So Necessary

The Future of USF Athletics...and the University

2011-02-09T01:35:00.001-05:00

After reading this post, I found that I also had similar feelings about the state of USF athletics. It seems the passion that came with the 2007 football season, along with the surge of the soccer team in recent years, has somewhat deteriorated. I am not sure if this is because we are fed up with a lack of championships, no recent big-time wins, displeased with current coaching situations, or the number of other reasons that cause fans to become frustrated. Just know, that after my experiences two weekends ago, my hope-and-love fire for both the University of South Florida and its athletics was rekindled.

Two Saturdays ago, a group of friends and I participated in the Warrior Dash held in Lake Wales, FL. If you have not heard of this, or unsure of what it entails, check out the link. As is customary of this particular group of friends (the group I have my football tickets with), we are always sporting USF gear when attending giant social events. Normally we are outnumbered by Gators, Noles, Canes, and sometimes even UCF fans. When we get the occasional "Go Bulls" with the horns, it is a tiny victory for the community. Lack of Bulls fans was not the case that weeked at The Dash. In fact, there were so many people sporting Bulls gear that I was getting annoyed with having to respond to the multitude of "Go Bulls" thrown my way. There were literally hundreds of Bulls there, and we far out numbered by any other Florida school fans/alum in attendance. It was great to finally be somewhere that was not "Gator Nation."

The next day, after sleeping off my demoralized (yet accomplished) soul, my wife and I started our journey back to Sarasota. Since both of us are USF alumni ('07/'08), we decided to stop in Tampa at Mr. Dunderbak's for lunch. Since we had eaten breakfast only a couple hours earlier, we were not quite hungry yet. I proposed that we stop by campus and take a long walk around to see all that has changed. I was there earlier this year, but it was only at the bookstore for a few minutes prior to a football game. I had a good idea of what the new Marshall Center entailed, but not much else beyond that. We parked at the bookstore parking lot, and began our trek through campus. We took a good walk through all the floors of the Marshall Center, and could not believe how great it looked on the inside. The upgrades that were made to the Food Court area and the Top of the Palms restaurant were incredible. It is definitely a place to be proud of. There were several students sitting throughout the center doing research/work, and it was SUNDAY. You could tell there is much more pride in being on campus.

As we continued walking around, reminiscing on the great times we had, we eventually came across the construction of the new baseball stadium and football practice facilities. The new athletics complex is going to be amazing. We are finally going to have the tools we need to bring in the type of recruits and students that will take both the teams, and the university as a whole, to the next level. It was right at that moment I became so damn proud of my school. There was never a doubt in my mind that I was a Bull for life. Just then, my wife looked over at me and asked why I was smiling. My response was something along the lines of..."Look at what OUR school is becoming. Just look at these improvements. I used to think we were spoiled, but this is incredible. We are going to be BIG on the map soon." Shortly after, we discussed how much we want to push our kids to go to USF, and build a family legacy.

If you have not made it out to the school recently, you really need to. USF is on the right track, and the fan support will start to grow soon. I have no doubt in my mind about that.

2010-2011 NBA Preseason Predictions

2010-10-26T11:28:00.000-04:00

So it has been over a year since I last posted on this blog. In fact, I had almost given up on it completely. However, I realized that I really do enjoy writing, then looking back on what I have done, and receiving comments from the few people that actually do read my stuff. Therefore, I have had to go back and fix the settings on my Facebook profile, so these posts will be linked to the social networking site that has taken over the lives of...well...pretty much the human race. This time I will be making every effort to stay on top of the "oh so necessary happenings in my life," and keep you loyal followers updated on my sports opinions, some political thoughts, and kitchen happenings.

To start it off (again), as promised on Facebook, I will be giving you my preseason predictions for the NBA season (it starts today. GO HEAT!). So, without further ado, let's get started.

DIVISION CHAMPIONS

Atlantic: Boston Celtics
Last year's NBA Finals runner-up should have no problem capturing their division. In fact, like last year, it really will not be close. Rajon Rondo is an incredible basketball player, and even though Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett, and Paul Pierce are getting old, no other team in the division has the talent to match them. I also really like the way Kendrick Perkins plays, and keep in mind that new addition, Shaquille O'Neal will be able to come off the bench and contribute at the center position. I think the New York Knicks will be much improved with Amar'e Stoudemire back under coach Mike D'Antoni, and with the upgrade at the point guard position in Raymond Felton. Still, an easy division title for the Celtics.

Central: Chicago Bulls
This was a really tough call for me, because I can also see Milwaukee taking the crown in the Central. Both teams have young, outstanding point guards in Derrick Rose and Brandon Jennings, along with some really good players up front. Milwaukee went out and picked up Drew Gooden and Corey Maggette, but the addition of Carlos Boozer to the Bulls sealed it for me. And despite my hatred for Joakim Noah, the guy just knows how to get his job done. Should be a fun one to watch.

Southeast: Miami Heat
Yes, I realize this is my favorite team. I also realize this may be the obvious pick given the incredible off-season acquisitions of LeBron James and Chris Bosh, and re-signing Dwayne Wade. But who can blame me? The Heat now have 3 of the top 4 PER players from last year, a point guard in Mario Chalmers that is quickly improving, and some great depth off the bench. The injury sustained by Mike Miller will hurt their outside shooting , but this team should have no problem putting points on the board. I also feel they have one of the best defenses in the league. The Orlando Magic will be hot on their toes all season. Dwight Howard continues to improve every year, Jameer Nelson is a real solid player, and Vince Cater and Rashard Lewis will do their thing. However, I do feel the Magic bench is not that deep, and the starters will being to tire out as the season progresses. In the end, the Heat take it.

Northwest: Oklahoma City Thunder
Oh, how I love watching you play basketball, Kevin Durant. It is up to you to help lead your team to winning what will be the most hotly contested division race this season. I could just as easily give it to the Utah Jazz or Portland Trail Blazers, but with the help of Russel Westbrook and Jeff Green, it is yours to lose. The Jazz did lose Boozer, but were able to replace him with Al Jefferson, so I do not feel there will be much drop in production. However, they do have a glaring weakness with Raja Bell starting at the two-guard. I would have chosen Portland if not for their proneness to injury. They have good depth, and Brandon Roy is still one of the most underrated players in the league. Could this be the year Greg Oden stays healthy? If so, the Blazers will be pretty damn good.

Pacific: Los Angeles Lakers
Just like the Atlantic Division, this race will not even be close. The Phoenix Suns no longer have Amar'e, and no other team in the division had more than 29 wins last season. The Los Angeles Clippers will be much improved if Blake Griffin lives up to his potential, but ain't no one catchin' them Lakers.

Southwest: Dallas Mavericks
I think the Mavs will win this division pretty easily. They have a great trio in Dirk Nowitzki, Caron Butler, and Jason Kidd. They are solid up front with Brendan Haywood and Tyson Chandler, and they still have Jason Terry coming off the bench. The San Antonio Spurs are aging, but as long as Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili, and Tony Parker are on the same team, you can never count them out of a title hunt. I also feel the other teams in this division are better than the media has been giving them credit. If Yao Ming can stay healthy, look for the Houston Rockets to be much improved. The New Orleans Hornets, and a healthy Chris Paul, will rebound in a big way from last season's unfortunate turn of events.

REMAINING PLAYOFF TEAMS

Eastern Conference
Atlanta Hawks, Milwaukee Bucks, New York Knicks, Orlando Magic, and Washington Wizards

Western Conference
Houston Rockets, New Orleans Hornets, Portland Trail Blazers, San Antonio Spurs, and Utah Jazz

PLAYOFF RESULTS

Eastern Conference Finals: Miami over Boston
This could also be Miami over Orlando if the the Magic end up with a better record than the Celtics. Most experts believe the Heat cannot win the East in their first year together. I do not see it. As long as they go into the playoffs as the #1 seed, they will get to play a Celtics team that has gotten beaten up by the Magic in the second round. Miami wins it 4-2.

Western Conference Finals: Los Angeles over Dallas
The Lakers will win the West again, but I think it will be much harder for them than the past couple years. Lakers take the series in 7.

The Finals: Miami over Los Angeles
So sue me. I realize it may be a homer pick, but that is why we are fans. This team, on paper, is too good not to win it all. They also have much more depth than the Lakers. It will not be easy, since Kobe Bryant is trying get his (Jordan tying) 6th ring. I say forget what everyone says about needing a couple years to gel. The dynasty starts this year with Miami taking it in 7. It will be the best Finals since...last year.

INDIVIDUAL AWARDS

Most Valuable Player: Kevin Durant
This could honestly be a number of players, but without Kevin Durant the Thunder may not even see the playoffs. He will also lead the league in scoring, PER, and his defense continues to get better. LeBron is still the best player ~~in the league~~ on the planet, but his numbers will take a dip with Wade and Bosh by his side.

Rookie of the Year: Blake Griffin
If only true first year players were eligible to receive this award, then John Wall would get the nod. But since Griffin is considered a rooke, there is no denying a year with an NBA team will give him an advantage. Keep an eye on DeMarcus Cousins, he is very NBA ready. I think this will be a very close race all season.

Defensive Player of the Year: Gerald Wallace
I really love watching Gerald Wallace play defense. He can block, steal, cover any position...he does it all. Dwight Howard could easily get this award, but I love the hustle of Wallace. Howard would not be able to cover a point guard like Wallace can. However, do not dismiss Ron Artest here.

