Toronto Blue Jays: A Mystery Heading Into 2009
February 5, 2009
Spring training is just around the corner, and the Toronto Blue Jays are hoping a lot of questions will be answered before the 2009 season begins. I am writing this to break down the top five questions surrounding the Jays heading in to Spring Training:
1. What will the pitching rotation look like once opening day comes around?
As of right now, only one spot is guaranteed, as Roy Halladay is most obviously the ace of this depleted staff. Jesse Litsch and David Purcey are likely No. 2 and 3, but nothing is guaranteed with these two youngsters.
Unfortunately, after the first three slots, things get really tricky.
If everything was going well, Shaun Marcum and Dustin McGowan would be number tow and three, but Shaun Marcum is out for the entire season after Tommy John surgery and Dustin McGowan will not be ready to pitch until mid-May.
Casey Janssen, Matt Clement, Mike Maroth, Brett Cecil, Brad Mills, Scott Downs and Ricky Romero are all in contention for the last two spots, meaning that training camp should be very interesting. I would bet on Matt Clement and Scott Richmond, but Brett Cecil and Casey Janssen should put up a good fight.
2. Can the infield produce more then last year?
Last year was a bad year for the Jays infield. Aaron Hill missed most of the season due to a bad concussion, Scott Rolen`s shoulder gave him trouble all year, Lyle Overbay continued to struggle after the surgeries on his hand and a shortstop that could produce with regularity was not found.
Marco Scutaro and Joe Inglett proved to be decent replacements, but they cannot be expected to shoulder the load. Scutaro will likely be a starter this year, with Inglett coming off the bench in all situations. The biggest question concerning the infield is definitely Aaron Hill.
How will he perform after being out for so long? Is his concussion really behind him? I am expecting a good season from him; he will definitely be heavily leaned on by the Jay`s this year. Scott Rolen is also a huge question mark, many question whether he has another good year in him or not.
Overall, the infield should put up bigger numbers then last year.
3. Can Alex Rios find his power stroke again?
If you take a look at the stats from last year, Rios was not that bad. 292 average, 15 homers and 32 stolen bases is pretty good, but Jays fans expected more from Rios last season.
Rios has the potential to hit .310-.320 and 30 or more homers. He struggled mightily early on last year, but showed Jays fans some glimpses of what could be in store with a strong finish. I think he can hit 30 homers and reach 90 RBI this season.
4. Can Travis Snider and Adam Lind produce with regularity despite their age and lack of experience?
Jays fans got a glimpse into the future last year when Travis Snider was called up to get some experience in the later part of 2008. Snider did not look out of place at all and projects to be the starting left fielder when the Jays open the 2009 season.
Some people think that the Jays are rushing Snider, but what is the use of having him continue to tear up every minor league level?
I think he should have a very good year and he is one of the preseason candidates for rookie of the year. Meanwhile, Adam Lind finally secured a roster spot after Cito Gaston took over as manager. Lind finished the year on a little bit of a slide, but finished with a very respectable .282 batting average and nine homers in just half a season.
He is slotted in as the regular DH for this season and is projected to have a even better season then Snider.
5. Will the bullpen be as good as last year?
Lets face it, for the Jay’s to have any chance this year, the bullpen will have to be at least as good as last year. Their will likely be a lot of one run games this year and this is where the bullpen shined last season.
I think they can be as good as last year, as long as Scott Downs is kept out of the starting rotation. With Jesse Carlson, B.J. Ryan, Brian Tallet, Brian Wolfe and Brandon League all returning, the Jay’s have plenty of talent to choose from with the game on the line.
There are a lot of huge question marks surrounding the Toronto Blue Jays this season, which should make for an interesting year. I don’t think we will have as good of a record as last year, but hopefully all of the young players we have can gain some valuable experience and produce at high levels. One thing is for sure, the 2009 season will not be boring.
Wednesday Night Hoopla: Top 10 Upsets
February 5, 2009
ACC Upsets
(10) Clemson 74, (3) Duke 47
Yes, you are reading it right. The Tigers made a palindrome out of the final score; a palindrome that resulted in a 27 point beatdown of Coach Krzyzewski’s Blue Devils.
