The Sports Nutt Blog

Kaká and the New Jogo Bonito

2008-10-15T18:33:50Z

Beautiful. It is the word eternally connected with the sport of football, especially the Brazilian style of the game.

The Jogo Bonito, or Beautiful Game, is what is always expected from the men in yellow, blue, and white. Lately, however, the grace has been fading. The game has become all about effectiveness, speed, and power.

Even Brazilian coach Dunga has turned his back on those great Brazilian teams of 1970, 1982, 1994, and 2002 by turning his squad into a counter-attacking, speed-oriented machine.

But then there is Kaka. His game, like his appearance, is different from that of other great Brazilians who have come and gone. His footwork is not as flashy, his attitude is more calm, and his lifestyle is not that of a famous superstar. All these reasons and some other are why Kaka, and only Kaka, can bring back the Jogo Bonito.

]]> Kaka's game is effective. His talent and grace are undeniable, and his vision on the field is unbelievable, but his game remains mostly effective Pele had beautiful footwork, outstanding vision and flashy moves. Ronaldinho, Robinho, and Ronaldo have always had games that call out for attention. Flip Flaps, bicycle moves, and step-overs have made them the most popular.

When one watches Kaka, there is the amazing ball control, but very little flashy stuff. His objective remains to play the game the right way and score goals, a style of play that, while beautiful, adapts much better to today's game than the more attention-seeking, paused game other Brazilians play.

That is why Kaka has a responsibility, the weight of a country, the history of a sport, and the life or death of the style that made football what it is.

The Jogo Bonito as we once knew it is gone, that paused game in which the ball went through one man who controlled the midfield and handled the tempo at his own pace. The middle of the field is a transition area now. The game is played in the boxes and on the wings. What Kaka does is make that style beautiful.

His calm, easy style makes tremendous speed look like slow motion replay, and his ball-handling is so simple, you just know he's better than anyone else. Kaka has and will continue to demonstrate that the Jogo Bonito is not a style, it is how a player can adapt to a strategy or concept and make it beautiful. It is when a player makes the game different, when sport becomes art.

Playoffs 2008: Potential Perfection

2008-10-02T01:29:49Z

As the 2008 baseball postseason begins, I find myself once again wondering what surprises and curses October is ready to throw at all fans this year. This season seems different. New things could happen and the baseball world could end up being shaken to its very core when it's all over. It could end up being something baseball fans, especially ones from Chicago, will see once in their lifetimes.

What would be the perfect ending for baseball? The Devil Rays rising up from oblivion, where they have been since they were formed? The Cubs finally killing off that billy-goat and never having to be called "lovable losers" again? or the Red Sox repeating and becoming the new dynasty of the decade?

]]> The truth is any of these would be fitting for a season that has just been different, it has been magical. It's a year in which for the first time in 102 years, both Chicago teams are in the playoffs. It's also the first season since 1993 where New York has no representations. The Devil Rays are playing in October for the first time ever and the Brewers will play fall ball for the first time in lots of baseball fans' lifetimes (26 years).

But if it's truly magical, and if it will go down as one of the greatest post-seasons of all time, this is how it has to play out.

It's game 7, the Cubs and Red Sox have battled it out for six very tight games. Chicago's pitchers are worn out from their seven-game series with eternal rival Milwaukee, and Kerry Wood is on the mound with a one run lead. The Red Sox have battled through the American League, getting by the Angels in 4 games and needing six to beat the other Chicago team in the ALCS. It all comes down to this. A curse could be broken or a dynasty could be established.

Five minutes have now passed. People scream, hug, and laugh, while others just stand there speechless, wondering what could have been. Kerry Wood is still standing on the mound, wondering how he could have thrown that pitch differently. "Big Papi" rounds the bases after his 2-run homer, and out of nowhere, a damn billy-goat begins chasing Ortiz around the bases. Fenway Park explodes in joy, Chicago's lights go out once again, and the 100th championship-less season is complete. How about that for a World Series?

From Greats To Greats: How F1 Has Gone 360 Degrees

2008-10-01T01:06:20Z

I've been watching Formula One since I can remember. I am 22 years old and I can still remember May 1st, 1994. I was eight years old and I don't think I have ever cried so hard in my life. That was the day I never thought would come, the day my immortal hero was gone, the day Ayrton Senna left this world.

With Senna's death, the F1 world seem to have a black hole that couldn't be filled. Michael Schumacher burst into the scene that same year and took the next two championships, but then came an era of non-spectacular, non-charismatic champions like Damon Hill, Jacques Villeneuve, and Mika Hakkinen. Finally, in 2000, we saw Schumi back on top and in 2001 came a driver who looked like he could have some legendary battles with the German, Juan Pablo Montoya.

]]>

However, the Ferrari was unbeatable for 4 years and the seasons were boring, and the greatest racing series in the world turned into a never-ending red parade. So in came Fernando Alonso and a Renault team that for two years was king. There was a clear changing of the guard once again. Alonso was bold, brash, and daring, but still, something was missing. I missed the old two or three team battles, the pure dislike felt by Senna towards Prost, and the great abundance of talent from the 80's and 90's.

