He Who Stands alone

Y.E. Yang heard cheers and celebration from the crowd at the end of the 18th hole of round 4 in Hazeltine as he sank the winning put that put him two strokes ahead of the one and only Tiger Woods who was playing catch-up. Tiger isn't perfect and he doesn't win every tournament he's in but this one had a little history on the line. Throughout his entire career, Tiger had quite an impressive track record when leading after 54 holes. The top dog in the golf world had always held his composure as he's never lost after having a lead from the 55th hole and on. Along came Yang.

The 37 year old Korean native quietly stood amongst the top of the standings throughout the entire tournament as he kept himself in contention. Yang entered with his own chip on the shoulder as he was empty handed with zero major championships. As round four began, Tiger was two strokes ahead of Yang and had not even the smallest of concern about the opposing golfer making a comeback. Yang smoothly got through the course as he was standing at about even for the evening. Along came hole 14 and the swing that was probably the turning point for the standings. An eagle shot was something that no one saw coming and as the ball sank through the hole, it went from silence to an uproar. Yang was feeling upbeat and so were the supporters.

Tiger continued to focus on his own 18 holes as he was now trailing by one stroke to the dark horse, Y.E. Yang. Throughout the next three holes, the top two in the standing went head to head as Tiger tried to make up for the one stroke disadvantage. As Yang had chances to pull away for some cushioning, he couldn't capitalize as Tiger struggled to make an opportunity happen. Heading the 18th hole, it seemed as if the championship was just within the grasps of Yang.

Yang showed plenty of emotions as he did
something that no other golfer has ever done.
Snatch a lead from Tiger after the 54th hole.

By now, Koreans all across the nation had their televisions set to ESPN as the proud natives of the small peninsula sat with family members that may have never even seen a single second of golf in their life. This was a defining moment in golf history, especially for the hometown supporters. As both took their first swing, Tiger got a better look as his ball landed on the fairway and Yang's flirted with the rough. Tigers last chance to catch Yang arose, but Yang's second swing was oh so sweet as he landed his ball on the green just a few feet away from the hole. Tigers last chance at making something happen came in his second swing but it just didn't seem to be enough as it landed further from the hole on the green. When it all came down two Yang's stroke on the green, tension was in the air all throughout the national golf club in Minnesota. Slowly and surely, the ball would roll in as Yang through his fists into the air with utter joy. The supporters of the underdog excitedly showed Yang their emotions as well while Koreans all across the world were shouting with joy through their television sets. I mean why shouldn't the Koreans be excited? It's not often that Tiger gets taken down in such a way. It was a Tiger first, for this particular situation.

For all we know, the nation of Korea may have looked
like they had when the 2002 World Cup was taking
place. Okay, maybe it wasn't exactly like that.
But you better believe that Yang was getting
his fair share of support from his home country.

Was I one of the millions of Koreans that was anticipating the final stroke of the game? Yes. Am I a consistent follower of the sport? No. Am I proud to know that a Korean is the current champion in golf? Definitely. Would I have written this article if a golfer of a different ethnic background pulled away with such an amazing finish? Don't call me a liar when I say yes. Just, this time around it was a man that is from the same country as I am. Congratulations to Y.E. Yang for an impressive performace.

-Jason C

The Mock: AFC East

The AFC East last year was the division that had all the whacky results that not even the top analysts could foresee. The Miami Dolphins took their previous 1-15 season and flipped some numbers around to make an astounding run at the playoffs with a 11-5 regular season record. Within one #1 overall draft pick, the team went from worst to division champions. For the New England Patriots, it was their first time missing the playoffs since 2002. With the quarterback shuffle after Tom Brady went down, Matt Cassell just couldn't do enough for the team to make a return to the Super Bowl for a second straight season. The Jets went through a little pre season drama as they brought in Brett Favre but the decision quickly payed off as the season kicked off on a good note. Regardless, the team missed the playoffs by a win or two. The Buffalo Bills never made much noise in the ESPN headliners or in any other sporting news but the Bills silently made their own efforts as they went 7-9. A playoff appearance could be very near for this young team.

Terrell Owens is the fresh new face in the AFC
and he is ready to add another chapter
to his never ending soap opera. He'll
catch a couple touchdowns too.

Buffalo

The biggest move for the Bills during this off season was the arrival of drama king Terrell Owens. A well known elite receiver who has been up and around the league these past few years, TO has found a new location; this time it's the AFC. Could this be a positive impact for the slowly risen Bills, or could this just ruin any chance of a future here in Buffalo?

Trent Edwards will get the unanimous decision as this team's starting quarterback and with a pretty solid group of receivers running the routes in Buffalo, a strong passing game could be in the making. With Terrell Owens' newly made presence, Lee Evans and Roscoe Parrish could be finding some unusual success. Marshawn Lynch will sit in the backfield as he will look to rush the ball behind a steady offensive line that is still looking for a few final touches to make it consistent. Overall, the offense is quite young and the blossoming could be happening soon. Buffalo fans may have to be patient though.

