The 2012 MLS Season has been nothing short of a disaster for Toronto FC. The Reds have failed to earn a single point through 9 matches getting outscored 21-7 over that span. Yet despite their struggles, Toronto's going to be playing in the Champions League for a fourth straight season after they defeated the Vancouver Whitecaps in the 2012 Canadian Championship Final. After drawing 1-1 in the first leg of the Championship Round, 21 year old Bermudian Reggie Lambe broke a scoreless tied in the 83rd minute of the second leg to send Toronto through to the Champions League. Toronto becomes the 21st team, and fifth squad from MLS, to earn a berth in the upcoming Tournament with only the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) Club Championship - which will produce the final three tournament berths - yet to be decided. Toronto is looking to build on a strong showing in the 2011-12 Champions League where they reached the semifinals before falling to Santos Laguna (Mexico).
Here's a quick look at the 21 teams who have qualified for the 2012-13 Champions League that will begin play on July 31st.
Tigres de la UANL - Mexico - 2011 Apertura Champion
Santos Laguna - Mexico - 2012 Clausura Champion, 2011 Apertura Runner-Up
Guadalajara - Mexico - Non-finalist w/ Best Regular Season Record in 2011 Apertura
Monterrey - Mexico - 2012 Clausura Runner-Up
Los Angeles Galaxy - USA - 2011 MLS Cup Champion, 2011 MLS Supporters' Shield Champion
Seattle Sounders FC - USA - 2011 MLS Supporters' Shield Runner-Up, 2011 U.S. Open Cup Champion
Houston Dynamo - USA - 2011 MLS Cup Runner-Up
Real Salt Lake - USA - 2011 MLS Supporters' Shield Third Place
Toronto FC - Canada - 2012 Canadian Championship Champion
Isidro Metapán - El Salvador - 2011 Apertura Champion
Águila - El Salvador - 2012 Clausura Champion
FAS - El Salvador - Non-Champion w/ Best Aggregate Record in 2011-12 Season
Alajuelense - Costa Rica - 2011 Invierno Champion
Herediano - Costa Rica - 2012 Verano Champion
Olimpia - Honduras - 2011 Apertura Champion, 2012 Clausura Champion
Marathón - Honduras - Non-Champion w/ Best Aggregate Record in 2011-12 Season
Things are about to get busy for the U.S. Men's National team as they prepare for three friendly matches - vs Scotland (5/26), vs Brazil (5/30) and at Canada (6/3) - prior to kicking off World Cup Qualifying against Antigua & Barbuda on June 8th. Head Coach Jurgen Klinsmann has invited 27 players to camp as the team gets ready for its busy stretch. Here's a look at the invitees:
KEEPERS
Tim Howard - Everton - A staple in net for the Americans, the 33 year old Everton netminder just wrapped up another solid season in the English Premier League. Howard played every minute of all 38 regular season games for Everton posting a record of 15-12-11 while contributing 12 clean sheets as Everton finished the year in 7th place. Howard last appeared for the National Team in the 1-0 upset win over Italy in February. He has 73 appearances and 26 shutouts in his international career.
Whatever happened to Major League Baseball's 'Opening Day'? - Ben K., Slidell, LA
Photo Credit: chicagonow.com
That's a great question. I feel like when we were kids you had Opening DAY and now it seems like we have Opening WEEK. And that doesn't even begin to take into account the Japan series between Seattle and Oakland in March. I guess the justification is that it prolongs the celebration of the start of a new season with your marquee Opening Night matchup and then two full days of season openers. I dunno, personally I'm not a huge fan. I had to wait all the way until Friday for the Astros to open their season. Although the upside of this was that the Astros were undefeated all the way up until Friday... If it was up to me I'd say go back to the way it was, but I think the current setup is here to stay for the time being. Ultimately I'm just happy that baseball is back.
