EPL Championship Trophy - As seen June 2011 in Dorchester, MA

The last day of the English Premier League season is Sunday morning, and for Queens Park Rangers, Bolton, Arsenal, Tottenham and Newcastle, it will determine where they will play next year.

Unlike American sports, there are no playoffs or draft position to be concerned about.

Five out of the 10 fixtures will still have major implications.

Who will be crowned champion?
Who will play in what European competitions next season?
Who will be relegated to the NPower Championship League?

The biggest game is Manchester City/Queens Park Rangers, and it has massive implications.

• Queens Park Rangers win, they will avoid relegation… PLUS
• Manchester United wins against Sunderland, United crowned champions.
• Queens Park Rangers draw or loose, Manchester City crowned champions.
• Manchester United and Manchester City loose or draw, Manchester City crowned champions.

The other team competing to avoid relegation is Bolton.

• Queens Park Rangers win, Bolton relegated.
• Bolton wins and Queens Park Rangers loose, Queens Park Rangers gets relegated.

Regardless what happens to Blackburn, and Wolverhampton, they will be relegated to the Championship League.

The top 4 play in the Champions League next year, while one will compete in the Europa League.

Regardless what Manchester City and Manchester United do, they will be in the UEFA Champions League next year, but Arsenal, Tottenham, Newcastle, will be competing for European bids.

• Arsenal & Tottenham win; both go to the UEFA Champions League next year.
  Newcastle go to the Europa League
• Arsenal & Tottenham loose, Newcastle wins, Newcastle & Arsenal go to the UEFA Champions League.
  Tottenham go to the Europa League
• Arsenal & Newcastle win, Tottenham loose or draw; Arsenal & Newcastle go to the Champions League.
  Tottenham go to the Europa League
• If all three loose or draw, Arsenal & Tottenham go to the Champions League.
  Newcastle go to the Europa League

No matter how you look at it, it has been a tremendous turnaround for Newcastle, who were in the Championship League only two years ago.

The good news is for the American European soccer fan.  FOX Sports will be showing every game on many of their networks, starting at 9:30am est.

Enjoy, because it will not be back till August!

Photo From: USA Today - Former Boston Red Sox manager & University of Arizona Wildcat, Terry Francona

Former Red Sox manager and new ESPN Sunday Night Baseball commentator, Terry Francona, took sometime to give back to his alma mater, University of Arizona.

Since Red Sox Nation still think highly of him and been giving endless praise for what he did during his 8 years as manager, this video is appropriate to share.

He starts joking about no beer and wings in the locker room, then gave some life and college lessons.  He also shared a few stories about a few times he played at the Cats' new home field, Hi Corbett Field.

University of Indiana Freshen, Cody Zeller

The storied program at the University of Indiana has gone through a rough decade since Bobby Knight left, but it appears to be reemerging.

I am convinced with this team, but not all fans and pundits are. They are lead by Tom Crean, who spent the past 4 seasons, since taking the throne at Indiana, to rebuild it back to what it once was.

Indiana has a 15-1 record, with its only loss was at Michigan State. That’s part of the problem though. They have played only four games outside of Assembly Hall (Evansville, NC State, Michigan St Penn St).

Indiana is now in Big 10 play, the conference pundits say is the toughest conference this season, per conference RPI rankings. Indiana is currently ranked 5th in the RPI. KenProm.com has them ranked 8th.

I been sold on this team since they beat Kentucky mid-December, but there is still a reason to be optimistic. March is still a long ways away.

There is still room on the bandwagon, and expect more to hop on win after win. The next ranked team they face on the road is on January 15 when they visit #6 Ohio St and January 26 at #16 Wisconsin. Guaranteed more will join the bandwagon with wins.

* All rankings, and records as of January 8 night.

He became manager in 2003, one year before they won the title in 2004.  He has been praised with fanfare from fans, and owners.  After the debacle the last month (and first month) of the season, missing the post-season for the 2^nd year straight, fans are becoming more critical about his time with the Red Sox. Is his time up?  I think so.

It is the manager’s job to keep the players focused to succeed, which did not happen.  It is the general manager’s job to get players that are good, blend into the team, and sign them to an appropriate contract.  That was not accomplished as time has gone on, and showed since the 2007 World Series.

A general manager’s job is not viewed in a year.  It’s a multi-year mindset, and it is every evident the tam has declined every year since 2007.