After opponents exploited Clemson’s full court press the last two games, the Tigers went back to the press once again and completely threw Duke out of its rhythm. The Dukies had an uncharacteristic 16 turnovers and repeatedly took bad, hurried shot after bad, hurried shot.
Oliver Purnell’s club took control half way through the first half and blitzed Duke into oblivion throughout the second half. Terrence Olgesby and his quick released knocked down shots from all over the court. When Olgesby missed, it seemed like big man Trevor Booker was always there to deflect the miss to a teammate or just gobble it up himself and slam it down on Duke’s inferior frontcourt.
So what does this mean for the big picture in the ACC? After three teams looked like legitimate contenders from top seeds, the ACC may only get one team on the one seed in the tournament. North Carolina looks like the clear-cut favorite in the ACC once again while Duke, Clemson, and Wake Forest are fighting it out for second.
Miami 79, (6) Wake Forest 52
Losing three of four games against the middle- and lower-tier teams counts as a slump for the Demon Deacons. Dino Gaudio has done a tremendous job getting his team ready to play every night until this past week. Wake Forest has gone from a national title contender to a team that looks like it can’t matchup against senior laden teams.
The Deacs simply didn’t show up in the second half. After trailing by just three at half, Wake allowed 50 points to Miami and let a three-point deficit enlarge to a 27-point bubble by the end of the game.
Jeff Teague had one of the worst games of the season for Wake. The super sophomore had been shooting over 50 percent from three this year, but on Wednesday night didn’t connect on any of his five attempts from distance.
Miami has been a hard team to figure out. The Hurricanes now have a marquee win, but still have seven losses, five of which have come in conference play. Miami still sits eighth in the 12-team ACC.
Big XII Frauds
Missouri 69, (17) Texas 65
The Longhorns have dropped two in a row and will be on the verge of dropping out of the top 25. UT’s biggest problem has been AJ Abrams who has been way off track since conference play began. The senior guard has hit just 17 of 56 three pointers against Big XII foes. Wednesday night, Abrams hit three of seven, but couldn’t get anything else going.
Texas has lacked multiple scoring options at times this year and Wednesday was no different. Dexter Pittman had an impressive 25 points, but the only other player to reach double-digits for the Longhorns was Abrams who scored just 11 points.
Missouri is really starting to roll through the Big XII. The Tigers have won six of seven and sit third in the conference, a game and a half ahead of fourth place Texas.
(2) Oklahoma 77, Texas A&M 71
The Sooners are looking terribly unimpressive against conference foes that shouldn’t be anywhere close to being on the level of Oklahoma. Despite being undefeated in conference play, OU has struggled to win six of its eight games in the league. The Sooners keep relying on late runs to knock off teams like TAMU, Iowa State, and Nebraska.
Jeff Capel needs to find consistent contributors after Blake Griffin. The likely Player of the Year has been spectacular lately, but nobody else has stepped up to be the second scorer. Willie Warren can be tremendous at times, but many nights the freshman makes numerous bad decisions and is a non-factor.
The Sooners are still ranked second in the country, but there are several teams ranked below OU that are clearly playing better ball than the Sooners.
Big East Battles
(20) Syracuse 74, West Virginia 61
The Salt City’s well known 2-3 Zone Defense was back in full force against the Mountaineers in front of over 21,000 fans in the Carrier Dome. The Orange aggressively went after protecting the three-point line, but also crashed the boards to keep one of the best offensive rebounding teams in the country from cashing in on second opportunities.
The ‘Cuse led throughout the entire game and at one point the backcourt duo of Jonny Flynn and Eric Devendorf was close to outscoring Bob Huggins’ entire club. With 11 minutes left to play, the scoreboard could have read WVU 42, Flynn and Devendorf 40.
Each Syracuse guard ended up with 22 points in a win that ended the Orange’s three game skid.
(16) Villanova 94, Providence 91
The Friars really love these high scoring games. After taking part in 100-94 last Wednesday against Syracuse, Providence pushed the score into the 90s once again, this time against a slightly better Wildcat squad.
Jay Wright can’t be happy his team let a 20-point second-half lead be trimmed to a three point advantage in the waning moments, but he should get satisfaction in the fact ‘Nova went on the road to pick up a win against a quality conference opponent.
Plus Wright should be happy his star guard, Scottie Reynolds might be on track after scoring only ten points per game since his 40 point outburst against Seton Hall. The junior guard scored 31 Wednesday night in the Dunkin’ Donuts Center.
