The Sports Review

For a change of pace, I wanted to bring up the latest in German soccer action.  Since Germany has been so strong in the World Cup and also in the recent EuroCup, it’s rather important to watch how their teams and their players are doing this year.  By far the biggest surprise of the year is from a team called 1899 Hoffenheim.  This team was obviously good enough to be in the top league this year, but has not been known as a major contender for many years. This year, they are sitting with 7 wins and 2 losses in 10 games.  After that, in the standings, the teams become more typical.  Bayer Leverkusen and Hamburg SV round out the top 3.  Coming up at 4 is perennial winners Bayern Munich, with 5 wins and 2 losses with 2 ties.  Moenchen Gladbach and Energie Cottbus are at the relegation level at this point.  But keep in mind, it is still early in the season and there’s plenty of time for anything to happen.  It will be an exciting year though!

The ESPN PowerRankings for this year are out.  No surprise, the Boston Celtics are first.  They are the defending champs after all. But the real question is who’s next?  Remember, the Celtics weren’t even on our playoff radar screen two years ago.  Next come the Lakers and the Hornets.  Both decent teams.  The Lakers came pretty close to winning the championship last year, though they did get clobbered in the last game.  The Hornets are 7-0 in the preseason, so they’re the surprise team of the season so far.  We’ll have to keep an eye on them. Cleveland comes in at 4, which is also not much of a surprise.  They’ve been a strong team for many years now, and they may really be due for a change.  Rounding out the top 5 are the Spurs, who have also been one of the main teams for a few years.  So there aren’t many surprises in the Power Rankings this time around.  If you want to see the complete listings, look here.

Santonio Holmes of the Pittsburgh Steelers has been charged with a misdemeanor after police apparently found marijuana cigars in the back of his car during a traffic stop Thursday.  He was cooperative with the police officers during the routine traffic stop that got him into this mess, although he didn’t have his drivers license with him at the time.  The charge carries a possible year in prison, but probation and fines are much more common.  Holmes is the second best WR with the Steelers this year, behind Hines Ward.  He has been in trouble with the law before.  In 2006 he was charged with domestic violence; the charges were dropped later after he sought anger treatment.

I’ve just looked at the official clock on the NBA website and yes, it is exactly 8 days and 5 hours until the first game of the new season. While the preseason is fine and all, it just doesn’t cut it. It’s too tantalizing. Starters aren’t in long enough, the game really doesn’t matter, and even if your team wins it might not mean much. The regular season, now that’s where it’s at. Every minute counts, every point, every foul. Games have meaning and the team’s stars see a full workload. Only 8 more days until NBA game tickets become worthwhile…

Whether you need him for a hard 1-yard gain, a quick screen pass, a long run, or even a deep pass, Maurice Jones-Drew is the NFL’s most versatile player right now. It makes it all the more impressive that he can do all this at the diminuitive height of 5 feet 7 inches. But his height belies his power. All too often he shucks tackles with the greatest of ease and incoming corner backs find out how strong he really is. As soon as he learns to punt and throw, Jones-Drew will be a team of one. Check out the Jaguars homepage to get more information on Jones-Drew.

So far, even the almighty Manny Ramirez has not been enough to propel the LA Dodgers past the Philadelphia Phillies. With the series at 3-1 in favor of the Phillies, the Dodgers have shifted into “do or die” mode. In the next game, which is scheduled to be in Los Angeles, the Dodgers need to come out swinging and more importantly, come out pitching effectively. Last night their bullpen dropped a hefty lead. Check on all the postseason baseball updates by visiting mlb.com.

Looks like celebrating a touchdown pass is going to cost you dearly, at least in pro football. The NFL has recently fined Ronnie Brown, Vernon Carey, and Ikechuku Ndukwe for dancing in the end zone. Each is facing a fine of ten thousand dollars. The three players rehearsed their dance and pulled it off later in the game against the San Diego Chargers. The three end-zone dancer called their dance the “Cupid Shuffle.”  

So it’s been a while since the beloved Chicago Cubs have won a World Series. The last time the team was playing for the championship and won it was 1908. Fast-forward to 2008 and the Cubs are in the post-season, only problem is, they need to win three games in a row to successfully make it to the next round. Though the Cubs could probably avoid being swept by the Dodgers, there seems little to no chance that they will make to the World Series. As all fans know, especially Cubs fans, there is always next year for another chance.