Most Improved Player: Michael Beasley
A change of scenery will really help Beasley. He is also on a team without any star power, and has Darko Milicic penciled as a starter...yes...that Darko Milicic.

Sixth Man of the Year: Antawn Jamison
The most difficult award to predict. I chose Jamison, simply because J.J. Hickson is listed as the starter over him. Really Cleveland? Do you really want Harrison Barnes that bad? Other possibilities here are Jamal Crawford, Udonis Haslem, James Harden, and Greg Oden.

Coach of the Year: Tom Thibodeau
There are not too many times you will see a first year coach taking a team to the playoffs, and it is almost guaranteed the Bulls make it. Although, if they win the division (as I have predicted), he deserves it.

So there you have it. Tune into the games throughout the season. It should be really fun to watch. I will reassess these picks after the All-Star break.

College Football Thoughts (Week 7)

2009-10-22T14:21:00.015-04:00

I am hoping not, but it is looking like it has begun. That's right, the annual collapse of my beloved South Florida Bulls. After climbing to #21 in the polls, USF dropped last Thursday's game to #8 Cincinnati 34-17. BJ Daniels put up a hell of an effort. The kid is pretty much unsackable, as he was running for his life all night (thanks O-Line). I never saw a single player evade so many tackles. Unfortunately one of his scrambles led to an interception returned for 90 yards and set up a Cincinnati touchdown. The Bulls also did a good job of not letting Cincinnati quarterback Tony Pike throw all over them. Unfortunately, Pike went down with an injury and the coaches did a terrible job of adjusting to Cincinnati's new game plan. The back up was a runner, and the Bulls have had a tough time defending running QBs all year. The Bulls have a tough match up Saturday in Pittsburgh, and will face the best defensive line they have seen all year. After watching what the Cincy d-line did to us, I feel very nervous about this. Give credit to the Bearcats for going into hostile territory and taking care of business. This team looks for real. Brian Kelly is an outstanding coach.

As expected, the Miami Hurricanes went out and took care of business against Central Florida with a 27-7 victory. The Canes face Clemson this week in a match up many believe could be a trap game. I do not see that happening as I feel Miami will win out and head to the Orange Bowl.

This was quite an entertaining week outside of my favorite teams. In addition, the first BCS standings were released with the top 5 being Florida, Alabama, Texas, Boise State, and Cinicinnati.

#5 Boise State escaped an upset loss to Tulsa, winning 28-21. I said earlier that Tulsa was the only team I saw remaining on Boise State's schedule with a chance to beat the Broncos. Unfortunately they will probably go undefeated and get in to BCS due to their cowardly scheduling. Maybe Idaho can pull it off November 14.

#3 Texas remained undefeated taking down #20 Oklahoma 16-13 in the Red River Shooutout. The Sooners took a big blow after Sam Bradford reinjured his shoulder in the first quarter. This was a great defensive battle which Oklahoma seemed to dominate most of. However, they were unable to hold on to the win, and their shot at a BCS game is all but gone.

In the biggest upset of the week, #7 Ohio State lost to unranked Purdue 26-18. Many do not feel Jim Tressel is properly utilizing quarterback Terrelle Pryor. My response to that is it serves Pryor right for not going to a school that runs the offense he is best suited for. Michigan looks pretty tempting now, huh Terrelle?

Biggest scandal of the year goes to #1 Florida's robbing of Arkansas 23-20. Now if the terrible officiating did not happen, I'm not saying Arkansas would have won for sure. But you do have to feel something is not morally right with Urban Meyer. Gainesville would have not been happy losing on homecoming to a 24 point underdog. I call scandal FAIL. The Gators will get there's in due time.

#25 Notre Dame gave #6 USC all the could, losing 34-27. I have not been on the Jimmy Clausen bandwagon, but I now believe he is legit. He kept his team in the game down to the last play, even after they appeared to be out of it.

#15 Nebraska failed in handling two decent opponents back-to-back. They were killed, at home, by unranked Texas Tech 31-10. The score was 24-3 heading into the 4th quarter. Nebraska can still win the Big 12 North, but I am certain that if they make it that far, they will lose to the winner of the South division.

#19 Georgia Tech took down #4 Virginia Tech 28-23 in the battle of the engineers. The Coastal Division of the ACC is now wide open, with Virginia currently in first. That ends this week, as I feel they will lose to Georgia Tech. Which in turn will put Miami atop of the division.

#2 (but my #1) Alabama took care of business against #22 South Carolina. It was not the prettiest offensive performance by the Tide, but the defense looked dominant only giving up six points. I really want Alabama to stick i to Florida in the SEC championship. I hope both are undefeated until then. Never mind, I will be happy with any Florida loss.

Games of note this week:
#12 Georgia Tech at Virginia
South Florida at #20 Pittsburgh
Clemson at #10 Miami
#13 Penn State at Michigan
Oklahoma at #25 Kansas
#8 TCU at #16 BYU

Here is my Top 25:

1. Alabama
2. Florida
3. Texas
4. USC
5. Cincinnati
6. Miami (FL)
7. Boise State
8. LSU
9. Iowa
10. TCU
11. Georgia Tech
12. Oregon
13. Penn State
14. Virginia Tech
15. Oklahoma State
16. Pittsburgh
17. Houston
18. Utah
19. West Virginia
20. BYU
21. Ohio State
22. Kansas
23. Texas Tech
24. Boston College
25. South Florida

College Football Thoughts (Week 6)

2009-10-13T21:20:00.020-04:00

As promised, I have returned. Hopefully this will not be temporary. I do enjoy writing, but have found my laziness tends to get the best of me. Maybe we will just call it writer's block.

Anyways, to the football. I will first start (as I normally do) discussing the teams important to me. My Alma mater, the University of South Florida, is heading in to a huge game this Thursday against Big East foe Cincinnati. Both teams are 5-0, and have been quite impressive this year. Cincinnati is ranked #9 and boast an impressive offense led by quarterback Tony Pike. A kid whom many have on their Heisman Trophy watch list. However, Cincinnati has not been truly tested this season, with their toughest game thus far being at Oregon State (no disrespect to the Beavers, but they are not the same as last year). #21 USF has not been tested too much either. In week 4 we went up to Tallahassee, and beat then #18 Florida State 17-7. As the weeks go by this win looks less and less impressive since FSU is now 2-4 with what seems as the worst having yet to come. More on them later. Hopefully the people of Tampa will unite and come together for this big game. A full Raymond James Stadium is tough for the opposition, and I will be there full force screaming my head off for my beloved Bulls. I expect this to be a close game, and too tough for me to call. My heart says the Bulls, but I have not had a great feeling about this one since the end of the first half against Syracuse two Saturdays ago. The defensive line will need to repeat the performance they had against FSU, and BJ Daniels will have to put the offense in a position to score. Our running game has been less than stellar, so it is going to lie on the freshman signal caller's arm and legs.

My other team, the Miami Hurricanes, are off to a more than impressive start. If anyone would have told me at the beginning of the season, they would be 4-1 after playing Florida State, Georgia Tech, Virginia Tech, Oklahoma, and Florida A&M, I might have considered them clinically insane. FAMU was the only sure lock in my book, with them most likely losing the rest. Jacory Harris has looked very poised, and the offense has been great under Mark Whipple thus far (with the exception of the VaTech game). The defense has been great as well. Allen Bailey is the best player you never heard of. No doubt in my mind he should be a first round pick in the 2011 draft. The Canes handled FAMU quite easily, winning 48-16. Miami travels to Orlando to take on Central Florida this Saturday, and I fully expect the Canes to be 5-1 after that game and continue to their ascent up the polls.

In other recaps, #21 Nebraska won 27-12 over #24 Missouri last Thursday. I have been skeptical of Nebraska all season, but with this win and losing only 16-15 to Virignia Tech, I am becoming a bit more of a believer in them as a Big 12 favorite. Their game against Texas Tech will be a good measuring tool. Let's see how they handle two decent opponents back-to-back.

The big contest Saturday saw #1 Florida head into Death Valley to take on #4 LSU. The big story of the game was if Florida's Tim Tebow would be able to play after suffering a pretty severe concussion two weeks earlier. Sure enough, Tebow was out on the field and led his team to a 13-3 victory, ending LSU's 30+ (I believe 32) game winning streak at home during night games. Florida's defense was dominant, but their offense was less than stellar. In my opinion this was due to Tebow coming off the injury, and because LSU's defense is underrated. No one gave the Tigers a chance, but they killed themselves with several stupid offside penalties. Florida is definitely beatable, and at the moment they are not looking like the the number 1 team in the nation.

That title should go to Alabama. The Tide rolled into Oxford and beat #20 Mississippi 22-3. Jevan Snead is very overrated as his offense was only able to muster a field goal. And love him or hate him (I'm on the hate side), you have to respect Alabama coach Nick Saban. The man has returned that program to glory in only a couple seasons.

The only unbeaten team that went down was #17 Auburn, losing 44-23 to unranked Arkansas. I feel Arkansas is a lot better than advertised, and their quarterback Ryan Mallett is a first rounder in my opinion. Florida may have a tough time with Arkansas this week.

Sam Bradford made his return from his shoulder injury and #19 Oklahoma handled Baylor easily, 33-7. This was a good warm up for Bradford as they will take on #2 Texas this week in the Red River Shootout. Texas defeated Colorado 38-14, surviving a rough first half in which Texas was down 14-10.

