The Cerebral Vortex

A Non-Traditional Sports Fan in America - ISC #0035

Bigalke — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 06:46:34 GMT

What do Nick Batum and Lionel Messi, Alex Rodriguez and Yao Ming, etc. etc. have in common? They've all traveled a long, long way from home to where the competition is fiercest and the paychecks are biggest in their respective sports. No longer are the teams we root for truly representative of the communities in which we live, as the rapid globalization of the planet leads to homogenization and a cosmopolitan appearance to most every enterprise.

It's funny how a simple car ride can spark such discussion, especially when it is being undertaken to go to a sporting event. I had the good fortune to go to my first Blazers game in Portland on Tuesday, and the car ride found me expanding outward from all the thoughts I'd started articulating in last week's edition of A Non-Traditional Sports Fan in America. Now I can't seem to get the intertwined topic out of my head, as the vines continue to wrap around the subject from all directions...

It was a great game. Portland was really on in the first quarter, hitting buckets and making Atlanta miss. They had a ten-point lead by the time the first ended and we went to get beers. The Hawks really started coming on in the second, pressing the pace and getting themselves better looks on the basket. The Blazers held a slim lead, 49-48, at halftime...

We went out and had a cigarette and got more beers, and by the time the second half started and Atlanta started coming toward the hoop on our side of the arena, I was already starting to get hoarse from all the yelling....

Atlanta just took over in the second half. Portland was lobbing up terrible jump shots that had no hope in hell of going in. The Hawks started moving the ball around better, and Jamal Crawford had the hot hand for the visitors. I had fun, though, despite the 97-91 defeat... a great first game at the Rose Garden, for sure!

But it was hardly the result of the tough loss, Portland's second in a row at home, which swirled through my head on the car ride home back to Eugene. Despite all the radio commentary trying to get me thinking about the game, something else was dawning upon me as more linkages between this and that story popped up in the brainstem and begged to be let out into the cerebral vortex. So follow the link and enjoy the journey into a wider discussion about the topics touched upon last week as this non-traditional sports fan in America lets it all out...

FOLLOW THE LINK TO INFORMATIVESPORTS.COM

Oregon @ Boise State -- Aftermath

Bigalke — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 23:34:17 GMT

The dust has settled from last night's absurd affair in southwest Idaho. Boise State's players and personnel were able to sleep soundly last night in the knowledge that they had secured front-runner status early as the BCS Buster team to watch this season. The Broncos had proven several questions about themselves in their 19-8 victory over Oregon Thursday night:

Their receiving corps are far better than we might've expected at the beginning of the season. In our preseason preview for Informative Sports, John Mitchell and I looked long and hard at this group of receivers and wondered long and hard how well they would perform. Jeremy Childs, Vinny Perretta and Julian Hawkins all were no longer there to provide Kellen Moore with familiar targets. But last night Austin Pettis (6 rec/68 yds/1 TD), Titus Young (5 rec/46 yds), and tight end Kyle Efaw (4 rec/54 yds) all stepped up and consistently burned an admittedly rebuilt Ducks secondary. The Broncos appear to have sufficiently replaced all their holes in the passing game from last season.
The running game is just fine despite the graduation of campus legend Ian Johnson. The hero of the 2006 Fiesta Bowl against Oklahoma who is known as much for his rushing prowess as his on-field proposal to cheerleader Chrissy Popadics, Johnson had been relegated to a dual-back role with current starter Jeremy Avery and finished with less than a thousand yards for the first time since his freshman year. But he still graduated as the WAC's all-time leader in rushing touchdowns with 58, and his 4184 career rushing yards are less than three-hundred yards behind the school's career leader, CFL and NFL journeyman Cedric Minter, who racked up his 4475 career yards in Division I-AA. But Avery has gained valuable experience each of the past two seasons, gaining over 600 yards in both 2007 and 2008. Last night he got 27 carries and found 74 hard-fought yards. His partner in the revamped backfield, junior D.J. Harper, got 19 more touches and picked up 88 more yards for the offense.
The defense, which plays in that quirky 4-2-5 scheme that is so prevalent in the non-BCS conferences as teams attempt to find ways to counter tha multitude of variations on the spread offense being played around the nation, is going to keep the Broncos in even the tightest of games. Even when the offense faltered, especially in the red zone, and coughed up the football three times, the defense never allowed Oregon to get comfortable on the Smurf Turf. The Ducks were held without a first down in the first half, a rarity for an offense which put up nearly 500 yards a game last season and boasted the second-ranked rushing attack in the nation. Jeremiah Masoli was never allowed to get comfortable in the pocket, tossing a pick and taking a sack and generally failing to be his explosive dual-threat self that led many to consider him a darkhorse Heisman hopeful in the preseason.
The kicking game still needs work. Kyle Brotzman, the junior who has served as both kicker and punter for the past two seasons, still is not nearly as polished as Chris Peterson had hoped when he was recruited out of Meridian High School. He went 1-for-3 on field-goal attempts, missing from 29 and 47 from the left hashmark before connecting from 45 yards out with the ball dead center in the middle of the field to close out the first half. Peterson felt compelled to fake a field goal in the second half because of his ineptitude, and the team never attempted an extra point. Brotzman was vaunted as a freshman when he went 16-for-18 (with both his misses beyond 40 yards) and a perfect 66-for-66 on extra points. He regressed into a sophomore slump, hitting only 17-of-26 (making two successful attempts outside 50 yards but going only 8-for-13 from 30-39 yards out and 3-for-7 from 40-49). He remained perfect on extra points, 50-for-50, but was called upon less. It looks like his freshman year was more a case of beginner's luck than his sophomore year was just slumps or the jitters of heightened expectation. As a standout punter, Brotzman is still a valuable asset. He booted two of his three punts last night inside the 20, and had a 43.7 average to go right along with his career averages of the past two seasons. But Peterson might find it wise to begin recruiting kickers for next season...