Terrence McGee will have plenty of responsibilities
in his hands as he leads a young defense and
looks to make a couple of highlights with the
returning game.

A fresh defense that is led by Marcus Stroud has future potential pro bowlers in youngsters such as Donte Whitner, Paul Posluszney, and some others. The front line trenches has some veteran leadership and that will be the core of this team's defense. A lot of learning is still left to be done to connect all the pieces in this defense but patience pays off. Let's just hope the fans don't run out of it soon. It's been a while. Cornerback Terrence McGee is a little undersized, but he has speed that can't be taught. Expect him to be a pest on the secondary of the defense. On the special teams plays, McGee will be hungry to return some kick returns for big yards. One of the top returners for this season is McGee and he will be willing to prove it.

The 7-9 record from last year could easily be improved to 9-7 this year or even more but the likelihood of a 5-11 record or even worse is just as probable. Expect these guys to experiment a lot and make a couple changes throughout the season.

Miami

The Dolphins were the ultimate surprise last season as they took the #1 overall pick in Jake Long and never looked back. Of course, this rookie wasn't the only reason for the club's success but something had to have clicked for a 1-15 team to improve their following season by 10 wins. Whatever they did, it worked. Keep it up and we may see a 19-0 season for this team. Yeah right...

A repeat of last season seems unlikely, but a healthy Chad Pennington and Ronnie Brown could be very dangerous when utilized in the right way. They don't have a big time wide receiver in their aerial assault but the four year man, Ted Ginn Jr is a freak athlete that can do some damage when healthy. Expect him to be the go to guy for Pennington this season if everything goes smoothly. We may even see him run a few punts or kickoffs all the way to the end zone. Some big yardage will be made up through him. Second round pick, Pat White may also be experimented with. The young man out of West Virginia packs a lot of speed and played quarterback in college so we may see some trickery or who knows what. With Anthony Fasano and David Martin working the tight end position, we could see some good blocking and short yardage receiving for the Dolphins. Miami also displays pretty young offensive line that could mean a bright future for a Dolphins team that has already tasted playoff experience with the lineup.

Cornerback Will Allen will have to push for more
this season as he looks to work alongside Joey
Porter and a very young defense.

The one name that stands out in this defense is veteran linebacker Joey Porter. On the line, their isn't much stardom to boast about, but the young talent in Matt Roth is something to look forward to if you're a Dolphins fan. Along with Randy Starks and Philip Merling, Roth could be the guy that gets 10 sacks this season for a "rebuilding" Miami defense. The secondary is the most experienced part of this defense and is probably the strongest part of this defense. Add in this year's first round draft pick, Vontae Davis, and we may see a potential future pro bowler. Probably not, but he will definitely see some time on the field early on. With Will Allen present in the corner spot, you may see a few challenging defensive plays. He isn't a future hall of famer, but he is definitely a defender you don't test your throwing arm with.

The Dolphins won't be winning the division for a second straight year, but a 1-15 season is definitely not looking like it's going to happen either so don't worry, Miami fans. A few impressive wins will be present in this season but a couple embarassing losses are definitely in the near future. A 9-7 record could be a successful one to some perspectives for this season. Let's go with that number.














Ted Ginn Jr alone could be the difference maker
on the number of wins or losses. The God given
athleticism that he owns is something that most
receivers work very hard for.

New England

The disappointment in the AFC last season was when future hall of famer, Tom Brady went down on a season ending injury early on in the season. #12 should be good to go for 16 regular season games as he recently took off his brace during a non-contact practice, so a signs pointing upward for the Patriots season.

The offense isn't the greatest offense the team has had in the last decade but it's quite a fearsome lineup. With el capitan leading the pack with his pocket presence, he will have the air covered from left to right as he has size in his receivers (Randy Moss) and speed as well (Wes Welker). Don't forget veteran receivers (Joey Galloway). To only add on to his aerial firepower, Ben Watson brings in a short game for the passing offense at tight end as well as a good blocking game. Matt Light leads a strong offensive line as the Left Tackle will likely be the area that Lawrence Maroney looks towards the most when the running game is in use. With veteran Fred Taylor active as more of a safety running back for the young Lawrence Maroney, we will also likely see some combination running and tiring out the running back position will not even be a concern for Coach Belichick.

Ellis Hobbs has a bigger role than ever before and
the Pats need him more than ever. His time in New
Englad hasn't been too long but his time to rise
has come earlier than expected. Look for #27 on
special teams as well as his primary corner
position.

