back and is eager to play then the Dolphins should make it on their terms and not his. Those terms should be nothing short of a blockbuster trade.

Thursday, May 19, 2005

Baseball’s Best Team

Last month we went to the MLB stats and records to find the worst team in baseball. Today let’s look for the best team. To qualify for as a candidate the team currently has to be in first place. That immediately eliminates teams like the Yankees and the Diamondbacks who are on a good streak but still not in first place. The current division leaders in the American League are; East - Baltimore Orioles, Central – Chicago White Sox, West – Los Angeles Angels. In the National League your division leaders are; East – Atlanta Braves, Central – St. Louis Cardinals, West – San Diego Padres.

Looking at the American League, the White Sox have the second biggest division lead of any team in baseball, 5.5 games on the Twins, and they sport MLB’s best record at 29-12. Just behind them are the Baltimore Orioles who are 3.5 games up on the Red Sox and have the second best record in MLB at 26-13. Finally the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim have a 2.5 game lead on the Texas Rangers and a record of 23-17.

Obviously, the Angels have not experienced the dominance that the White Sox and Orioles have, but I think that they play in the second toughest division in the A.L. They are good enough to win the West but not good enough to be considered as the best team in baseball.

Moving back to the Central, the White Sox may have the best record in baseball but I think they play in the worst division in all of baseball. The Twins are the only other team playing above .500 and the rest of the division is only 47-70. The AL Central might as well be an AAA league. When you have a talented team like the White Sox with solid pitching it’s easy to put up a good record. The White Sox split with Baltimore last week but before that they lost two of three to the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. By their record alone the White Sox get a pass into the finals for MLB’s best team.

The Baltimore Orioles are the surprise team this season. They are 13 games above .500 and play in the toughest division in baseball. Four out of five teams in the AL East have winning records. The only other division that can say that would be the NL East. The problem is that the Red Sox are breathing down their necks and the Yankees are on fire. There is a very realistic possibility that the O’s won’t even make the play-offs. Everyone knows that if you can’t make the play-offs then you can’t be the best team in baseball.

AL candidate – Chicago White Sox.

In the National League the Braves are 23-17 and own a half a game lead on the Florida Marlins in the NL East. They are in the second toughest division in baseball and much like the Orioles; the Braves have a strong chance of not winning their division. The Marlins have better pitching and should take over the first place spot.

The Padres just won three in a row over the Braves and also swept the Marlins before that. They have won 8 out of their last 10 games to get to a 25-16 record and a 1 game lead over the Arizona Diamondbacks. When you look at division records the Padres have struggled with a 10-11 record. The Diamondbacks have dominated NL West with an 18-8 record and should continue to do so. They will overtake the Padres for first in the NL West. This eliminates San Diego from competition.

The St. Louis Cardinals have the best record in the NL at 25 – 24. Their division opponents are not as strong as those in the East, but there are six teams in the Central and the Cardinals have dominated the division. They have also faired pretty well against the competition from the NL East. The Cards have the biggest lead in the NL and will enter the play-offs with the best record of the NL teams.

NL Candidate – St. Louis Cardinals

If you compare the White Sox and the Cardinals’ season you will see that they are in similar situations. Both teams sport the best record in their respective divisions and both play in the weakest divisions in their conference. I think this is what allowed the Red Sox to sweep the Cards in the World Series. Once they got past the Yankees the World Series was a breeze. The White Sox have relied on pitching and the Cardinals on hitting.

I will take the Cards hitting over the White Sox pitching because both are doing it in weak divisions. Hitting will carry over to stronger competition better than pitching will. If these teams play each other in a best of seven series the Cards would win 4-2. That makes the St. Louis Cardinals the best team in baseball to this point.

Wednesday, May 18, 2005

Royal Blues

It's easy to be humble when you are a Royals fan. After winning the 1985 World Series our Royals tanked it in. You can’t even say they fell into mediocrity because they are a long way from even being mediocre. They Royals are just plain lousy!

As fans we have had our moments where we see a ray of hope, only to have the dark clouds of reality sweep over us. Most notably was the 2003 season when the team finished above .500 for the first time since 1994 and Tony Pena was named manager of the year. If the Royals were ever going to turn the corner it was going to be now. Wrong! After signing some veteran free agents Royals fans suffered through the worst season in team history.

This season seemed to be going in the same direction. On May 10 Tony Pena resigned as manager of the Royals after leading the team to an 8-25 record to start the season. Then came the ray of hope for the 2005 season. Under interim manager Bob Schaefer the Royals won their first home stand of the season taking three of four games against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.

