Super Sunday

There are very few weeks that pass by that my dad doesn’t ask me what teams and matches to bet on. He usually rattles off the 7-team accumulator he has put a cheeky quid on, and I’ll tell him that makes no sense or gives no value, and he usually ignores me. He asked me on Monday for a Superbowl bet, so he’s going to have to read this blog if he wants a prediction of mine to ignore!

I’m sure the term has been coined years previously but when Sky used ‘Super Sunday’ to describe their football schedule when the Premier League first started, they were on to something. Not the most complex of phrases to come up, but it was just one of those simple phrases that just worked.

So, I’m sat scribbling this blog right now, with Murray v Djokovic on the ipad on SkyGo, I have the England v Australia cricket on the laptop, and I’m watching UFC from last night as live. There’s two reasonable football matches on in the afternoon, though I am already predicting that Southampton v Swansea may be the optimal time for a cheeky afternoon nap. The day is then capped by the Superbowl tonight…..it doesn’t get any more super I guess. Well, I could be driving from Vegas for the UFC to Phoenix….that could be make it a fraction more super, but I’m saving my silliness for later in the year despite the encouragement of a lot of bad bad people.

I’ve been known to attend a sporting event or two in my time, and I’d really struggle to rank them the different types of events in terms of preference. That may be another blog post. Whether it’s the Olympics, the World Cup, or the biggest fight of all time (it’s always the next one basically!), they’re all great in their own way. The Superbowl is right at the very top of the list.

I’ve asked folks for their prediction for the game and this one just seems to be as close to call as any Superbowl I can recall. It is quite rare to get the top two ranked teams playing the Superbowl which is the case this time. Even the bookies are calling this one incredibly close.

27-24 Patriots

24-7 Patriots

23-19 Seahawks

27-20 Patriots

24-17 Seahawks

23-17 Patriots

17-14 Seahawks

24-10 Patriots

24-16 Patriots

27-9 Seahawks

24-17 Seattle

27-21 Seahawks

27-24 Seahawks

13 picks from a bunch of friends, 7-6 Patriots and 2 picks over 48, 1 on 48 and 10 under 48.

Six weeks ago, I placed a bet on Seattle to win the whole show. I’ve since laid it off. How do I see this game going? When looking at NFL matches, my first thought is to analyse the attacking and defensive strengths and weaknesses of both teams, and how I see them measuring up to each other. And parts of this game are quite logical. Seattle have the best defence of the two (and the league), and the Patriots have the best offense of the two (and the league). When you have elite defence against an elite offense in any sport, I generally edge the elite defence – it’s often easier to destroy than create.

If we look at the other side of it, the Seattle offense against the Patriots defence is an interesting one and where this game could be decided. Seattle’s offense is underrated at times and I love how Wilson can make something from nothing. Lynch is as tough a runner as they come. I do think they have their struggles in terms of receivers despite the Green Bay miracle in the conference game.

The Patriots defence is not as good as the Seahawks, but it is as good as they have had for several years now. They started the season poorly but have gradually improved since Browner came in at week 5, and unlike last year when they lost Aqib Talib in the Conference final, they have a fully fit group of players which is key. This Patriots D can stop the run with their mobile linebackers, and rely on their secondary to stop the Seahawks receivers. Measuring these two up is where I think the Patriots have a greater advantage than the Hawks D v the Pats offense.

Both teams have as strong a home advantage when they play in their own stadiums whether it is the noise in Seattle or the cold in Foxboro – I do not see either team having an advantage in Arizona. The timezone factor is not a major issue here – the Patriots have had sufficiently long enough to acclimatise to it. (That said, there have been some naughty fire alarms going off twice in the middle of the night in the Patriots team hotel this week).

All that mumble jumble to say that I have no clue really who is going to win this one – I slightly edge the Patriots (24-20), but this will come down to small details and moments. I sincerely hope that this game is better than last year’s blowout. I sat in some random bar at silly o’clock in Antwerp watching the game, being thoroughly disappointed for the spectacle, but appreciating a superb performance. I do not see either team hammering the other here so I’m hopeful of that at the very least. I will not be having a cheeky bet on either side for this one, but there is one that I do like. I like the under 48 here. Neither of the teams are particularly strong at creating big plays of 20 yards or more. Special teams are well drilled and I do not see many big plays there. I don’t see that many turnovers by either quarterback or team. I do see both teams managing the clock, Seattle running plenty and Brady throwing plenty of short passes as he has all season, and eating up the clock.

