SBNation.com User Blog: DShook

Boston College football sets sights on future with Frank Spaziani on way out

DShook — Sun, 25 Nov 2012 02:14:53 -0000

MEREDITH, N.C. - In the end, you start to think about the beginning.

After Chase Rettig and the Boston College Eagles (2-10) completed an abysmal season with a fittingly abysmal 27-10 loss to the North Carolina State Wolfpack (7-5), I started thinking back to 2008 and the reaction that fans had when it was announced that longtime defensive coordinator Frank Spaziani was going to be the new head coach at Boston College.

The reaction from fans varied from "it's about time!" to "is this the best they could do?" and finally, "what in the world has BC done?", in that order from most to least popular.

Now, after what in all likelihood was the final game in the coaching career of the man affectionately known as "Spaz", it's funny to see how far the reaction has swung back the other way.

His in-game decision making, complete disregard for recruiting and "lots of smoke but no fire" treatment of players and coaches has made him a pariah at Boston College in ways that not even the doom and gloom segment of the Eagles fanbase could have predicted.

When asked whether or not he had earned another year as the head coach at BC, Spaz glumly responded, "It's not up to me". Sounding very much like a defeated man, he also dodged a question about whether or not he and new AD Brad Bates had already scheduled a meeting to discuss his future, indicating they almost certainly have.

The reality, of course, is that regardless of when the hammer drops, it is going to drop, and soon.

Though it would have been hard to believe it while watching QB Chase Rettig play arguably the worst game of his career today, throwing three interceptions and completing only 16 of 45 passes, this team was in the ACC Championship Game in each of the two seasons prior to Spaz's ascension to the head job. Since he took the reins though, it's been almost all bad.

A few of the highlights (or lowlights):

January 2009: Spaz hires the previously retired Gary Tranquill to be his offensive coordinator. Tranquill, known to North Carolina fans as Gary "Nyquill" leads the offense to two MISERABLE seasons, culminating in his termination in 2010.

October 2009: Spaz leads BC to its first loss to Notre Dame in nearly a decade, a 20-16 debacle in which QB Dave Shinskie threw three interceptions.

September-October 2010: The team loses five consecutive games including a humiliating home shutout loss to the Virginia Tech Hokies. It was the team's worst start in nearly two decades.

September 2011: BC opens the season with three straight losses, which include: a home loss to the Northwestern Wildcats in which Spaz says his team was out of shape, a blowout road loss to the Central Florida Knights (more on this in a moment) and a loss at home to the Duke Blue Devils (!!!), after which Spaz coined the phrase, "middle schmiddle" about centering the ball before a failed game winning field goal attempt.

September 2011 (cont.): At halftime of the aforementioned loss to Central Florida, Spaz and newly hired offensive coordinator Kevin Rogers are reportedly involved in a physical altercation which leaves Rogers with a bloody lip. Rogers "retires" due to a reported back issue the next day but quickly resurfaces the next season at Temple. Neither Rogers nor Spaz talk about the incident as the former signed a non-disclosure agreement on his way out the door in exchange for a hefty buyout.

November 2011: The Eagles become bowl in-eligible for the first time in over a decade as they lay down on national television, at home, against a Florida State Seminoles team that finished just 8-4 on the season. The team also loses to Notre Dame for the third consecutive year.

May 2012: After rehabbing an injured knee for nearly a year, Montel Harris, the team's all-time leading rusher, is dismissed from the team by Spaz for a "violation of team rules". The violation? Reportedly voicing his displeasure with the coaching staff and not being willing to play before his knee was 100%. Harris transfers to Temple and rushes for over 1,000 yards with the Owls.

October-November 2012: The Eagles lose a humiliating game to Army in the midst of a two win season that sees them beat only one FBS opponent. The team finishes in the bottom 25 percent nationally in both offense and defense.

The fact that those are only a few of the highlights from the head coaching tenure of Spaz should make it clear to even the most overwhelmingly pro-Spaz fan that the man was in over his head as a head coach at a major FBS program.

Now, to be fair, some of the responsibility of this debacle also belongs to the longtime friend of Coach Spaz and recently "retired" (he was fired, regardless of what the title of the press release says) Athletic Director, Gene DeFilippo.

DeFilippo was the man who hired Spaz over any number of more qualified candidates in 2009, gave him an unfathomable contract extension in December of 2010, a move that will have BC paying him off until 2015 and then pronounced him to be the best coach that BC has had in 15 years following the 2011 season.

When DeFilippo was ousted back in September of this year, the writing was on the wall that change within the Yawkey Center was forthcoming. When new AD Brad Bates said that he would evaluate the program after the season, Spaz might as well have retired on the spot.

Once his dismissal is official, the final numbers on the head coaching career of Frank Spaziani will look like this: 22-29 overall record, 0-4 vs. Notre Dame, 0-2 in bowl games, zero wins vs. the Top 25, an absolutely demoralized fanbase and a massive rebuilding job for his successor.

The last one is the most important thing here.

Nobody doubts that BC has continued to recruit hard working kids who define the phrase "student athlete". However, there are a fair number of players that took the field today against the Wolfpack who simply did not belong on an ACC field.

Previous coaches at Boston College, such as Tom O'Brien and to a smaller degree, Jeff Jagodzinski, were able to find kids who could both succeed in the classroom as well as on the football field. Spaz has been unable, or unwilling, to put in that time and effort to do the same. Thus, largely devoid of ACC talent, whoever agrees to be the next head coach at Boston College will have a long way to go to rebuild the program to its previous heights (no pun intended) as an ACC contender.

Folks expecting the Eagles to chase coaches like Jon Gruden can stop that daydreaming right now. This is not a team that simply needs someone to come in and coach the talent that's already here. This is a team that needs a coach that is willing to put in the work on the recruiting trail and in the community to build BC for the long term. To put it bluntly, the school needs to hire "the right coach" and not just the biggest name it can find.

This is not to say that BC isn't capable of making a home run hire to replace Spaz, they most certainly are. However, this would require the school to open up the purse strings more than they have in recent years for coaches (Spaz makes/made a relatively paltry $1.1 million, the lowest in the ACC, but still far too much). The magic number to draw a name hire that would also be "the right fit" would probably be somewhere in the range of $2 million or as high as $2.5 million.

Who could they land with a salary like that? Glad you asked!

In no particular order, here are the three (realistic) coaches that I would most like to see roaming the sidelines of the Coliseum in Los Angeles when the Eagles open up against the USC Trojans in September of 2013:

1) Dave Doeren. Currently the Head Coach at Northern Illinois, Doeren has been a rousing success in his short tenure. The Huskies won their first MAC Championship last season and are in position to do it again. Known as a good recruiter and, so far, good in-game coach (defense is his specialty), Doeren has major college experience with both Kansas and Wisconsin as a position coach and coordinator. He's also relatively young at 40 years old and makes a shade under 400k coaching the Huskies.

2) Bob Diaco. The young defensive coordinator at Notre Dame is known as one of the best recruiters in the country and looking at the unbelievable amount of talent he's helped acquire in South Bend, it's hard to argue. Diaco is devoid of any head coaching experience at the college level, but fits the bill for BC in the sense that he's accustomed to the high standards placed on recruits, knows the midwest recruiting territory (a BC staple) and helps lead one of the best defenses in America. Coaching acumen is obviously questionable because of the lack of experience, but the potential positives far outweigh the unknown.

3) Pete Carmichael, Jr. Probably the biggest longshot of the three candidates, Carmichael would be a dream hire for BC fans because of his local ties (born in Massachusetts, played at Boston College, previously coached in New England, etc.). He'd be the ideal candidate for rallying the fanbase and generating excitement. Carmichael is currently the offensive coordinator with the New Orleans Saints where, behind quarterback Drew Brees, the Saints have won a Super Bowl and have been one of the top offenses in the NFL for the last four or five years. The reason Carmichael would seemingly be a longshot would be because of his potential candidacy for head coaching jobs in the NFL this upcoming offseason. Also, with the Saints season nowhere near over, it would be at least a few weeks before BC would be able to talk to him and the school might not be willing to wait that long. Carmichael has yet to be a head coach at any level and has only minimal experience as a college coach.

There will almost certainly be many more candidates that will pop up on the radar over the next few weeks, but these would be my top three heading into the opening round so to speak.