What are your thoughts on the Celtic lineup when they have Rondo and Bradley on the floor at the same time? - Garrett M., Boston, MA
Photo Credit: masslive.com
Avery Bradley reminds me of a miniature version of Tony Allen, and if you'll recall, the Celtics won a ring with him back in 2008. Now granted, at 6'4" 213 lbs, Allen could do things on the defensive end that Bradley can't at 6'2" 180 lbs, but he's still highly effective. With Bradley on the floor with Rajon Rondo the Celtics can wreak havoc on the defensive end. Unfortunately, they become a much smaller lineup, and they're decidedly more limited on offense. Bradley has made just seven 3-pointers all season, and isn't going to remind anyone of Ray Allen any time soon. I think he's an ideal fit for Boston's second unit, but I feel like he'll kill your offense if used too much in a half-court set. But then again, the Celtics won a ring with Tony Allen on the floor and I swear I saw that guy have a layup rejected by the underside of the rim. So far Coach Doc Rivers has found spots to use Bradley and succeed without exposing his shortcomings, so expect the Celtics small-ball package of Rondo, Bradley, Allen, Pierce and Bass/Garnett to continue to see minutes down the stretch.
Man U looks to be in typical Man U late-season form picking up 3 points left and right. Now that Man City seems to be dropping points almost on a regular basis, are the Red Devils on their way to a 20th title? - Cory L., Raceland, LA
Photo Credit: sports.yahoo.com
Manchester City will need a miracle to get back into the race at this point. Already facing a difficult uphill climb heading into yesterday's match with Arsenal, they suffered a crippling 1-0 defeat that now puts them 8 points back with just 6 matches to go. City has no one but themselves to blame either. While United has taken care of their business winning 8 straight league matches, the last 5 of them via shutout, City has fallen on its face winning just once in its last 5 games. While nothing has been clinched yet and there are no sure things, I'd be pretty confident that United will bring home some more hardware. Here's a look at both teams' schedules the rest of the way:
Manchester City
4/11/12 vs West Bromwich Albion (13th)
4/14/12 @ Norwich City (9th)
4/22/12 @ Wolverhampton Wanderers (20th)
4/30/12 vs Manchester United (1st)
5/06/12 @ Newcastle United (5th)
5/13/12 vs Queens Park Rangers (17th)
Manchester United
4/11/12 @ Wigan Athletic (19th)
4/15/12 vs Aston Villa (15th)
4/22/12 vs Everton (7th)
4/30/12 @ Manchester City (2nd)
5/06/12 vs Swansea City (14th)
5/13/12 @ Sunderland (10th)
People are going ga-ga over the possibility of an all La Liga Champions League Final. However, as they say, it ain't over til it's over. While I don't see anybody stopping Barcelona from reaching the finals, what are the odds of Bayern Munich playing spoiler and locking out Real Madrid? - Cory L., Raceland, LA
Photo Credit: goal.com
Bayern Munich isn't a team that should be taken lightly. They have the best goal differential in the Bundesliga scoring more goals (69) and giving up fewer goals (19) than anyone else in the league. In 15 league matches at home they've outscored their opponents 47-6, and they're undefeated at home in the Champions League. They boast an exceptional keeper in Manuel Neuer, the captain of the German National Team in Philipp Lahm manning the backline, and a number of gifted finishers in Thomas Müller, Franck Ribéry, Arjen Robben and the Bundesliga's leading scorer Mario Gomez. Now are they good enough to stop an in-form Real Madrid squad? Maybe not. But Real Madrid has drawn 3 times in its last 5 league matches, and hasn't REALLY been tested in the Champions League thus far. I can say with certainty that Bayern Munich is a better side than APOEL Nicosia, so an all-Spanish Championship is far from a foregone conclusion.