But while all the evidence is right there to swoon over Boise State, there's nothing to celebrate for Oregon after all the preseason platitudes heaped upon them. All that will likely be remembered from this contest by the end of the season is the deplorable post-game behavior of Oregon's senior running back LeGarrette Blount. Before the game, Blount was vocal in his feelings of disgust toward Boise State. All throughout the game, though, the senior failed to produce the kind of performance that would allow him to walk the walk that his talk had insinuated. Rushing backward for five lost yards on eight carries, Blount had three memorable plays.

The first was a ten-yard rush on 3rd and 18 in the first quarter that would prove to be his longest carry of the game. The second was his successful carry for the two-point conversion after Jeremiah Masoli punched in the Ducks' only touchdown with 4:21 left in the third quarter. And the last, the most televised, the one that will be indelibly etched into the most casual of football fan's mind for posterity, was his post-game confrontation with Boise State defensive end Byron Hout. After Hout had come toward him on the field after the final whistle, he jawed something at the running back and then smacked him on his shoulder pads. Blount, in a split-second reaction, turned around and -- as a Boise State coach held Hout to discipline him for his actions -- coldcocked the defender with a right cross that felled the guy.

The ensuing debacle, with Blount rushing at the stands (where no phantom chair-wielding fan ever materialized in the videotape) and being literally hoisted off the field by security and policemen down the tunnel and out of the stadium, will be our last memories of the young man who showed so much promise last season with his own shared backfield role with Jeremiah Johnson. Each back went for over a thousand yards, Blount helping to soften the blow of losing Jonathan Stewart to the Carolina Panthers of the NFL. But in the offseason he allowed himself to get out of shape, undoubtedly a factor in his non-factor status for the Thursday night contest. He broke team rules blatantly and earned himself indefinite team suspension, only to be reinstated before preseason training sessions.

The suspension commences anew, and there is nothing indefinite about it. LeGarrette Blount has likely touched a football field of anything bigger than a Sunday-afternoon pickup game amongst friends for the last time in his life. The senior earned a year-long suspension, announced today by the University of Oregon, meaning that he'll never play another down of college ball. After being projected anywhere from the third to the fifth round of the 2010 NFL Draft, he'd be lucky to find himself a spot in the CFL now (though Ricky Williams did keep getting his chances, eh?)

For the Ducks to move on, they must take solace in the few promising pieces they did discover. Their true freshman punter, Jackson Rice, is a more than able replacement for the graduated Josh Syria. In their backfield they still have Andre Crenshaw, a senior who has sufficient past experience in this offense over the past three years to perform... and then there's LaMichael James, the freshman from Texarkana who has been hyped as the next big-time back for Oregon and showed glimpses in his few touches last night of being able to deliver. He caught one ball in the flat for three yards, and got two carries -- one a five-yard carry on 2nd and 9 to start the game, the other a 17-yard burst which put Oregon inside the Boise State 5 and into position for their only points of the game. An increased role for James might mean that the Blount suspension is addition by subtraction for the Ducks offense.

