Red, White, and Blow

In 1980, the United States hockey team was made up of unknown college players, and were given no chance to do anything in the Winter Olympics. They pulled off some upsets, and made it to the semifinals where they faced a Soviet Squad that may have been the most talented hockey team ever assembled (seriously, they destroyed a team of NHL all-stars that year). But all that talent couldn't counteract the Americans' heart, and that scrappy group of youngsters beat the commies, and went on to win the gold medal.

In 1992, the USA organized a basketball team that is arguably the greatest squad ever put together for any sport. These guys were so good they could have won gold in other sports too. Every game was an execution, as Jordan, Bird, Magic, Barkley, and company won the gold with absurd ease.

Two years later, on their own soil, the American soccer team made it to the medal round of the World Cup. While they lost their first game, it was farther than they had gone in decades, and many thought this would signal the emergence of the U.S. as a soccer power.

The 1999 Ryder Cup will always be remembered for the miraculous comeback the Americans made on the final day. Justin Leonard's 45-foot putt on the 17th is etched into the memory of every golf fan in America.

In 2000, our baseball team, made up of unknown minor league players, shocked the world and defeated Cuba to win the gold medal. Along with the World Cup and Ryder Cup teams, this baseball team refused to lose, and it paid off.

The most heart, the most talent, and the strongest winning attitude. It's a shame none of our national teams have any of these traits now.

In the past six or seven years, we have seen the free fall of American teams in international competition. Consider the following:

• The U.S. hockey team lost the gold medal game to Canada in 2002, and at this years games in Turin, they finished a disappointing 8th. The team was inexperienced and largely outmatched against stronger European teams.
• The U.S. baseball team failed to qualify for the 2004 Summer Olympics...even though we invented the sport and are home to what is by far the best professional baseball system in the world. This past spring they failed to get out of the second round of pool play in the first ever World Baseball Classic.
• Our soccer team tanked in the 1998 World Cup, finishing 32nd out of 32 teams. After an amazing march to the 2002 quarterfinals, expectations were high for us in Germany this past summer. They stumbled, big time, and failed to get out of group play.
• After winning the basketball gold in Sydney in 2000, the U.S. blew up and finished a pathetic 6th at the 2002 world championships. This was followed by a weak bronze medal performance at the Athens games in '04, lowlighted by a 92-73 loss to Puerto Rico in the first game (isn't Puerto Rico a U.S. territory? Why aren't they playing for us?). And just a few weeks ago, this year's allegedly improved team lost to Greece (featuring a black player...I don't get it) in the semis and had to settle for another bronze.
• After alternating victories with Europe for decades, the U.S. has been stomped the past three Ryder Cups, including record margins of defeat in the past two.

I could mention others, such as a Swiss man and Russian woman winning our tennis titles, but I think you get a point. When it comes to international competition, America isn't at the top anymore. Hell, in some instances they aren't even close. Is it the heart, the talent, the will to win, or something else? Let's take a look.

Talent. Definitely not talent. Maybe in soccer and hockey, two sports that are bigger in other parts of the world, we can say that our teams are not the most talented. However, in the cases of baseball, basketball, and golf, we're still the best...at least on paper. The baseball team for the WBC featured five certain Hall of Famers and several rising stars. Many of the countries that went further than the U.S. have baseball teams thanks to the U.S. and their development programs. It seems as though we've forgotten about development of our own boys.

In basketball, we are still head and shoulders above every other country in terms of pure talent. I'll take any of America's five best players over anyone else on the planet in a game of one on one. Hell, the original Dream Team could probably still win a medal, and they're all in their 40s. Watch the NBA today, and you'll see that the likes of LeBron James, Carmello Anthony, and Kobe Bryant can run circles around the best the world has to offer. And Shaq can still knock any other player on his ass. Sure, other nations have improved dramatically, but I still don't think they're at our level yet.

Golf is a bit of a perplexing subject, as there are many variables that contribute to a player's performance. The course, the weather, and a bunch of other things could wreak havoc on one player, but be a blessing for another. That being said, we still got the big guns. This year's Ryder Cup team featured Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, and Jim Furyk. You can see their names in the world rankings at nos. 1, 2, and 3, respectively. The rest of the squad was solid if unspectacular, and certainly should have played better than the lopsided score indicates. The European team was also strong, but in no way outmatched the U.S.