And suddenly in 2007, it began to happen. Ferrari had to drivers at a similar level, Mclaren had two teammates who despised each other, and the bitterness translated beautifully on the track. It didn't matter whether you were an Alonso fan or a Hamilton fan, you had to love their battles and their Senna-Prost like hatred for one another. In some strange way it was also a perfect ending, Hamilton and Alonso winding up empty-handed, in part due to their struggles against each other, and Raikkonen strolling in, taking the title in the final race.

F1 was back to what it once was, people were bickering and fighting, but most importantly, the talent was incredible on both the dominant teams. Could 2008 get any better? It tuns out it could. Just add a third dominant team, take Alonso back to the squad that brought him success, and mix in a 21 year old driver with so much talent, he could bring the team that used to be perennial losers Minardi their first ever win in Formula One.

14 years have passed since the light when out on Ayrton Senna's spectacular life. His talent, along with Prost's retirement in 1993 left formula one with only sadness and yearning for the times when three, four, and even five drivers battled for championships. Now, the overwhelming talent is back, the charismatic, loved and hated drivers are out in force and we better brace ourselves for some more years of dramatic, controversy-filled finishes just like when Senna ruled the racing world.

Let's just hope Sebastian Vettel gets into a good car and steps up to the fight as well

Davis Cup Final: A Battle of Surfaces

2008-10-01T01:01:26Z

Although the Davis Cup is still almost three months away, Argentina is already facing a dilemma; where do you play the final? The South Americans will host Spain in December, and could choose clay, grass, or hard courts.

So what surface should they choose? The answer might be surprising.

It is undeniable that Argentina has a very talented team with David Nalbandian, a perennial top ten, and Juan Martin del Potro, whom nobody could stop for large part of the summer.

They will probably complete their squad with Agustin Calleri and Jose Acasuso, who have made a solid doubles team. Another undeniable fact is that Argentines are known to be at their best on clay, and their time to shine is usually during Roland Garros and the clay court season.

]]> However, to win this Davis Cup, Argentina will have to go against everything they have always known and dominated, and choose a surface that is not their favorite.

Why? Well, simply because Spain is too good on clay.

Nobody ever wants to play Nadal on this surface, and David Ferrer is arguably the second best player on it. If Argentina chooses a clay court, it will be like getting to pick a surface to play Federer and picking Arthur Ashe Stadium; they will practically give Nadal his two points.

Hard court gives the hosts the best advantage. Del Potro showed his amazing skills by winning everything but the US Open during the summer, and Nalbandian has been to the Australian Open and US Open semis.

Meanwhile, Nadal has also shown he is hard to beat on hard court, but Nadal is hard to beat anywhere even if he plays on one leg with his eyes closed. He has, however, proven to be a bit more vulnerable on hard court, with a record of no Grand Slams at the Aussie or Flushing Meadows.

Ferrer, on the other hand, is very solid on the faster hard court, but has never shown the consistency he shows every time he steps onto a clay court.

Some say grass could be a choice, but why play the Wimbledon champ on grass? It would be almost as dangerous as playing him on clay, and Argentina's players don't have a history of doing too well on this surface. It will be hard for Argentina, even being the host.

Spain currently has the most talented and the deadliest one-two punch, and will fight until the end on any court. I just say, instead of giving them the comfort or their favorite surface, make them feel like visitors, even if the host isn't too comfortable either.

What is Thierry Henry Waiting For?

2008-10-01T00:58:04Z

It has been speculated and talked about since Thierry Henry arrived at the Nou Camp, and now he has made it public; he is simply not happy in Barcelona and will leave if things don´t change. Henry made the comments to French magazine L'equipe in an interview, where he left no doubt about his situation. The only question is, why hasn't he left already?

Since his arrival, Henry has not been even a shadow of what he was with Arsenal. True, he has had injuries and he's a bit older. However, the overwhelming reason is he simply hasn't been given the chance of playing the center forward position he perfected with Arsene Wenger. So how can you ask him to shine on the left side or outside the box where he never made noise?

]]> At the beginning, Frank Rijkkard had so many players he didn't know where to put them. He never had a team last year, just a big pack of very talented individuals who never learned to play together. "The Fantastic Four", as they were called, almost never played together and Henry was usually the one on the bench. So he was left waiting for an opportunity.

Now it's a new season, Henry is one year older and his time is beginning to run out. Barcelona has no Ronaldinho anymore, but Eto'o and Messi are still there, and Henry still can't play his regular position, even though he was promised it by new Barcelona coach, Pep Guardiola. Even in the first two games of La Liga, when Barcelona couldn't score a goal if the keeper fell asleep, the French star never got the chance to play a position where he became one of the top five players on the planet. Yet another glimmer of hope squashed by a bad situation that seems to be getting worst.