But there's no sugar-coating things in Eugene. The Oregon offense has a long way to go to find itself. Masoli never looked comfortable in the pocket or on the run, and it looks as though he is not yet sharp. He will have to get his head fully into the game quickly for the Ducks to have a chance at rebounding next week against a Purdue team that will be motivated themselves by revenge fantasies after Oregon came into West Lafayette last season and knocked off the Boilermakers in a stirring 17-point comeback culminating with a plunge over the goal line in the second overtime by... LeGarrette Blount.

Chip Kelly must quickly find his swagger again. The Ducks must flock together and find their dormant potential after a lethargic summer of overconfidence and a heaping helping of flowery short-sighted praise. If they are going to be on any sort of form to compete on a BCS level, to fight for the Pac-10 -- to be anywhere in the neighborhood of last evening's vanquisher, the non-BCS squad that plays as though they are more deserving of a BCS slot than many BCS teams -- they will need to take stock and regroup quickly. In the aftermath of last night's wild turn of events, two schools appear headed on two wildly divergent paths...

Zach Bigalke is the managing editor of Informative Sports and a regular contributor to FanNation and Helium.

Oregon @ Boise State -- Thoughts Upon the Final Whistle...

Bigalke — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 05:31:18 GMT

THOUGHTS FROM THE FIRST HALF

THOGUHTS AFTER THE FIRST DUCKS SCORE

Boise State came out after the Oregon touchdown and simply continued to move the ball down the field. Far from being shook up, Kellen Moore continued to find his receivers. D.J. Harper had rushed for four yards on the first two downs before Kellen Moore found Titus Young for a ten-yard reception and a first down. Then, stepping into the pocket, Moore found tight end Richie Brockel for a 12-yard gain. But the Ducks, hitting him as he came down with the ball, forced the fumble. Terrell Turner came up with the recovery for Oregon, and the Ducks seemed to have new life.

It wouldn't last long. Oregon nearly had the big play they've been craving all night, when Masoli fired away and found wide receiver Jamere Holland streaking up the middle of the field. But just like the butterfingers that preceded him at the position for Oregon, Holland bobbled the ball and blew his chance at glory. But then the flags became apparent, and it was revealed that the play wouldn't have counted anyway. On the next play, Masoli forced a pass that Bronco linebacker Aaron Tevis nabbed.

Boise State, though, was no more confident of their place in this game at this point than were Oregon. Three straight rushes led to 4th and 1 for the Bronco offense. The kicking team came out, but Brotzman would not try for the field goal. Just 1 for 3 so far in the game on field-goal attempts, the Broncos instead attempted the fake from one yard out, but Oregon sniffed out the fake. Michael Choate, who had scored the first two-point conversion attempt for Boise State before failing on his pass attempt on the second, was credited with a 23-yard loss and a sack after being flagged for intentional grounding and getting penalized at the spot of the foul.

Masoli took the ball and tossed a 27-yard strike to backup tight end David Paulson. Just outside the Boise State 30-yard-line, Masoli kept the ball on the next play... and picked up six yards before regurgitating the rock and handing the ball right back to the home team.

Something is going on in Boise. There's no moisture in the air in Boise; the game started in 88-degree weather on a partly cloudy Idaho day. The humidity was just 17 percent, so moisture cannot be attributed to all the fumbles in this game. Because as soon as Boise State got the ball back, there they were, bobbling the snap right after getting the turnover. Oregon recovered the ball along the line, and counted their lucky stars after getting another first down right back where they'd just coughed up their previous chance.

The Ducks bog down now, with their chance right there before them. A holding penalty pushes them back ten yards right off the bat. Masoli completed to Maehl on 1st and 20 to get back eight of the yards. 2nd and 12 saw Maehl and Masoli hook back up for nine more. Now 3rd and 3, this was the big play for Oregon in this game. LeGarrette Blount pounded through the line, but Boise State stopped him a yard shy of the first-down marker. Decision time was there for Chip Kelly in his first game as a Division I head coach. On the Boise State 22, Kelly decided to go for it. Putting the ball in the hands of Blount, his bowling ball in the backfield, the Ducks crossed their fingers... and lost one yard, turning over the ball on downs and leaving behind three potential points that could've come off the foot of senior placekicker Morgan Flint.

