SportSpectator Blog

September 29, Week in Sports

 

::   MLB PLAYOFF TEAMS (ALMOST) SET (Pro. Baseball)

::   NO. 1 USC UPSET BY OREGON STATE (College Football)

::   NHL Season Preview (Pro. Hockey)

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HAPPY OCTOBER: BASEBALL POSTSEASON BEGINS THIS WEEK

The baseball regular season is coming to a close, and the playoffs are set to begin this week. The playoff teams are: Los Angeles Angels, Boston Red Sox, Tampa Bay Rays, Chicago Cubs, Los Angeles Dodgers, Philadelphia Phillies, Milwaukee Brewers, and either the Chicago White Sox or the Minnesota Twins.

The Milwaukee Brewers earned a playoff spot on the final day of the season, winning the Wild Card over the New York Mets, who collapsed for the second straight year in a row. While the Brewers scratched and clawed their way into the playoffs, the Dodgers and Phillies earned their spots in the week before. However, as strong as the Dodgers and Phillies have looked down the stretch, it is the Chicago Cubs who enter the post season as the favorite to win the National League pennant. The Chicago Cubs have looked good all year, and many believe that this will be the year that their 100-year championship drought comes to an end.

The American League enters the post-season as the much stronger league. The Tampa Bay Rays stunned everyone by beating out the Yankees and Red Sox for the AL East. The Rays are everyone’s favorite underdog this year–this is the first year that the perennial losers have had a winning record, and it is their first appearance in the playoffs. That being said, the Boston Red Sox are, as always, an explosive team. In spite of all of that, though, the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim have been the best team in baseball this year. After a few recent disappointing post-seasons, the experts expect the Angels to be dangerous this October.

The Chicago White Sox and Minnesota Twins are fighting for the only remaining playoff spot. If the White Sox win their game against the Detroit Tigers on Monday night (a game that had been rained out earlier this year), the White Sox and Twins will face off on Tuesday night. A victory on Tuesday night will give the winning team the final ticket to the post-season.

Quote of the Week: ”The Chicago White Sox aren’t dead. Not yet. But like the Mexican bobcat, the harpy eagle and the gray bat, they are on the endangered species list.” — Phil Rogers, ESPN

Further Reading: ”Year in Review” — Jayson Stark, ESPN

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UPSET U: GIANT-KILLERS STRIKE COLLEGE FOOTBALL

The USC Trojans, the No. 1-ranked college football team in the country, were beaten by an unranked Oregon State team on Thursday night. In a week full of upsets in college football, this one was by far the biggest, and it will result in a major shake-up of next week’s rankings.

The Trojans had recently scored a huge victory, when they stomped on Ohio State–another one of the top-ranked teams in the country–earlier this year. That impressive win had football writers across the country predicting that USC was unbeatable and destined for the national championship game, which features the two top-ranked teams in the country. However, after being toppled 27-21 by Oregon State–by all accounts a pretty mediocre team–USC will have a difficult road to the national championship.

However, USC was not the only team to get upset this week. Florida and Wisconsin, two of the best teams in the country, fell to Mississippi and Michigan, respectively. Alabama also knocked off No. 3-ranked Georgia. In the end, four of the teams in the top ten lost this weekend, which is major news in college football. No. 2 Oklahoma won their game easily, which should earn them the No. 1 spot in next week’s rankings.

Quote of the Week: “This is looking like another upset-intensive season when every one-loss team will get a second chance.” — Pat Forde, ESPN

Further Reading: “String of other upsets could help Trojans in college football poll” — Gary Klein, L.A. Times

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LACING UP

The NHL season begins next weekend, with the Pittsburgh Penguins playing the Ottawa Senators, and the New York Rangers playing the Tampa Bay Lightning. These games will be played abroad, in Stockholm and Prague, to kick off the season. The rest of the teams will begin play in the U.S. on Thursday.

