The NFL Midseason Slant for 2013-2014 - Meet 'Em At The Pass!

Ah, midway through Slant season. I love writing these up. It keeps me in form.

"Head 'em off at the pass?! I HATE THAT CLICHE!"

If you never saw Blazing Saddles, you should. It's a fantastic movie, and I actually got someone to like it once.

We've seen a lot of trades, changes, and fresh looks in the NFL this offseason. Change is a good thing. Sometimes, you'll see some controversy and a lot of jokes thrown in one's way; however, that comes with the territory.

The one thing I've noticed about these standings is that I felt like I just looked over an NBA season--there are teams in the league that are really, really good, and then there are teams that are really, REALLY terrible. Those thoughts aside, let's take a brief look at each NFL team and see what's going right and going wrong with them.

You ready to go?

NFL MIDSEASON SLANT

AMERICAN FOOTBALL CONFERENCE

East Division

New England Patriots (7-2) - We've come to expect this season in and season out. As the old saying goes: "You scratch my back, and I'll scratch yours." Each side of the ball has kicked in and led to some pretty close victories. While they haven't faced the toughest of competitors in the first half, things should be expected to kick up in the coming weeks. This won't be an cakewalk for the Pats, even though they look as formidable as ever.
New York Jets (5-4) - For a rookie season, Geno Smith isn't doing too badly. That's a pretty good sign, considering how much the fans desperately wanted a change in the QB position. Amid their struggles and the plethora of injuries that have affected them, their defense is helping them win games, and that isn't a terrible thing. I just hate seeing Jets fans like Hank Azaria on Twitter saying something like "I hate when they win--it gives Jets fans hope." It seems like everyone's expecting the worst this second half; don't be silly, you people! This second half looks pretty good!
[Fun fact: I said "butt fumble" to end an argument over whether Alex Smith was better than Mark Sanchez at a Madden NFL 25 midnight release. I think I made my point that night.]
Miami Dolphins (4-4) - Things have taken a steep drop in certain departments for the Dolphins this season. Tannehill hasn't been having an easy time in the pocket. While they've been scoring, the ball-handling hasn't been all that great, and possessions are suffering a bit. There may be some looming problems within the staff, so things could be a little rocky and bleed onto the field in the coming weeks.
[I'll talk about Incognito at some point. Not right now.]
Buffalo Bills (3-6) - The more and more I do these Slants, the more and more I feel for these guys. Injuries and heartbreaking losses have been the forte for these guys. Even though the offense looks pretty good statistically, they've had a really tough first half with some of the stronger offensive lineups. Things look a little easier down the stretch, but truthfully, this is when the offense is going to get their ultimate test.

North Division

Cincinnati Bengals (6-3) - The AFC North has officially been flipped upside-down, and seeing the Bengals up top looks pretty cool. Andy Dalton is doing extremely well with what he's been given, and I like what the defense has to offer; they're the top 10 in just about every category in the whole league. With a well-deserved Bye coming toward the end, they should get just enough rest to make a final push in the playoffs. That is pretty nice to see.
Cleveland Browns (4-5) - Brandon Weeden is a scrappy quarterback, but this isn't the strongest team I have ever seen. Don't get me wrong--the defense looks pretty promising, but there are still a lot of things that have to be learned, and Weeden doesn't look like the kind of guy that is capable of learning tricks at this stage. They say defense wins games, but we need to have some cooperation on both points.
Baltimore Ravens (3-5) - With the way things have been going for these guys, I pretty much forgot that they won the Super Bowl in February. The fact that they haven't played a lot at home may have made a slight difference, but Flacco and company are a shade of what they were a few months ago. Sure, there have been a lot of personnel changes in the offseason, but excuses are excuses, if you know what I mean. Let's hope the home-field advantage helps their cause with everything else going on in this second half.
Pittsburgh Steelers (2-6) - What on Earth happened here? I knew the team looked shaky from the start, but I had no idea it was going to be this bad. While Roethlisberger looks as good as he usually does, everything else looks like a train wreck, including the defense--and you know that's bad if the defense looks like dung. Numerous injury woes, including ones to the defense, is going to take a toll considering the kind of teams they will be facing in the second half of the season.
[I think it's time to put your Terrible Towel away, Andrew. You're done.]

South Division

Indianapolis Colts (6-2) - While the Colts like to rack up the points, the defense has their times of keeping the bargain up with holding the opposition down as well. The Luck/Wayne combo has some pretty sweet moves on the field, and while the defense gives up a bit of yardage at times, they come in the clutch. We've got a delicate balance here, so let's hope that we see some consistency in the second half with an easier schedule in tow.
Tennessee Titans (4-4) - We've seen a bit of a skid in October from these guys, but should we fear? Not necessarily. Their defense might see some challenges soon enough, but we need to start seeing some work from the offense in order to make a run toward anything. Especially since the defense has had some scares in the injury department, we're going to need some help on the other side.
Houston Texans (2-6) - They've lost six straight. That should explain enough here. Plus, the loss of Matt Schaub has caused the offense to do some awkward things, although Case Keenum has been making an effort to make a decent impact. The Texans defense doesn't look nearly as strong as they once did, as they're giving up points left and right. They had some grit last season; that was the past. It's time for some healing in this squad.
Jacksonville Jaguars (0-8) - Just like another team in the NFC (who we'll get to later), we saw this coming. There hasn't been many promising things coming out of this team. It's a party when they score more than 14 points, but that's usually when the defense falls asleep, and the scoring doesn't happen very often, yadda yadda yadda. It's only going to be an uphill struggle for these guys.