The defense, in my opinion, is the strongest part of this team. A 3-4 base will probably be the formation that we see on the field most of the times and it will be a very good one. The line is stacked with Vince Wilfork packing the middle and the ends, Ty Warren and Richard Seymour flooding the ends. Opposing quarterbacks won't have much time to throw and runnings backs will have to make their own holes because they won't be finding many against this defensive front. To back up a powerful line, the linebacker crew displays a mighty Tedi Bruschi and a hard hitting Adalius Thomas that racked up 25 tackles and 5 sacks in just half a season. He will be excited to play a full season and will make good use of the time. The secondary may be questionable this year for the Patriots as they will make use of a lot of young talent. Luckily for these guys, they have a strong front that won't make many mistakes. Expect Belichick to work this secondary into a strong group throughout the season. These guys could mold together very soon.

This team has been the most dominant franchise since the new millenium and doesn't seem to want to slow down. Another run at the Super Bowl could be very possible this season, but the rest of the AFC won't make it easy on them. Tom Brady will definitely have to be healthy and the special teams will have to do their share of work. 11 wins in the regular season and the AFC division champions.

New York (Jets)

Brett gave his run at it with the Jets but now it is up to a new guy to take control in the pocket. The draft definitely helped out the team in trying to answer a few questions on offense. If this team can work out some kinks, a possible regular season divisional championship is looking good for these guys.

The offense is no big threat in any sort of way but the players that are displayed in this lineup offer up some heavy damage when they are feeling it. The quarterback carousel is the biggest issue for the team, going into the opening week of the season. Kellen Clemons is a candidate at the starting spot but the Jets also have rookie Matt Sanchez who was selected with the 5th overall pick in this year's draft. I don't see why a team would select a quarterback early in the first round and not expose him from the get go. I'm sure the coaching staff knows what they're doing but come on, start Sanchez. I'm sure a lot of Jets fans are thinking the same. Shonn Greene, an All-American running back last year was a huge steal for the Jets in the third round of the draft. I don't think the young man is ready to start over the veteran Thomas Jones just yet, but Jones is slowly running out of fuel as age is definitely a factor. I'd like to see a two running back system as Jones takes about 65% of the ground plays and Greene takes 35%. That's just me. Leon Washington might not see a lot of action for the running game, but he will have plenty of opportunities to shine in special teams as he looks to run down some yards into the stat book. No more Laveranues Coles in the passing game means Jericho Cotchery will have to step it up a few notches for the air game to be successful. Luckily for this dilemma of an offense, they have a strong offensive line that will open up holes and find time for these new guys to be successful.

All Sanchez wants is a chance.
Let's see him get that start!

The defense won't be a problem for the Jets as they can rant about how many great athletes they have ranging from veteran leaders to young studs that are ready to be exposed to the nation. Shaun Ellis and Kris Jenkins pack a large punch in the trenches and they will help display one of the strongest three-man fronts in the entire league. Eric Barton will be the impact guy in the strong group of linebackers as second year Vernon Gholston will not start but see plenty of action at the outside positions. Darrelle Revis and Dwight Lowerey are probably the youngest starting corner combo in the league, but they're in there for a reason. If trouble lurks them, veteran pro bowler Ty Law will be present on the field to increase the depth of this defense. A lot of youth in this secondary, but it will be one that is effective early on out. This could be one of the top defenses in the entire league this season.

This team has the potential to be a power in the AFC. A couple of decisions will have to be made with starters on the offensive side but if the right decisions are made, an instant presence in the league will be most certain for the Jets. Let's just hope Matt Sanchez doesn't go to waste in the early part of his career (Brady Quinn). A couple of key decisions could take this team to 12-4 but a 6-10 record isn't out of the mix. This is one team that could be a 2 win team to a 14 win team. I like 10-6.

With Ty Law on the "enemy" side, the Patriots Jets
rivalry will only get sweeter.

Patriots 11-5
Jets 10-6
Dolphins 9-7
Bills 6-10

A part of me hopes that I'm completely wrong and that the Bills will find great success. Personally, I'd like to see the Jets pull away with the division title, but you can't go against what is given to you. The Patriots are still the best in the AFC East.

-Jason C

The Mock: NFC East

It was a hard battle in the NFC last season as Dallas and Washington barely missed out on a wild card spot while Philadelphia slipped in with a 9-6-1 record and New York cruised to home field advantage throughout the whole playoffs. Neither New York nor Philadelphia found themselves representing the NFC in Tampa Bay for Super Bowl XLIII. This year looks like it could be a possible repeat of last season in what could be the deepest division in the entire league.

Each divisional game will be more than meaningful
as the teams fight for any possible advantage
in the division standings.

