First Annual October Rant and Rave of All Things Sports

Hello to all on this chilly October day, if you're in Cincinnati that is.  Whether it's the NFL, MLB, or College Football or any other sport or league, I'll rant and rave about it.  Being the first annual October Rant and Rave, I'd like to start off with what makes October special, Major League Baseball Playoffs.  For only the second time in Major League Baseball history, three of the four Division Series have ended in a sweep.  The Yankees swept the Twins in 3, the Angels swept the Red Sox in 3, and the Dodgers swept the Cardinals in 3.  The last time this happened, where three of the series ended in a sweep, it was 2007, and "Rocktober" was in full swing.  2009 has tied history this year twice.  Not only with the former, but since the Phillies have beaten the Rockies in four games, the amount of games played in this year's Division Series has tied the least amount in history at 13, which, again, happened in 2007 during Major League Baseball's Rocktober month.   Another interesting factoid for you, this is the first time in history that both American League Division Series ended in a sweep.

With the economy going the way it is, I guess it only seems fitting to prove that if you have money, you will succeed.  That applies to baseball also, as the four teams in the League Championship Series all have over $100 million payrolls(see New York Yankees 2009 Team Payroll), and unfortunately, even with the entire Rockies roster being injected with the steroid "Rocktoberfest," the Rox were unable to beat the Phillies and be the only under $100 million team in the LCS.

Going on to College Football, Notre Dame fans need to shut the hell up.  I'm getting tired of hearing their fans cry out the Uncle Charlie's finally got it this year and is going to take them to the National Championship.  Look Irish fans, I hate to tell you, but when you play teams like USC and Ohio State, you get killed.  Ran over.  USC has beaten Notre Dame every year since 2002 and Pete Carroll is something like 17-1 after a bye week with 14 or so of those being complete blowouts.  Last year, USC won 38-0, but this year won't be a blowout.  Going into Notre Dame, will be USC True Freshman Quarterback Matt Barkley who is now used to the big loud stadiums after visiting Ohio State and will be looking to keep USC on top.  It won't be until next year when Pate Carroll unleashes the dogs with Matt Barkley, but for now, he's going to keep him contained to help him grow more.  I don't see anyone but USC winning this game, although I do think it'll be close like it was in 2005 when USC escaped with their lives in a 34-31 game on their way to losing to Vince Young and Texas in the BCS National Championship.

What also really gets to me is those college football fans that don't think about what they say if and when their team receives their first "L."  First game of the season, a team losses, and for the rest of the year, their team is bad.  No matter if they win out and play in the Orange Bowl, they didn't go undefeated and didn't play in the BCS National Championship.  College football fans don't realize this, but if a team has say one, two, or even three losses, through September or October, the season is not over.  Teams are able to get better.  Since Pete Carroll has been the Head Coach at USC, he is 27-0 in games played in November.  What does that tell you?  Even if one or two of USC's losses happened before November, they're going to go undefeated in November, so let it go.  NFL fans understand this, but college football fans can not grasp this. 

Last year, my Cincinnati Bengals stumpled to level even low for them.  1-11-1.  A tie is just as bad as a loss, so I'm going to say 1-12.  The Bengals then one the last three games of the season, and if not for a miracle play that resembled the statue of liberty made famous by Fielding Yost during his coaching tenure at the University of Michigan, the Bengals would be on an eight game winning streak.  But, they are not, and since that loss in the first week, they have come to take out my pre-season pick to win the NFC North in the Green Bay Packers and sweep the first set of games against their division opponents.  Bengals fans, and NFL fans overall know that one game does not mean the end of the season, but we do realize it could be the start of a lost season. 

Whatever happens to the Bengals, or any other College Football or NFL team for that matter, the season is not over.  Unless you happen to be a fan of the Cleveland Browns, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Washington Redskins, Detroit Lions, Kansas City Chiefs, Oakland Raiders, or Tennessee Titans.  If that's the case, start flipping out, call the season a disaster, sell your season tickets, and adopt a new team.  I here the Vikings are 5-0 and have Mark Sanchez's dad as their quarterback.  Wow, he must be old.  Just like years past, those bandwagon fans will all jump ship, and find a new team.  The past few years it's been the Pittsburgh Steelers and why?  "Oh, I used to watch Big Ben in college" or "I've been watching since The Bus crashed the Line of Scrimmage 30 times a Sunday for 16 weeks."  Don't lie, no you haven't.  You figure, "Hey, they're a winner, if I can just find one simple explaination for why I'm a fan, no one will harass me."  Wrong.  I will. 

This year, it's the Minnesota Vikings.  "Oh, I watched AP when he was in college or, I've been a Bret Favre fan since his days in Green Bay."  Again, don't lie.  No you haven't.  Every fan of the NFL knows that unless you were or are a cheesehead, you hate Bret Favre.  Why?  Because he's a regular old Joe, but a Joe with money, a golden arm complete with a biceps tendon tear, and three commercials with two of them poking fun at his indecisiveness and the other showing that apparently, if the teams equipment and uniforms get lost, he can play in Levi's.  Good God I'm glad to know that Bret Favre can play football in jeans. 

One of life's greatest philosophical questions in history has just been answered.  Yo Stuart and Scott, it's one lantern if he can play in jeans, and two lanterns if he can move without a walker.  Looks like it's the former, not that latter, maybe in 10 years, when he's in his 30th year of playing, he'll be playing while driving around a Scooter wearing Depends.  Whatever happens, Cedric Benson forever, Bret Favre NEVER!!!

Until next time, come back for more. 

The Easy