So one year and three months after leaving Arsenal, "Titi" keeps waiting for his chance and for his trophies. He came to Barcelona to win the Champion's League. One year later, his Spanish trophy case is still empty and his team is not much better than last year's. The winter transfer window is almost upon us. Let's just hope Thierry gets tired of waiting, reacts, and finishes his career the way he deserves, playing his position on a great team, and contributing to yet another title.

Five Reasons why Lio Messi is Better than Cristiano Ronaldo

2008-10-01T00:54:34Z

With all the hype about the biggest football transaction of the year that never materialized, and United's Champion's League title, many people have put Lionel Messi on a second level and Cristiano Ronaldo on the throne by himself.

True, Ronaldo won both the European Cup and the Premier League title convincingly while Barcelona ended the year with only disappointment, but that doesn't change the fact that Messi is just a better player than Ronaldo.

]]> Here are five convincing reasons why:

1) Messi is and has always been more of a team player than the Portuguese star. Ronaldo has received heat about his selfish play and while it is true that Diego Maradona called Messi a bit selfish in the last few weeks, the Argentinian does not reach the ridiculous levels Ronaldo can sometimes achieve.

2) Age at this point in the two superstars' careers is a very underrated factor. Messi is two years younger than Ronaldo. Usually this is not a considerable difference, but compare Ronaldo from two years ago to today, and you will definitely see a difference. Additionally, the maturity level of a 21-year-old player to a 23-year-old is significant. For proof of this look at Ronaldinho, who didn't really reach his peak until he was about 25.

3) To most fans the integrity of the game is a big topic. Diving always takes away from the honesty and beauty of football, and unfortunately, Cristiano Ronaldo has perfected the art of diving as much as Olympic gold medalist Matthew Mitcham. Messi, on the other hand, is a warrior. His small frame seems easy to take down. However, it appears like he always runs between someone's legs or stays on his knees to keep a play going instead of splashing onto what some dream to be a huge green swimming pool.

Another point for the Argentine.

4) Success with the national team is always key, especially when one speaks of Argentina or Portugal, and this is where Messi has the largest advantage. At only 21, the South American prodigy has won an U-20 World Cup, an Olympic gold medal, and has reached a Copa America final. Ronaldo, at 23, has been to one Euro final as the host, and that was four years ago, when Figo was still king in Portugal. It just always seems like Ronaldo ends up owing Portuguese fans a little more, while Messi, at his very young age, has given them plenty to gloat about.

5) Attitude is the single most important attribute in sports. Messi has it all. The way he takes punishment and keeps going and his never-say-die mentality are admirable. You will never see Lionel Messi on the ground unless really injured, or with his head down before the end of a game, or even jogging if there is any remote chance of getting to a ball that's seemingly unreachable. Now take a look at Ronaldo. While his talent and potential are unreal, we see images too often of him crying, arguing, or just throwing tantrums that take away from his abilities and his team's chemistry.

Diving and attitude go hand in hand, which is why it is normal to see Ronaldo on the floor for several minutes, and almost impossible to see Messi in the same situation.

All in all, I think Messi deserves to be put at a higher level than Ronaldo.

He's just a better player.

The Queenless Era Of Tennis

2008-09-25T03:07:34Z

In an era of men's tennis where we have gotten used to seeing the same name on top week after week, and changes are as rare as a Rafael Nadal loss on clay, the women's top spot is as volatile as Andy Roddick's game ever since Federer got in his head. With the retirement of Justine Henin in May, the women's tour has seen four different number ones, and the longest stay at the spot of honor has been 9 weeks. Why is this happening? Who is going to take over? answers are ahead.

Let's rewind five years. Andy Roddick ends 2003 as the number one player in the world and loses the spot to Roger Federer on february 1st, enough said. But if we take a closer look at 2003, from April to November, we see four different number ones, and absolutely no stability or domination in the men's game. The reason? greatness only comes once in a while. 2003 was a transition year for the men after a two year monopoly by Leyton Hewitt, and a complete domination by Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi in the 90's.

]]> And now has come time for the women to transition into a new era. Serena's time at the top came to an end, and then Justine Henin retired unexpectedly, leaving the top spot in women's tennis up for grabs. Ana Ivanovic, Jelena Jankovic, Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova have all had a taste, but none has kept a strong enough hold. And the biggest problem is that Henin didn't hand the torch to say a Rafael Nadal, she just threw it up and no one was there to catch it.

So who will light it up and take it into the next decade? Which of these four women will step up and get a chokehold on the coveted spot? probably none of them. You see, in 2003, the four number one ranked players were: Andre Agassi (on his way out), Juan Carlos Ferrero (clay-courter), Leyton Hewitt (had already completed his long run), and Andy Roddick (not consistent or mentally stable enough). None of them were named Roger Federer and all of them had to stand back and watch the Fed-express pass by in 2004.

As for these women, Serena Williams already had a great run, Jelena Jankovic is too volatile, Maria Sharapova has injury and consistency problems, and Ana Ivanovic is probably the most inconsistent of the four. So get ready, wait and watch closely because when we least expect it, the next great one will blindside us and make us forget about the transition era of 2008.

