Sports (with no politics)

[redrumloa]

Will we see a changing of the guard in the AFC East and also the wider AFC this year? The New England Patriots suddenly look like hot garbage, while my Miami Dolphins look like potential contenders. I still have my reservations about some of the holes on this team, but overall they are playing much, much better than I expected or probably any fan expected. They cast off what seemed their 3 best players since the beginning of last year. Ajai, Landry and Suh. Suh wasn't really argued by the fans due to the ridiculous contract. Ajai and Landry really pissed off us fans. We couldn't imagine not taking a step back offensively losing their 2 "best" weapon, especially Landry. Suddenly no one is talking about talking about who is gone. Landry who?

Getting Tannehill back was huge. He was on fire in 2016 before he got injured. He missed all of 2017 and we all saw how terrible the Jay Cutler experience was. Tannehill's looking even better so far in 2018 and suddenly we have a whole lot of explosive play makers. My current favorite player is 5'6".

Dolphins WR Jakeem Grant Is So Tiny, He Needed A Chair To Stand On For His Postgame Interview

https://twitter.com/x/status/1043962684696416258

He's turning into a real star.

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=234810963880715

Meanwhile the Patriots are sitting at 1-2 with Miami coming to town Sunday. While Miami have a recent winning record against the Bellicheck/Brady era Pats when in Miami, they have not won in NE since 2008 (when Brady was out injured). If the Dolphins win, they go on to 4-0, with the Patriots dropping to 1-3.We could be witnessing a changing of the guard in the AFC East and possibly the overall AFC. Or we could be seeing the same 'ol, same ol'. This win would be huge considering the Dolphins offence have not hit their stride yet and Tannehill is still shaking off 1.5+ years of rust.

We shall see!

 

[ilwrath]

I don't watch a lot of pro football. (The joke is we watch the Lions, instead.) But, yeah... Everybody has been saying for years that the Pats were on their way down. The only difference is that this year, it looks like they have some actual data points. Of course, I don't think they're really as bad as they looked against the Lions. And the Lions, well... They show flashes of potential every season, before wrapping up without winning any playoff games. They are still the cursed 'Same old Lions' until they manage to repeat the feat of actually showing up and playing all 4 quarters of a game a few more times before anyone believes anything. We've seen this all before. So many times before.

I haven't seen much of the Dolphins this year, but the Pats definitely need to regroup or they could be in some serious trouble early. As for the Dolphins losing Suh... Yeah, that contract was insane. All of us in Detroit were shaking our heads on that one. We actually liked him here, but everyone was of the opinion "Dude, if you want to pay him that... Take him." You're better off done with it. He's such a frustrating player. An intensity matched only by his insanity. Truly the berserker. He could massively swing momentum your way by a great hit, or stomp it out by picking up a penalty and 2 game suspension for literally stomping on someone.

 

[redrumloa]

I don't watch a lot of pro football. (The joke is we watch the Lions, instead.)

And next Sunday we have the Lions coming down to Miami to play the Dolphins.

ut, yeah... Everybody has been saying for years that the Pats were on their way down. The only difference is that this year, it looks like they have some actual data points. Of course, I don't think they're really as bad as they looked against the Lions.

And you were correct. Once again the Patriots are building steam. It was my Dolphins that they turned the corner with. It is once again looking like the Patsies are the team to beat in the AFC. This is fleeting though IMO. Brady is literally 41 years old. Father Time is undefeated, and QBs are on extremely short borrowed time over 40, if they even make it there.

My Dolphins? Yeah, they are exceeding my original expectations this season, but they are not a powerhouse yet. I'm very happy they are 4-2 and except the patriots game and half the Bengals game, they have been playing with a ton of heart. I think there is a good chance they at least make the playoffs this year. QB position seems to be their problem, as it has been since Danny Boy Marino retired.

Speaking of QB, the performance Brock Lobster dropped last Sunday certainly caught me and most of the country off guard.

The Brock Lobster Is Back

You want proof that the NFL is weird?