Unders may not sound great for a Super Sunday, but that will not make it a bad game. It may not be the most high scoring or entertaining of games but it will be tense, physical and probably a survival of fittest/bravest. This is going to sound elitist, but there is nothing better in any sport, if there are two individuals or teams competing at the top. Iron sharpens iron as they say, and that’s what makes for a Super Sunday and Super Superbowl.

Sportingly Random

I was hoping that this blog would get written a couple of weeks ago, but I’ve since learning that blog posts don’t write themselves. My first in August…I am officially a disgrace. A couple of my favourite sports writers, Steve Kim of Maxboxing and Peter King of SI, write some of their thoughts in brief flurries and bullet points….and I like it. Sometimes better than just read long sentences, simple as that. Here goes with some of my random thoughts on sport.

I think that the cancellation of UFC 151 is a dark day for MMA. In a nutshell, the challenger in the title fight got injured, the Champion refused to face another guy put forward, and the UFC cancelled the show. I would have been fuming if I was attending and had flights and hotel booked. Fortunately, that cancellation means Jon Jones is going to fight on the Toronto card in September that I may just be going to. Despite any good fortune for me, I am going to boo him. If you want to read more about it, this is the best balanced piece I have read on it all.

I think that Fernando Torres is going to have a fantastic season. Chelsea will play to his style and strengths now Drogba and Anelka are out of the way, and I think it will pay dividends.

I think that I am not late in predicting anything NFL with the season starting in one week. I find predicting a Superbowl winner to be pretty tough as so much is dependent on injuries in this sport, but my tip for surprising outsiders? The Kansas City Chiefs.

I think that sadly, as much as people have made an effort to publicise and promote the Paralympics, very few people will realise it is happening on their doorsteps. Hopefully a couple of British stars will somehow emerge and that will just spark some interest.

I think that if you were not aware, the Football Association have spent £120m on a brand new National Football Centre in Burton-upon-Trent….and it looks amazing. Whether it proves to be a success however depends on the people, the processes and the mentality…..and there is plenty of room for improvement in those areas.

I think that the last few days of the transfer window are going to be frenetic in England. The Euros delayed the market kicking off, but it is in full swing. I am expecting two more Everton signings to put a smile on my face….and yes, I’ll be pressing refresh on my phone from Paris on Friday night and racking up my mobile phone bill.

I think I will be pretty annoyed if the NHL and the players do not resolve their issues and get this season going. Nothing good is going to come of it aside from some dollars being shifted in one direction from the other. Disillusionment among the fans is the most likely outcome, and particularly in those cities where they struggle for support as it is. Sort it out.

I think that Falcao is the best striker in world football right now. It is a matter of time before he moves (I heard he was linked with Chelsea today), and I would love to see him playing in England. If only Arsene Wenger and Arsenal would splash £40m on a player.

The Fix

With a large amount of activities that I do, I plan and think about them meticulously in advance. I'm not the best on the fly, hence why I blog rather than stand on the street or in front of a crowd with a microfone spouting my thoughts or bad jokes. I make some decisions impulsively, but they are usually the ones that don't require much thinking.

Betting on sports, writing on sports, working on sporting events are all areas I have done or do, and all require significant thinking, planning and research. I do the same in my spare time when it comes to hobbies and fantasies in particular. The extent of my fantasies are in Fantasy Football, specifically NFL.

Fantasy sports require thinking if you want to earn bragging rights. The research required for selecting your team is essential. I want to avoid those players with injury problems, I want to avoid those inconsistent guys, I want to avoid those guys who shoot themselves in their thigh in nightclubs. I am looking for a solid group of guys who will consistently produce the goods for me, and one or two gems that I think will provide me with some value at some point through the season.