So it's not talent, but what about...

Will to win. We Americans are vain people. We always want to look good in everything we do, and getting your ass whooped on a global stage does not lead to a nice image. I don't think the athletes' desire to win has diminished despite all the media hype and external distractions, but I do think that other nations' improving programs has led to more confidence and with it a stronger will to win. Americans still get pissed at losing, and I don't think they like it any more than they used to, but that feeling seems to have been surpassed by that of other nations.

That leaves only one thing...

Heart. You want to know why we can't win anything anymore? It's simple: we've gotten too cocky, and now we expect to win without putting in the effort. With the exception of the World Cup and Ryder Cup, our world championship and Olympic teams consist primarily of players who are taking the place of the coaches' first options. All too often we see guys drop out for BS reasons. Some are tired (you can't squeeze in six or seven more games?), some want to spend time with their families (take them with you. It's called a vacation), and the one that bothers me the most...they don't like the coach or the other selections for the team. Give me a break. These players were chosen because they were the best of the best, and if your friend isn't on the team, too bad. Soldiers don't get to pick who they are in a trench with during a war, and it's not up to you to make the roster you want.

Injuries are a valid excuse to an extent. If it's something serious, then by all means don't play. But if it's a little bump or bruise, grow a set and get on the team. Mario Lemieux missed a lot of games in the 01-02 season due to injury, but he mustered up the strength to represent his country in the '02 games, and led them to the gold. You see soccer players refuse to sit out games because they want to play for their country so bad. If national pride isn't enough to make you want to play, then move to Luxembourg.

Another thing I want to touch on that is sorta related to heart is the concept of teamwork. In 2002 and 2004, our basketball teams were loaded with great individual players, but when it came to working together as a team, all hell broke loose, and the results were not pretty. That is something that has been improved on this past summer, but still needs work. These guys need more than a week or so together in order to get to know each other and get their shit together on the court.

It's a wonder other countries still hate us. You'd think they would love beating us in just about every sport. I think it's about time we return the favor and show them who's still the king.

Anatomy of the Worst Day of Football... Ever... The Worst

by Kamo

(Author's note: While some college students consider Thursday to officially start the weekend, I am considering the weekend to be a Saturday through Sunday thing because everyone knows real college teams only play on Saturday. In addition, I did attend the WVU-Maryland game last Thursday but it was more for drinking and things of that nature than it was for football.)

Saturday, September 16th

9:37 - I get off the couch after falling asleep Friday at 7 (see: Maryland-WVU the night before) and turn on ESPN. Lou Holtz is making valid points while Mark May is being his typical moron self.

9:45 - I put in a load of laundry, go to BB&T to cash a check and then trick myself into thinking that eating a bowl of cereal is better than eating a McMuffin. Mistake number 1 for the day and a foreshadowing of the days events.

10:00 - Eating my delicous cereal (seriously, it was) I flip on College Gameday, otherwise known as the best 2 hours on TV. I dig in for what should be a long, great day of college football that, at the time, I thought would culminate in Notre Dame stomping Michigan.

10:15 - The first mention of ND - Michigan on Gameday. The announcers seem to think it will be close, but Brady can't miss and Charlie Weis would never get outfoxed by Lloyd (Manboobs) Carr.

10:45 - I am getting sick of hearing about how good Ohio State, USC, Florida, Tennessee, and Florida State are. For one, I know Ohio State and USC are good. Second, FSU is awful.

11:03 - My parents call to say they are getting close. This is important because the cereal I ate is rapidly dissolving and I want some real food.

11:30 - Parents arrive with food aplenty and plans to take me out to eat at Ruby Tuesdays, but not until the end of Gameday. For the final half hour of the show my father and I sit motionless and quiet like two men listening to a Christmas Eve Mass. We need help.

12:04 - Gameday ends and we go to eat. All I can think about is those little Mini's they advertise on TV and my stomach apparently can't get them off his mind either because he is now eating a hole through my skin.

12:45 - Mini's.

