Month: February 2015

World Cup Mania

Chris McGlynn Soccer, World Cup

With the World Cup rapidly approaching, there has been so much talk from every national team about injury news to who will start in Brazil. It has become borderline insane. I am going to go through and make my picks here on who will advance from each group and eventually pick a winner.

Group A

The first spot clearly goes to Brazil. I don’t see a single team in this pool as being capable of upsetting the host nation. They better get that stadium done on time. I really think that it will come down to some fast break opportunities. Brazil is just too fast for Croatia, Cameroon or Mexico to handle. That home crowd supporting them will certainly help ease the burden as they coast to 9 points.

The second spot I see going to Mexico. They looked pretty good last Friday against Portugal eventually falling one to nil. It was unfortunate to see that El Tri still is having trouble scoring but they did play well defensively. They killed on a set piece but they will work on that just a bit more before they kick off against Cameroon next week. Chicharito came on and played well for Mexico in the closing minutes. He will have to find his stride for Mexico to have any success.

Group B

This might have been the easiest group for me to pick. Clearly the top spot goes to Spain. They are the world’s number one and when you have players like Andrès Iniesta, Sergio Ramos, Gerard Pique, David Villa and Iker Casillas, you honestly have a shot to beat anyone. Villa has announced he will be retiring from international play following the World Cup but he scored both goals in Spain’s most recent tune-up so I think he still has something left in the tank.

The runner-up will easily be Netherlands. The Dutch were also the runner-up to Spain in 2010, that in the World Cup final. The scary duo of Arjen Robben and Robin Van Persie will likely be enough to carry this team offensively. Those two are more than capable of making plays on their own. I am really looking forward to watching the rematch of the 2010 final where I think Spain will drop its first point in a draw, but still win the pool on goal difference.

Group C

This one was a bit tougher to figure out. I really couldn’t figure it out. I ended up choosing the Ivory Coast. They have remained for the most part healthy (see Radamel Falcao of Colombia). Additionally, both Colombia and Greece are in a little bit of a slump. Colombia is now without their top goal scorer and Greece has been struggling to find the back of the net. I think the staying power of Didier Drogba and the creativity of Yaya Touré will carry this team into bracket play.

Colombia will sneak in as well edging Greece for the second spot. This is their first time in the tournament since 1998 so there is not a single player on this roster that has World Cup experience. Despite all of that, I think they will find a way to win without their top player. This is a talented club who will be eager to show the world that it can compete. I know Greece is good, I just don’t think good enough.

Group D

This group has a ton of big names but I am picking Uruguay to win this one. It has been widely stated that England is rebuilding and Italy is searching for goals. Uruguay is anchored defensively by Atletico Madrid’s Diego Godin. He has been the mainstay defensively and will continue to impress on the international level. Additionally, Uruguay has one of the world’s top scorers in Luis Suarez, who set the Premier League on fire this year scoring a league leading 31 goals this year.

I think the next spot does fall to Italy who proves to be too much for a very young England squad. England has some talented young players that could make them scary at the next World Cup but this year will be just a year of gaining experience as Italy rolls through to bracket play once again. Get ready for Mario Balotelli to get angry again and start on a goal scoring tear.

Group E

This was an interesting group to pick with Switzerland and France being the two bigger name teams. I see Switzerland taking the group with some definitive play. This team will not blow you away with its scoring ability but they play sound defense. They won both of their tune-up games over Jamaica and Peru respectively without allowing a goal. It is time to see what they can do against some better competition now.

After imploding at the 2010 World Cup, France will be looking for a bounce back tournament. After managing only two points four years ago I think they will likely grab six. They will be hurting with the loss of mainstay Franck Ribery, who will be missing the World Cup with a back injury. But that won’t stop Karim Benzema from scoring goals and pushing France through group play.

Group F

This group features one of the world’s top teams in Argentina who I see grabbing all nine points in this pool to win it and go on to the round of sixteen. Argentina has Lionel Messi. If you don’t know who he is go Google his name and then just watch in awe for a few minutes. (Same applies for Christiano Ronaldo and Luis Suarez) There is no one is this pool who has the same amount of play making ability to compete with Argentina.

The runner up would definitely have to be the next highest ranked team, Bosnia-Herzegovina. This team is fairly unknown, with only one big name star but they are a solid team who will simply outclass their other two competitors, Iran and Nigeria. They have Edin Dzeko, the same one who helped Manchester City win its first EPL title in 44 years, who is still a fierce striker and can carry this team.