I play two main fantasy NFL league...I won one of them last season, and lost in the playoffs in the other. This season has not been a success. I tried a different strategy, and it just didn't work too well. There was one main reason for my failure however and I put it all down to one guy - DeSean Jackson. DeSean's contract with the Philadelphia Eagles finishes this year and he should be busting his cojones to get a nice new big contract. Instead, DeSean is sulking. DeSean is not showing up to practise and getting dropped for games. DeSean is getting injured (allegedly) early in games and not doing much. DeSean is fumbling balls. DeSean is dropping easy catches in the end zone when my two year old nephew could make the play. DeSean is not even looking like he is trying.

Me and DeSean are going our separate ways at the end of this season. I have had enough of him. I actually had a dream that DeSean died in a plane crash one week. Thankfully that was not the case, but it is over between him and I. If he had woken up and done what he should have been doing, this season would have been another success. Instead, it is now over and my team, just like DeSean, has nothing left to play for.

All I can assume is that DeSean did not pick himself in his own Fantasy team and he decided to sabotage his opponents by not playing well in the real game. That can be the only logical explanation. Folks in many sports and the likes of FIFA and UEFA worry about match fixing and illegal gambling on matches, but I think the real risk is Fantasy Football. Players are sabotaging other teams and under performing throughout and thus influencing the results of matches. I shall be forwarding this blog post to various authorities and suggesting they investigate.

Concussive Questions

Many people would say that I need some sense knocking in to me at times, and I have been feeling recently as if I have actually had something knocked into me, albeit the traces of sense are thin on the ground. Whether it was the ice skating incident or some other random thing, I’ve had concussion-like symptoms the last week to ten days and it is not pleasant.

I had concussion once before when I was about 20 years old. I was working at UPS sorting mail during the university summer break and we played football at lunchtime. I collided with a guy and smashed the back of my head on the grass, and I was left seeing double for several days afterwards. It has been similar this time around but over a longer period of time. Whether it is a concussion I am not sure, but it coincides with another similarly talented hockey player suffering from concussion right now.

Sidney Crosby has been out of action for something like thirty games due to a concussion and that has to be pretty worrying for everybody concerned. First and foremost, it must be a major concern to him and his family. Secondly, he is a massive loss to the Penguins. And in the bigger picture, the NHL must have serious concerns about it. The calls for greater protection for players have increased over the years, but I cannot help but feel that it will take such an injury to a major star like Crosby to force their hands.

I read a fascinating story about the NFL and the potential lockout. It supported the players and their demands for greater support and protection from the league. Life expectancy among the players is ridiculously low with so many early deaths coming from long term damage to the brain. Drugs are another issue but let’s focus on the innocent stuff. A former hockey player also recently died in his forties with similar issues – the kind of head injuries found in former boxers.

It got me randomly thinking. Would you do the thing you love and adore for big money but risking that you may live for 15-20 years less than average? Tough tough question and I do not know how I would answer that. It does not have to be NFL or Hockey, it could be any sport or job with the big money and the low life expectancy. If I could be an Everton legend for twenty years, earning big money, but the likelihood of that activity resulting in me corking it a good twenty years earlier, would I do it? That is a tough call and I do not know.

So many folks go to work every day being pretty unhappy and not looking forward to what they do. The first thought when you get to the office is what you are going to do tonight, and that feeling on a Monday morning when the weekend seems oh so far away is brutal. Would you swap it for big money and doing something you love, but with the serious health risks that go with it?

Men, Women and Other Drugs

I suspect curious creatures exist on all planets. I hazard a guess at other planets, but I know for a fact that there is many a curious creature on planet earth. There have been plenty of random curiosities in recent weeks and I want to share them with other folks to see whether it is just me or others think the same.

I will start with trousers. Trousers or pants, depending on where you come from. Why do some guys feel the need to wear them around their thighs and fully displaying their boxer shorts? I can understand some fashion though I am far from being a fashion king I have to confess. This one however is too far. I do not want to see other guys’ butts. In fact, I don’t think anybody does. It cannot be comfortable and I just don’t think it looks good. All I see is guys constantly pulling them up to the preferred level and genuinely becoming a distraction. Slightly upsetting but curious.