West Division

Kansas City Chiefs (9-0) - I normally don't do this, but I'm doing this now.... LOL ... There. New management means shockers all-around. This team has some flaws, yes indeed, but they do some crazy theatrics to get them on top by the end of each game. While they'll be away from home for most of the second half, all eyes will be on them to see whether holes are going to be seen in this team. Teamwork among either side of the ball is going to be important for them.
Denver Broncos (7-1) - You know things are going down when Peyton Manning is on fire. You saw that from the start in Week 1. These guys just score a lot of flippin' points, and it is usually enough considering that there are times when the Broncos' defense doesn't always show up to the game. However, that's the least of their worries. If the offense holds up, this team will not be able to do any wrong come January.
San Diego Chargers (4-4) - Win, loss, win, loss. We like to flip-flop here. Philip Rivers has been turning it up as of late; however, the record isn't really evident of that, as the defensive line and special teams haven't been holding up very well. The Bolts back at home should help, especially since inconsistency exists with the crew, and they're going to have some pretty intense competition going on in the second half.
Oakland Raiders (3-5) - While this team isn't having any massive problems, injuries and other freak accidents have reared their ugly head in the black hole land. One of the stronger points of this team is their running game, as both Rashad Jennings and Terrell Pryor are putting on great displays each week. Too bad the receivers can't follow suit with that. On the other hand, the defense is doing what they can to back their woes up on the receiving end.


NATIONAL FOOTBALL CONFERENCE

East Division

Dallas Cowboys (5-4) - The 'Boys looked rather shaky in the first two weeks, but things have gotten back into form as of late. I don't really dig their defense all that much, but it has held up enough for first place glory in the NFC East. Hey Tony Romo, looking good there, bro. Hey injury list, looking flippin' filled there, bro. With a second half schedule that's as two-faced as Two-Face himself, we could see a lot of different sides of the Cowboys staff within the next two months.
Philadelphia Eagles (4-5) - Flip-flopping quarterbacks and a fresh face as a head coach has been the rage in Philly, but this team hasn't been consistent. The defense has had a lot of issues over the past couple of weeks, and copious amounts of injuries haven't been helping much at all. However, Nick Foles' latest display in Oakland has been a huge boost in morale. The biggest question lies here: are they going to start winning at home? If they can, a big change could be coming soon.
Washington Redskins (3-5) - The duo of Alfred Morris and the bionic RGIII has shown some fire in the first half, but nothing stands out on the other side of the ball. Being near the bottom of the barrel in points allowed, efforts need to be made to keep the offense from working too hard. They've been working hard enough as of late, winning three of the last five games, but more has to be done with a rougher schedule up ahead.
New York Giants (2-6) - They were the laughingstock of the NFC East up until two weeks ago. Eli Manning has had a pretty rotten run so far, and slowly but surely things are looking a little better for him. Recently coming off of a Bye week, they're hoping to ride momentum from their previous two wins. Is it going to keep Manning from turning the ball over? Let's hope so. They could really use it after the rotten luck the whole team has had this first half.

North Division

[Oh boy, I'm dealing with another three-way tie here.]
Detroit Lions (5-3) - Matt Stafford has been having a great year so far (better than usual), and although the defense isn't as fearful as it was last year, it has been enough to keep Lions fans hungry for a playoff spot. Fresh from a Bye week, we should see some more offensive explosions in this second half. Heheh--Megatron....explosions.
Chicago Bears (5-3) - 'Da Bears' special teams is highly underrated. Helping the offense along with points, things have been keeping up relatively well this season. On the other side of the coin, the defense doesn't look too good at all. Things are getting a little too close in games, and there could be issues if there aren't any major executive decisions made by coaching or an unsung hero on the field. A lot of divisional matches will be coming up with them. Get ready for a roller coaster ride.
Green Bay Packers (5-3) - Things may look good standings-wise, but with Aaron Rodgers out with an injury for a few weeks, this could test the rest of the offense. Aside from last week's hiccup in Chicago, the Packs have had a tough time dealing with some formidable defensive forces, showing a bit of vulnerability on the offensive side. Going back to Rodgers' injury, things could get ugly really fast unless Seneca Wallace can help the team out, unless the defense has something better in mind...
Minnesota Vikings (1-7) - Getting this out of the way now: From an outsider's view, Adrian Peterson is the only thing going right with the Vikings. Now that I've gotten that out of the way, their defense is the pits and it is in desperate need of repair. Numerous injuries all around the team have them in shambles as well. Christian Ponder might have to question his ability as a quarterback at this point, because things do not look good for this team in the offensive department from here on out.

South Division

New Orleans Saints (6-2) - Gotta love how Drew Brees throws for 300+ yards almost every single game. Considering how there are many divisional matchups with weaker defenses (aside from Carolina), we could be seeing more fireworks from the offense and an eventual playoff berth. What's that? You wanted to hear about the defense too? WHO DAT. They're just as scary-looking! The upset losses have been a hiccup, but we're looking at a very strong team here.
Carolina Panthers (5-3) - Well, this is refreshing. It seems like Cam Newton is finding his stride in this offense, and the defense is looking better than it has in years' past. In fact, they're second in the NFL in points allowed and rush yardage allowed. That's incredibly strong, and it's going to come in handy with a second half filled with strong offensive forces like the Saints and Patriots. I'm looking forward to seeing how they hold up. It could determine their worth in January.
Atlanta Falcons (2-6) - Injuries are crippling this team, and it is showing. We've seen a lot of woes on the defensive end, it it has been eating the Falcons' offense alive. Even though Matt Ryan has been having great stats in passing yards, it hasn't been enough to give them any effective wins. With some upcoming returns such as wide receiver Roddy White, we're hoping to see some normalcy in the team in the second half.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-8) - If you were wondering who that other team was that I was referring to above, here you are. We've had a lot of lesser-known names on this team, and truthfully, it's been hurting them. We've had some strong showings from the offense, but it doesn't seem like there is any good chemistry among anyone else on the squad. They have an easy-looking schedule in the second half, but that doesn't really mean much with the displays they have shown so far.