After finally seeing how Herculez Gomez plays, could he be the answer to the USMNT's scoring woes? He seems to maybe be the clinical finisher that we need. - Cory L., Raceland, LA
Photo Credit: newyorkredbulls.com
If you follow the blog at all, you know I'm a huge fan of what Herculez Gomez has been doing lately. And while I certainly think his performance is deserving of some attention for Jurgen Klinsmann, I've got another name for you to keep an eye on as we move forward: Kenny Cooper. The 27 year old Cooper is 6'3", and in 10 career national team appearances, he's scored 4 goals including one against Guatemala during 2010 World Cup Qualifying and 2 more at the 2009 Gold Cup. Since Cooper's insertion into the Red Bulls starting lineup 3 weeks ago, New York is 3-0 and has scored 13 goals with Cooper bagging 5 of them. I could see him serving as the central forward that we want Jozy Altidore to be. A big body, capable of holding the ball up front, and an adept finisher. We've always known Cooper to be a physical presence, and his recent scoring binge isn't a fluke. He also had 18 goals for FC Dallas back in 2008. With Juan Agudelo out injured, Edson Buddle and the Galaxy mired in a big-time slump, and Teal Bunbury's lackluster showing at Olympic Qualifying, I'd love to see both of these guys get a long look. But we'll see what Klinsmann has in mind.
When and where was the first indoor MLB game played? - Trucker D., Gold Canyon, AZ
Photo Credit: swamplot.com
The first indoor game in Major League history was played 47 years ago today in 1965 when the Houston
Astros took on the New York Yankees in an exhibition game at the brand new Astrodome in Houston, Texas. The first indoor regular season game was played there a few days later when the Astros hosted the Phillies on April 12th. Philadelphia won the game 2-0.
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.
It shouldn't even come as a surprise any more, but Herculez Gomez continued his 2012 goal scoring rampage tonight against Toronto FC in the semifinals of the CONCACAF Champions League. Gomez netted a pair of first half goals and added and assist in the second half of Santos's 6-2 win giving him 11 goals in his last 8 games.
2/26/12 @ Guadalajara - 1 goal
3/03/12 vs San Luis - 1 goal
3/07/12 @ Seattle Sounders - 1 goal
3/10/12 vs Puebla - 2 goals, 1 assist
3/14/12 vs Seattle Sounders - 2 goals
3/24/12 vs Querétaro - 1 goal
3/28/12 @ Toronto FC - 1 goal
4/04/12 vs Toronto FC - 2 goals
With Edson Buddle struggling with the Galaxy, Juan Agudelo sidelined with a knee injury and Teal Bunbury coming off an awful stretch during Olympic Qualifying, it's time for Gomez to get another look. Hopefully Jurgen Klinsmann agrees.
DaMarcus Beasley got on the scoresheet for his club team in Mexico the
other day. Is it just me, or does this guy disappear when he turns
sideways? I mean, I know soccer is a sport for guys who are in shape and
like to run, but this guy looks like he hasn't eaten anything in the
last few years. - Cory L., Raceland, LA
Photo Credit: zimbio.com
ESPN.com lists Beasley at 137 pounds while standing 5'8", so he's certainly not a large man. But let's face it, that's not compared to England's Peter Crouch (Stoke City) who despite standing 6'7" only weighs 156 pounds.
What are your thoughts on this whole situation with Bill Parcells and the New Orleans Saints? - The Dude, Chesapeake, VA
Photo Credit: businessinsider.com
If I'm Sean Payton, someone like Bill Parcells is exactly the kind of person that I'd want stepping in for me. There's basically three scenarios that I can see happening: 1) New Orleans promotes from within, 2) New Orleans hires a proven coach still in their prime or 3) New Orleans hires a proven coach whose coaching career is over, but could be tempted into one last hurrah (i.e. Parcells). Scenario one seems ideal because you'd have someone stepping in who already knows the system, but what happens if the Saints go 15-1 and win the Super Bowl without Payton? Suddenly you've got a cheaper option who stepped in and was just as effective. Are you going to fire or demote him after that? I think not. You've gotta ride the hot hand, right? Scenario two is the same thing. I heard Jon Gruden's name tossed around, so we'll use him as an example. Even he was interested, a guy like that isn't going to come back for one year. He's going to want a multi-year deal or some guarantee that he's not going to be unemployed after the season's over. In scenario three you can basically have you cake and eat it too. Bill Parcells is 70 years old. He's a more than competent replacement, but he's not looking to resurrect his coaching career. He's got a great relationship with Sean Payton and when his suspension is up, there's reason to believe that there could be pain-free transition back to the way things were before bounty-gate. I think it makes a lot of sense when you think about it.