Group G

Aptly named the group of death, this is the most highly competitive group that a world cup has seen in recent memory. Featuring two FIFA top five ranked teams, the number thirteenth ranked United States and the always dangerous Ghana; this group will be a slug fest. Likely though, Germany presses its will on its opponents with its stifling defensive and explosive offensive demonstrating why they think they are finals bound.

The runner-up will almost undoubtedly be Portugal. Sorry US fans, there just isn’t enough certainty with that defense or offensive fire power to make the plays to advance. Portugal has some of the world’s top players and even without Christiano Ronaldo (same as mentioned above) should be able to put away both Ghana and the US. They will be too well organized and skilled on the ball to fall to either of those clubs.

Group H

The final group probably had what I thought to be the most clear-cut winner in Belgium. This is a scary team that oozes both youth and athleticism. With a midfield that consists of Chelsea’s Eden Hazard, Zenit’s Axel Witzel, Manchester United’s Marouane Fellaini and Wolfsberg’s Kevin De Bruyne this is a squad to be reckon with. This might be the most complete starting eleven out of any team in the tournament.

The likely runner-up will be Algeria, just edging out South Korea and Russia for a chance to make it group play. After getting pummeled by Belgium, every one of these teams will be in a fight to win that second spot. This will be a tight contest that comes down to who will have more big play making ability. In group play, mental toughness does not matter too much yet. That will come in when it becomes win or go home.

Round of Sixteen

This round features some very entertaining match-ups, especially with the host Brazil and the Netherlands. I think Brazil wins that one in a close game to move on to the quarters sending the Dutch home much earlier than in 2010. The other team from Group B will likely fair better as Spain should steamroll a lucky to be there Mexico squad.

Group C winner Ivory Coast gets to find out just how good Mario Balotelli is when he is angry after likely being booked in at least one pool play game as Italy coasts to victory. On the other side, Uruguay should rough up a Colombia side still struggling to score as they face off without Falcao.

Switzerland gets something of a break playing the inexperienced Bosnia-Herzegovina as this is their first World Cup. Switzerland should advance to the quarters. Argentina matches up with a weakened French squad as they bury the French with some incredible goal scoring from Gonzolo Higuain and Messi.

Germany continues its dominance in Brazil as it rings out Algeria in what seems like almost a formality for Germany to reach the quarters. Meanwhile, Portugal makes an early exit as Ronaldo and Raul Miralles prove to not be fully recovered and exposed against a very deep Belgium squad.

Quarterfinals

The hosts bow out of the tournament as well as they get shocked by Italy for the Italians first return to the semi finals since winning it all in 2006. Another European power house advances as Spain sends Uruguay home after Uruguay struggles against the veteran Spanish defense. Spain is one game away from a return to the finals.

Germany once again meets a team that does not measure up to its elite level of play and mental toughness as they smack around Switzerland to move on to the semis. Belgium loses out on a chance to proceed any further as they run into an even more athletic and better skilled Argentinean squad who is hungry for a shot on knocking off the champions.

Semifinals

Germany and Italy meet in a thrilling European battle only to be won by the more mentally strong Germans. Germany does what it could not in South Africa and makes it to the championship game. In the other semifinal, Messi and company take it up another notch to edge Spain after needing extra time and send the reigning champions home empty handed.

Finals

Spain crushes Italy in the consolation game for third but the game that matters proves to be a thriller. Argentina gets revenge for 2010 and defeats the outmatched Germans. Argentina’s athleticism and scoring ability proves to be too much for Philipp Lahm and friends as Argentina wins its first World Cup since 1986 and its third title overall.

That is all I have for now. Let me know if you agree or disagree. I am always open to comments.

NFL D-League coming to light

Chris McGlynn Football, NFL

So today was the first time that I had ever heard any rumors that the NFL was considering starting up a developmental or minor league. Now the idea seems crazy no matter what way you spin it. It would be interesting to see it work out nicely and fill a similar role to what minor league baseball does. However, I don’t think that is the case. There are a couple of gaping flaws in the advent of minor league football.

First thing is first. The NFL is all about money. That right there will likely turn them away from the deal. Unless the league suddenly decides to sacrifice money for the development of the game, (not to say it is impossible and that there are not efforts to make the game safer) there is no way a minor league will pop up. I don’t foresee this as a huge attention grabber. It is hard enough to get fans in different cities with a professional team to go see games (ex: Jacksonville and Miami). It will be that much harder to sell cities on going to see a lower level of play. Not to mention you have to find stadiums for these teams to play at. Maybe you can work out deals with small colleges or larger high schools to use them over the summer but once again that is more money spent.

