A-Fraud

Even though I'm sick as a dog with a flu/cold hybrid, immune to drugs like Tamiflu, I'm still posting a rambling for today. 

How does that make you feel?

Well it should make you feel pretty darn special. 

The biggest news of the day for me wasn't the Alex Rodriguez steroid scandal, it was the fact that I am the newest intern at the Knoxville Ice Bears, a semi-pro hockey team in Knoxville, TN. 

Now onto the biggest sports news of everyone else's day.

• A-Rod admits usage

Alex Rodriguez apologized to the public today in an interview with ESPN's Peter Gammons for using performance enhancing drugs. After news broke this weekend through Sports Illustrated that Rodriguez failed a steroid test in 2003, Rodriguez confirmed the news this morning, adding that he was, "young and stupid" and took steroids, testosterone and human-growth hormone from 2001-2003 while he was with the Texas Rangers. I liken this story to that of Harvey Dent's in The Dark Knight. Rodriguez was supposed to be the savior for Major League Baseball, much like Dent was for Gotham. He was supposed to carry baseball through the tough times of cheaters like Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens and Andy Pettite (coincidentally, teammates of his at New York. Go figure) and was the poster boy of righteousness, hard work and excellence the right way. At least in his professional life. Now we find out his results were a fraud. Yes, steroids weren't against the rules in that time frame, but cheating is still cheating, no matter how you slice it. I call for a removal of his homeruns, hits, and RBI's from that three year span.

• Chelsea fires Scolari

After less than a full year on the job, Chelsea FC have fired manager Luiz Felipe Scolari. Owner Roman Abramovich has yet to find a coach he can fully trust. Scolari started out on fire winning 10 of his first 14 games, then it got ugly. Chelsea hadn't lost a match at Stamford Bridge in 84 games-- then lost back to back home games to arch rivals Liverpool and Arsenal. Chelsea had also lost away to Manchester United and Liverpool. Scolari, a former World Cup champion with Brazil, was 14-4-7 in his short stay with the club. Abramovich has now fired two big name coaches in 2 years in Scolari and former coach, the "special one", Jose Mourinho. It's a shame that Abramovich is tearing down this once proud club with his own pride. 

Off to do homework. Later guys.

Super Let-Down

Super Bowl XLIII

Pittsburgh: 27

Arizona: 23

This was by no means a great Super Bowl and it bothers me that people see this in the top five of Super Bowls. From top to bottom, it was rather boring. Now, the finish was amazing, possibly better than last years. The Santonio Holmes catch in the corner of the endzone, though, was not an amazing catch. Yes, it was a good catch, but it's nothing Steve Smith of the Panthers hasn't done multiple times before. We see that on SportsCenter's Top Ten every week for 17 weeks. 

It doesn't deserve a name, as David Tyree's one-handed snag deserves. It doesn't deserve any notoriety, aside from the fact that it was the Super Bowl winning catch.  Larry Fitzgerald's 64-yard touchdown catch was far more impressive than Holmes', as in scoring he broke away from three defenders, making them look as if they had never played a down of football in their lives. 

I was sincerely hoping that despite the loss, Fitzgerald would be named MVP, because he performed at a higher level than anyone else in that game. 

In my prediction (which, by the way, was only two points off), I noted that Kurt Warner's arm would be an enormous factor in this game. As you saw, I was more than correct. Warner was 31-43 for 377 yards with 3 TDs and 1 INT. That one interception proved costly, as the game was 10-7 Pittsburgh, with Arizona at the Pittsburgh 2 before the half. Warner dropped back, looking to hit Anquan Boldin in a slant, only to find Steelers linebacker James Harrison waiting. Harrison intercepted the ball and returned it 100 yards for the touchdown, proving to be the longest play in Super Bowl history. What could have been a 14-10 Arizona lead, or even a tie game at 10 all, turned into a 17-7 lead for the Steelers. 

Warner also lost the fumble that ended the game, when Arizona was driving on the Steeler 44. After scrambling for quite a few seconds, Warner was hit from behind, even though it appeared the ball and his arm were coming forward, therefore resulting in an incomplete pass. However, the call on the field was a fumble, Pittsburgh recovered, and wound down the clock with a kneel-down for their sixth Super Bowl victory and second in four years. 

My initial shock quickly turned to disappointment when the play was not reviewed and the fumble remained. I was heartbroken for Larry Fitzgerald and Kurt Warner, two men that outperformed their counterparts and the defense let them down. Next week, the Pro Bowl!

Note the sarcasm.