Ultimately, the depth of the damage done by Frank Spaziani's tenure as head coach probably won't be known until we find out what type of coach BC can land, what the immediate future looks as far as recruiting is concerned and where BC lands in the next game of conference musical chairs, but it's clear that damage has been done.

From the declining ticket sales to the decline in donations to the schools fundraising arm, the Flynn Fund to the schools attractiveness to potential new conferences and to general fan morale, BC athletics is in perhaps its darkest place since the infamous gambling scandal rocked the school and the football program back in 1996.

The ball is now in Bates' court. This hire will, more than likely, make or break his tenure at BC. For his sake and for the sake of the future of football at Boston College, to bring this program back into the light, he needs to knock this out of the park.

Let the search begin.

Dave Shook is a special contributor to SB Nation Boston. Twitter: @DShookCSL.

CBS Sports Predicts Patriots Will Go Undefeated In Regular Season

DShook — Sat, 28 Jul 2012 02:33:11 -0000

The New England Patriots have been the most dominant team in the NFL over the last 10+ years, they've won Super Bowls, they've had players win MVP's, and they've broken almost every offensive record possible, but the one thing they've been unable to is complete the holy grail: a perfect season. CBS Sports, during their projections for the upcoming season, thinks the Pats will at the very least run the table during the regular season.

Via CBS Sports:

Will guard Logan Mankins return to top-notch form after a less-than-stellar season? Can Gronkowski stay healthy? What kind of impact will an influx of new receivers have? Even with those queries unanswered for now, there's not much doubt that Belichick will find a way to solve those problems. And with old offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels back for a second stint, there's a good chance that the offense only will improve. Which is a legitimately frightening thought.

Whoa. Let's not get carried away here.

As the article notes, the team was an Eli Manning drive away from winning the Super Bowl, but they were also the owners of one of the worst defenses I've ever had the misfortune to watch and a chip shot field goal away from not even being in the Super Bowl. While they did take some steps to fix the defense through the draft, particularly the front seven, they didn't do much to remedy the main problem: the secondary. We'll still have to watch Devin "the human turnstile" McCourty get burned by every receiver imaginable week in and week out, along with a host of other overwhelmed players.

Until the secondary issue is resolved, consider me skeptical that a team with that poor a defense will stumble into the Super Bowl again. Nobody is that lucky.

Patriots Set Attendance Record At Training Camp

DShook — Sat, 28 Jul 2012 00:31:55 -0000

The New England Patriots have been in camp for the last few days as they prepare for the upcoming season and, hopefully, another run at the Super Bowl with Tom Brady as the quarterback. In recent years, training camp sessions have attracted more and more fans hoping to get an early glimpse of the team, at a fraction of the cost (read: zero cost). But today (most of this week in fact) was especially impressive.

Via Mike Reiss' Twitter:

@MikeReiss Patriots announce today's training camp crowd at 13,654. New single-session record. Breaks yesterday's mark.

That is A LOT of people to watch the team work out and go through drills at half speed with no pads.

It's a testament to the way that football has surpassed baseball as the penultimate sport in the Boston area (don't tell that to the folks on Yawkey Way though) and that is thanks in large part to Coach Bill Belichick and Robert Kraft who have built a dynasty in Foxborough. Having Brady, three Super Bowls and the potential to be in the mix pretty much every year doesn't hurt either.

Ben Cherington: Sox Not Going To Be Sellers At Deadline

DShook — Fri, 27 Jul 2012 16:42:08 -0000

The Boston Red Sox are mired in last place in the American League East, but the bigger problem is that outrage is rapidly turning to apathy among fans of the ball club. Tickets to Fenway Park, once a big time commodity, can now be had for less than 15 bucks on the secondary market, a trend that endangers the ~~hallowed~~ hollow sell-out streak.

With the trade deadline approaching, General Manager Ben Cherington went on WEEI to tell fans that the team is not going to give up on this year.

Via WEEI:

"When we look at where we are in the standings, I guess particularly the teams that are right ahead of us in the wild card chase, we don't believe that any of those teams are better than us, or necessarily more talented than us. So in that sense we're not of the mindset of giving in on anything."

Well, obviously he's not going to say "we suck, we're packing it in", but his entire conversation comes across as pandering to a fanbase that is rapidly reaching "we don't care" status. The club is wildly unlikable, the effort on most nights has ranged from minimal to non-existant, and to be blunt, they just aren't that good.

Essentially, the entire interview can be translated into "please don't stop buying tickets!"

Celtics Offseason 2012: Celtics Schedule Released

DShook — Thu, 26 Jul 2012 23:13:04 -0000

The Boston Celtics will begin their 2012-2013 campaign on October 30 when they re-visit the scene of their heartbreaking Game Seven loss to the Miami Heat in last years Eastern Conference Finals according to the schedule that the NBA released Thursday night.

In addition to that high profile match-up on opening night, the Celtics will again be playing on Christmas Day, this time in Brooklyn against the new look Nets. Some other highlights on the schedule include: The Los Angeles Lakers making their only visit of the season to Boston on February 7th, and Ray Allen returning to Boston as a member of the Heat for the first time on March 18th. In addition, the C's will be featured on national television 26 times during the 2012-2013 season, including a Sunday afternoon tilt on ABC against the defending Western Conference Champion Oklahoma City Thunder on March 10.

The annual post All-Star break trip to the West Coast looks especially brutal this year, with the team scheduled to play five games in seven nights against the Denver Nuggets, Lakers, Phoenix Suns, Portland Trailblazers, and Utah Jazz.

To see the entire schedule, click here.

For more Boston Celtics offseason coverage, visit our team page and our team blog,CelticsBlog.

Boston College Basketball Draws Baylor In Charleston Classic

DShook — Thu, 26 Jul 2012 19:35:23 -0000

The college basketball season is still several months away, but dates, opponents, and pre-season tournament brackets are already starting to leak out. Boston College was scheduled to take part in the Charleston Classic in late November, but their first round opponent was unknown, until today.

Via the Charleston Classic Website

The 2012 Charleston Classic presented by Foster Grant, an eight-team men’s college basketball tournament, will feature 12 games over the three days. Each team will compete in one game per day, advancing through a bracket-tournament format.

Tournament highlights:

In ESPN.com’s early men’s preseason top 25 poll, Baylor is ranked No. 11 and will face Boston College in first-round action at 3 p.m. on ESPNU

Ouch. Good luck with that.In addition to having to square off against a team that reached the Elite Eight last year, before falling to eventual National Champion, Kentucky, the game will have some additional intrigue for Boston College fans.

Baylor point guard Brady Heslip, who was originally committed to BC prior to the firing of Al Skinner, was not highly thought of by new coach Steve Donahue who encouraged him to transfer. Now Heslip will get the opportunity to show the Eagles what they passed on.

The other six teams in the field are: Auburn, Charleston, Colorado, Dayton, Murray State, and St. John's and play begins November 15.

UMass Football Preseason 2012: Minutemen Picked Last In MAC East Poll

DShook — Thu, 26 Jul 2012 01:05:17 -0000

The UMass Minutemen were voted to finish last in the MAC Conference Eastern Division in the preseason poll.

The Ohio Bobcats were picked to win the 2012 Marathon MAC Football Championship in the 2012 Mid-American Conference Football Preseason Poll. Ohio and Toledo were chosen to win the East and West Divisions, respectively. UMass received a total of 23 points, and was picked to land in the cellar of the East Division in the poll.

The poll was announced at the conference's annual Football Media Day in Detroit. Members of the media contingent voted in the poll.

Despite their showing in the preseason poll, the Minutemen had two players land on Phil Steele's Preseason All-Conference Team. The college football guru announced the All-MAC team on Wednesday.

Offensive tackle Nick Speller and linebacker Perry McIntyre made Steele's second team All-MAC squad. Entering his senior season, McIntyre recorded 116 total tackles, 6.5 sacks and 11.5 tackles for a loss last season. Speller, a red shirt senior, transferred from Syracuse where he picked up All-Freshman honors in 2009.

For more on the UMass Minutemen and the MAC, visit Hustle Belt.

Boston College Football Preseason: 2012: All-ACC Preseason Teams Announced

DShook — Wed, 25 Jul 2012 23:14:39 -0000

The 2012 Preseason All-ACC Teams were announced. Boston College had four players finish in the top five in voting for their positions.