Hockey fans are some of the most loyal and passionate fans in sports, but for the casual sports fan, it can be hard to figure out where to start with the sport. It’s best to just start following a local team on a regular basis and going to games, if possible. But, like any other sport, another great way to start following hockey is by keeping track of the league’s young, flashy, superstar players. With that in mind, here are some names to look out for: Sidney Crosby, Alexander Ovechkin, Jonathan Toews, and Patrick Kane. There are plenty of other stars in the league, to be sure (players like Jaromir Jagr and Henrik Zetterberg, among others), but those four young players often grace the league highlight reels. If the league is excited about them, it will make it all the easier for you to get excited about them, too.

Last season, the Detroit Red Wings topped the Pittsburgh Penguins to win the Stanley Cup. Look for both of those teams to be extremely strong again this year.

Further Reading: “View from the Ice” — Darren Eliot, SI.com

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WHAT TO WATCH THIS WEEK

:: BASEBALL: The playoffs begin this week, so expect to see a whole lot of baseball fever. But before the playoffs start, the Chicago White Sox play the Detroit Tigers on Monday night. If they win, they will then play the Minnesota Twins on Tuesday night–the winner of that game will make the playoffs. If, indeed, it comes down to the Sox and the Twins on Tuesday night, that will be a tremendously exciting game, and will get everyone pumped up for the playoffs.

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ALL-SPORTS UPDATE

 

ACTIVE SEASON

:: BASEBALL

MLB (Pro. Baseball): This week marks the first week of the post-season. The eight remaining teams are the Cubs, Phillies, Dodgers, Brewers, Angels, Rays, Red Sox, and White Sox/Twins. Stay tuned. [Official MLB Website]

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:: FOOTBALL

NFL (Pro. Football): The regular season is now underway. The standings will begin to take shape in just a few weeks, once teams begin to play their division rivals. [Official NFL Website]

NCAA FOOTBALL (College): The college football is now in full swing. USC, the No. 1 team last week, will be bounced after having been upset by Oregon State this week. [NCAA Football, ESPN]

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:: GOLF

MEN’S GOLF: While there are professional tournaments throughout the year, the most important tournaments are the four Major Championships: The Masters, U.S. Open, The Open (The British Open), and the PGA Championship. Now that the PGA Championship is over, mainstream golf news will most likely revolve around Tiger Woods’ return from injury and preparation for next year’s Majors. [Official PGA Website]

NOTABLE PLAYERS: Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson

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:: HOCKEY

NHL (Pro. Hockey): The hockey season begins next weekend with four international games. After that, the regular season will begin in the states [Official NHL Website]

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:: TENNIS

MEN’S AND WOMEN’S TENNIS: While there are professional tournaments throughout the year, the most important tournaments are the four Grand Slam tournaments: the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon, and US Open. [USTA Website]

NOTABLE PLAYERS: Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Maria Sharapova, Ana Ivanovic

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OFFSEASON

:: BASKETBALL

NBA (Pro. Basketball): The Celtics defeated the Lakers to win the NBA Finals, ending the 2008 season.  [Official NBA Website]

NCAA MEN’S BASKETBALL (College): Now that the tournament is over, college basketball news will focus on which players leave their schools for the NBA, and which college teams land the premier high-school players for next season. [CBS Sports]

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September 21, Week in Sports

 

::   U.S. TEAM WINS RYDER CUP (Pro. Golf)

::   CHICAGO CUBS CLINCH NL CENTRAL (Pro. Baseball)

::   BASEBALL ENTERS FINAL WEEK OF REGULAR SEASON (Pro. Baseball)

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MADE IN U.S.A.

The United States beat Europe to win the Ryder Cup over the weekend. The Rider Cup is a golf tournament played once every two years, which pits an American team against a European team. The United States has not won the Ryder Cup since 1999, so their victory on Sunday was significant.

The Ryder Cup is, in many ways, an unusual tournament in professional golf. Unlike every other high-profile golf tournament, the Ryder Cup is based on teams rather than individuals. For that reason, the tournament can be pretty difficult to follow for the average sports fan. However, it is also one of the most fun events in golf because of the fact that fans tend to treat this tournament different from every other. At other tournaments, it is unheard of for fans to cheer when other players mishit a ball, but at the Ryder Cup, that happens regularly. Players are also more emotionally demonstrative, with some players even “pumping up the crowd” after big shots. The result is a fun tournament with a lot of pride on the line. This year, the U.S. won bragging rights.

