PGA – MY 2014 FRANKENGOLFER

My laboratory door has opened once again… Inside, there is an imaginary curtain up.  And, standing behind it, is the perfect golfer: My 3rd annual “Frankengolfer”. He is a collection of the best players in each of four major areas of the sport based on the previous end-of-year stats. I first created him in ...

NFL – RUSSELL WILSON FINALLY DESERVES OUR RESPECT

If you have some doubt in your mind right now about Seattle Seahawks’ quarterback Russell Wilson, you shouldn’t. Well, I understand if you feel that way, since before this past Sunday’s NFC Championship game, I had little confidence in him myself. He’s 5’103/8 and 200 lbs, for God’s sake. The average ...

NFL – MY PICK FOR 2014 MVP

Now that the 2014 NFL regular season is officially behind us and the playoff picture is now clear, it is time to have the awards conversation once again. Each year at this time, the Associated Press processes the votes of 50 sportswriters to determine awards for the following categories: offensive & defensive ...

NFL – 2014 PREDICTIONS

Now that the 2014 NFL season has happily arrived, my predictions as to each conference outcome and the Super Bowl are as follows: NFC NFC West Winner - Seahawks NFC South Winner - Saints NFC North Winner - Packers NFC East Winner - Eagles NFC Wild Card 1 - Cardinals NFC Wild Card 2 - Cowboys NFC ...

NFL – REACTION TO RAY RICE’S SUSPENSION FOR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE OFFSEASON ARREST

Yesterday, the NFL suspended Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice for the first two games of this season following his offseason arrest for alleged domestic violence against his wife. Much of the reaction on social media & on ESPN to this announcement has been one of outrage.  Namely, that Commissioner Goodell ...

LOOK OUT WORLD, TIGER WOODS IS PAIN FREE AGAIN

Tiger Woods said at a press conference early last week that he is “pain free for the first time in 2 years”. We can interpret that statement two ways. It’s either going to be very good for the golfing legend… or bad. Namely, can Tiger still be as successful without chasing pain down on a regular basis? ...

BLAME THE MODERN SPORTS FAN FOR THE DEMISE OF BOXING

Recently, I noticed that several major networks have committed to a robust schedule of upcoming boxing matches during primetime on a regular basis (ESPN, NBCSN, FOX Sports 1, HBO, and Showtime). Since the sport had seen a major decline in viewership over the past decade or so, this makes me wonder – is boxing making a ...

MLB – IT’S TIME TO OFFICIALLY TEST THE AFFECTS OF PINE TAR ON A BASEBALL

MLB is unsure how exactly pine tar affects the movement of a baseball, especially for pitchers. So, why not test the sticky stuff in a controlled, laboratory type of setting? | April 29, 2014, 1:57pm ET

NFL – DO TEAMS HAVE THE RIGHT TO RESTRICT OUT-OF-STATE TICKET SALES?

A very interesting law suit has recently been filed in Nevada Federal Court that could set an important precedent to which sports teams all over the US will greatly be affected. The case has to do with a Nevada man (John E. Williams, III) who sued the NFL and the Seattle Seahawks, among other parties, in Federal Court ...

MLB – NEW RESEARCH TO SUPPORT AN ELECTRONIC STRIKE ZONE

Now that instant replay has been expanded in MLB to include about 90% of all on-field plays, it seems logical that the next area up for consideration to use reviewable technology would be the strike zone. While I have been a staunch proponent of getting all calls right in baseball, the idea that we could soon be ...

MLB – NEW HOME PLATE COLLISION RULE PROBLEMATIC

I’m having a hard time wrapping my head around the new Home Plate Collision Rule which Major League Baseball and the Major League Baseball Player’s Association (MLBPA) recently adopted. While I love that this issue is finally being addressed by the sport in any context, I find the parameters of the new rule to be ...

SUGGESTION TO EXPAND INSTANT REPLAY IN PRO TENNIS

Since 2008, professional Tennis has allowed players access to a Challenge System that has largely been successful. The system, called “Hawk-Eye”, uses several high-speed video cameras to visually track the trajectory of every ball.  That data transmits to a complex computer system which then reproduces the ball’s ...

NFL – NEW RULE TO PENALIZE PLAYERS FOR USING N-WORD IS LONG OVERDUE

The NFL’s competition committee will soon consider a rule that will penalize players for use of the N-word (a racial slur used against African-Americans) on the field. According to a CBSSports.com article dated February 21, 2014, the NFL will likely rule an automatic 15 yard penalty for first-time offenders and an ...

MLB – WHAT DEREK JETER’S LEGACY MEANS TO ME

It’s easy to gush about Derek Jeter, especially if you’re a lifelong Yankees fan like me. Over the course of his 19 years in MLB, Jeter has amassed an incredible statistical record so far: 3,316 Hits (1st Active; 10th Career); 2,470 Singles (1st Active; 6th Career); 4,527 Times on Base (1st Active; 16th ...

NFL – 2014 SUPER BOWL PREDICTION

The ultimate question for me when it comes down to determining the outcome of Super Bowl XLVIII between the Seattle Seahawks and Denver Broncos:  Is Russell Wilson capable of keeping pace with Peyton Manning? If we were to just compare both quarterback’s 2013 stats side by side? No way. BUT... if Seattle’s ...