Memories from Beijing

2008-08-25T16:00:01Z

Now that the olympics are over, the entire sports world can stop and breathe for at least one second and ponder what the last two and a half weeks left us, because if there is one thing the games don't let you do, it's think. All the sports one can imagine in so little time give us excitement, adrenaline, and absolutely no time to reflect on what just happened. So now that they are history, here are the top ten memories the Beijing games left the world.

10) Roger Federer continues to crumble

It seems like years ago that Roger Federer was on top of the tennis world winning three out of four Grand Slams every season. Today, like the olympics, Federer's dominance of the game is history and what we have is probably his worst year since 2002, the season before he won his first of 14 Grand Slam Titles. In his olympic quest, Federer didn't even get to face new world number one Rafael Nadal. Instead, he lost to American James Blake, who had never beaten the swiss in his career. With each tournament that goes by, Roger fades more and more, and we're left with thoughts of nostalgia and a new era in tennis.

]]> 9) Brazilian Soccer

Another bitter disappointment for the most powerful soccer nation in the world. There is no question Brazil is the king of kings when it comes to the beautiful games, but when it comes to the olympics, the South Americans just can't seem to get over the hump. This year, another bronze medal will haunt them along with the sight of their most hated rival, Argentina, winning yet another gold, and of course the thought of never having won gold in the sport they have owned on every other world stage. Ronaldinho? Pato? Marcelo? Diego? All great stars, all going back home with only the bronze.

8) The ceremonies

The Beijing olympics began like no other games ever have. The opening ceremony was breathtaking, sometimes a little fake, but breathtaking nonetheless. Just when we had gotten used to boring parades of national culture during these events, the Chinese brought out all the secret weapons: the fireworks, the singing, the dancing, and an unbelievable showcase of their vast and interesting culture never before seen in any other host city. Good luck trying to top that London

7) Spanish basketball

Go back to the first round of the basketball competition. Spain vs the US. Absolute domination by the "redeem team", a thirty point blowout, and an absolutely overwhelmed Spanish team with no answer for the strength and quickness of the United States. Now fast-forward to Sunday's final. Led by Pau Gasol, Rudy Fernandez, and young phenom Ricky Rubio, the Spaniards never let up and found themselves down by just 6 points in the fourth quarter to a team that seemed unbeatable and light-years ahead of its competitors. In the end, the US was unbeatable. However, those silver medals tasted a lot like gold.

6) US softball and baseball

In its last appearance at the olympics for now, the national past-time and its sister seemed everything but American in Beijing. The men just never looked dominant or like the favorite, and their olympic dream was absolutely shattered by an infinitely superior Cuban team that went on to lose to the unexpected gold medalist, Korea.

As for the women, they looked their dominant selves at the beginning, crushing everyone who got in their way on path to their fourth consecutive gold medal. However, another Asian foe, Japan, awaited them in the final game, and the Americans did what they had never done in softball, they lost. Now baseball and softball are gone and the inventors of the game will have to wait and see if they're brought back for a chance at redemption.

5) US men's volleyball

What began in tragedy for the men's volleyball olympic squad, ended with an unlikely gold on sunday against the powerful Brazilians, and it was all for Hugh McCutcheon, the coach who had to deal with the loss of his father-in-law, who was stabbed to death while sightseeing in Beijing. The Americans were never expected to beat defending champion Brazil, and they weren't even supposed to be in contention for the gold. However, from tragedy comes great triumph, and the US, inspired by great loss, found themselves emotionally drained, but on top of the world as the games came to an end.

4) The redeem team

Gold has never tasted so good for US basketball. After an extremely tough final against Spain, the Americans climbed back to the top after eight years of bitter disappointment for the hoops program. Bronze in Athens, another Bronze in the Tokio World Championships, and fifth place at the World Championships in Indianapolis had US basketball spiraling downhill like never before. The task in Beijing was not easy, gold was the only option, everything else was failure, and all this in an era where basketball is global and other teams also have NBA superstars.

So what did Kobe, Lebron, and company do? they destroyed every opponent up to the final and when it came time to actually be tested, they played like a team, they defended, they made the big shots, and went from "redeem team" back to "Dream Team", because more than a spectacle of high-flying dunks and individualities, this was basketball fans dream of seeing, a bunch of superstars who actually got it together and made a team. Not since 1992 had the world seen such a thing.

3) China

The Chinese are now officially a powerhouse in the sports' world after this. 51 gold medals, 100 total. No matter what some Americans might say, the Chinese were the winners, they won more golds, and that is how the olympic rankings are measured, period. With outstanding showings in gymnastics, weightlifting, and ping pong, the hosts dominated the stats and came out on top like they planned. They might not have won in the most popular events, but in the end, every gold counts for the same amount.

2) Usain Bolt

He's bold, brash, cocky, and some people can't stand him. His celebration before the finish at the 100 meter dash was considered disrespectful by some and the fact that he broke the world record even having slowed down before he crossed the line was just a slap in the face to those people.

