Chad Ocho Cinco, and the 2008 NFL season

Did anyone not see this day coming? The former Chad Johnson finding another way to stick it to the NFL, has legally changed his name to Chad Ocho Cinco probably due to the incident early last season with his attempted jersey alteration. For anyone who doesn’t know, Ocho Cinco (whom from now all shall be referred to as such) attempted to cover up the “Johnson” on the back of his jersey with a patch that said “Ocho Cinco” which literally translates from Spanish to “eight five”, reflecting his number on the team, 85. Before the game started however, quarterback Carson Palmer tore the patch off. Sure enough, the NFL still managed to find a way to fine him for the patch despite the fact that he never actually wore it during the game.

Personally, I am 100% behind Chad Ocho Cinco in everything he does. If you ask anyone to describe football in one word that isn’t “sport” most people would probably say “game”. Games are meant to be fun, Ocho Cinco and the players like him (T.O. to name just one) seem to be the only people who realize this. The NFL certainly does not, as them seem to fine people for just breathing too close to an opposing player these days.

With the start of the NFL season, I have to say I am pleasantly surprised. My deep hatred of the New England Patriots was the main fueling of my late-season cheering for the New York Giants and I don’t recall ever celebrating so hard for a team I didn’t care about. However, since that victory (which is sure to go down as one of the greatest games in NFL history, and is surely the biggest Super Bowl upset) I find myself unable to resist rooting for my home-team Giants. Considering my great displeasure with the recent activities of the Denver Broncos, and the terrible offseason moves they make and continue to make, I am sure I will be keeping a much closer eye on the Giants these season. And I must say that I am glad to see them carrying their momentum from the post-season last year into this season with their shut-out of the Redskins.

The World Champion… Rays?

This post relates to major league baseball.

At this point in the season there is no way to ignore what is happening in the AL east. The former whipping boy of the division has now held a position for the better part of the 2008 season that was at one time reserved for only the New York Yankees or the Boston Red Sox. No longer do claims that the Rays will “fall back into their place” or that this is just a “fluke run” hold any validity. Yes, it seems that the Tampa Bay Rays are here to stay. But for how long?

Despite the impressive numbers, long reign on top,  or the franchise best (at the time of this writing) 81 wins, the Rays are still in untested waters. Who is to say that they don’t face a crushing defeat in their very first round of the playoffs? The very first ever post-season appearance by the Tampa Bay team, none-the-less. Barring a late-season melt-down, it seems that we will find out.

What makes their accomplishments all the more grand is the fact that they play in one of the toughest divisions in the entire sport. The AL East was previously a two team divsion, everyone else was just fuel for their fire. For a team to come up from the bottom (a position the Rays know far too well) and beat out both the Yankees and the Red Sox (repeatedly) is something that the entire baseball world needs to recognize. No longer is it “Well the Yankees lost today but the Red Sox did too so we don’t lose any games to them.” For the first time in as long as I can remember, there is actually another team in the AL East to contend with for a playoff spot. Not to mention that it appears that for the first time in fourteen years there will be a post-season without the Bronx Bombers, but my thoughts on that subject will be held until the last game of the season has come to a close.

For now, all we can do is watch. But at this point, it seems that the Rays are ready for October.

S6 Sports Blog

Hello WordPress, and welcome to the S6 Sports Blog. This blog is going to be a place for me to detail my thoughts on the world of sports. I will mainly cover the MLB, NFL, and NBA; however I may occasionally give my thoughts on anything else happening in athletics. I don’t plan on being unbiased, as I feel that that type of attitude makes for a boring read. Although, I also don’t plan on ignoring things that I may not be too interested in.

Let me give you a little more information about me to start off. My name is James Holmes and I am a 19 year old college student from Dutchess County, New York majoring in journalism. It is my dream to one day be a professional sports writer, working somewhere in the north east and covering the major sports teams in the area. I am not just a writer though, I have first hand experience playing most sports as well so I can appreciate true athleticism and great talent when I see it. I played football in high school, but was forced to quit early due to knee troubles. I have also played both baseball and basketball recreationally.

I hope that this blog helps to enhance my writing skills, and provides a good place for me to express my reactions to the professional sports world. Thanks for checking me out WordPress, and look for actual sports-related blogs in the future.