Time for a Change

I may be a little late to address this topic, but I feel as if it still needs to be touched on.

Think back to High School, Middle School, maybe even Elementary School. The teachers get in front of the class and ask for your nominations for student government elections. Think about it for a second; were you really interested in which one of your classmates would really make the best class president, let alone treasurer? Did you nominate the kid who really wanted to fight for more recess time or for the cafeteria to start serving pizza everyday instead of just Fridays? Or did you vote for the coolest kid in school? Did you want to see the kid with a 4.0, impeccable verbal skills, and a reading level far beyond his grade as your president every day for the next school year, or did you elect the trendsetter and feed his ego even more?

The NBA All-Star Game has gotten to that point. Rather than calling it a joke outright, let's just compare it to said school "politics."

It is and quite frankly always has been, for the lack of a better term, a popularity contest amongst fans. This year isn't nearly as bad as years past, when we saw the likes of Grant Hill repeatedly voted in despite missing the entire first half of the season, though we almost did see Tracy McGrady starting in the All-Star Game without playing a game for the Rockets this year.

The one real sore thumb that sticks out in this All-Star game is the presence of Allen Iverson as a starter for the East. I'll say up front that I have the utmost respect for The Answer and not so much what he's achieved in his career, but how he's done it. He's been voted in to start this year due to his track record and popularity while the likes of Joe Johnson, Rajon Rondo and even rookie sensation Brandon Jennings have been left to possibly fill reserve roles despite superior performances.

I guess as long as it's fan voted it's going to be a popularity contest. But who's to say that if it were player voted it wouldn't be the same way? And if coaches were to vote on it, who's to say they wouldn't favor their own players? It's a tough riddle to solve, but I suppose as long as it's an exhibition game with no real repercussions, aside from potential injuries, the popular kids will always get the vote.

Major League Baseball has a format that seems to work, despite criticism. It gives people a reason to vote a team they think will win their team the potential home-field advantage rather than a team that will swing for power every at bat.

Just like student government, the all-star selections are somewhat of a paper title. They're voted in by fans who want to see a spectacle rather than a highly contested basketball game between the games best, and their actions hold no significant weight other than the inevitable highlight film. The all-star game just lacks the competition that epitomizes professional sports, and it needs a makeover.

The Stage is Set

I honestly can't think of a time when two teams of such great hype actually fulfilled their destiny so to speak. Think back to just last year when the Tennessee Titans started the season 14-0 and flopped in the divisional round of the playoffs, or even a few years before when the Colts had a run similar to 2009-2010, but had their hopes dashed in the divisional round as well against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The scenarios that were set out during the championship games this weekend were all enticing, but it's hard to say that two teams deserved it more after the hard work they put in in the regular season.

So after a grueling season and first three rounds of the post season(granted both teams had a bye week), the stage has been set for an epic clash. The Saints and the Colts after both starting the season at least 13-0 are set to do battle for the Lombardi trophy, in what might be one of the most watched Super Bowls in recent memory.

Fireworks will ensue.

Relieving the Beating of a Dead Horse

I, like many, have become quite annoyed with the constant berating of Tiger Woods and his personal life. For a few weeks it was much like the Brett Favre retirement, the Mitchell Report, Spygate, etc. They all occupied their own time in each sports news broadcast, and even their own tab on the bottom line.

While watching Sportscenter this afternoon, I decided for some reason or another not to ignore the Tiger Woods spot on the sports ticker. I noticed that EA Sports has announced that they're planning on releasing a Tiger Woods Golf game in 2010. This is big news because he has received so much bad publicity as of late.

I don't have a stance either way on his personal life, but to finally see something good come out and to see some of his "supporters," actually back him was refreshing.

It was much to me like when Kirby Puckett passed away in March of 2006. The news seemed overwhelmingly negative. Instead of mourning the death of one of baseball's greats and celebrating the man's professional accolades, writers and reporters were so quick to belittle him. They focused much more on his alleged groping of a woman in a restaurant than his ten All-Star selections, two World Series rings, six Gold Gloves, or any of his accomplishments that led to his Hall of Fame induction and jersey being retired by the Minnesota Twins.

Tiger Wood's play was a major factor that landed him the gig with EA Sports, and the fact that they are still backing him shows they are more concerned with his successes than his failures.

Huge Weekend Coming Up

After Sunday's shocking upset by the New York Jets, the NFL playoffs took a very unexpected turn. If you watched any sports coverage toward the end of the NFL season you would hear the debate "Who is better, the Colts or the Chargers?" The topic was premature and is showing just how balanced the teams at the top of the AFC really are.

When a 9-7 team who appeared to "limp-into" the playoffs behind a rookie quarterback and rookie head coach were pit against a team that many analysts were deeming the "team to beat," their chances were scoffed at by the same experts. Who should blame them though? The Chargers were the only team in the NFL to score twenty points in all sixteen contests. They rode an eleven game winning streak into the playoffs.

The Jets turned the NFL on its head and proved their critics wrong, and showed they belonged in the postseason. The argument of how they got into the playoffs will remain, but they're out to hoist that Lombardi Trophy.

They're pitted against an Indianapolis Colts team who they handed their first defeat to in week sixteen. The Colts will be looking to continue to prove that their plan was justified. The kick-off for this game will be at 3:00pm on Sunday. One thing is for certain, and that is a rookie head coach will be coaching in Super Bowl XLIV.

The road to the NFC title game went almost according to plan. The two best teams all year are facing each other, and after their divisional round performances, this looks to be quite the show. Both teams are firing on all cylinders behind their all-pro quarterbacks, breakthrough crew of receiving threats, and workhorse running backs.

One quarterback could cement his legacy as the greatest of all time with a win and another ring, while the other could begin his own quest for recognition among the greatest. The game kicks off at 6:25pm and is sure to be quite the dynamic affair.