Sports

[mad_wrapper]

OKAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYY guys! Time to start some action here. For lack of a better (or, considering the purpose of this site, suitable) topic, I am going to post about sports.

What I would like to get going is a discussion about what sports really make ya holler and what teams in those sports really really make ya holler. Yes I know it's waaaaaaaaaay off topic for a Christian forum site, but considering the lack of activity recently in the fort and considering the other topics I've seen (and participated in) I think I'm OK.

The sports that really make me holler yeah is mostly college sports. Basketball, football, and some baseball. I like (really, really, really really like) THE University of Florida Gators for just abouuuuuuuuuuuut, yeah, every sport. Basketball they just rocked the last 2 years and football the rocked last year. (Ohio State was just not even in the game). Anyways, Gators Gators Gators Gators Gators Gators!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Pro sports I like basketball, football, baseball, some hockey, some soccer, golf, and some more. Basketball I kinda am partial to the Dallas Mavericks and Dirk Nowitzki. Football I don't like the Patriots. Other than that, I don't really have a favorite. Baseball, I like the Tampa Bay Devil Rays and the Atlanta Braves and the Chicago Cubs. Hockey, I like the Anaheim Mighty Ducks. Soccer, I just like Freddy Adu because he's so good at so young, but still an okay guy. Golf, well, the Tiger is just the best.

Quick rundown, so let's see who else likes what.

[TommyLewis]

I'd love to play Florida with a healthy Ted Ginn Jr...I'd say we beat them 7/10 times...just based on all of the games I watched the two teams play throughout the year last year...Unfortunatly, injuries are part of the game, and they happen to everyone...including the most important player to his team in college football(unquestionably the aforementioned Ted Ginn Jr).

Anyways...soccer, volleyball, basketball, and football...in that order...I root for Ohio State in college sports and Cleveland teams in pro sports...

[Jezz]

Rugby league - Brisbane Broncos
Soccer - Sydney FC/Man Utd (Cristiano Ronaldo, need I say more)
AFL - Sydney Swans
Basketball/Baseball - Dead sports in Australia
Volleyball - Isn't a professional sport over here unfortunately
Tennis - Nadal/Roddick/Gonzalez/Federer are all exciting to watch play

[BroTrevor]

Being born in Minnesota,

I must say I'm a twins/vikings fan.

But, I don't follow it too much.

It'd be cool to go to a twins or a vikings game tho.

[mad_wrapper]

I'd love to play Florida with a healthy Ted Ginn Jr...I'd say we beat them 7/10 times...just based on all of the games I watched the two teams play throughout the year last year...Unfortunatly, injuries are part of the game, and they happen to everyone...including the most important player to his team in college football(unquestionably the aforementioned Ted Ginn Jr).


I still think (know) Florida would have beaten Ohio State even with Ted Ginn in the game. Our secondary and defense were way too strong. Annnnnd, if you go back and look at strength of schedule, Florida had a way way tougher schedule than Ohio St. Even the ESPN people admit it and the few tougher teams that Ohio St. played, they had a rough time with them. Florida all the way.

[TommyLewis]

I still think (know) Florida would have beaten Ohio State even with Ted Ginn in the game. Our secondary and defense were way too strong. Annnnnd, if you go back and look at strength of schedule, Florida had a way way tougher schedule than Ohio St. Even the ESPN people admit it and the few tougher teams that Ohio St. played, they had a rough time with them. Florida all the way.

Hahahaha...not a chance...this argument isn't even worth having...

[TommyLewis]

Cristiano Ronaldo, need I say more

He is amazing...not the best player in the world as some claim...but top five I'd say...

[Jezz]

Ronaldinho, Kaka and Ronaldo are the three best players in the world I think. Ronaldo is the most exciting one to watch of those three though, at least in my opinion. He actually makes English Premier League worth watching.

[TommyLewis]

Ronaldinho, Kaka and Ronaldo are the three best players in the world I think. Ronaldo is the most exciting one to watch of those three though, at least in my opinion. He actually makes English Premier League worth watching.

I'd actually agree with those three...although I'd rather watch Ronaldinho than just about anyone...He is one ugly guy...but fun to watch...

I also like guys like Steven Gerrard...who plays the same position I played...similar style to how I liked to play...

[Mick_Mack89]

Sorry for the semi off topic but I just saw on yahoo news that Barry Bonds finally got his record. I am a baseball fan, right now... I'm not really happy that he did it (and I will probobly never be happy about it ever).