I was certain the bears were going to make the game a bloodbath killing my phins, and my phins won a very exciting game. They played their as*es off. We'll see where they go from here, but I saw all heart in that game. They are trying hard.

Tannehill is an enigma. Sometimes he plays lights out, sometimes he's a deer in the headlights. It is looking like he played his last 2 games injured. It sounds like the head coach is frustrated with him. Brock Lobster may have the next 2 games to prove everyone, including me, wrong. How I would like to be wrong.

 

[ilwrath]

And next Sunday we have the Lions coming down to Miami to play the Dolphins.

Yeah. And honestly, I have no idea which Lions team you're going to get to see. There's some hope that it'll be the team that beat the Pats and Packers. The Lions haven't looked too bad in their past 3 games, despite losing to the 'Niners in there. Granted, they got handed the win against the Packers. It isn't every game a kicker misses 5 kicks. But at least they actually TOOK the win they were handed. And at least they looked somewhat like a team that wanted to win the game, in their last 3 games. Coming back off the Bye, though? Anyone's guess. They might be well rested and prepared. But, theoretically, they should have been rested and prepared for the Jets, too. lol It should be a fascinating game. At least until the first couple possessions, then maybe less so.

It's a bit of a shame that everyone up here is just talking about the Michigan vs Michigan State game on Saturday. The Lions are flying under the radar. That often seems to work to their favor, though. Usually when there is some attention, they wilt.

 

[Robert]

OT, but I just heard that no major US sport has promotion or relegation. Is this true, or are there exceptions?

 

[redrumloa]

OT, but I just heard that no major US sport has promotion or relegation. Is this true, or are there exceptions?

Promotion? Major US sports most certainly promote themselves.

Regulation? It depends how you look at it. On a national level I know major sports are usually allowed to self regulate. It is also based on the individual sport. Boxing and MMA as an example is heavily regulated with state and local governing bodies sanctioning individual fights.

Something like the NFL, the league itself is allowed to operate as a non-profit. Individual teams usually get sweatheart deals by the state and local cities to stay operating where they are. Stadiums are often built by taxpayer money. Stadiums often don't pay property tax. Comparing major sports teams to any other type of corporation, there is a clear difference.

 

[Robert]

Not that type of promotion.
And relegation, not regulation.
That said, your misinterpretation of the question is possibly a good indication of the answer.

All major sports in the UK (and, AFAIK, Europe) have tiered league systems with promotion and relegation. These can often work in needlessly complicated ways but, at their simplest, the team which finishes the season bottom of the top division is relegated to the division below. The team which finishes top of the division below is promoted to the division above.

For example, the biggest sports league in the UK is the English football Premiership. This is the top division of four senior, professional divisions. Below this there are myriad further tiers in a pyramid system, all the way down to amateur level. Scotland has a similar system, as do mainland European countries.

Part of the idea is that, in theory, anyone can start an amateur sports team which, over time, could eventually work it's way right to the very top. In practice this is just about impossible these days but it's part of the "romance of the game".

I support a previously very successful Scottish football team who went bust in 2012. As a result, they were kicked out of the top division and had to start again in the bottom professional tier, or fourth division. I spent the next few years travelling around Scotland on weekends to obscure little stadiums I'd never been in before, whilst they worked their way back to the top division. They've yet to win a major trophy since then but who knows, maybe this season.

Anyway, I was already aware that the NFL did not have anything like this (and I have always been an admirer of the curiously socialist draft system) but didn't realise it also extended to other US sports.

 

[ilwrath]

Not that type of promotion.
And relegation, not regulation.
That said, your misinterpretation of the question is possibly a good indication of the answer.

All major sports in the UK (and, AFAIK, Europe) have tiered league systems with promotion and relegation. These can often work in needlessly complicated ways but, at their simplest, the team which finishes the season bottom of the top division is relegated to the division below. The team which finishes top of the division below is promoted to the division above.

