Craig Bellamy recently said that, “my time will not be judged by medals”; however, he will get a chance to boost his résumé this Sunday as his Liverpool squad faces off against Championship side Cardiff City in the Carling Cup Final. Although Liverpool comes in as heavy favorites, it would be behoove them to not forget Birmingham’s upset of Arsenal in last year’s final.
This game is the culmination of fixtures between teams of each of the English leagues since the beginning of August. Liverpool had a tough road to get this point, as they had to advance past Chelsea and Manchester City in the quarterfinals and semifinals, respectively. Cardiff City, on the other hand, faced rather weak competition in Championship foes Crystal Palace and Premier League strugglers Blackburn Rovers, respectively.
Liverpool welcomes back Daniel Agger and Craig Bellamy to the team as they return to fitness. They will most likely replaces deputies Jamie Carragher and Jordan Henderson in the starting lineup. The latter most likely being replaced because of his run of poor form. Not only does Liverpool have two returning starters, but also they will be boosted by Stewart Downing and Andy Carroll’s return to form.
Furthermore, Cardiff City has had a decent run of form that has seen them occupy a playoff spot in the Championship. Even though Cardiff lost Craig Bellamy in the summer to their opponents, they went out and replaced him with Scottish international Kenny Miller.
All in all, Liverpool should handle this final rather easily, but Cardiff will still pose a challenge. Cardiff should look to last year’s final as inspiration for a strong performance because of Birmingham’s shocker over Arsenal.
When taking a step back from the battle that happened, I am going to review how Kansas State stole the game in Columbia. This game was crucial not only for bragging rights but for seeding in the NCAA Tournament. Going into tonight’s game in Columbia, I knew if K-State stood any chance against Missouri, they were going to have to do two things, pressure them on defense, and utilize their loaded front court against the Tigers by getting points in the paint. They did both. In the end, it was the Wildcats that prevailed for the second time this season, 78-68.
Kansas State is the first team this season to hand the number 3 ranked Tigers a loss on their home floor. Led by Rodney McGruder’s 24 points, Kansas State scored their second consecutive road win against a top 10 team. McGruder was able to get wherever he wanted the entire game. He split the zone and got open for numerous easy jumpers. As mentioned before, K-State really used their big front line to their advantage. Jamar Samuels was able to score inside and step out and hit the three, which is something he has done well over the past three games. Thomas Gipson seemed unstoppable at times with that jump hook over Kim English. K-State is getting hot at a time that it does every year under Frank Martin, February. If they want to make a run in the NCAA tournament, they need to stick to the game plan that has won them two straight road games against top 10 teams. as for Missouri, this is a disappointing loss that puts them 1 game behind KU in the Big 12 standings going into Saturday’s showdown in Lawrence.
Overall, this game is a big stepping stone for K-State, two games ago, they were on the bubble worrying about whether they would make the NCAA tournament, and a week later, they have all but secured their spot in March Madness. It will be interesting to see what seed the Cats can clinch if they win out for the regular season. Up next for Kansas State is Iowa State on the 25th.
This Tuesday, the 3rd ranked Missouri Tigers will host the Kansas State Wildcats at Mizzou Arena in each team’s 15th conference game of the season. Missouri enters the game coming off a solid 9-point road win in College Station against the Texas A&M Aggies. The Tigers come in with an overall record of 25-2 and a mark of 12-2 in conference play, which is good for a tie at the top of the conference with the rival Kansas Jayhawks.
Kansas State comes into the contest off an impressive 1-point victory over the Baylor Bears down in Waco this past Saturday. The Wildcats are 18-8 overall, and an even 7-7 in Big 12 play, currently good for 5th place in the conference. Kansas State, one of only two teams to beat Missouri all year, looks to complete the season sweep of the Tigers for the first time since the 2006-2007 season.
Backcourt advantage: Missouri
The Tigers arguably have the best backcourt in the nation, as they lead the country in offensive efficiency and are 2nd in the nation in field goal percentage at 50.3 percent. Look for Phil Pressey, Michael Dixon, and Marcus Denmon to feed off the energy of the crowd at Mizzou Arena and force Kansas State’s young guards into turnovers. On average, Missouri forces an impressive 15 turnovers a game at Mizzou Arena during conference play.