[NoahL]

Look at the bright side though... in a couple weeks Barry Bonds won't be THE ONLY SPORTS STORY in America. You won't have to hear about it any more.

[TommyLewis]

I'm glad he broke it actually..It is one of the greatest sports records out there, and we got to see it broken in our lifetime...we might even see it broken twice if Alex Rodriguez keeps up his current pace...

[Jezz]

But he probably scored some or perhaps most of those runs while taking drugs.....

As for "one of the greatest sports records", that should read "one of the greatest American sports records".

[mad_wrapper]

I agree, I don't think that he should have broken the record. Part of me wanted to see him get walked for the rest of his career so that he wouldn't be able to break the record. But when you think about the talent and skill involved to be able to hit 750+ home runs off of 400+ different pitchers, that takes some skill. To be able to accurately judge pitches from that many styles is what makes me tip my hat to him. Otherwise I think he shouldn't have gotten it.

On another note, I watched some videos on YouTube of Christiano Ronaldo and let's just say wow....:worthy: :worthy: :worthy: :worthy: :worthy: ...that is just sick how good he is.

[redeemed_lizzi]

I'd actually agree with those three...although I'd rather watch Ronaldinho than just about anyone...He is one ugly guy...but fun to watch...

I also like guys like Steven Gerrard...who plays the same position I played...similar style to how I liked to play...

I know kill me, its awful but I had to comment......

Ronaldhino is brilliant but once he gets crowded he can't play and becomes ineffective. Look what happened in the world cup. BUT he still is a genius and I'm quite excited to see the new Barcelona team with Henry in it as well.
I can't stand ManU but I can't deny the unbelievable skills of Ronaldo. He's improved soo much and I can't wait to see how he plays with Nani this year.
As a Liverpool fan I have to give you props for liking Gerrard.

Again begging forgivness :D

[BroTrevor]

Ok,

Redeemed lizzi is the goalie!!

Everyone start firing shots at her. HARD!

:juggle:

[Jezz]

But I play in defense, I can't hit the broadside of a barn.

[mad_wrapper]

Ok,

Redeemed lizzi is the goalie!!

Everyone start firing shots at her. HARD!


so what, we get to hit her with reds or something? I'm new to having girls post in the fort. or does that mean we get to elect one guy to post in the girl talk?

[TommyLewis]

But he probably scored some or perhaps most of those runs while taking drugs.....

As for "one of the greatest sports records", that should read "one of the greatest American sports records".

ALL of the great home run hitters throughout history have used performance enhancing drugs...ALL of them...thats baseball...old people don't like to admit it because they want an excuse to discount what modern day players do and hold on to Aaron, Mays, Ruth as great when they clearly were inferior to Bonds, Rodriguez et al...

As to the rest of your comment, I disagree...it is one of the greatest sports records anywhere in the world...the fact that you know about it proves it...

[TommyLewis]

Ronaldhino is brilliant but once he gets crowded he can't play and becomes ineffective. Look what happened in the world cup...
As a Liverpool fan I have to give you props for liking Gerrard.

Ronaldinho does fine when crowded...he just doesn't do well when constantly fouled...I hold up the aforementioned World Cup as evidence...

As for liking Gerrard...I may be the only person in America who wears a Liverpool jersey out in public...haha...

[Mick_Mack89]

But I don't feel that because many players were on drugs of some kind excuses Bonds. They weren't caught, he was. Pete Rose didn't get away with betting and Bonds shouldn't get away with 'roids. What does that say to the kids of America, "You can be anything you want to be... as long as you take this drug." No, it just is wrong.

[TommyLewis]

But Bonds hasn't been caught...he has NEVER tested positive for steroids...he has just been accused of using steroids based on hear-say and circumstantial evidence...no one has proof, or, if they have it, they have chosen not to come forward with it... The truth of the matter is people don't like Bonds, because he just isn't a "nice" guy...he loves his family, is loyal to his teammates, but doesn't give good interviews, and doesn't like being bothered by strangers and members of the media. Because of this, people are predisposed to believe the accusations against him... However, whether we like him or not, he is still the home run king and one of the greatest, if not the greatest, baseball players of all time. Instead of complaining about him and trying to find things to accuse him of, we should embrace his genius and appreciate that we have the priviledge of watching him...

[TommyLewis]

I can't stand ManU but I can't deny the unbelievable skills of Ronaldo. He's improved soo much and I can't wait to see how he plays with Nani this year.


As much as I am not a Manchester United fan...they are LOADED this year...if they were to play a 4-4-2...their starting forwards/midfielders could be Wayne Rooney, Carlos Tevez, Cristiano Ronaldo, Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes, and Nani...leaving Owen Hargreaves, Michael Carrick, Luis Saha, and Anderson as available substitutes....thats insane...

