Top Ten Most Patriotic Team Names

Happy 4th of July, everyone. In honor of our Independence Day, we're going to run through the Top 10 most patriotic team names. Here we go!

10. University of Massachusetts Minutemen (NCAA)

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9. New York Yankees (MLB)

Photo Credit: nationalsportsbeat.com

8. Washington Nationals (MLB)

Photo Credit: sports-logos-screensavers.com

7. American University Eagles (NCAA)

Photo Credit: aueagles.com

6. New York Liberty (WNBA)

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Driver 7th Pro Athlete to Win Dancing With the Stars

Photo Credit: zimbio.com

Congratulations to Green Bay Packers wide receiver Donald Driver who this week became the 7th Professional Athlete in 14 seasons to win Dancing With the Stars. Driver joins the following athletes who have also won the competition:

Hall of Fame Running Back Emmitt Smith (season 3)

Photo Credit: sportsgrindent.com

Olympic Speed Skater Apolo Anton Ohno (season 4)

Photo Credit: tvguide.com

3-Time Indy 500 Winner Hélio Castroneves (season 5)

Photo Credit: tvguide.com

Olympic Figure Skater Kristi Yamaguchi (season 6)

Photo Credit: dizzyfeetfoundation.org

Olympic Gymnast Shawn Johnson (season 8)

Photo Credit: showstalker.net

and recently retired Pittsburgh Steelers Wide Receiver Hines Ward (season 12) 

Photo Credit: content.usatoday.com

Now normally I'm not into reality TV competition type shows, but I've got to say, my wife had me watch the freestyle portion of this season's competition and it was pretty impressive. Here's a look at Driver's freestyle dance that earned him a perfect 30 out of 30 and essentially won him the competition:

Eli Does SNL

Some of the highlights:






We shouldn't be surprised that Eli can act though. Let's not forget his work on Football Cops.

What the...

Photo Credit: nba.com screenshot

I guess when you make millions of dollars you can pull this sort of thing off. Probably doesn't hurt that he's also 6'11" 260 lbs. I mean, who's really going to tell him that he looks ridiculous? The real question is, who wins the fashion contest in the silly hats category: Amare or Big Ben?

Photo Credit: yfrog.com

One of these things is not like the other...

Photo Credit: twitter - @SoccerrProblems

Way to be that guy, America...

Monday Mailbag

With the Premier League season almost over, everybody always seems to be so worried about the top dogs. But what i wanna know is, who do you see getting regulated and who do you think will be advanced for next season? That fight sometimes seems to have so much more drama to it. - Cory L., Raceland, LA

Photo Credit: football365.co.za

You're telling me. Wigan Athletic has been playing out of their minds lately throwing the whole race into chaos after back-to-back wins over Manchester United and Arsenal. Anyhow, there are basically six teams at risk of being relegated (the bottom three teams in the English Premier League get sent down a division at the end of each season):

I'd say at this point that it's a forgone conclusion that Wolverhampton will be headed down, so that's one. Blackburn finishes their slate with Norwich City, Spurs, Wigan and Chelsea, so it's tough to see them making a huge push forward, so I'm going to say they're two. I feel like Aston Villa and Wigan - following Wigan's stunning upset at Arsenal today - are probably in the clear, so it comes down to QPR and Bolton. QPR has an absolutely brutal schedule the rest of the way: Spurs, Chelsea, Stoke City and Manchester City. Bolton, in addition to having two more games than QPR does, has a much more reasonable schedule with Swansea City, Aston Villa, Sunderland, Spurs, West Bromwich Albion, and Stoke City. So with the schedules being what they are, I think QPR is going to come up short. So those are my three.

As for who is going to replace them? I think you're looking at Reading and Southampton for sure, and I'm going to say it's between West Ham and Birmingham to win the promotion playoff.


Newcastle has been on fire here lately. Can they keep their run up and going and make a charge to finish in the top 4 and maybe qualify for Champions League ball? And if they do, are they deep enough to compete? - Cory L., Raceland, LA

Photo Credit: thesun.co.uk

Here are the standings as of right now:

As you can see it's basically a three-team race for the fourth spot at this point between Tottenham, Chelsea and Newcastle with five matches to play. Chelsea is at a bit of a disadvantage because in addition to worrying about their Premier League Schedule (which includes matches with Arsenal, Liverpool and Newcastle), they're also still alive in the FA Cup and have the semifinals of the Champions League against Barcelona to worry about.