West Division

Seattle Seahawks (8-1) - This team is fun to watch. Their defense is fantastic, and Marshawn Lynch gets better and better with each season. We've seen some close games with these guys, but if they stay healthy and keep up their strong forts in the O-and D-Lines, we're going to have a super-strong playoff contender. My only concern is to see a more well-rounded offense. Here's looking at you, Russ.
San Francisco 49ers (6-2) - In his first full season as starting QB, Colin Kaepernick isn't doing too badly. Thing is, we're seeing a bit of a trend: run the ball all the way or wait until third down, and then try a pass play. It's simple. We're seeing a Mike Vick-like trend from the Niners' offense, while the defense has been holding down the opposition. This isn't a bad thing. However, it might not be enough for a Wild Card spot. More faith in the pass means better results.
Arizona Cardinals (4-4) - While a Carson Palmer-led offense looks promising, it doesn't look nearly as consistent as the Cards' defense. Aside from Week 1, we've seen victories from lesser-deserving teams, and that isn't much of a good thing. Once they start shocking the stronger teams, we could be talking about a spoiler in this spot.
St. Louis Rams (3-6) - These guys looked pretty good at the start and then they hit this speed bump and everything exploded in a cartoon fashion. An injury-ridden offense has been the catalyst for this, and numerous divisional matches could be a recipe for disappointment for Rams fans. Mr. Bradford, you're doing all you can. Mr. Jeff Fisher, coaching might be a little different from running a front office. Time to go back to 1999 brain mode.
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Ah, now that was fun. The next two months should be an interesting bum rush of football and divisional rivalries. Hopefully any controversies and issues going on right now will cease, because truthfully, all I wanna see is some football.

All the best to y'all, and see you in January.

--AZ

Stress Killer

While writing up the NFL Midseason Slant, I read on Twitter that Houston Texans' coach Gary Kubiak collapsed on the field and was taken off by stretcher. For the second time in a few days, a football coach is dealing with a serious health issue, the first being John Fox of the Denver Broncos. It's time for a side-quest, ladies and gentlemen. Achievement hunting = fun.

When you aren't the one in charge, you tend to see leaders as strong figures that handle the best and worst of people. You find yourself going: "Man, these guys are tough as nails," or "How do they keep going like this?" Beneath the facade of their leadership skills and their grit is something a little more serious--their health. While everything on the exterior seems unwavering, the interior may waver with the ebb and flow of the usual leadership duties. It's a known fact that people in charge often face the most amounts of stress and pressure. While the effects of stress may show in news reports and in press conferences, voice and outward appearance may not tell the whole story.

This past week, Denver Broncos' head coach John Fox was hospitalized for having heart attack-like symptoms. It has been announced that he will be undergoing an aortic valve replacement. Sunday night, Houston Texans' head coach Gary Kubiak collapsed on the field as he and his team were leaving the field at halftime. While it hasn't been announced that he had a similar issue, it has been stated that he was taken to the hospital as a precautionary measure.

When you hear these two reports, you tend to question how this all happens. They seem like relatively healthy guys, right? They don't seem to have any openly-known health problems. So what could be the issue? Let's put things into perspective here: they're head coaches for professional football teams. Their teams have been having issues on and off the field. They're stressed. Stress can hurt the insides and could actually cause heart problems. While I may be jumping to conclusions, it seems rather strange to have two cases like this happen in such a short spurt of time. The spotlight has been on the athletes for a very long time. It might be time to shift it to the coaches and officials. Why? Their jobs are stressful. Their jobs are giving them serious injuries on the inside.

What is this stress I'm talking about? I'll tell you about it. I survived college. I should know this business. Let's check the medical journal of Dr. AZ...

Disclaimer: I am not a medical professional. In fact, I am extremely clumsy with sharp objects.

Stress can be explained in several different ways. Simply put, it's any kind of pain or pressure placed upon an object. Stress can affect anything biologically, physiologically, and psychologically. It's like that horrible video game boss that takes fifty different forms and it gets stronger once you get it to a quarter health. Basic symptoms of stress include irritability, inability to sleep, mood swings, appetite changes, troubles with digestion, and changes in blood pressure. Stress, biologically and psychologically, can produce adrenaline or the "fight or flight" response in the brain. Yes, highly stressful times could either make you crash or have the capability to lift a car (dead serious). While adrenaline rushes can be beneficial at times, other chemicals produced by stress could disrupt bodily functions and adversely affect the immune and nervous systems.

When a coach handles issues with teammates or even the media, there is some amount of stress that comes with the territory. How the coach approaches it could determine the amount of stress that comes with it. Age and experience may be a good thing here, but you also have the problem of these external stimuli being overbearing to unnecessary proportions.

Calling a game isn't an easy job, either. When you have a professional game in your hands, no matter how good you are at your job, there is lots of stress. While the best of them handle it well, high-pressure situations take it's toll when least expected. When you have a lack of diet and exercise along with these stressful environments, you have a recipe for disaster at the front door.

In fact, MLB umpire Wally Bell, aged 48, died of an apparent heart attack in mid-October. His last appearance was working the NLDS series between the Pittsburgh Pirates and St. Louis Cardinals. With that said, he was the first active MLB umpire to die since the mid-1960's. At the age of 34 in 1999, he underwent quintuple bypass surgery to clear two fully-blocked arteries among other blockages, and returned three months later to officiate baseball games. While he continued his career after the fact, it is a tragedy to hear about a case such as his. He fought back after having severe heart trouble in his early 30's, and nearly fifteen years later he passes from a similar issue.

