Sherman bringing the Boom

By now everyone has heard the post game rant from Seattle Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman. The word "classless" has been thrown around to describe his reactions and obvious disdain for 49ers wide receiver Michael Crabtree.

Here's the thing, if you have ever played sports, you should know that there is a competitive fire that is driving the bus for those few hours. On the field of play you take on a warrior-like persona and your emotions can get the best of you. He was locked up defending Crabtree all game and I can guarantee that there was of barrage of trash talk tossed around by both. Sherman had just leaped up and tipped a Colin Kaepernick pass intended for Crabtree in the end zone that was subsequently intercepted by teammate Malcolm Smith, preserving a 23-17 victory that sent the Seahawks to the Super Bowl. While many would have thought Sherman might have shown a little more joy in his interview with Erin Andrews after securing a trip to the big game, I don't see anything wrong with his reaction.

He said he's the best corner in the league and if you check the statistics, he's correct. He has allowed the lowest passer rating against when thrown at, and no one has more interceptions than Sherman's 20 since he entered the league in 2011.

There is nothing classless about Richard Sherman. The Andrews' interview showed an emotional, reactionary on-field warrior, much more than the man. The man who has a communications degree from Stanford. The man who does charitable work through his Blanket Coverage foundation providing clothing and school supplies for children.

Sherman and the rest of the Seahawks' Legion of Boom have one more test ahead of them to prove they are the best.  Peyton Manning and the high-octane offense of the Denver Broncos will look to prove them wrong in Super Bowl 48.

Three get in, many deserving others left out

Following up on yesterday's entry, the Baseball Writers' Association of America voted in three new members to the Baseball Hall of Fame: Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine and Frank Thomas.

Maddux led the way receiving 555 of a possible 571 votes, that's 97.2% of the necessary 75% needed for election. I'd like to say that those sixteen members that didn't vote for Maddux clearly should have their voting rights revoked. I'd love to hear your explain why you didn't vote for him. Of course, only 157 writers made their ballot public, so all those cowards that didn't choose Maddux can continue to hide and do their judging from their own private soap box.

Craig Biggio missed election by two votes. I guess enough voters lumped him in with the Steroid Era. Biggio should get in next year, thankfully. Another guy getting lumped in that tainted era is Mike Piazza. Statistically the greatest catcher ever to play the game, Piazza only received 62.2% of the vote. There has never been any hard evidence that Piazza used during his playing days. Only rumors and innuendo. Oh, and that he had back acne. I ask all the baseball writers this. If you wrote a story based on rumors and innuendo, what kind of credibility would you have? Not very much in my opinion. Shame on these writers for forgetting what journalism is supposed to be based upon. The facts are the key to reporting news. Not heresay. Not what an unnamed source whispers about from the shadows. The facts. Piazza's statistics are facts. He's a Hall of Famer.

                                                          Biggio struggle face after missing the Hall by two votes.

                                                                               Soon, Mike. If not, we riot.

It was also revealed that ESPN personality and Miami Herald columnist, Dan Le Batard, allowed Deadspin.com to vote on his behalf. Deadspin put the vote in the hands of its the readers. The ten players receiving the most votes were Maddux, Thomas, Glavine, Piazza, Biggio, Edgar Martinez, Jeff Bagwell, Roger Clemens, Barry Bonds and Curt Schilling. I approve of Le Batard's actions. He allowed the masses to speak out on this issue. I think it proves that the majority of fans are fairly intelligent on who deserves to be in the Hall of Fame and I believe it allows shows that fans don't care so much about who was using steroids and who wasn't.  We'll never know exactly who used what. None of these substances were even illegal by baseball rules at the time. It's time to stop the argument, and it's time to admit the greatest players of that era into the Hall. So say the fans.

The Hall calls

Today, the results of the Baseball Hall of Fame voting will be released. Here's the ten guys that would get my vote if I actually had one.

Last year, no one got the call.

1.Greg Maddux. 355 wins. 3371 strikeouts. 18 Gold Gloves. Four straight Cy Young Awards during one of the most dominant pitching stretches in baseball history from 1992-1995. Anyone not voting for him should lose their vote forever.

2. Frank Thomas. Two-time MVP. Career .301 hitter with 521 homers and 1704 RBI. Also walked more than he struck out. Quite rare for a big slugger. Reached base 41.9% of the time. 11 seasons over 100 RBI. Mickey Mantle only did that four times if you would like a frame of reference. Big Hurt is a big lock.