#12 Iowa is still undefeated after a thrilling 30-28 win over Michigan. The Hawkeyes are looking pretty good, but I do not see them winning out. They have to play at Ohio State in November.

#22 Georgia Tech defeated Florida State 49-44, in what was the worst display of defense I have ever seen. You have to feel bad for FSU quarterback Christian Ponder whom has done everything he can for this team. If his defense was not so bad, he could be the front runner for the Heisman. Unfortunately that award has become more about team rather than individual performance. The end of Bobby Bowden is near, but since that has been all over the news, I will not discuss that situation anymore. Just know that he should be gone after this year, and all Bobby apologists (seasoned FSU fans in particular) do not care about that program getting better.

Games of note for the coming weekend:
#8 Cincinnati at #21 South Florida
#20 Oklahoma vs. #2 Texas
Arkansas at #1 Florida
#6 USC at #25 Notre Dame
#4 Virginia Tech at #19 Georgia Tech
#22 South Carolina at #2 Alabama

Here is my Top 25

1. Alabama
2. Florida
3. Texas
4. Virginia Tech
5. USC
6. Boise State
7. Miami (FL)
8. Cincinnati
9. LSU
10. Ohio State
11. Iowa
12. Oregon
13. Penn State
14. TCU
15. Georgia Tech
16. Nebraska
17. Kansas
18. Oklahoma State
19. South Florida
20. Oklahoma
21. South Carolina
22. Houston
23. BYU
24. Notre Dame
25. Utah

The Return of the Blog

2009-10-11T17:05:00.002-04:00

This is just a quick notice that I will finally be back to blogging on a weekly basis. It will begin this week with my thoughts on the College Football season thus far. The focus will be on South Florida's big match up this week against Cincinnati. Stay tuned, and I apologize for the six month hiatus.

Sierra Nevada Bigfoot Barleywine Style Ale

2009-04-23T19:55:00.002-04:00

Over a month since I have done a beer review, but have I got a dandy for you. Sierra Nevada comes out with a seasonal Barleywine Style Ale and it is fabulous. It is a very hoppy, bitter ale (similar to an IPA) with a citrus flavor. The color was a dark amber, but opaque enough to see through it a little. There was heavy lacing on the glass, which is what I love to see. The taste was quite strong and is not for the faint at palate. And with a 9.6% ABV ratio, one or two is enough to do you in, so sip it slow.

With a $10.99 per six pack price tag it is a bit pricey, but well worth it. When I grabbed it from the shelf it was in the wrong spot an I thought it would only be $8.99, so I was a little upset at the checkout line. However, after the first bottle I knew it was worth every penny. Highly recommended and well deserving of an A.

Happy Drinking!

MLB Preseason Predictions

2009-04-16T14:49:00.009-04:00

So it has been almost a month since I have posted, and I apologize for my laziness. For this post I am going to list my predictions for the MLB season. Yes, I realize it has already started, but what has happened so far will probably be a lot different than the rest of the year. A baseball season has never been foreshadowed by the first week of the season. Here are the picks.

DIVISION CHAMPIONS

NL East: New York Mets

Next to the AL East, this is going to be the most competitive race in baseball. The Mets have a great lineup and even better depth after acquiring Gary Sheffield. Look for the Braves and Marlins to both contend. The Phillies surely have the bats and defense to defend their title, but I am not sure the starting pitching can stay consistent or healthy enough. The Atlanta Braves made what will turn out to be the best off season pick up in Derek Lowe, and the young Marlins rotation is one of the best in baseball (when healthy). The Florida Marlins also have this guy named Hanley Ramirez whom I consider the best player in baseball. Sorry Washington, but you have a ways to go.

NL Central: Chicago Cubs

I honestly feel this is the year that the curse of the goat can be broken. The Cubs lose only Kerry Wood from last year's team and they add Milton Bradley to their lineup which takes care of a rotational outfield position they have had the last few years. Their starters are older, but the experience will prove helpful. The only team I see having a chance to contend is St. Louis, but with health issues in their rotation (particularly Carpenter) I am not sure they have enough stamina. Their bullpen is also a concern. The Cincinnati Reds will be much improved, and I can see them making a push for this division next year.

NL West: Los Angeles Dodgers

I really like everything about the Dodgers. Great lineup, great rotation, and solid bullpen. They have a good mix if young and old, and a guy named Manny Ramirez who knows how to get it done. Arizona has a great rotation, but I don't believe much in their lineup. Everyone else in the division is an after thought.

AL East: Tampa Bay Rays

It will be the best fight for a division title this season. I am going with my heart a bit and picking the Rays to repeat as Champs in the division. However, they got rid of some dead weight in Johnny Gomes, picked up Pat Burrell, and did not dump any significant contributors from last year. It will be a shame that either the Rays, New York Yankees, or Boston Red Sox will be left out of the playoffs. They appear to be the best three teams on paper and any of them can win it. I think C.C. Sabathia is the key to the Yanks successes this year and will contribute greatly. I am really starting to hate Red Sox nation and hope they eat crow this year. Both Toronto and Baltimore will make great strides, and I would not doubt either of them being the Rays of this year.

AL Central: Minnesota Twins

There are a couple teams that could take this division, but I am going to go with the Twins. They have experience at most of their positions and a solid rotation. I think all teams can contend, and yes, that means the Kansas City Royals. I still think they are too young, but they will not be the bottom feeders of the major leagues. Mark my words.

AL West: Texas Rangers

Another decision that was tough. I think it is between Los Angeles, Oakland, and the Rangers. Texas has massive power and run scoring potential which may help make up for their terrible pitching. I like Oakland, but they will need pitcher Justin Duchscherer to come back from the disabled list fast. Do not count Los Angeles out either. Mike Scoscia is a great manager and will keep them in the hunt all year.

WILD CARD TEAMS

NL: Philadelphia Phillies

The defending world champions are too good of a team to stay out of the playoffs. I see it coming down between them and St. Louis, with Florida in the mix (prediction of the heart).

AL: New York Yankees

As stated earlier, this could easily be Boston too. I used to hate the Yankees more than anything, but Boston is slowly taking over as my most despised team and I just really do not want them making the playoffs.

PLAYOFF RESULTS

National League Championship: Los Angeles over Chicago

A battle of two historic teams. An intriguing match up that undoubtedly go into a 7 game series. I think the Dodgers have just a little more up their sleeves and make it into the World Series on the back of Manny and their pitching. Bartman is hanging around there somewhere.

American League Championship: Tampa Bay over New York

The Rays return to the World Series for the second straight year. After a year wiser in playoff situations, they will coast through the first round and then beat the Yanks in six. Watch for rookie David Price to be huge in the postseason for Tampa.

World Series: Tampa Bay over Los Angeles

I know most will think I am picking the Rayas because I am fond of them. Part of that is true, but the other part of me has witnessed how this team can pull out wins. They play great defense, pitch well, and I believe they will be much stronger at the plate. Evan Longoria will soon be the All-Star third baseman of the AL, Price is going to be a beast of a pitcher, and if they can find an option at closer a little more reliable than Troy Percival, they will be tough to stop. Look for a 7 game series, and which ever team has the home field advantage will take the title. Since the AL has been so dominant in the All-Star game, I do not foresee that changing.

INDIVIDUAL AWARDS

NL Most Valuable Player: Hanley Ramirez

This has a lot to do with what the Marlins' record looks like come end of the season, but no where else will you find a player that can get on base, display power, and run as fast as Hanley can. He is reliable night in and night out.

NL Cy Young: Johan Santana

People forget how good of a season he had last year because the win total was not there. I feel things will change in his run support luck, and they will realize he is the best pitcher in the NL.

NL Rookie of the Year: Jordan Schafer

I could easily have gone Cameron Maybin, but I did not want to seem too much like a homer. Schafer is going to be a stud, and will help the Braves to a much improved record.

AL Most Valuable Player: Miguel Cabrera

Some many candidates to choose from. I could have gone Mark Teixeira, Evan Longoria, or someone like Grady Sizemore. Cabrera is just consistent, and without him the Tigers would have no power. I could see him hitting 35 homers and 120 RBI with a .320 batting average.

AL Cy Young: C.C. Sabathia

He is just a great pitcher and will help the Yankee rotation out immensely. Usually slow to start the season, but he will pick it up. Keep an eye on Zack Greinke of Kansas City though. He will have a huge year.

AL Rookie of the Year: David Price

Most people are going with Matt Weiters, and for good reason. He is supposed to be a Mike Piazza at the catching position but with defense. I am going to stray from that and say Price because I have seen what he can do in pressure situations. Take a look at his ALCS performance against the Red Sox last year, and that was a shadow of things to come for this young man's career.

Stay tuned for a great year. Baseball is a wonderful game and I love every moment of the season. I will update my predictions after the All-Star break.

Michelob Irish Red

2009-03-17T14:53:00.004-04:00

Let me start by saying Happy St. Patrick's Day to everyone! About a week ago I started to get into the St. Paddy's Day spirit a little soon (given my Irish background, I see this as acceptable), so I decided to give a try to Michelob's Irish Red Ale. I have found their "craft" beers to actually be pretty decent, and for the price (about $6 a sixer) it is worth the try.

I found this brew to be pretty similar to Killian's in appearance and taste, but a little darker in redness and definitely more hoppy in taste. It presented a wonderful aroma of nuttiness and it was also in the taste. There was a bit of a chocolate hint that lingered. Went down easily and I would have no problem knocking back a few of these. Overall I rate it a B-. If you are looking for something new to try for the holiday give it a shot. I still prefer a good old Guinness for my Irish celebration.