The Boston College Eagles did not land any players on the 2012 Preseason All-ACC team. Boston College was the only ACC team to not garner any representatives on the all conference team. The Eagles did have four players finish in the top five of voting in their respective positions: tight end Chris Pantale (3rd) offensive tackle Emmett Cleary (4th), linebacker Kevin Pierre-Louis (5th) and kicker Nate Freese (4th).

Here are the All-ACC teams:

Offense

Pos. Name (Votes) Ht Wt Class Hometown

WR Conner Vernon, Duke (41) 6-2 195 Senior Miami, Fla.

WR Sammy Watkins, Clemson (68) 6-1 200 Sophomore Fort Myers, Fla.

TE Matt Furstenburg, Maryland (35) 6-4 245 Senior Flemington, N.J.

T James Hurst, North Carolina (48) 6-7 300 Junior Plainfield, Ind.

T Oday Aboushi, Virginia (29) 6-6 310 Senior Brooklyn, N.Y.

G Omoregie Uzzi, Georgia Tech (57) 6-3 300 Senior Lithonia, Ga.

G Jonathan Cooper, North Carolina (55) 6-3 295 Senior Wilmington, N.C.

C Dalton Freeman, Clemson (58) 6-3 285 Senior Pelion, S.C.

QB Tajh Boyd, Clemson (29) 6-1 225 Junior Hampton, Va.

RB Giovani Bernard, North Carolina (60) 5-10 205 Sophomore Davie, Fla.

RB Andre Ellington, Clemson (53) 5-10 190 Senior Moncks Corner, S.C.

Defense

Pos. Name (Votes) Ht Wt Class Hometown

DE Brandon Jenkins, Florida State (59) 6-3 265 Senior Tallahassee, Fla.

DE James Gayle, Virginia Tech (31) 6-4 250 Junior Hampton, Va.

DT Joe Vellano, Maryland (58) 6-1 285 Senior Rexford, N.Y.

DT Nikita Whitlock, Wake Forest (33) 5-11 260 Junior Wylie, Texas

LB Kevin Reddick, North Carolina (49) 6-3 240 Senior New Bern, N.C.

LB Bruce Taylor, Virginia Tech (42) 6-2 253 Senior Riceboro, Ga.

LB Steve Greer, Virginia (32) 6-2 225 Senior Solon, Ohio

CB David Amerson, NC State (63) 6-3 194 Junior Greensboro, N.C.

CB Kyle Fuller, Virginia Tech (25) 6-0 181 Junior Baltimore, Md.

S Lamarcus Joyner, Florida State (45) 5-8 204 Junior Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.

S Earl Wolff, NC State (30) 6-0 207 Senior Raeford, N.C.

Specialists

Pos. Name (Votes) Ht Wt Class Hometown

PK Dustin Hopkins, Florida State (54) 6-2 190 Senior Houston, Texas

P Dalton Botts, Miami (65) 6-3 198 Senior Taft, Calif.

SP Greg Reid, Florida State (35) 5-8 186 Senior Valdosta, Ga.

Boston College will begin their 2012 season against ACC foe Miami on Sept. 1 at 3:30 p.m. at Alumni Stadium.

For more on the Eagles, visit our blog BC Interruption.

Chad Johnson: "I Felt Restricted In New England"

DShook — Wed, 25 Jul 2012 22:59:51 -0000

Former New England Patriots wide-receiver Chad Johnson (then Ochocinco), made his first public comments about his experiences as a member of the Patriots today when he told the Miami Herald that he felt stifled because he was not allowed to be himself.

Via ESPN

"My personality was controlled last year. You didn't hear me at all last year. Zero. Zilch. When my mouth is running, it forces me to perform. It's never been vindictive. I never got anybody in trouble. ... When I can be me, I am loose. Everything just flows for me, whether it's the style of play, the way I learn."

Yes, I'm sure that your inability to run the correct routes or do that whole "catch the ball when it's thrown to you" thing was caused by your not being allowed to rack up excessive celebration penalties. Sigh.

Clearly this is more a case of Johnson trying to convince himself that what happened last year was an aberration, but Chad was much more honest about himself immediately after the Patriots cut him, when he essentially admitted that he never learned the playbook, which kept him off the field.

The reality is that, at 34, Johnson is just not what he was when he was younger. He was still acting like a clown the two seasons before he arrived in New England and both were his worst years since his rookie year. If you're counting at home, that means he's had the three worst years of his career (since his first year) in the last three years. I'm going to go out on a limb and say that going back to elaborate touchdown celebrations won't solve that (not that he'll get there anyway).

Bobby Valentine Not At Fault For Red Sox Struggles

DShook — Wed, 25 Jul 2012 17:01:13 -0000

WEEI's Kirk Minihane opined in his piece this morning that the end may be near for Boston Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine.

Via WEEI.com

What we have, on July 25, is a hugely underachieving team, coming off the worst collapse in baseball history, being managed by someone who isn't wanted by his general manager or many if not most of his players.

At first glance, isn't Bobby Valentine a perfect candidate to be fired?

On the surface, Minihane is right, Valentine hasn't adhered to conventional wisdom when its come to managing this team, but does that warrant a firing? I don't think so.

Managers are always easy scapegoats because it costs far less to fire them than it does the players who the fans are paying to see. The reality in this situation though is that the players have largely gone the route of the tantrum throwing six year old with the new, stricter babysitter, whining and crying that they liked the old one better and refusing to listen or do anything they're told by the new one.

Fans can opine about over-utilizing starters and line-up changes all they want, but the bottom line is that players like Kevin Youkilis, David Ortiz, Josh Beckett and others never even made an effort to make this work. Maybe Valentine isn't the answer here, but he hasn't been given the opportunity to make it work because of a group of spoiled children who want their "binky" back, the one who let them walk all over him last year.

Bruins Offseason 2012: Bruins Announce Multi-Year Extension With 98.5 The Sports Hub

DShook — Mon, 23 Jul 2012 22:43:53 -0000

The Boston Bruins and local radio outlet, 98.5 The Sports Hub announced today that they have reached an agreement on a multi-year extension of their current deal to keep Bruins games on the popular FM station.

The Bruins have been on the station for the past three seasons after moving from fellow CBS station, WBZ 1030, including the teams run to the Stanley Cup in 2010 and will be there for many more to come, though terms were not disclosed.

Both the Bruins and CBS (the parent company of 98.5) released statements praising their arrangement.

“Over the past three years, the Bruins have been very happy to be partners with ‘98.5 The Sports Hub’ as the station has launched and grown,” said Bruins President Cam Neely. “We feel that 98.5 has truly embraced the Bruins and our fans across all of their programming, and we are happy that The Sports Hub will be the home for Boston hockey fans for years to come.”

“The Bruins are one of the NHL’s treasured franchises and an Original Six team, and we are honored to continue broadcasting the games to fans throughout New England, “ said Mark Hannon, Senior Vice President and Market Manager for CBS RADIO Boston.

For more on the Bruins, please be sure to check out our blog Stanley Cup Of Chowder and SB Nation Boston for all the latest news and updates.

Celtics Offseason 2012: C's Set To Open 2012-2013 Campaign In Miami

DShook — Mon, 23 Jul 2012 19:52:52 -0000

For the Boston Celtics, the season ended bitterly in Miami against the eventual champion Heat, and according to a release from the Miami Sun Sentinel, that's where the 2012-2013 season will also begin.

Via the Sun Sentinel:

While the complete NBA schedule will not be released until later, the Sun Sentinel has learned that the Miami Heat will open the 2012-13 NBA regular season on Tuesday Oct. 30 at AmericanAirlines Arena against the Celtics.

The rivalry between the two teams has been among the most heated (no pun intended) in the league over the last two years and was only given more juice this off-season when sniper Ray Allen signed on with the Heat, spurning a Celtics offer that was rumored to be worth double what Miami could offer.

The Celtics have done well this off-season to replace him though, as they've added sixth man extraordinaire Jason Terry, Courtney Lee, and a re-signed Jeff Green to a bench that was desperately lacking quality last season. The team also re-signed Brandon Bass, Kevin Garnett and Chris Wilcox with the hope of overthrowing the defending champions.

For more Boston Celtics offseason coverage, visit our team page and our team blog,CelticsBlog.

Red Sox Draft Pick Ends Minor League Career With Crazy Stat Line

DShook — Mon, 23 Jul 2012 17:44:30 -0000

In last year's Major League Baseball draft, the Red Sox took a late round flier on a player most FOOTBALL fans were familiar with, Shaq Thompson.