For example, the biggest sports league in the UK is the English football Premiership. This is the top division of four senior, professional divisions. Below this there are myriad further tiers in a pyramid system, all the way down to amateur level. Scotland has a similar system, as do mainland European countries.

Part of the idea is that, in theory, anyone can start an amateur sports team which, over time, could eventually work it's way right to the very top. In practice this is just about impossible these days but it's part of the "romance of the game".

I support a previously very successful Scottish football team who went bust in 2012. As a result, they were kicked out of the top division and had to start again in the bottom professional tier, or fourth division. I spent the next few years travelling around Scotland on weekends to obscure little stadiums I'd never been in before, whilst they worked their way back to the top division. They've yet to win a major trophy since then but who knows, maybe this season.

Anyway, I was already aware that the NFL did not have anything like this (and I have always been an admirer of the curiously socialist draft system) but didn't realise it also extended to other US sports.

Yeah, exactly. For the main North American sports, the franchise rights for a major league team are sold by the governing body. Like, the NHL recently sold a franchise right to start a new team in Las Vegas. The new owner of that franchise right then team hired General Manager, Coach, and staff. Then the players on the team were populated by an Expansion Draft. Essentially, each of the existing teams could protect a certain number of key players (and others were automatically protected by certain merits), and then rest of the players were available for the new expansion team to pick up, within rules. (The expansion team couldn't take more than 1 player from any existing team, etc...) So, in general, that is how new teams get "born" here.

For some sports, especially baseball and hockey, the main teams have a minor league affiliate for their players to grow in. Like, for hockey, the Detroit Red Wings have the Grand Rapids Griffins. The Wings can promote a player from Grand Rapids up to the big squad anytime they need someone. (Injury, trade, etc.) They can send someone down who is having a tough time, too. (Depending on their eligibility, they may have to clear a waiver wire where they could be claimed by any other major team before reassignment.) And baseball has a huge system like this. MLB teams have a single-A, AA, and AAA affiliate. So, theoretically, it would be possible for a player to get promoted to 4 different teams in a year in the same system!

But the teams, themselves, don't ever get promoted or relegated. With the exception that occasionally a league may "adopt" a team from another league that has disbanded. Like when the WHA folded in the late 70's, the Edmonton Oilers (and several others) moved to the NHL.

Honestly, with tanking for draft picks becoming such a problem in North American sports, it wouldn't be bad if there was some promotion and relegation system to keep teams wanting to win games, even if they might not have a good shot at the ultimate championship. Because, as it is, sports are developing into a handful of "super teams" that have a legitimate shot, and everyone else in some sort of "rebuild" mode.

 

[Robert]

Yeah, exactly. For the main North American sports, the franchise rights for a major league team are sold by the governing body. Like, the NHL recently sold a franchise right to start a new team in Las Vegas. The new owner of that franchise right then team hired General Manager, Coach, and staff. Then the players on the team were populated by an Expansion Draft. Essentially, each of the existing teams could protect a certain number of key players (and others were automatically protected by certain merits), and then rest of the players were available for the new expansion team to pick up, within rules. (The expansion team couldn't take more than 1 player from any existing team, etc...) So, in general, that is how new teams get "born" here.

For some sports, especially baseball and hockey, the main teams have a minor league affiliate for their players to grow in. Like, for hockey, the Detroit Red Wings have the Grand Rapids Griffins. The Wings can promote a player from Grand Rapids up to the big squad anytime they need someone. (Injury, trade, etc.) They can send someone down who is having a tough time, too. (Depending on their eligibility, they may have to clear a waiver wire where they could be claimed by any other major team before reassignment.) And baseball has a huge system like this. MLB teams have a single-A, AA, and AAA affiliate. So, theoretically, it would be possible for a player to get promoted to 4 different teams in a year in the same system!

But the teams, themselves, don't ever get promoted or relegated. With the exception that occasionally a league may "adopt" a team from another league that has disbanded. Like when the WHA folded in the late 70's, the Edmonton Oilers (and several others) moved to the NHL.