1:10 - Completion of Mini's- kind of. They were great, so great that I couldn't finish them all. And neither could my old man, which marks a first in the Kamlowsky house- Mike Jones and Kamo do not finish their plates.

2:00 - Back at the apartment watching BYU - Boston College in hopes that bin Laden will pick out his next victim in Chestnut Hill. Earl shows up (This is important later).

2:30 - No bin Laden, but BYU is making a game out of this and BC all of the sudden looks like they belong in the MAC. My dad and I smile.

3:00 - Earl decides to get beer and while I didn't plan on drinking, I figure what the hell. I was drunk for ND's first 2 games, why not make it a trifecta.

3:25 - Earl comes back with a case of beer. I drink my first beer while BYU - BC goes into OT. I love life right now.

3:30 - False advertising bastards at NBC. They say 3:30 kickoff- BULLSHIT. More like 3:47 or something like its the Super Bowl. Assholes.

3:47 - Notre Dame comes through the tunnel, sending chills all over me and a tear comes out of my eye. It is the most beautiful thing in the sports world to see those Gold helmets shining in the autumn sun. Almost as if God himself is saying, "Go ahead now boys. Play for Our Lady."

3:50 - Opening kickoff...

3:52 - Prescott Burgess picks off Brady Quinn and returns it for a TD. The beginning of the end. I chug a beer.

4:05 - Chinedum Ndukwe picks off Chad Henne and returns it to the 1. Hope springs eternal and then...

4:07 - ...Brady to Ashley McConnell, TOUCHDOWN IRISH!!! I am yelling at the TV so loud that I scare Earl and I am cursing everything that the state of Michigan stands for.

4:15 - My celebration is short lived however because the next thing I know - Chad Henne to Mario Manningham for a touchdown, "Dad, where the fuck was our cornerback?" Beer.

4:17 - Fumble on the kickoff...

4:23 - ... touchdown Michael Hart. "Dad, we're in trouble." 2 Beers.

4:30 - Chad Henne to Mario Manningham for a touchdown. "Dad... WHERE THE FUCK IS OUR CORNERBACK?" "Jason, I don't know but wherever he is- HE SUCKS!" We drink to that.

4:45 - Chad Henne to Mario Manningham for a touchdown. Michigan 34 - ND 7. "Dad, our secondary sucks ass and Brady looks like a little bitch today." Beers galore. Life is over.

5:10 - By this point I am drunk, the Irish are getting beat down like Kunta Kinte and I would rather crawl into a hole than have to watch the rest of this game.

5:35 - This is ridiculous. All of the sudden Tyrone (I'm a better golfer/liar/piece of shit than I am a football coach) Willingham has returned to coach us. No first downs in the 3rd quarter? Honestly, NO FIRST DOWNS IN THE 3RD QUARTER? What is this, Cheech and Chong come to South Bend?

5:45 - I wish they would get Brady out of there because he is going to get killed and if he does, our season, in effect, really is over.

5:48 - Tommy Z- please sucker punch Chad Henne.

5:53 - I try to decipher what needs to happen for us to get to BCS Championship Game. In this state I am having difficulty comprehending how to use my cell phone, but nevertheless I give it a try. Hmm, let's see...

6:10 - ... after over 15 minutes I have figured out that everyone needs to lose a game in the month of November except us and thats about it. My head hurts too much to think too deep into this one.

6:15 - Brady Quinn throws a nice pass to Rhema McKnight and he makes an incredible catch. The only reason I bring this up is because it was #1 on top plays on SportsCenter that night.

6:30 - Brady fumbles, Michigan returns it for a score to put the exclamation point on the game. My parents get ready to leave, I sit alone on the couch and shed a tear for our broken season.

9:00 - After seeing that Miami got destroyed, Florida State is going down in a blaze of glory, and the loser of the Florida - Tennessee game is screwed I feel a little better. The decision to go to Morgantown is made and it is the best one all day.


So, that is how the worst day of football happened. High hopes were crushed by the direct disobedience of a few. Ambrose Wooden, Terrail Lambert- you should feel shame. We still love you Charlie and Brady, but this week had better be a different story. On Wisconsin and Go Irish!

