USA Men's Soccer World Cup Preview

The United States men’s soccer team is heading into one of its most exciting, yet challenging months of all time. US soccer has never been up to the fan caliber that it is in Europe and South America, but every day we are getting closer to those top nations. As the squad heads into Brazil for the 2014 World Cup, hopes are high. The US made is out of the group stages in 2010 and plan on doing the same in Brazil. Despite less than encouraging comments made by Jurgen Klinsman, the US head coach, the whole team, along with the entire country, expects great things.  The problem is, there are three other top nations standing in their way.

The USA squad, captained by world class striker Clint Dempsey, is the strongest to show in many years. They are anchored by Everton keeper Tim Howard, along with Attleboro, MA native Geoff Cameron at the center defensive position.  Michael Bradley, a cheeky midfielder, will cause problems to any defense. Also, Julian Greene, the 18 year old Bayern Munich up comer should provide some creative play. But, the real story is that Landon Donovan, the USA all time goals leader, has been left off the 23-man roster. Many believe that his experience and finishing ability will be just what the US will be missing in Brazil. Hopefully this young squad can push through!

The 8 groups in the World Cup final stage are chosen randomly by the FIFA council. In every major tournament, the best group is pronounced “The Group of Death” by the entire world. Unfortunately, The United States happened to be drawn into this year’s Group of Death. On June 16, the boys will open their tournament against the African nation of Ghana. Although we are actually ranked higher according to FIFA, Ghana is no team to sleep on considering they have knocked us out of both of the past two World Cup Finals. Next, the US is taking on Ballon De Ore winner Cristiano Ronaldo and his Portugal squad. Matching up against the best player in football will not be easy. But, to make it even harder on the stars and stripes, their third game will be against #2 overall Germany. The Germans have been a powerhouse for years, and they are hungry for a championship. If the USA wants to get out of their group, they will have to be in nothing less than top form.

The World Cup is a magical sporting even that links every nation on the planet as one. It is something that comes around only every 4 years, and it would be a shame if the United States put in a poor performance on a stage this prestigious. With heats full of hope, and mouths filled with the chant of “I believe that we will win”, the US squad will kick off against Ghana in a short few days. With the eyes of the whole nation on them, hopefully they can pull out some magic.

Player Personality Profile: Mario Balotelli

It is late at night on the weekend, and Mario Balotelli is attracting attention. Well, it's hard not to when you're a 6'2 black-Italian wearing diamond earrings bigger than your eyeballs. Oh, and you happen to be the best young upcoming goal-scorer in all of Italy. It is already easy to see why Balo is one of the most talked about footballers in the world, but there is far more to his story. Even though he has only played professionally for about 5 years, he has already made his mark in the world stage on and off the pitch.

Because of his massive size and strength, partnered with his dribbling and finishing attributes, Mario is among the most feared players anywhere. He first made his name known on Manchester City in the premier league at the age of 20. He scored on his debut in a Europa league match and never looked back. Balotelli ended up winning The Golden Boy Award for the most impressive young player in Europe for 2011. Then, in the 2011-2012 Premier League season, Mario's 13 goals helped league City to the title, which was their first since the 1967-1968 season. Also, most recently, he scored in the 2014 Brazil World Cup against England to win the match 2-1 for Italy. He had certainly proved himself as a threat to any club or country that he may face. Another thing that Balo proved, which he does not take pride in, is that at times he can be the most reckless and undisciplined player in the world.

On the field, Balotelli has been sent off for aggressive fouls and swearing at the referee multiple times. He will get frustrated when he performs badly, and turns that frustration against his opponents. He has also been criticized for questionable celebrations. In October, 2011 Mario scored against Manchester United and revealed an undershirt reading "Why always me?", taking a stab at referees and the media for portraying him wrongly. Off the filed criticism is even worse. There have been pictured of Balo with mafia members, he has been caught speeding with over $100,000 cash in his trunk, and he even went into a women's prison without permission "just to look around".  There have been speculations that he is "crazy" and "uncoachable", mostly made by his former manager, Roberto Mancini. He he's a rough player to work with.