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.
Herculez Gomez cannot be stopped these days. The Santos Laguna striker found the back of the net for the 7th straight game last night as he delivered a 30th minute finish against Toronto FC in the semifinals of the CONCACAF Champions League. Toronto FC, the last MLS team standing in the tournament, did manage to
salvage a 1-1 draw thanks to goal by Chilean defender Miguel Aceval off a
free kick.
Gomez now has 9 goals and an assist in his last 7 games across all competitions:
2/26/12 @ Guadalajara - 1 goal
3/03/12 vs San Luis - 1 goal
3/07/12 @ Seattle Sounders - 1 goal
3/10/12 vs Puebla - 2 goals, 1 assist
3/14/12 vs Seattle Sounders - 2 goals
3/24/12 vs Querétaro - 1 goal
3/28/12 @ Toronto FC - 1 goal
The good news, Gomez has even caught Jurgen Klinsmann's attention. Per the U.S. coach's twitter account:
Another goal for @herculezg, who keeps finding the net. Well done!
Gomez and Santos are back in action this Sunday at Toluca.
Is there any American striker hotter than Herculez Gomez right now? Gomez scored in his sixth straight match for Santos Laguna yesterday with a brilliant header off a corner that left absolutely no chance for the keeper. Santos won the match over Querétaro 2-0.
The 29 year old Gomez now has EIGHT goals and an assist in his last six matches, and if I'm U.S. Coach Jurgen Klinsmann, this definitely has my attention. Gomez and company now get ready to take on Toronto FC on Wednesday in the first leg of their Champions League semifinal matchup. The Canadian-based MLS side has given up 6 goals in its last two matches so don't be surprised if Gomez finds the back of the net again.
How much is a championship worth? With the recent movements in the NFL, I wonder what goes through a player's mind when he goes to a team that seems to have no chance at a title but is willing to pay him an extra few million dollars. We know what teams are looking for in a quarterback, but what is Peyton Manning, or any other elite free agent, looking for in a team? - Ben K., Slidell, LA
Photo Credit: espn.go.com
You know I really think it depends on where a player is in his career. A guy in his prime might be more inclined to go after the big payday because he assumes he'll have plenty of time to get that title. However, an older guy who has never won or wants to win one more time might be more willing to sacrifice some money to play for a winning team. You see this a lot in basketball. Last year you saw Mike Bibby join up with the Miami Heat. Sam Cassell and P.J. Brown signed with Boston a couple years back... There are examples in every sport though.
Let's look specifically at Peyton Manning since he just apparently signed with the Denver Broncos. If I'm Manning this is what I'm looking at in terms of where I want to play football:
*Offensive line play. With all the neck surgeries, the last thing I'd want is to play for a team that gives up 5 or 6 sacks a game. The ability to protect the quarterback cannot be undervalued.
*Surrounding talent. At this stage in my career I am only playing because I want to win. I'm not going to sign on to play for a team like Cleveland that is a lot more than a good quarterback away from contending.
*Coaching/Front Office situation. I want to go into a stable situation where I have a good relationship with the coaches and the front office.
*Team philosophy. I want to go somewhere where my style of play will fit into the team concept. As a prolific passer I'm not looking to hand the ball off 40 times a game.
So how did Denver stack up?
O-Line: Well, they did allow over 40 sacks last year, but that was with Tim Tebow under center. Despite his mobility, Tebow was sacked a lot where a better quarterback may have been able to see a throw sooner.
Talent: You can argue that Denver isn't loaded in talent, but they did make the playoffs - albeit in a weak division - AND they won a playoff game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Apparently Denver has a free agency plan in place that they drew up in the event Manning signed with them. We'll see how all that comes together.
Front Office: Two words. John. Elway.
Philosophy: Obviously the Broncos aren't going to run the offense like they did with Tim Tebow. With that in mind, you'd expect Manning to get the freedom to run his style of offense.