The tournament location alternates between U.S. and European locations. This year, the United States had home field advantage since the tournament was held in Kentucky.

Quote of the Week: ”This is the greatest moment in my life.” — J.B. Holmes, an American golfer, after winning his match on Sunday

Further Reading: ”Inspired U.S. win back the Ryder Cup” — CNN

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LOVABLE LOSERS COME UP WITH BIG WIN

The Chicago Cubs clinched their division on Saturday, guaranteeing them a spot in the upcoming playoffs. This is the first time the Cubs have won their division two years in a row since 1908.

The Chicago Cubs have not won a World Series for 100 years. Before the season began, a number of baseball experts predicted that this would be the year that the franchise’s championship drought would end. So far this year, the Cubs have looked like a pretty convincing contender. They have very strong pitching, a good offense, and when they play at their home park, Wrigley Field, they have a devastating home field advantage. Since they are one of the most popular teams in the country, and since the team’s playoff drought and reputation as the “lovable losers” is known across the country, they will get a lot of attention in the post-season.

The Cubbies are also known for their epic collapses, so be sure to watch for one this year. If the Cubs clutch defeat from the jaws of victory in October, nobody will be surprised–least of all Cubs fans.

Quote of the Week: “The Cubs enter the postseason as favorites to win their first pennant since 1945, though they’ll face constant reminders that history is not on their side.” — Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune

Further Reading: “Chicago Cubs clinch National League Central Division” — Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune

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HEADING HOME

As we enter the final week of baseball’s regular season, there are still several teams fighting for spots in the playoffs. With some of those teams playing each other, this week’s baseball games will have the importance and intensity of the postseason. Here are some of the important things to know going into this week.

1. Several teams have already clinched their spots in the playoffs–the Chicago Cubs, Los Angeles Angels, and Tampa Rays are guaranteed spots in the postseason no matter what happens this week. The Boston Red Sox are almost guaranteed to be playing in the postseason as the Wild Card team in the American League.

2. The only close race in the American League is between the Chicago White Sox and Minnesota Twins. As luck would have it, those two teams are playing three games against each other this week. The White Sox are currently leading the Twins by 2 1/2 games, but the Twins have a chance to capture the lead this week.

3. There are three playoff spots up for grabs in the National League. The Los Angeles Dodgers, Arizona Diamondbacks, Philadelphia Phillies, New York Mets, and Milwaukee Brewers all have a chance to make a run this week. The Dodgers, Phillies and Mets are the favorites to take those three spots, but that could all change in a matter of days.

This should be a very competitive week in baseball. But when the playoffs begin in October, the stakes will be higher and the competition will be boosted to a totally new level, with the best of the best fighting to get to the World Series.

Quote of the Week: “I had to get out there and hug everybody. We did the appropriate hugging in the dugout, then we took it out on the field. I had to. I’m a hugger. And I’m a crier.”– Rays manager Joe Maddon, on clinching the division

Further Reading: “Cubs, Rays celebrate on same day” — John Shea, ESPN.com

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WHAT TO WATCH THIS WEEK

:: BASEBALL: Keep an eye on the baseball games this week. The subtle shifts in the standings every day will have major implications for the playoffs. Check out www.mlb.com to stay on top of the week’s events.

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ALL-SPORTS UPDATE

 

ACTIVE SEASON

:: BASEBALL

MLB (Pro. Baseball): In the final week of the regular season, teams are still jockeying for spots in the post-season–either by winning their division, or by taking the Wild Card spot. [Official MLB Website]

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:: FOOTBALL

NFL (Pro. Football): The regular season is now underway. The standings will begin to take shape in just a few weeks, once teams begin to play their division rivals. [Official NFL Website]

NCAA FOOTBALL (College): The college football is now in full swing. USA Today and the Associated Press have both ranked USC as the number one team. [NCAA Football, ESPN]

———-

:: GOLF

MEN’S GOLF: While there are professional tournaments throughout the year, the most important tournaments are the four Major Championships: The Masters, U.S. Open, The Open (The British Open), and the PGA Championship. Now that the PGA Championship is over, mainstream golf news will most likely revolve around Tiger Woods’ return from injury and preparation for next year’s Majors. [Official PGA Website]