Frontcourt advantage: Kansas State
Kansas State definitely has the advantage here, as they can throw a plethora of bodies at Ricardo Ratliffe and Steve Moore down low. Look for Jamar Samuels, Thomas Gipson, and the seven-footer Jordan Henriquez to flourish on the glass Tuesday night. Ricardo Ratliffe should get his points, but Missouri is going to need quality minutes from Steve Moore. Kansas State dominated Missouri in the rebounding category back on January 7th, out-rebounding the Tigers 37-22 en route to a 75-59 victory in Manhattan. Expect Kansas State to have a similar advantage on the glass, but not by such a wide margin.
Bench: Even
While Missouri isn’t very deep at all off the bench, they arguably have the best sixth man in the nation in Lee’s Summit West product Michael Dixon. K-State’s bench hasn’t been all that productive, but at least they have more than 7 players that can come in the game and play effective minutes unlike the Tigers who can only turn to Dixon and Steve Moore off the bench.
Intangibles: Missouri
Tuesday’s contest is being played in Columbia, where Missouri has yet to lose a game this season. While Kansas State is coming off an energizing victory over Baylor, the Tigers and their fans can almost taste a Big 12 title. Missouri needs this game desperately to keep their Big 12 Championship aspirations alive. And don’t think that 75-59 trouncing of the Tigers in Manhattan back on January 7th isn’t on their minds when they take the court for this one Tuesday night. The revenge factor will be a big part of this game for Missouri.
I’m a firm believer that the world will end in 2012. Consider the last week: Jeff Withey was trending on Twitter, Newt Gingrich is seriously being considered as a Republican Candidate, Jeremy Lin went from being the Chinese bench-warmer who went to Harvard to the (obviously) Taiwanese baller who put up 38 points against the Lakers to the victim of a racist comment (someone on ESPN is getting fired), and Nicki Minaj singlehandedly ruined the Adele’s Grammy’s. I’m leaving out the fact that someone in Hollywood thought it would be a good idea to make a sequel to Ghost Rider (Nicolas Cage, please retire, thank you).The Mayans were right. What has this world come to?
One thing’s for sure, though, Jeff Withey is going to be living up this last year if he continues “gettinwitheywithit” (don’t look at me, I didn’t come up with this). That’s not to say, if he does poorly on the court, he still won’t be living it up, because he’ll always have his hilarious twitter account @FakeJeffWithey
That must have been a loud yell. Photo from: hdnux.com
Fake Jeff Withey@FakeJeffWithey- Skipped classes and practice today. Valentine’s Day is my Super Bowl #WitheyGettingBusy
Or is it your National Championship, since you are in college? Either way, it’s a worthless day, and we all know it.
Fake Jeff Withey@FakeJeffWithey- “Well at least we are still gonna get a degree from a fine academic university. Oh wait…” -Texas Tech players
Well at least we are still gonna get a degree…Oh wait.
…This just got awkward.
Fake Jeff Withey@FakeJeffWithey- Wow, Coach Self takes me out when I’m only 1 point and 6 blocks away from a triple double #BillSelfCockBlockParty
Happens to me all the time, sometimes in NBA 2K11 the computer randomly subs a player that was only 6 blocks away from a triple double. ONLY 6!
Linning
And while Jeff Withey has been playing superbly these past few weeks, this last week he’s been upstaged by the meteoric rise of the Harvard graduate and now currently starting point guard for the New York Knicks Jeremy Lin. If the world doesn’t end as the Mayans predicted, it may very well end by the world getting taken over by linsanity. I can’t remember the last time I turned on Sportscenter and didn’t see something about Lin.
But it should be realized that his success was the product of opportunity and preparation. Just watch the below video, he worked out three times a day and when he was given the chance to play, he capitalized. What might be more incredible is that just last week he was sleeping on Landry Fields’s couch, after his brother told him he was having guests and couldn’t use his couch (#couchproblems).
It will be interesting to see how the future unfolds for Lin. Will he be able to control his rampant turnover problems? How will he handle the return of Melo? Both are interesting questions and will only be answered with time. Looks like we won’t be seeing any less of Lin on Sportscenter, oh well.
The light at the end of the tunnel
And while I do think the world will end in 2012, there is still hope in this sad world. You only have to look at the cover of the most recent Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition to understand why. Those girls reaffirm my belief that there is goodness in the world. Kate Upton must have stolen beauty points from Snooki and co. from the Jersey Shore (what would this column be without a tasteless Jersey Shore joke?)
Unfortunately, the cover is all I’ve seen. My beautiful and caring mother immediately withdrew the magazine, leaving me like a kid who just realized that the yellow first down lines for football on TV weren’t actually real (don’t ask me how or why I thought this). So I’ve only glanced over the cover, but that’s been good enough for me.