Riding this streak fans knew that the true test was coming last night when the Baltimore Orioles came to town for a three game series. Baltimore leads the AL east and taking that series would scream improvement for these young ball players. Things started perfectly for the Royals as they led 8-2 at the end of the second. Things were suddenly great for the Royals! The season was turning and they were gaining confidence and momentum. Then came those dark clouds of reality that we Royals fans know so well. After scoring a run in the third the Orioles exploded for six runs in the fourth on their way to a 12-8 victory.

Last month My Opinion on Sports declared the Royals to be the worst team in baseball. Since then they have done very little to prove us wrong. In spite of that, we as Royals fans are going to continue to watch the games, listen on the radio, and check the stats on the internet. Why? Because the Royals are our lovable losers! We get excited at the first pitch of every game because it could be the game that starts the run that changes the season. We understand that there is plenty of young talent and when they develop the Royals should turn into a contender. We have arrived to the point where we are no longer frustrated with losses. When our team walks the bases full and then walks in two runs to lose the game, we just shrug our shoulders and say, “It’s the Royals. What did you expect?”

Add your comments to this story by clicking on the comments box. You don’t have to be a member you can post anonymously.

Tuesday, May 17, 2005

Nicklaus to Say Goodbye

Jack Nicklaus will end his career in major championships at the British Open. He has chosen the Open to be his last official tournament because he doesn't feel competitive anymore.
Nicklaus hasn't played in the British Open since 2000, but will return to St. Andrews in Scotland this July, where he last competed in the tournament. Nicklaus won at St. Andrews in 1970 and again in 1978 as a part of his record 18 major titles.
Nicklaus played in his final Masters last month and missed the cut.

Monday, May 16, 2005

Chatter Box for the Week of May 16

What do you want to talk about?

Last Weeks Poll Results

In general, which do you prefer?

College Sports 78%
Pro Sports 22%

37 total voters. Thanks for voting, be sure to check out this weeks poll.

Sunday, May 15, 2005

Sonics Make it a Series!

Welcome back to the play-offs Seattle. After bouncing the Kings in round one Seattle took games one and two off in their series with San Antonio. As the series moved back to Seattle, Spurs fans were thinking sweep and I was thinking, "Please Seattle, don't embarrass me. I picked you to win the series."

The Sonics came alive in game three and survived with a 92-91 victory, avoiding a possible sweep. Then in game four, the Spurs looked like they were the team that took the game off. San Antonio needs to be careful because the Sonics are a team that could easily pull off the upset. Seattle still will have to win one on the road. I think they can do it, but it will have to be game five.

The second round of the play-offs are intense! Take away the snoozer series (Heat/Wizards) and you've got some great basketball being played. Let's look at "Prediction vs Reality" for My Opinion on Sports second round picks.

PREDICTION: Miami will defeat Washington.
REALITY: Who didn't predict a Heat victory here?
STATUS: Miami wins the series 4-0.

PREDICTION: Detroit will defeat Indiana.
REALITY: The Pacers proved that they still have a lot of fight in them, but Detroit's game four victory may allow the series to end in six.
STATUS: Solid. Detroit has home court advantage again. Series could go seven but, expect it to end in six.

PREDICTION: Seattle will upset San Antonio.
REALITY: Looked like a Spurs sweep after the first two games but a trip to Seattle shifted the series.
STATUS: Up in the air. Seattle still has to win a road game to win this series.

PREDICTION: Phoenix will defeat Dallas.
REALITY: This is the best series in the second round. No one plays defense and who ever gets the most lay-ups seems to win.
STATUS: Solid. This series should go seven with game seven in Phoenix.

My Opinion on Sports is 9-0 on play-off series predictions.

Thursday, May 12, 2005

Bye Bye Barry

Baseball season is in full swing and three things appear to be evident:
1. The Kansas City Royals are the worst team in baseball.
2. The Chicago White Sox are playing the best baseball right now.
3. Barry Bonds' career seems to be over.

We've already talked about #1, and #2 is a story for another day, so let's talk about #3. Bonds has failed to play in a single game this season and it's likely that he won't. With all the accusations about steroids and the BALCO case in the public eye, bonds has been under scrutiny for over a year now. However, it's a knee injury that is keeping him off the field, or is it?