Thompson, who is one of the best safety prospects in the nation, is headed to the University of Washington on a football scholarship this fall, but decided to give baseball a shot this summer after the Sox took him mostly due to his raw athleticism. Thompson played for the Sox minor league outfit in the Gulf Coast League.

To say it didn't go well would be an understatement,

Via Deadspin (who's been covering the story)

He leaves behind a mind-boggling stat line: In 13 games, Thompson went 0-for-39, with 37 strikeouts. He got the ball out of the infield just once, in his final at-bat on Friday, a liner directly to the right fielder. For that solid contact, his teammates greeted him in the dugout with back slaps and high fives.

Ultimately you have to give the kid credit for trying, as he'd only played one year of competitive baseball since the sixth grade (his senior of high school), but the stat line is truly something to behold. He's all yours U-dub.

Chad Ochocinco Is Once Again Chad Johnson

DShook — Mon, 23 Jul 2012 16:36:33 -0000

For New England Patriots wide receiver Chad Ochocinco has decided that changing his last name Ochocinco might not have been the smartest thing that he's ever done. Four years after making the ridiculous move to change his name to match his jersey number, Chad is going back to the name his mother gave him, Johnson.

Via Dolphins beat writer, Jeff Darlington's twitter:

@JeffDarlington What's in a name? Chad @ochocinco was in Broward courthouse today for 8:45 am hearing to legally change back to Chad Johnson. It cost $401.

The former Patriots wideout was a massive disappointment last season as he struggled through the worst season of his career, while also acknowledging that he was never able to grasp the complex Patriots offense. Chad was a virtual non-factor in the playoffs and caught only one pass during the teams Super Bowl loss to the New York Giants.

He was picked up by the Miami Dolphins this summer after the Patriots cut him from the team.

Penn State Sanctions Handed Down. Will New England Schools Benefit?

DShook — Mon, 23 Jul 2012 14:20:30 -0000

The NCAA brought down the hammer hard on Penn State University this morning, banning the school from postseason play for the next four seasons, fining them a stunning $60 million, and docking them multiple scholarships over the next four years. The penalties more or less ensure that no incoming freshman will ever see a bowl game or playoff game while at the school.

Where things get interesting though, is that any and all Nittany Lions football players have been given the option to transfer without having to sit out a year. With that in mind, several local schools might stand to benefit from this situation, including: Boston College, Connecticut and maybe even UMass.

Among the class of incoming freshman, Penn State has several local players on the roster, all of whom may be looking around for a new school now that the ability to compete for championships will be off the table during their tenure. Akeel Lynch (a former BC commit), Malik Golden, Jake Kiley, and Jordan Lucas (a Massachusetts native) are all from the area and could be interested in coming back to the New England area.

That list doesn't include upper classmen from the area either (like Connecticut native, Silas Redd), who would be eligible to transfer and play immediately.. Keep an eye on this situation if you're a local college football fan.

Adam Morrison Steals The Show Against The Celtics

DShook — Mon, 23 Jul 2012 00:33:50 -0000

The Celtics completed the final leg of their Summer League slate tonight in Las Vegas against the LA Clippers, but fans who tuned in to get one last look at Celtics draft picks Jared Sullinger, Kris Joseph and Fab Melo instead saw the incredible rebirth of one of the most maligned players in recent NBA history, Adam Morrison.

Morrison, the former Gonzaga star and poster child for the futility of the Charlotte Bobcats under Michael Jordan, poured in an electric 26 points, including four three pointers. His incredible display of offense was met by wild applause from the folks in attendance at the Thomas and Mack Center.

Watching Morrison hit circus shot after circus shot was a great reminder of what he used to be when he played for the Bulldogs under Mark Few. Those Gonzaga teams were some of the nations best, but Morrison and his trademark mustache had faded out of sight in recent years amid criticism that he wasn't strong enough or athletic enough to make it in the NBA.

His performance, not only tonight, but all week, was a great reminder of how Summer League can be a springboard to redemption for players like him. Here's hoping Morrison gets an opportunity to build on his great summer and latch on with another NBA team.

BU Transfer Jake O'Brien Visits Boston College

DShook — Sun, 22 Jul 2012 22:20:43 -0000

Former Boston University basketball player, Jake O'Brien, continued his quest to find a home for his final year of eligibility today when he visited Steve Donahue and Boston College.The Eagles are one of several schools interested in the services of the 6'9 forward. Others include: Providence, Ohio State, Temple and Virginia.

O'Brien, who likely would have been the pre-season America East Player of the Year, decided to transfer after learning that the Terriers would not be eligible for the America East tournament this year because of their impending move to the Patriot League in 2013.

O'Brien is reportedly looking for a team that has a chance to make the NCAA Tournament, so BC may be a long shot given their youth (earlier reports indicated the Friars were the favorite), but he would make a terrific addition to a young Eagles squad that is desperate for front court depth behind Ryan Anderson and Dennis Clifford.

The Eagles finished this past season at 9-22 while using a regular rotation that included as many as seven true freshman, but showed growth in the second half of the season, including an upset win over a ranked Florida State team.

NCAA To Announce "Unprecedented" Sanctions Against Penn State

DShook — Sun, 22 Jul 2012 15:50:19 -0000

Word leaked out this morning that, according to CBS, the NCAA is scheduled to announce "unprecedented" sanctions against Penn State for it's role in covering up the horrific Jerry Sandusky scandal that has rocked the central Pennsylvania community and the nation.

Via CBS News:

CBS News has learned that the NCAA will announce what a high-ranking association source called "unprecedented" penalties against both the Penn State University football team and the school.

The penalties come in the wake of the independent report by former FBI Director Louis Freeh that chronicled repeated efforts by four top Penn State officials, including former football coach Joe Paterno, to conceal allegations of serial child sex abuse by Jerry Sandusky over a 14-year period.

The announcement will be made Monday morning at 9am EST.

As more has leaked out from sources though, the words: "bowl ban", "scholarship losses", and "probation" have been tossed around, and that leaves you to wonder what's unprecedented about the situation. Certainly the speed with which these penalties have been enacted is unprecedented (let's not forget Miami is STILL waiting to hear its fate in light of the Nevin Shapiro scandal), but the penalties themselves are more of the same.

If the NCAA has chosen to get involved here, punishing them as though they had committed infractions similar to USC or Ohio State will not pass muster. The charges here are far more severe and the NCAA must treat them accordingly. Either that or stay out of it and allow the justice and civil system to run its course.

Team USA Basketball The Rightful Favorite, But Holes Are Evident

DShook — Wed, 11 Jul 2012 02:30:40 -0000

When the initial roster was announced, there were whispers that, on the 20th anniversary of the original Dream Team featuring Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson and Larry Bird, this years Olympic basketball team might have as much or possibly even more talent. With a talent pool featuring as many as 11 sure-fire hall of famers like LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Dwight Howard, Kobe Bryant and more, that argument could have had some merit. Now though, the injury bug has struck and diminished some of the depth that the team possessed. Even still, this group should still dazzle when pool play begins later this month.

Make no mistake, despite the injuries, this team is still loaded with athletic ability that will likely overwhelm the bulk of its potential opponents this year, but there are still some holes and some questions that will be asked by some of the better teams in the field.

The most pressing question is in the front court, where defensive stalwart Dwight Howard is still recovering from back surgery and will not be competing. In addition, Chris Bosh will also sit this one out while he continues his recovery from an abdominal injury that cost him seven games during the recently completed NBA Playoffs. This leaves only Tyson Chandler to man the center spot.

Chandler will be just fine in this role, just as he was in 2010 at the World Championships in Turkey. But, the question looming is what happens if (when?) Chandler gets into foul trouble. The only two other players on the roster that even qualify as "bigs" are incoming rookie Anthony Davis and Kevin Love. Neither is the defensive anchor that Chandler is capable of being (though Davis has that potential), and both are going to be heavily undersized against a team like Spain, which features a powerful post combination of Pau and Marc Gasol. In addition, Oklahoma City shot blocker specialist, Serge Ibaka is on the roster and will likely come off the bench at both forward positions.

While they may not be very deep at the center spot, Coach Mike Krzyzewski has a weapon at his disposal that absolutely nobody else in the tournament does, and it represents the most glaring difference between the US and its international counterparts, multi-tool athletic ability at the power forward spot.