3. Mike Piazza. Greatest offensive catcher ever. 427 homers and a .308 career average, mostly while playing the most difficult position on the field. All from a 62nd round draft pick. Never struck out more than 93 times in a single season, which is truly amazing for a power guy.

4. Lee Smith. When he retired he was the all time leader in saves with 478. It's time to stop disrespecting the closer position and put more of these guys in the Hall. Like punters in the NFL, they are a big part of the game, and Smith was one of the best closers in the game.

5. Mike Mussina. Tremendously consistent workhorse pitcher who spent his entire career in the hard-hitting AL East. Posted his first and only 20-win season in his final season at the age of 39. Compiled a 270-153 career record for a winning percentage of 63.8%.

6. Edgar Martinez. Much like the closer position, the designated hitter spot also gets little respect from the Hall of Fame voters. Martinez was a hitting machine. Career average of .312, 309 homers and 1261 RBI. From 1995-2001 he drove in over a 100 runs in all but one of those season. It's time for a DH to get in.

7. Tom Glavine. Crafty lefty that won two Cy Young awards and posted five, 20-win seasons as part of the Braves decade of dominance in the 90s. Finished with 305 wins and could always be counted on...unless he was pitching for the Mets on the final day of the season against the Marlins when a playoff spot was on the line. Yes, I'm still bitter, but at least I'm not holding back my vote for Tommy.

8. Jack Morris. 254 regular season wins on the mound, but really shined in the post season where he anchored the pitching staff for World Series winners in Detroit, Minnesota and Toronto. His ten inning, 1-0 shutout victory over Atlanta in Game 7 of the 1991 World Series is one of the greatest performances ever under pressure.

9. Craig Biggio. Spent all 20 years as a member of the Houston Astros collecting 3060 hits along the way. Came up as a catcher and was All Star. Then made the move to second base where he was also an All Star. His 668 doubles ranks fifth all-time and he stole 414 bases along the way.

10. Mark McGwire. Yes, he did steroids, but he also hit 49 homers as a skinny rookie in 1987, so I'm one to believe that his power was very legitimate. He was injury prone and the steroids clearly extended his career and enhanced his power numbers later in his career to monstrous levels. His home run journey to break Roger Maris' single season record in 1998 also helped baseball regain all lot of popularity that was lost following the prolonged strike that canceled a World Series in 1994. He admitted his misdeeds, so baseball needs to admit he was a legend of the game.

I'd also vote in Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens, but they continue to deny their use of steroids. Both guys were Hall of Fame talent before they started using. Just admit it and people might forgive you one day.

See ya later, BCS

The college football season came to an end last night with a thrilling, final seconds victory by the Florida State Seminoles over the Auburn Tigers, 34-31, ending the Southeastern Conference's seven year reign of hoisting the BCS trophy. The game also marked the end of the BCS, as next year we will finally be treated to a four team playoff to decide college's best football team.

Amidst the entire bowl season there was one thing that bugged me. The constant which conference is the best argument. Chants of S-E-C, A-C-C, PAC 12, BIG 10 all rang out loudly at bowl games across the country, but why? As a fan of the Florida Gators, should I really be cheering for teams like Alabama and Auburn to win because they represent the same conference as my team? Hell, no. I despise the other SEC teams. They are the enemy. No true fans of the Miami Hurricanes were cheering for the Noles last night and if they were, they should probably just cease living. Can you imagine Yankee fans cheering for the Red Sox in the World Series because they represent the AL East? Michigan fans cheering for Ohio State to bring home the title and do their conference proud? Americans cheering for Mexico to bring home the World Cup title in 2014 for CONCACAF? Something is very wrong with people like this. You can't always root for the winner. Pick your team and ride it out. You can't live vicariously through some other team's triumphs.

 

                                                   FSU won the championship. Fans of Duke should not celebrate.

There's no real way to determine which conference is the best. You can say that this conference puts the most players into the NFL, or that conference had the team that won the national title, or this conference had the best record in bowl game. The SEC went 7-3 in bowls this year, Pac-12 went 6-3, ACC went 5-6, Big 12 went 3-3, and the Big 10 went 2-5. It truly does not matter. All that matters is the team that raises the trophy in the end and if it's not the team you are a fan of, then you do not have any bragging rights. Tip your caps to Florida State. Undefeated. Champions. Period.