Screwball Sports

Under the Weather

2010-10-06T09:34:00.000-07:00

Randy moss is once again a Viking.

Let me compose myself...

wait for it...

Ok I think I'm good.

The Patriots best deep threat and the single season receiving touchdown record holder was dealt to Minnesota this morning for a 3rd round pick, one round earlier than the pick the Pats sent to Oakland in 2007. After Monday night's 0 catch, 1 target performance against the Dolphins, the talks between Minnesota and New England that had been apparently going on ever since Moss' Week 1 post-game diatribe were finally serious and a deal was struck this morning.

One could argue Belichick got a a good return on his investment, even if it means admitting that the player got his way. But, I am going to side along with the thousands of fans who own a Moss Patriots jersey in saying that this is a move that is wrought with weakness and desperation. Belichick couldn't handle losing Moss for nothing at the end of the season and Bob Kraft couldn't handle giving the 33 year old receiver the guaranteed money he wanted. Moss stopped trying after that beautiful one handed catch against the Jets and the front office knew it. They were desperate to make something out of this mess and settled on a draft pick that will hopefully be used to address the Patriots' sorry defense.

I'm feeling a little clammy.

So what if he was the best receiver to ever wear the Patriots uniform. So what if he is responsible for those gaping holes that Aaron Hernandez and Rob Gronkowski having been living in these past weeks. So what if he is the ONLY deep threat the Patriots have had in the past two decades. As Belichick has proven in the past, when you can ship out a top producing Pro-Bowler for a draft pick, TAKE IT!!

Maybe I'll look at Brandon Tate's receiving stats...

Ok that was a bad idea, my stomach is churning...

I'll just power through.

Realistically, with the porous defense that the Patriots have been fielding, New England had just a hint of a chance to win the Superbowl, let alone their own division. But after Monday night's impressive performances by the likes of Patrick Chung and the much maligned linebacking corps, many were hopeful that this young defense was finally settling in, even if Darius Butler is still making appearances.

With Moss, the hope was that the team could power through opponents with the offense and take some pressure of its defense. Although the Patriots offense is still being led by one of the league's most accurate passers in Tom Brady, the fact that Danny Woodhead, a 5' 7" former Division II player, is now tied for the second most touchdowns on the team is cause for concern. Now fans in New England will have to hope that the performance on Monday along with the upcoming bye week will spark this defense to become at least respectable. I doubt that will happen, but we'll see in the upcoming weeks as Brady and co. go up against some stout competition.

The worst thing that comes from all of this is Brad Childress giving f***ing Brett Favre another reason to stick around until 2017. Nightmare scenario: Moss catches the winning touchdown from that Wrangler hocking pissant on Halloween at Gillette stadium as Brady looks on clutching his newly sprained knee.

Sigh

Now THAT makes me sick.

Eduardo, Rooney, UEFA and FIFA... and other stories

2009-09-08T14:17:00.000-07:00

So I haven't been posting as often as I'd hoped but, nonetheless, I need to throw in my opinion on a couple of stories that have been filling up BBC Sport and ESPN Soccernet the past week or so.

The diving scandals that have cropped up, specifically the Eduardo and Rooney dives are of particular interest of mine. YES, I, a proud Arsenal fan, admit that the Eduardo penalty snafu was without question a dive of epic proportions. On the same note, I think everyone should acknowledge how ridiculous it is to say Rooney tapping the ball out of bounds and then promptly leaping into the air like a gazelle BEFORE Almunia brushed his feet was diving (heres the video). Yes, Almunia did touch him, I admit I would have probably called the penalty myself if I were in Mike Dean's position, but it wasn't a penalty, Rooney should have been shown the yellow card, these things happen. Both players are being lambasted by the press and fans alike, mostly because they are both such beloved players and no one wants to think of either of them as a sneaky player.

As much as I dislike Rooney, unlike the rest of the civilized world, I think his actions, along with Eduardo's, are completely understandable in their respective cases. Diving is a very integrated part of the game and the faster people understand this the faster we can get over it. The referees around the world do NOT see every foul and if it weren't for a little bit of acting I'm sure many games would go without many fouls. When you get clipped, as little of a touch it might be, its still an infringement and you can fall to the ground all you want in order to get that free kick. Sometimes players think they are about to be smashed to bits and other times that it would be nice to have an extra goal on the board, so they dive... GET OVER IT.

Many people defend the players; citing the pace of the game in the premier leagues of Europe as a big reason for the apparent overreactions by many footballers. I see this as a valid argument, one needn't look any farther than the innocuous looking 50/50 tackle that sidelined Cesc Fabregas for 4 months last season to see the damage that can happen when two bodies flying in opposite directions collide. I, however, just see it as another nuance to the world's most popular sport that is similar to seeing Vlade Divac flop all over the NBA.