In 2008, the US finally abandoned it's more traditional line-ups based around size and strength, and implemented Carmelo Anthony at the power forward spot. International clubs have been utilizing three point shooters at the power forward spot as a floor stretching tactic forever, but the Americans had been reluctant to abandon their size advantage. When Coach K made 'Melo the 4 man in Beijing, the results were incredible. Nobody else in the tournament had players versatile enough to match his speed and athletic ability, and Anthony ran roughshod. In addition, he was big enough, at 6'8 and 240 lbs, to match size and strength with most clubs. The move to these types of players at the PF spot makes them virtually unguardable.

During the 2010 World Championships, Andre Iguodala, Danny Granger and Lamar Odom rotated at that spot with varying degrees of success, and this year, LeBron James will likely get the assignment. James made the move to the PF spot with the Miami Heat late last year and created the same kind of havoc that Anthony did in the Olympics. With that experience in his back pocket, expect him to be utterly dominant in this tournament. Anthony and Iguodala are also on the roster and will likely see time at this spot.

At small forward, the embarrassment of riches continues, as Kevin Durant will get the nod and provide the same all around play that helped lead the national team to its first Gold Medal in the World Championships in over a decade. At 6'11, few teams, if any, will have an answer for him at that spot. Even if Durant does struggle, Coach K has the option to rotate players like James, Anthony, Iguodala and maybe even James Harden (in smaller line-ups) at the spot also.

Where it all starts for the Americans though, is in the back court. One of the most defining characteristics of the Gold Medal team from 2008, was the defensive presence of Kobe Bryant. Bryant spent most of the tournament in the opposing teams back court hounding sub-par point guards. Kobe rarely shot the ball, except in transition, preferring instead to use his energy to disrupt the other teams offensive flow. Only in the Gold Medal game against Spain, when things looked on the verge of collapsing, did Bryant take over the offense.

Bryant is back this year, and the focus on defense will be even higher this time around, as he'll be paired with one of the top defensive point guards in the NBA, Chris Paul. Paul is a little banged up, but is expected to be fine. Between the two of them, they'll be expected to destroy rhythm and prevent bigger teams from utilizing their size against the aforementioned undersized front court. In addition, Harden, Russell Westbrook and Deron Williams will rotate at the guard spots.

The guards will need to be on their games though, because it's definitely the strongest position across the board in the tournament. Players like; Tony Parker (France), Leandro Barbosa (Brazil), Manu Ginobili (Argentina), Sarunas Jasikevicius (Lithuania), Patty Mills (Australia) and Alex Shved (Russia) are just some of the talented guards that the US will face. While some of those names may not be familiar to American fans, the international game can be a totally different animal, and these players can and will be effective against their more well known opponents.

So, we've established that Team USA is the most talented team in the field, that's pretty much irrefutable. So, who are some of the teams that have a chance to overthrow them?

The big one that everyone keeps mentioning is Spain, and with pretty good reason. Spain has the most talent at the front court positions, and has just enough on the wings to give the US some issues. Pau Gasol and his brother Marc will be dominant, and Serge Ibaka will be a defensive force the likes of which they've never had. However, injuries have damaged them on the perimeter and will make them vulnerable against some of the more guard heavy teams in the tournament. Point guard Ricky Rubio is still recovering from ACL surgery and will not be available, and Rudy Fernandez is also banged up and will be limited. Still, Jose Calderon will run the show, Juan Carlos Navarro will lead the scoring from the perimeter from both wing spots, and Sergio Rodriguez will back up at both guard spots. Spain is definitely the most prevalent threat to a US Gold Medal, and an early preview of the match-up will come on July 24th in Barcelona in a tune-up.

Other teams to watch out for would include Brazil, who boasts an NBA caliber front court of Nene, Anderson Varejao, and Tiago Splitter. Brazil nearly beat the US during the World Championships in 2010, leading for much of the game before missing two free throws with a chance to tie the game in the closing seconds. The absence of strong guards could damage their chances though. Only the aforementioned Barbosa and team captain Marcelinho Huertas are capable of playing extended minutes against the US. The Americans also have the Brazilians scheduled for an exhibition on July 16th in Washington DC, their last warm-up game here in the states.

Also, keep an eye on Argentina, France and Lithuania, all of whom are in the US' six team preliminary pool and have produced consistently solid teams. Argentina, while aging, continues to be a threat with Ginobili and Luis Scola leading the way, and have beaten the Americans before in international competition. The French will cause some problems on both sides of the ball, thanks to Tony Parker, Joakim Noah, Nicolas Batum and Boris Diaw. They have all the requisite pieces necessary to spring an upset, but depth is definitely an issue. Finally, Lithuania, the perennial Bronze Medalists, are always a threat despite almost never fielding a single player that NBA fans would recognize. It's a basketball crazy country that produces a lot of quality international players and has battled the US tooth and nail before and will continue to do so. Sarunas Jasikevicius is their top player, even at 35, has NBA experience and a killer three point stroke.

Ultimately, the US is the overwhelming favorite to win this tournament for the second consecutive time and with good reason, but as opposed to 2008, I'd argue that there is more talent in the field this year and thus, more chances for catastrophe.

Also, don't underestimate the rule changes that are being implemented as of this year for international basketball. Gone is the high school three point line, replaced by one a little bit further away than the college line. This is significant because, the US team lacks dead eye long range shooters outside of Kevin Durant. While playing primarily zone defense, opponents will BEG the Americans to fire away from the outside while packing the lane and trying to neutralize their athletic advantages. Also gone is the trapezoid lane that was a staple of the international game. That has been replaced by the more traditional rectangle lane. This affects the Americans because it will make post play more of a factor for international teams. Players like the Gasols and Luis Scolas of the world will use this to take full advantage of the lack of size on the US side.

It's important to remember all that because, once you get to the quarterfinals, it's single elimination, and as with the NCAA Tournament, that means pretty much anything can happen (see: Greece, 2006 World Championships). Against some of the teams mentioned earlier, the US will need to be very sharp in order to avoid a stunning upset.

NBA Finals 2012: The NBA's Perception Problem And The Simple Solution

DShook — Fri, 15 Jun 2012 14:22:57 -0000

On Thursday night, the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Miami Heat took center stage once again as the Eastern and Western Conference Champions squared off in Game Two of the NBA Finals. After leading by as many as 17, the Heat began to run out of steam and allowed the Thunder back into the basketball game. With about four minutes left in the fourth quarter it was anyone's game.

It was a terrific basketball game featuring two of the best teams in the league and six of its biggest stars. It was great television and a great example of NBA basketball at its finest. Unfortunately, the only thing most people are going to remember about it is the ending.

With eight seconds remaining and the Thunder trailing by a bucket, OKC star Kevin Durant caught a quick inbounds pass that froze Heat star LeBron James who instinctively tried to give the Heat's remaining foul. The play happened so fast though, and Durant had already gone up for his shot. It was a clear foul in real time with James' arms deliberately tangled up with Durants and upon viewing the replay, you could make the case that James might have used up his three remaining fouls on that one play. Despite the obvious foul, there was no whistle coming from the officials.

If you're reading this, you know the rest. Durant missed the shot as he was being fouled, the Heat corralled the rebound and the game was essentially over after two free throws on the other end of the court. Miami had survived another second half collapse and evened the Finals at a game a piece.

If you've ever played competitive basketball at a level beyond your local rec league, you know that games are not won or lost by a single play, and neither was this one. The Thunder did plenty to earn this loss and any other result would have been cause for them to be arrested for larceny.

The problem though, is that once again NBA officials have been put into the spotlight despite the aforementioned star power that exists on this, the grandest stage the league has to offer. It's a subject that makes stomachs turn in the NBA's ivory towers in New York City and a subject that gives NBA fans visions of grainy Zapruder films and Oliver Stone movies.

"Conspiracy!"

"The refs are cheating!"

"David Stern want Miami to win!"

Those were just a few of the immediate reactions among angry fans who saw the officials miss another crucial call that turned the momentum of the series. It fueled the conspiracy theories that have run rampant through NBA fans for the last 15 years or so and is part of a perception problem that stems back to 2007, when former official Tim Donaghy was nabbed by the FBI for conspiring to fix games he officiated. The Donaghy situation validated many NBA fans who believed that the league was more akin to pro wrestling than actual sport.

The referees in the NBA have always been treated as sacred cows, far above reproach and even further above criticism. In the aftermath of the scandal though, NBA commissioner David Stern actually made the relationship even LESS transparent, if that were possible. And therein lies the problem.