Happy Drinking and, again, Happy St. Patrick's Day!

My Personal Profile

2009-03-04T10:03:00.010-05:00

Since I have not filled out my profile here on blog spot, I decided to use this post to tell you a few things about myself. I was born in raised in South Florida. Deerfield Beach is where I spent the bulk of my childhood and graduated from Deerfield Beach High in 2004. During my high school years I participated in football and soccer. I started as punter/kicker and played some strong safety for the scout defense. In my senior year we had the opportunity to win a state championship but came up short losing 31-28 in the semi-finals. That was certainly my most memorable time in high school. I was also sports editor for the school newspaper, and while doing this I found a love for reporting about sports. I thought I was destined to go into journalism in high school, but it never came to fruition.

Instead I enrolled at the University of Kentucky the fall of 2004 in hopes of pursuing a pharmacy degree. After realizing chemistry was a subject I would struggle in, and money would be hard to come up with for attending an out of state college, I decided to transfer back to Florida and enrolled at the University of South Florida in the Spring of 2005. I was not sure what I wanted to major in initially, but finally I turned to a subject that I loved all through grade school...History. I finished college with a major in History, focusing on the Civil War and the Civil Rights Movement in America, and a minor in political science. During my time at USF I attended many sporting events, especially football, basketball, soccer, and baseball. I really miss those days of free tickets and a team I enjoy. Now living in Tallahassee I am surrounded by the cockiness that is Florida State country.

I moved up here in May of last year after graduating to follow my fiance, Mary-Beatrice, as she has begun her journey through medical school. It took my a while to find a job, but I now work as a P.E. coach for the Leon County school board. I'd prefer to be teaching in social studies in the classroom, but it's a job for now and being able to bean kids with dodge balls is not too shabby.

In my free time I dedicate my life to following sports, enjoying and cooking food, and reading about new things. There are many other things I enjoy, but I would consider these things to be my passions. My favorite sport is football, particularly college. Since it is my Alma mater, USF is my favorite team. I am also a close follower of the Miami Hurricanes as they were my childhood favorite. I am a hometown follower, so my favorite professional teams are the Miami Dolphins, Miami Heat, and Florida Marlins. I am not too big into hockey, but if the Florida Panthers are on I will watch them. In addition to team sports, I also really love boxing (obviously) and golf. I could never get tired of watching Tiger Woods play golf, even though it does not bother me when someone else wins.

Food is another passion of mine and I am a fan of all types of cuisines. However, nothing beats going to an upscale steak house for dinner in my book. My order is usually the same too. I will start with a gin martini, up, with an olive garnish and some sort of seafood appetizer (usually crab cakes). For the main course I'll get a 10-12 oz. NY strip cooked medium-rare. As a side I prefer some sort of potato (usually baked) or a creamed vegetable (spinach is best), and if they have onion rings I am all for it. A glass of merlot to complement my steak is a must. As a finishing course I tend to leave the dessert choice up to the lady since I am not big on sweets. If cheesecake is on the menu though, I will always suggest it. To finish off the meal a drink of aged scotch whiskey fits the bill.

I like to cook all types of food, but I find my best work to be done either on a grill or some sort of pasta. Never grill without a beer in hand, and I like them all. I tend to gravitate towards the microbrews because I enjoy a beer with bold flavors. However, I am still finishing up some Coors Lights that are left over from my Super Bowl party and I am getting by just fine on those.

My other interests lie in reading and music. I am always reading something to expand my knowledge. Whether it is news on the computer to keep updated with current events, or a fiction novel for pleasure. When I was younger I used to hate reading, but now I enjoy because I just love to learn. I want to continue my education by earning an MBA. I have put it on hold for the moment to finish all my teaching certifications and also since I am not sure where I will be living in the next couple of years (hopefully NYC when Mary has completed her clinicals and starts residency). I can also be found listening to music, and am a fan of most genres. I have no interest in techno, country, or real heavy/thrash/screamo rock stuff. My favorites are reggae, rock, blues, and hip-hop. I enjoy listening to classical a lot too, especially during dinner.

Later on in life I would like to open a pub/restaurant that would serve quality food and beer.

Anything more you are interested in, do not be afraid to ask. There are several more things I could put up, but I could go on for days.

Boxing Thoughts

2009-02-27T10:18:00.008-05:00

Since I am back to catching up on my blogging, I am going to dedicate this post to the happenings in the boxing world. Since I last wrote about boxing, Antonio Margarito has been stripped of his welterweight title and was suspended one year from fighting in the United States for wrapping his hands in what appeared to be plaster. The plaster was meant to get harder as his hands sweat and got the substance wet. I am glad they caught this before the fight happened against Shane Mosley. I feel Margarito should be banned for life. Had an official not caught this, Mosley's life could have been on the line. Mosley then went on to beat the crap out of Margarito resulting in him being knocked out. "Sugar" Shane looked like his old self, and now appears to be the top welterweight fighter in the world. Perhaps a match with Miguel Cotto or Joshua Clottey next? Would be entertaining.

A deal was finally agreed on between Manny Pacquiao and Rick Hatton. Should make for a great fight, as Hatton appears to be the only person that could contend with Pac-Man at the moment. I still anticipate Pacquiao winning the fight, but be sure to tune in May 2 for it, as it could go either way.

My second favorite boxer, Kelly Pavlik (Andre Berto is number one for me), returned to action on February 21 against mandatory challenger Marco Antonio Rubio and knocked him out in the ninth. Everyone knew Pavlik would win because he was in front of his hometown Youngstown, Ohio fans. Every superstar needs a pick me up, and after getting beat down by Bernard Hopkins, Pavlik needed this. Plenty of opportunities for his next fight, but I would like to see either Arthur Abraham (not likely) or Vernon Forrest (more likely).

If you are interested in some good fights tune in this weekend for Tomasz Adamek vs. Jonathan Banks for Adamek's Ring Magazine/IBF Cruiserweight titles and Juan Manuel Marquez vs. Juan Diaz for Marquez's Ring magazine and the vacant WBO and WBA lightweight belts. Best of all these fights are on Showtime (Adamek/Banks tonight) and HBO (Marquez/Diaz tomorrow), so you do not have to pay the pay-per-view prices. Just head to a local sports bar, or since most people have these channels, the comfort of your own couch and get as drunk as you want. I expect both current title holders to retain with Diaz having the best shot at an upset.

Kona Fire Rock Pale Ale

2009-02-18T09:30:00.003-05:00

This is a brew that I tried a while ago. But since I have been putting off blogging I have to get caught up. Also, with the festivities as of late, I have had a lot of beer left over from the Super Bowl that is the normal run of the mill stuff. I'll get back to buying new stuff when that runs out.

I have been eying Kona brewery stuff for some time, and finally decided to try the Fire Rock Pale Ale. It was a nice, sweet, amber colored ale with hints of caramel and fruit. I am usually more for a hoppier tasting pale ale, as this was a bit on the light side, but in all fairness it was not an IPA. Poured with a pretty nice head and had some good lacing. I would recommend pairing it with something on the spicy side to balance out the flavor of the food. If you are not one really hoppy ales, then this is the way to go. I will definitely be giving Kona a try on their other brews (especially the Porter). Overall, I would rate this a B.

Happy Drinking!

NBA Midseason Predictions

2009-02-17T09:31:00.012-05:00

Wow! Has it been some time since I have blogged or what? It has been a combination of coaching soccer, work, studying for PE subject area exam, and laziness that has kept me from blogging. Now that I have passed my exam, and the soccer season is nearly over, I plan to get back to blogging on a regular basis.

The All-Star break is over, and the unofficial second half of the NBA season will begin tonight. I wanted to come on here and give my predictions (as promised) on what will happen the rest of the season. It has been an entertaining year, with superstars like LeBron, Kobe, and Wade playing lights out basketball. In fact as you may recall, I was talking about how I have lost a lot of love for this league. Well I am coming on here to tell you this year has turned a page in my NBA appreciation and I find myself following it a lot closer and caring. Probably because the Heat will most likely make the playoffs, but it has been a fun year. Without further adieu, here are the updated predictions.

DIVISION CHAMPIONS

Southeast: Orlando Magic (same)
No change on my prediction here. Although they are going to be hurting a lot more with the loss of Jameer Nelson, but I think they have enough of a lead to hold off the inconsistent Atlanta Hawks.

Atlantic: Boston Celtics (same)
With the 76ers a solid 15 games behind, I would be willing to bet my life savings on the Celtics keeping the lead in this division. They are also still the defending champions with a great mix of young and old. How great has Rondo been?

Central: Cleveland Cavaliers (same)
Again I am sticking with the Cavs, and for the same reason anyone else would. They are the best team in the East, with the best player in the game. They also lead the league in point differential and Detroit is too far behind.

Southwest: San Antonio Spurs (previously New Orleans)
The Spurs do not look like they have aged at all. They are playing very well right now. New Orleans can still win this along with Houston, but those two teams have not been playing as well on the road as the Spurs. This division is going to be a dog fight though.

Northwest: Denver Nuggets (previously Utah)
In the preseason blog I stated the Jazz would win substantially. Well I was wrong. In all fairness though, I did not know Denver would have Chauncy Billups leading them. What a difference this guy makes for a team. Denver should win pretty easily because Portland and Utah cannot win away from home.