I could be making a mountain out of a molehill, but we've had two scares and a death in the American sports realm involving people in sports who weren't athletes. Do we have a legitimate problem here? Yes. I think we do. Although coaches and officials may have a decent diet with some exercise thrown in from time to time, stress can always throw a monkey wrench into your life.

Stress kills, ladies and gentlemen. I don't think that's a strange thing to point out.

I'm going to suggest this. What I say might not have a huge amount of weight in it, but it should be considered, as we've had a problem in the "it comes in threes" category. It should become a standard to have coaching staffs and officials take stress tests and get blood work done to check their overall physical health during the season. If this happens, this could actually cut down on any signs of future health problems, such as heart attack, stroke, or even panic/anxiety attacks. In Wally Bell's earlier case in '99, he might have been able to find his problem sooner and may not have had as major of a surgery as he did. While you might not always be able to pinpoint a heart attack or stroke, it can be avoided by certain dietary/medicinal regimens. It's 2013. I'm pretty sure we can cut down on major health risks by now. It can be done.

Aside from guys like Mike Tomlin (head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers) and the hiring of Brad Ausmus as new head coach of the Detroit Tigers, you will very rarely find a head coach that is under the age of 45. You don't often realize that you have some--excuse the expression--really old fogies running these teams. When a team is struggling, management gets rather stressful. If one cares enough, that coach will trudge through six-foot deep mud during a torrential downpour to get the team out of a rut, and it's going to hurt. Heck, some of the "younger guys" look like old men due to the effects of stress. We have some guys who have found the fountain of youth (i.e. Philadelphia Eagles' Chip Kelly is 49...and...yeah...), but again...it's what on the inside that counts here.

I'll admit it: While concussions, lower body injuries, and PED usage in athletes are major issues at hand, we tend to throw the health concerns of other people on the back burner. We tend to stop thinking about the other people involved in the sport, such as coaches, staff members, and officials. Their jobs aren't exactly a cakewalk either. While they aren't busting themselves out on the field physically, the stress they undergo does more damage than one may think. I hate reading about heart attacks and strokes, I really do. If anything, I'd like to read less about it and see sports organizations put more focus on the leaders and officials. We've done so much for the players; let's start seeing more done for the unsung heroes. They need attention too, you know.

--AZ

Batmen: Bearded Origins

Men fascinate me. The whole testosterone/manliness/hair thing is awkward. Don't get me wrong, I love growing out my hair and styling bangs and stuff...but the whole beard thing is weird. We women don't grow out our leg hair as a means of rallying. I'm just saying.

Beards. They come in many shapes and sizes. They come in different colors, lengths, thickness, and volumes. In olden days they were a sign of royalty, wisdom, virility, and also a sign that the man was hitched. Today, they can either be a sign of laziness, a need to keep the face warm in winter, and a new one: supporting a team. Ten years ago, it was a custom to have a team dye their hair to rally their team to the playoffs. It wouldn't be surprising to see key players on a team with their hair dyed blonde in support. Let's get real, here--that was really cheesy and was ten years too late considering the fact that we had the hair-frosting trends set in the 1990's. Today, the easiest (and healthiest) way to represent a team is to, well... "let their hair down."

The only thing I knew before this trend of any man supporting a cause by trimming their facial hair is for "Mo-vember," done every November to promote awareness for prostate cancer. In the sports world, athletes and male fans have insisted on going the whole nine and growing out a ZZ Top-styled beard in lieu of their favorite team.

For example, as you can see here, Dodgers pitcher Brian Wilson is rocking the Captain Lou Albano look. If you don't know who Capt. Lou is--which honestly determines how old you are--you can call it the Michael Gambon's Dumbledore look.

How does he sleep with that thing?

If you've been following the MLB Postseason, you can see that Brian Wilson isn't the only one sporting a beard. In fact, more than half of the Boston Red Sox are sporting a beard. It has gone so crazy that some of them have been growing and grooming them since the beginning of the season and they've created nicknames for some of the beards, like "The Serial Killer."

Nicknames. For their beards. Like they were their own children or something.

Moving right along...

The team that plays together, stays together. With that said, is this phenomenon another sign of superstition, or is it really a beckoning call to summon every defense and bulldoze the opposition?

Three years ago, I wrote about how superstitions are the religious glue that make the sports realm a tangible universe that fans and media outlets can portal themselves to. Different mantras and rituals exist in this mystical land. Heck, Bud Light had a whole advertising campaign built around it. Beard-growing has slowly, but surely become a growing (no pun intended) trend in sports over the past year or two. In fact, you could start to argue that it began a little earlier than that with numerous NFL players growing out their locks a-la Clay Matthews or Troy Polamalu. However, the beard sported by Brian Wilson himself during the San Francisco Giants' 2010 MLB Postseason run brought the "fear the beard" phase to the forefront, leading other fans and baseball players to sport the same look. While some considered it a "fashion statement," it almost had the same significance as a rally hat in the ninth inning or sporting a scarf on match day in soccer, but all day, every day.