Mario's actions have been extremely controversial in the past, but this does not change the concept that he represents something amazing in Europe. He was abandoned by his family in Ghana, and adopted by his new Italian parents. Balo is the first black player to ever put on an Italian national football jersey and take the field. With the immigrant population growing in Italy and surrounding countries, racism is still a factor. Balotelli's story and African backgrounds make him a perfect candidate to be the face of this new European movement. Because of this, Mario was named into Time Magazine's top 100 most influential people.

Mario Balotelli is more than a footballer. He is an unpredictable man who loves to show off his money and partake in odd activities. He is a man with discipline issues and a big head. But, he is also a major figure in fighting Italian and European racism. Football is such a huge part in European society, and Mario is a big enough name to get people listening. There are not many people in professional sports more intriguing than Mario Balotelli.

Why Can't Women's Sports Survive?

It the business that is professional sports, attention and ratings are brought from the entertainment in the game. The fact that the players tat we watch on TV are the absolute best in the world a what they d is what makes it so exciting. We get the witness amazing plays n games that NOBODY else in the world can do. The thing with women's sports is that this is not the case.

Female professional sports are not unpopular because of prejudice or sexism. People are watching Men's games over the Women's simply because their athletic performance is more impressive, not because that are simply women. The point of admiring these sports figures is because they have super hero- like abilities, no other humans can meet their standards. As people, if we have the opportunity to watch better competition, we will take it every time, whether it is males or females participating. Professional male athletes are more electric and exciting than female's, and that is why society down grades Professional Women's Sports.

Should PED Users Be Recognized As All-Time Greats?

The MLB has long been turned into the major professional league that is notorious for steroid use. During the 90s and 2000s has been known as the Steroid Era in professional baseball. 129 players were accused of breaking the steroid acts, only 16 admitted and the rest were revealed either by tests or their peers. 37 of these players were given formal suspensions by the MLB (Bones). Some may think that these athletes are now nothing but cheaters, while others have sympathy. There are many angles to take on this argument. Does the use of steroids sway the integrity of the game, or was it just a part of the player culture and training during the time period?

From the first moment a person is born, they are taught to follow the rules. They are told it is wrong to cheat, and that lying only makes the matter worse. In this way, using PEDs is clearly something that should not be tolerated in the league. If it is in the rule book, actions and suspensions should take place. Some would argue that  the punishment should extent all the way to bans from the Hall of Fame, and possibly even all of Major League Baseball.

This is the straight forward argument, but there are also other stances. During The Steroid Era, a large number of players, possibly even the majority of players, took PEDs at one point in their respective careers. Out of the 129 players that were caught by the MLB , the vast majority are complete no-names. Players took steroids, and were still no good in the league (Berg). Only those that were stars were the ones that were brodcasted on the news and talked about around the country. Also, this means that the stars who were taking PEDs were competing against other players taking PEDs! The greats in the league who were caught would still have been the greats if steroids never existed.

Steroid use is not right and should have no place in the MLB. They are against the rules of the league,  and they should enforce a suspension if they are caught. With that being said, being caught with an illegal drug, if the player was in the Steroid Era, should not have a punishment of being ineligable for The Hall of Fame. It should be treated with suspensions, and fines. If one player violates the rule on multiple occasions, than expulsions from the league and Cooperstown should be considered. Steroid use is wrong for many reason, but it was a part of the league.

Transgender Athletes Questions

1. A situation like Fallon Fox's is very rare and confusing. I think that the MMA should follow the previously written guidelines to decide whether or no she can participate in the sport. If she passes all requirements, than she should be allowed to fight.

2. Transgender athletes do, in my opinion, have an advantage in sporting activities. Even thought they are technically and physically  females, some body parts may still be physically man-like. Their body shape and instinctive aggressive qualities may give transgender athletes an advantage.

3. If I was a girl and I was fighting a person who used to be a man, I would actually be scared. I would think that they are bigger and stronger than I. I do not think it would motivate me, t would just make me confused.

4. In reality, there is not much that can be done to make this issue ore fair. Transgender people have the right to participate in athletics, but some of these competitions may be unfair if they are involved. The only way to solve it would be to add a third "transgender" category in addition to "male" and "female". There would not be enough athletes to install that at this point in time, but maybe one day this can happen.

