SportSpectator Blog

April 27, Week in Sports

:: Lions Take Stafford in NFL Draft  (Pro. Football)

:: Cavs Sweep Pistons; Rose Wins Rookie of the Year (Pro. Basketball)

:: San Jose Stays Alive in Stanley Cup Playoffs (Pro. Hockey)

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YOUNG LIONS

On Saturday afternoon, the Detroit Lions announced that they had reached an agreement with quarterback Matthew Stafford, ultimately making him the first overall pick of the NFL Draft on Sunday. Stafford and the Lions inked a 6-year, $72 million deal. Of that money, $41.7 million is guaranteed, which is an NFL record.

The Lions are an extremely troubled franchise with numerous holes on both offense and defense, and Stafford alone will not be able to save it. Detroit finished the 2008 season with an 0-16 record–the first time that an NFL team had finished a 16-game season winless. Although many Lions fans and critics argued that the team should have spent less money on the first overall pick by drafting a position other than quarterback, it is also undeniable that the Lions are desperately in need someone with even a little bit of young talent running the offense. Of course, it is no guarantee that Stafford will work out. For every first-round quarterback success story, such as Peyton Manning, there have been numerous players who completely flopped–such as Tim Couch and Alex Smith.

The other big news from the draft came when the New York Jets traded up to get quarterback Mark Sanchez. Jets fans have a reputation for vehemently opposing their team’s draft picks, but surprisingly, the vast majority were very pleased with the Sanchez pick.

Quote of the Week: “He’s 21. Let’s start with that. How finished a product were you at 21? Matthew Stafford is now the future of the Lions, he has been guaranteed more money than any NFL player ever, and he just reached the drinking age.” — Mitch Albom, Detroit Free Press

Further Reading: “New QB Stafford ready to accept challenge 0-16 brings ” — Nicholas J. Cotsonika, Detroit Free Press

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ROYAL FLUSH: “KING” JAMES AND CAVS SWEEP PISTONS

The Cleveland Cavaliers beat the Detroit Pistons on Sunday afternoon to advance to the second round of the playoffs. The Cavs, one of the favorites to go all the way this year, swept the series.

Going into the playoffs, everyone fully expected LeBron James and company to cruise to the championship. That being said, their performance against the Pistons, a veteran postseason team, was still very impressive. James was especially impressive, scoring 36 points in Game 4 and averaging over 30 points per game in the series. The Cavs will now have time to rest up before round 2, where they will play either the Miami Heat or the Atlanta Hawks.

In other NBA news, last Wednesday, Derrick Rose of the Chicago Bulls was named Rookie of the Year. Rose and the Bulls are currently locked up 2-2 with the Boston Celtics in the first round of the playoffs. That series, which everyon is already calling an “instant classic,” continues on Tuesday in Boston.

Quote of the Week: ”This is where legends are born, and this is where teams make history.” — LeBron James

Further Reading: “LeBron takes control as Cavaliers sweep up Pistons ” — Associated Press, via ESPN

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SHARKS FIGHT BACK, BUT STILL ON THIN ICE

The Stanley Cup playoffs heated up this week, with two of the first round series headed toward a decisive Game 7, and the top-seed San Jose Sharks clawing their way back into their series with the Anaheim Ducks.

The Sharks entered the playoffs as the one-seed in the Western Conference after proving themselves to be totally dominant in the regular season. However, they have had the misfortune to draw a first-round matchup against the Ducks, who were arguably the hottest team in the league during the last month of the regular season. After dropping the first two games against Anaheim, San Jose battled their way to two victories (and one additional loss), bringing the series to 3-2. Game 6 of the series will be played tonight in Anaheim.

Two of the first-round series already have Game 7 matchups scheduled for this week: the New York Rangers vs. the Washington Capitals, and the Carolina Hurricanes vs. the New Jersey Devils. Fans are particularly excited about the Rangers-Capitals matchup, since the Rangers have a huge, passionate fanbase, and the Caps have league superstar Alexander Ovechkin on their side. Game 7 of that series, which should be electric, will be played on Tuesday night.

Quote of the Week: ”Sharks center Joe Thornton found a heart, the Ducks lost a chance to pull off an upset and the teams’ playoff series became a lot more interesting — and at least one game longer.” — Helene Elliot, L.A. Times

Further Reading: “Sharks force Game 6 with OT after Ducks rally in third period ” — Associated Press, via ESPN

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WHAT TO WATCH THIS WEEK

:: HORSE RACING: The Kentucky Derby, perhaps the biggest event in horse racing, takes place next Saturday.