Dallas

Led by one of the top quarterbacks in the league, the Cowboys should have no problem going down the field through the air as Tony Romo looks to complete short and long distance passes to Roy Williams, Jason Witten, and co. The receiving core may not look too impressive but Romo can do with what he has. Veteran offensive tackle, Flozeil Adams will open up the holes for running backs Marion Barber, Felix Jones, and even Tashard Choice. Last year, Coach Parcells used a dual running back style like many other teams had and found plenty of success on the ground with Barber and Jones sharing snaps. This year, Coach Wade Phillips returns as head coach, and look for him to do the same. Scoring will not be a problem for these rowdy Cowboys.




















At Arkansas, Felix Jones worked the dual running game
with All-American Darren McFadden. Now he's got a new
partner in pro bowler Marion Barber. This guy could be
the best back up running back in NFL history.

The defense displays a very unique 3-4 formation with a variety of linebackers. Starting with the head honcho, Demarcus Ware who has always been a force for the Dallas defense. Keith Brooking is the newest member to the crew as he spent his entire career with the Falcons. Now he looks to help the Cowboys defense become one of the most feared in the league. Defensive End Marcus Spears will get plenty of contact with the quarterback and will cause plenty of miscommunication for the other side of the ball. Young Gerald Sensabaugh will likely get the starting job at strong safety and he will be in good hands as he is surrounded by Ken Hamlin, Mike Jenkins, and Terrence Newman in the secondary. Scary to believe that the weakest part of this defense is the deep secondary. The only thing that this team doesn't have is Deion Sanders.

The Cowboys will definitely make a run at the Giants for the top spot in the division. Any Cowboy fan can tell you about their '07 13-3 regular season record. With no serious injury, the Cowboys could make another run at such a record.

New York

Eli Manning had just recently signed a deal with the Giants that almost sent a message to the world saying that Eli was going to be a New York Giant for life. The young star has played up to the Manning family name and looks to lead his troops to yet another succesful season. With Plaxico Burress out of the lineup, the wide receivers don't look so fearsome. Domenik Hixon will get a starting spot at the receiver position and expect the 4 year young gun to possibly have a breakout season. He may also put on a couple of highlights in the returning game for special teams. Keep an eye out for #87 in blue. With the receiving group not looking so dangerous, many defenses may focus on the Brandon Jacobs and the running game. Jacobs will have to play even better than he did last year. He could be looking at 30+ carries a game throughout the season. Talk about wear and tear. This may possibly open up some space for the receivers so don't count out Eli and his golden arm. With a satisfactory offensive line in the trenches protecting Eli Manning, anything is possible for the Giants offense, from success to ultimate failure.

Domenik Hixon. Haven't heard of him? Now you have.
Giants fans can soon forget about Plaxico.

This season, New York's defense may be the real reason for the team's success. The front line is big and strong. Can't leave out the word fast either as Umenyiora and Tuck cover a lot of space with those defense end spots. Antonio Pierce is one of those guys you don't want to meet face to face in a dark alley (but that could go for any defensive player in the league, except Jason Seahorn). The secondary isn't outstanding but it will have to do as the 4-3 portion of the defense will be sending plenty of pressure to the quarterback. Don't be surprised to see a deap pass play work every once in a while on this defense. We're talking 40-50-60 yard plays. Oh yeah, get ready to endure some painful blows Giants fans.

Despite the many questions that are held in the offense as well as the defense, the Giants are still a top contender in the NFC East as well as their entire division. I don't see a follow up of last season's 12-4 record but a playoff appearance may or may not be in the 09-10 season. I'm thinking .500 or just above it. Take it or get out.

Philadelphia

The bitter ending to the Eagles' season last year in the NFC championship game was all the more reason to come back even stronger this season. With just nine regular season wins last year, the Eagles showed that they could do some damage in the league. For the past decade, this team has always been in the running as a contender team but has yet to win a Super Bowl in that period of time. Donovan McNabb has lost some speed from the younger days but his decision making has just gotten better and better. The man has overcome countless injuries and looks to have about 2-3 years left in his prime. This could possibly even be the peak of his career. Hard to believe? He might not be that speedy dual threat quarterback, but his pocket presence is deadlier than ever. With a speed first lineup in the receiving club, Kevin Curtis and Reggie Brown will look to be the starting guys at the position. Last year, DeSean Jackson led the team in receptions and receiving yards but that young cat isn't even going to start this season. With match-up problems asking to happen, Jason Avant could be a sleeper, coming in the slot position as a recevier. DeSean Jackson had recently hyper-extended his right knee and was carted off the practice field, but it is said that he will be good to go. Question marks for the return specialist? Eagles fans, let's hope not. Brian Westbrook will also be in the mix of the receiving numbers and coming off some injury issues, he will be the x-factor on the offense. The running game could be the downfall of this team this season but if Westbrook can get up on his feet, the sky is the limit for this offense.

The do-it-all combo running back is
ready to get at it once again. Recently
slowed down by injuries, #36 is
ready to make and break records.