NOTABLE PLAYERS: Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson

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:: TENNIS

MEN’S AND WOMEN’S TENNIS: While there are professional tournaments throughout the year, the most important tournaments are the four Grand Slam tournaments: the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon, and US Open. [USTA Website]

NOTABLE PLAYERS: Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Maria Sharapova, Ana Ivanovic

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OFFSEASON

:: BASKETBALL

NBA (Pro. Basketball): The Celtics defeated the Lakers to win the NBA Finals, ending the 2008 season.  [Official NBA Website]

NCAA MEN’S BASKETBALL (College): Now that the tournament is over, college basketball news will focus on which players leave their schools for the NBA, and which college teams land the premier high-school players for next season. [CBS Sports]

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:: HOCKEY

NHL (Pro. Hockey): The Detroit Red Wings defeated the Pittsburgh Penguins in the Stanley Cup Finals, completing the 2007-08 season. [Official NHL Website]

September 15, Week in Sports

 

::   PATS QB TOM BRADY OUT FOR THE SEASON (Pro. Football)

::   K-ROD SETS RECORD FOR SAVES (Pro. Baseball)

::   USC TROUNCES OHIO STATE (College Football)

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BYE BYE BRADY

On Monday, the New England Patriots announced that Tom Brady, their star quarterback, would miss the entire season as a result of his injury during last Sunday’s game. Brady was the league MVP last year, one of the most popular players in the league, and a celebrity in his own right, so his injury is devastating to the sport.

 

Brady tore both the ACL and MCL in his left knee. After the surgery, it will take him 6 months to recover, at the very least. That essentially means that the next time Brady suits up to play, it will be for training camp for the 2009 season. That is terrible news for the Patriots franchise, who was the clear favorite to win their division before the injury. Many analysts even predicted that the Patriots would return to the Super Bowl this year. Now, almost all of them have changed their tune.

 

When Brady’s backup, Matt Cassel, started for the Patriots on Sunday against the New York Jets, it was his first start since he played in high school. Cassel, though no Tom Brady, still led the Patriots to victory.

Quote of the Week: ”Note to everyone trying to talk themselves into the Matt Cassel era (including three of my friends): Just stop it. Stop. Stop right now.” — Bill Simmons, ESPN writer, known for his allegiance to Boston teams

Further Reading: ”Tom Brady out for season” — Karen Guregian, ESPN

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TOUCHED BY AN ANGEL

Francisco Rodriguez, most commonly known by the nickname K-Rod, set the single-season saves record on Saturday when his team, the Los Angeles Angels, beat the Seattle Mariners by a score of 5-2. The former record had been held by Bobby Thigpen, who saved 57 games with the 1990 Chicago White Sox.

 

K-Rod is a closer–a type of pitcher who normally comes in for the ninth inning of a game when his team has the lead and then “saves” the game for the team. K-Rod now has 58 saves so far this season, and it is likely that he is going to record at least 60 saves before the playoffs begin, which is a truly amazing feat.

 

K-Rod’s Angels have had an incredible week. Not only did their closer set the saves record, but the team also clinched the title in the AL West–which means that no matter what they do for the rest of September, they will have a spot in the playoffs.

Quote of the Week: “I haven’t felt like this since we won the World Series.” — K-Rod, upon setting the record

Further Reading: “K-Rod becomes new saves king as Angels win” — Kevin Baxter, L.A. Times

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TROJAN WAR

 

The USC Trojans pummeled the Ohio State Buckeyes on Saturday night. USC’s victory is the biggest victory so far of the college football season, since both teams were ranked in the top five in the country.

 

The game was dubbed the “Clash at the Coliseum,” but in the end, the Buckeyes failed to put up a fight. The Trojans, who justified their No. 1 ranking beyond a shadow of a doubt, looked incredible in the victory. Not only did the USC offense look excellent, but their defense absolutely stamped out all of Ohio State’s efforts on the field. USC looked so solid, in fact, that in the minds of many they instantly became the favorites to make the national championship game later this season.

 

In all fairness to Ohio State, they were playing without their best player, Beanie Wells. Wells, possibly the best running back in college football, was out of the game because of a foot injury.