Pacific: Los Angeles Lakers (same)
And it is still not even close. The closest team, Phoenix, is in complete disarray.

REMAINING PLAYOFF TEAMS

Eastern Conference:
Atlanta (same), Miami (same), Philadelphia (same), Detroit (same), New Jersey (previously Toronto)
Milwaukee or Chicago could easily be in there instead of the Nets, but I like New Jersey with the way Brook Lopez is playing and if Devin Harris and Vince Carter can stay healthy.

Western Conference:
Houston (same), New Orleans (same), Dallas (same), Utah (same), Portland (previously Phoenix)
As stated above, Phoenix is in shambles after the firing of Terry Porter. Now they are looking to trade Amare Stoudamire? Man, has Steve Nash got a rough remaining of the season ahead of him. Portland has come along a lot faster then I thought. Brandon Roy has to be the most underrated player in the league. No doubt the Blazers regret taking Greg Oden over Kevin Durant because Roy is just as effective.

PLAYOFF RESULTS

Eastern Conference Finals: Cleveland over Boston (same)
If Jameer Nelson could have stayed healthy for the Magic, I would have picked them to win the conference. However, you cannot expect to win games as a shooting team when one of your best shooters is out. Cleveland is playing really well behind James and Moe Williams (ultimate All-Star snub). I definitely expect it to go to 7 games and would not be surprised if Boston won. I just think this is the year for the Cavs.

Western Conference Finals: San Antonio over Los Angeles (previously Los Angeles over Utah)
The Lakers can still pull it out, but it is going to be a lot harder after losing Andrew Bynum a second year in a row to a season ending knee injury. San Antonio may be aging, but, with Manu Ginobili back on top of his game and their consistent chemistry, they look tough to beat.

NBA Finals: San Antonio over Cleveland (previously Los Angeles over Cleveland)
I would have really loved to see Andrew Bynum vs. Dwight Howard in the finals, but with Bynum done and Nelson out for the Magic, it seems like it will be tough for Kobe Bryant to lead the Lakers and Howard to lead the Magic. This still presents a good match up. The youth of Cleveland and the relentlessness of James vs. the experience and chemistry of the Spurs. I say the Spurs in 7.

INDIVIDUAL AWARDS

Most Valuable Player: LeBron James (previously Chris Paul)
I would have loved for Paul to get this award, but he just does not have the dazzle factor of King James. Plus it is certainly hard to argue against numbers like 28 ppg, 7.5 rpg, and 7 apg. To be in the top in scoring, but also have that many assists is unreal. He is all over the court.

Rookie of the Year: Derrick Rose (previously Michael Beasley)
I'll admit it. I chose Beasley because he plays for the Heat. Now, he is playing decent and I guarantee his numbers will improve now that Shawn Marion is gone. Rose, however, has shown why he was the first overall pick. He is playing really well for the Bulls doing everything form scoring to dishing the ball. O.J. Mayo is close behind, but since the Grizzlies are so bad, he will finish second. Watch out for dark horse Brook Lopez. He has fit in well with New Jersey and is slowly climbing up the poll (I haven't checked, but I'm pretty sure 12 double-doubles leads all rookies).

Defensive Player of the Year: Dwight Howard (previously Ron Artest)
Artest was injury plagued in January and he has not played his normal shut down defense. Howard leads the league in rebounds and blocks. Enough said.

Sixth Man of the Year: Manu Ginobili (previously Leandro Barbosa)
He is still averaging starting minutes, but with Roger Mason starting in front of him, he has certainly produced off the bench. He has managed to stay healthy this season, and that can only mean good things for San Antonio.

Coach of the Year: Eric Spoelstra (previously Rick Adelman)
This may seem like a homer pick, but to be able to take a team with the worse record in the league to 4 games over five hundred and in the hunt for a playoff spot is impressive. Not to mention the Miami Heat may have one of, if not the youngest, team in the league.

Berto vs. Collazo this Saturday

2009-01-16T14:07:00.004-05:00

For those of you interested in the big rising star, Andre Berto, be sure to tune in to HBO this Saturday night as he faces his first true test of his young career. Berto is currently my favorite boxer, and I have been waiting for this fight for months. It will be the first defense of his WBC welterweight title, and should be a great bout as he faces Luis Collazo. Check in for the review, which I will probably do on Sunday.

Situation in Gaza

2009-01-05T20:44:00.003-05:00

Just wanted to come on here to say a few things about the situation in Gaza. As you can see, our lovely military is not putting forth any effort to go and save the people of the Hamas run government. This is fine considering since they are considered somewhat of a terrorist group, but there needs to be an end to Israel's attacks. The rest of the United Nations are looking for ways to end this conflict, but the United States seems to have no interest in finding any resolve. Seems pretty contradictory considering we wanted to make "peace" in the Middle East.

It is about time the U.S. (and the rest of the world) realize that no matter how much fire power we bring to the area, we will never be able to end these struggles. This fighting is religiously based and has been going on far longer than we have even been a nation. Would we want some foreign country coming into the states and telling us we could not choose to worship the way we choose? Fighting in the Middle East will never cease, so instead of sending ignorant uneducated soldiers whom have been brainwashed by their leading officers, we just need to get out of there before thousands more die. We need to figure out our own problems in the country (especially economically) before we go fixing other problems. As you can see our economy has not fared too well by dumping billions of dollars a week into the "war" in Iraq. Help us Obama!

Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale

2009-01-02T11:05:00.003-05:00

Over the Christmas/New Year's holiday I tried several new beers, so I could be here all day sharing my experiences with you. However, I just decided to review one that I had on both tap and bought a six pack. Sierra Nevada's Celebration Ale is an absolutely excellent winter seasonal brew. It certainly an India Pale Ale due to its hazy amber color and the very pronounced hoppy taste. There is also a taste citrus in the background which was clearly divided out into perfect proportions to keep the hoppy bitterness and not turn it into a Hefeweizen. Another major plus is the thick lacing on the glass. After taking about a half hour to drink one, the lacing was still prominent on the top. If you are a fan of seasonal beers or IPAs, then I would tell you to not hesitate ans grab a sixer before they are done for the winter. Easily receives an A grade.

Happy Drinking!

The Magical Season of the Dolphins

2008-12-30T21:53:00.003-05:00

Well I hope everyone had a great holiday and are ready for the New Year. I know I am, especially the 4th, when my Miami Dolphins will play in the first round of the playoffs against the Baltimore Ravens.

That's right folks, the Dolphins are playoff bound after finishing the regular season 11-5. One season after n abysmal 1-15 record, first year coach Tony Sparano came in with new quarterback Chad Pennington and Bill Parcells as VP of operations to tie the greatest turnaround in NFL history. Even though Pennington should probably be named team MVP, this team centered around very stingy defense led by Joey Porter, whom finished second on the league in sacks (17.5). I hardly noticed Jason Taylor was no longer on the team since DE/OLB Matt Roth filled the void very well. Channing Crowder will soon make people not miss Zach Thomas. He's stronger, faster, and has many years left playing in the middle. The one glaring weakness of the defense was the secondary. The only consistent player was Yeremiah Bell, but I anticipate the Fins to look secondary in the first two rounds of the draft.

We were also introduced to the wildcat formation this season. Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams did a wonderful job running the rock this season, and I am very confident with keeping that as the backfield next season. Pennington should have some MVP considerations, but due to his lack of TD passes he'll get the shaft. That's fine though, I prefer to have the starting QB that threw the least amount of intereceptions than Tony Romo who can't hold the ball for shit, or lead his team to the playoffs with players like Terrell Owens and Marion Barber on his team. Ted Ginn Jr. finally started to show his talent this season, and did very well as taking over as the #1 wideout after Greg Camarillo went down with a season ending injury. I hope they look for a deep threat receiver during the offseason since most of what we have are small, fast, possession guys. The offensive line improved dramatically. Amazing what can happen when you take a gu like Jake Long and just let him play his game. This allowed right tackle Vernon Carey to move back to his natural position. The best thing about the line is that they are VERY young and will only get BETTER. The tight ends certainly surprised as they accounted for 10 of the 18 receiving touchdowns.

This week will certainly be a tough game against the Ravens (a rematch at that). They match up very well against us and I am not the most confident, but winning the AFC East is practically winning a Super Bowl given this season's expectations.

Abita! Pecan Harvest Ale

2008-12-18T23:11:00.003-05:00

On my last six pack, I chose to go with a seasonal (autumn) brew, the Pecan harvest ale from the Abita! Brewing Co. which is based out of Louisiana. I was a bit skeptical at first to try it because for some reason I felt that it was going to taste something along the lines of pecan pie. Not that I have anything against pecan pie, but it is not the taste that I want my beer to have. I could not have been more wrong as it was very tasty.

It poured a orange/copper color that was pretty clear with a small head. My only rag on it was that there was not much lacing, but this made for much "drinkability" that may appeal to you Bud Light fruits. Fortunately the pecan taste was not overpowering at all and it led to a brown ale taste (which is my second favorite to bock beers). I enjoyed how it went with the season and was a good way to close out the fall. I would recommend this and give it a B.

Happy drinking.