Not only does the SI Swimsuit Edition give me hope for this world, but also the new movie Hunger Games. I’ve read all three books of the series and based on the trailer this looks like a gem. For me, it’s a day one visit to the movie theatre, and while I’m there I will promptly forget that the world will end in less than a year, relax, and enjoy my life.
This Saturday, Frank Martin and the Kansas State Wildcats head to the Ferrell Center in Waco, Texas to face the Baylor Bears. Kansas State is just coming off a home loss to in-state rival Kansas. At .500 in Big 12 play, Kansas State desperately needs this win for their NCAA Tournament hopes. A win in the road against a top 15 team would be a great on their resume. Here is how I see the game playing out.
Backcourt: Kansas State’s Will Spradling had a decent game against KU, but that was about it for K-State’s backcourt. Freshman guard Angel Rodriguez struggled mightily and the other guards were non factors. Baylor’s versatile Pierre Jackson and sharp shooter Brady Heslip get a huge advantage here. Advantage:Baylor
Frontcourt: K-State senior Jamar Samuels had a big game on Monday against KU, despite losing the game, K-State had a bright spot in seeing Jamar being able to do well underneath the basket as well as being able to step out and hit the three. However, Baylor has one of the best frontcourts in the conference. Led by all Big 12 candidate Perry Jones III. Expect Perry and Quincy Miller to have a big day inside. Advantage:Baylor
Bench: Kansas State does have a deep bench, but it seems lately as if no one wants to step up and lead the team. Baylor has a solid bench, and due to their production and KSU’s lack of production, I’ll give Baylor the edge Advantage: Baylor
Intangibles: The game is being played in Waco, and Baylor won the only previous meeting this year which was in Manhattan. Baylor won that game by two points. KSU needs this game badly. So even though it’s at Baylor, K-State is out to prove that Baylor’s win in Manhattan was a fluke. Small edge to the Cats here Advantage: K-State
Prediction: I think the Wildcats are out to prove something in this game. Even though they need this game before a tough road test at Mizzou, I don’t see them being able to out play the Bears in Waco. Baylor 75 K-State 64
After dominating a rather weak group, Barcelona came into the Round of 16 confident. Against Bayer Leverkusen, it was more of the same from the Blaugranes. Controlling the ball well, they had a lion’s share of the possession, 75%, and used patience and opportune attacks to beat their German opponents. This was not hard as Bayer gave the ball away very easily, which led to one of Alexis Sánchez’s goals. Leverkusen, like many other teams, could not contain Lionel Messi as he continued to float balls over the top, one of which was latched onto and dispatched sweetly by Sánchez. The Germans only easy chance was a high cross which was headed home by Michel Kadlec, and this game has all but confirmed that this matchup may be a walk in the park for Barça.
Flying under the radar as they entered the tournament, Apoel Nicosia won their group and booked their next round matchup against French giants Lyon. Though Apoel is the only Cypriot side to ever reach the Round of 16, they did not show the endeavor or inspiration that was so prevalent in getting them this far. Their only shot came in the 88th minute which produced a fine save from French international Hugo Lloris. Unlike Apoel, Lyon had many opportunities on goal, but only five found the target, one being the fine finish from Alexandre Lacazette that gave them the victory.
As the temperatures continued to drop at the Stadion Petrovskiy in St Petersburg, there was still a game that needed to be played between Zenit and SL Benfica. The frigid temperatures hovered between 5 and 10 degrees the whole game, but watching the cold spectacle was well worth it. Maxi Pereira of Benfica put his side up after an error by Zenit goalkeeper Yuri Zhevnov, but Zenit’s Roman Shirokov quickly drew his side level after a well taken volley. After the break, the fireworks began as Sergei Semak scored after brilliant team play. Then, shortly after, Benfica looked to have snatched a draw when another Zhevnov howler allowed Oscar Cardozo finish from close range, but just two minutes later Benfica conceded a killer as Shirokov completed his brace and assured a win for the Russians.