Following the Donaghy scandal, the league should have made the handling of officials MORE transparent, not less. This would have gone a long way toward clearing up the perception that these guys are not just lackeys for the man signing the checks. By making the relationship even more cloak and dagger, you continue to fuel the perception that they aren't on the up and up and that there are more like Donaghy, despite the leagues claim that he was just a rogue official.

20 second timeout: The league is not fixed, the officials are not on the take, and there isn't some massive conspiracy to win the Heat a championship. By and large, the officials do an okay job. The problem is that many have simply been around too long and feel they're part of the show and officiate as such (see: Crawford, Joey). Then there are others who are just borderline incompetent. Being bad at your job doesn't make you a conspirator, it just makes you bad at your job. If you're a terrible accountant and cost your client money, it doesn't mean you're secretly working for another firm, it means you're a terrible accountant.

So how would you fix this problem of perception to help ease the public scorn?

It's a pretty simple fix actually. If you make obvious mistakes on crucial calls, you should be reprimanded, and the punishment should be made public. For example, Tony Brothers, the man in the best position to make the call during the moment in question Thursday night, shouldn't be allowed to be anything more than an alternate official for the rest of this series. An announcement like this would give the impression that the league at least acknowledges the gravity of missing a call of that magnitude and that there are consequences for doing your job below acceptable standards. A few seasons of this would go a long way toward dispelling the conspiracy myths that plague the league at every turn.

Don't think it's reasonable?

If you follow me on twitter (shameless plug), you know that I'm also a big soccer fan. Most American soccer fans will remember a certain incident during the 2010 World Cup in South Africa involving the United States and Slovenia. The US had rallied from a 2-0 deficit to tie the match, and in the 82nd minute Maurice Edu headed in what appeared to be the winner, but the referee, Koman Coulibaly, bizarrely blew his whistle and ruled the play dead. No explanation was given for the whistle and nobody could ascertain what would have justified stopping the play.

The next day FIFA announced that Coulibaly had erred in a crucial moment of the match and that he would no longer be allowed to serve as a lead referee during the World Cup. Coulibaly appeared in just one more match during the tournament, as a fourth official. There were no cries of conspiracy, no allegations that FIFA was against the United States, etc. They acknowledged that the referee blew the call and reacted accordingly.

How hard is that?

Of course, we know that Tony Brothers will be subject to no discipline from the league for his gaffe, and we also know that we will never know if there is even any discussion regarding the matter because of the league's policies with officials. The blogosphere and the twitterverse has been ablaze with theories and wild allegations that David Stern has preordained the winner of every game in this series. Obviously it's ridiculous to think that, but perception is reality with many fans.

Just know that this can all be avoided with a little bit of transparency. This doesn't solve the incompetency problem, in fact it would likely magnify it, but let's take this one problem at a time. By far, the biggest issue is that if FIFA has more credibility with regards to its referees than the NBA does with its, you've got a serious problem.

USA 1, Guatemala 1 Final Score: US Settles For Draw Thanks To Late Equalizer

DShook — Wed, 13 Jun 2012 04:16:45 -0000

Marco Pappa scored a goal in the 83rd minute on a free kick from just outside the box to salvage a draw for Guatemala against the United States in tonight’s World Cup Qualifying match in Guatemala City. The draw gives Guatemala one point in Group A and puts them in a tie for third, while the US sits atop the group with four points, ahead of Jamaica (also with four) by virtue of goal differential.

The goal by Pappa was the last in a string of late chances for Guatemala as they desperately tried to close the one goal deficit in the final 20 minutes. Pappa had missed just moments earlier on a great chance when his shot deflected wide of a beaten Tim Howard. The ensuing corner kick was brilliantly stopped when Carlos Ruiz found himself alone in front of the net, but Howard was able to stick a hand out and bat it away.

The US’ lone goal came just before halftime when Clint Dempsey received a pass from left back Fabian Johnson, returning after missing two games with a strained calf muscle, and weaved his way through two defenders to clear himself for his 27th goal as a member of the US National Team. The goal looked like it would hold up until Pappa’s late equalizer.

The match was very choppy throughout thanks to the poor conditions of the pitch and the physical play of Guatemala. In the first half alone there were 19 fouls registered, shades of the 2008 qualifier between the two when the two sides were whistled for 40 fouls. No red cards were handed out, but three US players went in the book for yellow cards, including Johnson, who was booked for an elbow that led to the free kick goal for Pappa. Other US yellow cards were handed out to Clarence Goodson, Maurice Edu and Michael Bradley.

The US will get a much needed break after an exhausting stretch that saw them engaged in double training sessions on a daily basis and competing in five matches over the course of three weeks. The intense camp seemed to leave the US a little fatigued in the latter stages of recent matches and questions are sure to be leveled at manager Jurgen Klinsmann for the decision to work his group so hard.

The US will be off from qualifying until September 7th when they travel to Jamaica for the first of back to back matches with the Reggae Boyz in this semi-final group. The last time the two met was in the quarterfinal round of the Gold Cup in 2011. The Americans won that match 1-0 behind a Jozy Altidore goal. The US needs to finish in the top two of Group A to qualify for next years final CONCACAF qualifying round.

USA 1, Guatemala 0 Halftime Score: Clint Dempsey Nets 27th For US

DShook — Wed, 13 Jun 2012 02:59:21 -0000

Clint Dempsey dribbled around two defenders in the 40th minute and then slid the ball into the left corner of the net to give the United States a 1-0 lead over Guatemala at halftime of the World Cup Qualifier in Guatemala City.

The first half was largely very sloppy as both sides adjusted to the poor condition of the field and felt each other out. As a result, both sides struggled to string together passes and there were no shots registered on net until the 25 minute mark. As expected, the sloppy play of the match was exacerbated by the physical play of the Guatemalan side, a staple of theirs against more talented opposition. The physical play was able to knock the US out of their rhythm on offense.

As the half wore on, Guatemala generated more of the possession and in the 37th minute, they generated their first good chance on net when midfielder Carlos Vigueroa drove in from the right side and fired a shot on net that Tim Howard was able to get his hands on. The rebound came out right in the middle of the six yard box where several Guatemalan players were in the area, but the ball was cleared away by Clarence Goodson. Just moments later on the counter attack, Fabian Johnson broke down the left side and found Dempsey at the top of the box who weaved his way through traffic before sliding it by Guatemalan keeper Ricardo Jerez.

Right before the half, Carlos Ruiz, the former MLS star nearly tied the game as he was able to sneak behind Clarence Goodson and put a shot on net that beat Howard but went wide of the goal.

USA Vs. Guatemala Starting Lineups: Fabian Johnson To Start For US

DShook — Wed, 13 Jun 2012 01:25:12 -0000

The United States will take on Guatemala in Game Two of it’s semi-final World Cup qualifying group tonight in Guatemala City. The US won its opener against Antigua & Barbuda last Friday by a count of 3-1. Guatemala is coming off a 2-1 loss to Jamaica. The US has never lost to Guatemala in World Cup Qualifying.

The most notable entry in the starting line-up for the US is Fabian Johnson. The rising star at left back was injured two weeks ago and was considered questionable for tonight, but has been upgraded and will start and man the left back spot.

Starting Lineups:

United States

G- Tim Howard
D- Steve Cherundolo
D- Clarence Goodson
D- Carlos Bocanegra
D- Fabian Johnson
M- Maurice Edu
M- Michael Bradley
M- Jermaine Jones
M- Landon Donovan
F- Clint Dempsey
F- Hercules Gómez

Guatemala

G- Ricardo Jerez
D- Luis Rodriguez
D- Carlos Eduardo Gallardo
D- Elias Vásquez
D- Erwin Morales
M- Wilfred Velásquez
M- Jose Contreras
M- Carlos Vigueroa
F- Marvin Ávila
F- Mario Rodríguez
F- Carlos Ruiz

USA Vs. Guatemala: TV Schedule, Time, Location And More

DShook — Tue, 12 Jun 2012 18:53:26 -0000

Event: World Cup Qualifying, Group 1 (Game 2): United States vs. Guatemala

Date/Time: Tuesday, June 12, 2012 – 10:00 p.m. EDT.

Location: Estadio Nacional Mateo Flores (Capacity: 30,000), Guatemala City, Guatemala.

