It's time to sports!

[Unbeliever]

I was responding to the idea, specifically, that the 49ers were "better over 60 minutes."  That statement, as far as I understand it, means that they were better throughout.  You can't play what is, at best, a lackluster first half and claim that.  You can really and have a great, comeback, but you can't be the "better team over 60 minutes." 

...
The Niners almost won despite the hard time by the refs.  that's the better team.
...

As a relatively unbiased viewer, this strikes me as quite a stretch.  They did not play well.  How many times were the Smith's names called during the game, for instance?  How many great plays did that great defense, against the Raven's not exactly powerhouse offense, make?  That's the prevailing view among commentators, and also the view of Jim Harbaugh.

[InnaBinder]

I was responding to the idea, specifically, that the 49ers were "better over 60 minutes."  That statement, as far as I understand it, means that they were better throughout.  You can't play what is, at best, a lackluster first half and claim that.  You can really and have a great, comeback, but you can't be the "better team over 60 minutes." 

...
The Niners almost won despite the hard time by the refs.  that's the better team.
...

As a relatively unbiased viewer, this strikes me as quite a stretch.  They did not play well.  How many times were the Smith's names called during the game, for instance?  How many great plays did that great defense, against the Raven's not exactly powerhouse offense, make?  That's the prevailing view among commentators, and also the view of Jim Harbaugh.

Bah, what would Jim Harbaugh know about it?  Clearly, he's just influenced by wanting to see his brother win the Super Bowl. [/sarcasm]

[zugschef]

bottom line: it was maybe the most exciting super bowl ever and a great game, but it's really sad that the refs couldn't stay out of discussion.

[Unbeliever]

bottom line: it was maybe the most exciting super bowl ever and a great game, but it's really sad that the refs couldn't stay out of discussion.

I can't argue with that. 

fwiw, I found SB 42 (Giants v. Patriots, round 1) quite exciting, but I freely admit my bias.  Giants v. Patriots round 2, last year's game, was actually sort of disappointing.  Mostly b/c I thought the last game the Giants had played, the one against the 49ers, was a nearly perfect, and punishing game, by both sides.  The Superbowl, by comparison, was sloppy and lackluster on both sides. 

[betrayor]

Brilliant game today by Milan,they outwitted Barcelona arguably the best team of the last 5 years....
Their tactics today were impeccable.....

[zugschef]

Brilliant game today by Milan,they outwitted Barcelona arguably the best team of the last 5 years....
Their tactics today were impeccable.....

classic catenaccio

[InnaBinder]

Spring Training baseball on TV.   

[awaken_D_M_golem]

Dennis Rodman is with the Globetrotters, in North Korea.

wtf - ping pong diplomaNcy yes.   
It's so eee-vul , it's genius.

One of the tv wags said:  "And in North Korea, the Washington Generals always win."

[InnaBinder]

Baseball has become Ender's Game.

One of the Philadelphia Phillies players is actually named Ender.  Geek cred for days, that.

[betrayor]

Somewhat late but Madrid outplayed Man U in the Champions League 16 phase....
Of course the United fans are complaining about the referee but they should remember all the times that they were favored by referees in the past.....

[zugschef]

[...]but they should remember all the times that they were favored by referees in the past.....

that's kind of a bullshit argument, you know?

[betrayor]

[...]but they should remember all the times that they were favored by referees in the past.....

that's kind of a bullshit argument, you know?

What I meant to say is that referee mistakes are a part of the game,It is no use complaining except for the cases that the referee was clearly corrupt.....
Sometimes the referee helps you,sometimes he helps the other team....
As long as it is unintentional I don't see a reason to cause such an uproar.....

[dman11235]

Chicago continues the streak!  We're only 5 games away from the consecutive record too.

In other news, Washington got slightly better in my eyes, because one of their players is named Wojtek.  As in, shares a name with Wojtek the bear.

[dman11235]

It's NHL playoffs time!  What're your predictions/hopes?

My predictions and hopes happen to be roughly the same.  Anyways:

the west 1st round winners: Chicago, Anaheim, LA, San Jose.

East 1st round winners: Pittsburgh, Boston, Montreal, Washington

west 2nd round winners: Chicago, San Jose

East 2nd round winners: Boston, Pittsburgh.

Cup players: Chicago, Pittsburgh.  Winner: Chicago.

The changes I'd like are that Montreal and Anaheim lose.

Also: the hit on that Montreal player: suspension deserved or not?  I don't think he should have been suspended.  I mean, the ice is what broke the player's face.  The hit looked clean to me, it just was an unfortunate accident.  I don't think he deserved suspension, even a fine would have been too much.  But what I like about this story: Prust calling the Ottawa coach a "fat walrus".

[dman11235]

http://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/nhl/story/2013/08/05/sp-nhl-phoenix-coyotes-ownership.html

Phoenix Coyotes finally have an owner.  4 years the NHL owned them.  And now they're a hockey club stuck in Arizona for at least 5 more years 

[wotmaniac]

http://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/nhl/story/2013/08/05/sp-nhl-phoenix-coyotes-ownership.html

Phoenix Coyotes finally have an owner.  4 years the NHL owned them.  And now they're a hockey club stuck in Arizona for at least 5 more years 

Fuck the city of Glendale -- we're paying an extra 3% sales tax for that shit ..... and nobody goes unless it's versus the Red Wings or the Penguins.  They literally can't give away tickets for a Coyotes' game.  And they hold the "in-demand" games hostage .... if you want to see them play the Penguins or the Red Wings, you also have to buy tickets to 2+ other games.

I'm convinced that it has cost the city more to keep them in town than is put back in to the local economy ..... they're just afraid of the potential political blow-back of just cutting their losses.

[/soapbox rant]

[X-Codes]

Arizona...

Hockey...

I don't see it... I guess mostly because it's not there...

[dman11235]

The contract was for 15 years, and it's been 10.  But I'm with you.  I like seeing hockey spread to those who don't have it yet, but Arizona?  I will say that when I've seen games played there, the stadium did get kinda full.  But then again I was watching Blackhawks games, and half of the fans were Blackhawks fans cause we're cool like that.  Meanwhile, did you know that Seattle doesn't have a team?  Quebec doesn't either.

EDIT: Oh, and point of interest?  Chicago doesn't black out games.  They still have had a sold out stadium for the past 250-300 games.  I have no doubt that there are fans down there that would like to keep the team (especially since they've been doing pretty well lately)  but yeah, economically not that hot.  Who knows, maybe now that they have an actual owner things will be better for them?

[X-Codes]

The contract was for 15 years, and it's been 10.  But I'm with you.  I like seeing hockey spread to those who don't have it yet, but Arizona?  I will say that when I've seen games played there, the stadium did get kinda full.  But then again I was watching Blackhawks games, and half of the fans were Blackhawks fans cause we're cool like that.  Meanwhile, did you know that Seattle doesn't have a team?  Quebec doesn't either.

EDIT: Oh, and point of interest?  Chicago doesn't black out games.  They still have had a sold out stadium for the past 250-300 games.  I have no doubt that there are fans down there that would like to keep the team (especially since they've been doing pretty well lately)  but yeah, economically not that hot.  Who knows, maybe now that they have an actual owner things will be better for them?

I would hope so.  If you sell out every game and can't pay the bills, something is seriously wrong.

[dman11235]

And while talking about how Phoenix might finally have an owner, the Devils......don't....

And this is New Jersey, not one of the lesser known teams.