MLB EXPANDS INSTANT REPLY, BUT THERE’S A CATCH

Last week, when Major League Baseball announced that it had unanimously approved “expanded instant replay” for the 2014 season, I secretly rejoiced. In the past, MLB had been slow to accept the idea of expanding instant replay beyond that of home runs and in fact, has been notoriously slow to change any of its rules ...

PGA – MY 2013 FRANKENGOLFER

Over the last year, I haven’t played as much golf as I would have liked. Not that I haven’t been thinking about it… a lot. I envision myself on the course quite a bit even when I’m not there. I guess I should  stop daydreaming and just do it. Meanwhile, like the column I wrote last year “My 2012 ...

WHY I PREFER WINTER OLYMPICS OVER SUMMER

I get giddy every time the Winter Olympics return, probably even more so than the Summer Games. But, I don’t think I’m in the majority and, I don’t really understand why. Recently, at a family gathering, we had a discussion about which of the Olympics we preferred.  I was surprised to learn that most people ...

PGA – BOOK REVIEW: HANK HANEY’S “THE BIG MISS”

The feelings I’m left with after reading Hank Haney’s book “The Big Miss” were ones I wasn’t expecting. I would have never anticipated that I would feel disturbed, confused, and disappointed by Haney, rather than illuminated and informed by his account of what it was like coaching Tiger Woods, the world’s ...

MLB – THOUGHTS ON A-ROD’S OFF-SEASON FIGHT WITH MLB

Now that the MLB post-season is here, the sad reality is starting to set in for me.  Soon there will be no baseball for 6 long months. Generally, I’ve managed to make it through previous long winters without baseball by absorbing myself into the NFL and College Football coverage.  However, when those distractions ...

SPORTS FILM REVIEW – “Trouble With the Curve”

I never saw a baseball film I didn’t like. That’s just who I am. Even if a film isn’t very good, I’ll still like it if it’s about baseball. I have a simple explanation why:  Like chocolate and peanut butter, our national pastime and film go together like a match made in Heaven. Baseball is filled ...

MLB – THE BIOGENESIS SCANDAL & ITS EFFECTS

Yesterday, Major League Baseball levied heavy suspensions on 13 players for their connections to a Miami clinic (Biogenesis) which is accused of supplying them with performance enhancing drugs (PEDs). Among the players suspended are three current All-Stars, as well as New York Yankees third baseman, Alex Rodriguez, the ...

MLB – COULD PARAGRAPH 5 BE CREATING AUTHORITARIANS OUT OF HOF VOTERS?

This year, zero players have been elected into the Baseball Hall of Fame.  That hasn’t happened since 1996. A shocking outcome, considering that 37 players were eligible for the honor. Perhaps that was the point, though. Among others, the 2013 HOF ballot included first time candidates allegedly linked with ...

MLB – 2013 MID-SEASON NL REVIEW

It’s officially mid-season in Major League Baseball for 2013.  How have my pre-season National League predictions held up?  And, what do I foresee the rest of the way to the playoffs? NL EAST MY ORIGINAL PRE-SEASON PREDICTIONS (TO FINISH): Washington Nationals (Win Division) Atlanta Philadelphia NY ...

MLB – 2013 MID-SEASON AL REVIEW

It’s officially mid-season in Major League Baseball for 2013.  How have my pre-season American League predictions held up?  And, what do I foresee the rest of the way to the playoffs? AL EAST MY ORIGINAL PRE-SEASON PREDICTIONS (TO FINISH): NY Yankees (Win Division) Baltimore Toronto Tampa Bay Bosto...

MLB – WHY I LOVE LISTENING TO BASEBALL GAMES (ALMOST) MORE THAN WATCHING

Since I was a small child, baseball has been my favorite sport. And, when I wasn’t watching baseball as a kid, I was playing it with my Dad & my brother in the backyard or out on the street in front of the house when we needed more room. But, perhaps even better than watching and playing ball for me, is ...

TENNIS – CAN A BIG MAN BE “ELITE”?

Logic would dictate that being a very tall man (6'5 +) in professional tennis could have major advantages. After all, longer legs bring longer strides; longer arms give a longer reach and the ability to generate more power on serve; and coming down on the ball at net is rather advantageous to a taller person. But, ...

KENTUCKY DERBY 2013 – PICKS

There doesn’t appear to be a real triple-crown contender this year, i.e: no real dominant horse.  So, the field appears to be wide open.  Also, with a 90% chance of rain at start time and continuous rain during the day, the muddy track should keep the race even more wide open. 1.     REVOLUTIONARY Even ...

NFL – INSPIRED BY THE FA CUP: ADD ANOTHER “BOWL”

Under the current NFL setup, all 32 teams in the league compete for one singular goal during the course of the regular season: to win The Super Bowl. There are no other opportunities for teams to achieve accolades beyond this, except for individual coach and player performance awards given out at the end of each ...

PGA – THE “GENTLEMEN’S GAME” IS OUTDATED

One major takeaway for me from the 2013 Masters is just how outdated the “Gentlemen’s Game” of golf is in this era of close scrutiny. It all started on Friday during Tiger Woods’ second round when his approach shot to hole 15 hit the flagstick and careened into the water below.  He took a drop and made bogey 6, ...