The Red Sox have been notorious for signing free agents to outrageous contracts, since ownership has the money to do so.  The problem is most of them did not add up to a team that blended together, and probably caused the gradual entitlement mentality in the clubhouse.

2006

• Alex Gonzalez – 3 years $14 mill
• JD Drew – 5 years $70 mill
• Julio Lugo - 4 years $36 mill
• Daisuke Matsuzaka – 6 years $52 mill

2007

• Matt Clement – 1 year $1.5 mill
• Mike Lowell – 3 years $37.5 mill
• Mike Timlin – 1 year $3 mill

2008

• Brad Penny – 1 year $5 mill
• John Smoltz – 1 year $5.5 mill
• Jason Veritek – 1 year $5 mill

2009

• Adrian Beltre – 1 year $10 mill
• Mike Cameron – 2 years $15.5 mill
• John Lackey – 5 years $82.5 mill
• Marco Scutaro – 2 years $12.5 mill

2010

• Adrian Beltre – 1 year $9 mill
• Hideki Okajima – 1 year $1.75 mill
• Carl Crawford – 7 years $142 mill
• Bobby Jenks – 2 years $12 mill
• Jason Vertiek – 1 year $2 mill

Theo has already stated the he wants to stay on as Red Sox general manager next year, the last year of his contract, to “clean up the mess.” Sorry Theo, you caused the mess, it will be someone else will clean it up.

Reports and rumors have been going around the Chicago Cubs have expressed interest on hiring him as the next general manager on Chicago’s north side.  If he is offered, and accepts the opportunity, I will not complain.

Fans were starting to blame the start if they missed the playoffs by 1 or 2 games (which did happen) after winning only 9 games in April.  They had a good summer, but the end turned into the biggest collapse in history.  They were up 9 games in the wildcard in the final month, only to loose it on the final day with only 7 wins in the month.  The collapse has accelerated the speculation to a fever pitch on the status of Boston Red Sox manager, Terry Francona.

Based on official reports Francona quit as manager of the Boston Red Sox, although the real story is up for debate.

After the poor performance that cost the team to miss the playoffs, it was right, not only for Francona, but also for the Red Sox club for him to leave.

For the record, I like Francona.  He will be viewed as the greatest Red Sox manager ever.  He had 8 great years there.  He won 2 World Series, including the first once since 1912.  I have nothing against him as a person or a manager.  There is just a time and place for everything.  It was time for him to leave.

Francona looked more worn then normal for this time of the year.  Managing in Boston for a year is like 2-3 years most other places.  I am giving him the benefit of the doubt he was burned out at the later part of the season.

What the Red Sox did this season is get some of the best players in the game, and paid them outrageous contracts.  They are one of a small number of teams who have such luxury. 17 players earned at least a million dollars last year.  Six players are earning at least 12 million, 3 of them are pitchers.  As a result, there was a feeling of entitlement in the clubhouse.  Players were complaining about the “grueling schedule., and about the buses.  There was also drinking by some of the pitchers on there off day (how about watching the game, examining the players so you will have an idea of what to do when you take the mound?) in the clubhouse.

Ultimately, it is the job of the manager to get continuity in the clubhouse, and get the players focused.  There was next to zero discipline, a lack of focus.  What happens on the diamond is a team effort, not individual.  They are there to win the game.  That did not happen.  Frnacona is at fault, and Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein also takes part of the blame.  He signed the players and has to work with the manager day-to-day on making the team successful.

Regardless of salary, players should be selfish, but it is ultimately the manager’s responsibility to set the player straight, and have them focused at the task at hand. That is to win games. With that talent, there is no excuse for them to miss the playoffs.  Sorry Terry, time for someone new.

The feeling could only be described as cathartic. All of the anguish that accompanied being a Syracuse football fan for over half a decade seemed to dissipate and it was clear that those loathsome days were over.

My pondering of the season to come, now only days away, began almost immediately. There were so many question marks to consider, particularly on defense, where the Syracuse lost seven starters from a squad that was 7th in the country in total defense in 2010. But for the offense, there was so much to look forward to with nearly everyone returning a year older and wiser. It's been obvious for awhile now to anyone who’s given any thought to this upcoming season-- the Orange offense is going to be expected to step up and carry more of the burden if the team hopes to return to a bowl game and,
perhaps, challenge for a Big East championship.