Spurs appeared to have a Champions League spot locked up a few weeks ago, but following a 5-0 win over Newcastle on February 11th, they've won just 1 of 8 matches. They certainly have a favorable schedule the rest of the way as they take on Queens Park Rangers, Blackburn Rovers, Bolton Wanderers, Aston Villa (4 of the bottom 6 teams in the league) and Fulham, but they need to start winning games.

That leaves Newcastle. As you pointed out, they're in form winning their last 5 matches, conceding just 1 goal during that stretch, but Newcastle's schedule is arguably the toughest of the three teams still in contention. They host Stoke City, travel to suddenly red hot Wigan, then go to Stamford Bridge to take on Chelsea, then host Manchester City, and then finish on the road at Everton.

Needless to say it's going to be an exciting finish. Should Newcastle qualify for Champions League play, expect them to make some moves to bolster their roster. Especially if Demba Ba jumps ship. Since the Champions League is never a guarantee for these guys the way it might be for a team like Manchester United, expect them to really go all in.


Fulham are knocking on the door to be competing in Europa League next year. Clint Dempsey says he's not making up his mind about where he wants to play next year until the season is over. Is Fulham's finishing position gonna make a difference in his decision? And if he does test the transfer market, where do you see him going? - Cory L., Raceland, LA

Photo Credit: guardian.co.uk

The general consensus is that regardless of where Fulham ends up this year, Clint Dempsey will be headed to greener pastures. And can you really blame him? His stock will never be higher, and he has aspirations of playing in the Champions League and I can guarantee you there will be a market for him. Dempsey's keeping his mouth shut until the season is over, but there are already teams identified as having an interest. Some of the more plausible destinations:

Schalke 04 - With Dutch striker and leading scorer Klaas Jan Huntelaar and potentially Raul likely gone next season, the German club will need to replace goals. Currently in 3rd place in the Bundesliga, Schalke almost surely will qualify for the Champions League next year and a player like Dempsey could be a solid signing for them.

Paris St. Germain - PSG has money and more importantly, they're looking at a spot in next season's Champions League as they currently sit in second place in France's Ligue 1. PSG has been aggressively pursuing just about everyone under the sun, and they have the potential to put together quite a squad and a player with Dempsey's skill set would seem to be a good fit.

Newcastle/Spurs - Don’t rule out an English club with cash like Tottenham or Newcastle going all in and overpaying for him. Depending on how the race for 4th shakes out, both could be intriguing options. They certainly make more sense than Manchester United or Arsenal, both of which have also been linked to the American striker.


Best tattoo in the NBA? - Garrett M., Boston, MA

It's hard to narrow it down to just one, so I'll give you three to choose from.


DeShawn Stevenson - New Jersey Nets - Abe Lincoln - "I was going to get Martin Luther King and I told Gilbert Arenas. You should never tell nobody your idea. That summer, he came back and got it. So I didn't know who to get. I got Abraham Lincoln because he freed the slaves. I just had Abraham Lincoln and, from a distance, everybody kept saying, 'Who is that?' So I put the five-dollar bill so everybody would stop asking me."

Photo Credit: atlnightspots.com

Brad Miller - Minnesota Timberwolves - Scrappy Doo - Because nothing is more intimidating on a 7-foot tall white guy than Scrappy Doo...

Photo Credit: totalprosports.com

Marquis Daniels - Boston Celtics - State of Florida - If he tattooed in some highways he could save a ton of money on maps.

Photo Credit: theuppitynegro.wordpress.com

Honorable Mentions:

Greg Ostertag - Retired - Fred Flintstone - Another giant white guy rocking a totally intimidating cartoon character.

Photo Credit: themax.mlblogs.com

Stephon Marbury - Chinese League - Starbury Logo - Deadspin's Take on the tattoo when he got it back in '08: "It's probably as subtle as you can get for a head tattoo and it clearly shows that for all of his questionable, unhinged behavior of the past year, Marbury is still a very savvy businessman. It's completely logical. One person asks, 'Hey, what's that funny symbol on your head?' and then you just nail them with the cheap sneakers pitch. Ka-ching!"

Photo Credit: bleacherreport.com

Marquis Daniels - Boston Celtics - Guy Shooting Himself in the Head - The best part is that it says 'Only the Strong Survive'... Because you know, that makes sense.