:: PRO. BASKETBALL: The NBA playoffs continue this week. The defending champion Boston Celtics and Chicago Bulls have a huge game on Tuesday night. Check out the rest of the schedule at www.nba.com.

:: HOCKEY: The Stanley Cup playoffs continue this week. The New York Rangers and Washington Capitals play Game 7 on Tuesday night. The rest of the schedule is available at www.nhl.com.

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ALL-SPORTS UPDATE

ACTIVE SEASON

:: BASEBALL

MLB (Pro. Baseball): The 2009 season is underway, and it runs through October. [Official MLB Website]

:: BASKETBALL

NBA (Pro. Basketball): The 2008-09 NBA playoffs are currently underway.  [Official NBA Website]

NCAA MEN’S BASKETBALL (College): “The Tournament” is now over. The University of North Carolina won the 2009 national championship over Michigan State. [CBS Sports]

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:: FOOTBALL

NFL (Pro. Football): Now that the NFL Draft is over, things will be relatively quiet until training camp begins in the middle of July. [Official NFL Website]

NCAA FOOTBALL (College): The college football season is now over, with Florida defeating Oklahoma in the national championship game. [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. The next Major Championship is the U.S. Open. [Official PGA Website]

NOTABLE PLAYERS: Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson

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:: HOCKEY

NHL (Pro. Hockey): The Stanley Cup playoffs are currently underway.  [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. The next event is the French Open, which takes place in May. [USTA Website]

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

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December 29, Week in Sports

:: NFL POST-SEASON SET (Pro. Football)

:: YANKEES ACQUIRE MARK TEIXEIRA (Pro. Baseball)

:: LAKERS SNAP CELTICS’ WIN STREAK (Pro Basketball)

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PIGSKIN PLAYOFFS

The NFL regular season ended this weekend and the playoff teams were finalized. The playoffs begin next weekend and culminate weeks later with the Super Bowl, the biggest event in American sports.

Twelve teams make it to the playoffs in the NFL. This year, the following teams made the cut: Arizona Cardinals, San Diego Chargers, Indianapolis Colts, Miami Dolphins, Philadelphia Eagles, Atlanta Falcons, New York Giants, Carolina Panthers, Baltimore Ravens, Pittsburgh Steelers, Tennessee Titans, and Minnesota Vikings. If there is a favorite at this point, it is probably the New York Giants, who won the Super Bowl last year and had a very strong season. However, maybe even bigger news was the list of teams that did not make the playoffs, and the Dallas Cowboys are at the top of that list. Before the season, many NFL experts predicted that the Cowboys would make it to the Super Bowl. However, after a mediocre season and a devastating loss on Sunday, the ‘Boys are out of the running yet again.

The Detroit Lions finished the season 0-16 after their loss to the Green Bay Packers on Sunday. After completing the worst season in the history of the NFL, the Lions fired their head coach.

Quote of the Week: “Week 17 had it all. And for so much of it, there was really no way to see it coming. It happens every year that way, and still we’re surprised by the surprise of it all.” — Don Banks, Sports Illustrated

Further Reading: ”NFC Preview” — Jeffri Chadiha, ESPN ; “AFC Preview” — John Clayton, ESPN

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BRONX BOMBERS DROP ANOTHER BUNDLE

Star first baseman Mark Teixeira signed with the New York Yankees last Tuesday for $180 million over 8 years. Teixeira was one of the most coveted free agents this off-season.

Teixeira is one of the best hitters in the game, as well as a Gold Glove-winning fielder, but his tremendous abilities were overshadowed this week by the amount of money that the Yankees spent in order to sign him. So far, the Yankees have spent more than $400 million dollars this off-season–by far the most in the league. The Yankees, of course, have a well-deserved reputation for big spending. During the 2008 season, they had a payroll over $200 million, ten times the payroll of the Florida Marlins and $70 million more than the next highest team, the New York Mets.

Major League Baseball has no salary cap, which allows for that kind of disparity in spending, but the Yankees’ outrageous spending has been highly criticized this year. Expect the criticism to heat up in the coming weeks, when the Yankees are expected to sign even more free agents, including star pitcher Andy Pettitte.