I shall move on to the fairer sex for my next curious observation. I always enjoy people watching and I have noticed one curious feature this week. I have noticed before but none more so than New York this week. Women rarely look at men in the streets. Nope, instead, they spend their time by glancing and analysing other women. They are checking out what they are wearing and what bag they are carrying. I find it funny but very random. There are not many men who look at other men, and certainly not many who analyse and check out what they are wearing. In New York, every woman is checking what designer somebody is wearing and where they have been shopping. Curious and interesting.

Another curiosity I picked up on this week was wifi on aeroplanes. What an ingenious idea. Unfortunately, it is not available on the plane I am currently sitting on, but it does exist on many internal flights within North America. What does exist on this plane is live television. Granted, it costs $6 but on a six hour flight, it is totally worth the money. I am watching my second Champions League game, and I am happy. Curious but happy.

One of my favourite North American establishments to wine, dine and watch sport is ESPN Zone. They have them scattered around the US, and I have been to the ones in NYC and Las Vegas on several occasions. They have great food, good beers, and millions of television screens showing all kinds of sports. It has always been one of the things I have loved about Vegas. I was gutted to discover in Times Square this week that they have closed down – all bar two in LA and Anaheim. They have closed due to the economic downturn apparently. Now, I am not there every week, but when I am there, they are absolutely rammed full of people, and with a $10 per hour spending requirement, folks spent good money. I am stunned that they have closed down. Stunned, and curious.

Answers On A Postcard

Sometimes, some days, I have more questions than answers. Some days, everything seems as it should. Questions get raised, I have the answers. Today, I have the questions and I would welcome any answers.

I am watching Real Madrid v AC Milan this evening. Did anybody else see the fan run on the pitch in the first minute? He slips on the grass just around the halfway line, and allows the steward to catch him, who promptly kicks him and takes him down. Is that allowed even? Fair enough, it was wrong of the fan, but it was pretty unnecessary of the steward.

I went for a run this evening. Before running, I felt I needed something to snack on so I had a bag of crisps and a small piece if chocolate. I ran strong, just over 8km in 47 minutes and felt very good. Why did I need to eat crap before the race, making me feel guilty for eating it and thus running longer and faster? Would I have run the same if I had a cereal bar instead?

So, today we had the revelation that Wayne Rooney wants to leave Man Utd. I was pretty surprised to be honest at just how fractured the situation seems to be. I cannot remember a player under Sir Alex, a world class player at that, want to leave the club at the peak of his game. The word peak may be debatable based on this season, but you know what I mean. I have met Rooney a couple of times, and I have to say I am not his biggest fan as a person. And nope, it is nothing to do with him leaving Everton – that £30m was essential. So, where does he go from here? I would be amazed if it was Chelsea or Man City, and do Real need him? My guess is Real sign him, and Higuain makes way.

I was at a thoroughly enjoyable Merseyside derby on Sunday. A deserved win for my boys and I was proud of them. Liverpool are really struggling right now and all jokes aside, I do actually feel sorry for Roy Hodgson. He had limited money to spend in the summer in a difficult situation. I accept his signings have not turned out to be successes just yet, but at the same time, I think it is grossly unfair to judge signings when it is still October. Fernando Torres has not been fit for six months and is a shadow of his former self. Hodgson inherited a number of players who were unhappy such as Mascherano and Aquilani and had to be shipped out. The whole situation was far from perfect, and I can’t quite understand the reaction of some of the fans. Would anybody else have done better? Who will Liverpool attract that can improve things? I say stick, not twist.

I was on the receiving end of a pretty blatant fib last weekend and it wasn’t the only one I’ve heard recently. I was in a hotel that I go to fairly regularly, and the lady on reception said that the lift was out of order. It has literally been out of order for the past six months. I don’t really care to be honest, as I am perfectly fine taking the stairs. However, when I made a joke remark about it not working a single time I had been in the last few months, she said it had been working fine. It was a fib, and unnecessary. There are some times when one just needs to hold one’s hand up and accept it. As said, far from major, but why did she need to fib to me?

I read a headline on BBC’s website today – ‘French strikers step up pressure’. Isn’t Laurent Blanc muttering to himself ‘If only’??