Photo Credit: vvmetattoo.wordpress.com

Who the heck is Colt Knost? - The Dude, Chesapeake, VA

Photo Credit: usatoday.com

Colt Knost surprised a lot of people this week at the RBC Heritage Classic when he actually had a two shot lead heading into the weekend and finished 8 under par and in 3rd place for the tournament. Hardly a household name, the 26 year old from SMU earned more for his 3rd place finish this weekend than he did in all of 2011. This was Knost's second 3rd place finish on the tour this year and he currently ranks 54th in the FedEx Cup standings. I don't know that he's on the verge of making a leap to the next level though. While he's shown glimpses of being a very good golfer - like this weekend - he's only finished under par three times in the nine tournaments he's played in this year.


When did Mike Stanton become Giancarlo Stanton and why? - James B., Virginia Beach, VA

Photo Credit: faketeams.com

The Florida Marlins aren't the only thing in South Beach that had its name changed this offseason. Power-hitting outfielder Mike Stanton announced this spring that he'd like to go by his given name, Giancarlo for the 2012 season. The Marlins slugger's full name is Giancarlo Cruz Michael Stanton, but his mother calls him Cruz, his father calls him Mike and teammates call him Bigfoot. Stanton became Mike because his junior high school teachers could not properly pronounce Giancarlo. "No one could pronounce it right," he said. "Everyone thought it was two words. Gene-carlo, Juan-carlo, Gionne-carlo. You have seven periods in school, so seven times a day: 'No, that's not the name.'" So he switched to Mike. And now he's switching back. His teammates don't seem to mind, although they do have some suggestions. "I told him he needs to have longer hair," catcher John Buck said. "When I think of Giancarlo, I think of someone with long, flowing hair, like Fabio. But if he keeps hitting homers, I'll call him whatever he wants me to call him."

So I watched Eric Lichaj defend against one of the best wingers in the Premier League in Antonio Valencia and did a pretty solid job. Is he the answer at left back for the USMNT? - Cory L., Raceland, LA

Photo Credit: soccerbyives.net

Lichaj is certainly a player to keep an eye on moving forward. He played capably for the U.S. during last summer's Gold Cup, and we probably would have seen more of him during the Klinsmann era had he not been sidelined with a hip injury. In his absence, no one has really emerged and seized the position - Fabian Johnson has arguably come the closest - so I'd be surprised if he doesn't find himself getting an invite to camp. As to whether or not he's the answer? He's only made 4 starts since returning from injury, and while he hasn't played badly, he's been a part of a defense that has allowed 10 goals in those 4 games. So I don't think he's quite there yet, but the potential certainly is. My bet would be you'll see either him, Johnson, or Timmy Chandler (assuming he doesn't unseat Steve Cherundolo at right back) at left back when World Cup Qualifying kicks off.


Special thanks as always to everyone who wrote in this week. And remember, as the great G$ Meyer says Reading is for Winners, especially when you read Smitty's Mailbag.

Got a question for the mailbag? Click on the link at the top of the page or email us directly at smittysports.blogspot@hotmail.com.

Introducing your Masters Champion

No truth to the rumor that instead of green jackets they will be handing out blue overalls next year...

It's a good thing Bubba Watson can crush the bejeezus out of a golf ball, because I don't think he was ever going to make it in music.

Kobe Bryant vs Dwight Schrute

Rough night tonight for Kobe "Schrute Bucks" Bryant as he shot just 8 of 26 from the field, had to change masks at halftime after the Zorro-look didn't work out for him, and the Lakers fell in overtime to the Pistons 88-85.

Photo Credits: themodernguilt.files.wordpress.com, kansascity.com

Kobe was able to channel his inner Schrute after donning the clear mask at the break and even sank a game-tying 17 footer at the end of regulation, but it wasn't enough. The simple lesson here is that it's not Be Like Mike, it's:

Photo Credit: zimbio.com

"Before I do anything I ask myself: 'Would an idiot do that?' And if the answer is yes, I do not do that thing." - Dwight Schrute, The Office

We Need More Will Ferrell in Pro Sports

Will Ferrell made a cameo appearance at the New Orleans Arena last night announcing the starting lineups for the Hornets-Bulls game. After watching this, can you honestly say that Will Ferrell shouldn't be called upon to do this every night?