Superstitions aside, this seems more like a unifying practice instead of a "if I shave, they're going to lose," kind of deal. Doing a collective action such as growing out beards shows a sense of unity among teammates and the fans. This is a very good sign. It reflects team chemistry and their passion to keep going. After all, if the fans are following suit, and you'd wanna help them out too, right?  Boston, normally called "Beantown" throughout the nation, has been referring to themselves as "Beardtown" throughout the Red Sox' playoff run. Fans are showing up to the stadiums wearing Father Time hairy beards and Santa beards in support, and with the weather getting cold, it's certainly keeping those fans warm with passion and excitement. [Good thing Halloween is coming up, eh?] Trends may come and go, but if there's any way to win over new audiences and grab more love and attention, bonding together and looking like a uniformed team is the way to go. Beards are a bit strange, I'll admit that, but if you've been watching the Red Sox in the playoffs, you can see a lot of the die-hard fans cheering on their team in the same way the team is displaying themselves on the field. In the case of rally towels...well, they're an added boost of momentum.
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Can I grow a beard? No. However, I personally know people who have for different reasons involving sports. While it might seem strange to me, there are bound to be other people out there like you that do the same thing for the same cause in other ways. Thing is, you just have to make sure it doesn't get out of hand and your boss or your wife comes in with shears. It's a physical badge of fandom, and men (and women with fake ones) wear them loud and proud if their team is relying on their momentum.

I'm just going to feel bad for you if your team loses and then you have to shave the whole thing off. That is going to take a while, and it's probably going to hurt.

(Sucks to be you...)

--AZ

The Struggle for Attention

When you're the middle child, you often find yourself struggling for attention and fight to get the attention in any way possible. This is for you guys out there. (points) (puts on aviators and strums guitar) As a soccer fan, it's time to speak up.

With the mainstream "big four" (MLB, NFL, NBA, and NHL) touting their successes all over North America, other sports are struggling to gain their attention by other outside fanbases. For example, there are circles out there in North America that are die-hard fans of women's basketball, lacrosse, and softball. There is another circle that is bigger than these three combined, but still cannot break through to the big time no matter what goes on. I'm talking about Major League Soccer. Founded 18 years ago, this league has been through numerous highs and lows and has now become an outlet for older athletes to find refuge in the sports they absolutely love to play.

Does this mean that their perseverance gives them recognition on the big North American Sports Stage? Oh heck no. Would you like an example? I'll give you one:

Philadelphia is well-known for being a sports city with a harsh reputation. Recently, the Philadelphia Flyers fired head coach Peter Laviolette, and mainstream media outlets claimed that Eagles' head coach Chip Kelly, hired in the beginning of 2013, was now the longest-tenured head coach in Philadelphia sports. This actually angered a lot of Philadelphia Union fans, even grabbing the attention of head coach John Hackworth. Hackworth, rising to his position in mid-2012, was asked about this mainstream statement in a press conference held a few days after the news broke. He stated: “I think it’s incredible that in this day and age, in the world we live in, with how popular our sport is, that in a city that says that it is such a sports town, to say that, ‘Eh, it doesn’t count as one of the top professional sports.’ I think that’s crazy” (CBS Philly). Even when Freddy Adu was a member of the Union, people didn't care. I don't even think they'd care if David Beckham came out of retirement and played for them. That is how many blind eyes are turned toward soccer in various regions. You can blame the media all you want, but with the perennial status of baseball and basketball and the high-octane violence factor of hockey and American football, soccer often gets pushed out in favor of the other four. Why? It is often perceived by the non-informed North American that it's a "high-class sport" filled with over-the-top injury fakers and that, simply put, it isn't a real sport. From a personal standpoint, I can't begin to tell you how many times I've heard both of those statements used in an argument as to why soccer couldn't survive in North American culture.

Major League Soccer has had many rough patches in the 20 years its been around, and most of it has revolved around their performance in the previous FIFA World Cup Tournaments. Fortunately, they've had the support from businesses and other endorsements to keep them afloat. On the other hand, the women haven't been so fortunate. It's sad, but the story of the 1999 US Women's team died almost as quickly as they rose. Sure, they had a run with a soccer league (the WUSA) but that ceased in 2003. With the 2004 and 2008 Olympic runs came the WPS, and that fell apart within a few years. They won the gold medal in the 2012 Olympics, and a new league, the National Women's Soccer League, was born. In fact, they just recently concluded their inaugural season. This gain by the women's team has also been seen as a huge gain for the US Men's team in years past. In 2002, they had an impressive World Cup run that led them to the Quarterfinal match, and that helped the MLS' cause after losing a few teams a few years prior. Their recent successes has also garnered attention from outside fans and gives the option for these outsiders to check out other leagues such as MLS.

Like other smaller-scale sports, soccer falls victim to a restricted fanbase. It isn't like the marketing and advertising is poor, but the only audience comes from the people who either A - grew up playing the sport in a recreational league, or B - grew up in the culture itself. Again, from a personal standpoint, I started playing soccer when I was about seven, and my interest in the sport spiked after watching the 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup Final. After watching other leagues, I was immersed in the sport and learned to appreciate it more. Some people don't have the time nor the care to do the same. It can be a huge problem, especially when match day falls on a Sunday, which is when 90% of NFL games are played. Currently, there's the issue of the MLS season running into competition from the other three major leagues during the spring months (the typical MLS season and playoff schedule runs from March through November). If the MLS schedule were to change to align with the European leagues--August through May--You run into all four sports in one swift burst, regardless of whether it's the regular season or not. You either stick to what you know or get judged for doing otherwise. It's a normal part of society, ladies and gentlemen.

