16
SPORTS
The Crusader
September 20, 2013
Purple Pennings With Andrew Fanikos TIDBITS Welcome back to campus! In a week I couldn’t make up my mind I’ll give you a piece of my mind on all the topics nagging sports fans everywhere. So to take Vince Gilligan’s (Executive Producer of Breaking Bad, great show, watch it) advice, buckle up it’s going to be a bumpy ride. With the MLB playoffs looming, many fans find themselves asking what happened to the Rays? Once the ideal for small market teams everywhere, the nine from Tampa have fallen on hard times, going 3226 since the All Star Break, barely keeping pace in the Wild Card Race. Of course Tampa had been without the help of David Price for sometime after the All Star Break and keeping pace in a division featuring the Boston Red Sox and the Bronx Bombers can surely take a toll on you. How much of a toll remains to be seen, although I still like the Ray’s in almost any one game playoff scenario. While on the topic of the playoffs, I must apologize for my baseball predictions at the beginning of season. Don’t know what happened with that. Could’ve, would’ve, should’ve seen the Toronto Blue Jays for what they were: this year’s 2012 Red Sox. I stand by my selection of the Nats as the team to beat, however, no apologies there. Maybe they should apologize to me for false advertising. Also, I will be quite sad if the Yanks fail to qualify for the post season. With the season Mariano Rivera has had it’s a shame the greatest of all postseason relievers may not be able to enjoy one last go of it. But seriously, how bout dat Mo? I mean how much classier can you get. In a farewell tour which has
seemed to last multiple seasons Mo has not disappointed, posting solid numbers and graciously accepting the tributes from fans and teams everywhere. You don’t get much classier than him. Like Mo, Johnny Football has been every bit as classy. NOT. From his touchdown celebrations to his inability to defeat the Crim
Courtesy of Wikipedia.org
The best closer in baseball’s history, Mariano Rivera has not lost a beat in his final year.
son Tide, Johnny has been sorely slacking. In throwing two, that’s right, two interceptions, in Saturday’s matinee against Alabama one has to wonder if all that illegal autographing tired his arm out. I get it Johnny you’re a lot better than most, but can’t you keep your attitude under wraps a little? Bill Belichick is looking like a fool and Robert Kraft is looking like the penny pincher he is for not resigning Wes Welker and instead opting for the younger, sexier, more reliable (?) option of Danny Amen-
NOSHOWla. With young Daniel potentially out for a number of weeks, it will be interesting to see if Belichick posts bail for Hernandez. After all, don’t desperate times call for desperate measures? In the mean time, the team is apparently petitioning the Commish to see if they can get Gronk back out on the field in a wheelchair. On the subject of football, I have to give my kudos to Chip Kelly’s Philadelphia Eagles and their unique approach to the game of football. They lasted far longer than I or any other sportswriter with half a brain would have predicted. I think it’s safe to say that after losing to the lowly Chargers of San Diego Chip Kelly’s offense can safely be relegated to the dustbins of history. Continuing on with Football, I really can’t stand its fantasy component. I mean I like really can’t. Almost every time I check my team I can feel myself becoming physically ill. Now I understand it’s my team and I selected this team, but like seriously!? One point David Wilson? Really David Wilson, really? I feel like Seth and Amy. Really? And don’t even get me started on Amendola. I mean it’s not like I took either of you in the first eight rounds or anything. Oh wait I did. Talk about false advertising. With the start of school, the EPL is once again in full swing. Although the table looks as it would most years, with the usual clubs vying for the top, it is surprising to see Liverpool leading the pack with ten points thus far, especially given the absence of the devastating yet mercurial Luis Suarez yet to play. While I wouldn’t expect to see Liverpool at the top in a couple
months time, I wouldn’t doubt it especially if Suarez resumes his romp through the Premier League following the conclusion of his suspension. Either way, Suarez is hungry for more. The story lines at Arsenal, Manchester United, and Tottenham have been of interest as well, especially given the transfer talks sur
Courtesy of Wikipedia.org
This season Johnny Manziel has become better known for his off-field drama then for his performance on it.
rounding Wayne Rooney and Gareth Bale. Although Bale ultimately departed from Tottenham, the Spurs have played well, as they look to establish a new identity in the post-Bale era. Unlike Bale, Rooney stayed put, and has played relatively well for the Red Devils, recording one goal and two assists. It will be interesting to see how United Manager David Moyes uses him throughout the season, as well as how Moyes fares in his first season taking over for the legendary Alex Ferguson. As for Arsenal, they
may prove to be the team to beat if Lukas Podolski and the newly acquired Mesut Ozil are able to fire on all cylinders. Following a disastrous first match against Aston Villa, the Gunners have turned the corner nicely. Back on Campus, the Fall Sports season is in full swing, with the football, soccer, field hockey, tennis, volleyball, cross country and golf teams all having competed in multiple games, sets, races, and matches. Although there is still a big chunk of season left, no one wants a slow start out of the gate. To this end, both the men and women’s soccer teams recorded early season ties to hopefully put them on track for successful seasons, against Dartmouth and Quinnipiac respectively. Likewise the women’s field hockey team started strong, recording early season wins against Sienna and Sacred Heart. After a bit of a rough start, the Football team seems to have turned the corner, defeating Central Connecticut State this past Saturday. With Patriot League play set to start October 12, the team still has plenty of time to get the kinks out, so to speak. Hopefully they’ll be able to do that and more, including avenging last year’s loss at Harvard. Either way, it should be a fun season. I mean seriously, what else are you going to do on a Saturday? Go to the library? Yeah, right. With that I leave you, until next week, same time, same place.
The Sports Editors Take: College Pick’ Em Holy Cross vs. Monmouth State
ASU vs. Stanford
AUB vs. LSU
Andrew
Holy Cross
ASU
LSU
Beth
Holy Cross
Stanford
LSU
Tyler
Holy Cross
ASU
AUB