This isn't Ferrell's first time combining sports and entertainment though. Over the past decade he's portrayed numerous athletes in films including:

Jackie Moon (Semi-Pro)

Photo Credit: allstarpics.net

Chazz Michael Michaels (Blades of Glory)

Photo Credit: 90bpm.ne

and Ricky Bobby (Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby)

Photo Credit: mtv.com

He also made an appearance with the AAA Round Rock Express in 2010 as Billy Ray 'Rojo' Johnson

And I was at a game at Fenway in 2006 when he threw out the first pitch in a full Sox uniform a la Luis Tiant.

Photo Credit: people.com

Bottom line, Will Ferrell makes sports better. He's like those Dairy Queen commercials. Good isn't good enough. We don't have rainbows, we have rainbows... ON FIRE. It's not just sports, it's sports... WITH WILL FERRELL!

Monday Mailbag, Vol. 3

Back with another issue of the Monday Mailbag where you guys, the readers, get to ask the questions. So without further ado:

With Clint Dempsey’s outstanding form as of late and the emergence of Brek Shea as a possible playmaker on the wing, do you see Jurgen Klinsmann maybe utilizing Dempsey in a striker role when World Cup Qualifying rolls around? Assuming of course that everything remains as it is. - Cory L., Raceland, LA

Photo Credit: dallastexans.com

A lot of Dempsey's role will be determined by what formation Klinsmann ends up using. So far we've seen him use a hybrid 4-3-3/4-5-1 setup with a lone central striker and the wing midfielders pushed heavily into the attack, as well as a more traditional 4-4-2. Dempsey's high work rate and ability to wreak havoc all over the field would seem to make him an ideal fit for one of the wings in a 4-3-3 opposite Landon Donovan while one of the more traditional strikers we have - Buddle, Altidore, Agudelo, Bunbury, Wondolowski, etc. - would be able to fill that high striker role. In a 4-4-2 however, I think Dempsey's a good fit for that second striker playing slightly behind whoever he's paired up with, almost as an attacking midfielder. Either way, we'll have him in an attacking position.

As for Brek Shea, there's no questioning his talent, but his biggest contribution to the National Team so far came as a substitute when he picked up an assist against Mexico. He's still only 21 with just 11 career appearances so he's got a lot of room to grow, but for right now his versatility and high energy would seem to make him a more ideal bench player for World Cup Qualifying in my opinion. A lot can change between now and then though so it's certainly something to keep an eye on. 


How important is it that Tim Ream get himself as much time as possible at Bolton to help shore up the problems the USMNT have on defense? - Cory L., Raceland, LA

Photo Credit: empireofsoccer.com

Any time a player goes to Europe, it's always a gamble. We've seen guys go over there are really break out and make a name for themselves like Clint Dempsey and Ream's Bolton teammate Stuart Holden, and we've seen guys go over there and kind of disappear like Freddy Adu. So obviously, as a U.S. fan, you want to see Ream get playing time. But to impact the National Team, he's going to have to do more than just see the field, he's going to have to get a lot better. Ream did not play well against Spain during the lead-in match to last summer's Gold Cup, and his ensuing performance in that tournament got him benched after two games. While it's true the back line is probably one of our most glaring weakness (although you could also make a pretty good case that it's our front line that's the problem), Ream right now is probably behind guys like Geoff Cameron, Michael Parkhurst, Zak Whitbread, Clarence Goodson, Eric Lichaj... So before we start worrying about Ream solving the USA's defensive problems, what we should really be more concerned about is Ream getting his confidence back and getting better. And playing in the English Premier League is certainly a great opportunity for him to improve his game.

To say that the USWNT are on a roll in Olympic Qualifying would kinda be an understatement. Are they really that good? Or have the teams we’ve been playing that bad? - Cory L., Raceland, LA

Photo Credit: washingtonpost.com

I think you can make a strong case that it's been a combination of both our women playing in top form, and their opponents not being very good. The Dominican Republic was outscored 27-0 in the Olympic Qualifying tournament including a 6-0 loss to Guatemala, a team that lost to Mexico 5-0. Guatemala and the Dominican Republic are ranked 85th and 88th in the world respectively which is not good at all. Then you have Costa Rica who, while ranked 41st in the world, has never qualified for a World Cup. And finally Mexico and Canada both failed to win a match at the last World Cup combining for a record of 0-4-2 with neither side advancing out of the first round. So it's not like we're mopping up the Swedens and the Japans and the Germanys and the Brazils... Those are the real tests. While it's good to see the U.S. Women take care of business like they were supposed to, and a +38 goal differential over 5 games is ridiculously good, I don't think you can read into this performance too much. Other than being able to determine that the Dominican Republic is not very good right now. 