This, I feel, is a good spot to be in. Or at least, it could be a lot worse. The offense was respectable last year and it would have looked better if it hadn't tailed off in the last few games. Whether that was due to injuries (which almost certainly played some role) or hitting that figurative wall that is often mentioned with teams who are just beginning to learn how to win games is unclear. What we do know is that quarterback Ryan Nassib had a solid season in his first year as a starter and all reports out of training camp suggest that he could be in for a big year. Delone Carter is gone, but it's hard not to be excited about big-play potential that senior tailback Antwon Bailey brings to both the running and passing game.

Here's something to consider:

Delone Carter has been the featured back in Syracuse's offense for the last two seasons. While he was a juggernaut that was nearly impossible for just one man to bring down, his lack of top-end speed kept him from being a serious big-play threat. With a first year starter at quarterback and a group of young receivers last season, Carter was clearly the focus of Syracuse's relatively conservative offense and, consequently, the focus of every defense that they played against. Utilizing a run-heavy offense to pound the football between the tackles for 3-5 yards at a time isn't a way to put up gaudy offensive numbers. Syracuse won seven games during the regular season focusing on ball control and dominating on defense.

This year, the quarterback and top receivers are veterans. If training camp reports about Jarrod West, Dorian Graham, Adrian Flemming and others are any indication, Syracuse could also be much deeper at receiver, despite the loss of Marcus Sales. Combining that with the fact that the top two tailbacks on the depth chart are both smaller, shiftier backs who thrive in open space, I'm expecting to see an offense
that looks to spread things out and pass the ball a lot more. For fans who were hoping to see the New Orleans Saints' offense when Doug Marrone was hired, this might be the moment you’ve been waiting for.

I for one am expecting to see Ryan Nassib throw for more yards than any Syracuse quarterback ever has in a single season. Last year he broke the records for pass completions and attempts and finished just alittle over 200 yards short of Marvin Graves mark of 2,547. That’s a relatively modest figure for today’s offenses and inconsistency was the only thing that kept Nassib from breaking the record in his first year as a starter. This season, injuries are probably the only thing that can keep him from it.

The defense is, of course, the big question mark going into the year though. What we know is that Syracuse could have the best safety tandem in the Big East and, quite possibly, one of the best defensive end duos as well. While those tidbits are encouraging, that's really the only thing that anyone can say for sure. The Orange have a largely unproven group of defensive tackles, linebackers and cornerbacks but
there is some reason to be cautiously optimistic.

Listen:

While small, this should be the fastest defense that Syracuse has put on the field in years. And I think that if there is one thing you really want on defense, it's speed. It doesn't guarantee success, especially if that speed comes at the expense of some size (which, in some cases, it does) but it can help to mask some other issues.

However, this defense’s speed is really secondary to the biggest reason that I believe that this group of players could surprise. The main reason for optimism here is actually the man who will be calling the plays: Scott Shafer.

Two years ago Shafer took over a defense that nobody could have looked at objectively and expected anything but a continuation of the hopelessness of the few years that preceded his arrival. Almost from day one though, the defense turned into a dominant force against the running game and it finished at the top of the Big East in that statistical category. Doug Hogue and Derrell Smith became stars overnight
thanks, in part, to Shafer's aggressive, yet simple scheme which turned them loose--much to the chagrin of many opposing quarterbacks and running backs (I suspect Doug Hogue may still play a featured role in former Rutgers quarterback Tom Savage's nightmares).

In some ways, this year's defense feels a bit like the one that Syracuse put on the field two years ago. Really, the entire defense was one massive question mark because there was no proven talent to be found aside from Arthur Jones and, to a lesser extent, Mike Holmes. Evaluating this year's defense in the preseason, there's significantly more proven talent (Jones, Marinovich, Spruill and the Thomases) and we also have the knowledge that Shafer's system is one that guys can pick up quickly.

There is one major difference though and it's this: Syracuse ended up at the bottom of the league in scoring defense because the secondary couldn't stop even the weakest passing attacks and big plays were a common occurrence. This time around, the unquestioned strength of the defense is its safeties and the talent at cornerback also seems to have been upgraded in a big way. So, assuming nothing disastrous happens there, the big question is whether the defense can assuage the concerns about its
size deficiency. If they can do that, whether by scheme or by skill, this defense could really surprise some people.

