So Close, Yet So Far

As the Alabama softball season was winding down, hopes were high for the Crimson Tide and rightly so. The Tide (52-10) were SEC Champions and the number one seed coming into the NCAA playoffs. They cruised right into the Super Regional, and, after beating Hawaii in game one, they were in prime position to advance to the College World Series. I honestly did not know that Hawaii had a legitimate team (they are actually the most productive home run team in the nation) until game two when they surprisingly took charge and pounced to a 7-1 lead. Alabama led a fabulous charge back into contention but ended up falling 8-7 after Hawaii trickled in a run in the sixth. No worries-even though they had broken our amazing 28 game win streak, I figured the Tide would pull out game three. It looked so in the bottom of the seventh inning with the Tide up 4-3. We had our ace Kelsi Dunne in the game. Fittingly for Hawaii however, they ended things with a two-run homer that dashed the hopes of an amazing Tide team. This is the glory of the playoffs. Even though I'm disappointed that the girls didn't make it to the World Series, you have to feel some degree of excitement for the underdog and have a respect for some amazing heart from both teams.

As for the Alabama baseball team, things weren't clear as far as the postseason is concerned. The Tide (37-22) haven't completely played to their potential and are one of the most bipolar teams that I have seen. This wasn't the case in the SEC tournament. The Tide played marvelous during the pre-championship rounds (beating No. 16 Auburn, No. 21 Ole Miss, and No. 4 Florida) and were looking at a showdown with rival LSU for the championship. LSU jumped to a 3-1 lead before a rain delay in the fourth inning. The Tide rebounded to tie the game in the eighth inning and fought hard into extras. Alabama had chances in the ninth and tenth to finish the matter, but they were shut down by an outstanding performance from Anthony Ranaudo. The Tigers finally managed to squeeze out a run in the 11th, and the Tide could not respond. Even though they came up short just as the women did, the Tide is rising at the right time. Alabama fans should be anxious to see their team begin the playoffs. I know that I wouldn't want to play our team after watching them over the past week, and everyone likes a good underdog.

My 2010 preseason Top 10

1. Alabama Crimson Tide

Key Players: Mark Ingram RB, Julio Jones WR, Marcel Dareus DT

Major Concern: Replacing seven players from the draft

Wild Card: Best running back tandem in the country in Mark Ingram and Trent Richardson

2. Boise State Broncos

Key Players: Kellen Moore QB

Major Concern: Gaining respect in the BCS

Wild Card: New defensive coordinator Pete Kwiatkowski

3. Virginia Tech Hokies:

Key Players: Ryan Williams RB, Tyrod Taylor QB

Major Concern: Tyrod Taylor's passing abilities

Wild Card: Again, Tyrod Taylor's passing abilities

4: Miami Hurricanes:

Key Players: Jacory Harris QB, Allen Bailey DT, Graig Cooper RB

Major Concern: consecutive road games against Ohio State, Pittsburgh, and Clemson

Wild Card: RB Graig Cooper returning after torn ACL in Champs Sports Bowl

5: TCU Horned Frogs:

Key Players: Andy Dalton QB, Matthew Tucker RB, Ed Wesley RB

Major Concern: Surviving a decent schedule

Wild Card: A rejuvenated defense containing Butkus hopeful Tank Carder

6: Florida Gators:

Key Players: John Brantley QB

Major Concern: Finding a number one running back

Wild Card: Very strong receiving corps containing Deonte Thompson and Carl Moore

7: Iowa Hawkeyes:

Key Players: Adrian Clayborn DE, Ricky Stanzi QB

Major Concern: They must replace four starting offensive linemen

Wild Card: Defensive line may be one of the best in the country

8: Ohio State Buckeyes:

Key Players: Terelle Pryor QB, Dan Herron RB

Major Concern: Avoid choking like every other 'hyped' year

Wild Card: Solid linebacking core

9: Texas Longhorns:

Key Players: Solid overrall team

Major Concern: The play of Garrett Gilbert QB

Wild Card: The running game with running backs Fozzy Whitaker and Tre' Newsome

10: Oregon Ducks:

Key Players: LaMichael James RB

Major Concern: Replacing suspended QB Jeremiah Masoli

Wild Card: Whoever wins the starting QB job, Nate Costa or Darron Thomas

Dynasty Rematch

You know, I'm really tired of the Lakers and the Celtics. Having 15 and 17 championships between them respectively, I really don't want to see them in the championship game. Sure, it was great to see the Celtics rebound a pathetic team into a championship team by just dropping some bills. It was great for the town and the basketball world in a sense. I honestly just hate the dynasty that is the Lakers and Kobe. Maybe I'm just bitter because I'm a Cleveland/Lebron fan, but I want upsets. I long for that conference championship 7 vs. 8 seed that the NHL offers this year with the Flyers and Canadiens. I long for a team like the Charlotte Bobcats, Milwaukee Bucks, or, especially the Oklahoma Thunder to be the dark horse.

Of course, that isn't reality, and it probably won't be for the next couple of years. The East is so top heavy that only one of three teams are expected to make it through every year. The rest of the conference battles to see who can have the best under .500 season. The West is far more competent, but, again, everyone falls victim to the Lakers-kudos to the Thunder for putting up a hell of a fight-in the playoffs (especially the playoff incompetent Jazz and Suns as it appears). Lakers are up 2-0. Celtics are up 2-0 (and leading by 25 in the third currently). I might as well not watch the championship series.

Go Thunder.