The USMNT are set to play Italy in a friendly here very soon. What would a good showing, and by good showing I mean at the least a tie, if not a win, say to the rest of the world about this team and its coach? - Cory L., Raceland, LA

Photo Credit: mlssoccer.com

Generally speaking when the international game is concerned, you want to draw on the road, and win when you're at home. But more important than the result in these friendly matches is how the team plays. If we go into Italy, get outshot 100-0 and win 1-0 thanks to an own goal, while it's a win, it doesn't really show progress, and it certainly doesn't show that we can hang with the top clubs in the world. The other factor that we'll have to consider when evaluating is who plays in the match. Beating Italy's 'B' side with our 'A' side isn't going to carry as much weight as if we were to go toe-to-toe with their first team. Ultimately, you can't ever put too much weight on a friendly match, but a strong showing should help our momentum as we get ready for World Cup Qualifying this summer.

Alex Smith... I think he proved that he can play and win and not turn the ball over and be pretty consistent (all good qualities of a QB), but when it comes down to it, if you had one chance to make an 80-yard drive at the end of the game to win, I wouldn't pick him if given the choice. Do you agree and if so, do you cut your losses or do you become a clone of the Ravens with a great defense and just enough offense to get stopped short in the conference championship? - Garrett M., Boston, MA

Photo Credit: washingtonpost.com

I can only think of one scenario where Alex Smith isn't the starting quarterback in San Francisco next season, and that's if a HEALTHY (strong emphasis on healthy) Peyton Manning was available. Otherwise, let's look at the facts:

*During the regular season, only 8 quarterbacks posted a higher QB Rating than Alex Smith's 90.7.

*36 quarterbacks threw more interceptions than he did during the regular season.

*Smith threw 5 touchdowns and 0 interceptions in the 49ers two postseason games.

*If not for two fumbled punt returns, the 49ers would probably be 15-3 and in the Super Bowl right now.

So I think to answer your question, you continue to do what's working for you. Smith is serviceable and he's cheap compared to what some quarterbacks are going for these days. The 49er defense is sensational, they can run the ball well, and they have a Pro Bowl caliber tight end in Vernon Davis. If they can get upgrades over Delanie Walker, Ted Ginn Jr., and Josh Morgan at wide receiver that can only help. If you consider that Smith made it farther in the postseason than Matt Ryan, Ben Roethlisberger, Aaron Rodgers and Drew Brees, I don't think you have a need to change directions.

Can you weigh in on the breaking up of the big 3 here in Boston? Ray Allen would be an awesome 6th man and could definitely pull some trade value closer to the trade deadline. Garnett and Pierce are tougher pieces though... do you keep one or both? Does a young team like the pacers or trailblazers or T-wolves make sense? - Garrett M., Boston, MA

Photo Credit: boston.sportsthenandnow.com

Watching the Celtics this year, it seems pretty evident that their championship window is pretty much closed with the group of players they have now. And while trading them makes sense, it's not going to be easy to move those contracts. Garnett is owed $21.2M this season, Allen $10M and Pierce $15.3M. Pierce is under contract for another two years so I think he's the least likely to get moved. And barring some crazy ridiculous 9-team deal with all sorts of bad contracts involved, I think Garnett's stuck, so that leaves Allen as the only one who it seems might get moved, and even that's not going to be easy. You said it yourself, Allen would be an awesome 6th man. How much does an awesome sixth man fetch on the open market these days? Lamar Odom, for example, got traded for a non-lottery first round pick and a trade exception... We'll see what happens. There's already been a lot of injuries this season, and that could force a team to be a lot more willing to make a deal that Boston would be willing to pull the trigger on.

What happened to Phil Mickelson on Thursday?? - The Dude, Chesapeake, VA

Photo Credit:dogschasingcars.com

I suppose it's a little strange when Mickelson shoots 15 shots worse than Kyle Stanley in a round of golf. The 77 was his worst round since shooting a 77 in the third round at last year's U.S. Open. I'd chalk it up to just having a bad day. Golf can be pretty unforgiving sometimes. He bounced back the second day on the tourney and shot a 4 under 68 so it doesn't seem like it's a permanent problem. 