It's hard to say what kind of success this team will have with any certainty. A big step forward is a possibility, but then, so is a step backwards. There's also a chance that the Orange could turn into an even better team than they were in 2010 and have nothing more to show for it if the Big East takes a collective leap forward. The league certainly can't be any worse than it was last year so Syracuse could have a tougher path to a bowl game. Nevertheless, the bar has been raised and anything less than a
bowl will be a massive disappointment. But while anything is possible, after watching Doug Marrone hoist the Pinstripe Bowl trophy into the air on that snowy evening in December--that moment that will come to symbolize Syracuse University's return to college football prominence--I wouldn't advise betting against him or his team in 2011.

Syracuse Football picture at the Pinstripe Bowl provided by goddam.

David Ortiz has been consistent with his run production with 48 runs behind only Adrian Gonzalez and Jacoby Ellsbury. Ortiz is the designated hitter, which is not used in National League ballparks. Taking away that kind of production can put a team back a step, but it was Carl Crawford’s injury that made the team suffer. Carl was struggling in April (batting .155, 1 home run, 6 runs, 15 hits, 17 strikeouts) and turned it around in May (batting .304, 3 homeruns, 19 runs, 34 hits). Crawford's production continued in June (batting .278, 2 homeruns, 8 runs, 15 hits) until his injury during the first game of interleague play hosting the Milwaukee Brewers. It was Crawford being out that took the Red Sox a step back. Losing Ortiz at DH made it little worse.

The Red Sox played their normal ways in game 1 against the Brewers, winning 10-4. Ortiz had 3 hits and 1 run while Crawford got injured at first base ain his only at bat. The Brewers went on to win game 2 and the Red Sox won game 3, but struggles were becoming noticeable without Crawford.

Next up was the San Diego Padres, who swept the Sox at Fenway. Ortiz had a productive game 1 (2 hits, 1 run, 1 walk), but did nothing but make a plate appearance in the next two games. The Red Sox then went on the road to Pittsburgh, where the DH was not allowed and played as if they were scared of crime in the Steal City.

With Crawford out, Red Sox Manager Terry Francona put Ortiz in for one at-bat in 2 of the 3 games as a pinch hitter. The Red Sox are going to lose if Ortiz does not produce and Crawford does not play. Those two are the heart and soul of the team, even with Kevin Youkilis, Adrian Gonzalez and Jacoby Eilisbury playing well. The Red Sox need their team back intact to play at their potential.

*All stats as of June 28, 2011 & from CSNNE & ESPN.

In 2000, the NBA implemented a rule saying anyone who enters the draft must be at least 19 years old, making it so most players will spend at least one year in college.Ideally, players should spend all four years in college to get their degree before playing professional. Like anything else in life, nothing is perfect.

Players who go to the NBA should be fully ready & already developed. The NBA is not for training, like it has become the past 15 years. There are few Garnetts, Bryants & LeBrons, but many think they are. It is not in the benefit to the player nor the NBA.

Everyone wants to put blame on the NBA, who does have a responsibility in this. The NCAA also has a responsibility in this as well.

Here is my idea for players to enter the draft:

NBA

• Require players to be at least 19 years of age.
• Form camp(s), like they do for prospective draftees, but for college players who completed freshmen, sophomore & junior years for exposure, and feedback purposes. This should be done after the draft.

NCAA

• Require players to spend at least 3 years in college, regardless of age.
• Allow players to attend NBA camps.

Of course, the math above does not make sense, after 3-4 years, the player will be over 19. When a player finishes high school, they can play in college for 3-4 years. The other option is to go to the development league or Europe. After a year, they can become eligible for the NBA draft. Theoretically, most of these players will go to college, mainly for exposure. Plus, players in Europe & Asia have different systems for education, player development, and professional status.

Some schools, such as VCU & Butler, have benefited from players staying 3-4 years. They form a nucleus. Plus, the NBA will get players more polished & more prepared to play at a top-level, thus forming a better product on the professional level.

Photo credit: Andersedin | CC BY 2.0

Sports fans can get carried away with wins & losses & Xs & Os. At the end of the day, sports is entertainment. It is a way for us to get away from worries & concerns in life for a few hours once or twice a week. There are times when things occur in life that that puts sports in it’s proper perspective.

It was an ordinary Saturday morning in sunny Tucson, AZ where it was more then likely in the high 50s/low 60s. A well-liked US Congresswoman by the name of Gabrielle Griffords was talking to constituents at a major supermarket chain located at a major intersection in the far north-west side of town. A man in his early 20s went to see the Congresswoman, only to shot her point blank in the head, and then continuing shooting at other innocent people, only to kill 6 & injure 13 people. Thank fully enough, Congresswoman Griffords is recovering. How she will function will remain to be seen in the weeks, months & years ahead.