It is undeniable, Usain Bolt is the fastest man ever. He came into the olympics battling countryman Asafa Powell and American Tyson Gay for the title, and left Beijing with absolutely no competition. Three races, three gold medals, three world records, including one that was 12 years old and another that dated back 16. Just imagine what this guy would have done if he could run some more races... he could have won like...8 golds.

1) Michael Phelps

Speaking of 8 golds...

He came, he saw, he conquered, there is no other way to describe what the winningest athlete in olympic history did in Beijing. 8 races, 8 golds, 7 world records, 8 olympic records. In most races, he had no competition, and in the ones he did, he was simply clutch, winning the 4x100 freestyle relay by .1 seconds and the 100m butterfly by .01.

Phelps was absolutely unbeatable, he swam better and faster than any man before, and all other swimmers were merely spectators in the Michael Phelps show. Beijing surrendered, and all other sports stars stepped aside. He stole the show, and the olympics during the first week were not China's or America's, they were simply Michael's.

Nadal-Federer: The best rivalry in sports

2008-08-13T21:28:17Z

Changing of the guard

2008-08-13T00:05:09Z

We all saw it coming for the last couple of years. The gap that once was larger than life began to close down and the number one player in the world started to crumble under the pressure put forth by the young brash spaniard who just would not back down. Now, at the age of 22, Rafael Nadal will climb to the top of the tennis world on August 18th and the Federer domination will officially be over. So now the question arises; is Rafa destined to break all records? or will Roger and Djokovic make his stay on top a short one? ]]> Nadal's career so far is breathtaking. He has five Grand Slam titles at the age of 22 and during long stints has been flat out unbeatable. People who follow tennis saw it coming since 2006, when the world's long-standing number one player began to stumble against the new kid from Manacor. The Spaniard beat Federer in six of their first seven meetings in a time when the Swiss was absolutely impossible to beat, and he hasn't stopped since, taking wins against the world's number one in 12 of 18 meetings.

Now, two years later, Nadal is on his way to becoming even better than the Swiss wonder. His accomplishments at 22 are far greater than those of Federer at the same age and it does not seem like he will slow down any time soon. If we compare, at the age of 22, Roger Federer had just nine ATP titles, including one Grand Slam (Wimbledon, 2003), and one Masters Series event. Meanwhile, Nadal currently has 30 total titles, which include 12 Masters Series tournaments and five Grand Slams (4 Roland Garros and 1 Wimbledon). Rafa is also considered the best player ever to step on a clay court and holds an astounding record with 81 consecutive wins on that surface, including 28-0 at the French Open. Just imagine what his numbers will look like when he's Federer's age.

So then, will Nadal end up shattering every record imaginable? Probably not. Why, you ask? Just plain bad timing. You see, if this all-heart, tireless figher would have come up at a different time period, and not during this new golden age, he would probably already be number one since 2006. However, he had to dethrone arguably the greatest player of all time. And now that he has finally made it to the top, there is another worthy foe looking to rule the tennis world. A younger and perhaps more talented player: Novak Djokovic,

"Nole", as people call him, is only 21 and his potential is unquestionable. He has more raw talent and a smoother tennis game than Nadal, and when he is on his game, it seems like nobody can beat him (like at this year's Aussie Open). Djokovic will probably end up being number one like he promised, and in doing so he will stop Nadal from becoming the greatest. Rafa, ironically, will most likely do the same to Djokovic.

There is an unquestionable changing of the guard in tennis. In my opinion, the Federer era is over and Roger has nowhere else to go but down from here on. However, the future has never been so uncertain for Rafael Nadal, who after 158 consecutive weeks at number two, will climb to the top, only to see the new prodigy begin his quest to knock him down as soon as possible. Tennis fans can only dream of a better scenario heading into the last Grand Slam of the year.

The ones who could have been great

2008-04-10T03:14:20Z

In the last year or two I have started to see a generation of sports stars beginning to retire. These are guys who I have had the honor of following since their rookie years and some will soon leave their respective sports with their heads held high and behind them will be a legacy that will never be forgotten.

But as is begin thinking about the Shaquille Oneal's and Roberto Carlos', who can retire with nothing but smiles on their faces, I can't help but remember the ones who made it, and then went away for one reason or another. Sports are beautiful, but can also be full of misery, and the fans... well they have a very... very bad memory. After all, success is measured in the present, and even though Celtic or Yankee fans will always argue about being the most successful franchises in their sports, the truth is there is nothing they want more than a title this year. So now I give you forgetful fans five names (not in any specific order) you might not remember, but once you hear them, you might just say, "he could've been great.

]]> Penny Hardaway- When this big point guard burst into the NBA in 1993, everyone thought the gap Michael Jordan had left with his retirement had been filled. His ability to score over 20 points, dish out around 8 assists a game, and grab boards like a forward made him one of the most effective players in the league. That plus his his 97 playoff performance, where he averaged 31 points per contest, made him a great candidate to lead the new generation of basketball players into the next millennium.