The other major issue I find with this idea is the effect it would have on the college game. NCAA football has a massive following and for the most part a well structured business model. I only see this minor league hurting college football. It would give the players the option to walk away from college even earlier and join the NFL. That really benefits no one as more players would be leaving without a degree. The average NFL career lasts is debated but is likely somewhere around 5 years. After those five years are up…then what? These kids won’t have a degree to fall back on and then they are out in the real world without much they can do to sustain themselves.

Then there is the aspect of the college game. College players cannot get paid when they are at their respective universities but they would be paid to play in an NFL D-league. With such push to get paid as college athletes, many of these kids could take the easy way out and just go to the D-league where they are guaranteed pay. That decreases the talent pool in college football and heavily takes away from development in my opinion. These kids can learn a lot by playing in college. They learn schemes and coverages and how to read the two as well. The coaches in the college game are top notch and I don’t see too many of them leaving to go coach in a second tier professional league. That being said, who would be the ones teaching these kids at the minor league level? And would they really be learning any more at that point than they would playing in college? I just don’t see this as being a way to teach players.

The last thing I want to touch upon is player safety. The NFL has been fighting to get more games into the schedule while the NFLPA has been pushing back in support of better player safety. I see this becoming another fight between the two sides. Playing in minor league games during the off-season would inevitably lead to more injuries. That is not what the NFLPA is looking for and it is not what players are looking for. They don’t want to run the risk of injuring themselves during a preseason game much less a minor league game. I think you will have a tough time promoting player safety if this league comes to fruition.

Now, this is all just my initial take on this. There could be development in the coming months that would offer a much better outline for a NFL D-league. They were mildly successful once with the creation of NFL Europe. It is possible they could do it again. But under the current circumstances and how I foresee this playing out, I do not like the idea.

Month of Madness

Chris McGlynn Basketball, NCAAM

March is easily one of the most famed months of the entire year in the world of sports. It marks the beginning of free agency in the NFL, the start of spring training for baseball, the return of the MLS and stretch runs for both the NBA and NHL as the playoffs approach. However, there is the legendary event that has been going strong for decades. The NCAA Tournament, bringing along with it what the United States calls March Madness.

Besides being incredibly exciting and keeping fans on the edge of their seat for about 2 straight weeks, the tournament is one of the most ingenious inventions in all of sports. It creates a do or die match up for the top 68 teams in the country in a winner takes all tournament. It has spawned the craziness over brackets, inspired many an office pool and redefined the word cinderella.

Back to the excitement aspect though, this year’s tournament seems poised to be entertaining. Many consider the Mid-West region of this year’s bracket to be stacked with a host of top teams. Some of the big names include Big 10 powerhouse Michigan, reigning AAC Champion Louisville, the undefeated Wichita State, the ACC battle tested Duke Blue Devils, and the freshmen loaded Kentucky Wildcats. It is truly anyone’s guess as to who will make it out of the the Midwest and play in the Final Four. If I had to choose one team though that I think will pull off the run, it would be Louisville. This is a team with incredible coaching, good depth and a scoring machine in Russ Smith. The erratic senior has bailed out Louisville again and again in big games this year. If he can stay hot, Louisville has got a shot at the title.

Staying with the theme of the Midwest, I want to address what I have heard a lot of fans complaining about recently. Many people feel that Wichita State was not given a fair shake (nor was anyone else in that region) for having such a stacked line of games. Wichita is deserving of their #1 seed but it seems that the selectors were not very fond of the idea of them going very far. Assuming they win in the first round, Wichita would then have to face either Kansas State or Kentucky, two teams capable of beating anyone if they are running on all cylinders. Next would follow a game with likely red hot Louisville or the defensive fortress of Saint Louis. A win there would pit them against a highly talented Michigan team and it simply seems that Wichita has no chance of making the Final Four. Even if they did, it begs the question of whether they would have enough gas left in the tank to even compete against another Final Four team. I personally think that the selectors made a mistake with this region, giving Wichita, the only undefeated team in the college game, the toughest road to Orlando.

The staying power of the Spurs, the fall of the Lakers and the power struggle between the East and the West

Chris McGlynn NBA

I figured I would move away from football a little bit and discuss some NBA. I will be the first one to admit that I know the NFL best but I am intrigued by some of the things happening in the NBA as we approach the playoffs.