What events belong on "sports" networks? I suppose everyone deserves their 15 minutes, but sometimes I find myself asking what is ESPN thinking? So...what is ESPN thinking? Here's my list:

Bowling
American Kennel Club Dog Show
Cross-Fit
A marathon
Poker
Fishing
Hunting
Body building
Monster truck rallies
World's Strongest Man (awesome, but not a sport; give it to Spike or FX; it can precede UFC fights)
Spelling Bee
Cup stacking
Billiards
Scrabble tournaments
Checkers
Chess
Sailing
Cheerleading
Dominos
Dancing
Competitive eating, specifically hot dog contests (and how do I sign up?)
Car shows
Darts

To be fair, I considered the difference between a sport and activity, defining the above as activities. This sports fan considers a real sport to be a competition that takes both skill and athleticism, such as football, baseball, anything in the olympics, tennis, and golf. It's only a matter of time before they start broadcasting text message competitions,  bird watching, and fashion shows. - Ben K., Slidell, LA

That's quite a list. Ok, let's take them one at a time.

Bowling - Are there people that actually watch this instead of football on Sunday afternoons?

American Kennel Club Dog Show - I choose to not comment on this one for fear of what my wife might do to me.

Cross-Fit - Kind of like World's Strongest Man. Amazing athletes, but not primetime television.

A marathon - Watching a marathon is like watching the Tour de France. It works in the Olympics because they can keep cutting away to other sports and then every 15 minutes or so, yep the fast guy from Kenya is still winning. But to sit and watch a whole marathon? Pass.

Poker - Not a sport. I don't care what you say.

Fishing - Outdoor Channel. 

Hunting - See Fishing.

Body building - Until these competitions culminate with one of these guys having to catch or throw or kick a ball of some sort, I'm not interested. Get as jacked as you want, but if you aren't coordinated, it's pretty much worthless.

Monster truck rallies - Is Grave Digger still around? Does anyone know?

World's Strongest Man (awesome, but not a sport; give it to Spike or FX; it can precede UFC fights) - See Cross-Fit. Do they have new episodes of this any more?

Spelling Bee - Maybe PBS. It is educational. Kind of.

Cup stacking - Is this related to plate spinning?

Billiards - I think if you can play it in a bar, it doesn't count as a sport. I wouldn't watch a beer pong tournament on ESPN either.

Scrabble tournaments - I saw a scrabble tournament on ESPN2 once. Those guys are all kinds of intense. Trash talking and everything.

Checkers - Really?

Chess - No.

Sailing - It's not really a spectator sport, is it?

Cheerleading - Gymnastics is a sport. Cheerleading is not a sport.

Dominos - See Checkers.

Dancing - We already have Dancing with the Stars on network television. We don't need it on ESPN.

Competitive eating, specifically hot dog contests (and how do I sign up?) - I'm ok with this being on once a year.

Car shows - I have trouble watching cars racing.

Darts - Mountain top!

Photo Credit: engadget.com

The simple answer is we really need ESPN 8 - The Ocho to be a real thing. That way you have a network that handles all of the non-sport "sports". Look, I'm not saying that the stuff listed above doesn't take skill, but I don't want to watch the spelling bee or checkers or poker on ESPN. Anyhow, in summary:

This is why darts is not a sport:

This is how chess could become acceptable on ESPN:



This is taking the Spelling Bee way too seriously:


And this is a link to the website for the International Federation of Competitive Eating. Yeah, it's real.



What's up with boxing? Is it still around, or have the WWE and UFC round-house kicked it into a figure-four-leg-lock? I vaguely remember something about Pac-Man and Meriweather, but that didn't happen because one of them wants a blood test and the other has to chase a bunch of ghosts around a maze, right? - Ben K., Slidell, LA

Photo Credit: cnn.com

Didn't you watch Real Steel? The fight game has changed! It's all about robots fighting other robots now. Or will be soon. At least that's what Wolverine said... I don't really know what happened with boxing. It's probably a bad thing when I can name more fictional boxers from the Rocky series than I can name actual active real boxers. It's funny because they keep coming out with boxing movies, and they always seem to do pretty well - The Fighter, Cinderella Man, Million Dollar Baby etc. And maybe that's the problem. You watch Rocky and then you watch a real boxing match, and they just don't compare. You don't see guys take 200 punches to the head in a round and keep fighting back. But Hollywood has convinced us that you could. For boxing to truly make a comeback, they're either going to need someone that fans can really get behind, or they're going to need someone the fans can really root against. Kind of like the Miami Heat captivated the interest of casual basketball fans in the NBA (the Heat are the villain, not the team you get behind just so we're clear). Otherwise, people are just going to continue to not pay attention. 