After the stop, Boise State's offense was fired up to pay back their defense for the stop and for getting them back on the Smurf Turf. After taking a holding penalty, Kellen Moore stepped right up again and flung another arrow to Austin Pettis, this time for 25 yards down to midfield. First down was swallowed up after a one-yard ground gain. Second down was tipped by an Oregon pass rusher, falling benignly to the turf. On third down, Terrell Turner stepped up and nearly caught an interception for the Ducks. But despite the lack of hands from their defender, Oregon got the ball back after a Brotzman punt. After penalty flags flew, Oregon got pushed back another ten yards for an illegal block in the back. For all the luck that has gone Oregon's way so far in this game, the Ducks can't seem to get a break.

Another three and out, and Oregon's player of the game so far comes back into the game. It's never a good thing when your true freshman punter is the best player in the game so far. But Jackson Rice has proven so far why he was considered the top punting recruit in the nation, and why it was a minor coup when perennial darkhorse and frequent underachiever Oregon landed him. With seven punts at this point, he has put an average of 43.8 yards per punt on each attempt with a long of 53, including his first collegiate attempt that ended in coffin-corner perfection, landing inside the Boise State 5.

But Kellen Moore flubbed it again. Another fumble... another defensive recovery. Oregon got the ball back on the Boise State 37, and promptly turned around and nearly gave the ball right back. Trying to force the ball through a needle, Masoli nearly allowed the ball to be picked off. On second down, he decided after going through his passing progressions to burst outside. Putting his head down like the fullback that he appears, he lowered a shoulder and gained three yards before a jarring collision along the right sideline. With 3rd and 7, the Ducks break down in protection and allow Masoli to be sacked for a seven-yard loss. Going for it on fourth down, Masoli was able to find LeMichael James in the flat, but the freshman from Texarkana was able to gain only _ yards and failed to get the first down. Another turnover on downs for the Ducks, another opportunity lost...

Oregon seemed to never get their option-rushing attack going to its full potential in this game, and by the time their offense finally fired up somewhat they were too far down and required to continue throwing the ball. And when you get Masoli into a gunfight with Kellen Moore, he's going to lose that battle quickly. Austin Pettis is already a brilliant target for Moore, catching every ball tossed his way and making one big play after another. For Masoli, his most familiar target from last year's crew is Jeffrey Maehl, who caught 39 passes last year for 421 yards and five touchdowns. He's growing into an able target, but by no means is he on the same level as Pettis.

The clock ticks down, three and a half minutes left in the game, and Boise State has a 3rd and 2 on the Oregon 44. Yet again, there the Broncos are moving the chains. Jeremy Avery took the ball this time to pick up three yards and the marker. 22 times to this point Boise State had picked up the necessary yardage to gain three more downs, and the offense showed no signs of stopping. The ground game kept churning down the clock, keeping the Oregon offense off the field. And the Ducks, despite knowing that run is coming at them pretty much every time now, fail to stop the tailbacks snap after snap after snap.

It simply seems like the Broncos have more heart in this game. Fighting for yards after contact, the skill players are chewing up extra ground that they have no business gaining. The Ducks, conversely, seem to give up on their advancement at the first sign of someone in their way. The Boise State offense failed after four rushes to gain another first down, handing the ball back over to Oregon. But they did it in such a way as to allow just 36 seconds left. Masoli could stand in the pocket all day and pad his stats by checking down to his backs. But there would be no time left on this day for Oregon to find the upset. Maehl would hove the chains, stopping the clock as the crew moved the chains. But the clock never stopped, and Boise State's staff started coming onto the field to celebrate and for handshakes. Receiving an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, the Ducks moved into Bronco territory. But with three seconds left, there was nothing left to do but run the clock to zero.