Another problem that could rise from this is the overall level of MLS compared to leagues in South America and in Europe. It's not like this is a pee-wee league compared to a league like the British Premier League [it sort of is, but let's roll with the punches here], but the sport is taken more seriously and is instilled in players at a very young age. Just as there are mini camps for baseball and football in North America, there are long-term camps and facilities that exist for teams in England and in Spain. These men and women are taught the mechanics and are raised by organizations to play for their squads one day and show elite talent through the years. We, the people of the United States, read that and think that is the craziest thing to ever exist. It almost comes off as inhumane. Truth be told, it's an art out there; it's treated like dance or gymnastics or music. You have to eat, drink, breathe, and sleep the sport. While I'm not saying that no sport is taken seriously here, sports aren't seen as attainable a career by American society because it takes more effort and it might have to begin at a younger age as opposed to starting a trade in college and building off of that. Admit it, the sports industry in the United States is heavily hit-and-miss, and you have to be in the right place at the right time (and HEALTHY) to hit it off somewhere. We're in a survival of the fittest culture as opposed to a youth enrichment culture.
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When I think of how MLS is treated as opposed to the "big four," I think of Mean Girls.



MLS seems out of place when it comes to competing against the other major sports, especially since it is more of a tradition-based sport. In short, soccer can be considered a completely different entity and might be a bit overwhelming to outsiders that never gave the sport a chance as a youth or at any other crucial point in life. You cannot truly persuade someone to accept a sport; they have to walk into it themselves and decide whether soccer has a chance of being a major sport in North America. Of course, it doesn't help matters when the person is completely turned off to even watching the sport or even bothering to give it a chance. Such is life.

With that said, MLS certainly has the credentials to be the diamond in the rough in North America, and with some additional support from various soccer programs, we could have a force to be reckoned with when it comes to International play. Wouldn't it be nice to be fearsome in more than one or two sports?

--AZ
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Many thanks to Brian Barrish from The Soccer Desk for fact-checking.
Go check out the site!

The MLB Postseason Slant for 2013 - The Time Is NOW

I love how I had to wait for the American League Wild Card Playoff-Playoff to pan out. I don't like this eleventh hour business, but que sera sera. It's time for October. It's the best month of the year. It is because I said so.

Oh look, I just quoted John Cena.

And I probably just lost a bunch of readers.

Later, fools.

IT'S THE MOST WONDERFUL TIME OF THE YEAR!

2013 MLB POSTSEASON

This season went by incredibly fast. Well, that is the season minus the last two weeks of it. Considering that there have been numerous retirement announcements from Vladimir Guerrero, Andy Pettitte, and Todd Helton, eyes have been getting pretty teary around here. All tear-ridden goodbyes aside, things have gotten pretty exciting all around the league. Races have been tight, especially the Wild Card races. It's so tight that I'm going extremely late with this post. Such is life, right?

We ready for another October blitz? The time is now, my friends.

(You can't see me.)

National League Contenders

Atlanta Braves (96-66) - After a shaky first half, and having critics slam them for not being able to capitalize with guys on base, they've shut mouths up relatively quickly. Younger guys are moving up in the ranks, and guys like Freddie Freeman keep the offense trucking along. I don't know what happened to those Upton boys though. If we're going to see these guys make it to the end, they need to keep hot and use the same formula that got them out of the nebula of confusion in the beginning months.

St. Louis Cardinals (97-65) - While it didn't look like these guys had it all the way for a little while, the Cards have been known to turn it up in the second half over the past few years. The pitching looks as great as it has been in times past. Everything just seems to click with this team, and as usual, they've been here before and can be considered a huge threat. We've got some MVP-like candidates on this team, and it's going to take everything they have to keep the fire in October.

Los Angeles Dodgers (92-70) - Remember when they were dwelling in the basement after the first half? Then they realized they had the largest payroll in the National League and were like: "Oh, we should be earning this money" and they ended up going 42-8 over a 50-game stretch. I know. It was insane. I watched a lot of it. Yasiel Puig has become an overnight sensation, and Clayton Kershaw is one of the most dominant pitching forces in MLB. Everyone else follows suit.
No swimming pools here, boys.

[Wild Card] Pittsburgh Pirates (94-68) - Whoaaaaaaaa. After 20 years, these guys are back, and I won't lie, they're looking pretty darn good. The pitching staff is one of the strongest in the league, and they've picked up the pace when the offense would stumble. Behind MVP candidate Andrew McCutchen, their one-game playoff against their NL Central rival should be an exciting one.

[Wild Card 2] Cincinnati Reds (90-72) - As you can tell, the NL Central is always red-hot, no pun intended.  That has mostly been attributed to their consistent pitching staffs, especially from the Reds' bullpen. Expect a massive duel of the forts against the Bucs. Legends will be made in the lineup that night. We'll see if Joey Votto can lead along.

American League Contenders

Boston Red Sox (97-65) - These guys are in it and the Yankees aren't. It's like atoms were split. Speaking of atoms, there are a lot of guys that have built this team up to be a total powerhouse, and they've been doing extremely well in fending off the opposition. The team average is tops in all of MLB, and the pitching is one of the most efficient out of the AL East contenders. Is it time to ship up to Boston this year? Building up the team like atoms are going to be key, as no man is an island in Beantown.

Detroit Tigers (93-69) - If you're looking at the team at face-value, you wouldn't be shocked. They've been doing the right things throughout the season. Their hitting is the best in the AL and they're absolutely ferocious as a staff in hitting and pitching with Miggy, Prince, and Torii at the plate, and Justin, Anibal, and Max at the mound. This team might not look extremely scary by record, but mother of pearl, they totally are. Fear these guys.

Oakland Athletics (96-66) - Are we getting a Moneyball: Round 2 this year? While the team looks slightly different than it did last year, you will see that different players pull through for the staff each night. Their pitching is especially effective, and it will make a difference against the other Division-winning teams. Bartolo Colon is a total beast, and Andrew Griffin is right behind him. Let's hope that the offense can stay strong.