Drew Brees was recently selected as the most powerful athlete in the world by a collection of marketing agencies. What year do you think he'll become President? - Ben K., Slidell, LA

Photo Credit: http://pigskinlovinglady.com

The guy's already been King of Bacchus. Why would he want to demean himself by taking a lower position like "President of the United States".


Special thanks to all those who wrote in this week. Got a question for the mailbag? Email us at smittysports.blogspot@hotmail.com.

Monday Mailbag, Vol. 2

Back with another issue of the Monday Mailbag, where you guys, the readers, get to ask the questions. So without further ado:

At some point in the last few years it has become a 15-yard penalty to either hit the quarterback when he’s not looking, or lightly graze his helmet with your fingertips. The consistency of calls around the NFL is pretty much nonexistent. What’s it gonna take to get some consistency with these calls, and do you think we’re ever gonna get back to actually playing football again? You know, where people get hit? - Cory L., Raceland, LA

Photo Credit: prairiedogmag.com

Honestly, it’s never going to go back to the way it was. For better or for worse, the league is doing what it can to start protecting is players, especially at the quarterback position. I certainly agree with you that the calls currently lack consistency and the league is going to need to continue to work with its officiating crews to better make those calls. And really, the officiating aspect is the only thing I really have a problem with. Look, it’s easy to say that football is losing some of its physicality with all of the rule changes, but the league has overcome changes like this in the past without issue. Once upon a time you could tackle a guy by the facemask. More recently, horse-collar tackles were still legal. I don’t think anyone is arguing that those changes weren’t for the better. Nobody wants to see more guys have their careers ended unnecessarily due to concussions (see Steve Young, Troy Aikman, etc) or get cut down at the knees a la Carson Palmer and Tom Brady. Hopefully in the coming years, the officials will get better at making the right calls, and this won’t be as big of an issue moving forward. 

I'm not a native to the city I'm in but I find myself constantly pulling for whoever plays the teams from this area.  I don't think I have anything against the teams here as they range from bad to mediocre to very good, they usually don't play any teams I support, and they have likeable players for the most part... Is the issue the city/people here or are the teams subconsciously obnoxious? Both? - Anonymous Boston resident

Photo Credit: thelosangelestimessportspagereview.blogspot.com

I’m pretty sure you’re not alone in feeling the way you do. And it’s not just because you live in Boston. Here’s the deal. A fan by definition is a fanatic. When you are surrounded by a bunch of fanatics who are not fanatical about the same things that you are, it’s generally going to totally turn you off to their interests. It’s not even just a sports issue, it’s a life issue. Think politics or religion, or even parents that are overly exuberant about their children's elementary school academic accolades.

Beckham just signed a new two-year deal with the Galaxy. How helpful is this going to be as far as keeping the growth and popularity of the MLS on its current upward trend? - Cory L., Raceland, LA

Photo Credit: mlive.com

While Beckham isn’t the player he used to be, he's still a big draw. And he's coming off what was his best MLS season since coming over from England back in 2007. Now 36, Beckham had 2 goals and 15 assists for the Galaxy during the 2011 regular season and added 4 more assists in the postseason while leading LA to the MLS Cup Championship. And while 36 certainly isn't young for a field player, just look at Beckham's old side Manchester United. They still start Ryan Giggs, 38, and recently brought back Paul Scholes, 37, out of retirement. Beckham is one of the most gifted players to ever play the game and he plays in one of the U.S.'s biggest markets for one of the league's most storied franchises. Keeping Becks around is a great move for the league and they should continue to try and keep him until he can't compete at the professional level any more. 

I’m fairly sure that Dimitar Berbatov is a vampire and that Carlos Tevez is some sort of werewolf. When United and City meet again in April, do you foresee an Underworld-style bloodbath? - Cory L., Raceland, LA 

Wow. Now that's a question. Well, first let's look at the evidence.

First, Manchester United striker Dimitar Berbatov:

Photo Credit: http://community.manutd.com

Suspicious. All right, what about Manchester City striker Carlos Tevez?

Photo Credit: http://www.sabotagetimes.com

Yikes... Well, that photo pretty much speaks for itself. Fortunately the fate of the world will likely be spared by the fact that neither Berbatov or Tevez is likely to see the field when the two teams throw down in late April. Tevez hasn't played in a match for City since September while Berbatov has appeared in just nine of Manchester United's 22 matches. Whether these two play or not though, this match could be played with the Premier League title on the line with just 3 points separating the two clubs right now, so that means expect a hard fought, physical match between two sides that do not like each other.