All in all, I still think if I'm Manning I would've gone to San Francisco. Great defense, great tight end, decent receiver situation with Manningham, Moss and Crabtree, weak division... I dunno, maybe he thinks the road to the Super Bowl is easier going through the AFC. Maybe John Elway is a personal hero of his. Maybe his wife is an avid skier. Who knows. So I guess in summary, there's any number of factors, football related and otherwise, that affect these guys' decisions, and those of us on the outside may never really understand what exactly goes into making them.
Fantasy baseball draft next week!!! Who's looking hot? Also, don't misdirect me because we're in the same league and you want me to get a bad team. (Feel free to make fun of me for being so bold as to ask for advice from my competition.) I did a mock draft, and can't keep from getting so many Braves. I still pick them despite how terrible they're doing in spring training. Also, why are the Braves doing so poorly? I want to blame the players that are being "tried" since it's spring training, but the starters are playing and also doing terrible. Can spring training performance be used to determine how the season will go? - Bama Slammas, Lushbucket Baseball League
Photo Credit: bartscave.blogspot.com
Bold move, Bama. I suppose it's been a while since you've won the Lushbucket title (2005) so maybe I can give you SOME advice. Let's take a look at who's been hot this spring:
*Ryan Raburn - Detroit Tigers - Heading into play today, Raburn leads the majors this spring with 5 home runs and 16 runs batted in.
*Delmon Young - Detroit Tigers - Young has 14 hits in his first 27 at bats this spring (.519) with half of those hits going for extra bases.
*Lorenzo Cain - Kansas City Royals - One of the pieces in the Zack Greinke trade, Cain is 15 for 29 (.517) with 6 doubles and a pair of home runs.
*Dustin Ackley - Seattle Mariners - Ackley has ten hits this spring, but just one single. The young second baseman also has six doubles, two triples and a home run.
*Daniel Descalso - St. Louis Cardinals - Descalso is hitting .385 this spring and leads the majors with 10 walks.
*Adam Wainwright - St. Louis Cardinals - Back from Tommy John surgery, the former ace has tossed 9 innings this spring without allowing an earned run.
*Mike Minor - Atlanta Braves - Minor leads the majors this spring with 14 shutout innings over 4 starts.
*Wade LeBlanc - Miami Marlins - Opposing hitters are batting just .030 against LeBlanc this spring. 10 innings, 1 hit, 0 walks, 9 strikeouts.
Ultimately, I don't know how much you can really read into any of this though. Last year Jake Fox led the majors with 10 spring training home runs, and then went on to hit 2 in 61 at bats for the Orioles and spent a majority of the year in AAA. So use some discretion when evaluating the small sample size. Along those lines I wouldn't worry too much about your Braves. Unless you're looking at a guy who struggled last year and is still struggling this spring, I think you give the benefit of the doubt to past performance. Good luck in the draft this week, but be forewarned the Flying Cave Donkies are looking to get back to winning championships.
Ok, let's go ahead and talk about the 800lb gorilla in the room,
"BountyGate". What are your thoughts about the whole situation and how
bad could this screw up the Saints' chances of winning a Superbowl in
their home stadium next year? - Cory L., Raceland, LA
Photo Credit: musiccitymiracles.com
For starters, let me be clear on one thing. I absolutely love the hard hitting aspect of football. I have no problem with guys getting excited over big hits. I'm not even upset about players getting rewarded for delivering big hits. For me this issue comes down to one thing: the Saints were (allegedly) rewarding players for injuring players on the opposing team. Whether it's putting bounties on player's heads, or giving a guy a bonus for sending an opposing player off on a stretcher, this stuff is deplorable, and it needs to be eliminated from the game. We wouldn't tolerate this in any other sport. Anyone remember Temple Basketball and 'The Goon Game'? Temple Head Coach John Chaney was suspended for the remainder of that season when that happened. Shoot, in the movie The Mighty Ducks, everyone knows that when Coach Reilly sends McGill into the game to take out Adam Banks that there was something morally wrong with that. Adding money on top of that just compounds the wrongdoing. So that's where I stand on that.
