USA World Cup Review

Well it has been about 30 minutes since the US was eliminated by Ghana again by a score of 2-1 just like in 2006 in Germany and I will look back on their performance over the past 2 weeks.
While it was exciting especially Landon Donovan's game winning and group winning goal in the 91st minute against Algeria and controversial, just look at Maurice Edu's game winner against slovenia being disallowed. I think the US, who showed some positive signs, may have just missed out on their best chance to make a deep run in this World Cup. From a group with lightweights like Algeria and Slovenia. To a quadrant in the knockout stage with South Korea, Uruguay, and Ghana in which the US was the highest ranked team the US should have made the semi-finals.



The main person I blame for this loss and disappointment is coach Bob Bradley. First of all he stuck with Robby Findley at striker instead of either Hercules Gomez and Edson Buddle, who a week before the cup began scored 2 goals against Australia and was the leading goal scorer in the MLS. Also instead of putting Edu or Feilhaber in this game vs. Ghana goes with Ricardo Clark who struggled against England and made the big mistake which led to an early goal and had to be subsituted in the 30th minute leaving a tired US team to play in extra time without a needed sub.

Then there is their struggles in the 1st half where they were outscored 4-1 in this tournament with the one goal being a gift against England. That says something about the players inability to get up for these games right off the bat and the coach's inability to get them up to start the game. The last major issue for this team is the scoring, or lack there of, from strikers (8 world cup games without a goal from a striker), this could have been solved by inserting Buddle into the starting 11.

Now the US is looking at 2014 in Brazil with great uncertainty as key players like Tim Howard, Carlos Bocanegra, Landon Donovan, Clint Dempsey, and Oguchi Onyewu are among the 13 men on the 23 man roster that are 27 or older meaning that they may not be at their peak and the US may need guys like Michael Bradley and Jozy Altidore to lead the next wave of US players into Brazil in 4 years.

MLB (2 Months down 4 to go)

As promised I am back again to reflect on the baseball season thus far and give my predictions for the rest of the way, and examine the controversy that occured two nights ago in Detroit.
I will start with the controversy involving Tigers Pitcher Armando Galarraga losing a perfect game on a blown call by 1st base umpire Jim Joyce with 2 outs in the ninth. In my opinion, people need to calm down Joyce made a mistake, he is only human, and has shown great class, regret, and frustration after the fact and is one of the most well respected and best umps in all of baseball. Those of you who are calling for Joyce to be fired need to calm down and realize we all make mistakes, he regrets making the mistake, and the pitcher and manager involved have forgiven him. I would also like to comend Galarraga, his manager Jim Leyland, and the Tigers organization for the classy way in which they have handled the issue.
In terms of Selig's decision to over turn the call I can see both sides, it was the last out so there are no what ifs but if he does this and overturns a call that had no impact on the outcome of the game he will have to do this for every call in the playoffs that does impact the outcome of a game. However, instant replay must be expanded to include everything except balls and strikes and should be run by a 5th umpire in the booth who buzzes the home plate ump when a review is needed, after all getting the call right is the most important thing.
FIRST 2 MONTHS IN REVIEW
Biggest suprises (teams): San Diego Padres, Cincinnati Reds
Biggest Disappointments (teams): Seattle Mariners, Boston Red Sox
Biggest Suprises (players): Umbaldo Jimenez, Martin Prado
Biggest Disappointments (players): Zach Greinke, Javier Vazquez
Best Moment: Armando Galarraga delivering Lineup card to Joyce yesterday
Biggest Storyline: The revival and dominance of pitchers over hitters
PREDICTIONS FOR THE REST OF THE SEASON
Awards
AL MVP: Justin Mourneau, Twins
NL MVP: Albert Pujols, Cardinals
AL Cy Young: David Price, Rays
NL Cy Young: Umbaldo Jimenez, Rockies
AL Rookie of the Year: Austin Jackson, Tigers
NL Rookie of the Year: Jason Heyward, Braves
AL Manager of the Year: Ron Washington, Rangers
NL Manager of the Year: Dusty Baker, Reds
STANDINGS
AL EAST
1. Rays (#1 Seed)
2. Yanks (WC)
3. Sox
4. Jays
5. O's (MAN THEY SUCK)
AL Central
1. Twins (2 seed)
2. Tigers
3. White Sox
4. KC
5. Indians
AL West:
1. Rangers (3 seed)
2. Angels
3.A's
4. Mariners
NL EAST
1. Phillies (2 seed)
2. Braves (WC)
3. Marlins
4. Nats
5. Mets
NL Central
1. Cards (1 seed)
2. Reds
3. Cubs
4. Brewers
5. Pirates
6. Astros
NL West:
1. Dodgers (3 seed)
2. Giants
3. Rockies
4. Padres
5. D-Backs
POSTSEASON PREDICTIONS
Divisional Round
Rays over Rangers in 4
Twins over Yanks in 5
Cards over Braves in 4
Phillies over Dodgers in 5
LCS
Rays over Yanks in 6
Cards over Phillies in 6
WORLD SERIES
Cards over Rays in 7, Both teams have great starting pitching depth Cards win based on managerial edge and the fact that they have the 2 best hitters in the series MVP: Pujols

Sports update (other then Baseball)

Well I am back once again with a look at the goings on in the world of sports, because of all that is going on with baseball I will analyze that sport and give my predictions for the rest of the year in that sport tomorrow. Today I will look at all other sports including the NBA Finals which start tonight.
MMA- After two great cards this past month the UFC is currently building towards possibly its strongest summer ever headlined By Brock Lesnar vs. Shane Carwin, two freakish 265 pound plus athletes, on July 3rd and their debut in Boston in late August. While Boxing is still waiting for Pac Man and Mayweather to agree to fight, which may not even happen. so Pac Man can destroy Mayweather. More proof MMA is a better stronger sport.
Football- Recently there was some major news regarding the future of the league, no not the Ravens signing Shayne Graham although that is a big pickup for the ravens. I am talking about super bowl 48 being awarded to New York/New Jersey, which I feel is a huge mistake. First of all this one time waiver where the NFL ignored the requirement for a super bowl host to either have a dome or an average february temperature of 50 degrees makes no sense it was only waived because it is New York. Also do people in the mid-atlantic remember that 4 months ago the week of the super bowl we had two blizzards and 30 inches of snow now what if that happens in 2014 not only will the game suck and the fans not be able to get there but the week leading up to it, a major part of the super bowl, will suck. This is on top of the fact that 3 years ago when the Bears and Colts met in a rain storm people complained that the game was tainted and boring but it is ok if it snows in the 2014 super bowl because it is in New York and New York Jr.
NHL- These playoffs have been great as have these cup finals further proof why the NHL playoffs are the greatest in all of sports.
NBA- The NBA got its wish as the Lakers and Celtics will meet in the finals for the 12th time. This is also the 2nd time in the past 5 years that the last 2 champs meet in the finals (2005-Spurs beat Pistons in a 7 game classic). This is also rematch of the 2008 finals where the Celtics bullied the Lakers on the way to a 6 game victory. This series i see being a repeat of that as the Celtics are just too physical for the Lakers especially in the paint with Perkins, Davis, Garnett, and the X-factor Rasheed Wallace. Also Andrew Bynum, who did not play in 2008, is injured and wont make a big impact neither will Ron Artest who has for the most part struggled this series and struggles against Paul Pierce. The biggest mismatch in this series is not Kobe vs. Ray Allen it is Rajon Rondo vs. Derrick Fisher. I see the Celtics, who are very balanced and agreat road team, winning their 18th championship in 6 games with Rondo the MVP.