Quote of the Week: “As of 4 p.m. today, the Yankees have spent $423 million on free agents this offseason…. Six months ago, the Yankees asked the city of New York for an additional $480 million to fund [their new] stadium. They bulldozed parks that used to be playgrounds for the children of the South Bronx…. Put that in your pipe and smoke it, NYC taxpayers.” — Rick Chandler, Deadspin

Further Reading: “Buying an umbrella in New York” — Joe Posnanski

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Stocking Full of Kobe

On Christmas Day, the Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Boston Celtics by a score of 92-83. Before the loss, the Celtics had won 19 games in a row–the longest streak in franchise history.

The victory over the Celtics served as a small measure of revenge for the Lakers, who were badly beaten by Boston in last season’s NBA Finals. Kobe Bryant, the superstar Lakers guard, led all scorers with 27 points. Lakers coach Phil Jackson, who made a name for himself with Michael Jordan’s Chicago Bulls, reached a truly impressive milestone on Thursday, as well, notching his 1,000th career victory.

The Lakers and the Celtics were the two best teams in the NBA last year, and this year, the two teams look poised to meet again in the Finals. As of Sunday, the Lakers had a record of 24-5 and the Celtics had a record of 27-4. Other than those two teams, only the Cleveland Cavaliers (25-4) and the Orlando Magic (24-6) had winning percentages over .800.

Quote of the Week: “Last year, they won the championship. This year, it’s our year, we want to take it all the way.” — Sasha Vujacic, Lakers guard

Further Reading:  ”Lakers put end to Celtics’ 19-game win streak” — Associated Press, via ESPN

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WHAT TO WATCH THIS WEEK

:: COLLEGE FOOTBALL: The Bowl Games, already underway, continue this week. New Year’s Day is a huge day for college football, since the Rose Bowl is almost always played on January 1st. The Rose Bowl is the oldest bowl game in the nation, and always features two of the best teams in the country. This year, the game will be played between the USC Trojans and the Penn State Nittany Lions. The Rose Bowl is played in Pasadena, California.

:: HOCKEY: The “Winter Classic,” an annual NHL game played outdoors, is scheduled to take place on New Year’s Day. This year, the Classic will be played at Wrigley Field in Chicago, between the Chicago Blackhawks and arch-rival Detroit Red Wings.

:: PRO. FOOTBALL: The NFL playoffs begin next week, when the AFC and NFC wildcard playoffs are played on Saturday and Sunday. Click here to see the game schedule.

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ALL-SPORTS UPDATE

ACTIVE SEASON

:: BASKETBALL

NBA (Pro. Basketball): The 2008-09 season is currently underway. It runs from late October to April of 2009, when the playoffs commence.  [Official NBA Website]

NCAA MEN’S BASKETBALL (College): The college basketball season is currently underway and runs through “the Tournament,” which takes place in March. [CBS Sports]

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:: FOOTBALL

NFL (Pro. Football): The playoffs begin this week and culminate in the Super Bowl, which takes place later in January. [Official NFL Website]

NCAA FOOTBALL (College): The regular season is over and the bowl games have already started. Florida and Oklahoma will play each other in the national championship game. [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 runs through April of 2009. By the new year, the league power rankings should be pretty well set. [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

:: BASEBALL

MLB (Pro. Baseball): The Philadelphia Phillies defeated the Tampa Bay Rays in this year’s World Series. During the off-season, baseball news will focus on major trades and player signings. [Official MLB Website]

:: DETROIT LIONS POISED FOR WORST SEASON EVER (Pro. Football):: NFL ENTERS FINAL WEEK OF REGULAR SEASON (Pro. Football)

:: TYLER HANSBROUGH SETS SCORING RECORD (College. Basketball)

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WORST. TEAM. EVER.

The New Orleans Saints crushed the Detroit Lions on Sunday afternoon, bringing the Lions’ record to 0-15, the worst record in NFL history. If the Lions lose next week, they would hold the dubious honor of being the only team in the history of the NFL ever to go 0-16 in the regular season.

The Detroit Lions are one of the most famous train-wreck franchises in professional sports. The Lions have had ten or more losses in seven of the past eight years, and the last time they won a playoff game was in 1991. The man who had been responsible for putting together these awful teams, Matt Millen, was finally fired in September of this year. Detroit fans have called for Millen’s firing for years, holding “Fire Millen” signs at games, and organizing the “Millen Man March” to protest his continued employment by the Lions.