Cincinnati 93, Notre Dame 83
You can pretty much declare Notre Dame dead at this point: nine losses and sole possession of 12th place in the Big East for the Irish. Luke Harangody has tried carrying this team on his back, scoring another 28 points, grabbing 14 boards, and not turning it over once against the Bearcats.
There’s no second option on this team anymore as teams have realized sharpshooter Kyle McAlarney can’t create his own shot. Defenders stay glued to him all game and force the guard into a parade of bad shots.
Cincinnati still has a little hope of gaining an at-large bid. Mick Cronin’s team stands at 15-8 and 5-5 in the conference, but has a nice win over Georgetown.
Quick Hitters
Michigan State 76, Minnesota 47
Ouch would appropriately describe Wednesday’s beatdown from the Golden Gopher perspective. At one point, the Spartans led 54-19. This deserves a repetition: Ouch.
Memphis 79, SMU 66
The Tigers won their 50th straight Conference USA game, but for a while it looked like the Mustangs might come up with an upset trailing by just one about halfway through the second half.
UCLA 76 USC 60
The Bruins win a matchup of Los Angeles’ best teams despite getting a mere four points from star guard Darren Collison.
Boston College 80, Virginia 70
A 20-point lead at halftime leads to a solid win for the Eagles on the road moves BC to 6-3 in the ACC.
LSU 80, Georgia 62
With National Signing Day being Wednesday, the Bulldogs can always count on football for filling their day with the current state of the basketball program. LSU moves to an SEC West leading 6-1.
Tennessee 74, Arkansas 72
The Volunteers are starting to get back on track with wins against the Razorbacks and Gators of Florida.
Binghamton 85, Vermont 83
Tony Kornheiser’s alma mater looks like it might be the team to beat after taking down league favorite Vermont on the Catamounts’ home floor.
Jorge Arce Vs Vic Darchinyan: Jorge Arce, the Last of a Dying Breed
February 5, 2009
Vic “Raging Bull” Darchinyan loves to throw brain numbing punches and Mexico’s Jorge “El Travieso” Arce, doesn’t like to receive them; but unfortunately—as the bloody picture above clearly points out—Cristian Mijares proved that Jorge isn’t always successful at trying to avoid them.
“My career was taking off, then it went down hill when I lost to Mijares,” said Arce, recalling the one-sided loss he suffered to the fellow Mexican in April 2007.
Vic Darchinyan 31-1-1, 25 KOs is a tough as nails Armenian boxer, and he will defend his IBF, WBA and WBC junior bantamweight titles against Jorge Arce 51-4-1, 39 KOs this coming Saturday at the Honda Center in Anaheim.Ca.
Arce, the challenger, is a bantamweight gladiator from Mexico, and his is also a former holder of two title belts. Jorge desperately needs a win here against Darchinyan to regain his country’s faith in their proud boxing history.
For the majority of fight fans like myself, just the mention of Mexican boxers conjures up visions of some of the toughest, and greatest fighters in boxing history; who would wage war on the inside and win the hardest of hard-fought battles.
Antonio Margarito, Marco Antonio Barrera, and Oscar De La Hoya have all suffered savage defeats in recent times, however, so the fate and the vision of that once dominating breed of fighter may now rest on the shoulders of Jorge Arce.
Vic Darchinyan has been his usual smack talking self; spieling off rants that can only be equaled or compared to Mixed Martial Arts fighter BJ Penn during his prefight tirade regarding Georges St. Pierre.
The difference between Penn and Darchinyan is that there’s a very good chance that the Armenian can back up what he says.
“All my opponents are Mexicans and they are tough and extremely strong,” said Darchinyan, who has beaten Mexican boxers Mijares, Luis Maldonado and Victor Burgos.
“It doesn’t matter to me if they are Mexican or Filipino, if they get in the ring with me they will be knocked out and punished.” stated Darchinyan.
The amount of pressure on Jorge Arce for this fight will be mountainous..he not only wants it for himself he is also fighting in the name of his great country and fighters that have came before him.
I’m always a supporter of the underdog and this fight will be no different, I’m expecting a long tough fight with both punchers trading bombs from the opening bell; my personal prediction is that Jorge Arce will emerge the patriotic victor.