And then he was gone. After the lockout shortened 1999 season, Hardaway was shipped to Phoenix, where he played well his first year but never formed that dream "backcourt 2000" with Jason Kidd. J-Kidd then went to the Nets, and Penny was forced to watch how Joe Johnson took his starting job. After this, he packed his bags for what seems like a life-long road trip with stops in New York, and Miami, not to mention his return to Orlando, where he was waived to save some money.

Grant Hill- He was perhaps one of the greatest talents the world has ever seen. Hill was supposed to replace Michael Jordan after his 1993 retirement and almost met expectations from 94 to 96 when he was absolutely unstoppable with the Pistons. And just when the hype was at its peak, Grant Hill came tumbling down when his foot just gave up on him. Now, almost 15 years later, people have a hard time remembering those glorious years and mostly remember his huge contract with the Orlando Magic, where he sat more than he played and was completely overshadowed by Tracy Mcgrady.

Entering the 2000-2001 season, the biggest news in the entire basketball world was the trade of Grant Hill to the Orlando Magic. The exchange for Chucky Atkins and Ben Wallace seemed pretty one sided an was supposed to take Orlando to the next level, along with the signing of T-Mac. Three years later, the Pistons were world champions and Hill had played a total of 47 games and had almost died after a surgery on his foot.

Today, Hill is a supporting player for the dazzling Phoenix Suns and it is hard to believe that he once was the chosen one in the NBA universe. When Jordan said his first goodbye, there he was, waiting for a chance to take the league on his shoulders. However, now we know his foot just could not handle all that weight and he has become just another one of those guys we watch and wonder what if...

Kerry Wood- His 20 strikeouts against the Astros and a 13-6 record during his rookie year took him to superstar level, but since that first year we saw a peak of what was to come when he sat out some games due to a sore elbow. It seems that the Cubs' curse made no exception for this enormous talent and what should have been a Clemens-like career has turned into mere flashes of brilliance.

After 1998 it has been nothing but injuries for this 30 year old texan, who after Tommy John surgery to fix his throwing elbow, was never the same. In 2003 he capped a three year run in which he reached his peak and set career highs in strikeouts (266) and wins (14), not very impressive numbers for what most of us thought they would be during his best years.

Now, 10 years after his splash onto the scene, Wood is trying to consolidate himself as the Cubs' closer, a job that might allow him to pitch a season without getting hurt. But whatever happens from here on, this is already another sad story of a man with all the talent anyone would ever dream of, who's body did not want to cooperate.

Kordell Stewart- Football's most versatile and complete player. He could run the fastest, throw the hardest, jump the highest and he could also catch anything... oh by the way, he could even punt. So what happened? something very common among multi-talented athletes: he was good at everything so he never focused on anything specific and never became great.

Like Kerry Wood, Stewart showed us brilliance during stints of his career. During the 2001 season he threw for over 3,000 yards and 14 touchdowns, as he led the Pittsburgh Steelers to the AFC Championship game. However, one year later he was waived by the team that drafted him and we never saw that greatness again. Unlike most athletes on this list, Slash, as he was called due to his ability to perform in almost every position, never suffered a traumatic injury. He just never became a great player at any of the five spots he could have perfected.

After very unsuccessful stints with the Chicago Bears and Baltimore Ravens, Kordell decided to call it quits and due to some financial trouble, ended up doing reality shows; big difference from what could have been...

David Duval- Perhaps the most inexplicable case on this list is this one. When Tiger Woods began his run to become the greatest golfer in history, only one man could compete with him consistently, and his name was David Duval. Almost nobody remembers the two were so competitive that a network even organized a night match between just these two golfers to show the world who was the real number one.

Never a fan favorite during his peak, Duval now draws crowds who are sympathetic and feel sorry for him, it can sometimes be a depressing sight. Between 1997-2001, this Floridian won 13 PGA tour events, including one major, and became the number one payer in golf during the 1999 season. He also shot a 59 during the final round of the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic in 99 and finished second in the 98 and 01 Masters.

Inexplicably, After 01, Duval went into a downward spiral that no one could stop. In 2002 he finished 80th on the money list and a year later dropped to 211th. Some say it was back or wrist problems, others say personal problems. Some even say it was a strange form of vertigo. However, nobody could ever point out why this once unstoppable golfer on his way to battling Tiger for many years, became a distant afterthought all of a sudden.

David Duval is still active in the PGA tour. He has not won a tournament since that 2001 season, and his best finish was at the 2006 US Open, where he came home tied for 16th, a far cry from his constant fight at the top 5 years earlier. At the moment, Duval is taking time off from golf to help his pregnant wife.

Photograph: www.alltalksports

Life after Brett Favre

2008-03-07T08:45:06Z

All around the US, and especially in the state of Wisconsin, football fans are a little bit in shock. The news of the immortal Brett Favre retiring was something everyone saw coming, and yet most of us still don't believe it. Now comes the question many Packer fans and football junkies are wondering... what's next?

