5. Antonio Gates Gates isn’t who you normally think of when somebody says “Offensive Weapon”, but he really is. He’s a giant body, and runs faster than some receivers. I can’t put him any higher on the list because he doesn’t play another position, but he can play Tight End and block a guy out…
Over at PastaPadre, they cut up a few clips of a series of videos that highlight certain schools and the traditions behind those schools. Primarily just their entrances. Both NCAA Football 12 and Madden 12 are looking to have some major improvements as far as the presentation and in game experience are concerned. We have…
So I wake up in the morning and one of the first things I see when check the daily news is that ESPN has two separate articles posted up about realignment. You can check those out here and here. One of which is exactly what I planned on writing about today. I’ve gotten a few comments about the post I wrote earlier where I laid out my plan for realignment. Obviously that was a sort of, “fresh start” plan and will never come to existence.
Today I chose to comment on a more realistic plan which includes the Houston Astros moving to the AL West to join the Rangers. This would even out the divisions (five teams per) as well as the leagues (15 teams per) in one swift move.
A move I like just a bit more but is probably a bit less likely is the Arizona Diamondbacks moving to the AL West and the Astros then moving to the NL West. The only reason I say this is less likely is because it would affect two teams rather than one.
Either way, regardless of what the final decisions will be, baseball should make a change as far as divisions. They are somewhat nice when your team is in a weak division. However too many teams with better records than teams that actually make the playoffs are sent home because they played in a tougher division. Lets just throw away the divisions and have all 15 teams play against each other evenly and the top four to six team reach the playoffs.
Let us know what you think of the proposed plan in the comments section below or in the True Sports Legacy forum where you can find the best sports discussions on the Internet.
So now there is big talk throughout the MLB as to the worsening financial situation of the Los Angeles Dodgers and growing speculation that owner Frank McCourt’s grip on the once storied franchise could be coming to it’s ultimate demise sooner than later. As many know already, Major League Baseball stepped in a few months ago to…
Over the last few days the talk of realignment in MLB has become a hot topic. The commissioner, Bud Selig, commented that he would like to see something done. There have been many experts and analysts that have speculated as to what the best way to go about this would be.
Here at TSL, we also think that baseball needs a revision in the way the divisions are currently laid out. There are four divisions that have five teams, one that has six, and another that has four. The National League has 16 teams while the American League has 14. Under the TSL plan each league would have an even amount, 15. This means one NL team would have to switch over to the AL and adopt the designated hitter rule. We’ll get back to that later.
A major obstacle in figuring out the “perfect” plan is geography. When a team that plays in Arlington, Texas is playing in the AL West and another team in Houston, Texas plays in the NL Central, it just makes us realize so much more that things need to be altered. We’ll try and make the new setup as geographically friendly as we can while keeping rivalries and history in place. Here we go…
The AL East gains two additional rivalries with the arrival of the Mets and the Nationals. The Yankees and Red Sox get to continue their traditional hatred and the Mets provide some more fuel for the Yankee hate fire. The Orioles and Nationals have an opportunity to begin what could eventually be a great capitol area rivalry. Map wise, it fits very well.
I was hesitant to move the Reds, a historic NL team over to the AL but the more I thought about it, the more it made sense. Ohio now has their own rivalry and with the Indians recent winning, any one of these teams could win the division. Every team could wind up over .500.
The new AL West would probably become my favorite division. Four of these parks are taylor made for hitters. Colorado, Houston, Texas and Arizona in the same division would make this the launching pad of MLB. Seattle offers a nice contrast by being one of the most pitcher friendly parks in baseball. Unfortunately we had to keep both Texas teams in the West, it does however offer another great state rivalry. This was unavoidable with the lack of many true west coast teams. If you’re thinking about all of the teams located in California, just hold your horses.
Two new additions include the Rays who could possibly induce an attendance boost for not only themselves but their in state competitors the Marlins, and the sole team in Canada, the Blue Jays. The Rays, Marlins and Braves have a solid young corps that could fight with the favorite Phillies for NL East supremacy.
The Cubs welcome (not likely) the White Sox and the Cardinals are happy to see the Royals join their divisions producing one of the shortest flight, or bus trip divisions in MLB. The Pirates were the choice to stay in division after the Reds moved to the AL. My only hesitation was having perennial worst teams in the Royals and Pirates in the same division. Not often do the teams picking #1 and #2 in the draft come from the same division.
Finally we have the new California… er… NL West division. Composed of teams that play in the great state of California, the rivalries should grow almost as much as the attendance and fan beatings outside of Dodger Stadium!
In all we had to move 13 teams into a new league but in the end we came up with a plan that should not only produce a slew of great new rivalries, but should also increase attendance across both leagues.
Let us know what you think of the proposed plan in the comments section below or in the True Sports Legacy forum where you can find the best sports discussions on the Internet.