Photo Credit: droppintreats.com
Now whether or not this sort of thing is commonplace in the league or not, the commissioner has to come down hard, and how hard he comes down will impact how much this affects the Saints. It's really going to come down to whether or not any of the defensive players involved are dealt suspensions. Losing draft picks will hurt them in the long run, but playing short-handed hurts them right now. The NFC South is quickly becoming one of the league's most competitive divisions and the Saints 2012 schedule is far from a cakewalk. In addition to their divisional games the Saints play at Green Bay, at the Giants, at the Cowboys, and at the Broncos (who suddenly have Peyton Manning). AND they have tough home games against the Chargers, 49ers and Eagles. That's a lot of losable games. Given how much better New Orleans is at home than they are on the road, playing without some of their key defenders could greatly impact any hopes they have for homefield advantage in the NFC, which in turn could keep them out of the Super Bowl.
Herculez Gomez is on fire right now, scoring goals like it's nobody's
business in Mexico. he's showing poise and creativity in front of goal,
along with an extremely deft first touch. How long could it be before we
see him back in a U.S. jersey, and what kind of impact could he have in
his current form? - Cory L., Raceland, LA
I sure hope Jurgen Klinsmann is watching because this guy is red hot right now. Edson Buddle's recent benching in L.A. could result in him moving down on the National Team depth chart as well, so this would seem like a perfect opportunity for Gomez to swoop in and get a shot, no pun intended. If you haven't been following Gomez lately, the 29 year old Santos Laguna striker has scored in the last 5 matches he's played in tallying a total of 7 goals. Three of those came in two matches against the Seattle Sounders in the CONCACAF Champions League Quarterfinals. Say what you want about the quality of goals or opponents or what not, but you can't deny the fact that Herculez is getting the job done. With the U.S.'s lack of gifted finishers and capable 1v1 attackers, Gomez could be a great asset coming off the USA bench moving forward. Hopefully he gets an opportunity during the next round of friendlies to show what he can do.
Is it gonna take a miracle of biblical proportions for Cypriot-Side APOEL Nicosia to win the Champions League? I'm not really a fan, but I'm always up for a good underdog story. - Cory L., Raceland, LA
Photo Credit: guardian.co.uk
Wow. You're talking Miracle on Ice times like a billion. Not only do they have to get by Real Madrid, but then they could conceivably play Bayern Munich in the semifinals, and THEN they'd likely meet defending champion Barcelona in the finals. And this isn't like March Madness where you could steal a fluke win and advance. You have to outscore these powerhouses over TWO matches. Could Nicosia shock one of these teams once? Absolutely. Twice? Highly unlikely. Shock THREE of these teams twice? Put it this way. The former Miss South Carolina would have a better
chance of finding Cyprus on a map than Nicosia has of winning the
Champions League.
Diego Forlan is one of my favorite strikers. However, he seems to be not really suited to the kind of soccer that Inter plays. Where do you think would be a better fit for him and why? - Cory L., Raceland, LA
Photo Credit: bleacherreport.com
Forlán replaced Samuel Eto'o at Inter in August and to say the results have been disappointing would be an understatement. He scored in his first goal in his debut on September 11th, but then didn't score again until March. That's like six months. Eto'o scored 37 goals and had 15 assists across all competitions a season ago. Forlán has two goals and one assist this year. That's not going to cut it. Especially when you consider that Inter isn't a 'don't worry, we'll get 'em next year' kind of team. Now I know there have been injury issues that have kept Forlán off the pitch, but the question remains as to whether or not he fits into Inter's system. There's also the fact that the Uruguayan striker will be 33 in May, and with younger options available he may not even be a fit for the club after this year. If that's the case, then what? My opinion? Three words. Major. League. Soccer. Ok, maybe not. Forlán is still good enough to catch on somewhere in Europe if that's what he desires. I wouldn't be surprised to see him go to a mid-level club, like a Fulham or PSG or something, somewhere where they could use a legitimate striker, but there's a little bit less pressure on him. One thing's for sure. With Inter sitting on 11 losses in 7th place in the Serie A, there are definitely going to be changes.
Why do college players wear t-shirts under their jerseys? - Garrett M., Boston, MA
Photo Credit: uni-watch.com
I know you and I brainstormed this a bit the other day. Some of our better ideas:
*They don't want their mom and dad to see their tattoos.