Could it be that Bonds knows that he will not be able to pass a drug test under the new MLB rules? Is it possible that Bonds knows that he will not be able to perform at the same level without the help of steroids? Or, is Bonds really hurt? Either way I think the home run king's career has ended.

If it is a drug issue then Bond's would return smaller and with less power. Getting off the juice makes you a different player. Look at Jason Giambi in New York. He was a product of steroids and is now trying to perform at the same level without them. There is a definite night and day difference in his play. Bonds knows that his performance would be just as different if he tried to play without the aide of his secret muscle building formula. He is not known as one of the most humble men and in my opinion he is not about to return as a sub-par player.

OK, let's give him the benefit of the doubt and say that he really is suffering from a knee injury and that is all. His age becomes a huge factor in the recovery and Bonds has moved well beyond the age of his prime. He is at the age where the body begins to break down and doesn't heal the way it used to. It's possible that Bonds just physically can't come back and play.

Believe what you want and have your opinion on the situation, the fact remains that Bonds has not stepped into the batter's box this season and most likely never will again.

Agree or disagree? Post you opinion below.

Road Court Advantage

The NBA play-offs took an interesting turn last night. Dallas and Indiana each got big victories on the road, swinging home court advantage and momentum in their favor.

Everyone knew that the Miami – Washington series would be a ho-hum series, and many people suggested the same about the San Antonio – Seattle series (I wish I would have listened to them). But, it was the Dallas – Phoenix and the Detroit – Indiana series that were supposed to give redemption to the second round of the play-offs and after Monday nights games it looked like these two series would be laughers as well. The Mavericks lost by 25 in Phoenix and Indiana lost by 15 to Detroit.

Then came last night, the Pacers shocked the fans at the palace by dropping the Pistons 92 – 83, behind 22 points from Jermaine O’Neal and 20 rebounds by Jeff Foster. The saga of Reggie Miller’s final season continues. Reggie scored 19 points as the Pacers reminded the NBA world that they are not going away anytime soon.

In the late game the Mavericks pushed the Suns around in the first half then survived a second half run by Phoenix to win 108-106. Dallas’ physical play in the first half was capitalized by a flagrant foul that really wasn’t a foul at all. It was more a sign of how Dallas out hustled Phoenix. Suns guard Joe Johnson was attempting a lay-up when his shot was blocked from behind by the Mavericks Jerry Stackhouse. Stackhouse appeared to get a clean block, but Johnson hung onto the rim causing his momentum to carry his legs forward resulting in him falling face first onto the floor. Johnson suffered a broken orbital bone and Stackhouse was whistled for the flagrant foul.

Now the series will shift to Dallas and Indiana with the Mavericks and the Pacers having home court advantage respectively. You would think that the home teams would be able to take a sigh of relief now, but Dallas lost the first two games of their series to Houston on their home floor and Indiana failed to close out Boston on their home court in round one. That is why the play-offs have been so exciting. Because there hasn’t been a home court advantage for any of these teams yet. Stay tuned!

Feel free to add your comments to this story.

Wednesday, May 11, 2005

MLB Firing Squad Takes Aim

The Kansas City Royals lost more than their game yesterday in Toronto, manager Tony Pena resigned as well. The Royals lost 3-1 to the Blue Jays, aided by a huge base running blunder by short stop Angel Berroa, who led off the ninth inning with a double, putting the tying run at the plate. He was thrown out at second after Mike Sweeney flied out in center field. The Royals, 8-25, have been known this season for blowing late inning leads and making game costing mistakes and errors.

Apparently Royals fans were not the only ones who were sick of seeing the team perform like this. Pena told the Kansas City Star after last night’s game, ``It's tough to go to the ballpark and lose game after game. I haven't been eating. I haven't been sleeping. I don't want to get sick.''

There was no question that Pena could coach baseball. He was named the AL manager of the year after the 2003 season in which he led the Royals to their first winning season since 1994. Pena was simply a victim of poor ownership and upper management decisions.

Pena was the first of what is expected to be as many as a dozen managers to be replaced this season. Here is our top five managers who could be next to be brought in front of the MLB firing squad.