Like Arsene Wenger, I believe that the Eduardo suspension and the media coverage surrounding this is a "Witch-Hunt" and should not be stood for. This opens a gate to all kinds of ridiculous inquisitions and UEFA need to understand that it has created a future full of appeals battles that will rage on if the Gunners are unable to overturn this ruling. The days of instant replay chopping up the fluid matches we see every Saturday may not be to far in the future.

Speaking of controversial rulings, Chelsea are deep in battle with French club Lens, sadly for the North London club this skirmish is in a courthouse and not on the pitch. The Blues have been banned for two transfer periods from registering any new players, due to the illegal transfer of French teenager Gael Kakuta. This decision is much more serious than the two games the Croatian Gunner will sit out and I believe it will actually hold up in court.

This could be the first of a serious of regulations that crack down on the big spending, and constantly poaching, giant clubs of England, Spain, Italy and the like. What is going to happen as teams such as United, City, and Arsenal (I'm assuming since it seems we have half the French U18/U21 squad) get called up to FIFA or CAS? This could be a turning point in how teams deal with transfers of hot young prospects. I can see this leaning the game more towards a South American influence, where most of the team are happy to sell their young players. The heavy continental influence may drop a little, especially considering all these French clubs making allegations.

Other than the two big items, I wanted to highlight for a friend of mine that Argentina lie desperately close to not qualifying for the world cup even though they have the world's best player (Messi) as well as one of my friend's favorites (Kun Aguero) leading the attack.

Also, I haven't commented on the United-Arsenal match. I had planned to make a full article out of it, but between weekend getaways and moving I couldn't get in done in time. Some here's my one paragraph synopsis:

Arsenal played better than United and got very unlucky with many "Old Trafford-ish" calls, including that horrible non-penalty call just before Arshavin's bullet. The Diaby own goal was crushing, but the team had many chances afterwards and did not fold like origami as many pundits want you to think. I see the Gunners doing much better than many people think and United fans hoping, praying, PLEADING with SFA to get that team working together well and Ferdinand back on the field. Chelsea are playing well, but we saw the same run of form from them last season, lets see what happens when they play a true contending team.

If you liked what I said, disagreed, or just plain hated it, comment below and I'll be sure to respond.

Why this weekend's Sox-Yanks series means nothing

2009-08-21T11:23:00.000-07:00

Usually when you talk about a late August/early September Red Sox-Yankees series, you are talking about the greatest rivalry in baseball and the AL East division lead. This year, however, the Yankees seem to have the division in the bag with a seven game lead in the loss column and a favorable schedule heading into September, while the Red Sox are hoping to grab the wild card over the Rays and Rangers.

Some may think that this series is exactly what the Red Sox need to get their swagger back and possibly challenge for the division. However, it seems like Terry Francona has officially thrown in the towel considering how he has lined up his starting rotation, with Brad Penny and Junichi Tazawa set to pitch against a daunting Yankees lineup. Francona put more emphasis on completing a convincing three-game sweep of Toronto, including a 6-1 win against Roy Halladay. Which is fine; you are more likely to shutout the Orioles than the Yankees. But it takes the bite out of this dependably awesome series.

I, however, think that this should be more about momentum and pride. I'm a Yankees fan and I'm excited that we have our top 3 starters lined up for this series. If I were a Boston fan I would be VERY disappointed in the way my team is approaching these three games. I don't care how far out of the picture you are, there is always a chance to come back and win that division, just ask the Rockies of 2007 and for that matter Willie Randolph. I would want Lester at least pitching against the Yanks.

I'm sure the crowd at Fenway will be in full swing and I might try to get some tickets myself, its Red Sox-Yankees after all, but I seriously doubt anything other than three Ortiz walk-offs is going to change anything as far as the AL East race is concerned. If you want to see Jeter smirk at all the boos, tune into NESN, otherwise these games won't be for much more than a little practice for the run-in.

Why Wayne Rooney is worse than Ronaldo

2009-08-19T10:26:00.000-07:00

Fast Eddie and I got into an argument this morning and I had to share my opinion and see if anyone else would like to argue for or against my feelings.

If you talk to the average ManUtd fan they will tell you of the glory that is Wayne "Shrek" Rooney. I however usually respond by pointing out that he is just as big of a whiny brat as Cristiano Ronaldo was. You may not see Rooney flailing about on the pitch grasping his neck when someone poked his shoulder, but you will see him yelling, I mean YELLING, in the face of referees in about every game he plays.

I was watching a United-Arsenal match last year and Rooney didn't like a call the referee made, so he did what any calm, classy footballer would do: he threw a fit, yelling and cursing in the poor guy's face. As I was watching the "future of English football" blow his gasket over a misplaced tackle the commentators mentioned how the referees in the EPL give Rooney a lot of slack because he's young and has "a short temper". Rooney is 23, has a wife, and their first baby is due in October, I think he should be mature enough to be held responsible for his actions. And as far as the short temper goes, how is that something that isn't his fault? If he can't control his temper, shouldn't Fergie force the guy to take some anger management classes? You don't want your best attacking player to punch someone over something stupid like a stereo remote. (that sounds so familiar...)