After the game, LeGarrette Blount came to the Boise State sideline and decked defensive end Bryan Hout with a right cross directly to Hout's chin that had him down for a moment. Blount, who showed so much promise for the Ducks last season, has continued his recidivist ways. Blount was suspended in the spring for off-field indiscretions, and now it looks like the junior-college transfer has found his way further into hot water. Hout certainly tapped Blount, but he did little to earn such a dubious reply. Then, after heading toward the sideline, Blount once again flipped out as Boise State fans heckled him from the stands. The police were forced to come on to the field, subduing Blount and pulling him into the tunnel. An absurdly sophomoric ending to an otherwise invisible game for Blount, it appears that he is doing his damnedest to work his way off the Oregon Ducks roster.

The game, which was sloppy and poorly fought by both sides for long stretches, was finally over. For the Broncos, their BCS Buster dreams are still fully alive. A quality win against a Ducks team which took ten wins last season is a great notch in the cap for Boise State as they head into the rest of an imminently winnable season. For the Ducks, an already shaky performance by all units was undignified further by Blount's postgame actions. Chip Kelly has a lot of work to do if this Ducks team is to live up to its preseason hype; they've already dug their hole plenty deep after a 19-8 loss...

Oregon @ Boise State -- Thoughts After the Ducks Score

Bigalke — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 04:32:35 GMT

Boise State had to come out confident as they got the ball in the second half. They'd messed up several times in the first half, failing to execute properly and putting up just 13 points on the board when there were so many more for the taking. The Ducks, though, had put up just 14 yards of total offense, giving the Broncos an opening and allowing them to pitch the shutout through the first half. The fact was, though, it looked more like Oregon failing to execute than Boise State donig anything spectacular on offense. Hope, though, was still ever-present for the home team as the ball sailed on the opening kickoff of the second half. A strong return by Titus Young put them out on their 36-yard-line for Kellen Moore to start.

A couple of four-yard plays made it 3rd and 2 just a minute into the game. A beautiful lob pass from Moore to Tommy Gallarda picked up the first down. Then it was time to turn up the heat on the Ducks defense. D.J. Harper took the handoff from Moore, busting through the heart of the defensive line to find his hole and race 23 yards down the field. Keeping it on the ground, Jeremy Avery took the next two carries a combined eleven yards to pick up another first down and put the Broncos inside the 5-yard-line.

First and goal went back into the arms of Harper, who punched two yards and change down near the Oregon 1. Second and goal was stuffed at the goal line a second time, with Kellen Moore keeping the ball but failing to get over the goal line. Third down went back to Harper, who rolled over to break the plane and give the Broncos a 19-0 lead. Their second attempt at a two-point conversion failed, with Michael Choate failing to complete a pass fake. But the damage was done coming out of the gate -- the visitors were now down three scores with twenty-five minutes and change left in the game.

Oregon's offense started back out on their 36 as well for their first second-half possession. Masoli kept the ball for a one-yard gain on first down. Then, on second down, LeGarrette Blount continued his ineptitude in this game by getting stuffed in the backfield for a four-yard loss. Blount caught a Masoli checkdown pass on third down, but the team was only able to pick up seven of the thirteen yards they needed to get to move the chains, and true freshman punter Jackson Rice -- about the only bright spot so far for the Ducks in this game -- came out to boot another punt, this one going 44 yards before a fair catch by Kyle Wilson put the Broncos inside their own 20 to start their second drive of the third quarter.

The Ducks defense, fired up by coordinator Nick Aliotti to finally do something, came out and held Boise State to three and out. Nearly blocked, Kyle Brotzman got a tremendous bounce from his punt... but it came back to the 42-yard-line since it had hit Bronco safety Doug Martin on the helmet, downing it at that spot. The third quarter halfway gone, Jeremiah Masoli lined back up under center, completing his second-down pass to tight end Ed Dickson for a 15-yard reception and their first first-down conversion of the game. Masoli then completed a second straight pass, to Jamere Holland for six more. The Ducks offense seemed to start to heat up at this point. Here was 14 yards from Masoli to Jeffrey Maehl. There was a handoff to LeMichael James that got 17 more down to the Boise State 5.

LeGarrette Blount took the ball on first and goal and failed to gain any ground. On second down, Masoli kept the ball himself and pounded it through the middle on the ground to pick up the final five yards over the goal line and get the six points. Lining up for the extra point, Blount finally made something happen, streaking outside on the left sideline to pick up the two-point conversion. Now 19-8, the game was finally starting to live up to the high-flying offensive hype that had preceded it.