The defense has always been one of the best in the league but this year, the fresh new look on defense could be either very rewarding or very painful to watch. The icon of the Eagles defense, Brian Dawkins has moved on with his career elsewhere and the Eagles are left with just a few key names such as Asante Samuel, Sheldon Brown, and young Brodrick Bunkley. The defensive line is very raw and there could be some communication issues early on but if this young group can get it together, a bright future could be in store for this line. The linebackers are represented by an even younger group of starters. Same story for these guys. Coach Reid obviously sees something in these young men so don't doubt the coach yet. If all else fails, the secondary doesn't. This has been the story for the Eagles for many years. Even when they had a strong front line, the secondary was always a protective insurance. It just isn't the same without the presence of Dawkins, but this secondary can't be overlooked.

The Eagles could do a lot of damage in the NFC East this season and possibly make a big run. It's a win big or go home situation for Philadelphia in the 09-10 campaign. Look for the Eagles to possibly have a slow start to the season and pick it up after a few games. Or, the team could just be in for a complete downfall year. Obviously, anything could happen.

Wasington

For a team as solid as the Redskins, being in the NFC East is just punishment from the football Gods. In any other division, this team could have seen some time in the playoffs in the past few seasons, but with the likes of the Eagles, Giants, and Cowboys standing in front of them, the team's season tends to end earlier than they would like. Jim Zorn will need to do some work before the season starts to get his team ready for yet another challenging season.

Jason Campbell will get the go ahead start at quarterback. He isn't a standout quarterback that will boggle you with stats but he is the kind of guy that does whatever it takes to get his team a win. A lot of issues with injuries regarding the receivers. The biggest name of the group is Santana Moss. The pro bowler looks to be fine and will see the field as a starter in week one. His effectiveness is a different story and we'll see exactly what he can do when the Skins visit New York for a divisional rivalry to open up the season. Clinton Portis has had some struggles since being traded over the Wasington from Denver but has still been a premier running back. Not sure if I can put him in the elite group for this season but he has the skills to do anything a back needs to do to be succesful. If the Skins want to win games this season, Portis will have to be a huge contribution. The offensive line should be of some help.

If you have trouble finding #30 on the field for the
Redskins, it'll be because he's doing the things
other defensive positions are usually doing.
Versatile is an understatement. Someone
get me a dictionary to describe this guy.

Albert Haynesworth is the big story for the Washington defense as the newly acquired pro bowl defensive tackle will close up the gaps in the middle. Veteran London Fletcher will command the linebacker group as the 4-3 front look to make it hard for backs to find holes for big yard plays. Pressure on the quarterback will come along more often as Haynesworth will hold up the middle, giving the defensive ends more opportunities to chase after the quarterback. LaRon Landry will look to have a breakout season as the young free safety will get a huge opportunity at the starting position. This isn't his first time starting, but this will be the season for the former LSU Tiger. Alongside him is fellow SEC guy, Carlos Rogers and a "Deion Sanders wannabe" in DeAngelo Hall. Hall will make plays and he will have quarterbacks second guessing.

The Redskins have a great opportunity to get themselves into the playoffs this season as the NFC East looks like a four man race all the way to week 17. They won't have a better chance than this as all the teams have some sort of tweak to fix in their lineups.

Another exciting year is in the making for the NFC
East as the rivals will be heated.

Cowboys 11-5
Eagles 9-7
Giants 9-7
Redskins 9-7

Ridiculous? I know. Possible? Very...

Don't be surprised if this division ends up sending three teams into the playoffs. The other NFC divisions can forget about a wild card. Those teams better aim for the division title or the window of opportunity will be slim.

-Jason C

Playing Catch Up

With over two months still left in the baseball season, the Braves are tied for second in the NL East and are slighltly losing the tie breaker to the Florida Marlins due to the less amount of runs scored. That all ends this week as the two NL East rivals face off in a three game series that begins tonight in Florida.

Land Shark Stadium will be packed tonight as the
two rivals face off in a start of a heated series.

Including this series, the two teams have 12 matches left with each other before the post season begins, but this one could be the backbone of their chance of qualifying for the NL wildcard or even the NL East title. But with the Philadelphia Phillies owning a 7 game advantage on the two teams, the wild card spot seems more reasonable for now. With an even record of 51-48 for both teams, the Braves would be taking a huge step forward by winning the series or even pulling away in a sweep. The Marlins could do the same.

Tonight, in the first of three, the Braves will start a young pitcher in Jair Jurrgens and the Marlines will have Ricky Nolasco. Jair has a slight advantage in the win column with a 9-7 record as opposed to a 7-7 record held by Nolasco. The ERA differential doesn't help Nolasco's case much as he currently holds a 5.42 ERA. Jurrgens, just 2.67. On paper, Jurrgens looks like a dominant force compared to Nolasco, but when the two pitchers step on the mount at 7:10 pm tonight, anything can happen.