When you start wondering what will happen to the NFL without Favre, you will probably realize that this question has been answered many times before and the truth is, pro ably nothing will change. Sports as strong and established as football go on with or without any individual. The football machine will just keep on rolling.

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So now it's Aaron Rodgers' turn. He's been waiting for Favre to retire since being the 24th pick in the 2005 draft and is now probably the only Packer who is finally glad to see the legend go. Rodgers will never replace number 4, he's not rebellious, he doesn't have the natural talent, and he will probably never throw 442 touchdown passes like Favre did. But he can lead Green Bay to the playoffs and maybe even the Super bowl if he fits in well with the team. After all, it's become more common for teams who don't have superstar quarterbacks to go all the way.

And what about the rest of the league? How will this rugged southern gunslinger be remembered? In my opinion, it's the end of an era. No quarterback will ever take Favre's place in the NFL. Today's superstars like Brady or Manning have more of a squeaky clean image and are the coaches' favorite players. I also don't think any QB will ever be as bipolar as Favre, who holds the record for most touchdowns and most interceptions in history, and had teams that went from Super Bowl champions to last place failures.

Green Bay will continue being one of the most popular teams in the country, with a growing tradition and some of the best fans in the world. But it will be like when the Bulls lost Jordan or the Lakers said goodbye to Magic. Some fans will go away, especially if the team struggles, and some will not be as interested. However, great teams are just that, teams, not a group of individuals, and it is now when the Packers must show their real strength as a team.

As for Brett, he walks away smiling, with an "I told you so" for most of us who thought he was too old about 4 years ago. He abandons a game he dominated after a season where he showed us for the last time how much talent he really has. After some mediocre seasons, He exploded in 2007 just to leave us wanting more. Now he's gone and we're all wondering what if he had stuck around for one more?

The Tiger Woods era is just beginning...

2008-02-26T14:23:06Z

The PGA Tour season is beginning and we have just witnessed the first big-time event of the season, The World Golf Championships, composed of four important events that in prestige come second only to the majors. started off with a bang last weekend with the match play tournament in Arizona. So now that the season has gotten underway (other tournaments have also been played) and Tiger Woods is scarier than ever, what can we expect? Will Tiger ever slow down? is he already the greatest? Probably.

Back in 1999 and 2000, everyone who watched golf saw something never before seen. A man who just tore up the competition with a 15 stroke wins at the US Open, 17 wins in two years, and four consecutive majors. He also set or tied 27 records during 2000 and then slowed down. His prime had ended, he was changing his swing and it would be hard for him to recover that amazing game he showed at the turn of the millennium... eight years later, he's better, more mature, and more dominant than ever.
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And that's not the most impressive thing about what we can expect from the world's most dominant athlete. He's only 32 years old. His opponents on the most part are older than him and there is no young stud who can be considered the next big thing in golf. In the next ten years Tiger could maintain or even extend the huge advantage he has over the competition. His 63 tournament wins could become 100 or more and his 13 major wins could go well over 20, which would of course give him the all time lead in that category.

So now golf fans are anxious, the majors are getting closer and we could witness history. Grand Slam talks are underway and Tiger's game is walking the walk like it did eight years ago. Tiger is all the way back and so is golf as new fans know it, with Woods pummeling opponents and others just waiting to get beaten. As he goes, so goes golf. If He's in the last group on sunday, ratings are higher. If he's contending for a major championship, attendance is off the charts, and when he sells the sport, people just buy it.

He has become, over the last 11 years, the most influential athlete in the world, the highest paid, and one of the most popular amongst young people, and all this while playing a sport that most teenagers used to consider an old man's game. Tiger has made golf cool which was considered impossible 20 years ago, and he has done it by flat out beating anyone he comes across, no matter the age or the course. Now that's something Nicklaus, Palmer, Hogan, Jones, and all the other greats combined never came close to doing.

Nowadays, the sport that once made it hard for him to be popular is what helps him stay on top. He can have around a 30 year career, and could have fans from three or four different generations when he's done. Football, basketball, baseball or soccer players could not dream this up. Now nobody, at least for now, can compete with Tiger. He has become too famous, too good, and too charismatic, and no golfer even comes close. As for athletes in other disciplines, they just don't have enough time to gather up that many generations of fans. So we might as well buckle up and prepare for around another decade of Tiger domination in golf... and popularity.

The expected Champion's league trend

2008-02-21T14:19:52Z

With the UEFA champion's league beginning to heat up, there is a trend starting to appear that has shown up in the last couple of seasons. All the team's that have been on top throughout the year are losing. Is it really a trend or just an unbelievable coincidence?

Now that the group stage is gone, we are left with what I like to call the real Champion's Leagues. Don't get me wrong, I love to see Bulgarian and Romanian teams try to beat the English or Spanish powerhouses, but it's just not a fair competition and these small Cinderella's should not be competing at this level. So as this round of 16 starts, I encounter once again what I have been seeing for the last few years; the teams leading their countries' leagues are not getting the job done in the cup, and this makes me think maybe the best overall team doesn't win this competition.