5. Lou Piniella, Tampa Bay Devil Rays – The Devil Rays are nine games out of first place in the AL east, but they are 5-5 over their last ten games and could sweep the series with the White Sox with a win today. They head to Kansas City tomorrow for a three game series with the Royals. A sweep there could take Piniella off the hot seat.
4. Phil Garner, Houston Astros – After making it to the NL Championship series last season the Astros are struggling this year. They are 3-7 in their last ten games and currently sit eight games out of first place in the NL central.
3. Joe Torre, New York Yankees – Everyone knows the expectations of the Yankees and everyone knows that playing below .500, being in third place, and sitting seven games out of first place don’t measure up to par.
2. Dusty Baker, Chicago Cubs – Baker has struggled getting the Cubs to play up to the expectations that he brought with him from San Francisco. They choked down the stretch last season and they have struggled to start this season. With the cross town rivals White Sox having the best record in MLB the pressure is on for Baker.
1. Clint Hurdle, Colorado Rockies – Next to the Royals, the Rockies are the worst team in baseball. With a record of 8-22 and eleven games out, it’s just a matter of time.

Post your comments on this story by clicking on the comment icon.

About My Opinion on Sports

Welcome to my opinion on sports. This is a blog-spot devoted to sports opinions. Everyday (Mon-Fri) I will post an opinion about something in the world of sports with the desire to know what your thoughts are. You can agree or disagree, but we want to know your opinion. If you like this site tell your friends about it and get some good banter going back and forth on your various opinions. If you don't like this site, then wait until you do, and then tell your friends and get the banter going. The only rules are that you keep it clean and you keep it about sports.

How do I post a comment?
It's easy, after you have read my opinion just click on the comment box and let me know how much you agree or disagree with me or another posting. YOU DO NOT HAVE TO BECOME A MEMBER TO POST! Just type out your thoughts and click the anonymous box and then publish. Your posting will appear almost immediately.

How can I contribute to MY Opinion on Sports?
Well, by telling everyone you know about us and posting your opinion regularly. If you find the opinions I post daily to be entertaining and you enjoy the site you can leave a tip in the tip jar. Tips are optional and can be made with PayPal by clicking on the donate icon. That will take you directly to the tip jar, where you can leave a personal message for me as well.
My Opinion on Sports is also supported by the ads in the upper right hand corner of each page. Feel free to click on the ads and take a look at the various sports memorabilia and merchandise that is available from a variety of vendors.

Where is the best place to start the banter?
If you want to post your opinions about things other than what I have written about then go directly to the CHATTER BOX. This is an open forum where you can post your thoughts about anything in the sports world, regardless if we have written about it or not. Keep it clean and keep it about sports. A new CHATTER BOX will begin every week.

Thanks again for using My Opinion on Sports as your platform to share your opinions on the sports world. Happy posting.

Tuesday, May 10, 2005

Against the Wall

Against the Wall

There is a wall that towers over the NBA play-offs like the Green Monster over Fenway. It’s immovable; you can’t go around it, over it, or through it. Teams have tried, but once they hit it, their season comes to a crashing end.

Teams know it’s there but they still run into it at full speed. Players know when they have hit it, but they refuse to talk about it, even though everyone else knows that they have hit it as well.

What is the wall? It’s that point in the play-offs that teams and players reach when they just can’t get it done anymore. Shots no longer fall for them, the calls don’t go their way, and no matter how hard they try, they just can’t seem to stop the other team. It’s when you reach the point that it is obvious to everyone around you that you are done. It’s obvious to you as well, even though you won’t admit it.

The Bulls hit the wall in game three of their series with the Wizards. Going into that game Chicago had a 2-0 lead on Washington and all they had to do was win two out of the next five games and they advance to the second round. Instead, they lost four in a row and were bounced by the Wizards. For the Nuggets it was game two, Houston and Boston crashed into the wall in game 7 of their series’ which resulted in them getting blown out by Dallas and Indiana respectively.

Many teams hit the wall and none survive. It’s not just in basketball either. The New York Yankees hit the wall in game four of the AL Championship series. All they had to do was win that game and they move on to the World Series. Instead they blew a three games to none advantage, losing four straight to the Red Sox and the rest is literally history.

The Oklahoma Sooners hit the wall in the Orange Bowl this year, the year before it was in the Big 12 Championship game. The Philadelphia Eagles hit it in the Super Bowl. Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts seem to find it every year in the play-offs, the University of Illinois ran right smack into it during the NCAA basketball championship.

It doesn’t matter how good your team is at what sport. The wall is out there, and when they hit it seasons, dreams, and hopes all fall apart.

