So what does it all mean?

USA Soccer with a 2-0 halftime lead. Brazil slaps them in the face in the second half to win 3-2, claiming the Confederations Cup Title.

Sort of like the Kobe Bryant led Lakers taking a 3-1 series (on Kobe's game 4 buzzer-beater) lead on the Steve Nash led Suns in the 2006 NBA Playoffs. Suns come back to win the final three games by an average of 18.7 ppg, and scoring an average of 120.3 ppg. That was pretty much Kobe Bryant (and nobody else) versus the best offense of this decade.

It is without doubt Brazil has the better everything. So what did the USA performance in this tournament show the world? Like the Kobe Lakers of 2006, USA made a statement saying that they have a capable team, who is able to compete with the world's best. In 2006 Kobe showed he is capable of scoring in prolific numbers, which can elevate his team to another level. USA Soccer needs to maintain their worldclass play for an entire match and tournament, not just a half.

The other night on Pardon-the-Interruption Bob Ryan questioned America's sense of entitlement in sporting events. That the general feeling surrounding the matches outcome, was of dissappointment, as if USA was supposed to win just because they led after 45 minutes. He went on to say that this wasn't as much of a choke job, as it was Brazil simply being the superior squad.

I am in 100% agreement with this. It really cannot be a choke if you are the inferior team. The point being is that in a match of this sort, Brazil v. USA on the World's Stage (the site of 2010 World Cup), you cannot judge a performance solely based on the first 45 minutes of play.

Brazil deserves the credit for winning, but do not discount this USA team any longer. By defeating Spain, and nearly Brazil, the world is on notice that USA Soccer cannot be walked over or looked past on the pitch.

Now, only if anybody in this country actually cared.

- Aaron

For The Gators Fans...

Enjoy this home-video of The Florida Gators Band (Pride of the Sunshine) performing Michael Jackson's "Thriller"

Link coming shortly...

- Aaron

Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough...

The NBA Draft has come and gone...the NHL had one too...and baseball season has surpassed the 70 game mark as interleage winds down this weekend.

USA Soccer had what is possibly be the biggest win in its history. A 2-0 win over Spain in the Confederations Cup who went in ranked #1 by FIFA. Brazil now stands between the U.S. and a Confederations Cup title which be HUGE to win the Americans some respect in the futbol world. So Sunday @ 2:30 pm watch PLEASE be a part of Sam's Army.

June 25, 2009 saw the passing of an iconic legend who saw a man in the mirror that can heal the world with billie jean. Michael Jackson remains on all our hearts and minds each passing day, and will truly be remember as a musical genius. Hands down the greatest artist in the last 50 years.

South Florida news & notes...

The Miami Dolphins are starting a trend which personally I am finding both amusing and clever. Stephen Ross has added Jimmy Buffet and Gloria Estefan (and husband) as minority owners. A brilliant idea that is giving the South Florida community more of a reason to fall in love with the Dolphins once again. Not to mention the product on the field will be GREATLY improved regardless of how difficult the schedule is. Margaritaville meets the Conga Line @ LandShark Stadium...should be a show to see!

Pat Riley & Dwyane Wade have exchanged some soft blows about the superstar guard's impending free agency following the 09-10 season. Riley says he can't do anything until Wade re-signs, and Wade says he won't re-sign until Riley makes a move. All I ask is that Wade doesn't become too selfish this summer, and he works along with the core of Beasley, Chalmers, & Cook to help them grow as players.

The Florida Marlins fought back to the .500 mark and even went 2 over, before a loss Friday night to the Rays. The starting pitching has hit a stride, but the bullpen has begun to faulter. A move is needed to bring in another right-hander to help, as the struggling Lindstrom is on the DL for a number of weeks.

Peace, for now until later...

- Aaron

HOCKEY TALK

Every time the conversation about the sport that doesn't use a ball arises, I always come back to the same issue. There is NOT ONE person covering the sport who I look forward to telling me about "the fastest game on earth."Barry Melrose WILL NOT suffice any longer.

I need more, NEW, and better personality to teach & talk to me about hockey.

You see it everywhere in the other three major sports.