Oregon @ Boise State -- Thoughts From the First Half

Bigalke — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 03:45:16 GMT

The game started in Boise on the Smurf Turf amid great fanfare. Before the opening kickoff, the two teams lined up on the field and shook hands -- as the announcers said, "a great idea in theory". Several amongst the Ducks and the Broncos started to go at it before the officials stepped in to separate the squads. By gametime, when Boise State kicked off to their visitors, the atmosphere was supercharged.

The Ducks seemed to be fired up after returning the opening kickoff to their own 42-yard-line. But that offense from Eugene, so highly touted before the beginning of the season with quarterback Jeremiah Masoli, running back LeGarrette Blount, and tight end Ed Dickson all returning for another year at school. But the offense sputtered right out of the gate, going three and out three straight times.

It was Boise State, led by sophomore quarterback Kellen Moore, who really came out of the gate on fire. Last year, playing his first collegiate road game in the unfriendly confines of Autzen Stadium, Moore torched the Ducks for 386 yards and three touchdowns and completed over 67 percent of his passes. The team pulled out to a huge 37-13 lead after three quarters. But the Ducks were able to nearly come back into the game, dredging their depth chart to find Darren Thomas at quarterback after several players ahead of him went down with injuries.

But while the Broncos were able to move the ball down the field in the first quarter, they bogged down in the red zone and failed to punch it over the goal line. Moore was able to move the offense, but Kyle Brotzman has been unable to nail either of his two field-goal attempts. A starter from the minute he walked onto the Boise State campus, Brotzman missed two straight attempts on either side of the quarter break from the left hash mark from 29 and 47 yards.

Chris Peterson, though, was able to get his offense moving properly well before new Oregon head coach Chip Kelly was able to get his spread working. The Broncos were able to finally put it all together on their third drive of the game, moving the ball 50 yards on eleven plays and chewing up 5:15 of clock and finishing the drive when Moore found receiver Austin Pettis from ten yards out, completely open on the right side of the endzone after drifting from the left slot on a crossing route completely uncovered.

Boise State then fooled the Ducks as they lined up for the extra point, snapping directly to blocker Michael Choate lined up under center. He bowled over the line completely unscathed, putting the Broncos up 8-0. Two quick drives later, Oregon had the ball again inside their 5-yard-line and took a safety when a pitch to Blount was read perfectly and wrapped up in the endzone. Kyle Brotzman would finally hit a field goal, striking from the middle of the field from 45 yards out with under a minute left on the clock to put Boise State up 13-0 at the half.

The Ducks have thoroughly failed to do anything in this first half, and must frankly thank their lucky stars that they are only two touchdowns down on a touch WAC team that is many people's pick to be a BCS Buster yet again this season. Kelly will have to get his young charges working more effectively. Another half with only fourteen total yards of offense and zero first downs is certainly not going to get it done...

NTSF Special: A Tale of Two Halves

Bigalke — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 16:32:06 GMT

The sun had dipped below the horizon three hours prior in Johannesburg, and cool clear skies greeted the soccer players as they took to the pitch in Ellis Park. With a slight breeze in the air dipping the temperature below 45 degrees Fahrenheit, the championship match of the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup was ready to kick off on this South African winter evening. The underdog Americans looked comfortable in the conditions, coming out in short sleeves ready to fight for every inch in their first international tournament final. The Brazilians, winners of a record five World Cups and consistently dominant team in tournaments big and small, came out in a variety of gloves, sleeves and even a neck-warmer here and there....

The stage was set for a spectacular finale in Johannesburg. Click through here to read this special report from A Non-Traditional Sports Fan in America courtesy of Informative Sports!

Bigalke is a freelance journalist who has been writing for FanNation since December 2007. An archive of Bigalke's writing can be found here. He is also the managing editor of Informative Sports and a contributing writer at Helium. Got something to say to Bigalke -- questions, comments, suggestions, derision to sling, vengeance to exact, commendations to render, or contracts to offer? You can reach Bigalke through FanMail, the comments box below or here...