Monday, May 09, 2005

Gentlemen Start Your Engine

This article is dedicated to all the NASCAR fans out there. You know who you are. You’re not hard to find, you drive around with the number of your favorite driver on your rear bumper or windshield, you have sunglasses identical to your favorite driver, and you own flags, beach towels, bobble heads and many other knick-knacks. You are among some of the most rabid fans in all of sports.

NASCAR is America’s fastest growing sport. No longer are fans tuning in to watch the highlights of the crashes on ESPN, they are tuning in to watch the races, and they are tuning in by the millions. Over 60,000 fans watched the race from Darlington Saturday night, while millions of others watched from home.

People have realized that these drivers do a lot more than just drive fast and turn left. They train, they study film, and they strategize. It’s nothing like figuring out how to scheme against a 3-4 defense in football, or penetrating a zone to get an easy basket in basketball. No, it’s much more difficult than that! These guys have to figure out how to make their car perform at its peak for hundreds of miles every weekend. They have to figure out how many laps the car can go before the tires need to be changed, fuel added, and driver re-hydrated, and the goal for the pit crew is to do all this in less than one minute. They work with some of the world’s smartest engineers and scientists in developing engine specs and fuel formulas. It’s safe to say that their labs are used for a lot more than just drug testing.

Rivalries among drivers have helped boost the popularity of the sport, with fans quick to rush to the defense of their driver. NASCAR has proven itself to be a legitimate sport with legitimate fans.

With all the talk about steroids in football and baseball, along with the struggles of the NBA, more and more people are getting caught up in the drama that NASCAR provides. It has turned out to be a pure sport that fans can enjoy without worrying about salary caps, free agents, and hold outs. With no labor disputes or coaching carousels, it seems like NASCAR is making headlines for all the right reasons.

So, if you are tired of wondering when your team is going to sign their first round draft pick, or who will be suspended next for performance enhancing drugs, keep in mind that the next race begins at 7:35 pm Saturday night from Richmond, VA. You won’t see an end zone dance, a monster dunk, or a walk off home run, but you will see bone jarring collisions, high speed maneuvers, time management and winner and losers. Sounds like an exciting sport to me.

Last Week's Poll Results

Do you consider NASCAR a sport?

53% Yes
47% No

55 Voters

Thanks for voting. Check out this weeks poll.

Chatter Box For The Week Of May 9th

Saturday, May 07, 2005

Perfect! 8-0, on play-off picks.

Saturday night special, the Mavs just finished their 40 point rout of the Rockets, and earlier the Pacers knocked off the Celtics. That makes My Opinion on Sports a perfect 8-0 on play-off picks.

Let's take a quick look at the second round match-ups.

Miami Heat vs Washington Wizards
The Wizards are just over matched here. They have had a great run, returning to the play-offs, and advancing for the first time since before many of the current players were born. This is the only mismatch of the second round. Look for the Heat to wrap it up quickly. Don't want to call a sweep here, but it could easily be 4-1.

Indiana Pacers vs Detroit Pistons
Let's get ready to ruuuuummmmmbbblle! Unfortunately this series will be overshadowed by what happened between these two teams in November. It should be an entertaining series, but expect less drama, and expect Detroit to move on to face Miami in the Eastern Conference Finals.

No upsets in the East. Let's move to the West.

Seattle Sonics verse San Antonio Spurs
Let's say it right here, UPSET ALERT! The Sonics had a great series against the Nuggets and the Spurs have been known to fall asleep. Look for this series to go at least six games and look for the Sonics to move on.

Dallas Mavericks verse Phoenix Suns
This is going to be a great series! Look for it to go seven and look for the scores to be in the 100's. The Suns will be able to wear down the Mavericks and advance to place Seattle in the Western Conference Finals.

Friday, May 06, 2005

First Round Play-Off Suprises

The Pacers failed to put away the Boston Celtics last night, and the Mavericks couldn’t end the season for the Houston Rockets. Now we are guaranteed at least two game sevens in the first round of the NBA play-offs. Many people were surprised at the failed attempts to close out these two series because both the Pacers and the Mavericks seemed to have the momentum.

There is no doubt that round one has brought us lots of drama and excitement. The Mavericks, Pacers, and Wizards all lost game one (the Mavericks and Wizards lost games one and two), yet the Mavericks and Pacers could have closed out their series last night and the Wizards have a chance to eliminate the Bulls tonight.

There have also been a few individual performances that have raised eyebrows. Here is our list of the top five first round surprise play-off performances compared to their regular season averages.