Hanley Ramirez will have plenty to handle
in this three game series at home.


All eyes will be on Hanley Ramirez as Marlins players and fans will looking for the batting average leader to have another stellar night. With 65 RBI's and 59 runs, Ramirez leads the offense in nearly every category. Jorge Cantu will need to step up his game as he is just 2 for 11 at bat all time against Jurrgens. The hot hitter can't cool down here or else the Braves could run away with one. Dan Uggla will obviously be another big factor in the Marlins offense as the veteran infielder is .368 at bat against the Braves this season. The homerun hitting leader for the team will look to add a few more to the column in this tie breaking series.

When you hear Braves, you may think of #10. Chipper Jones at 37 is still hitting and defending like an all star and Braves fans are thankful for every play Chipper is involved in. With the third basemen leading the team in homeruns with just 12, the offense will have to pick things up and try to knock down their opposing pitchers.

Good ol' Chipper will be key to the Braves
success once again as #10 steps onto the field.

One youngster that doesn't really get much attention is the shortstop, Yunel Escobar. The 26 year old Cuban that was mocked for his immature actions a few weeks back after an error was made, has recently taken his game up a notch as the infielder has made some big time plays and caused some damage at bat. Escobar's 7 game hitting streak was ended on Sunday in a win in Milwaukee and during the 7 game stretch, the young gun had 3 homeruns. With a giant goose egg in the hit column of his last game, Yunel looks to grab a hit or two tonight to start yet another hitting streak. He may be the spark for a Braves offense that has slowly gotten more consistent in recent games.

Yunel Escobar has quickly become a fan
favorite as the bright young star has
made eye popping plays to keep the Braves
in playoff contention.

Brian McCann has yet to record a hit against the Marlins this season and will need to make adjustments as the All Star catcher looks to amplify the Braves offense.

Tonight may just be another game in the 162 game season, but for the Braves and Marlins, a lot more looks to be at stake.

-Jason C

The Soccer World hits the US

All the pieces seemed to be slowly coming together. David Beckham (despite his sour attitude) brought worldwide attention to MLS, the men's USA team made noise in the Confederations Cup, and the World Football challenge was being held in the United States of America. Could soccer finally be a mainstream sport in the "land of the free"?

Spice Boy, David beckham has caused plenty
of drama in the soccer world and will surely
create a nuisance in the MLS in the near future.

David Beckham was the possible breakthrough in soccer history for the US as he came to a deal with the LA Galaxy MLS team in 2007. A whopping five year $250 million contract had the English superstar packing his stuff and leaving Real Madrid, one of the most prestigious club teams in all of Europe. In exchange, the 30+ year old star was headed to a league that seemed dead to most Americans.

Beckham has caused enough trouble in the sports world already, so we shall place him aside for now.

The Confederations Cup occurs once every four years and it takes place one year prior to the World Cup. Eight teams get to participate in this small tournament and the US was one of the contenders. With nations such as Spain, Brazil, and Italy looking like the favorites in this Cup, the US just seemed to look like a country that was out to make a name for themselves by taking on the big bad bullies of the soccer world. And so they did...

USA's chances of standing a chance in this
Cup seemed quite slim. The eleven men representing
the red white and blue on the green grass
had other plans.

During the round robin portion of the tournament, it seemed like the US' journey was going to end shorter than wanted. After losing 3-1 in the first match against Italy, the US didn't seem to confident in their following match with the Brazilians. As expected, the US couldn't find any sort of advantage and collapsed to a 3-0 pummeling. With an 0-2 record and just one game remaining in their round robin schedule, the light at the end of the tunnel seemed very dim. In a last ditch effort, the Americans drop kicked Egypt in the face by winning 3-0 and with Brazils bashing of the Italians 3-0 as well, the US miraculously obtained the second place finish in the group and found themselves advancing to the semi final match.



Torres and the
rest of the Spanish
Soccer Armada
seemed stoppable
as the Spanish
took a quick an
easy route to the
second stage of
the Confederations
Cup.







With a hot Spain squad awaiting Donovan an his boys, the match-up seemed unfair. Critics were soon quieted as the Americans overcame the odds and took out the Spainards 2-0. A finals rematch with the Brazilians was in store and it seemed like the Americans would have been better off just losing to the country of Spain. A rematch with Brazil just seemed to painful to bear. As the whistle blew and the game began, the Brazilians looked confident and seemed ready to hoist the Confederations Cup trophy. But it was USA that looked like the better team as a 2-0 lead quickly formed for team America. As fans all around the world were stunned and speechless, it seemed like USA just might have pulled the greatest upset in US soccer history. When everything seemed to be going in the right direction, Brazil came kicking in high gear as three goals struck through the net of US defense. When the whistle blew at 90+ minutes, the final score read, Brazil 3 - USA 2. The Cinderella Story had been shattered and Brazil was on top once again.