The Art of Free Running

As far as I'm concerned, this new trend that's been growing over the last couple of years called 'free-running' is about as low on my list as kickball. Unless you're talented, athletic, and, as most of these guys are in the video, Asian. The athleticism shown in this video is mind-blowing. So, take some time out of your day and enjoy this video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D2kJZOfq7zk

Brave Rookie

The Atlanta Braves. The Webster dictionary definition of mediocrity. After winning (I mean dominating) the NL East for 14 of 15 years from 1991 to 2005, the Braves have failed to make the playoffs since. This makes me unhappy. I am a huge Braves fan, and every year my high expectations are beaten to death by most recently the Philadelphia Phillies (who may have the dumbest mascot in MLB history). This year they were expected to be the 'wild card' of the National League both in my heart and the voices of many experts. I was completely embarrassed when the 'wild card' started behind everyone in the NL East including the nation's punching bag (Nationals) and contributed to the Rockies first no hitter.

That was a week ago. The Braves are currently at 21-20 after today's miraculous comeback against the Reds (one of the most exciting baseball highlights I've seen in a while). A major part of this ascent back to .500 and this team's new vigor is the best rookie in the league. Jason Heyward. No one can deny that this kid is a beast. Sure, he acts like a rookie (26 strikeouts in first 75 at bats), but he's adapted well to the game. In May, his walk to strikeout ratio was an amazing 9:3 in 38 at bats. He does well under pressure and in clutch situations as many of us have witnessed. The Braves have been criticized much lately for trading many of their star players to other teams and keeping 'liability' players such as Chipper Jones, but they have done well in finding and developing the best rookie and one of the top players in this league. He not only adds playability, but he is also the new figurehead for the team and a major source of motivation. He may only make the Braves a 'wild card' team this year, but I believe he is the future of the Braves.

PS. HE'S A BEAST

Local Spotlight

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gBaJ8UN5Iu_nIRho_lGJWR2r3X5wD9FQGLM01

Kareem Jackson, former cornerback for the University of Alabama, has really impressed the coaching staff of the Houston Texans. Jackson, who was Houston's first pick in this year's NFL draft and the 20th pick overall, recently gained a starting position on a rejuvenated defense which also features former Alabama linebacker Demeco Ryans. The Houston Texans are a relatively new franchise who have flirted with the playoffs for the last couple of years but haven't quite made it. Kareem is hoping to break the trend, and I know the Alabama faithful would be pleased to see him do that.

The Most Embarrassing and Unnecessary Sport

You know what really grinds my gears: Kickball.

I recently talked to one of my good friends who said that he was in an actual kickball tournament two weekends from now. Not a charity or an I'm so bored that I have to resort to kickball event. An actual legitimate tournament. This really made me start thinking. Kickball is the most illegitimate sport ever imagined. Think of baseball and soccer conceiving a child in which a dodgeball was somewhere added to the mix. Therefore, it is an embarrassment to baseball (our national pastime), soccer (the rest of the world's pastime but not so much ours), and dodgeball (my favorite pastime and movie). Sure, it's great for kids to run around and fight obesity (especially coming from Alabama), but it doesn't teach them how to succeed in any other sport. You'll never need to know how to roll or kick a dodgeball. I'll look the other way until you're ten or twelve years old, but it's just plain embarrassing to see men in their twenty's and thirty's getting riled up over a kickball game. I'd rather watch a montage of Lifetime movies.

Softball champs

In local news:

Riding on the shoulders of an amazing performance from Tournament MVP Kelsi Dunne, the Alabama Crimson Tide softball team secured its fourth SEC Tournament Championship. Deep balls from both Jennifer Fenton and Jazlyn Lunceford (whose home run broke the tie in the bottom of the fifth) helped overcome a resurgent Tiger team 5-4. They will be hosting the Tuscaloosa regional for the NCAA tournament as the number one overall seed.

A Tale of Two Teams

Cleveland Cavaliers:

-61-21 regular season record

-2 time MVP Lebron James (age 25)

-Notable acquisitions: Shaquille O'Neal and Antawn Jamison

Boston Celtics:

-50-32 regular season record

-The Big Three: Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen (ages 32, 33, 34)

-1 MVP among them

-Notable acquisitions: Rasheed Wallace

Old age is associated with wisdom; young age is associated with inexperience. Why doesn't anyone make this connection with basketball? Experts, coworkers, your girlfriend, and even many Boston faithful did not see the Celtics over the Cavaliers, especially in under seven games. Why should they? Lebron James is reaching the peak of his greatness, and, with the Cavs new acquisitions, this was THEIR year. Boston, on the other hand, is getting old. The Big Three are approaching their mid 30s, and acquiring Rasheed Wallace (age 35) did not seem to help their case. The sports world didn't take into account that three veteran players, along with a dynamic youngster in Rajon Rondo, could handle the 'world's best player' in Lebron James with his share of good teammates. The Cavs came out of the gate winning two of the first three games, riding on Lebron James going for 35 and 38 points in their two wins. In the other four losses, Lebron James averaged 22 points including his horrendous 3-14 game 5. Anyone can put two and two together here. Lebron James doesn't score; Cleveland doesn't win. Sure blame it on his 'injured' elbow, but the Cavs don't have enough consistently productive players as a team to make a championship run. Their veterans (Shaquille O'Neal and Antawn Jamison) were far less productive. As for the Celtics, they look unstoppable after beating the Orlando Magic in game 1 on Sunday. Look out, the NBA's nursing home is running things around here.

As for Lebron, who knows what will become of the greatest player without a championship.

http://espn.go.com/nba/dailydime/_/page/dime-100513/daily-dime