They told me how Connolly was shot in his chair,
His wounds from the fighting all bloody and bare.
His fine body twisted, all battered and lame,
They soon made me part of the patriot game.
It’s nearly two years since I wandered away,
With the local battalion of the bold IRA,
I’ve read of our heroes, and I wanted the same,
To play out my part in the patriot game.
-Irish Folk Song
Sean Avery Could Help the Toronto Maple Leafs
February 5, 2009
Are ex-Ranger, ex-King, ex-Stars Sean Avery’s 15 minutes of fame up yet? I don’t think so! Before the trade deadline, the Leafs could take him and make him a hometown hero.
A movie is in the works about one of the sexiest men alive who is also the most hated hockey player in the NHL.
People love to hate Sean Avery.
Sean Avery is the most controversial player in hockey today. Avery the agitator is one of the NHL’s most feared players. He was recently Broadway’s biggest star. The self-made hockey hero is getting almost as much attention as Sid the Kid.
He is widely recognized for his fiery temper and spirited play, which has made many enemies in many NHL locker rooms.
His Hollywood agent is contemplating his comeback.
Meanwhile, he is suspended for trash talk and not invited back to his new NHL team, the Dallas Stars.
People magazine featured him in their 2007 Sexiest Man Alive issue, and Maxim put him at the top of their list of Hollywood Hookups. He also made People magazine’s 50 Most Beautiful People issue, which is a rare honour for a hockey player. He’ has been an intern for Men’s Vogue.
The NHL suspended Avery for six games after his crude comments Dec. 2. When he was eligible to return from that, the Stars said he wouldn’t play for them again—even though he was only two months into a $15.5 million, four-year contract they are still paying.
Avery was suspended indefinitely for making disparaging remarks about his former girlfriends to the media.
He was already the most hated hockey player in the NHL. He is known as a super-pest he’s also a former league-leader in penalty minutes. His 2008 playoff antics in the crease even led to the creation of “The Sean Avery Rule.”
He was part of Detroit’s Stanley Cup-winning team of 2002. He has enjoyed three seasons of at least 15 goals since the NHL lockout of 2004-2005.
He is a speedy, bruising, power forward, with soft hands, who has won the Stanley Cup with the Detroit Red Wings, played for the L.A. Kings and the New York Rangers, and is currently suspended indefinitely from the Dallas Stars.
He had four Gordie Howe hat-tricks in his first three years in the NHL. As a hockey player, he’s best known for his skating days with the New York Rangers, when The Avery Rule was invented, and he was also the boyfriend of Elisha Cuthbert.
Because of his style of play, Avery has made many enemies in the NHL. In a 2007 poll of 283 NHL players, 66.4 percent said that Sean Avery was the most hated player in the league.
Many consider him a pest. He is a very physical player, and while some would say that he is too small to be considered an enforcer, he has acted like one on many occasions, to a certain extent.
He considers himself a fiercely loyal player, but has drawn criticism for his aggressive style and excessive penalties, however he cut down on penalty minutes by about 65 percent in ‘06-’07, compared to seasons past.
He is the Mike Tyson of hockey, the Diego Maradona…What Shane Hollywood Warne is to cricket…if not what Wilt Chamberlain was to basketball. In tennis, the superbrat John McEnroe and Illie Nastase are two names that spring immediately to mind.
In the new NHL, minus the big goons, Avery has become an enforcer, fighting anyone and everyone, and throwing everybody off their game.
In his first season in the NHL, Avery led the league in penalty minutes, with over 260. During the lockout, he went to Finland to play for the Pelicans, but then went to Detroit to play for the Motor City Mechanics of the IHL. He scored a lot of goals and got a lot of penalties, like Gordie Howe.
After getting traded from the L.A. Kings to the New York Rangers, his team was18-9-3 with Avery in their lineup and 9-13-3 without him.
He is the new Eddie Shack. But the guy they called The Entertainer, with the Toronto Maple Leafs, never got voted one of the top 50 beautiful people by People magazine, the same year as being voted Most Hated Player in the NHL, by other NHLers.
He dated Playboy and Sports Illustrated swimsuit model Rachel Hunter and Elisha Cuthbert, who plays Kim Bauer on 24.
He has made the news for fighting on the ice and for arguing off the ice.