[Wild Card] Cleveland Indians (92-70) - It's pretty nice to see these guys back in October again. After a few seasons of harsh animosity, we have a strong pitching staff and a clutch-at-times lineup. Will this be enough after a one-game playoff? The Rays may be riding on momentum based on their pre-playoff game, so the Wahoos have to want this in order to make it to the next level. They might not have the best of stats compared to the other contenders, but they have the smarts and the tools to turn it on.

[Wild Card 2] Tampa Bay Rays (91-71) - Nice show in the playoff-playoff, eh? These guys have a nice mix of youth and veterans that can aid each other in working out a strong playoff run. The one advantage these guys have is that they have the momentum from playing the Rangers and doing extremely well. We've seen this before. I'd like to see them make some fireworks in a playoff series.
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Individual Winners

NL MVP - Andrew McCutchen (Pittsburgh Pirates) - He's always been toward the top in stats, and this has definitely been his year to shine. I would be severely shocked if he didn't get this one.
Next Best Choice: Yadier Molina (St. Louis Cardinals)

NL Cy Young - Clayton Kershaw (Los Angeles Dodgers) - This guy is a tank. It should tell you something if his ERA is under 2.00. That is all.
Next Best Choice: Adam Carpenter (St. Louis Cardinals)

NL Rookie of the Year - Yasiel Puig (Los Angeles Dodgers) - I'm going down the beaten path this year, but he adjusted incredibly well to his team and was a catalyst for wins at times. Sounds like a winner here.
Next Best Choice: Jose Fernandez (Miami Marlins)

AL MVP - Mike Trout (Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim) - In his sophomore season, he's been breaking faces, records, and making people like me feel like I'm doing nothing with my life. Here's to hoping he doesn't fall apart after this.
Next Best Choice: Miguel Cabrera (Detroit Tigers)

AL Cy Young - Max Scherzer (Detroit Tigers) - I didn't choose this strictly on wins. He has been consistent all season and kept his cool throughout. His stats are also boasting CY numbers.
Next Best Choice: Yu Darvish (Texas Rangers)

AL Rookie of the Year - Wil Myers (Tampa Bay Rays) - He's turned it on as of late and his proving his worth under pressure. Especially with Tampa Bay's push for the postseason, that should account for something.
Next Best Choice: Chris Archer (Tampa Bay Rays)

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While I'm sad that another baseball season is over, October is a huge cherry on top and gives the MLB season a big sendoff. Let's hope for some of that magic to come back all over again.

--AZ

Red Whines: Hits and Complete Misses

Don't get me wrong, I'm a believer in the direction the NFL is taking when it comes to concussions, but what I saw and heard during the preseason and Week 1 when it came to lower hits is absolutely ridiculous. It's time to whine.

The NFL season officially kicked off on Thursday night and came in with a bang. The games on Sunday and Monday also went off without a hitch. One thing that may have caught your eye this past weekend is the lack of helmet-to-helmet contact against opposing players. While fights did break out in various games, you didn't see anything substantial in head injuries unless it was a freak collision between two teammates making a sandwich of another player. The more common sight in tackles and take-downs happened below the belt. While it was safer on the heads of players, it was noticed in preseason that other injuries were flowing from these lower hits.

During preseason, numerous offensive players were going down with leg injuries including ankle sprains and torn knee ligaments. While it is common to see some players go down early due to the process of conditioning and getting back in the grind going slower than usual, the frequency of lower-body injuries is starting to scare teams and analysts. One noted lower-body hit that occurred on Sunday wasn't clean, but the rest that led to the freak injuries were regarded as clean and not penalties. Over the past several days, football analysts have been putting their thoughts out over the airwaves and they've been quite vocal over the excessive lower-body hits and how players may be defenseless in these acts.

Those opinions are theirs. I can't judge the analysts on these hits. My upcoming opinions shouldn't be over-judged either.

Amid this turmoil, what upsets me is the mentality that some of the players have about where the hits happen and how long they have to sit out for their injuries. Players would rather get concussed and sit out for a week than getting a knee or an ankle injury and be out for a month or two.

^This is me.^

Let us begin to discuss how stupid that philosophy is. No, it shouldn't have to be discussed. The stupidity of that should just be acknowledged.

A concussion isn't your average injury. If you have never received one yourself, you don't realize how lousy and horrible that single week is. You're dealing with a brain injury, and those effects will stick around with you for life in small ways. Multiple ones will definitely screw you up. Heck, read the posts I've written about the various matters and get educated. [Article 1, Article 2] It's one thing to be "manly" and tough, but human health is more important in the long run than a paycheck. Sure, the taxes are going to kill in the future, but in my opinion, I'd much rather be poor than have a corroded brain and having memory/cognition problems.

But wait, there's more poker face-induced business. The NFL has been looking into tackles around the knee area and possibly thinking of a ban on lower hits.
You can read that article here.

Any less hits and we're going to call the NFL a two-hand-touch league. Lower-body hits and injuries happen in hockey and sometimes in soccer too. As hard-hitting as football is, it's almost expected to see someone get hurt. No man is invincible. When the adrenaline in pumping and you're looking to take a player to the ground, you don't really have the time to think of where you're hitting him. Sometimes, the mid-body hits (like the ribs) doesn't get the guy down, and aiming low is the best bet to ground him. There's a difference between being careful with your athletes and being overprotective. The fans go for the hard hits, and the athletes want to earn their paycheck and do whatever they can to win. You can't take all the hits away from them. While the head hits are understandable, the lower shots are a bit of a stretch.

We might as well be watching the games here if that were to happen.