5. Andre Miller of the Denver Nuggets – In game one, Miller put up 31 points, and had 5 assists. During the regular season Miller averaged 14 points and 7 assists.
4. Damon Jones of the Miami Heat – In game one, Jones scored 30 points and had 4 assists. During the regular season he averaged 12 points and 4 assists.
3. Juan Dixon of the Washington Wizards – In game four, Dixon scored 35 points. During the regular season he averaged only 8 points a game.
2. Raef LaFrentz of the Boston Celtics – In game one, LaFrentz scored 21 points and had 1 assists. He averaged 11 points and 1 assists per game during the regular season.
1. Andres Nocioni of the Chicago Bulls – In game one, Nocioni posted 25 points, 18 rebounds, and 4 assists. During the regular season he averaged 8 points, 5 rebounds, and 1 assist per game.

PREDICTION VS REALITY - ROUND ONE UPDATE

Let’s take a look at the My Opinion on Sports first round play-off predictions.

PREDICTION: Miami Heat over New Jersey Nets.
REALITY: Miami sweeps the series.

PREDICTION: Detroit Pistons over Philadelphia 76ers
REALITY: Detroit wins the series in five games.

PREDICTION: The Indiana Pacers will beat the Boston Celtics.
REALITY: Series tied 3-3
STATUS OF PREDICTION: Solid. The Pacers failed to win the series last night on their home floor. Game seven is tomorrow night in Boston. Paul Pierce may not play.

PREDICTION: Washington Wizards over Chicago Bulls
REALITY: Washington leads the series 3-2.
STATUS OF PREDICTION: Solid. Washington has won three games in a row after the Bulls took games one and two. The Wizards could close the series tonight.

PREDICTION: The Phoenix Suns will sweep the Memphis Grizzlies.
REALITY: Suns sweep the Grizzlies.

PREDICTION: The San Antonio Spurs will beat the Denver Nuggets.
REALITY: Spurs win the series in five games.

PREDICTION: The Seattle Sonics will beat the Sacramento Kings.
REALITY: Sonics win the series in five games.

PREDICTION: The Dallas Mavericks will beat the Houston Rockets.
REALITY: Series tied at 3-3.
STATUS OF PREDICTION: Solid. After losing the first two games on their home floor, the Mavericks could have closed out the Rockets last night. Game 7 will be tomorrow night in Dallas.

My Opinion on Sports is 5-0 in the series that have finished.

Thursday, May 05, 2005

Up in Smoke

Major league baseball had its day in congress. When Mark McGwire was asked directly if he had used steroids, his reply was, “I’m not here to talk about the past.” That statement left little doubt in anyone’s minds that the big league All Star was juiced when he broke the homerun record in 1998. As McGwire’s friends laughed off the question with him, it left us wondering, who else is on the juice? Was Sammy Sosa when he was racing Big Mac to the homerun record? What about Barry Bonds when he broke McGwire’s record three years later. Congress was so uptight and upset that not only did they demand a change in the MLB drug policy they demanded to speak with representatives from the NBA, NFL, and NHL about their policies as well.

My question is why did it take steroids to get congress involved with drugs and professional sports? For years professional athletes have struggled with drug and alcohol problems. In 1998 St. Louis Rams defensive end Leonard Little killed a St. Louis woman in an accident that resulted from him driving drunk. What was his punishment? He was suspended for the first half of the 99 season. Last spring Little was charged again with DUI. Every year names of NFL athletes scroll across the headlines of our local players because of problems with drugs and alcohol. Names we know names like Steve McNair, Jamal Lewis and Warren Sapp.

This time last year the Miami Dolphins were putting their hopes of winning the AFC East on the legs of star running back Ricky Williams. A few months later Williams bolted from the NFL, in order to pursue a “higher education.” Williams later stated that he was tired of dealing with the NFL drug testing policies. It was later that we found out that Williams had tested positive for marijuana three times. The problem is that Williams wouldn’t have been suspended from playing until after the third failed test.

Does anyone remember Darryl Strawberry? Here was a guy with tons of talent, but he struggled with drugs throughout his career. Major league baseball gave him every chance in the world to play, but did they really give him every chance to overcome his addiction?

It wasn’t until 1998 that the NBA put Marijuana in their drug policy as a banned substance. Even with that players are only tested in the pre-season. Veterans are not allowed to be tested during the regular season, only rookies. “Hey rookie, give me that joint. You know you can’t be smoking that stuff. It’s only for us veterans.” It’s amazing to think that Cheech and Chong would be eligible to play in the NBA if they could get through their rookie season.