Thanks for posting this. Pretty interesting to me on a number of levels.

Honestly, with tanking for draft picks becoming such a problem in North American sports, it wouldn't be bad if there was some promotion and relegation system to keep teams wanting to win games, even if they might not have a good shot at the ultimate championship. Because, as it is, sports are developing into a handful of "super teams" that have a legitimate shot, and everyone else in some sort of "rebuild" mode.

Yes, it would probably help competition at least; nothing like the threat of being relegated to the shitey division below to get the players motivated.
Having said that, the geography in North America would probably be a hinderance to setting it up. Perhaps even to the point of making it impractical. When teams in the UK swap divisions, the fans are faced with travelling to a completely new set of towns and cities. Many still travel because the distances are short enough. I could see this being a problem if you tried to introduce such a system when an away game could be 3000 miles away. Perhaps some regional system could work?
Culturally it would probably meet resistance too - sports fans can be pretty precious about change, even if it's likely to be for the better.

 

[Robert]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1053124777785753601

 

[ilwrath]

Heh... Sorry, Red. Looks like it was the good Lions that flew down to Miami.

The offensive line looked pretty good, there was a for-reals running game (their team 248 yards in a game was the most they've had since 1997 when they had Barry Sanders, fer chrissakes!), and Matthew Stafford actually played all four quarters like they were the 4th. And, if it weren't for an uncharacteristic drop by Golden Tate and a penalty flag on a beautiful pass, Stafford and the offense would have actually been 5-of-6 from the red zone.

It'll be interesting to see how many people up here still say it's the same ole' Lions. On one hand, it is perfectly "Same Ole' Lions" -- do enough to draw some people in and then die sometime just before the playoffs. On the other hand, a pretty reasonable football team has showed up for the last 4 games in a row, (They are 3-1 over that stretch) and two of those wins have been pretty solid. The old Lions wins were always more along the lines of dragging the other team down to their level, and then beating them with experience. The past few seasons wins have often been in real games that resemble the actual football that good teams play.

 

[redrumloa]

Heh... Sorry, Red. Looks like it was the good Lions that flew down to Miami.

The offensive line looked pretty good, there was a for-reals running game (their team 248 yards in a game was the most they've had since 1997 when they had Barry Sanders, fer chrissakes!), and Matthew Stafford actually played all four quarters like they were the 4th. And, if it weren't for an uncharacteristic drop by Golden Tate and a penalty flag on a beautiful pass, Stafford and the offense would have actually been 5-of-6 from the red zone.

It'll be interesting to see how many people up here still say it's the same ole' Lions. On one hand, it is perfectly "Same Ole' Lions" -- do enough to draw some people in and then die sometime just before the playoffs. On the other hand, a pretty reasonable football team has showed up for the last 4 games in a row, (They are 3-1 over that stretch) and two of those wins have been pretty solid. The old Lions wins were always more along the lines of dragging the other team down to their level, and then beating them with experience. The past few seasons wins have often been in real games that resemble the actual football that good teams play.

The Lions Offense certainly brought their 'A' game. I don't like any Dolphins loss, but at least this was not an embarrassing loss (see New England loss). While it was a home game, a lot of intangibles were working against them. I think the biggest one is the fact the Dolphins played back to back teams coming off their bye week. The Bears game last week was a physical game. It just seemed like the Lions Offense had an extra step on the Dolphins Defense. The Dolphins ended the game very, very depleted of starters all over the skill positions due to injury. That's not an excuse, all teams deal with injuries, but it's there.

Now my Dolphins will be limping, if not crawling, into a short turn around Thursday night game on the road at the Texans? A team they have only beaten once in the 8 games the teams have played? Looks like 0.500 could be looming. Texans aren't a powerhouse team, but they certainly have had the Dolphins number. 8 games is a relatively small sample size, but the Texans are obviously the team the Dolphins have the worst winning record against.

