Image Restoration

A man originally made in the image of God, spending a lifetime trying to return.

2007 MLB Season Predicitions.

		Monday, 02 April 07 - 11:24 PM (GMT -07:00) By Kerry Snyder in Sports

 Im still floating pretty high about the fact that Im gonna be a dad, so this post has taken a back seat to the rest of the things going on in my life.  But alas spring is here and with it, the arrival of the greatest sport on earth.  All seems right at this moment. Here is a long needed post, my predictions on the 2007 baseball season...

A.L.

East - 1.) Red Sox  2.) Yankees  3.) Toronto  4.) Tampa Bay  5.) Baltimore

Central - 1.) Detroit  2.) Minnesota  3.) Chicago  4.) Cleveland  5.)  Kansas City

West - 1.) Oakland  2.) LAA  3.) Texas  4.) Seattle

Wild Card - Yankees

N.L

East - 1.) Philly  2.) New York  3.) Florida  4.) Atlanta  5.) Washington

Central - 1.) St. Louis  2.) Milwaukee  3.) Chicago  4.) Cincinnati  5.) Houston  6.) Pitt

West - 1.) Los Angeles  2.) Arizona  3.) San Diego  4.) San Francisco  5.) Colorado

Wild Card - Milwaukee

ALCS - Boston Red Sox vs. Detroit Tigers - Red Sox win in 4.
NLCS - L.A. Dodgers vs. Philadelphia Phillies - Dodgers win in 5.

World Series - Boston Red Sox vs. Los Angeles Dodgers - Red Sox win in 6.

PLAY BALL.

Dari Nowkhah

		Wednesday, 14 February 07 - 08:23 AM (GMT -07:00) By Kerry Snyder in Sports

Who?  Dari Nowkhah.  He's a new "Sportscenter" anchor on ESPN.  As a type this, I have it on in the background, and 2 minutes ago, I had to pause and ask myself, "Is that Shaggy from Scooby Doo (aka. Casey Kasem) announcing on Sportscenter?"  Seriously, that's what he sounds like.  I haven't decided if that's a good thing, or if it freaks me out a little. 

The $250 Million Dollar Man

		Thursday, 11 January 07 - 11:55 PM (GMT -07:00) By Kerry Snyder in Sports

So everyone even slightly interested in baseball has read me the riot act over my favorite team, the Boston Red Sox, paying 51 million to talk to the Lions about Daisuke Matsuzaka and then another 52 million over 6 years, for him to pitch.  In my estimation, a great move.  Let's break it down.  When the Mariners signed Ichiro, their team revenue due to sales in Asian markets raised substantially, enough to cover his posting price.  Same with the Yankees and Matsui.  Due to his and his wife’s celebrity in Japan (some liken it to U.S. fascination with Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie); some experts have the Sox nearing 80-90million in revenue from Asian markets IN THE FIRST YEAR!  What a great return on that investment.  The 52 over 6 year’s breaks down to roughly under 9 million a year.  Not bad for a top of the rotation starter (possibly a number 1), especially when friggin Gil Meche is getting 11 mil a year.  That's right Gil Meche.  A guy with a 162 Game average ERA of 4.65 and a career high of 3.78.  I think Ill take my chances.

Any way, down to the meaning of this post... Why does everyone hail the $250 Million dollar signing of David Beckham to the L.A. Galaxy as the regeneration/start of soccer's popularity here in the U.S.?  And why is nobody crying out about how absolutely insane this signing is?  $250 million for 5 years, to an aging, spice girl’s husband on the downside of his career?  Remember the whole Freddy Adu buildup?  This kid was supposed to be the second coming of Pele, and make soccer a legitimate sport to the U.S. population.  Since his first signing, I have heard nothing of Adu.  But then again, Im not soccer fan.  Im also not bashing soccer here, I'm learning to live and let live, if you like soccer good for you!  But come on, let's be honest and face facts, the MLS, even soccer in general has not had great popularity here in the U.S. and David Beckham is supposed to save it?  This is a league that has lost $350 Million dollars since its beginning in 1996, and "Hopes" that its teams will be profitable by the year 2010, when it expands to a whopping 16 teams!  Wow.  This profit is due in large part to the clubs being able to sell advertising space on the team jerseys.  That's right, starting in 2007 the Salt Lake team will be advertising "Xango" a health drink, on their jerseys.  Advertising on the actual jerseys?  Come on, even my beloved hockey hasn't stooped that low to save its revenue....yet. (This may just give them a "good idea" c'mon soccer, knock it off)!

Can this league really afford to absurdly overpay a single player in hopes that his wit, charm, past stardom, and celebrity will finally be the gimmick that makes soccer a viable U.S. sport?  In my mind, no.  Soccer will never be close to any of the major or college sports here in the U.S. until it can compete on an international level.  That means actually being able to beat the Argentinean, German, Brazilian, Italian teams.  Perhaps by that magical 2010, huh?  For the sake of soccer fans, I hope it does succeed, but it will never win me over...

And David Beckham?  I had to do some research, but from what I can tell, the Europeans are more than excited to see him go.  But soccer, sorry, futbol,  Euro-hungry Americans, will gladly gobble up the left overs of this wannabe British tabloid pop idol, in hopes that he can do what even the great Pele could not.  Get the U.S. interested in Soccer.  Sorry, futbol.

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