NFL has an array of former pro bowlers and legends in and around the coverage of games. Deion Sanders, Steve Young, Warren Sapp, John Gruden, Dan Diedorf, Tony Siragusa, Troy Aikman, Terry Bradshaw, Jimmy Johnson, Marshall Faulk and list goes on. For god sake Tiki barber retired so he could cover the games on TV!

The NBA is a league like none other because it is the smallest and most close-knit of them all. Charles Barkley, Reggie Miller, Magic Johnson, Jeff Van Gundy, Hubie Brown, Dr. Jack Ramsay, Jalen Rose, Mark Jackson, Jamal Mashburn, etc. In the recent past Steve Kerr & Danny Ainge left the booth to become GM's.

MLB is covered in more depth than all others sports just because the nature of the game. Orel Hershiser, Dave Winfield, John Kruk, Joe Morgan, Harold Reynolds, Steve Phillips, John Hart, Buck Showalter, and many many more.

Why has the NHL and its players seem to have lost out on the easy transition from playing their game to analyzing their game?

There are a few responses to this question.

1) The NHL is less "fraternal" than all the other sports. Meaning less camaraderie exists between the players, coaches, management, league, and ultimately the ones who cover the sport.

2) The previous response could stem from the fact that more languages and nationalities are in the NHL than any other sport. When the best players in the game do not assimilate very well into America and learn english, it leads to the inability to connect with the fans.

3) The networks, mainly Versus (they also run NBC's coverage) have failed to put people in place that a casual fan would recognize and latch onto. ESPN has tried to use Barry Melrose & Matthew Barnaby, but that is not enough!But that does not excuse Great American & Canadian players: Messier, Borque, Hull, Roy, Amonte, Vanbiesbrouck, Leetch, Richter, Robitaille, Lindros, Primeau, & LaFontaine...just to name a few. Of these guys only Vanbiesbrouck and Hull have entered the the media side, and that was only in a minor role.

Has the NHL sport not been as good to these guys as the MLB, NBA, & NFL to its players?
- No! They all have made millions.

I place blame on; First the players for not caring about the sports view in America, and Second the networks which cover the sport.

A message to Versus, if you are going to be the only network which covers the sport, then hold some freakin' auditions for players, coaches, and front office people who will add some insight that a casual fan is thirsting for.

At least the players and on-ice product are getting better! Only time will tell if the people covering the sport do as well.

- Aaron

Baseball is A Numbers Game

In Sport one (1) fact remains a constant. It is that Baseball was, is, and continues to be all about the numbers. In no other sport can numbers, and moreover SPLITS teach you about player's aptitute or ineptitude in ANY GIVEN SITUATION.
Check out Baseball Reference for any, and all information on stats.

Let's take a look a former Marlins Catcher, and current Twins backup Mike Redmond. He is a career .291 hitter with only 13 homers in 2140 at-bats, BUT off Tom Glavine a .438 with 2 homers in 48 at-bats. Redmond is also a lifetime .327 hitter versus left-handed pitching, while a pedestrian .272 against a right-hander. Now, remember that Glavine is a Hall-of-Fame pitcher who for his career has a .256 BAA right handers.

Glavine v. Redmond is a mysterious instance in which a hitter dominates a certain pitcher for god-knows why.

Here is a list of just some of the infinite amount of spilts that are available...
2 outs, RISP (runner in scoring position) - A "clutch" split
Day Game/Night Game
Grass/Turf
Home/Away
By Count
As starter/substitute
vs. Team or Pitcher
Ballpark
...And many, many, many, more.

The fact remains baseball is a number game, but at what point does a manager decide to look at the player and not the splits, or scouting report. Sometimes too often in my opinion, managers make decisions on what paper says, and they lose that player-manager trust which instills confidence in the player.

As a Marlins fan I can remember a plethora of decisions Fredi Gonzalez has made that purely were paper-based. Sometimes they work, but sometimes they don't, and that is why Managing baseball HAS to be more than just based on statistics.

Tony La Russa revolutionized baseball with his use of the bullpen, and he is doing it again by batting his pitcher 8th. Now this is a man who isn't afraid to go against what the stats predicate.

-Aaron