Now This Was a Fight

2008-12-12T21:25:00.002-05:00

Let me apologize in advance for not mentioning this amazing fight that would have been easily available to most of you. Just last night IBF Cruiserweight Champion Steve Cunningham (unsuccessfully) defended his title against Tomasz Adamek. As opposed to the De La Hoya-Pacquiao fight, this was the fight of the year for me so far. The best part about was that the Versus network picked it up and I did not have to go to a bar to watch it. This could have easily been an HBO/Showtime match. Cunningham came into the fight as the favorite, but the GRANITE chin of Adamek kept him in the fight and helped him prevail as the winner. Adamek knocked Cunningham down three times throughout the bout and won in a split decision. I m not too sure what the judge that voted Cunningham was looking at other than the fact he landed more punches. This was Adamek's fight from round 2 (of 12) and should have won unanimously even though it was very close. I would love to see a rematch of this fight since the departure of David Haye has left the division open for someone to take over as the dominating fighter. After last night I see no reason why Adamek should not take this title. Not one punch phased him.

Boxing Match of the Year?

2008-12-08T19:01:00.003-05:00

In what was supposed to be the fight of the year, Filipino Manny Pacquiao destroyed the "Golden Boy" (and favorite) Oscar De La Hoya. Pacquiao proved to be too fast with his left hand and that he was able to compete at the welterweight level. After watching this fight, I agree with the majority of boxing analysts that Manny is the pound for pound king of the boxing world. What I witnessed was the debacle of a once great boxer who should now retire after being embarrassed by a guy who is naturally much smaller. This reminded me of Mike Tyson trying to revive his career against the like of Danny Williams and Kevin McBride. The only problem with De La Hoya's approach was that he was going against a guy who could easily go down as a top 5 boxer by the end of his career instead of some scrub. This was a poor decision by Oscar, whom was nothing but a "former" champ, and in my opinion his career is over.

As for Pacquiao, let's hope that Floyd Mayweather decides to end his retirement shenanigans and accept a fight offer against Manny. This would easily be the fight of the decade.

College Football Thoughts (Week 14)

2008-11-30T16:35:00.003-05:00

I have returned to offer my thoughts on the college football weekend after a week hiatus. I came down with a terrible fever and cough last week and was not up to blogging about anything from week 13. A couple things to note from the previous week were that USF finally got back on the winning track by beating UConn, Miami pissed away its ACC title hopes by letting Georgia Tech run all over them, and Texas Tech was finally defeated (convincingly) by Oklahoma.

This week was rivalry week and it was a pretty good one. On Thursday, Texas took care of their rival Texas A&M quite easily 49-9. Texas is a team that is deserving of a shot at the title, but time and pollsters will have to determine if they are worthy enough to get into the BIG 12 Championship over Oklahoma (I say no). On that note it was Oklahoma traveling to Stillwater to face their foe Oklahoma State in the prime time match up of the weekend. The Sooners prevail 61-41 in an offensive shootout. They look like the 2nd hottest team in the nation at the moment and I would love nothing more to see them play Florida in the BCS Championship.

On Friday there were some excellent battles. Over in the Big East, Pittsburgh defeated West Virginia 19-15 for the second straight season in the backyard brawl. Pitt's victory guaranteed the Cincinnati the Big East title and a trip to the Orange Bowl (most likely). Also on Friday, LSU let down the people of Louisiana once again as they lost to a 5-7 Arkansas 31-30.

On Saturday my Miami Hurricanes laid an egg against North Carolina State and lose 38-28. The Canes continue to struggle to find an identity on offense. As I've sad several times this season they need to choose one QB and stick with him during the game. OC Patric Nix is not giving Robert Marve or Jacory Harris a chance to get into a groove. I would prefer to see Harris back there, but Marve was doing fine and they took him out on Saturday. Ryan Hill cannot tackle, get him off the field.

Virginia Tech defeated Virginia 17-14 clinching the ACC Coastal. They will play Boston College next week in the ACC Championship after the Eagles held off Maryland 28-21 and kept Florida State out of the title game. Speaking of Florida State, they got destroyed by Florida 45-15. The Gators continue to look like an unstoppable force and next week should be a great game as they play Alabama in the SEC Championship. Alabama took care of hated rival Auburn 36-0 in the Iron Bowl.

In an upset, Georgia Tech beat Georgia 45-42 in the most entertaining game of the day. It's a shame they the Yellow Jackets do not have a chance to play in the ACC game because they are the best team in the conference in my opinion. Staying with the upsets, Kansas beat Missouri in the border war 40-37. Missouri will still play in the Big 12 Championship, but 10-2 would have looked a lot better to end the regular season than 9-3. Now they'll probably head to their bowl game 9-4 and play in something like the Holiday Bowl. Oregon pounded Oregon State 65-38, ending the Beavers' hopes at a Pac-10 title and Rose Bowl berth. Oregon has a chance to win it now if USC somehow loses to UCLA. My instinct says the Trojans win the Pac-10 yet again.

Tune in next week for Championship Week when all the conference champions will be crowned and the bowls will be set. Not too mention...The ARMY-NAVY game.

Here is my new Top 25:

1. Alabama
2. Florida
3. Oklahoma
4. Texas
5. USC
6. Utah
7. Texas Tech
8. Penn State
9. Boise State
10. Ohio State
11. Cincinnati
12. Ball State
13. TCU
14. Oklahoma State
15. Georgia Tech
16. Oregon
17. Missouri
18. Boston College
19. Georgia
20. Pittsburgh
21. Michigan State
22. Northwestern
23. BYU
24. Mississippi
25. Oregon State

Winterhook Winter Ale

2008-11-23T17:31:00.004-05:00

I am quite partial to tasting all the seasonal flavors that are offered round this time of the year, and to kick off the holiday season I chose Winterhook Winter Ale by Red Hook Ale Brewery. I have not been disappointed in the past from this brewers offerings (especially the Longhammer IPA), and this did not disappoint. Poured a deep dark Amber with a nice size head. The one distinct characteristic in its appearance was the lace it left on the glass. The scent was overwhelming of the holiday season with a piny/floral aroma and the taste matched with a nice bite of holiday spice and subtle caramel flavors. Some what of a bitter after taste, but that is expected of an ale. Enough to keep me warm on these cooler nights. Great drinkability that kept me wanting to go back for more. Finished three of them in the span of one football game. Highly recommend for the winter season.

Happy Drinking.

College Football Thought (Week 12)

2008-11-16T19:43:00.004-05:00

This was a week with little national implications, and as I stated last week it was a bit boring. However, I come to this blog bearing many thoughts as I got a pretty good idea how a lot of things could play out the rest of the season.

I'll start off by commenting on my favorite teams, USF and Miami. From what I can see, USF has counted their losses (now 4) and given up on the season. I witnessed a team that has lost all of their heart and pride in the last three games they have played, especially in yesterday's 49-16 loss to a Rutgers team that came into the game 4-5. Head coach Jim Leavitt has lost complete control of a squad that many considered seasoned veterans. We returned 10 starters on offense and cannot move the ball. Quarterback Matt Grothe has been figured out by the all the defenses and his legs are as much a threat as his arm, and by throwing eight interceptions in the last three games you get a sense of how much of a threat that is. I am completely behind a change in the program's direction, and if that means canning the beloved Leavitt so be it. Unfortunately I do not think they will change a damn thing because he is already the highest paid coach in the Big East and the school will not be willing to fund a buyout and go for anyone better. This team does not deserve a bowl game, although it will be tough for the St. Pete Bowl to pass on us because of the proximity to the school.

Miami on the other hand looks to be headed in the opposite direction. It will not be long before The U is a top power again. They defeated a very respectable Virginia Tech team 16-14 on Thursday night, a game in which I felt would prove whether they were ready to compete for an ACC title this year. Sure enough they control their own destiny as the leaders of the Coastal division. Win out and they are in the conference championship. This coming Thursday at Georgia Tech will be another tough challenge. I am a bit nervous about this one since Tech is the 14th team in total defense and the Canes have struggled to move the ball (100th in total offense). Fortunately Miami boasts an even tougher defense, 10th, while doing particularly well against the run which is all the Jackets have. Should be a great, LOW SCORING, game. I say something in the realm of 25-30 points and either team can walk away victorious.

Staying in the ACC, Florida State shot themselves in the foot during a game they needed badly losing to Boston College 27-17. They now have to beat Maryland in College Park, and hope Maryland beats Boston College and Boston College beats Wake Forest for them to earn a bid in the ACC Championship (I stand corrected Matt). I'm hoping they can pull it off because I want Miami to get another shot at them. The problem with the Noles seems to be Rick Trickett's little offensive linemen philosophy clashing with Jimbo Fisher's game plan, and since Jimbo Fisher is the head coach in waiting it may be bye-bye for Trickett. When your punter is the leading rusher in a game you certainly have a problem. Quarterback Chrisitian Ponder is looking like the second coming Chris Rix.

The last team I am going to spend a little time on is the Florida Gators. Two weeks ago I said I expect to see this team in the BCS Championship, and after yesterday's beat down 56-6 of #24 South Carolina (a game that was supposed to be one of the week's best). They took it to the Old Ball Coach accumulating 351 yards on the ground. If Florida keeps riding this domination train, there is not a team in the nation that will be able to contend with them. As my friend Matt stated they reminded him of another UF team that dominated after losing a fluke game. Alabama will lose to them in the SEC title game, and the Gators will be playing in Miami on January 8.