*To hide back acne.
*To avoid chafed nipples.
*Hides the lack of muscles.
*Jerseys are too big.
*Economics. A 6-pack of t-shirts from Walmart is like $3.
*Limits opposing players' access to chest hair.
*Absorbs sweat better than jersey does keeping hands dry.
*Advertising. Hanes pays the bills.
*Sex appeal. Sometimes showing less skin is worth more.
*Some of the gyms are really, really cold.
*Longer sleeves go better with longer shorts.
Anyone out there know the real reason? Assuming of course that we didn't already nail it with one of our guesses.
Was Charles Barkley good at basketball? What made him effective? I don't remember him being super athletic even in his prime, but he was highly effective. - Garrett M., Boston, MA
Let's go to the video tape:
Charles Barkley was an absolute beast in his heyday. In 16 NBA seasons, he averaged at least 10 rebounds per game 15 times and is the shortest player in league history to lead the league in rebounding which he did during the 1986-87 season with 14.6 a game. Dwight Howard (14.9 rpg) is the only player this season averaging more rebounds than that.
A prolific and proficient scorer, Sir Charles shot 54% from the field including a ridiculous 60% during the 1989-90 season. He played in 11 All-Star Games, won an MVP, won two Gold Medals... He was even a good passer averaging nearly 4 assists a game over his career. The guy did it all.
So how did he do it? This guy was the ultimate mismatch. He was too strong for the smaller players to handle him and he was too quick for the bigger players to stay with him. He's kind of the shorter stockier version of the Ron Artest/LeBron James breed of athlete. So Barkley was like the Defensive Tackle to LeBron's Defensive End. The biggest difference with Barkley though is wherever he lacked in skill, he made up for it in desire. He said it himself in the video. No one worked harder than him.
So to make a long story short yes, the Round Mound of Rebound was good at basketball. To say anything less would be uncivilized.
Special thanks as always to everyone who wrote in this week. Also a big shoutout to G$ Meyer for the mailbag's new tagline: "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.
Toronto FC? Didn't see that one coming. The Seattle Sounders got absolutely obliterated in Mexico by Santos Laguna 6-1, and the plucky Canadians shocked the LA Galaxy 2-1 last night, and as a result they're the last MLS club standing in CONCACAF Champions League play. Winners of the last three Canadian Championships, Toronto has never made the MLS playoffs in their 5 year history, but you wouldn't have been able to guess that watching them play last night. Despite going up against the star-studded Galaxy who took the field with Landon Donovan, Robbie Keane, David Beckham, Edson Buddle, and others, Toronto held their own and as it was in the first leg, they never trailed. In the end it was 24 year old Dutch striker
Nick Soolsma who one-timed a cross from Jamaica's Ryan Johnson past Josh Saunders for the game winner sending Toronto through to the semifinals for the first time. There they'll take on a tough Santos squad led by red hot American striker Herculez Gomez who netted three goals in the two games against the Sounders. Reigning champion Monterrey will face the winner of tonight's match between Pumas de la UNAM and El Salvador's Isidro Metapán in the other semifinal. Isidro Metapán currently has a 2-1 aggregate lead.
With Jozy Altidore, Edson Buddle and Juan Agudelo getting the bulk of the attention as far as American strikers go, another name is quietly sneaking back into the mix. 29 year old Herculez Gomez, something of a surprise addition to the 2010 World Cup Team and who's disappeared from the National Team picture since then, has been red hot lately. Gomez joined Mexican club Santos Laguna this December and has been unstoppable as of late scoring in 4 straight appearances over a two week span capped off by a brace against Puebla on Saturday.
It will be interesting to see if Gomez's form will get him noticed by U.S. coach Jurgen Klinsmann. Klinsmann has showed a willingness to include Mexican League players such as Michael Orozco Fiscal, Edgar Castillo, Jose Torres and DaMarcus Beasley on his rosters during his tenure, but Gomez has yet to get the call. A clinical finisher, Gomez could prove to be a valuable asset coming off the bench for the United States come World Cup Qualifying.