Pro vs College Shot Clock, pros and Cons? - Garrett M., Boston, MA

Photo Credit: usatoday.com

I think each shot clock has its merits and works for its respective level of competition. I like the 35 second shot clock in college basketball because it increases the possibility of bad teams hanging around with good teams. A 35 second shot clock means you can limit an opposing team’s possessions, especially in a 40 minute game. The fewer opportunities a Duke or a Syracuse or a North Carolina has, the better chance a disciplined, less talented squad can hang with them. And considering the lack of parity across college basketball, this really is a necessary measure. It's part of what makes the NCAA Tournament so entertaining.

In the Pros it’s a little different. Shorter shot clock means more possessions per game which means more points. Like it or not, scoring sells tickets.

Can you explain in English the defensive 3 seconds call? - Garrett M., Boston, MA

No softball questions here, I see. Ok, here's how the rule reads:

Section VII—Defensive Three-Second Rule

a. The count starts when the offensive team is in control of the ball in the frontcourt.

b. Any defensive player, who is positioned in the 16-foot lane or the area extending 4 feet past the lane endline, must be actively guarding an opponent within three seconds. Actively guarding means being within arms length of an offensive player and in a guarding position.

c. Any defensive player may play any offensive player. The defenders may double-team any player.

d. The defensive three-second count is suspended when: (1) a player is in the act of shooting, (2) there is a loss of team control, (3) the defender is actively guarding an opponent, (4) the defender completely clears the 16-foot lane or (5) it is imminent the defender will become legal.

e. If the defender is guarding the player with the ball, he may be located in the 16-foot lane. This defender is not required to be in an actively guarding/arms distance position. If another defender actively guards the player with the ball, the original defender must actively guard an opponent or exit the 16-foot lane. Once the offensive player passes the ball, the defender must actively guard an opponent or exit the 16-foot lane.

PENALTY: A technical foul shall be assessed. The offensive team retains possession on the sideline at the free throw line extended nearest the point of interruption. The shot clock shall remain the same as when play was interrupted or reset to 14 seconds, whichever is greater.

If a violation is whistled during a successful field goal attempt, the violation shall be ignored and play shall resume as after any successful basket.

So that's pretty crystal clear, right? As I understand it, the rule is basically in place so you don't just put a shot blocker type (think Dikembe Mutombo) in the paint with no defensive responsibilities other than protecting the rim. In order to camp out in the paint, you need to be  actively guarding an opposing player, otherwise you're going to get called for the foul. If you want more of an explanation than that, check out this link that goes into a little more detail about each part of the rule.


Two years ago I don't remember seeing or hearing the name Mark Wilson. He hasn't really had the most illustrious career, and that may very well be due to the incredibly overshadowing presence of Tiger Woods, with a mere 5 PGA Tour wins since turning pro in 1997. His average drive is only 270 yards, which is on par with the above average golfer, not necessarily a pro. He had one win in 2007 and one again in 2009, and then last year he "breaks out" with 2 wins and several top 3 and top 10 finishes. He won again this weekend as I am sure you are well aware. What do you attribute the more recent successes of Mark Wilson and why did it take him so long to find the winning tempo? Is the absence of Tiger of old really that much of a game changer for Wilson? - The Dude, Chesapeake, VA

Mark Wilson has certainly garnered a lot more attention with his play last year and early this season, but he still lacks consistency in his game. Starting in 2007, he has finished 38th, 80th, 37th, 131st and 11th in the FedEx Cup. His win this weekend at the Humana Challenge came just a week after he didn't even make the cut at the Sony Open. He opened 2011 by winning two of the first three tournaments he played in and then missed the cut his next time out. He also endured a stretch last year where he missed 5 cuts in a span of 8 tournaments. He's played in 7 majors in his career and only made the cut twice, so I'm not sure I'm ready to start having a conversation about him and Tiger in the same column. Obviously winning even one tournament is no small feat and the $3.16M he won last year for his performance speaks for itself, but I don't know that he's ready to throw his hat into the ring with the truly elite golfers on the tour. Additionally, it's hard to see a connection between Tiger's drop off and Wilson's rise. If Wilson was suddenly winning majors I think you'd have an argument, but until then, it's just a coincidence.


Special thanks to all those who wrote in this week. Got a question for the mailbag? Email us at smittysports.blogspot@hotmail.com.