Yet again, defense is the reason for the bemoaning of the Gunner faithful. Arsenal never looked settled at the San Siro and were humiliatingly torn apart 4-0 by the Rossoneri. Milan’s Kevin Prince-Boateng struck a beauty to put AC up in the 15th minute, and, from then on, it was pure domination. In the 38th, Zlatan Ibrahimović crossed for Robinho to tap in from 6 yards out. Things got worse quickly for Arsenal before halftime as their impressive defender Laurent Koscielny limped off the pitch and was replaced by Johan Djourou. After halftime, Robinho took advantage of Thomas Vermaelen’s slip outside of the box as he slammed home the clincher from 18 yards out. Any hopes of comeback were ended in the 78th minute, when Koscielny’s replacement Djourou clumsily knocked over Ibrahimović to concede a penalty, which the big Swede slotted into the bottom right corner, leaving Arsenal with a lot of work to do in the 2nd leg at the Emirates Stadium on March 6th.
Now that the NFL is locked in for another ten years without labor disagreements, the decisions on key free agents for all thirty-two teams can be methodically thought out and well planned. Although the NFL’s parody of a minute to win it free agency last year was exciting, it will be interesting to see how the plans for certain teams future change as veterans are let go to make room for the up and coming younger guys.
For the Chiefs, former first round pick Dwayne Bowe and CB Brandon Carr have played out their rookies contract and are looking to ink a new deal. Credit to both for actually playing out their rookies contracts entirely before asking for a deal they don’t quite yet deserve, kudos. However looking at the infrastructure of the Chiefs, many question if either Bowe or Carr are necessities for the Chiefs to be a consistent competitor within the AFC west. First scenario: they keep both Carr and Bowe. The chiefs will need a solid, not necessarily great corner to oppose Flowers on the other side of Romeo’s 3-4 Defenese, and Carr fits the bill. He is a solid player that will step up to the weekly challenge by opposing offenses who try to stay away from Flowers. Meanwhile, Bowe has made tremendous leaps in his career from when he started.
I personally still believe Bowe has more potential than his results show right now. Kansas city sports fans have tirelessly watched as former players are let go and then go off and have a pretty successful career. Names such as Damon, Beltran, Tynes, Allen, all fit the above description. Bowe gives the chiefs versatility in the passing game with his size and speed. If he goes elsewhere, in the right system, I believe he will join that list previously mentioned.
Second scenario:
They give up one or the other. With the chiefs securing their shut down corner in Flowers, will Scott Pioli be willing to fork up big money to Carr as well? Many will say we would be fine getting rid of Carr and getting a corner in the draft or picking up someone in free agency. With Carr, it’s not a matter of production because in my opinion he is a solid player. It will be a matter of money. Bowe on the other hand (who at times forgets to use them on crossing patterns) has been inconsistent during his stint in Kansas City. Numerous no brainer dropped passes did not help the often times depleted Matt Cassel or Stanzi or Orton or anyone else who attended the open try out for the quarterback job last year. At times, Bowe is seen half jogging routes and not going all out on certain plays. He is too inconsistent with drops to carry around that attitude.
Also, the big kicker is the addition of Baldwin and Breaston. Baldwin, who some see as a identical player as Bowe, played well in a minimized role in Todd Haley’s offense last year. I look for him to continue to grow on the field as long as he stays away from Thomas Jones in the locker room. Breaston gives the chiefs that vertical threat– add in a healthy McCluster and you have the modern day collection of NFL receivers.
I personally believe they will keep both Carr and Bowe. Bowe may be a little more expensive ticket than Carr, but I think Pioli will find away to lock him up for 3-5 years. Leaving more than enough money to address the grocery list of needs that consist of offensive linemen, defensive linemen, another back to complement Charles and more speed in defensive skill positions. With a trio of Baldwin, Bowe, and Breaston you have a solid receiving Corp. on paper. Also with Carr, Romeo has a duo of corners that, although this may be a premature comparison, resembles the likes of Ty Law and Asante Samuel in New England during the Patriots championship runs. It will take bigger,more physical corners in the new defensive scheme that Romeo brings tothe Chiefs and Flowers and Carr can get the job done. For the theChiefs, the decision to keep these two players are just a piece of theexpected off season moves by this organization. Only wins and losseswill determine whatever. move Pioli and the front office made as correct.
This Saturday at 1 O’Clock, Kansas State will take on Texas in Austin. In the first go round between these two teams, K-State led most of the way and then almost blew the lead with a bunch of missed free throws. Texas had the chance to tie or win the game on their final possession but Martavious Irving had a big steal that led to a Rodney McGruder dunk at the other end. Here’s what to look for as K-State goes up against the Horns at 1 o’clock Saturday.
Frontcourt: Kansas State has a bunch of bodies to throw at the Longhorn front line. The Horns have a few good big men, but they shouldn’t be able to hang with Jamar Samuels and co. Expect the Wildcats front line to dominate.