Broadcast Info: Tonight's World Cup Qualifying match between the United States and Guatemala will not be available on broadcast television in the United States due to local broadcast rights not being made available by the rights holder: Traffic Sports. The game is only available in the US via pay-per-view (call your local cable/satellite provider) or online at ustream.tv for a price of $29.95.

Last Meeting: This will be the first meeting between the two CONCACAF nations since the 2008 qualifying cycle that saw the US win both matches via an aggregate score of 3-0. The last of those two matches took place on November 19, 2008 in Colorado. Buoyed by second half goals from Freddy Adu and Kenny Cooper, the US won 2-0 in the final game of their semi-final qualifying group.

Storyline: After a 3-1 win over Antigua & Barbuda last week to open up World Cup Qualifying, the US will look to add another three points to its record when it travels to Guatemala City to take on Guatemala. The general feeling was that the US looked a little sloppy against Antigua & Barbuda and could have looked better in defeating the tiny Caribbean nation. Against a more skilled opponent in a more hostile environment, the US will need to be sharper in order to avoid making mistakes that Guatemala will cash in on (such as Oguichi Onyewu losing track of his mark that led to the only goal for the opposition last week). Will the US be able to conjure up a better effort or will fatigue and a hostile crowd help deal them their first setback.

What To Watch For: This will be the first road test for the Americans under Jurgen Klinsmann, and boy will it be a test. Guatemala is one of the more hostile environments this side of Estadio Azteca in Mexico City and there will be no shortage of anti-USA sentiment in this one. For those that remember the 2008 qualifier in Guatemala City, you'll recall the incredibly physical play that resulted in two red cards, seven yellow cards, and 40 (!!) fouls. With a new style of play, some injuries to deal with, an exceptionally hostile crowd (there were reports of batteries, among other things, being hurled at US players), and the physical nature of the game, it will be interesting to watch how the US handles this trip. Many of the players on the US roster are veterans of these type of road trips into smaller underdeveloped countries, but there are a number who will be dealing with it for the first time in key spots (players like Fabian Johnson, Hercules Gomez, etc.). How they do that will go a long way in determining whether the US gets just its second win in Guatemala City since 1988.

Player To Watch: Whoever the heck has to step in and play the left back spot. The injuries at this position continue to mount and has really eaten into the depth of this roster. Fabian Johnson is listed as questionable as he continues to recover from a strained calf muscle. If he can't go, things get really murky. Edgar Castillo would have been the obvious choice, but he was injured in the lead-up to the Antigua & Barbuda game and has already been ruled out. Castillo's replacement against AB was mid-fielder Jose Torres, but Torres was injured DURING the AB game, leaving Carlos Bocanegra to shift to the left and forcing Klinsmann to turn to the corpse of Oguchi Onyewu to play center back. If Johnson is unable to go, Klinsmann may be forced to turn to the untested Geoff Cameron or the lightly tested Michael Parkhurst to either play left or center back depending on his preference for Bocanegra. In a difficult environment, neither is ideal, but Onyewu has been a disaster lately and can't be trusted.

For Guatemala, all is not well thanks to a match fixing scandal that has rocked the country at the club level and left the national side without three of its best. Without Gustavo Cabrera, Yoni Flores and Guillermo Ramirez on the pitch, the Guatemalans will need to get help from its remaining veterans and some untested young'ns. Maybe most crucial though will be former MLS standout, Carlos Ruiz. The former Galaxy star has 96 caps with the national team and is often used as the lone striker in the 4-5-1 formation favored by the Guatemalans. He'll get his opportunities on the counter attack tonight and how the aging striker is able to finish will go a long way in determining the result.

Prediction: The United States has never lost to Guatemala in World Cup Qualifying, holding a mark of 6-0-4 in 10 matches, and I don't think this will be the night that streak ends. However, the US has shown some flaws and was certainly less sharp than many would have preferred against an underpowered opponent Friday night. It stands to reason, the US will be more on its toes tonight with the understanding that not only is the opponent better, but they badly need a result here after Guatemala lost their opener to Jamaica. I think Guatemala will manage a goal tonight while the US offense struggles to find its rhythm again. Ultimately, the US will scratch out a goal and come away with a point. Final Score: United States 1, Guatemala 1.

Pacquiao Vs. Bradley Fight Results: Bradley Wins On Highly Questionable Split Decision

DShook — Sun, 10 Jun 2012 05:21:40 -0000

Undefeated welterweight champion Timothy Bradley continued the stellar start to his career tonight with a 12 round split decision over boxing superstar Manny "Pac Man" Pacquiao to win the WBO Welterweight Championship. The fight was not without controversy though, as many ringside experts felt that, not only did Manny win the fight, he won it easily.

ESPN boxing analyst Dan Rafael scored the fight a clean sweet for Pacquiao, 120-108. The judges at ringside all scored the fight 115-113, with CJ Ross and Duane Ford awarding the fight to the undefeated Bradley. Only Jerry Roth felt Pacquiao did enough to win the fight.

The fight was largely controlled by Pacquiao via his powerful left hand. Bradley struggled to back the stronger Pacquiao off of him throughout the fight due to a lack of punching power and absorbed a number of hard shots, being outlanded almost two to one in the power shot category. Bradley also appeared to injure his right ankle in the fourth round when backing away after a flurry of punches.

Immediately after the fight, Bradley indicated that he felt like the fight was close, but would "have to go home and re-watch it to see if he won". Pacquiao for his part felt like he won the fight clearly, as did the partisan crowd in Las Vegas.

In the aftermath, many fans have pointed to the late money that came in on Bradley that lowered the betting odds as evidence of a potential conspiracy. One Las Vegas Sportsbook saw the odds go from -432 earlier in the week to -397 in favor of Manny by fight time.

USA Vs. Antigua & Barbuda Final Score: United States Wins World Cup Qualifying Opener, 3-1

DShook — Sat, 09 Jun 2012 01:11:45 -0000

Carlos Bocanegra got things going early for the United States soccer team with a goal in the eighth minute and then Clint Dempsey and Herclues Gomez each chipped in with a goal to help the team to a 3-1 win over tiny Antigua & Barbuda. The win gives the US three points in their first CONCACAF World Cup Qualifying group. This was the first of six games to determine who moves on to next years "hexagonal", the event that determines which teams will qualify for the 2014 World Cup from the CONCACAF region.

Bocanegra scored his goal early when he was able to track down a rebound after AB netminder Molvin James stopped a strong header from Hercules Gomez off a corner from Landon Donovan. Bocanegra ran to the far post and chipped in the loose ball for the 1-0 lead.

The score would remain 1-0 despite multiple scoring opportunities for the US, most notably from Clint Dempsey, who was able to find seams in the compacted defense of their small island opponents. Dempsey had two golden opportunities in the span of five minutes, but both times his shot was deflected away by Marc Joseph. Just when it looked like AB would go to the break only down a goal, Landon Donovan was dragged down from behind in the penalty area and was awarded a penalty kick. Dempsey stepped up to take the kick and buried it for his 26th international goal in the 43rd minute.

After halftime, the US came out and continued its assault on the AB defense, but as with the first half, the Americans had trouble finishing in the final third, a problem for this squad dating back to the dawn of time. As the half wore on, the US appeared to get fatigued, and allowed a cheap goal to Michael Byers, the teams all time leading scorer. Byers snuck behind the lead footed Oguchi Onyewu and chipped in the ball behind goalie Tim Howard. Onyewu was in the game for the injured Jose Torres who rolled an ankle while challenging for a loose ball.

The miscue seemed to light a fire under the Americans who went back on the attack and began forcing the issue again. Finally after multiple corners and strong runs into the final third, Hercules Gomez collected his own rebound after his shot was blocked and tucked it past James, who had come out of position on the initial shot. The goal provided the final margin of victory.

AB would generate some sustained possession in the closing minutes, but wasn't able to get a good solid chance on net. They finished with just one registered shot on goal.

Terrence Boyd came on in relief of Jermaine Jones late in the match to make his first sanctioned appearance for the senior national team. This was significant because it means that Boyd, who holds dual citizenship with both Germany and the US, is now locked into playing for the Americans.

The US will continue its qualifying run on Tuesday night when they travel to highly hostile territory for a match with Guatemala.

For more United States Men's National Team news and analysis, visit SB Nation Soccer.

