Some Soccer Thoughts On This Chilly October Day

Arsenal GK Emiliano Martinez make a save while training in
Belgium for Wednesday's fixture against Anderlecht

Who is this guy?

Yes, an injury-plagued Arsenal squad turns to 3rd string goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez for their Wednesday tilt against the Belgian side Anderlecht.

Tigers Talk: Sure as Scherzer

14 K for Max Scherzer yesterday! All is good for Detroit! We're going undefeated in the playoffs! (Thus concludes this overreaction.)
The Tigers are on a two game winning streak after losing 7 of 9 on the road trip, and I'm going to the Mariners game tonight!!

Why should Americans watch soccer?

Millions of American kids play organized soccer every year. But will Dad watch it? Will your Great Aunt Suzy watch it? People who grew watching their favorite baseball, football, or basketball team refuse to enjoy soccer because it will eat away their sports popularity. Well, we already have four big televised sports and NASCAR, and the population is only growing. I believe the following people and events are key to increasing soccer interest and recruiting other fans:

• People age 34 and under
• Hockey fans ~ It's kind of the same concept
• The soccer players and teams themselves ~ Do more community work, partner with other sports teams in the same city, etc.
• STOP FLOPPING SO MUCH! ~ Lots of people hate the NBA because of this, but in soccer it's even worse
• Bring the top international club teams to the US
• ICC
• Friendlies
• 2022 World Cup
• Recruit more of the top international players into Major League Soccer
• People don't want to get up for a 7am EPL game on a Saturday
• People want to root for an American club team, but the quality of MLS play isn't on par with the English Premier League, German Bundesliga, Primera Division, etc.

Luis Suarez is a Psycho and Other Excitement From Match Day 13 of the 2014 World Cup

Yesterday was an interesting day at the World Cup. To begin we had the final games in Group D:

Giorgio Cheillini shows his bite marks from Luis Suarez / Reuters

Uruguay and Italy came into the day at three points a piece and Costa Rica with six. Italy has the superior goal differential so Uruguay had to win to advance. It was a defensive battle in the first two-thirds of the game, leaving fans craving for some more excitement. But in the 79th minute, it was the bite heard round the world. The notorious Uruguay striker Luis Suarez bit Italy defender Giorgio Cheillini in the shoulder. You could clearly see the bite mark!!! Even worse, he did it two times before, in a 2010 game with the Dutch side Ajax, and a 2013 game against Everton with Man U.  

Weekend Viewing Picks 5-31 and 6-1

Soccer:
Friendly: Mexico vs. Ecuador at AT&T (Cowboys) Stadium, Dallas 3p Saturday Univision/ESPNEWS
Friendly: U.S. vs. Nigeria at Red Bull Arena, Harrison, NJ 2p Sunday ESPN2/Univision
NBA:
ECF: Pacers (2w) vs. Heat (3w)
Game 6 at MIA Friday 8:30p ESPN
Game 7 (If nec.) at IND Sunday 8:30p ESPN
WCF: Spurs (3) vs. Thunder (2)
~Ibaka is back!
Game 6 at OKC Saturday 8:30p TNT
Game 7 (If nec.) at SAS Monday 9p TNT

Weekend Viewing Picks for 5-17 and 5-18-14

It's the weekend. Relax! Only a few more weeks of school! 
NHL Playoffs:
Game 1: New York Rangers at Montreal Canadians 1p Sunday NBCSN
~Looking for intelligent hockey analysis, click here: cbsprt.co/1gbQp4q or here: bit.ly/RJifK3 Canadians win in 6

Hump Day Blurbs: Tigers and sports playoffs news

The Detroit Tigers are on fire!

I wanna see ya, with KIA.

The Tigers have won six straight games and are 18-9 (through 5-5) which is the best record in the American League. Hunter, Kinsler and Martinez have led the way in the Tigers lineup. Hunter has been showing his pop and showing off his defensive prowess in right field. Phil Coke (9.39 ERA) needs to be banished to the KIA Tigers. The bullpen has been better, but I'm still pleased by the Joel Hanrahan signing. The former All-Star closer w/ Pittsburgh should pitch next month. He brings a power pitcher to the late innings and can jump in to the closer's role if Nathan struggles.UPDATE! SEVEN IN A ROW -- 11-4 Tigers beat the Astros Tuesday! Miggy 4-5, 4 RBI, HR ... Worth 2-3, 3 RBI ... Robbie Ray 5 1/3 IP, 5 H, 1 BB, 1 ER, 5 K ... Al-Al 1-2-3 8th inning w/ 2 K
CLICK BELOW FOR NBA AND NHL ANALYSIS