There were another couple notable games, but the top half of the polls got through yesterday unscathed. As stated earlier, the ACC saw another shakeup this week with Maryland upsetting #17 North Carolina 17-15, and North Carolina State defeating Wake Forest 21-17 (FSU should be kissing the Wolfpack's asses right now). #23 Tulsa gets a taste of their own medicine, getting railed by Houston 70-30. Thought I was looking at a basketball stat line from the 80s. #13 Georgia Squeaked by an awful Auburn team 17-13. Guess the Dawgs are not the team we all thought they would be. How overrated is Matthew Stafford? LSU has been another SEC let down. Yesterday they had to come back from 28 down against...dare I say?...Troy to win 40-31. First time in quite a few years the SEC has not been the top conference in the land. The Big 12 will hold that trophy this season.

In news off the field, Syracuse coach Greg Robinson was unsurprisingly fired. I feel bad for the guy taking over that position. In a basketball dominated school with some of the worse weather it is remarkable the Orange were ever relevant in the college football world. How do you recruit anyone to go there? Not since the departure of Donovan McNabb has anyone cared about this team.

Stay tuned this week as we have several awesome games. The nation will be tuned in to Texas Tech at Oklahoma for a prime time match up, a game that will have the biggest national implications so far this season. Michigan State takes on Penn State in a game to determine the Big 10 Champion. If Penn State wins it is theirs. If Michigan State wins and Ohio State lays an egg against Michigan we will see the Spartans in the Rose Bowl. Ohio State can take the crown if they defeat Michigan and Michigan State wins. BYU and Utah will battle it out for the Mountain West Conference. A Utes victory almost guarantees them a BCS bowl. The top two teams in the Big East go head to head as Pitt visits Cincinnati.

Here is my new Top 25:

1. Texas Tech
2. Alabama
3. Florida
4. Texas
5. Oklahoma
6. USC
7. Utah
8. Boise State
9. Penn State
10. Oklahoma State
11. Missouri
12. Georgia
13. Ohio State
14. Michigan State
15. Ball State
16. Pittsburgh
17. TCU
18. Cincinnati
19. Georgia Tech
20. LSU
21. Maryland
22. Oregon State
23. North Carolina
24. Miami
25. Northwestern

Shiner Hefeweizen

2008-11-13T22:33:00.003-05:00

Here is an update of my latest beer tasting and the six-pack of the week is Shiner Hefeweizen. Being a fan of Shiner Bock I have decided to give each of Spoetzl Brewery's creations that I come across. I have to say this is the worst of the three brews I have sampled (the third was Bohemian Black Lager). It had the look of a typical hefeweizen which is golden and cloudy due to it being unfiltered. This also led to a decent foamy head which reduced, but stayed throughout the drinking process. The beer lost points when it came to taste though. A nice wheat taste on initial contact, but way too much emphasis on the lemon which gave it a sour after taste. Not unbearable, but, by no means was it great. I would not recommend.

Happy drinking.

College Football Thoughts (Week 11)

2008-11-11T07:52:00.004-05:00

Sorry I am couple days late reporting my thoughts on the 11th week of the college football season, but hey it's only Tuesday. As I expected this was not THAT exciting of a week since it had very few enticing match ups, but it is still college football and it must be watched and reviewed.

Thursday gave us a pivotal Mountain West Conference match up in which Utah beat Texas Christian 13-10 to remain undefeated and in the hunt to play in a BCS game. If they take care of BYU they should be a lock. You may ask how the MWC can have a pivotal match up, but just look at their record against the "ever mighty" PAC-10...they owned them this year (6-1). Do not try to tell me the Big East is the worst conference in the BCS...it is clearly the PAC-10. And without USC, they could probably one of the worst of all the conferences. The ACC also saw a shakeup on Thursday as Virginia Tech took care of Maryland 23-13. After this week the ACC is still up for grabs with Florida State and Wake Forest tied for the lead in the Atlantic division, and a three way tie between North Carolina, Miami, and Virginia Tech in the Coastal. Wake Forest and North Carolina would have it if the season ended today because of tie breakers.

On Saturday the prime time game was #2 Texas Tech hosting #8 Oklahoma State. Not much to comment on the shellacking Tech did of the Pokes (56-20) except that they are now my new #1 team. The tandem of Graham Harrell and Michael Crabtree seems unstoppable. Next week will be a true test as they face Oklahoma in Norman. This is a game which I can foresee a Red Raider loss, but I am hoping Texas Tech can continue to win to keep Florida out of the BCS championship.

Alabama remained atop the BCS standings with their 27-21 overtime win over #15 LSU. Sure Bama won, but I am not sure they are the best team in the nation. With the way Florida is playing it will be shown in the SEC Championship (mark my words).

The big upset of the week came with Iowa defeating undefeated #3 Penn State. All I can say about this is thank you Kirk Ferentz and the Hawkeyes for keeping a Big 10 team out of the title hunt. The last thing I wanted to witness was another team from this conference getting pummeled in a championship game (playoffs anyone?)

Other games of note were #19 North Carolina beating #22 Georgia Tech 28-7, #7 Southern Cal defeating #21 California 17-3, and Boston College shutting out Notre Dame 17-0 to extend their winning streak to six over the Irish (nothing better than ND losing).

If you thought this week was a bit of a snooze (like I did), then get your sleeping gear prepared for the the coming set of match ups. The only top 25 teams that will playing each other are Florida and South Carolina. I anticipate the Gators will win by at least 2 touchdowns.

Here is my new top 25:

1. Texas Tech
2. Alabama
3. Florida
4. Texas
5. Oklahoma
6. USC
7. Utah
8. Boise State
9. Penn State
10. Oklahoma State
11. Missouri
12. Georgia
13. Ohio State
14. North Carolina
15. Michigan State
16. Ball State
17. Florida State
18. Pittsburgh
19. TCU
20. Cincinnati
21. Georgia Tech
22. LSU
23. Tulsa
24. Oregon State
25. Virginia Tech

Why is Boxing Dead?

2008-11-07T17:09:00.004-05:00

I am writing to express my concern in the decline of the GREAT sport of boxing. Boxing has seen a decline in popularity the last few years and I cannot understand why, especially since it has taken a back seat to mixed martial arts. MMA may be entertaining for about the first 10 seconds of a fight, but the combatants are quickly on the floor competing in a cuddle session of grapples. In boxing there are no surprises. You have to guys that will stay on their feet and continually throw punches. Boxing has withstood the tests of time as an American standard, but needs to come back into the mainstream of sports popularity. However, I cannot blame the people for not sticking with it. Can you imagine having to pay $50 to watch the Super Bowl? Unfortunately you have to pay a lot of money to see top fights, or make your way to a bar that is willing to purchase it (and if living in small town this can be really hard to come by).

I beg of everyone to give boxing a chance or rediscover their love for the sport. The last two months of the year will have many action packed bouts. Tomorrow we see undefeated Joe Calzaghe go against the legend Roy Jones Jr. Calzaghe claims he will be retiring after the fight, but I foresee the winner going against Bernard Hopkins in an old-guy showdown. It is a PPV fight, but this will be an epic battle, so head to your best sports bar which SHOULD have it. Other top notch November fights include Jeff Lacy vs. Jermain Taylor (Nov. 15 on HBO). Jeff Lacy is one of my five favorite boxers at the moment and I would love nothing more than for him to kick the crap out of the cocky Taylor. If you are a fan of the smaller fighters then you will not want to miss Steve Molitor vs. Celestino Cabellero in a fight for the vacant junior featherweight IBA title (Nov. 21 on Showtime). November 22 will pit the top two junior welterweight fighters as Paulie Malignaggi tries to take away the Ring Magazine belt from Ricky Hatton. Check that out on HBO. Then we close out November with a fight for the vacant WBO junior middleweight title as Verno Phillips takes on Paul Williams. I expect Phillips to win this handily, but my main interest in this evening lies in the under card. Local Tallahassee boy, Travis Walker, will fight top IBF heavyweight contender Cris Arreola. A win for Walker will see him facing Wladimir Kiltischko for the belt, and bringing the heavyweight title back to the states. These two fights can be seen on HBO, November 29.

Tune in to all (or at least one) of these fights and I assure you no disappointment.

Congrats Senator Obama

2008-11-05T16:53:00.003-05:00

I wanted to send out my congratulations to Senator Barack Obama on becoming our new president-elect. January 20, 2009 cannot come soon enough. It is about we finally get W. out of office. The confidence in our nation has dwindled, and I am hoping I made the right choice in my vote.

In addition it is good to see that the Democratic party picked up some more seats in Congress. With a party majority it will be nice to see us get some new legislation passed. First off, we need to get our troops out of the Middle East. We have done all we can, and if they decide to keep fighting over religious reasons then there is nothing we can do to change that. Why are we trying to persuade their citizens to stop fighting when they are in a war over ideals most of the United States cannot understand as a Christian nation?

Secondly, I would love to see Obama come through on his less that $250,000 income tax cut promise as that would certainly benefit me. And amongst other things, a reformation on gun laws would be fantastic. There is no reason a citizen needs an AK-47 or M-16 sitting around their house. You have nothing but bad intentions with a weapon like that.

Here's a toast to Obama and the next four years. Salud.

Beck's Oktoberfest

2008-11-02T15:13:00.002-05:00

Since I let myself go a little (weight wise) I've cut back on my beer consumption by about half to get my ass back in shape. I was doing a 12 pack a week for a while, but have cut it to a 6 pack (usually not even drinking all of it). In order to expand my beer horizons I chose to try a new beer each time I go to the store. After going through college drinking the stand by Buds and Heinekens I've switched to drinking lesser known import and craft beers. I will come on here to give you my thoughts on the new beers I try.