A 20-year-old American Football college player was paralysed this weekend after a tackle he made went badly wrong. My heart goes out to Eric LeGrand and I hope he can somehow make a recovery. There was a horrendous collision in the NFL also this weekend with DeSean Jackson coming off worst in a sickening clash. I won’t post links, but you will find both on youtube if you wish. The question of concussions and injuries like this have been hotly debated in the last 18 months in NFL. The NFL have now decided to suspend players committing such tackles. I agree with it, but why does it take such horrific injuries to happen before taking such action? This is nothing new.

Random Sporting Thoughts

Plenty of excitement around the start of the NHL season – I am in my element at this time of year with all my favourite sports up and running. I expect the usual super powers to return to the top and fight for the Stanley Cup this year – I expect a winner from the Red Wings, Capitals and the Penguins. I feel as if injuries really hampered the Red Wings last year, while I believe the Olympics were not particularly beneficial for the other two especially. If pushed, I’ll take a punt on the Capitals.

I am genuinely excited about boxing in November and December. Some top class fights scheduled and hoping to get to the Katsidis v Marquez fight which could be an absolute gem. Khan v Maidana should be fascinating, while Froch and Abraham will be a corker too. Then there is Pacquiao v Cheatarito which should be fun to watch also. Happy days.

Commonwealth Games in Delhi. I’m not there, and I do not know anybody who is. That said, the media coverage has been incredible negative and hard not to believe that there are some major issues out there. Hearing the swimmers fall ill due to an alleged contamination of the practise pool is pretty shocking, and that is just one of a number of issues reported. All that in mind, just how important are these games these days? Not very I’m afraid to say.

I was saddened to hear about Rugby League player Terry Newton committing suicide a couple of weeks ago. A great player who was serving a suspension for taking an illegal substance. So sad that nobody seemed to be aware of the troubles he was going through. Maybe a reminder and wake up call for the Rugby Football League and many other federations to improve their care and support of suspended, injured and retired athletes.

Another star cyclist reported to have failed a drugs test, and a handful of other riders also. I have the utmost respect for the UCI and there is no doubt in my mind that they lead the way in sport as the most rigorous and ruthless drug-testers around. At the same time, I cannot help but feel that they are killing cycling. Actually, it is the cyclists who are killing it. How many federations cover up positive drug tests, match-fixing in order to protect their interests? I would guess at a fair number of them. Sad, but very likely to be true.

Looking forward to a Canadian Thanksgiving dinner on Sunday and Week 5 of the NFL season. I’ll go on record and offer my tips – may as well revel in my success or look like a total muppet.
Bengals -6.5
Atlanta -2.5
Texans to win and -2.5
Saints -6.5
Chargers -5.5 (Sorry dude, what do I know?)
Lions/Rams over 42.5 (my favourite bet of the round)

Snipplings

HJ and I were in Nice airport last week and we people-watched for a while. Some sad farewells and some joyous hellos as folks watched their loved ones depart or arrive. Made me think that Airports are actually Churches – full of ups and downs and not too much middle ground. There is either great delight (weddings, christenings – arrivals) or there is sadness (the funerals and farewells). There are even folks who pray in both too!

So, the UFC have decided what better way to celebrate my 31st birthday than to schedule a huge event in the one place I have dreamed about watching a big fight for years now – December 11th, Montreal. I have no alternative but to go, and direct flights from Geneva make it all the more appealing. GSP on the card….what more could I ask for? Who is coming? I'll buy first round!

NFL season starts on Thursday and I am going to go on record with my Superbowl prediction. Ravens v Packers and I think the Ravens win the shootout.

I worked at the Switzerland v England game yesterday. My observations: Jo Hart showed his first signs of the vulnerability this season – it will be interesting to see whether it is a sign of things to come. Jagielka – I love this guy as much as any, but I think some of the praise is over exaggerated….I do not feel completely comfortable with him at this level and want to see the same against top class international strikers before being convinced by him. Some English journalists are pretty horrendous people. I expected the Swiss more than anybody to clamp down on smoking in the stadium but they were very relaxed about it. First half was one of the best halves I have seen from an England team for some while.