Prefontaine Questions

1. Pre is portrayed as a confident person and competitor. He rarely takes advice and believes in his own abilities
2. Pre is likeable and he means well, but he may be too up front and over-confident.
3. ?
4. He teaches him that you have to have a winning mentality.
5. The controversy is whether or not they should be able to make money.
6. His goal was to be the best distance runner of all time.
7. ?
8. The Munich Massacre took place during the Munich Olympics.

18-Year-Old Debut Shines for Struggling Manchester United

Manchester United, the most successful club in the English Premier League in recent memory and possibly of all time, has had a dreadful year thus far. After winning the title in 2013, United have fallen to 7th place this season, and have already been knocked out of Champions League contention for next year (top 4 finishers). It has partly been due to their legendary long-time manager, Sir Alex Ferguson, retiring and leaving the club after last season. Former Everton Head Coach David Moyes has taken over, but has since been fired after the team's worst season in 2 decades. At the moment, player-coach, and long-time leader of the club Ryan Giggs is taking position as temporary manager. At possibly his last match at Old Trafford, both Giggs and a young striker stole the show.

Because United technically had nothing to play for this season, their second to last game of the year against Hull City showed a glimpse of future talent to come. Giggs decided to sit stars Roney, Van Persie and Mata to make room for others to start, including 18 year old James Wilson. Wilson is an English native who had scored for United's u18 u19 and u21 squads this season. In a spectacular fashion against Hull City, Wilson surprisingly dropped 2 goals on the team in the second half before being subbed out. The inexperienced forwards will never forget that day. After all, the last time a United player scored in his debut game it was Wayne Rooney, and he has turned out alright...

A second twist to this game is what made it truly magical. A few minutes into the second half, Giggs began to run around and warm up in his track suit. The legend was going to sub himself into the game! In the 70th minute, Giggs revealed a full united kit under his first layer, and stepped onto the familiar pitch for maybe the last time.  Then, 15 minutes later, Giggs put in a beautiful left-footed cross that Persie finished into the bottom corner, and the building went crazy.

The Hull City-United game showed a symbolic passing of the torch. The legend, Giggs, makes his last mark in the place he calls home. While, Wilson, the upcoming star, scored two goals to hopefully kick start a long and memorable career.

What is a "sport"?

The question of what should be considered a sport is a debate that has lasted among different "athletes" and fans for a very long time. Macho jocks would argue that the only true sports are ones with popular, professional leagues. While, more artsy people would say that anything that requires physical skill can be considered a sport. There is a fine line that defines an activity or hobby, compared to being a sport.What is and what is not a sport will soon be deeply considered, we will first discuss what is NOT a sport.

Anything that does not require physical excursion can not be considered a sport. Some type of body movement that is either defined, or that requires great energy is absolutely necessary in the word's definition. A sports requires for the participant to be somewhat "athletic". Whether this means that they can lift 500 pounds, have great accuracy or have unreal stamina, athletics is absolutely necessary. Therefore something like high school cheer leading (for some) should not be in the sports category.  Even curling and shuffleboard may not be considered a sport. These contain much more strategy than physical skill. Any activity that physical skill is not the most important requirement to success, is NOT a sport.

Sports are physical activities in which physical strength or skill is the number one, most necessary way to be successful. Of course strategy is also a HUGE part in all sports, but it truly takes a back seat to the player's skill. A team can have the best game plan and coaching in the world, but if its players are not up to par, nothing will ever be done. A sport is something where the physical aspect of both teams is tested directly against one another. Sports are competitive, and in sports a team's skill level should be the top aspect when it comes to that team's success. If the hitter is better than the pitcher, he wins. If the running back is quicker than the linebacker, you score a touchdown. If you are faster than the guy in the next lane, you will win the gold medal. That is what defines a sport. Any competition in which physical skill will grant you or your team the highest amount of success possible.

NHL Playoff Predictions!