Avery pushes the proverbial envelope. The more he does it the more he draws penalties and the more he gets media attention. How can they nab Avery for a few disgusting words?
The league tolerated Dale Hunter, Ken Linseman, Ulf Samuelsson, Bryan Marchment and Claude Lemieux’. Look at how Jarkko Ruutu, Steve Ott and Ryan Holwegg play.
Among current hockey stars, Sean Avery has been called the NHL’s most desirable bachelor.
So far, he has been romantically linked to Rachel Hunter, Lake Bell, Mary-Kate Olsen, and Elisha Cuthbert, whom he appeared with on TV’s Punk’d.
Hockey wisdom would point to Sean Avery’s 5′10″ frame as an obstacle. Despite his lack of size and his being passed over in the NHL entry draft, after playing his junior hockey in the OHL, which has given the NHL so many players, Sean Avery eventually smashed his way into the league.
He can skate and score, but Sean Avery’s best asset is still his mouth. Among other highlights, he called one opponent “an arrogant little midget,” and suggested that another one’s dog “lick his face, not chew it”.
Sean Avery played a small role in the movie The Rocket (2005). Avery appeared in a December 2006 episode of MAD t.v. He has also been featured on an episode of MTV Cribs.
Sean Avery is an anomaly in hockey. In a sport known for fighting and violence, the two-time league leader in penalty minutes is a guy who also has a strong interest in fashion—The Devil Wears Bauer.
He loves dressing up in the latest fashion. These are not images you normally associate with the brutish and often boring image of hockey players.
Avery keeps things interesting.
As the Rangers found out, Avery is not just a brawler on the ice, but a player. He was a catalyst for a club that sorely needed fresh energy. He put a lot of points on the board—20 of them in just 27 games.
While he’s in Anger Management, keeping a low profile, meeting with NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman, Avery still makes news as hockey fans in New York City say they him back and sports pundits say the Pittsburgh Penguins should take him if the Rangers don’t.
Others suggest returning to the Pelicans, in Finland, or maybe Magnitogorsk, in Russia. The AHL team he joined during the NHL’s cancelled season, The Motor City Mechanics, have folded, but maybe there’s another place in the AHL where he could play his way back into the NHL.
Nobody has suggested the Toronto Maple Leafs invite him to join their team. Are you trying to tell me the Leafs couldn’t used a home-grown sensation? The superpest from Pickering was practically born and raised in Toronto. Pickering is right beside the sprawling city of Toronto.
Imagine the uproar in the otherwise silent Air Canada Centre, home of the Toronto Maple Leafs of the NHL, who haven’t won the Stanley Cup since 1967, if they had a home-grown hockey hero who was also seen as one of the sexiest men alive.
The Maple Leafs would have a media sensation on their hands and enough excitement to make a run for the play-offs and then—who knows?
If Sean Avery had the same effect on the Leafs he had on the Rangers last season, they would be able to sprint to the finish.
Currently the Leafs are in 27th place, fourth from the bottom of the standings, ahead of only the New York Islanders, the Ottawa Senators, and the Atlanta Thrashers.
If Avery joined the Leafs, he would be their shortest player, but he would have the most penalties in minutes on the team. He would be 13th in scoring—ahead of half the team, including three who play the same position.
Could he replace Jason Blake? They are the same height. Avery is a little bit heavier. At the all-star break, Blake led Toronto in shots on net and short-handed goals (one) and was tied for the team lead in goals, with 14.
How would Avery do, playing on a line with Nik Antropov and Matt Stajan? Put Avery on a line with Stajan and Jamal Mayers, and they would have an all-Toronto trio.
Sean Avery could be the new Eddie Shack, leading the Toronto attack.
Frank Lampard To Mike Riley: I Forgive You
February 5, 2009
Amid all of the controversy surrounding his red card, I must say I was struck by how well Frank Lampard dealt with the whole situation.
Consider the circumstances: Sunday’s away match against Liverpool was Chelsea’s biggest game of the season so far. On the hour, with the scores blank, referee Mike Riley decides to send him off for what was a completely fair challenge. Liverpool ends up winning 2-0 and has arguably put Chelsea out of the title race.
I’m wiling to venture that 90 percent or more of today’s “professional” players would’ve gone berserk at the referee if they were on the short end of that decision.