I'll admit it: this is a really, really dumb issue that needed to be ripped apart. Let's not take the game away completely, fellas. The point of football is to be physical and get the job done. If you take away all of the options, you might as well be on your couch playing the Madden games.

In the case of what football broadcasters are saying, I respect their opinion. Most of these analysts are former players and coaches themselves, and they know the pain and harrowing rehabilitation processes that follow these lower-body injuries. However, it should also be known that it's a part of the game and it really can't be avoided--just like the freak concussions occurring from teammate collisions on a tackle. Accidents happen. While the safety of the teams are key, this is the price that is going to be paid each and every time they step out onto the field.

--AZ

Team Loss = Weight Gain?

I read an article on the Huffington Post earlier in the week about bulging waistlines when it came to sports. I was like "What?" and it got me thinking about a whole bunch of things. Are we really that invested in a team or in players that we get depressed and stress-eat way too easily? Here we go...

Close your eyes. No. That's a bad idea--you wouldn't be able to read this.

Imagine. There. That's better.

Your favorite team is doing extremely well in a game against the rival team. However, the rival team comes back and your favorite team chokes and eventually loses the game in a horrible fashion. Your life seems to be in shambles because you had so much faith in your team. You're sad. How do you handle this?

Some people might not go through this often, while others may experience the hurt and pain all of the time. Being a faithful fan has perks, but when you live and die with a team, you not only share in their successes but share in their sorrows as well. I remember writing a long time ago how being a fan of particular sports teams can be compared to being in an abusive relationship. When one goes through a bad breakup, one handles it in different ways, such as moping, excessive crying, compulsive shopping, or taking in exorbitant amounts of food and drinks (usually alcohol). When a major game is coming up, one gets mentally ready for the date with destiny. If it ends terribly, the emotional soul could be wrecked and one may need to fill the empty space with some sort of temporary happiness.

You can read the article right here.
After reading the article, I disagreed with the statement. Firstly, the study was rather small-scale and only covered NFL fans. As I had said on Twitter earlier this week, it wasn't representative of the whole sports-spectating population. Some of the survey questions that were mentioned in the article made me laugh because the choices were so polarizing (chips/candy or grapes/tomatoes). Because of the study conducted, I had no choice but to challenge the findings and argue from the other side. However, there were a few good observations made in the article, and I'll lay them out for you here.

First, we can admit that they have a lot of common sense working in their favor to begin with.
The main argument working for this article is that the study only involved American football fans. Their reasoning and findings may prove true since teams only play once a week, and there are often times where friends go over to friends' houses or families get together to watch the game. Not just that, but people also make their ways to bars and restaurants on Sundays to watch the game. If the team isn't doing well, or if there's enough people in the area to socialize with, mindless social eating and drinking can occur. That makes total sense, right?

The second argument isn't mentioned in the Huff Post article, but based on my own experiences, this other argument can fit in quite nicely with the findings of the study.
Those who are die-hard fans of football and baseball may take part in fantasy leagues. While some of these leagues may be for fun, some of them have money involved in the process. I'm pretty sure that anybody would be upset if they were out on cash if their teams or particular players from teams weren't playing so well. Fantasy leagues (which is something I'd like to write about someday) get the fan up-close and personal with running a team and becoming as knowledgeable about stats and team building as possible. When it falls flat and you run out of cash and hope, bad things could definitely happen.
I've also seen and heard about fantasy drafts that are held at parties and is treated like some sort of competitive holiday. If look at the argument before this, mindless social eating/drinking isn't gauged; for instance, think of the way you eat at Thanksgiving or Christmas. It works like that.

Those things I can understand by the article; however, there's always another side to a story and always a counterargument to a theory.

What if some of the fans investigated are athletes as well? I know it seems like I'm digging for counterarguments, but there are people out there who enjoy sports and are in a decent amount of shape. I've stated before that I am a Phillies fan. They've been doing pretty poorly this year, and I don't really find myself overeating because of how badly they've been playing. Also, I don't think I did any overeating when I got my rear end handed to me week after week in that random 20-team fantasy football league that I did last year with Andrew. That was horrible. Anyway, there are people out there that have other outlets than eating. Mine just happened to involve lifting a lot of weights. I know a Steelers fan that isn't a compulsive eater when they get totally embarrassed. I also know a lot of Cubs fans that find other ways to exert anger and depression after continuing their losing streak year after year. Regardless of sport, not everyone has the easiest of access to junk food when their team loses.

The second counterargument I have is this: sporting events are social events--everyone is going to be eating in some way. Plus, it's rather obvious that the study conducted doesn't really help the cause of alleviating the struggles of the expanding waistline in the United States. It's nothing new when news outlets say "there's a new study out" that the United States has a massive problem when it comes to heart disease, diabetes, and other physical health ailments that stem from obesity. More people are overweight in the US than in most "first-world countries" combined, and the eating/drinking lifestyle proves that. Also, the amount of physical activity is relatively low. Most people work at sedentary jobs, and other don't "find the time" to exercise or have the ability to make healthier choices. Our genes don't necessarily work well in our favor, either. Just think: there are people in England and other European countries that treat soccer like a religion and things can get extremely ugly when a team loses. A lot of drinking can be involved at times. However, they're not as heavy-set as we are, right?
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This is a rather interesting study conducted, and I had enjoyed reading the article. It also gave me a good reason to write about an ongoing major issue that people in the United States are trying to fight. While it was a small study, it brings spectator lifestyles into light, and maybe it's a reality check to some people. To be honest, I never thought that sporting events could make me eat more if my team lost. I have some good willpower, but nothing is impossible.

Do you find yourself gaining a little weight or adopting other rotten habits because of the woes of your favorite team?

--AZ