The National Hockey League Playoffs are shaping up to be an interesting series of events in the 2014 season. Interesting stories like the Redwings barley qualifying for their 23rd straight playoff season surround the league. The Lightning-Rangers late season trade of Martin St. Louis and Ryan Callahan also provides an exciting aspect. The majority of the power house squads are in the Western Conference, and there will be a battle to prove who is the top spot. The Ducks, Blues, Sharks and Blackhawks will be the favorites to take home that honor. The Blues are, in my opinion, the most complete team of the bunch. Lead by USA Olympic star T.J Oshie, and  their newly acquired all-pro keeper Ryan Miller, the Blues are going to be a force when it comes playoff time. The Eastern Conference is in a different type of situation. This conference consists of 2 superpowers (Bruins and Penguins), and a bunch of squads that seem happy just to have made the post-season. Sydney Crosby and the Pens are never somebody to sleep on. His quickness and skill alone could very easily bring them far in the playoff hunt. But, the President's Cup winning Bruins (117 points) are the sure favorite, and rightfully so. With stars like centermen Patrice Bergeron, David Krecji, and Loui Erikson, they do not have many weak spots. Captain Zdeno Chara and stud defender Johnny Boychuck hold down the back in front of their All-Star goalie, Finish international Tuukka Rask. But, what makes the Bruins truly special is their depth and their experience. Campbell, Paille and Thorton run the most effective 4th line in the league, with goal production and penalty killing that is not expected out of most 4th lines. The Bs have also been to the playoffs in all of their past 6 seasons, including a Stanley Cup Championship in 2011. This familiarity is what will lead them to the finals.

FINAL PREDICTION: Bruins beat Blues in 6 games, Patrice Bergeron wins Stanley Cup Final MVP

Pete Rose: The most cheated man in baseball history.

How can one of baseball's all-time greats be denied of what he truly deserves? Pure skill, hard work and fair play were the only factors that came into play in the career of Pete Rose, and still he is being cheated out of recognition because of a controversial sports scandal. The unbelievable player/manger for the Phillies, Expos and Reds had an absolutely legendary career. He is the all-time leader in hits, games played and at-bats. He even earned himself a couple batting titles, an MVP and a Golden Glove along the way. During his career, Rose was credited as one of the most respectable leaders in the game. He even managed the Cincinnati Reds from 1984 to 1986 WHILE still being a player in the starting line-up! So, how did this legend become the face of everything unmoral in modern sports? Well, it could all just be a big misunderstanding.

In 1989, three years after Rose retired, he was formally questioned and brought to court regarding illegal betting with the MLB while playing in the league. In the court case, the lawyers attempting to prosecute Rose argued that he sent an average of $10,000 a day betting on the MLB and even his own games, and Rose later admitted this to be true. The problem with the situation is the rule that Rose broke is completely outdated. It states that one may not bet on the MLB in anyway. But, Rose was not convicted or proved of betting on anyone other than his own team. He was betting to win, all it did was make him want to win the game even more. This in no way affected the integrity of the game, and could not have influenced the game's outcomes. All it did was provide extra motivation for Rose to do what he already wanted to do...win.

So, the question becomes how can Pete Rose be seen as a monster in the world of baseball? Stars like Barry Bonds and Sammy Sosa have been tried and convicted of using performance enhancing drugs. Drugs that illegally made them better at their jobs, and more likely for them to win games. these individuals DID affect the integrity of the game, and Rose's antics DID NOT. With all this being said, why is it that Rose is the only living individual to be permanently ineligible from the MLB, and the only one to be denied access to the Hall of Fame? Trying to make a quick buck on your own performance does not even compare to cheating and lying to the public about influencing the results of games. Barry Bonds is officially the all-time career home-run leader, but it is a 100% fact that he cheated to break that record. Pete Rose was one of the greatest players of America's past time, and he did it genuinely. What he did may have been against the rules, and maybe even wrong,  but that does not change that he fairly earned his place as one of the best to step on a baseball field. Pete Rose deserves a place in the Hall of Fame.

Sandusky/Does The Law Pick Favorites?

The Jerry Sandusky article made me cringe. Sandusky ruined several lives, it doesn't matter if it was 1 or 30 children, what he did was just evil. Also, Mrs. Sandusky is delusional if she truly believes her husband. Jerry admitted to showering alone with multiple boys over the course of his career at Penn State; no matter what time period, that is universally known to be something that you just don't do. With the concrete evidence, testimonies and final conviction against Jerry, I can not believe Mrs. Sandusky made a comment about how happy-go-lucky her husband is. He is now a convicted felon and a rapist, there is no way that a double digit number of people would randomly accuse him just for his money. It does not make sense, and they would not have been able to get away with it. But, unlike Sandusky, many professional athletes have been accused of getting away with crimes because they are "above the law".