A Non-Traditional Sports Fan in America - ISC #0016

Bigalke — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 05:32:20 GMT

So this week saw me shift from one idea to another... I must've had three or four rewrites over the week as one theme after another presented itself. In the end, I decided to examine a trend which is crucial in sports -- the passing of dynastic eras and why a diversity of champions is beneficial for both a sport and its spectators... here's a sneak peek:

Last year I wrote at length about an Iberian invasion, as Spaniards dominated a range of sports throughout 2008. Rafael Nadal had surpassed Roger Federer to take the top spot in the world of men's tennis. The Spanish national soccer team went undefeated through the year, taking the Euro 2008 championship in the process over World Cup holder Italy. And Carlos Sastre held off Cadel Evans to win the Tour de France, following compatriots Oscar Pereiro and Alberto Contador as champion to keep the streak alive in cycling's showcase event.
The way this week is going, it's looking safer and safer to say that 2009 has not been nearly as kind to Espana as the previous campaign. But Spain's loss is every fan's gain, as it opens up the field once again to allow new heroes to emerge. Giants are falling all over the place once again... who will take their place? Will another juggernaut step into the void to take over top-dog status, or will the minnows get their chance to feast?

Come along for the ride and read on further as a slew of upsets and absences sets the stage for this week's edition of A Non-Traditional Sports Fan in America!

A Non-Traditional Sports Fan in America - ISC #0015

Bigalke — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 23:32:15 GMT

Responding to the assertion that there's "nothing to watch right now but baseball", we look deeper into the world of sports. Come along to view early group-stage action from the Confederations Cup in South Africa... a look at cycling action in the Dauphine Libere as we near Tour de France time... tennis stars gear up for the lawn courts of Wimbledon... and a smattering of other news and notes from around the sports world!

CLICK HERE TO READ THIS WEEK'S EDITION...

A Non-Traditional Sports Fan - ISC #0014

Bigalke — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 14:18:37 GMT

So it appears that one of SI's writers has been reading my column... or someone at that site has been, and passed along the info to one of their senior writers. But no matter how hard Austin Murphy might try...

HE'S NO SUBSTITUTE FOR A NON-TRADITIONAL SPORTS FAN IN AMERICA!!!

Check out this week's column here... I take you on a journey around the world of sports and I demonstrate the folly of Murphy's argument...

A Non-Traditional Sports Fan in America - ISC #0013

Bigalke — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 14:21:10 GMT

For all those who are disenfranchised with the sport of cycling a story has come out of France which helps ground us in the true meaning of why we pursue our athletic endeavors. For those who decide to look past all the majesty and athleticism of this sport with such a rich history and fierce competition to look only at the fully-documented instances of doping, it is an event in which no times will be kept which illuminates the true depth of what sports can achieve. Next month, nearly two-hundred convicts will become the literal embodiment of Albert Londres??? famous quip about Le For??ats de la Route (???The Convicts of the Road???) as they travel 1400 miles through France by bicycle.

Sylvie Marion, a spokeswoman for the French prison authorities, told the press, ???This project aims to help these men reintegrate into society by fostering values like effort, teamwork and self-esteem. We want to show them that with some training, you can achieve your goals and start a new life.??? The 196 cyclo-convicts will ride in one peloton, accompanied by another 124 guards and prison sports instructors. Breakaways, ubiquitous in the professional Tour de France, will naturally not be allowed. Ankle-bracelet GPS devices will ensure that all of the prisoners are accounted for along the route. And there will be no maillot jaune, the idea to instill unity rather than competition.

So many of our youth, whether in the United States or elsewhere around the world, would be so lucky to enjoy such a philosophy. Too often the prison-industrial complex centers its philosophy not around rehabilitating its charges for a fruitful return to society but rather around allowing minds and bodies to rot and vengeful thoughts to fester, resulting in little more than recidivism. Here???s to hoping this pilot program pays dividends for the French, for sports has the ability to do many wonderful things beyond dazzling us as spectators.

We can all learn something from every party in this story. The forward thinking of the French prison authorities is laudable. The courage of the convicts, and their willingness to tackle such an arduous bicycle tour, should be commended. Some voices in cyberspace find this little more than a joke, arguing that time behind bars should be spent behind bars. But just as no two snowflakes are alike, neither are two crimes. For those who are incarcerated for non-violent crimes, the punishment often goes beyond reason. A healthy experience borne of teamwork and cooperation could be just the ticket to keep people out of a repeat trip to the penitentiary. Obviously the current system isn???t doing the trick, here or overseas...

If that didn???t seem absurd enough as you first read it -- ???Convicts to Get Their Own Tour de France??? -- yet another story from France is indeed even harder to fathom:...

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