If congress wants to get serious about drugs and sports, then they need to look first to the NBA for their lax policies on marijuana. Then find who is supplying Rickey Williams with his dope. Find a way to help these young men cope with alcohol abuse and implement stricter punishments when they break the law.

Let’s face it, steroids have never caused a person to get behind the wheel of an automobile, with limited motor skills, and drive amazingly fast. My question for congress is this. Are you more interested in saving home run records or saving lives? If you are going to involve your self in major league sports then make sure you do it in a way where it really matters. If not, you’re just blowing smoke.

Wednesday, May 04, 2005

Busted!

With the NFL draft behind us and various mini-camps underway, we wondered who were the all-time NFL draft day bust?
What makes an NFL draft day bust? Usually, it's a combination of a high pick followed by poor performance over a short career. Every NFL team has had at least one. Looking back at various draft day top picks, we made our own top 10 list of draft day busters. Here's our list of some of the most notable draft busts over the past two decades. Enjoy!
1. QB Ryan Leaf, (No. 2 overall pick, 1998, Chargers), Washington State: After debating for months over which quarterback would be taken first, him or Peyton Manning, Leaf's career was over in the same amount of time that it took the Chargers to decide to draft him.
2. OT Tony Mandarich (No. 2 overall pick, 1989, Packers) Michigan State: A “roid head” Mandarich actually was on the cover of Sports Illustrated. However, you cand blame the SI jinx for this bust, Mandarich entered the league in the first year it dished out steroids punishment. Green Bay bypassed Barry Sanders (3), Derrick Thomas (4) among others.
3. QB Andre Ware (No. 7 overall pick, 1990, Lions), Houston: Four seasons, 14 games, 161 pass attempts. Ware was a beneficiary of the “Run and Gun” offense in college. Unfortunately he was shot down in the NFL. The Lions could have had OT Richmond Webb to block for Barry Sanders.
4. LB Brian Bosworth (No. 2 overall pick, 1987, Seahawks), Oklahoma: Three seasons, 24 games, 4 sacks. “The Boz” was done after that, turning to a film career that busted as well.
5. QB Akili Smith (No. 3 overall pick, 1999, Bengals), 1999, Oregon: Cincinnati took QB David Klingler with the sixth pick in the 1992 draft, who turned out to be a bust. Carson Palmer (1, 2003) became the third QB Bengals drafted among the top six in twelve years by the Bengals.
6. QB Bruce Pickens (No. 3 overall pick, 1991, Falcons), Nebraska: Pickens only played 5 seasons, and had only 2 interceptions to show for it. Falcons had foresight to draft Brett Favre in the second round that year, but then traded him to Green Bay.
7. RB Alonzo Highsmith (No. 3 overall pick, 1987 Miami, Oilers), Does anyone remember Highsmith? The Oilers passed on Rod Woodson.
8. RB Blair Thomas (No. 2 overall pick, 1990, Jets), Penn State: Only 2,236 yards rushing in 8 seasons. An average of 280 yards a season won’t cut it for a No.2 overall pick.
9. QB Heath Shuler (No. 3 overall pick, 1994, Redskins), Tennessee: Four seasons, 29 games, 593 pass attempts. Who knows what happened?
10. LB Brian Jozwiak (No. 7 overall pick, 1986, Chiefs), West Virginia: At 6-5, 304 he had all the size needed to be an NFL LB. Three years, 28 games later the Chiefs found out he didn’t have the skill.

Tuesday, May 03, 2005

Spring Practice Leaves us Wondering About the Heisman

Spring is here and college football is gone until August. Every year we are teased by our teams getting 15 practices and scrimmages. It’s just enough to wet our appetites and make us hungry for more. We get to learn new names and see new players replace old ones, and just as we get adjusted to the new faces, they disappear for four months. Each team does their spring season in their own unique way, but they all end with some sort of spring game. Fans pay a discounted price for tickets and get to watch a tenth of their teams offensive package, then they leave bragging on how spectacular their defense was, only to be awakened by the harsh reality in the fall.

For most of us we leave the final spring game with more questions than answers. Our question after this Spring is, who is going to win the Heisman? Keep in mind that this is just off-season speculation, but here are our top five Heisman candidates going into the fall.