OJ Simpson, Ray Lewis, Jameis Winston, Kobe Bryant, Ben Roethlisberger: just a short list of some of the famous athletes that have gotten away with serious crimes. Whether it was because they were truly innocent, or because of their place on the social hierarchy is up for debate. In the case of OJ, he actually pretty much admitted to being guilty after he was released, but it is unconstitutional for a retrial. Many have been thought to pay off their accusers, and have both sides walk away happier than they were before. I think that in athlete's cases, their whole situation is blown out of proportion. What they did to break the law is made worse , and the media tries to make you think it is true. Many are guilty, but also many are very susceptible to hate because of their popularity. It is much easier for a celebrity to get accused, but it is also easier for one to get released.

MLB Safety Regulations

How do you feel about the newly added MLB rule which disallows any and all contact at home plate between the base runner and the catcher? Is the league taking safety too far, or is this a good idea?

Andrew Steele Remains Confident About Thunder's Chances

Steele has been known to openly support his long time favorite NBA team, the Oklahoma City Thunder. Though the young franchise has never won a championship, Steele has little doubt that they will win the 2014 NBA Finals. With the current 2nd seed in the Western Conference, and the 3rd best record in the league, they are a favorite for the title. Leading the championship argument for the squad, Kevin Durant is having life so far. The 2014 MVP hopeful has the leagues most points and is challenging LeBron James as the world's best player. Steele believes KD is "Just getting started" and will "have a better overall career, more MVPs and more championships than LeBron." At only 25 years old, Durant (0 championships) does have time to catch up to James (2 championships). Steele was even bold enough to add that "Durant will be the greatest to ever play the games by the end of his career."

Another weapon from Oklahoma is all-world point guard, Russell Westbrook. He is almost as much as a scoring threat as KD, but is also looking pass the ball. Steele considers him "the best in his position in the NBA". He also added that Rondo may be the best true point guard in the league in terms of passing. But, Westbrook can score and change the game on his own if he needs to, something that Rajon Rondo lacks. If the Thunder's studs can show up to every playoff game, the is no reason why the championship shouldn't end up in the Pan-Handle State this year. Other teams gunning for the title include the Miami Heat who are looking for the 3-peat, and the Indiana Pacers lead be star Paul George. The NBA is heating up, and it will be exciting to see how it all plays out! KD or LeBron? Thunder or Heat? Or will an underdog go on a playoff run? Only time can tell.

Keenan Coffey's Exclusive NBA Insight

Who doesn't love a good talk about basketball's biggest debates? Today we managed to set up an interview with sports reporter Keenan Coffey to talk about some of the big, underlying questions surrounding us in the NBA. The questions pertain to both the 2014 NBA season, and all time greats to play the game. Coffey started the interview announcing that he is a born and raised Celtics fan, but that did not seem to effect the answers to the questions we asked him. The hottest recent topic in the league has been the discussion on Kevin Durant vs LeBron James for MVP. Coffey states that Lebron is "better than Durant in every aspect besides shooting. He also does the intangibles that don't show up on the stats sheet."  He also added that LeBron may "pass Jordan by the time he retires" as the greatest to ever play the game. Characteristics describing King James include strong, consistent, and even scary. He has 4 MVP awards and 2 NBA Finals Championships.

Focusing on other news in the league this year, Keenan stated that "Chris Paul is, no question, the best point guard in the league." He says that CP3 has the perfect combination of being a star, but not being selfish. Paul has averaged the most assists out of any player this year, and continues to be a scoring threat for the Clippers, who look to finally make a deep playoff run in 2014. The Clips do look good this year, but they certainly are not the favorite for the title. When asked about the question of who will win The Finals, Coffey responded with "The heat, with LeBron they are virtually unbeatable in a playoff series." The Heat are looking for a Finals 3-peat, and with LeBron heating up as time goes on, it seems pretty likely for it to happen. Basketball is getting interesting this year, and its anybody's guess as to what will happen in the remaining weeks!