Instead, Lampard just walked off the pitch; albeit in a state of shock, but at least he didn’t aggravate the situation further or intimidate the referee.
Today, after it was announced that his red card had been rescinded (meaning he will be available for Chelsea’s next three games), his reaction was equally admirable. He is honest yet respectful of Mike Riley and indeed referees on the whole.
“I presumed it would be rescinded anyway,” Lampard told BBC Radio Five Live. “It was obviously a mistake.”
“We all make mistakes—footballers make mistakes. I don’t want to have a dig at referees because they do a very hard job and I respect them.”
He’s clearly a bigger man than I am. I probably would’ve gone at least a little berserk like 90 percent of players would.
Considering the probable implications of the decision, in respect to the outcome of the league, I’d argue that if he’d berated the referee he would’ve been justified.
But he didn’t. Which is why Frank Lampard is an outstanding example of a professional footballer and someone I admire greatly.
Isn’t it great when great players also turn out to be great men?
MMA Fighters and Their Superhero Counterparts
February 5, 2009
In sports, we tend to idolize our athletes and at times, raise them to the status of hero, some might say super heroes. If you think of it, MMA is no different.
So what if these fighters were super heroes? They’re both strong, wear colorful outfits and have to brave to step into the field of battle. Three examples come to mind, even without the spandex and secret identities.
Randy Couture as Captain America
This one is a gimme since Couture already has had the moniker “Captain America” for years. Often credited for bringing mixed martial arts into the mainstream of American pop culture and sports, Couture is a member of the UFC Hall of Fame and many consider him to be the most popular fighter in MMA history.
In the comics, Captain America uses his shield for most of his attacks. In the cage, Couture uses “dirty boxing” for most of his. Captain America was the alter ego of Steve Rogers, a sickly young man who was enhanced to the peak of human perfection by an experimental serum in order to aid the United States’ war effort.
Ironically, some might accuse the UFC of “enhancing” Couture’s image in order to aid the growth of the sport. Some would argue the UFC did so by putting Couture into very advantageous situations which he almost always made the most of. (Notice we stayed away from any talks of experimental serum with Couture. There’s never been an accusation against him and I’m not about to start!)
Regardless, Couture is a pioneer of the sport and will always be remembered for his tireless work ethic, masterful game plans, and all-American persona, just like ol’ Cap.
Last year, Rogers was killed off in the comics and another man took the mantle as the famed superhero. If Couture were to pass the torch, Forrest Griffin would be a great choice. Griffin immortalized himself in MMA history in his fight against Stephan Bonnar in the finals of season one of The Ultimate Fighter.
Griffin embodies the blue-collar work ethic that is synonymous with most Americans. Like Couture, he doesn’t have to win all his fights, but he does remain viable in the hearts of fans.
Anderson Silva as Spider-Man
Since Silva’s moniker is “The Spider,” this also seemed like an obvious choice. Spider-Man is the alter ego of Peter Parker, a teenage high school student whose self-obsessions with rejection, inadequacy and loneliness allowed young readers to relate. Through a stroke of luck and a spider-bite, he gained incredible powers.
Something tells me that Silva doesn’t obsess much over rejection or inadequacy. Perhaps he did so as a teenager and that’s what propelled him to become the “web-slinger” (or is that punch slinger?) that he is today. Silva’s “web” consists of super-fast pinpoint strikes and a Muay Thai clinch that his victims can’t escape once caught in. Ask Rich “Doctor Octopus” Franklin.
Silva also has that “Spidey-sense” that alerts him to danger, allows for perfect balance and equilibrium, as well as superhuman speed and agility. While Silva might not excel in applied science, chemistry and physics like Peter Parker did, his MMA game is the perfect alchemy of all the mixed martial arts.
Lyoto Machida as Batman
If there was a fighter that was as cool, mysterious and elusive as Batman, it would have to be Lyoto Machida. Machida solidified his superhero status at UFC 94 with his masterful performance over Thiago Silva. Like Batman often does, Machida made it seem nearly effortless.
But putting forth effort is only an outside appearance. The Dark Knight has every trick and gadget at his disposal and uses them when he gets in trouble. Machida’s “utility belt” includes a blend of Shotokan Karate, Sumo, Brazilian Ju-Jitsu and Muay Thai.