Brazil and USA
took a head on
collision as the
two countries
showed plenty
of spunk in the
Confederations
Cup Finals.
Brazil just came
out with a little
more swag in the
end.





Despite the loss, high hopes were brought upon the USA soccer team for the 2010 South Africa World Cup as the US did exactly what they needed to do in the Confed Cup. Make some noise.

Some of the most powerful soccer clubs from all across the world took center stage in the United States just a few days ago as AC Milan, Chelsea, Inter Milan, and Club America welcomed themselves to the States of America. The World Football Challenge represented four major club as the matches took place in major cities such as Baltimore, Foxboro, and Atlanta. As fans filled the stadiums to full capacity, horns went off and chants erupted as goals struck left and right. Stars such as Andrly Schevchenko, Didier Drogba, Ronaldinho, and Zlatan Ibrahimovic exemplified greatness as the ball was handled in beautiful harmony through the ground and above. While curving through the air and defying gravity, the ball was controlled in majestic ways that could only occur on a soccer field. All of America was given an opportunity to finally see elite soccer at its best.

Chelsea was
one of four
club teams
that took
a visit to the
United States
for the World
Football
Challenge.

With the Premier League and other leagues in Europe getting underway in just a few weeks, you can be sure that US citizens from all around the United States will be tuning in on tv to look for any match listings. The best of the rest will surely be getting a little bit more exposure than the year before as superstars such as Lionel Messi, Kaká, Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, Torres, and others step onto the clean cut grassy fields of stadiums that are soon to be packed with die hard fans in the respective colors of their favorite clubs.

The speedy Lionel Messi looks to have yet
another spectacular season with Barcelona.

Let Soccer enlighten your world.

-Jason C

Running Back Carousel All Twisted?

With the #1 overall pick in the 2009 fantasy football draft, the "Flying Squirrels" draft...?

ESPN and other top sources for your sports information has Adrian Peterson as the go to guy for the #1 spot on fantasy football draft kit lists. The man wearing #28 for the purple and gold has played just two years of pro football and has already jumped stars such as L.T, Steven Jackson, Peyton Manning, Frank Gore, Tom brady, and others. In fact, if the top 5 projections list was handed to an average fantasy football participant a few years back, they would say that they only knew one of the top options.

L.T. was the easy first choice in every fantasy draft last season and the one before that, and the one before that... This year? Looks like times have changed.

ESPN says go with Adrian Peterson with the top pick so does that make him a secure choice? Well what if I don't want him? Who does ESPN advise in picking other than him. Michael Turner? Maurice Jones-Drew? Matt Forte? Obviously, fantasy football veteran managers should all know that running backs are the first to go and they go quick in the earliest of rounds. Let's do a background check on these "top candidates" for the early picks in the prestigious pool of running backs.














Adrian Peterson has taken over the top of the list
after showing dominance in the running game
last season. Is a guaranteed top performer for
fantasy owners in 2009-10?

Adrian Peterson: The third year running back for the Vikings is coming off a career season and is arguably one of the top running backs in this year's group of backs. But he has plenty of question marks that won't be answered until the season starts. So what makes this guy such a secure choice? It doesn't.

Michael Turner: After being overshadowed by Ladanian Tomlinson during his days in San Diego, Turner found a nice new home in Atlanta where he paired up with Rookie Quarterback Matt Ryan. Going with this guy as the second overall choice in the entire draft? He was good in 08, but will he prove that he can do it again. LT still seems like a better choice than Turner for the 09 season. Do I stand alone on this? I don't think so...

Maurice Jones-Drew: Without a doubt, one of the hardest working and humble athletes in the league. Plenty of spunk and will go out on the field with a mindset of not backing down from any linebacker or trenchman. Sharing time with Fred Taylor, he never really got a chance to be the go to back but his 08 season showed a lot of shine for the future Jaguars star running back. But #3 overall in the draft kit rankings? I'll have to take another look around the list of choices...

Matt Forte: Who? A guy that got little attention in his short time in the NFL has already risen to the elite of football athletes. Of course, he is still young and will get better in the upcoming seasons but I see him as more of second running back pick and not a first running back pick or even a first overall pick for a fantasy team. Is ESPN trying to pull a terrible joke on fantasy football guru's?


Matt Forte was
just another name
in the free agent
pool for most
fantasy leagues
less than 36 months
ago. Fast forward
a little bit and you've
got the Chicago
Bear sitting at #4
in ESPN's "great"
list. Could he be the
catalyst for YOUR
fantasy team?