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Real Madrid is going through something similar. They were overcome by a Roma team that was struggling even though in the league, but now has an upper hand in the cup. Those are just the two most obvious examples of how league leaders did in this Champion's League fixture. None of the big league leaders (Real Madrid, Inter Milan, Arsenal, Olympique Lyon) won their respective matches and the surprising thing is this is no new fad.

Let's look at some of the last few winners of the competition. Last year AC Milan won and wasn't even close to an unstoppable Inter squad in the Calcio. Two seasons ago Barcelona broke the curse by winning both competitions but the two before that were Liverpool, which finished out of Champion's League qualifying positions in the Premier League, and Porto, a team that belongs to the weak Portuguese league.

Why does this happen? I believe the UEFA Champion's league and all other group stage or knockout competitions have more surprises than regularities. Was Italy the best team throughout the 2006 World Cup? hardly. Was AC Milan the best club in the world last year? probably not. But they did what they had to do at the right time. These competitions resemble the American sports more than European soccer. The best team almost never wins but the excitement is there until the end. If the NFL had a European league system, the Patriots would have been champions around October. It keeps the audience there until the end but in my opinion it's just not fair.

If you want to figure out which is the best team, make them play for an entire year and whoever wins more is unarguably the best. If you want to make money and keep fans at the edge of their seats, have a playoff system. You might have an experienced, field-tested team come out on top but don't expect the best team to win, It almost never does.

Moving out west

2008-02-19T14:16:03Z

With stars like Shaq and J-Kidd moving back to the western conference, where does that leave the east teams and their hopes for a championship? It might end up benefitting them.

With stars like Shaq and J-Kidd moving back to the western conference, where does that leave the east teams and their hopes for a championship? It might end up benefitting them

The last few weeks in the NBA have been like that game "The Oregon Trail" where you had to go across the U.S and establish camp as far west as possible. Two of the biggest stars in the game, Jason Kidd and Shaquille O'neal, have packed their bags and are on the trail westbound. The move has left the eastern conference wondering why, but the real question is what will this do to the championship race? Will the west retain the crown or will the less deep east end up on top?

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In Jason Kidd now, not only do they get a regular triple-double, they get a proven leader and team player. His sacrifice on the boards, his ability to see the court, and his quickness when it comes to driving for the hoop, are strengths that the Mavericks were lacking. Devin Harris was a good young talent and Jason Terry is a very good player, but J-Kidd is just more complete and no one can argue about his leadership abilities.

He took New Jersey from a forgotten franchise to NBA Finals, and now he returns to his original team perhaps to end a brilliant career with a ring on his finger. It should be fun for Mavs' fans and a nightmare for rivals to see Kidd run the floor and dish the ball out to Dirk Nowitzki, Jerry Stackhouse, or Josh Howard, all great scorers (let's not forget about Terry). Jason has also proved he can be put on any team, and he will find a way to contribute.

Another one of Kidd's teams, the Phoenix Suns, have made the most high profile acquisition by taking Shaq away from the Heat. Currently the Suns are first in the pacific and with O'neal, they got literally the biggest possible edge. Although many might not think so, Phoenix needed a guy like Shaq on defense more than offense. Currently they are the second best scoring team without Shaq, but they are the 5th worst in ppg against.

The big diesel's presence on the court alone will reduce that stat just due to his size and ability to stop the easy basket. He is not the same scorer he was five years ago, but he's still over 7 feet tall and over 300 pounds, which makes it easy for him to block shots, grab boards and intimidate opponents. The scoring will fall on Amare Stoudamire, Steve Nash, and Grant HIll, who will certainly improve their numbers thanks to the attention Shaq demands from opposing defenses.

All that sounds well and good for the Suns, but they will need the big guy healty, something that's been unusual this year. The truth is Shaq turns 36 in March, and this might be the only year he can help the Suns make a run for the title. So Phoenix played a dangerous hand. They can win this year, maybe next year, but then they'll have to restructure and make room for the young guys because not only Shaq is in his mid 30's, Steve Nash and Grant Hill are almost the same age, which means Suns' fans will have to pray for a championship now, or a miracle in the next few years.

So where does that leave the East? Well, they still have the two best teams in the league in Boston and Detroit, but in my opinion, that's where you can draw the line on championship contenders in this conference. Cleveland has Lebron James, but not much more. Orlando just doesn't have enough experience, and the rest are struggling with near .500 records.

If you ask me about the west on the other hand, it has around 7 teams good enough to go all the way, especially now that teams in the conference have made the three biggest trades with the third being Pau Gasol to the Lakers. I believe, the Lakers, Mavericks, Suns, Spurs, Jazz, Hornets, and Nuggets have legitimate chances for a championship, although i lean more towards more tested teams like San Antonio or Dallas.

So clearly the west is deeper and just keeps getting stronger, but that just means they'll have to eliminate each other and play at a higher level every night, which means more fatigue and more pressure. The Celtics and Pistons on the other hand, will probably only be truly tested when they face one another. So nobody could be happier than these two about superstars moving out west, just as long as it's not one of their guys.