The first thing I want to talk about is the age-defying play of the San Antonio Spurs. It really doesn’t make much sense and honestly Greg Popovich is probably to thank for just about all of it. Or maybe it is just cause they seem old. SI pointed out last year during the NBA finals that the Spurs weren’t actually old and that they were on average younger than the Miami Heat. Still this team has within the past 3 weeks caught fire at the right time (Portland, OKC and the Rockets are all sputtering a bit) and shot to the top of the standings. They have finally gotten healthy for one thing and this team has quite possibly some of the strongest chemistry in the NBA. We have all seen what chemistry can do for a team. The first year the “Big 3” were together in Miami they fell short of a title. They built that chemistry up (and found some spectacular role players) to push them over the top and now they have won two straight championships. Looking at the often forgotten Spurs, they have been a stretch run that I believe will carry them to the number one seed in the West. This team I think is a lock for the Conference Finals and has a real chance, if they avoid injuries, to win a title.

On the flip side of the Western Conference sit the Los Angeles Lakers. This is a team that has won 16 NBA championships in its storied history and has been a dominant force in the West for as long as I can remember. That was until last year anyway. The Lakers narrowly missed the playoffs last year; this year, they were the first team in the whole league to be eliminated from playoff contention. With Kobe Bryant and Steve Nash shut down for the rest of the year, the Lakers are going to limp into the off-season. They will likely have a top 5 pick in this year’s NBA draft and will be undergoing their own rebuilding process, something the Lakers almost never have to do. The thing is, I think the Lakers could be a playoff team next year. Not a top four seed but they could sneak in as a 7 if they get healthy and depending on who they hire as a coach (Mike D’Antoni is being fired at the end of the year.) They still have Bryant who is a great competitor and scorer still at this point in his career. They have found some depth in Kent Baezmore and Jodie Meeks. They have a decent point guard in Kendall Marshall. They still have Pau Gasol (for now.) In my mind, the Lakers developed a lot of their younger players and added depth to their roster. Now they need to find some starters though especially at the 3 and the 4. Point guard hasn’t always been a priority in LA while Kobe has been there so I don’t see that starting now. This is a team that is one or two pieces away from returning to being a good basketball team.

The last thing I want to talk about is the absolute canyon in terms of talent between the East and West. The East has its juggernauts (Miami and Indiana) but the West has about 4 with Portland being on the line. The West has 7 teams that have 39 wins or more so far this year; the East has two. Every team in the West has at least 22 wins; the East has three teams that have fewer than 20 wins. The Lakers have the worst record in the West and have been eliminated from the playoffs. The Milwaukee Bucks have 9 fewer wins and still are mathematically alive in the East. The Dallas Mavericks current hold the last playoff spot in the West with a half game lead on the Suns. They would be the third seed in the East with their record. There is such a huge gap between the two conferences. It really is inexplicable. The East is just either mediocre or inconsistent once you get past Indiana and Miami.

That’s all I’ve got for now. I look forward to coming back at some point to talk both Kevin Love and who are the legitimate title contenders.

Raiders making noise and the outlook of Tampa Bay

Chris McGlynn Free Agency, NFL

So naturally, in my first ever blog post I decide to bash the Oakland Raiders for not having a rebuilding plan. Later I would read that the Raiders had signed linebacker Antonio Smith, ex 49er Tarell Brown (one of the more underrated players in free agency if you ask me) and Steelers castoff LaMarr Woodley to compliment Justin Tuck. That would definitely fill some of the holes I thought they had previously. I am curious to see how Raiders’ GM Reggie McKenzie spends the rest of the way in free agency and if he can bring some help to the offensive side of the ball. The Raiders also need a returner if they elect to not bring back Jacoby Ford. Josh Cribbs is available, as is Devin Hester. Al Davis loved guys with speed and even though Hester is older, I think he could be a playmaker that Raiders desperately need.

This team also will be picking at No. 5 in the first round, likely grabbing a quarterback or Sammy Watkins at that slot. I think McKenzie has started to find his direction, but he needs to keep being aggressive to rebuild this once great franchise.

Another intriguing team that is pushing for a turn around in a loaded division is the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Tampa has been overshadowed in the last day by some of the AFC’s elite squads making splashy moves but the Bucs are starting to build a contender. They’ve added ex-Bengals Anthony Collins and Michael Johnson, Packers lineman Evan Deitrich-Smith, who can play center or guard, and former Titans corner Alterraun Verner. Those have been their bigger signings. They also added veteran QB Josh McCown and former Giants and Raiders tight end Brandon Myers.

I am a huge Lovie Smith fan and I like what he has done with the defense so far. He has created a very good and young secondary by adding Verner to Mark Barron, Jonathan Banks and Dashon Goldson. Offensively, I still think this team could add another receiver and it would be great to have some more depth at tight end. They don’t need a number one guy, they have that in Vincent Jackson but they could really use a compliment. This is Bucs team that has made some big moves and some quieter ones as well which I think will help them compete in the NFC South this year. I do not think they will win it yet, but give Lovie Smith another year or two, and he might just do it.