Who's #1 overall?

The 2014 NFL draft class is shaping up to be one of the most exciting and intriguing in recent memory. The draft is filled with big, mean lineman, and position player stars looking to make their dreams come true. Unlike in years past, this year there is no clear #1 pick, and everybody is buzzing about who the Houston Texans are going to take with that privilege. There are two debates surrounding the topic. One is that some people say the Texans need a new quarterback if they want to win games, and the question arising is "who is the best rookie quarterback choice?" There are three options in the minds of most: Blake Bortles, Teddy Bridgewater, or Johnny Manziel. Bridgewater came into the combine being seen as the best choice, but it is being said by experts that Bortles is proving to be the better overall QB. But, there is something about Johnny Football out of Texas A&M that is keeping him in the minds of NFL coaches. The kid simply makes plays all day, he wins games and plays with complete confidence. Manziel is certainly the most exciting of the bunch, but it is anybody's call as to who should be considered top dog.

The other question sparking about the #1 pick is if the Texans will take a quarterback at all. There is an unbelievable defensive tackle and pass-rusher coming out of South Carolina University named Jadaveon Clowney. At 6' 6 and 285 pounds the man ran a 4.53 40-yard dash time at the combine. That's better than every quarterback and 20 of 35 running backs! His explosiveness is something that hasn't been seen of a rookie layer in quite some time. If Houston decides to pass up on this year's QBs, Clowney will almost definitely be their pick. Plenty of other teams also have their eye on every one of these players, so the Houston decision has a great impact on the rest of the NFL. Whatever decision the Texans decide on, I'm sure they won't regret it.

Norton Boys Soccer Recap

Coach Eric Greene and the team came into the year with one goal, to bring home a banner. Boys Soccer has done nothing at Norton High ever since joining the Tri Valley League. This team wanted to be remembered as the best to come out of the school. The season was impressive, but the Lancers came just short of their goal.

The Boy's championship hopeful season got off to a fairly rocky start. They started off 2-0-2, tying to Medfield and Ashland, who finished at the bottom of the league the previous year. These two ties acted as fuel for captain Wayne Belcher and the rest of the squad. They then won their next 5 games, including against undefeated Holliston and Medway, to finish the first half of the season without a loss. At this point, The Lancers were at the top of the league and had confidence running through them. The team then fell off a bit in the second half of the year.  They went 5-2-2, including a loss away against Holliston, which pretty much put the nail in the coffin on their Tri Valley League Championship bid. Even though Norton fell 3 points short of Holliston for the title, they still posted the school's best ever regular season record (12-2-4), and their shot for a playoff championship was not out of the question.

Going into the state tournament the boys were a #6 seed and were scheduled to play #11 Rockland at home. From the start whistle, it was clear that Norton was the superior side. The Lancers handled them easily in a 4-0 win. In a game which 4 different players scored, Evan Winfield recorded his first goal of the year to guarantee the victory. Looking forward to the next round, Norton was scheduled to play top-of-the-league rival Holliston on the Panther's home turf. The boys held their own for the entire first half, and even had many more scoring chances than Holliston at a 0-0 halftime. In the opening minutes of the second half, Holliston's star striker put away a break away goal, and the Lancers could never recover. Their season ended with a 1-0 loss on that turf.

Even though the team did not accomplish what they were looking for, several parts about the season were success stories. Coach Greene won Tri Valley League coach of the year for leading the team to its best ever regular season record. Also, The Lancers had multiple all-stars including Jon Lach (Sun Chronicle), Matt Erickson (TVL/Sun Chronicle/Taunton Gazette), Wayne Belcher (TVL/Sun Chronicle/Taunton Gazette/Boston Globe), Joe Maia (TVL/Sun Chronicle/Taunton Gazette/Boston Globe) and Matt Bukowski (TVL/Sun Chronicle/Taunton Gazette/Boston Globe/E. Mass/ All-State). Two of team's top scorers, Matt Bukowski and Jon Lach, are underclassmen and will captain next year's squad. They will look to repeat and add to this past year's success!

Men's Curling Preview: Who's got the edge to medal?