Observations, Thoughts, Etc.

Some random thoughts after two weeks of pro ball and three weeks of college ball.

• Ohio State is really really good. The offense, and Heisman frontrunner Troy Smith in particular, is extraordinary, and James Laurinaitis has been a monster on what has become a surprisingly fierce defense. This isn't just personal bias talking, but they're gonna kill Penn State on Saturday, and it's gonna be tough for any team in the country to beat them.
• West Virginia is also pretty strong. Granted, they haven't played anyone yet, but they've looked impressive. Steve Slaton is one hell of a running back, and I would not be surprised to see them in the BCS title game.
• Pitt, on the other hand, is still mediocre. Sure, they can beat up on the Citadel and other lowly teams, but they still can't compete with an above average BCS conference team. Their tackling is still awful, and until that improves expect more losses to good offensive teams.
• Good thing JoePa scheduled a tough team like Youngstown State the week before playing the #1 team in the nation.
• The Steelers will be fine as long as no other bizarre mishaps occur. Jacksonville's a very good team, and the Steelers had an off game. Nothing more, nothing less.
• The US is screwed in the Ryder Cup.
• Even if Freddy Sanchez doesn't win the batting title, the fact that he has done what he has is remarkable, and it shows how poorly Dave Littlefield and Jim Tracy have evaluated talent.
• Speaking of the Pirates, don't get your hopes up because of their recent success. They've done this before at the end of the season, and then things fall apart at the beginning of the next.
• This week's game against the Bengals is gonna be a bloodbath. It's gonna come down to who has enough players still walking.
• Why did i draft Aaron Brooks for my fantasy team again? Fuck.
• Notre Dame is not as bad as they looked against Michigan.
• Michigan is not as good as they looked against Notre Dame.
• I'm out of things to write about.

NFL Preview, Cieslinski Style

"Baseball is what we were. Football is what we have become." - Marty McGrory

And so it begins...the 2006 NFL season.

Last year's season for Steeler fans was joyous, agonizing, and all adjectives in between. Can anyone remember a season that had as many highs and lows as 2005? At least the highest point came at the end, when our boys raised the Lombardi Trophy for the first time in 26 years and NFL-record tying fifth in team history. Indeed, nothing could top the craziness that was last season...except for the offseason.

In the seven months since Super Bowl XL, Santonio Holmes has been arrested twice before every playing in a regular season game, Ben Roethlisberger nearly died in a motorcycle accident and just last week he had his appendix taken out and will miss at least the opener against the Dolphins. Hines Ward and Joey Porter made not-so-subtle comments about how their contract situations were handled, and Bill Cowher's recent purchase of a North Carolina home has fueled speculation that this year will be his last on the sidelines. Who knew that a 22-man battle royal on a field would actually be a return to calm and normalcy?

The 2006 Steelers have lost a few key components from their Super Bowl champion team, including Jerome Bettis, Kimo von Oelhoffen, and Antwaan Randle El, but there is absolutely no reason to think that this team can't win it all again. Bettis, despite being the unquestioned heart and soul of this team for the past ten years, had become a situational player in 2005, and Duce Staley and Willie Parker can easily duplicate what he did last year. As for his leadership, this team has tons of it on both sides of the ball, and finding a new motivator will not be a problem. von Oelhoffen was getting old, and Brett Keisel provides a younger, faster, and likely better replacement. As for Randle El, his abilities will be missed, but not as much as people think. He was an average receiver, catching only one TD last year, and Hines Ward and Cedric Wilson are both able to throw good passes on those tricky sneaky gadget plays. Santonio Holmes or Willie Reid are both better #3 receivers than Randle El.

As for the returning players, well, there's a reason they won it all last year. Ben Roethlisberger is in amazing shape, appendectomy notwithstanding, and when he is healthy he will show that he is a top-tier NFL quarterback. Parker was incredible in his first season as a starter, and I expect him to be even better this year. Hines Ward will put up his usual solid numbers while being the best blocking WR in football, and Heath Miller will drastically improve on his strong rookie season. The offensive line, as always, will be nearly impenetrable, and will send at least two guys to the Pro Bowl.