USA vs. Antigua & Barbuda: Bocanegra Goal Helps US to 2-0 Lead At Halftime

DShook — Sat, 09 Jun 2012 00:05:00 -0000

Carlos Bocanegra's goal in the eighth minute got the United States on the board in tonight's World Cup Qualifying match against Antigua & Barbuda and a late PK goal would give them a 2-0 lead at halftime.

Bocanegra alertly ran into the 18 yard box following a corner kick from Landon Donovan that was intended for Herclues Gomez. Gomez was able to head the ball on net and Bocanegra was in the right place to stuff home the rebound. Then, Clint Dempsey would add his 26th career international goal in the 43rd minute via a penalty kick after Landon Donovan was hauled down in the box on a breakaway. Dempsey buried the PK pretty much right down the middle.

The US dominated possession during the first 45 minutes, constantly generating good scoring opportunities by using a variety of one touch and combination passing, a style that new head coach Jurgen Klinsmann has been trying to implement since taking over for Bob Bradley last year. Dempsey in particular had two terrific opportunities earlier in the half after making strong runs, but had his shot deflected both times.

Antigua & Barbuda, who is playing in a CONCACAF semi-final for the first time in its history, largely relied on packing its defense into its own end, content to try and defend and counter, but has had trouble containing the passing skill of the US and only once generated any type of offense, a shot from the top of the box by Dexter Blackstock, but it was redirected away from net by defender Clarence Goodson.

USA vs. Antigua & Barbuda: Starting Lineups Announced

DShook — Fri, 08 Jun 2012 22:44:37 -0000

The United States soccer team will open its World Cup Qualifying campaign tonight when it welcomes in Antigua & Barbuda for the first ever meeting between the two CONCACAF nations.

The game will take place at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida and is scheduled to begin at 7:00 p.m. EDT. The game can be seen on ESPN (English) or Galavision (Spanish) and is also available online at ESPN3.com or WatchESPN.com.

The starting line-ups have been announced and are as follows (subject to change):

USA

G- Tim Howard
D- Steve Cherundolo
D- Clarence Goodson
D- Carlos Bocanegra
D- Jose Torres
M- Maurice Edu
M- Michael Bradley
M- Jermaine Jones
F- Landon Donovan
F- Clint Dempsey
F- Hercules Gomez

Antigua & Barbuda

G- Molvin James
D- MarvinMcCoy
D- Marc Joseph
D- George Dublin
M- Mikele Leigertwood
M- Keiran Murtagh
M- Quinton Griffith
M- Randolph Burton
M- Lawson Robinson
F- Akeem Thomas
F- Dexter Blackstock.

USA vs. Antigua & Barbuda: US Defender Castillo Out, Johnson Doubtful

DShook — Fri, 08 Jun 2012 19:57:34 -0000

The line-ups have yet to be released for tonight’s World Cup Qualifier between the United States and Antigua & Barbuda, but we already know at least one player who won’t be in the starting 11.

Left back Edgar Castillo, who was a late addition to the starting line-up on Saturday against Canada and was expected to start again, will not play tonight after suffering a strained hamstring Thursday during practice. The injury isn’t considered serious, but he’ll sit out tonight.

In slightly more positive news, the man Castillo replaced on Saturday, Fabian Johnson, was not ruled out of tonight’s match by head coach Jurgen Klinsmann. Johnson suffered a strained calf muscle in warm-ups before the match with Canada. Klinsmann didn’t sound confident Johnson would be available, but didn’t rule it out either. If he misses tonight, he’ll almost certainly be ready for Tuesday’s road trip to Guatemala.

The match between the United States and Antigua & Barbuda is set to begin at 7:00 p.m. EDT and can be seen on ESPN.

USA vs. Antigua & Barbuda: TV Schedule, Time, Location And More

DShook — Fri, 08 Jun 2012 03:31:26 -0000

Event: World Cup Qualifying, Group 1: United States vs. Antigua & Barbuda

Date/Time: Friday, June 8, 2012 – 7:11 p.m. EDT.

Location: Raymond James Stadium (Capacity: 65,857), Tampa Bay, Florida.

Broadcast Info: Tonight's World Cup Qualifying match between the United States and Antigua & Barbuda can be seen on ESPN in English and Galavision in Spanish. The game is also available online at ESPN3.com or WatchESPN.com. Coverage begins at 7:00 p.m. EDT with the opening kick coming at 7:11.

Last Meeting: Despite both being long-standing CONCACAF members, the two have never met on a pitch. Part of the reason is that the little Caribbean nation is in the CONCACAF semi-finals for the first time in its history, whereas the United States is attempting to qualify for the World Cup Finals for the sixth consecutive time.

Storyline: For many nations, qualification for the 2014 World Cup Finals in Brazil has already begun, and tonight in Tampa, it will for the United States as well. The US will play the first of eight matches in its CONCACAF semi-final group when it welcomes the little engine that could, Antigua & Barbuda, to Tampa for the very first meeting between the two. In order to advance to the dreaded "hexagonal" next year, the event that serves as the final qualifying event for CONCACAF, the US must finish in the top two of its four team group that also includes Jamaica and Guatemala.

Storyline II: For new US manager Jurgen Klinsmann, there has been a lot of lineup shuffling and teaching in the last year since he took over for Bob Bradley after the Gold Cup, and the results have been mixed. The team has been shut out five times since Klinsmann took over, but has also managed some impressive wins, including a heretofore unheard of win against Italy in Genoa. Now though, the time for learning has come to an end. The goal from here is, in the words of former Oakland Raiders owner Al Davis, "just win, baby". Navigating the minefield that is World Cup Qualifying in CONCACAF is always a challenge thanks to the sweltering summer heat of these Central American nations, the anti-US sentiment (and the unruly behavior that follows) among fans, and the grueling style of play that is often employed. Couple that with the fact that Klinsmann has only once managed to put his best four players on the pitch at the same time thus far, and you've got a number of challenges to overcome.

What To Watch For: In that ugly scoreless draw against Canada this past weekend, the US largely failed to generate much of a competent attack because of Michael Bradley being forced to play back in the midfield with the return of star player Clint Dempsey to the line-up. Against sides like Canada or this Antigua & Barbuda squad, who will pack their defense in, the US needs Bradley playing in more of a attacking position where he can utilize his electric passing skills to help unlock a compacted defense. Will Klinsmann move him forward in this match? And if he does, who sits? The US suddenly has a glut of above average forwards and attacking mids, a good problem to have, but that means tough decision will need to be made about who starts and who sits.

Another thing to watch is the fatigue level for the US. They played three matches in eight days against Scotland, Brazil, and Canada and looked gassed by the end of the Canada affair, struggling to do even the simplest of things with the ball. Against a side that the U23 squad could probably beat, will Klinsmann opt to rest some of his older guys like Steve Cherundolo, Landon Donovan, and Oguchi Onyewu or at least limit their minutes?

Player To Watch: For the US, the player(s) to watch will be the back line wing tandem of Cherundolo and Edgar Castillo. Castillo was a late addition to the starting line-up against Canada thanks to the calf strain suffered by rising left back star Fabian Johnson. He subbed admirably and even had a couple of good overlapping runs into the final third to put some pressure on the back line of Canada. Defensively he was a little erratic but didn't make any ghastly errors. With Johnson out again, Castillo will likely be expected to simply hold the fort against the counter attack of their underpowered opponent. Cherundolo on the other hand has had his share of struggles the last two outings. Against Brazil, he and the rest of the defense were nothing short of atrocious in allowing four goals, by far the most in the Klinsmann era. Like Castillo, Cherundolo will need to be alert defensively as Antigua & Barbuda will try and launch vertical counter attacks. Neither can afford to be caught out of position.

For Antigua & Barbuda, despite the gap in talent at many positions, they do have some players that compete at a high level on the club circuit. Midfielder Mikele Leigterwood will the be man to watch for them as he will try and quarterback his squad through this difficult match-up. It was Leigterwood who was relied on to distribute from his central position for the Reading squad that won the English League Championship and a promotion to the Premiership for next season. How he handles the inevitable pressure that will be applied by the US will largely tell the story of how well Antigua & Barbuda can compete.

Prediction: Antigua & Barbuda is in over its head against the United States talent wise, so expect the game to be a grind as the tiny nation packs in its defense in an attempt to mitigate the talent edge. Look for a scoreless first half followed by the US unlocking that defense midway through the second and possibly tacking on a late insurance goal to get an ugly but satisfying 3 points. Final Score: United States 2, Antigua & Barbuda 0.