The Miami Heat lacked in two positions this season, the point guard and the true center. It looks as if Miami will try to solve one of those two issues by trying to go after veteran center, Samuel Dalembert during the 2011 free agency period. Dalembert might represent the best option that Miami has of …
EA sports is set to release NCAA Football 12 soon and lately the trailers and feature details have been coming hot and heavy, which of course is a great thing for us sports video game junkies. One of the key features in the NCAA franchise of course is the Road To Glory mode. In RTG,…
“The answer to the question everybody wants to know, LeBron, what’s your decision?” These were the words asked by Jim Gray, host of ESPN’s The Decision while asking free agent LeBron James where he will play. “Umm, in this fall, man this is tough, umm in this fall I’m going to take my talents to South Beach and um join the Miami Heat.”
Those infamous words by uttered by LeBron caused a backlash of many against him. It wasn’t just Cleveland Cavaliers fans that were outraged, it was many fans across the country that suddenly disliked him. Some think this was jealousy that he didn’t pick their team. I can’t speak for others but talk to anyone who spoke to me about this last summer: I did not want LeBron in Chicago. The whole media circus in Chicago and the rest of the country had me disgusted and I was hoping he wouldn’t pick the Bulls. I got my wish.
While LeBron’s team may have cost my team a trip to the finals and a possible championship, I’m confident enough D-Rose and crew will win one this decade. It was so much fun watching them this season. Some people think LeBron and the Heat will be back and maybe they will. However, most of the NBA fans are rejoicing at last night’s victory that the Mavericks prevented the Miami Heat from winning their second NBA Championship.
How LeBron James left is what got me and many others upset. If he just left and signed with the Heat with no media circus, no televised special, no drama, I’m sure people wouldn’t have really cared. I’m really disappointed at how far ESPN has fallen as well. In the early to mid 2000s, I watched ESPN like a religion. Then it became Yankess this, Red Sox that. Lakers this, Kobe, LeBron that. Tiger this, Favre that. It was just annoying as can be and I had enough. So I guess I should say I was not surprised but still pretty disgusted at ESPN allowing this to happen. Shouldn’t be a surprise with their “Heat Index” either.
Then, like immediately after he signed with the Heat. “One, Two, THREE” all the big trombones, the dancers, the crowd chanted “YES WE DID” when the Heat had a welcome party for LeBron and Chris Bosh joining D-Wade in Miami. “#6 LeBron James!!! #1 Chris BOSH! And #3 Dwayyyyyynnneee Waaaaaaddeeee! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANDDDDD AND MAKE SOME NOOIIIIIIIIIIIIISSSEEE FOR YOUR MIAMIIIIIIIIIIIIIII HEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAT!!!” Where were the other 12 players?
“This is, this surpasses a dream come true. You look at arguably the best trio ever to play the game of basketball.” Dwayne Wade said this before they even played one game, even though they only had and still do have just one ring between the three of them.
LeBron was asked how it felt to wear a Heat uniform. “It feels right, it feels right. We’re going to challenge each other in practice and once the game starts, it’s going to be easy. We’re going make the world know, not just this league, we’re going to make the whole world know that the Heat is back.” The presenter of the interview urged LeBron to talk about championships. “Not one, not two, not three, not four, not five, not six, not seven.” That’s right, zero.
Sadly the Heat still got to the Finals after early season struggles that were music to my ears. Paul Millsap went OFF on the Heat with the Jazz down by eight with like a minute to go. The fact that it was Miami’s home court was even sweeter. And who could forget Rudy Gay’s buzzer beater against LeBron in Memphis? That was so awesome.
I don’t have a problem Dwayne Wade, Chris Bosh or the Miami Heat. It’s that guy: #6, that I cannot stand. He is a representation of everything wrong with America today. The spoiled brat, King James, wanting stuff handed to him on a silver platter. His birthday party that cost $500,000 that could’ve been used for a much better cause. Half a million dollars for a freaking birthday party, is that not insane?
I truly feel sorry for LeBron’s children: LeBron Jr. and Bryce James. I feel bad for them knowing they have to grow up with a dad like that who acts juvenile and not mature whatsoever. Reportedly he deflected questions at the press conference after game six and did not shake the hands of the Dallas Mavericks.
Can we just lay the claim to rest that LeBron will never be as good as Michael Jordan was? LeBron may have two MVP’s, Michael had five, and a rookie of the year award, which Jordan also won; however Michael was THE MAN when the Bulls won six championships. Jordan said he would never call up Magic Johnson and Larry Bird and ask them to team up because he said he wanted to beat them.
LeBron joined his friends and they got oh so close only to fail in their first season. What happens in the years to come remains to be seen. I will enjoy the summer knowing it was another year without LeBron getting a ring and watching the Welcome Party for comic relief. It does feel good to know I’ve never played a single game of organized basketball and that I have as many rings as LeBron does. Let’s just hope the Bruins can overcome a 3-2 deficit in the Stanley Cup Finals and the world will be 100% saved.
Andrew Luck is the “next big thing”. He’s going to be the #1 draft pick next off-season. He’s the best prospect since Peyton Manning, some are even saying he’s better than Peyton, and he’s the top prospect of all time. He’s got the arm strength, the accuracy, the ability to read defenses, and the intangibles…
He’s been the subject of trade rumors for a long time. There is a possibility that his team could receive a second rounder, possibly a first rounder in return for him. There has been lots of talk around this man. That man is, Kevin Kolb. Oh, you were expecting somebody different? I know I was…