It occurred on a day when the University of Arizona was scheduled to play Stanford University. The game was rescheduled for the next day in front of a near sell-out crowd. University of Arizona Athletic Director, Greg Byrne, said in a statement, "The University feels the game should be delayed with deep respect to the victims and families impacted by this tragedy.”

I am a Tucsonan, born & raised. I moved to Boston 6 years ago. I like Boston more then Tucson & have not regretted moving here. This incident really hit home to me. I was grieving, still grieving & will more then likely will remain to do so till further notice.

I was born at University Medical Center, the same hospital Griffords is getting care at. The memorial service was held in the University of Arizona arena, McKale Center, next door to where my father works, the same place he worked at since he moved to Tucson from Boston before I was born. US District Court Judge John Roll, one of 6 killed, graduated from the same high school as me. I drove by the intersection the incident occurred when I went to interstate-10 and to visit one of my best friends.

Before I know it, the quiet city I live the majority of my life in was plastered all over the news, in a way it did not deserve & got to the point where the President made a trip here. The last sitting President to visit Tucson was Bill Clinton. I am used to never hearing about Tucson on the national news, and if it makes national news, the on-air graphic would be spelled “Tuscon,” not “Tucson” the correct spelling.

Now the memorial service is over, funerals will be done in a few days & we know Congresswoman Griffords will be making a recovery, it is time for the community to heal. The memorial service at McKale Center was one piece of the puzzle. The rest is where the basketball team comes into place. Sports wise, the University is the only game in town. They gave a little flavor of it on Sunday January 9, while virtually surrounding facilities & attention for rest of the week due to the tragedy.

University of Arizona head coach, Sean Miller, said in a press conference, "One thing that's so evident to all of us as we watch this whole tragedy unfold is it's amazing how the university is the centerpiece of Tucson. For example, the ceremony being in McKale, and [University of Arizona President] Dr. [Robert] Shelton having such a prominent role and us moving the game to Sunday and having that many people show up one day after it happened, almost letting everyone get their mind off things."

McKale Center sold out virtually every game during the Lute Olson era. The lack of stability in the program past 4 years, missing the NCAA tournament for the first time in recent memory last season, and loosing key games this year has made attendance lack luster. That could change starting Saturday afternoon. "We anticipate having another full crowd. They were spirited (Sunday), for a combination of factors. The McKale Center crowd is great in that way - once the game gets close, and the team needs their support, they respond, " said James Francis, UA's associate athletic director for external operations to the Arizona Daily Star Newspaper.

The game after the memorial service was against in-state rival in Arizona State. The crowd was at capacity & they walked away with a victory. The energy, support what we hope will be the continuation of Arizona's winning will be a factor in the healing process.

A 13-3 record did not look good to Arizona fans on January 7. A 15-3 record on January 15 will looks very good. At the end of the day, records do not matter. It is only entertainment, in a way that bonds a community full of wounds.

I will be there, healing & cheering, 3,000 miles away, while putting life in perspective.

Follow Clair on twitter @ClairDogg.

On both of his comments, Ryan tried to insutl and test the work ethic of a 3 time Super Bowl and multiple MVP winner. Brady has put it more work than any other quarterback in the league this season with the streak of 319+ consecutive passes without an interception and his lowest amount of interceptions for a season in his career.

Between Rex Ryan at the podium, Braylon Edwards and Dustin Keller on Twitter and Fireman Ed, I don't care what any of them have to say. Tom Brady is going to continue to do his talking on the field and much to Rex's desire, he will rub it in and will celebrate and stare at Ryan each and every time that the Patriots put one in the end zone.

Mark Sanchez showed his lack of stamina last week against the Colts, he showed that he's losing some accuracy on his throws and struggles under pressure. If the Jets can't rely on the run game, I'm more than happy to put the outcome of the game in Sanchez's hands...and I'm sure that Belichick and Brady feel the same way.

I will leave you with this. At the end of the 45-3 Monday Night game, Rex Ryan claims he said, "I'll see you in round 3" to Belichick and that Bill's response was a silent stare. Although this is reported by Ryan, I can absolutely believe it. That's how it's been the entire time, Ryan runs his mouth and the Patriots do their talking on the field. Come Sunday at Gilette, the Pats are going to win by knockout, 60 minutes into the third round!

Photo credit: bryanwright5@gmail.com | CC BY ND 2.0