Curling is not like baseball, football or basketball. It's not a popular sport in the states, and many people are not even aware of the game at all. A standard curling team consists of 4 players at a time, One, called the skipper, controls the stone. The stone is a large piece of rounded rock with a handle that is slid across the curling sheet to get it closest to the center of the house, or target, at the end of the sheet. Two sweepers on either side of the moving stone can manipulate its path in order to perfect the shot. A spotter is positioned close to target to communicate with the skipper and get the shot right (Keeney; Bleacher Report).

In the 2014 Olympics in Sochi, curling is already underway. The Men's competition involves 10 different teams and the events started February 10th and will run through the 21st at "The Ice Cube" in Sochi (NBC). To medal in this event these athletes must be even more mentally tough than they are physically. Strategy and planning is what winning curling competitions. The favorite of the competition features Canada, who have dominated the sport over the past few years, and won gold in 2010 in Vancouver (Dator; SB Nation).

Other squads to look out for include Great Britain, Sweden and China, who all rank at the top of the world. But, one of this year's top curling stories is about the Norway team. The jokesters have a uniform trick up their sleeve where they are planning to wear a different pair of funky pants to every match they participate in (Zaccardi; NBC OlympicTalk). They may not be the forerunner to win a medal, but Norway should provide some entertainment in this year's games.

Curling is one of the most underrated sports of the winter Olympics, and this year will definitely not disappoint. Take a look at any games possible over the next couple weeks, they should be fun!

Michael Sam

Michael Sam, the first openly gay player entering the NFL draft, will go through a unique rookie experience. The spot light will be on him, and it could be tough. But, I believe the players themselves will accept him easily. When you're on a team, things like that don't matter.

A Misleaded Star

Aaron  Hernandez was bred to be a an athletic star. He came from a family with a male history of football success. His father, Dennis, was a high school star running back and received a full scholarship to play at The University of Connecticut. Despite Dennis' few violence affiliated tendencies when he was younger, he never gave Aaron anything but positive support and training when it came to school and football. Aaron's brother also led him to a positive path. The one factor that pushed Hernandez to the wrong path is the death of his father, which led to an awful family life. Aaron's mother married a violent drug dealer who was abusive to the family. Over the next matter of years, he was involved in multiple questionable events, including the murder of 2 Cape Verdean's, and sucker punching a waiter at a bar. During Aaron's pre-draft mental evaluation, he received the lowest possible score for maturity, and found evidence that he, in simple terms, liked to live on the edge. Belicheck, being a risk taker, was the only head coach willing to draft the tight end after all these incidents. Obviously, it may have been the wrong choice. Overall, this can not be blamed entirely on Aaron. His mother introduced him to a life of crime and drugs, and his coach at Florida University, Urban Meyer, could have done far more to prevent his actions. Every incident that Hernandez went through at the University, including failed drug tests and gang fights, was overlooked by the head coach. Aaron was only suspended for one game at his time at Florida. The forgiving nature and leniency of Meyer may have been just what Hernandez needed to skyrocketed his not-so-successful life. Some discipline could have gone a long way. Nobody stepped in until it was too late.

Post Super Bowl

Super Bowl XLVIII could not have gotten off to a worse start for the Denver Broncos. In the first play from scrimmage, the center snapped the ball over Manning's head into the end zone for a 2 point safety. But, starting off, we'll talk about something I was dead wrong about, but most people were wrong about this. Peyton Manning, a future hall of famer and one of the greatest QBs to ever play the game, did not even show up to play in one of the biggest games of his life. Manning sported and stuck with the best Offense to ever play the game. He had weapons on every side of him, and they tallied up the most points in regular season history. But, last night was different. Peyton was not on his game, and made very little happen for his offense. He threw for 280 yards and a touchdown, but he lacked in key points of the game. Peyton could not convert on 3rd down all night long, and he turned it over much too many times with 2 interceptions and a fumble. Peyton was the MVP of the league, and the Broncos could not win a Super Bowl without their MVP quarterback playing to his full potential.