Steven Jackson: At #5, Jackson may have the biggest name in the top 5. Maybe AP has him by a slight edge but Steven Jackson is one of the toughest combo backs in the league and could do plenty of damage on the turf. It's just that his team won't cooperate. No bias here, but Jackson looks like a better pick than Forte, Jones-Drew, and Turner. Maybe I've just completely missed out on th football world during this off season.

You've got big names like LT, Clinton Portis, Frank Gore, Larry Johnson, Brandon Jacobs, Marion Barber, Brian Westbrook, and Willie Parker, and not a single one of these guys are in the mix for the top pick in the ESPN fantasy draft. So maybe a few of these guys lost a step or two, maybe an injury has changed their style of effectiveness on the field , or the roster changes has negated the runners former dominance that was once present. Still, to an average football follower, the top list of running backs just seems like a joke. With the most important position on any fantasy football team, running backs will be the decision of whether your team looks like a playoff team or not. I guess the pool is just that much deeper this season. Willie Parker as the #25 running back in the rankings? Larry Johnson at 26 (due to some injury trouble, he's been nonexistent at times but #26?) You've just got to think that someone like Willie at #25 in just the running backs or even Brian Westbrook at #14 is a complete steal. You've got to keep in mind that some foolish fantasy managers will pick up a wide receiver or quarterback in that crucial first round of your draft.

As of right now, I'd say it's a toss up throughout the entire first round with the running backs. Depending on who you pick, if that running back is healthy and play consistently, the possibility of riding on that players back to lead your fantasy team to championship contention should be nice. If whoever you picked in the first round unluckily has to deal with injuries or split time on the field with another back, you may have to hope for a lower round pick to explode and have a career season in order for contention. Fantasy football is 35% skill, 65% luck. It definitely takes some skill to pick and arrange the players that you snag from the draft pool, but injuries and playing time can't exactly be predicted. When it's your turn in the draft, I recommend some tarot cards. Does it even work that way? "Flying Squirrels all the way"!

The most important position in 99.9% of fantasy
football teams is the running back spot. Apparently,
you don't need a "good" running back to make it to
the Super Bowl nowadays. (Edgerrin James , on the left, #60
on ESPN's list of top running backs, Willie Parker, on the right, #25)

-Jason C

2010 World Cup Destination...

The sight of the 2010 world cup in South Africa
is looking a bit foggy. Let's hope that's not the case.

Hold on just a moment South Africa, looks like the 2010 world cup has hit a bump. Ever since the Italians held up the sleek golden trophy that declared the world champions of soccer, South Africa has gone right to work in order to prepare for the next world cup which they had high anticipation of hosting in the year 2010.

Preliminary rounds were initiated and teams began their run for the next world cup trophy as power houses of the soccer world such as Brazil, Germany, Spain, and the reigning champs of Italy looked to place their position in one of the 32 spots that are given in World Cup competition every four years. Three years set sail and things were looking smooth as fans all around the world excitedly waited just one more year until the world cup would kick off but a slight intervention was in store.

With plenty of work still to be done in South Africa, stadiums were being built one by one and plenty of hands were needed for all this craftiness to be completed by the deadline mid-December. As the midpoint of the summer time came around, an announcement was made that 70,000 unhappy workers declared a strike, stating that they would cease work until their demands were made. This is an outrage! I waited three long years just to hear this kind of news? I can't believe it! What's going to happen? A few of many reactions that I assume may happen when the news is completely spread around to the ends of the earth. Nothing positive here. Looks like South Africa may be in the bidding for 2018.














Moses Mabhida Stadium is one of the many
beautiful stadiums that will hold thousands of
fans as soccer players from all across the world
look to represent their nations in the finest way.

Fear not. This should just be a small set back that will easily be dealt with in a matter of days. Everyone can go back to their usual lives and get ready to cheer on their nations in the summer of 2010. So, what if it's not dealt with. What if the strike goes on and the unfinished work stays the way it is. Come December, there is no positive outlook on the world cup happening in 2010 right? World Cup 2010 Germany? World Cup 2010 Korea/Japan? That would be interesting now wouldn't it? With everything going the right path for South Africa and the sight of the 2010 World Cup looking swell, a problem like this was never expected to happen. So now we "fans of the world" sit awestruck and speechless as to what exactly we could do to make 2010 happen for South Africa.

With all the strikes that have happened in this world, this has got to be just the second strike that has affected my personal life. (After the writer's strike in 2008, which put the tv series "The Office" on hold) Let's just hope this doesn't turn out to be a disaster. Besides, I'm very excited to see the animated South African Lion representing the 2010 world cup logo.

Zakumi the Lion is ready to hit center stage in the
summer of 2010. He wants to be let out of his cage!

Could I be the mascot for a world cup event if I hold a soccer ball like that and keep a similar pose? Really would be nice.

-Jason C