On defense, it's more of the same: a line that distracts the offensive line, linebackers that blitz like crazy, and defensive backs that knock the shit out of opposing players. Casey Hampton does not put up big numbers, but he is such a disruptive player that he goes to the Pro Bowl every year and is considered among the best tackles in the league. The Steelers may have the best linebacker corps in the NFL, with Larry Foote and Clark Haggans becoming emerging stars, and Joey Porter and James Farrior showing no signs of slowing down.

The secondary looks to be the Steelers' best since the Rod Woodson/Carnell Lake/Darren Perry days. Troy Polamalu might be the best defensive player in the league, as he can do just about anything. His random blitzing, incredible athleticism, and insatiable thirst for hitting give offensive coordinators migraines. Ryan Clark replaces Chris Hope at free safety...for now at least. Rookie Anthony Smith was amazing in the preseason, and it seems to be only a matter of time before he is the starter. At cornerback, Deshea Townsend is a late bloomer, and despite playing very well the past couple seasons, you have to wonder if age will start catching up to him. On the other side, Ike Taylor is young, athletic, and poised to have a breakout season. If he can hold on to some interceptions, the extension he just signed will be a brilliant investment.

The special teams are...well...good. Nothing big to say there. Jeff Reed is awesome, and Chris Gardocki is the model of consistency.

On paper, this team is just as good if not better than last year's team. However, a tougher schedule and a much stronger AFC North will make their road to a repeat a lot rougher. I look for them to go 12-4, win the division....and once again I'm not gonna pick them to win it all. They'll lose a home playoff game in the divisional round.

And now the rest of the NFL

DIVISION CHAMPS
AFC East: Miami Dolphins. They got better, and the rest of the division got a lot weaker.
AFC South: Jacksonville Jaguars. Indy will miss Edgerrin James more than you think, and Jacksonville is a hell of a team.
AFC West: Denver Broncos. A decent team in a lousy division. The Chiefs might be a challenge, but they aren't as good as Denver.
Wild Card teams: Indianapolis and Kansas City.

NFC East: New York Giants. Provided Eli Manning plays better than he did at the end of '05. Washington will contend also.
NFC North: Chicago Bears. They are a mediocre team, but the rest of the North is pathetic.
NFC South: Carolina Panthers. There isn't a team in the conference that can compete with them.
NFC West: Seattle Seahawks. Arizona will end their reign in '07, but for now the 'Hawks are still the best.
Wild Card teams: Washington and St. Louis.

SUPER BOWL: Carolina over Jacksonville in the Expansion Bowl.

RANDOM PREDICTIONS

• This will finally be the year the Patriots don't make the playoffs. They have lost too many good players, and may be on the verge of rebuilding. Phil Simms and the entire ESPN workforce will kill themselves as a result of this.
• Thanks to Steve Smith and Keyshawn Johnson, Jake Delhomme will put up Marino-like numbers en route to the NFL MVP. His amazing season will be capped off with a Super Bowl title.
• The Bengals will go 7-9 a year after their first playoff berth since 1990. There are too many off the field issues, and that leads to problems on the field. Just ask the Portland Trailblazers.
• Arizona will go 8-8, thanks to an offense that will be nearly unstoppable, and thanks to a defense that is still ho-hum. One or two more good players on D, and the Cards are gonna be beasts.
• Detroit and Houston will also be better, but then again, how could they have gotten any worse.
• San Francisco will still suck. When you think about what that team was like in the 80s and 90s, and what they are now, it's sad.
• Terrell Owens will wear out his welcome very quickly in Dallas, and in the offseason will be seeking a trade.
• Art Shell may be back, but his Tecmo Super Bowl squad of the 80s and early 90s isn't. Even with Randy Moss, Jerry Porter, and Lamont Jordan, the Raiders are going nowhere.
• "With the first pick of the 2007 NFL Draft, the Cleveland Browns select Brady Quinn, quarterback, Notre Dame."
• "With the second pick of the 2007 NFL Draft, the New York Jets select Troy Smith, quarterback, The Ohio State University."
• The Steelers will trade up and get Tedd Ginn with the 8th pick. Okay that's wishful thinking, but damn that would be sweet.

Until next time...GO STEELERS.