Some may say that Rooney's short temper and shouting is just part of the way he plays football; that it shows how passionate he is about the beautiful game. As much as I love seeing Rooney fly down the field giving his all (as long as its not against Arsenal), I hate having that image tainted whenever he explodes over a missed call.

I don't care what he means to the English national team or Manchester United, I just hope the people in charge will stop letting Rooney go wild and force him to grow up on the field as he has supposedly done off the field. Too many players are coming up through the systems emulating Rooney as they once emulated Owen, and I would rather not see a bunch of 20-somethings with ill-tempers running around every Saturday.

English Premier League Preview

2009-08-10T09:21:00.000-07:00

To kick off screwball sports I'll start across the pond with the English Premier League. The season starts on Saturday with newly crowned Community Shield Champions Chelsea hosting Hull in the early game for the day. In the interest of not boring myself writing the article I won't be profiling in detail all 20 teams, but I will be ranking them and giving a good reason for my predictions. So here's my list from champion to foot of the table:

1. Manchester United

I truly believe that any of the traditional top four could win the League. However I think that ManU has the upper hand, even with the departures of Ronaldo and Tevez. They still have the heart of that team present and will be scoring plenty and conceding few goals.

2. Liverpool

3. Arsenal

4. Chelsea

Of the others in the top four I think that Arsenal will bounce back from a disappointing season and contend for the title, although many are picking the opposite. Aquilani replacing Xabi Alonso at Liverpool is not an even trade, but I expect Torres and Gerrard to play with each other more than 10 times this season and that can only be a good thing for the Merseysiders. Chelsea seem to be stagnant and I feel that they could slip this year, even with that solid core.

5. Manchester City

6. Everton

7. Tottenham

8. Aston Villa

Here come the Manchester Sheiks!!! I don't think this is the year they break through to the Champions League spots, but I'm sure City will be in the Europa League again, even if they end up giving up 4 goals a game ;). Everton are as strong as ever, but I think that's weaker than the £80 mil in signings City made this offseason. Tottenham came on strong last season and I believe they will be a formidable opponent, more than 2 points through the first month should be expected. Aston Villa squeaked in here for me, I just don't feel they have done anything right this offseason besides buying Fabian Delph.

9. West Ham United

10. Fulham

11. Sunderland

12. Wigan Athletic

West Ham could prove me wrong this year. They have a great manager in Gianfranco Zola and came on strong at the end of last season. They could definitely break into the group above. Sunderland could also accomplish that feat if their team gels, with new signing Darren Bent and Kenwyne Jones heading the strike force they could be very dangerous. Fulham may slip back a bit, especially if Brede Hangeland is sold. Wigan are looking to recover from the loss of manager Steve Bruce to Sunderland, as well as the sales of Wilson Palacios and Emile Heskey that seemed to really hurt them last season.

13. Bolton

14. Birmingham

15. Portsmouth

16. Burnley

These teams will all be playing their football in the EPL for another season most likely, although they all will probably seem to be going down at one point or another. Birmingham will look to continue they're good form from the end of last season while Bolton fans will be left frustrated again with their team's mediocrity. Portsmouth have only seen departures it seems like, and their financial security is still a question, even with a billionaire set to take the reins. Under Paul Hart they resurrected last season and I see that, coupled with the new owner, guiding them to safety in an interesting year for the club. Burnley proved in the Carling and FA cups last season that they are not easily beaten at Turf Moor and I expect them to stay up under Owen Coyle's tutelage.

17. Stoke

18. Wolves

19. Blackburn

20. Hull

These 4 teams could finish in any order at the bottom of the table. Stoke will use Brittania Stadium as their fortress again, don't be surprised if they nick points from teams in the top half at home, however they struggle immensely away from home and I only see them barely scratching by. Wolves will look to do what West Brom couldn't last season, play attractive football against the big guys and stay up. Sylvian Ebanks-Blanke should help that cause with his impressive ball skills, but I don't see that happening. Blackburn were a sorry sight at the end of the season and I don't expect them to keep it going without some surprise signings. Hull were absolutely abysmal after Christmas and unless new signing Jose Altidore lights up the scoreboard I don't see any upsets against the likes of Arsenal or Tottenham in their future.

Well There it is. If you hated it, liked it or just plain didn't get my picks feel free to comment and I'll respond the best I can.

Introduction

2009-08-09T19:52:00.001-07:00

Welcome to Screwball Sports. Aptly named for my conflicting sports interests. My contributors and I will be bringing our readers some entertaining, and hopefully insightful, sports articles with topics ranging from the MLB to the English Premier League, and everything in between. If you like something, speak up, if you think I should cover something I haven't touched on, shoot me an email. Hopefully we'll have some content up soon and I hope you enjoy it.