Quote of the Week: “This was a debutante ball for the future undefeated national champions.” — Bill Plaischke

Further Reading: ”USC takes care of No. 1 with 35-3 rout of Ohio State” — Gary Klein, L.A. Times

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WHAT TO WATCH THIS WEEK

:: FOOTBALL: There should be two very good games coming up for the Dallas Cowboys. Tonight, the Cowboys play the Philadelphia Eagles–both teams looked excellent in week one. Next Sunday, the Cowboys play the Green Bay Packers, which should also be a very competitive, high-profile game.

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ALL-SPORTS UPDATE

ACTIVE SEASON

:: BASEBALL

MLB (Pro. Baseball): In the final month of the regular season, teams are still jockeying for spots in the post-season–either by winning their division, or by taking the Wild Card spot. [Official MLB Website]

———-

:: FOOTBALL

NFL (Pro. Football): The regular season is now underway. The standings will begin to take shape in just a few weeks, once teams begin to play their division rivals. [Official NFL Website]

NCAA FOOTBALL (College): The college football is now in full swing. USA Today and the Associated Press have both ranked Georgia as the number one team. [NCAA Football, ESPN]

———-

:: GOLF

MEN’S GOLF: While there are professional tournaments throughout the year, the most important tournaments are the four Major Championships: The Masters, U.S. Open, The Open (The British Open), and the PGA Championship. Now that the PGA Championship is over, mainstream golf news will most likely revolve around Tiger Woods’ return from injury and preparation for next year’s Majors. [Official PGA Website]

NOTABLE PLAYERS: Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson

———-

:: TENNIS

MEN’S AND WOMEN’S TENNIS: While there are professional tournaments throughout the year, the most important tournaments are the four Grand Slam tournaments: the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon, and US Open. [USTA Website]

NOTABLE PLAYERS: Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Maria Sharapova, Ana Ivanovic

———-

OFFSEASON

:: BASKETBALL

NBA (Pro. Basketball): The Celtics defeated the Lakers to win the NBA Finals, ending the 2008 season.  [Official NBA Website]

NCAA MEN’S BASKETBALL (College): Now that the tournament is over, college basketball news will focus on which players leave their schools for the NBA, and which college teams land the premier high-school players for next season. [CBS Sports]

———-

:: HOCKEY

NHL (Pro. Hockey): The Detroit Red Wings defeated the Pittsburgh Penguins in the Stanley Cup Finals, completing the 2007-08 season. [Official NHL Website]

September 8, Week in Sports 

::   PATS QB TOM BRADY HURT IN OPENING GAME (Pro. Football)
::   SERENA WILLIAMS WINS US OPEN (Tennis)
::   CAMILO VILLEGAS WINS BMW CHAMPIONSHIP (Golf)

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BRADY BUCKLES IN SEASON OPENER

Tom Brady, the star quarterback of the New England Patriots, was injured early in Sunday’s game against the Kansas City Chiefs. Brady is one of the most famous players in the league, and if the injury turns out to be serious, it will be a major development in the early part of the NFL season.

Last year, the Patriots went undefeated before losing the Super Bowl to the New York Giants. This year, the expectations were extremely high for the Patriots team. Expectations were especially high for Brady, last year’s MVP who set the single-season passing record in 2007, along with the many other records set by the Patriots along the way. Patriots backup quarterback Matt Cassel led the Patriots to victory on Sunday. However, if Brady’s injury is serious and he misses significant playing time, it would be a disaster for the Patriots.

The two other major stories from Opening Sunday were the Chicago Bears’ surprise upset of Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts, and Brett Favre’s first appearance with the N.Y. Jets. The Jets topped the Miami Dolphins–a game that would have been insignificant, were it not for a strong performance by Favre.

Quote of the Week: “If Brady is out for the year, it would be the biggest opening-day season-ender in league history.” — Mike Florio, Pro Football Talk

Further Reading: ”Patriots win, but Brady’s injury overshadows game” — Associated Press, via ESPN

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SWEET SERENA

Serena Williams defeated Jelena Jankovic on Sunday night to win the US Open women’s finals championship match. The US Open is the last of the four annual Grand Slam tournaments.