Read a whole lot on holiday last week – I have missed reading in recent months. Book to recommend – Andre Agassi’s autobiography. Very interesting read, but very much based on his psychology and what made him the guy he is. Far more emphasis on that than the actual sport – depends on whether that side of it interests you. It did me. One point in the book where he beat his dad at tennis when he was 9-years-old reminded me of when I used to play badminton with some mates after school with our English teacher who was pretty sharp. He used to hammer us every time, took no mercy, but I gradually started winnings points. After weeks and months of training and practicising and plenty of beatings on court, I eventually beat him and the feeling was amazing. Which leads me on to another book recommendation – this one comes via a colleague. Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell – The Story of Success. He discusses the “10,000-Hour Rule", claiming that the key to success in any field is, to a large extent, a matter of practicing a specific task for a total of around 10,000 hours.

Footballers and infidelity – do they genuinely think they can get away with it? I will never understand the logic of some many of them. The irony is, the wives/fiancées/girlfriends are generally prettier than the ones they are cheating on them with. I feel sorry for the intelligent and clever footballers who are honest and loyal but probably stereotyped as being just as thick as so many of their colleagues.

No shame in quitting

I read with interest, and somewhat randomly and unexpectedly a degree of happiness earlier this week, that Irish boxer Bernard Dunne is retiring from boxing aged 30. I cannot admit to have closely followed his career as I have with others, especially in the early days, but I have enjoyed watching his fights over the last few years. It took me a touch by surprise that he was retiring given that it was not that long ago that he held a world title, he is only 30 (which I consider extremely young!) and has been fighting at a reasonably high level for a good few years now.

What pleased me however was that Dunne is clearly a guy who has made a reasonable amount of money, compared to the average man, (but far from that of a Manny Pacquiao, Floyd Mayweather or Ricky Hatton), but after his knockout loss last time out, has decided the time is right for him to quit. For him, it was the right time to leave the sport, perhaps not having the desire or motivation to continue, not desperately need the money, but most crucially, understanding that further punishment in the last few years of his career could cause damage to his health. As he commented about his decision, he spoke about it now being time to move to his next career, whatever that may be.

It seemed quite refreshing to me – an athlete admitting that his time is up, and being unable to maintain previous levels of performance. How often does that happen?

Maybe it’s just been a recent number of examples that have occurred which made it spring to mind, but there just seem to be so many athletes, past their prime, having earned fortunes, but determined to try to regain past glories. Of course, it may well be that those supposed fortunes have been blown in casinos, women and cars, and that makes a little more sense for them wanting to continue to earn a living.

In April, Roy Jones Jr, 40 years old, fights Bernard Hopkins……44 years old. I read an excellent article by Thomas Hauser last week, highlighting how unnecessary this fight was. Hauser’s article explains the health risks that face both fighters, particularly Jones.

http://www.secondsout.com/columns/thomas-hauser/hopkins-jones-ii-better-never-than-late

Both boxers have made good money, and have involvement in promoting which will almost certainly see them through the rest of their lives. How else can one explain why they are fighting other than stubborn pride, a desire for Hopkins to achieve revenge, and generally to want to prove to themselves, each other and the world that they can still perform at a high level.

Absolutely the same story with Ricky Hatton who plans to fight at least once more.

It happens in so many sports. James Toney has joined the UFC this week – a 41 year old boxer. 47-year-old former NFL star Hershel Walker fights in another mixed martial arts promotion. Brian Westbrook, Clinton Portis…..two veteran running backs in the NFL suffered horrendous concussions last season, both are clearly past their best, and both plan to play next season.

Granted, it does not help that these sports are so physical, but that even more than other sports, should tell them to protect their futures by calling it quits at the right time, without jeopardising their future health. All one needs to do is look at Muhammed Ali to see the tragic effects it can have.

They are all big and bad enough to make their own decisions and live by them. Dunne’s decision took me by surprise, but it is clearly the right thing to do for him. I admire him for his decision, and he seems to be content with it, and within himself – maybe that is what it is all about, I don’t know. I just hope some of the decisions to continue playing or fighting does not return to haunt some of these guys in later life.