This week's choice was a six pack of Beck's Oktoberfest (in bottles) and for $6.99 I felt it worth the try even though I am not too much a fan of the regular Beck's pilsner. It had the characteristics of a Marzen style, but it was not malty enough for my taste. The aroma was not too full, and I felt it was more of a light Oktoberfest style. The head was also very thin, and I enjoy thick heads when drinking a "seasonal" beer. If you are in the mood for a beer labeled Oktoberfest I would go for the Sam Adams version which is a lot more distinct in it's malt flavor and has a deeper copper color.

Happy drinking.

College Football Thoughts (Week 10)

2008-11-02T08:07:00.005-05:00

In what promised to be a great weekend of college football, week 10 did not disappoint. In fact it exceeded my expectations. Starting in the top 25 we saw six games in which the higher seed lost (BCS rankings). The game of the night was certainly the #7 Texas Tech Red Raiders pulling the shocker by beating the #1 Texas Longhorns. I knew the Raiders had a chance, but thought the Horns would finally prevail in the end. However, Graham Harrell came through and made an incredible throw to Michael Crabtree who then shook off two defenders and took it in for a 28 yard score with one second remaining. Tech wins 39-33. After watching this game, Crabtree has my vote for best player in the country.

In addition to Texas going down, the #8 Florida Gators makes an absolute mockery of Matt Stafford and his #6 Georgia Bulldogs winning 49-10. This game showed me that no one should want to play Florida right now. With the exception of their loss to Ole Miss, the Gtors are the best team in the country. They are extremely fast and no one seems to have an answer for their offense. I expect to see this team in the BCS Championship.

Around the rest of the top 25, #15 Florida State loses to Georgia Tech 31-28. FSU running back Marcus Sims fumbles the ball while going in for the go ahead score, and Tech wins it in thrilling fashion. Northwestern heads into Minnesota and beat the #17 Golden Gophers 24-17. A fabulous game in which the Northwestern defense returns a late interception for a touchdown to seal the victory. The potent offense of the #18 Tulsa Golden Hurricane were surpressed by the Arkansas Razorbacks losing 30-23. Another undefeated non-BCS school goes down and only Utah, Boise State, and Ball State remain. The last top 25 team to go down was the #24 Oregon Ducks at the hands of Cal 26-16.

There were also several great games outside of the top 25 that need to be mentioned. The first of note was my Miami Hurricanes (#2 team to USF) taking out Virginia 24-17 in overtime and avenging the last season lost to the Cavaliers. The Canes are starting to come around on offense especially with Jacory Harris under center. There is no reason he should not be starting over Robert Marve for the remainder of the season. Pitt defeat (the everhated) Notre Dame 36-33 in a game so good it needed four overtimes. In a battle of scholarly schools Wake Forest squeaks by the surprising Duke Blue Devils 33-30 in overtime. Duke needed to win this to have a shot at a bowl eligibility, but I do not think they do it this season still needed two more wins. What happened to Wake Forest? Guess that little run in the top 25 was short lived. Michigan will not be going to a bowl for the first time in 33 years after losing to Purdue 48-42. I love seeing Rich Rodriguez struggling. I suppose the West Virginia faithful were right when they said he would regret leaving.

If you missed out on yesterday's action, I certainly feel sorry for you. Here is my new top 25:

1. Alabama
2. Texas Tech
3. Penn State
4. Florida
5. Texas
6. Oklahoma
7. Southern Cal
8. Oklahoma State
9. Utah
10. Boise State
11. Missouri
12. Georgia
13. Ohio State
14. TCU
15. LSU
16. Georgia Tech
17. North Carolina
18. Michigan State
19. Ball State
20. Florida State
21. Maryland
22. Pittsburgh
23. West Virginia
24. California
25. Northwestern

Annual USF Collapse

2008-10-31T08:55:00.005-04:00

College football is my favorite sport, so from now until the end of the season I will be commenting a lot on it. Most of my posts will be about my Alma mater, the University of South Florida, and conferences with the most entertaining football (i.e. SEC, ACC, and Big 12). I abhor the Big 10, so the only input coming from that part of the college football world will be if Penn State holds on to their undefeated record and heads to the BCS Championship.

I came on here this Halloween morning to discuss the annual mid season collapse of USF football. As a faithful follower since I enrolled in the school in 2004, I have done nothing but back this team fully. I used to be a die hard Miami Hurricanes fan, but after deciding not to attend UM (too damn expensive), I jumped on the USF train in hopes we would contend for the Big East title year in and year out. Two years in a row we have started off with what would appear to be "the year" by beating ranked teams like Auburn, West Virginia, and Kansas. Then we go on to lose to teams in the conference that we should not. Our talent is superior to the likes of Rutgers, Connecticut, and Cincinnati, but we cannot seem to put them away. It is unacceptable that we live in the best talent pool in the nation and cannot put together a disciplined, winning team.

Sure enough, the Bulls have the potential, talent, and head coach to win it every year, but last night after falling to Cincinnati 24-10 (third year in a row losing to the Bearcats) I began to question the talent and head coach. There were several dropped balls by so called elite receivers, and the defensive secondary was beat bad all night. I'm also questioning whether Jim Leavitt has enough to take this team to the next level. The program has just seemed to plateau, and I am not sure we will be able to win 10 games under Leavitt let alone a Big East Championship. I think it is time to fire the offensive coordinator, Greg Gregory (what a dumb name). He is not utilizing the playing style of quarterback Matt Grothe properly.

I realize this may be coming off as a vent session without much merit, but it had to be done. I feel a lot better now, but sitting at 6-3 I would be surprised if this team goes anything more than 8-4. They probably do not deserve a bowl game, but since the St. Pete Bowl is making its inauguration, the committee for the game would be silly to pass on a virtual home game for the Bulls.

NBA Preseason Predictions

2008-10-30T19:23:00.003-04:00

I am going to start off this blog on a sport I enjoy, but a league that I have lost a lot of love for...Actually I am not too sure if I ever loved the NBA, but it seemed to be much more entertaining for me in years past. Perhaps the similarities between my Miami Heat and our current stock market has something to do with it, but I have put more time and effort into following the college basketball scene. More on that later. On to the picks (sorry a couple days after the season has commenced, but it's an 82 game season).

DIVISION CHAMPIONS

Southeast: Orlando Magic
Dwight Howard leads the Magic to the repeat. Atlanta has a very good chance with one of the most underrated players in Joe Johnson. My heart says the Heat rebound in a big way and finish top 3 in the division...possibly the playoffs.

Atlantic: Boston Celtics
You would be hard pressed to find anyone to say otherwise, and if so they would be wrong come season end.

Central: Cleveland Cavaliers
The addition of Mo Williams fills the void at point guard they have been missing the last couple years. Detroit will be close, but they are aging.

Southwest: New Orleans Hornets
In what is arguably the best division in the league, we will see a great race for the title. Every team but Memphis has the potential to win it, but the Hornets pickup a guy that helps teams win championships in James Posey. Oh yeah, they also have Chris Paul. Houston will be much better defensively with Ron Artest, and I'll pick them to finish second. San Antonio and Dallas will follow close behind.

Northwest: Utah Jazz
The Jazz will win substantially. This team could be phenomenal with top tier two-guard. Contrary to popular belief I'll take Denver to finish higher than Portland. I still think the Blazers are too young.

Pacific: Los Angeles Lakers
And it will not even be close. They look like the best team coming in to the season.

REMAINING PLAYOFF TEAMS

Eastern Conference:
Atlanta, Detroit, Miami, Philadelphia, and Toronto

Western Conference:
Dallas, Denver, Houston, Phoenix, and San Antonio

PLAYOFF RESULTS

Eastern Conference Finals: Cleveland over Boston
The "Boston Three Party" heads back to the conference finals, but comes up short against a younger and faster Cavs squad led by King James. This one will will probably go 7 games.

Western Conference Finals: Los Angeles over Utah
It is honestly a crap shoot as to who could be playing against the Lakers, but it probably won't matter. The Lakers will make their return to The Finals, and with a healthy Bynum they'll be stronger than last year.

NBA Finals: Los Angeles over Cleveland
This may be a boring Finals. The Cavs will find themselves down early, and Lebron will try to carry the load leading to missed threes and errant shots. I'm thinking a 4-1 series.

INDIVIDUAL AWARDS

Most Valuable Player: Chris Paul
James is the popular preseason pick, and it is true the Cavs would be nothing without him. But hey, the Hornets would be even worse without CP3. Since Paul competes in the tougher conference and plays the most criticized position, he gets the nod.

Rookie of the Year: Michael Beasley
Beasley will get tons of minutes and probably average a double-double for the season. Watch how much the Heat will be improved with his presence (and a healthy Wade). Oden is the trendy pick, and for good reason. He has had an extra year to train with NBA players, but even before he got hurt I had my doubts in his ability to stay healthy.

Defensive Player of the Year: Ron Artest
He will reestablish his attitude with a new team. No reason he should not win this award every year he is in the league.

Sixth Man of the Year: Leandro Barbosa
This is a tough award to predict so I am going with two pretty good reasons. He scores a bunch and my best friend looks exactly like him.

Coach of the Year: Rick Adelman
The toughest award for me to pick because I do not think there will be any teams that surprise. The Rockets have the potential to win it all and Adelman would have to be given tons of credit for it.

Well there you have it on my preseason predictions. You should not be surprised if many if not all of these are incorrect, but like I said the NBA is not my specialty. I will reassess this after the All-Star break.