This is the third time that Serena Williams has won the title at the US Open and her ninth Grand Slam singles title. More importantly, though, with this victory Serena Williams rises to the position of top-ranked female tennis player in the world. The last time Serena held that honor was in 2003.

The men’s final will be played on Monday between Roger Federer and Andy Murray. It has been a rough year for Roger Federer. The former number-one player in the world has won at least two Grand Slam tournaments every year since 2004, but has yet to win in 2008. Now he has a chance to bring home a title with a win over Murray on Monday.

Quote of the Week: “She tosses her racket in the air and proceeds to bob up and down like a kangaroo. She exchanges a hug with Jankovic at the net, and says, ‘I’m sorry, I’m so excited.’” — Ravi Ubha, Special to ESPN

Further Reading: “Serena Williams Wins U.S. Open and Returns to No. 1” — Karen Crouse, NY Times

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SPIDERMAN HITS THE LINKS

Camilo Villegas, nicknamed “Spiderman” because of his unique body position while reading the slopes of putting greens, won the BMW Championship on Sunday afternoon. The BMW Championship is part of the FedEx Cup, a series of tournaments representing the playoffs of professional golf.

The FedEx Cup Playoffs are relatively new, so they are nowhere near as prestigious as the four Major Championships in golf. That being said, the BMW Championship (formerly known as the Western Open) is an important tournament with a lot of history and tradition. Regardless, the victory was hugely significant for Villegas, who has never won a PGA tournament before Sunday. Villegas is a charismatic young golfer, with a bright future ahead of him. He also has a reputation for being an extremely snappy dresser.

Quote of the Week: ”I think Spiderman has finally spun a winning web.” — Johnny Miller, NBC
Further Reading: ”Villegas wins BMW Championship with clutch putts” — Doug Ferguson, Associated Press

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WHAT TO WATCH THIS WEEK

:: COLLEGE FOOTBALL: Next Saturday, September 13, top-ranked USC will play Ohio State (also very highly ranked) in a highly anticipated matchup. This game is by far the biggest game of the college season so far this year. It will be broadcast on ABC at 8:00 PM ET.

:: FOOTBALL: Keep an eye on the Tom Brady injury report. If Brady is knocked out for the year, it will dramatically change the outlook for several teams in the NFL this year.

:: TENNIS: Roger Federer and Andy Murray play today for the U.S. Open men’s finals championship match.

———-

ALL-SPORTS UPDATE

 

ACTIVE SEASON

:: BASEBALL

MLB (Pro. Baseball): In the final month of the regular season, teams are still jockeying for spots in the post-season–either by winning their division, or by taking the Wild Card spot. [Official MLB Website]

———-

:: FOOTBALL

NFL (Pro. Football): The regular season began this week. The standings will begin to take shape in just a few weeks, once teams begin to play their division rivals. [Official NFL Website]

NCAA FOOTBALL (College): The college football is now in full swing. USA Today and the Associated Press have both ranked Georgia as the number one team. [NCAA Football, ESPN]

———-

:: GOLF

MEN’S GOLF: While there are professional tournaments throughout the year, the most important tournaments are the four Major Championships: The Masters, U.S. Open, The Open (The British Open), and the PGA Championship. Now that the PGA Championship is over, mainstream golf news will most likely revolve around Tiger Woods’ return from injury and preparation for next year’s Majors. [Official PGA Website]

NOTABLE PLAYERS: Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson

———-

:: TENNIS

MEN’S AND WOMEN’S TENNIS: While there are professional tournaments throughout the year, the most important tournaments are the four Grand Slam tournaments: the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon, and US Open. [USTA Website]

NOTABLE PLAYERS: Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Maria Sharapova, Ana Ivanovic

———-

OFFSEASON

:: BASKETBALL

NBA (Pro. Basketball): The Celtics defeated the Lakers to win the NBA Finals, ending the 2008 season.  [Official NBA Website]

NCAA MEN’S BASKETBALL (College): Now that the tournament is over, college basketball news will focus on which players leave their schools for the NBA, and which college teams land the premier high-school players for next season. [CBS Sports]

———-

:: HOCKEY

NHL (Pro. Hockey): The Detroit Red Wings defeated the Pittsburgh Penguins in the Stanley Cup Finals, completing the 2007-08 season. [Official NHL Website]