The Lions have one last chance to avoid the humiliation of an 0-16 season. Next Sunday, they play the Green Bay Packers (at Lambeau Field, in Green Bay). Neither team can make the playoffs, so the only thing on the line will be pride.

Quote of the Week: “You know what was ‘a Brees,’ Detroit Free Press headline writers? The Saints’ beatdown of your winless Lions.” — Marcel Mutoni, Deadspin

Further Reading: ”Saints add to Lions’ misery with rout as Detroit is first 0-15 team in NFL history” — Associated Press, via ESPN

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ARE YOU READY FOR SOME PLAYOFFS?

With one week left in the NFL regular season, teams are priming themselves for the playoffs. The NFL playoffs are the culmination of the football season, and they ultimately lead to the Super Bowl, the biggest sports event in the country.

Many teams have already locked up their spots in the playoffs: the New York Giants, Carolina Panthers, Arizona Cardinals, Pittsburgh Steelers, Tennessee Titans, Indianapolis Colts, and Atlanta Falcons have all secured playoff spots. The Tennessee Titans, who defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday, also secured home field advantage for the playoffs. However, a handful of playoff spots have yet to be decided, and will come down to next weekend’s games.

Like every sport, the final week before the NFL playoffs can be an unpredictable time, where several unlikely playoff contenders can still reach the post-season if a number of things happen. For casual fans, these scenarios can be hard to follow. During the middle of the week, www.nfl.com will publish season recaps for many of the teams still in contention, and explain all of the possible playoff possibilities.

Quote of the Week: “The playoff picture will still be fuzzy with a week to go. Here’s what we do know: the AFC’s road to Tampa Bay will go through Tennessee.” — ESPN.com

Further Reading: “Rapid Reactions” — This piece, written by ESPN’s staff writers, summarizes what happened this past weekend in the NFL, and offers a look forward to some of next week’s games

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Passing of the Guard

This week, University of North Carolina star Tyler Hansbrough became the all-time leading scorer at UNC. Hansbrough was last year’s college basketball player of the year, and he is the face of the No. 1-ranked Tar Heels.

Before Hansbrough broke the scoring record, it had been held by Phil Ford for 30 years. Ford is one of the most famous players ever in the UNC basketball program. His record outlasted some of the greatest players in college basketball history, including Michael Jordan and James Worthy. While Hansbrough has been one of the most successful college athletes of his time, with this record, he has truly left his footprint on the game.

Many people were surprised last year when Hansbrough announced that he would be declining to enter himself in the NBA draft in order to complete another year at North Carolina. For the time being, though, Hansbrough is probably pleased with his decision. He has now established a record that should last a long time, and his Tar Heels are currently the best team in the country.

Quote of the Week: “I’m usually not nervous before games, and I was a little nervous before tonight just because I felt like there was a lot of pressure. One thing for me, I didn’t want us to strictly focus on trying to break a scoring record. We had a game and I was trying to do whatever I could to help the team.” — Tyler Hansbrough

Further Reading:  ”Hansbrough sets career scoring record in UNC win vs. Evansville” — Associated Press, via ESPN

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WHAT TO WATCH THIS WEEK

:: PRO. FOOTBALL: Are the Detroit Lions the worst team in the history of professional football? We’ll find out this week, as the Lions play the Green Bay Packers at 1 ET on Sunday. Before that, though, there is a big game between the Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers tonight. The Bears-Packers rivalry is one of the biggest in sports, and the Bears need to win to keep their playoff hopes alive.

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ALL-SPORTS UPDATE

ACTIVE SEASON

:: BASKETBALL

NBA (Pro. Basketball): The 2008-09 season is currently underway. It runs from late October to April of 2009, when the playoffs commence.  [Official NBA Website]

NCAA MEN’S BASKETBALL (College): The college basketball season is currently underway and runs through “the Tournament,” which takes place in March. [CBS Sports]

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:: FOOTBALL

NFL (Pro. Football): The regular season only has one week left, after which the playoffs begin. [Official NFL Website]

NCAA FOOTBALL (College): The regular season is over and the bowl games have already started. Florida and Oklahoma will play each other in the national championship game. [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 runs through April of 2009. By the new year, the league power rankings should be pretty well set. [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

:: BASEBALL

MLB (Pro. Baseball): The Philadelphia Phillies defeated the Tampa Bay Rays in this year’s World Series. During the off-season, baseball news will focus on major trades and player signings. [Official MLB Website]