1. You have to start with last year’s winner Matt Leinart of USC. The Trojans had a mass exodus of coaches after winning the Orange Bowl, most notably offensive coordinator Norm Chow. Leinart will have to prove his leadership in a new way this season if he has desires of being only the second player to win two Heisman Trophies.
2. Last sason’s Heisman runner up Adrian Peterson is bound to have another record breaking season. With the departure of 2003 Heisman winner Jason White and receivers Mark Clayton, Brandon Jones, and Mark Bradly the Oklahoma’s offence will rely heavily on the legs of the sophomore running back. Defenses will key on him, but he is bound to get more carries which means that he could set the all time NCAA single season rushing record. If he does, he wins the Heisman.
3. Texas QB Vince Young. He stole the show in the Rose Bowl, putting on one of the best performances ever, passing for 180 yards and one score, while rushing for 192 yards and four TD’s. Young’s Heisman campaign will depend on his passing consistency and beating Oklahoma.
4. USC tailback Reggie Bush. He could be the most explosive player in all of college football. Bush can run right by you from the tailback position, or he can line up as a receiver and burn you deep. Look for him to not only compete with Leinart for the Heisman, but also to be the first overall draft pick in next year's NFL draft.
5. Boise State QB Jared Zabransky. The Broncos are poised to be this season’s Utah. They have 17 returning starters from last year's team that went 11-1. A difficult schedule will either put Zabransky in the race for the Heisman or take him out of it.

Monday, May 02, 2005

OU Coach Resigns After Making Racial Remark

It’s not a word that you hear everyday, it shouldn’t be a word you hear at all, but yet he said it, twice, on two separate occasions. In conversations with two ESPN reporters at two separate times, OU baseball coach Larry Cochell used the, “N” word.

Cochell made the racial remarks as he was praising freshman outfielder Joe Dunigan, who is black. The comments, made in two separate off-camera interviews, were reported to the University of Oklahoma on Friday by ESPN. Cochell, who didn’t deny making the remarks, submitted a letter of resignation to University President David Boren on Sunday.

There could have been no alternate resolution to this issue. No amount of dedication or service is enough to cause anyone to overlook statements like these. There is no suspension long enough or any fine large enough to make retribution for insensitive remarks made in this manner by a man who makes his living mentoring other young men. Larry Cochell has a reputation of being a stand-up guy and a class act, but there is just no way he could have remained at OU, where he has coached for 14 years, after the comments were made public.

Cochell could have been remembered for leading the Sooners to a 1994 College World Series victory or for several other coaching milestones, winning 1000 games, making three College World Series appearances. Rather, he will be remembered as a great coach and a good guy who had his career cut short by racially insensitive remarks. Instead of wondering what else he could have done in his career, Sooner fans will wonder if there was not more to him that they were not aware of.

About My Opinion on Sports

Welcome to my opinion on sports. This is a blog-spot devoted to sports opinions. Everyday (Mon-Fri) I will post an opinion about something in the world of sports with the desire to know what your thoughts are. You can agree or disagree, but we want to know your opinion. If you like this site tell your friends about it and get some good banter going back and forth on your various opinions. If you don't like this site, then wait until you do, and then tell your friends and get the banter going. The only rules are that you keep it clean and you keep it about sports.

How do I post a comment?
It's easy, after you have read my opinion just click on the comment box and let me know how much you agree or disagree with me or another posting. YOU DO NOT HAVE TO BECOME A MEMBER TO POST! Just type out your thoughts and click the anonymous box and then publish. Your posting will appear almost immediately.

How can I contribute to MY Opinion on Sports?
Well, by telling everyone you know about us and posting your opinion regularly. If you find the opinions I post daily to be entertaining and you enjoy the site you can leave a tip in the tip jar. Tips are optional and can be made with PayPal by clicking on the donate icon. That will take you directly to the tip jar, where you can leave a personal message for me as well.
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Where is the best place to start the banter?
If you want to post your opinions about things other than what I have written about then go directly to the CHATTER BOX. This is an open forum where you can post your thoughts about anything in the sports world, regardless if we have written about it or not. Keep it clean and keep it about sports. A new CHATTER BOX will begin every week.

Thanks again for using My Opinion on Sports as your platform to share your opinions on the sports world. Happy posting.

Last Weeks Poll Results

QUESTION: Which team had the best NFL draft?
Miami Dolphins 43%
Chicago Bears 31%
Cleveland Browns 11%
San Francisco 49ers 9%
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 6%

35 votes.

Thanks for voting. Check out this weeks poll.

Chatter Box for the week of May 2

Give us your thoughts...