 

[ilwrath]

The Lions Offense certainly brought their 'A' game. I don't like any Dolphins loss, but at least this was not an embarrassing loss (see New England loss). While it was a home game, a lot of intangibles were working against them. I think the biggest one is the fact the Dolphins played back to back teams coming off their bye week.

Yeah, that is a bad quirk of scheduling.

Now my Dolphins will be limping, if not crawling, into a short turn around Thursday night game on the road at the Texans?

Ouch! That is a much worse quirk of scheduling. A Thursday night game that late in a stretch with no Bye, yet. And just after the Bears and Lions. (Two teams that have no shame about taking a pound or two of flesh, one way or another.) You guys got screwed by schedule this year.

 

[redrumloa]

You guys got screwed by schedule this year.

It seems that way almost every year. Well not last year, but last year we had Smoking Jay Cutler as QB I hate to get into conspiracy theories when it comes to sports, but almost every year for the last ~15 years I look at the schedule and shake my head.

 

[redrumloa]

There are some WTF bad teams this year. 2 of them being in the AFC East will help my 'phins push for a Wildcard spot. The Bills and Jets are bad. The Jets had some fight to begin with, but that fight is gone. Dolphins swept them. The Bills have arguably the worst starting QB I've ever seen ever, and maybe historically bad. The Dolphins are 5-4 and still get have to play the Bills twice. That should be 2 automatic wins to get them to 7 wins. Win 2-3 other games and maybe sneak in.

My Dolphins are getting savaged locally and nationally, but the injured players they have are ridiculous. The fact they are 5-4 with the number of starters out or seriously injured? I'll take it. It's like duct tape and bubble gum holding the team together.

But yeah, where to start with the putrid teams? I'm wondering if the concept of "tanking for draft pics" is being done openly now.

-Edit-
This video is a couple weeks old, so it doesn't include last week's 0 TD & 3 INT performance.

Oh, no: Someone started GoFundMe to get Nathan Peterman to retire

 

[redrumloa]

If you follow the NFL at all, I'm sure you heard what happened in the Miami-New England game today. A new term has been coined, "The Miracle in Miami".

And the local radio call.

This was absolutely AMAZING to watch live. I was literally jumping up and down yelling. I am enjoying the hell out of this, maybe more than I should be

Here's a couple of cool videos. the first is fan video showing the celebrations, including players jumping into the bleachers to hug fans. The second one shows the locker room craziness.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1071912355594993664

https://twitter.com/x/status/1071886075432361984

Its not just because they won the game, nor even the fact it was the Patriots they beat, but the win was entirely improbably because it was unprecedented. It was the longest TD play with the clock expired in the Super Bowl Era (69 yards). This is historic, and the term "The Miracle in Miami" or "The Miami Miracle" will be referenced routinely. People still talk about the "Hook and Lateral" while that was a shorter play, and was right before halftime not the game decider after time had expired.

What a fun football day!

-Edit-
This is sweet!

 

[redrumloa]

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=330161120908074

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=279496659436531

 

[Robert]

I'm just heading to Glasgow Airport to catch a flight to Munich where I'll stay the night before taking a four hour train journey to Vienna on Thursday morning.
Three nights in Germany and Austria, all for a game of football which is already sold out and I don't have a ticket.
Such is the apparently idiotic dedication of the blinkered fitbaw fan.

 

[redrumloa]

 

[Robert]

The United States recorded the biggest ever victory in the Fifa Women's World Cup as they crushed Thailand 13-0.
The 2015 winners were 3-0 up at half-time, scored four times in 10 minutes in the second half and then added six more goals in the last 16 minutes.
Alex Morgan scored five times for the United States with two goals apiece for Rose Lavelle and Samantha Mewis.

Lindsey Horan, Megan Rapinoe, Mallory Pugh and Carli Lloyd also scored to beat Germany's 11-0 win over Argentina.
The United States' previous biggest win in the tournament was a 7-0 success over Chinese Taipei in 1991, while Germany's thrashing of Argentina came in 2007.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1138727657867284480