Weekend Viewing picks 5.3 and 5.4 2014

MLB:

--Saturday--
Detroit Tigers @ KC Royals 7pm Fox Sports 1
--Sunday--
Detroit Tigers @ KC Royals 2pm Fox Sports Detroit
Cardinals@ Cubs 8pm ESPN
NBA:

--Saturday--
Game 7: Hawks @ Pacers 5:30pm TNT
Game 7: Grizzlies @ Thunder 8pm TNT
Game 7: Warriors @ Clippers 10:30pm TNT
--Sunday--
Game 7: Nets @ Raptors 1pm ABC
Game 7:  Mavs @ Spurs 3:30pm ABC

Super Bowl Preview/Schedule: Broncos vs. Seahawks tonight at 6:25 on FOX

First the schedule:

• 7a-5:30p: NFL GameDay (NFL Network)
• 10a-2p: FOX Super Bowl Daily (Fox Sports 1), Sunday NFL Countdown (ESPN)
• 10a-Noon: That Other Pregame Show (CBS Sports Network)
• Noon-1p: Road to the Super Bowl (FOX)
• 1p-2p: Football America (FOX)
• 2p-6p: Super Bowl XLVII Pregame (FOX)
• 6p-After 10p: Super Bowl XLVII -- Broncos-Seahawks (FOX)
• Following the Super Bowl: New Girl (FOX), Brooklyn Nine-Nine (FOX)

Prediction: Broncos 31-26 Seahawks

Michigan at Michigan State Game Preview

Michigan's Trey Burke, back, steals the ball from Michigan State Keith Appling, before making a breakaway basket for a two-point lead with less the twenty seconds as Michigan defeated Michigan State, 58-57, March 3, 2013. // Julian H. Gonzalez -- Detroit Free Press/MCT

Battle for the Big Ten: Wolverines at Spartans

Michigan (14-4, 6-0 B10, #19 ESPN, #21 AP, #25 Coaches)

at Michigan State (18-1, 7-0 B10, #3 AP, ESPN & Coaches)

Time: 7 PM at the Breslin Center

College Gameday: 6pm on ESPN 

TV: ESPN, WatchESPN.com (IT'S DICKIE V BABY!)

Home Radio: Spartan Sports Network (94.9/1240 Lansing, 760 Detroit)

Road Radio: Michigan IMG Sports Network (92.1 Lansing, 1050 Ann Arbor, 950 Detroit)

National Radio: Westwood One

Last 15 Meetings (MSU 9-6)

7 Reasons MSU Will Lose

1. Appling is 2-4 against Michigan.
2. No Payne or Dawson for State, the two starting big men
3. Michigan is 7-0 in the Big Ten, with win at then #3 Wisconsin
4. Alvin Ellis is an unproven freshman (11-26 FG, 7.5 MPG)
5. Kenny Kaminski can't play defense
6. Lack of bench depth
7. Michigan is 4-1 against State on January 25th

 

Weekend Viewing Picks: 1/18/13-1/19/13

Ever miss that big game you wanted to watch? Or maybe you don't want to waste time looking through the TV Guide? I present the first MMS Sports Viewing Guide:
Bold = Undefeated

NCAAB:

--Saturday--
Noon- Tennessee  at #13 Kentucky (CBS) Andrew Catalon/Clark Kellogg

(Women's) Noon- Illinois at Michigan (BTN) Lisa Byington/Brenda VanLengen

2 PM- NC State at #23 Duke (CBS) Kevin Harlan/Bill Raftery
4 PM- #9 Oklahoma State at #15 Kansas (CBS) Ian Eagle/Greg Anthony

4 PM- #22 Pittsburgh at #2 Syracuse (ESPN) Dave O'Brien/Doris Burke

4 PM- Indiana State at #5 Wichita State (ESPN2) Rich Hollenberg/Mark Adams/Len Elmore

6 PM- Michigan at #3 Wisconsin (ESPN) Bob Wischisen/Dan Dakich

8 PM- #4 Michigan State at Illinois (BTN) Eric Collins/Jim Jackson

9 PM- #18 Louisville at Connecticut (ESPN) Dan Shulman/Dick Vitale//Shannon Spake

--Sunday--

1 PM- Minnesota at Iowa (BTN) Eric Collins/Shon Morris

(Women's) 5 PM- #16 Penn State at Michigan State (ESPN2) Brenda VanLengen/Carolyn Peck