Besides Peyton's lack of performance, my prediction was pretty correct. Russell Wilson had an above average night with 2 TDs and 200 yards. Also, Richard Sherman and the rest of the Seattle secondary came to play. They proved that they are the only squad in the league that can contain the Bronco's powerful wide receivers.  Malcolm Smith came up huge earning game MVP honors with 9 tackles, a fumble recovery and an interception that was returned for a touchdown. Percy Harvin also had to impact that I predicted. He had 2 big carries for 45 yards and a kick off return for a touchdown to open the second half. My prediction that Seattle's defense would overpower Denver's offense in a 24-27 victory would have been correct if Manning came to play. The 43-8 final score in Seattle's favor was an unpredictable score, everyone thought it was going to be a close game either way.

On another note, I enjoyed the half-time show. Chili Peppers are one of my favorite bands and they killed it. Also, I may not love all of Bruno Mars' songs, but he has a great voice and is a musician to respect. The commercials were subpar this year and I laughed at very few.

But what matters is the game, and this was a great Super Bowl!

Super Bowl XLVIII: Who's got the edge?

Super Bowl XLVIII is one of the most intriguing in the history of the game. Both teams, the Seattle Seahawks and the Denver Broncos, are the #1 seed in their respective conferences. The Seahawks, sporting the NFC, contain the #1 defense in terms of points AND yards allowed in the entire NFL. What make this matchup crazy is that the Broncos of the AFC represent the best offense in terms of points and yards. This is the first time in Super Bowl history that the #1 defensive team has taken on the #1 offensive. So, who will take the Lombardi Trophy this year?
QB Peyton Manning is the core of the powerful Denver offense, which scored more touchdowns and points this regular season than any other team of all time. He is the conductor of the system, and everything runs through him. He also, with the likes of Demarius Thomas, Julius Thomas, Wes Welker and Eric Decker,  has unarguably the best wide receiving core in the game. They have stomped almost every team in the league, and have yet to be held under 24 points. This being said, the Seahawks defensive secondary is of a different breed. With Richard Sherman and Walter Therman holding down the corners, and Cam Chancellor and Earl Thomas locking up the safety positions, the Denver wide receivers may have just met their match. Another important aspect is that this is the first Super Bowl that may be played in freezing conditions, which is bad news for Peyton. The future Hall of Fame quarterback is 3-7 in his career in games where the kickoff temperature is below 30 degrees Fahrenheit. The Hawks will hold Manning's passing game to about 250 yards and 2 touchdowns.
On the other side of the ball, the Seahawks offensive game isn't too shabby itself. With all-pro skill players like WR Golden Tate and RB Marshawn Lynch (who is better than Denver RB Knowshon Moreno), they are not an offense to sleep on. These players will be consistent as usual, but what it comes down to is how 2nd year quarterback Russell Wilson responds to the pressure of playing in a game is big as this. If he stays calm, cool and collected, Seattle should have control of this game from start to finish, and I believe he will. Wilson has shown time and time again that he can make clutch plays for his team, and that he can win games in the end. I predict he notches 2 TDs and about 275 yards.
WR Percy Harvin, who has only played in 2 games this season, is yet another interesting aspect in this football game. Last year for the Vikings, Harvin was an all-pro and was considered a top 3 receiver in the NFL. He is scheduled to play in the Super Bowl and could have an impact running and catching the ball. Figuring out how Coach Carroll will use this weapon is going to be a major challenge for the Denver defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio.
With all this being said, Seattle has a slight edge in the outcome of this game. Every offense starts with a good defense, and defense wins championships. The two teams are very evenly matched, but I predict that the Seahawks will pull through with a 27-24 win over the Broncos.

Athletic Idiots

CNN has done an excessive amount of research involving Division 1 athletes and their true academic ability. The most impressive, well, surprising statistic that I came across is that 60% of athletes surveyed read between a 4th and 8th grade level. Added to that, 8% of these athletes read BELOW a 4th grade level. Statistics like this just seem simply unfair. Students with great grades are getting their college spots taken from athletes who have test scores of elementary kids! Just because somebody has a particular skill, in this case football or basketball, that does not mean that they should be exempt from good grade requirements. Furthermore, it surprised me that these universities seem to be aware that their athlete students are cheating or getting unequal help. This problem of insufficient academics among Division 1 athletes is one that is not going away any time soon.