While Machida has appeared flustered at times, his ever-evolving style allows him to remain one step ahead his foes who want his identity exposed. Just see either of the new Batman movies to get perspective on how Bruce Wayne deals with difficulties.
While Machida isn’t a wealthy industrialist, playboy and philanthropist like Wayne, he maintains the cool exterior and his hair always seems to be in place. While the biggest fear Wayne has is bats, Machida’s biggest fear may be losing as his sterling 14-0 record seems to prove.
If there was another fighter who had some similarities to Batman, it would be “cool as a cucumber” Fedor Emelianenko. If any MMA fighter remains shrouded in mystery, like Batman, it would be “The Last Emperor of Russia. I wouldn’t be surprised if Emelianenko had a compound similar to Wayne’s that is buried somewhere underneath the frozen tundra of Russia. Is he the hero that MMA (Gotham) deserves?
Georges St. Pierre as Superman
After his destruction of arch-nemesis BJ Penn in last Saturday’s super-fight, the man known as GSP has risen to the top of superhero status. He certainly has X-ray vision after seeing right through Penn and don’t tell me you couldn’t see St. Pierre running around the octagon while wearing a red cape.
Superman was vulnerable to the radioactive material Kryptonite and exposure to it nullified his powers. GSP’s well-known kryptonite has been his suspect chin and mental game, although his fans would dispute this.
Regardless, St. Pierre seams to have found the “lead to his kryptonite” which is a stifling takedown offensive. His takedowns allow him to avoid the stand up game when needed, thus protecting his chin.
Ironically, Superman was co-created by Canadian-born artist Joe Shuster. Another similarity GSP shares with Superman is the strong moral compass he seems to subscribe to.
Superman was often referred to less-than-flatteringly as “the big blue Boy Scout” by some of his fellow superheroes and I wouldn’t be surprised if fellow MMA fighters had some choice nicknames to describe GSP’s signature nice guy persona.
And then there is Clark Kent. As Kent, Superman lived among humans as a “mild-mannered reporter.” Other ways to describe Kent might include awkward, nervous, and always self-effacing.
In a different version of Clark, he was given a more aggressive personality and was made a top football player in high school. I see GSP as a combination of the two, epitomizing the idea of the “athletic dork.”
If there was another classic version of Superman in MMA, that would be Chuck Liddell. While he doesn’t draw as many comparisons to Superman as GSP does, Liddell was “The Man of Steel” no one could defeat for a long stretch in his career. Liddell found his kryptonite later in his career at the hands of Keith Jardine and Rashad Evans (maybe Greg “Lex Luthor” Jackson put it in their gloves).
B.J. Penn as The Penguin
Every superhero needs a villain. The same holds truth in the world of MMA. The Penguin is depicted as a short, obese man and is one of Batman’s greatest enemies.
While B.J. Penn isn’t the archenemy of our Batman Machida, they did fight each other once. Penn is not overly short, nor is he obese, but I will let you come to your own conclusions on his stature and conditioning.
Penguin was a mobster-type criminal who fancied himself a gentleman of crime and his nightclub business provided a cover for more low-key criminal activity, which Batman tolerated as a source of criminal underworld information.
If anyone tolerates B.J.’s antics, it’s Dana White. B.J. has had his run-ins with the law and is known for his mischievous, trash talking ways. No one will forget the blood licking.
As a kid, the Penguin possessed traits that make him an outcast in his rich, high society family and their rejection drove him to become a criminal. In keeping with his family’s tradition of wealth, the Penguin lives a life of crime, yet executes it with his own self-proclaimed class and style.
B.J. wasn’t rejected by his rich family, nor is he a full-blown criminal, but the undertones remain.
Some would go as far to call the Penguin a sociopath. I wouldn’t go that far with B.J., but some of his detractors might. Personally, I enjoy the role of the villain Penn plays and it has its place in MMA.
And lastly, like any good villain, they ultimately lose to the superhero and B.J. did a fine job losing to St. Pierre.
Brock Lesnar as The Incredible Hulk
If Brock Lesnar painted himself green and ran full force at you yelling like a raged monster, wouldn’t you think he resembled The Hulk just a little? Despite the clear physical comparison, Lesnar might resemble this superhero in more ways then one.