Edge: KSU
Backcourt: Perhaps no one in the conference had been more efficient than J’Covan Brown of Texas. He is the most prolific scorer in the Big 12. He also has freshman Myck Kabongo as a nice compliment to the backcourt. KSU has Rodney McGruder who has been in a bit of a slump and Angel Rodriguez who has been on fire. I give an edge to the Horns here.
Edge: UT
Bench: KSU has Shane Southwell who is coming off a career night and a big time role player in Adrian Diaz. Texas has a few players that can come off the bench, but none that play the same way K-State’s bench does.
Edge: KSU
Prediction: Kansas State has bounced back nicely from a couple losses and Texas is playing some good ball right now. You have to take into account also that Frank Martin and every player on K-State’s team have never lost in Austin. I think KSU keeps that streak going. KSU 74 UT 68
Before comparing Eli Manning to his older brother Peyton, we must take a step back from the Super Bowl this week.
Eli Manning. What words do you immediately think of when you think of Eli? Perhaps you perceive Eli Manning as Peyton’s younger brother, nothing more, nothing less. Maybe you think of Eli as that guy who miraculously wiggled out of a sack three times in one play, scrambled outside the pocket, and launched a prayer down the field in Super Bowl 42 that was eventually snatched by some no-name, obscure wide receiver with the help of a helmet and some stick ‘em glue. Or maybe you think of Eli Manning as Archie Manning’s son.
Perhaps, just maybe, it’s time for you to think about Eli Manning as a 2 time Super Bowl Champion, 2 time Super Bowl MVP, the most successful quarterback in road playoff games in NFL history, future hall of famer, and the best Manning to ever play the game of football. Yeah, I said it.
"Wait so I'm second best?" Picture from: http://www.americanspectator.biz/sports-news/peyton-mannings-streak-of-227-consecutive-starts/
Eli’s brother, Peyton, is the greatest regular season quarterback in NFL history. There’s no other quarterback that’s ever played the game that I would rather have than Peyton Manning if the goal were to go 13-3 every year and earn the number 1 seed in the postseason. Under Peyton’s reign, the Colts set an NFL record by winning 12 or more regular season games for 7 consecutive seasons.
But the goal isn’t to own the regular season, fill up the stat sheet, and set a myriad of statistical records. The goal, as in every sport, is to be the last team standing at the end of the year with the title of champion. Period. Just look at Dan Marino. If Marino were able to bust through just once and hoist the elusive Lombardi Trophy, he would likely be regarded as the greatest quarterback in NFL history.
During his illustrious NFL career, Peyton Manning has played in 19 playoff games, all as a member of the Indianapolis Colts. His record in those games in 9-10, hardly anything worth significant merit. Manning has a career postseason passer rating of a pedestrian 79.7.
While the Colts did breakthrough to win the Lombardi trophy in the 2006-2007 season under Manning’s direction, Peyton had a mediocre showing in the postseason. During the Colts run to the title in the ’07 playoffs, Manning threw 7 INT’s and only 3 TD’s. He sported a passer rating of an underwhelming 61.7.
Manning and the Colts again reached the Super Bowl in 2009 after a record setting 14-2 season. However, Peyton failed to win his second ring as he threw a crucial interception in the waning minutes to seal Indy’s fate.
Manning did have an exceptional 2009 postseason (9 TD’s, 1 INT), however many believe Peyton choked in what many dubbed as the most important game of his career. If Peyton doesn’t throw the pick to Tracy Porter and the Colts win Super Bowl 44, Peyton Manning is the greatest quarterback of all time.
Eli, on the other hand, seems to shine brightest when the pressure is on. Eli boasts extremely impressive career playoff numbers (21 TD’s, 7 INT’s) and is 8-3 as a starter in the postseason. He’s also tied for most game-winning drives in NFL playoff history with the great Joe Montana. Oh, and he’s won the Super Bowl…twice, both times against the mighty Patriots.
This is Eli at his finest. Notice under 2 minutes left in fourth quarter.
Not only is Eli one of the most clutch players to ever play the game, he’s one of the most consistent players in the NFL today. The Giants have not had a losing season since Eli Manning has been the starting quarterback for New York.
There is no doubt in my mind; Peyton Manning is a first ballot hall of famer. No questions asked. However, he doesn’t have the hardware that his brother Eli does. Before you make your decision, I’ll ask you this: who would you rather under center with two minutes left in the game, trailing by 4? To me, the answer is obvious: it’s Eli.