[mad_wrapper]

for those soccer fans, what do you guys think of david beckham? personally so far i think he's kinda overrated.

Also, check this sweet video out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1CrO82dR1RQ. It's about Ronaldo.

[Jezz]

Perhaps just little overrated but mostly that is because he just gets too much attention off the field with the media focusing on him all the time. His free kicks are amazingly good and he was in fine form until his current injury.

Speaking of Ronaldo, you seen what will most likely be his replacement in 10 years? Rhain Davis. Poor kid, but what soccer skills. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hG47FDenyXw

[TommyLewis]

The issue with Beckham is that he is expected to attract casual American sports fans to soccer, but his style of play is such that I don't believe most casual fans can truly appreciate his impact on the game. He isn't the fastest player on the field, he isn't the strongest player on the field, he isn't going to dribble around five guys and score spectacular goals. He makes his impact by understanding the game, always being in the right place on the field, always making the right decisions, and with almost unreal passing precision. To put it in terms we Americans appreciate, he is less like Kobe Bryant or LeBron James, and more like Jason Kidd or Steve Nash. Or, to use a football analogy, Beckham is more Tom Brady, less LaDanian Tomlinson or Michael Vick(pre dogfighting, of course).
Much like he did Thursday against DC, when he finally made his MLS debut, Beckham will have a calming influence on the game, he will control the pace of the game, make his teammates better, and will create several scoring opportunities per game, sometimes for himself but usually for his teammates, that wouldn't have been there had he not been on the pitch. Again, these are things that will not show up in the boxscore or on the highlight reels, especially if his teammates don't finish the chances he creates for them. Consequently, the casual American sports fan is likely to label Beckham a "bust." People who understand the game, however, will probably be less likely to do so.
In marketing terms, however, he is far from a bust. His impact on the bottom line for the LA Galaxy, and all of Major League Soccer, cannot be overrated. This is a league that most Americans barely knew existed before this year. Last night over 45,000 tickets were sold for Galaxy vs DC United. The Galaxy's next game, at 68,756 seat Gillette Stadium, has already been announced as a "sell-out." I heard a few days ago that right now the top selling sports jersey in the United States is not Kobe Bryant, not LeBron James, not Peyton Manning, not Alex Rodriguez, but David Beckham's LA Galaxy Number 23. In marketing terms, he has already proven worth every penny of his massive contract.

[HotShot53]

But Bonds hasn't been caught...he has NEVER tested positive for steroids...he has just been accused of using steroids based on hear-say and circumstantial evidence...no one has proof, or, if they have it, they have chosen not to come forward with it... The truth of the matter is people don't like Bonds, because he just isn't a "nice" guy...he loves his family, is loyal to his teammates, but doesn't give good interviews, and doesn't like being bothered by strangers and members of the media. Because of this, people are predisposed to believe the accusations against him... However, whether we like him or not, he is still the home run king and one of the greatest, if not the greatest, baseball players of all time. Instead of complaining about him and trying to find things to accuse him of, we should embrace his genius and appreciate that we have the priviledge of watching him...

The book that was written about him, using the leaked testimony, and other sources, was pretty clear proof... plus the fact that unlike anyone else that ever played the game, he all of a sudden started hitting a ton of homeruns late in his career when he never did when he was younger, kind of shows that it's probably he used them... no, he was never conviceted of it, and it's still not so easy to hit that many homeruns even with steroids... but it seems that chances are he was using them knowingly. I know guys have cheated in baseball since the first game most likely, though... so you take it for what it is.


I used to play soccer... but I've never really followed professional soccer, so I'm afraid I can't comment on the soccer topic ;)

[mad_wrapper]

awesome reply tommy, thanks for the clear info. wasn't sure quite what beckham was supposed to do because, as you said, he's more of a scottie pippen/horace grant to a michael jordan. the play creator than the playmaker i guess.

[flyingsolo]

If you are talking about a play creator as in like a support role, the Timberwolves totally messed up that when the traded Kevin Garnett to the Celtics. And that was right after they picked Corey Brewer in the draft to be used in a support role for him. That was a wrong move in my opinion.

[TommyLewis]

The Timberwolves traded Garnett almost as a favor to him because of his loyalty to the franchise over the years. They knew they weren't going to be able to put together a championship quality team over the next few years, and since he is getting older, they traded him in order to give him a chance to compete for a championship before his career ends.