The Hulk was the emotional and impulsive alter ego of the withdrawn and reserved physicist Dr. Bruce Banner. The Hulk appears shortly after Banner was accidentally exposed to the blast of a test detonation of a gamma bomb he invented.
While Lesnar wasn’t exposed to any gamma rays, most think of him as a freak of nature. Bruce Banner lives in a constant state of panic, always wary that the monster inside him will erupt. Therefore he can’t form meaningful bonds with anyone.
When “The Next Big Thing” isn’t looking crazed inside the octagon, he is back in Minnesota perfecting his craft as if it were a science. To say that Lesnar becomes withdrawn and reserved would be a fair characterization.
Rumors are he doesn’t even own a cell phone or get on the Internet. He remains isolated at his gym where he creates the perfect monster to dominate the world of mixed martial arts.
Ironically, the Hulk’s creator - Marvel legend Stan Lee - said he was inspired by a combination of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and Frankenstein. Lesnar certainly seems to have two different personalities, one for the cage and for his private life and Lesnar quickly is turning himself into the Frankenstein of MMA.
Gina Carano as Wonder Woman or Catwoman
I will let you pick your favorite. Personally, I prefer the Wonder Woman costume but you can’t go wrong either way. One thing is for sure: this All-American beauty has the talent and the look of a super hero. She can rescue me anyday!
I could go on and find more superhero counterparts for other MMA fighters but I don’t want to have all the fun. Hopefully, some of you can add to the list. Feel free to call out any discrepancies I may have made in labeling or add to the list of things that make these fighters like their superhero counterparts.
The problem with Toronto’s professional sports teams
February 5, 2009
by Louis “The King of Roncesvalles” Pisano …
The first team on any Toronto sports fans mind is the Toronto Maple Leafs, and as we all know they haven’t won Lord Stanley’s cup since 1967. There were a few years, back in the days, where they actually had a chance, but it seems to me every time they got close, the fans and the media are so critical of every little stupid thing, that the players can barely scratch their own nuts without someone crying bloody murder!
This problem has just escalated as the corporate dollar has become the only one that seems to be able to purchase a ticket in the metropolis of Toronto. You can apply the same theory to the Raptors who can`t seem to keep a star player past their first big contract, we`ve seen it with Mighty Mouse Damon Stoudamire, Marcus Camby, Tracy McGrady, and of course Wince Carter who`s a puke anyhow, but none of them wanted to stay here because everyone was on their asses, thinking they may be the Messiah when they got here, and then when perhaps they weren`t perfect one night, people turned on them like a Judas! Is the next one on this list going to be Bosh perhaps, chance!
The only teams that seem to be able to win anything are the ones that have the younger fans and the cheap tickets…case in point…Argo`s, Rock, and the Blue Jays. Why do these teams win championships…because anyone can get a ticket and the support for the team is felt through the contingency of fans that get out to the games and cheer! While watching the Leafs and the Raps, it’s so rare to hear the fans cheer with any sort of enthusiasm because the crowd is so full of people that don’t give a shit about the sport, but more so care about having the tickets and being able to say they were at the game and making “an appearance“ so to speak. It’s just like a high school 9ers party where a couple of the older cool kids show up for awhile, drink their booze, and leave to go to a real party, but those 9er’s talk about how the “cool guys“ showed up at their party.
I haven’t touched on the Toronto FC but because of the diversity of nationalities in the city and the worldwide appreciation of the game, the stadium will be packed with raving beer drinking hooligans for as long as the city has a team, I would figure. They are too young of a league and a franchise to really harp on, yet. But I’m sure if they don’t produce a winning product the fans and media will eventually jump down their throats as well!
In so many other cities around North America and Europe no matter how poorly the teams play, their fans seem to support them. The Oakland Raiders for example, always have the wild fans done up in a “road warrior” type battle gear adorned with skulls and spikes and cheer like maniacs even though the team sucks! Any English soccer game no matter what division show fierce support for their home team and are most of the time willing to fight for them no matter how brutal the team is.
Where is that feeling of hometown support here? Toronto needs to learn to have some pride and show some support for their teams whether or not they win or lose! Perhaps if Toronto as a city pulled together behind their teams, they might just win! Let’s GO T.O. get on the ball, or puck for that matter!
Recent Comments