Even with the way my boxing news feed fills up with stories about James Toney vs. Randy Couture, each day that goes by without me mentioning it feels like a personal triumph. Many of the headlines are along the lines of "Mixed Martial Arts and Boxing Face Off with Couture vs. Toney" or something, and usually appear to be written by people who never have covered either sport. They are so ill-informed as to not even warrant a response in this space, as others have more than capably explained how wrong they are.

A very encouraging percentage, though, perhaps the majority, recognize that Toney-Couture on Aug. 28 proves nothing whatsoever about either sport. [queensberryrules]

But there's a "but" to the "but." Within the percentage of articles about how Toney-Couture proves nothing whatsoever, there are some which manage to make it sound like Toney is any kind of relevant boxer today. He is not. It's accumulated to the point that there will be no personal triumph for me today.

In an otherwise good piece at Yahoo recently, Steve Cofield wrote:

Toney has plenty left, especially if he got down to cruiserweight where he belongs. He's still a top-10 heavyweight, with a granite chin and defensive abilities as good as anyone in the sport.

In an otherwise good piece this week, Todd Martin wrote for ESPN:

As a result, the stage was finally set for the long-anticipated showdown between an elite MMA fighter and an elite boxer. Multiple-division boxing champion and future boxing Hall of Famer James Toney saw the opening and began a campaign to get a UFC fight. UFC decision-makers were initially cold on the idea, but Toney eventually talked himself into a fight with UFC Hall of Famer Randy Couture on Aug. 28 at UFC 118.

And just today, USA Today's Bob Velin wrote:

Toney, 41, will become the first elite boxer to step into the octagon when he meets heavyweight Randy Couture, 47, in the main event at TD Garden.

No, and no.

Toney is not a top-10 heavyweight. He hasn't been since 2006. He is not an elite boxer. He hasn't cracked Ring magazine's top-10 pound-for-pound since 2003. The last top-10 opponent in his division he beat was John Ruiz in 2005, but that was turned into a no-decision because Toney failed a post-fight drug test. The last top-10 opponent in his division he beat officially was Evander Holyfield in 2003, and even then Holyfield looked that night like a fighter whose career was over. Toneys was good enough in 2006 to lose narrowly to Sam Peter and draw with Hasim Rahman -- two men who passed for quality heavyweights in that day and age -- but by 2007, Peter blew him out easily. In 2008, he got a decision win over journeyman Fres Oquendo in what some considered the robbery of the year, so thoroughly did Oquendo outbox him. He hasn't done anything of note in a boxing ring since. Outside the ring, he's taunted the Klitschko brothers endlessly, but if the Klitschko brothers had fought him, they would have faced widespread criticism for choosing to fight an old, maybe-shot heavyweight who hadn't scored a significant win in the division in years and years.

I say that with remorse, as Toney is one of my all-time favorite fighters. The only thing he has left is defensive skill and a granite chin, and both have degraded in recent years, as Peter showed by decking Toney with a jab and as Oquendo showed by hitting Toney more than he should have been hit. He's likely not even a top-20 heavyweight at this point. He is formerly an elite boxer, formerly a top heavyweight. And if that sounds like nitpicking -- after all, Toney for the balance of his career was an elite boxer, so maybe using the present tense isn't so bad -- consider that if Muhammad Ali got in the octagon with Couture, nobody would say "Ali is the first elite boxer to step into the octagon." Ali's a good deal more beyond his best days than Toney, of course, but neither are currently elite boxers, and what Toney is now matters more for Aug. 28 than what he once was or what he was for most of his career. To call Toney "elite" today is misleading at best.

Everyone who writes that Toney-Couture will prove nothing about boxing vs. MMA is right. But it proves even less than some of them think. [queensberryrules2]

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Since 1996, Major League Soccer has strived to increase its leagues popularity and move soccer up the sports food chain in the United States. [beyondthebeat]

Facing opposition from everyday American sports fans; the moving process was very slow in the first 6 years. With two disbanded franchises along with the dismissal of the founding MLS commissioner, Doug Logan, the health of the MLS was in serious question. The 1998 World Cup Finals in France made matters even worse as the US team made up of primarily US players exited quickly with three consecutive losses, including an embarrassing loss to Iran.

The following World Cup held in Japan/South Korea proved to be the beginning of a new era in US Soccer.

The National Team shined as they made quick work of world powers Portugal and Mexico and reached the quarterfinals of the 2002 World Cup Finals. The MLS Cup Final, four months later, set an attendance record with a sellout crowd at Gillette Stadium, home of the New England Patriots. In the next few years the MLS sold off some of the best talents in the league to the biggest clubs in Europe as Tim Howard, Freddy Adu, and Landon Donovan made their way across the Atlantic. The league also quickly expanded to 14 teams with the additions of Real Salt Lake, Houston Dynamo, Chivas USA, and Toronto FC.

Although the resurgence of the MLS was in full force, the quality of the players in the league was still not up to standards of the best leagues in the world.

But in 2007, the most important provision ever put in place by the MLS, since it was founded, was adopted. The designated player rule allows each MLS franchise to go out and sign one player that would be considered outside of the teams' salary cap. This allowed teams to bid for international soccer stars. The first of these players was English National Player, and soccer icon, David Beckham.

At the age of 31, Beckham secured a 5 year contract with the LA Galaxy that would pay him 6.5 Million Dollars per season. This was an unprecedented salary for the MLS but was viewed as the only way the league could compete with European powers for the services of soccer stars. Over the last 3 years, the MLS has added 20 Designated Players to the rosters of its teams. Fans of the MLS, have experienced a sharp increase in the value and quality of the league. It is no longer thought of as a developmental league for US players, but as a comfortable landing spot for aging soccer stars across the world.

This brings us to the current problem of the DP rule, the age factor.

Although quality players have started to come over to the MLS, the age at which they make their transition is worrisome. Most of the players are over the age of 30, and in soccer years, this is the beginning of the end of their careers. The next step in the evolution of the DP rule is bringing in players in the prime of their careers. In the current MLS transfer period, this evolution is beginning to show. The first of these players, Alvaro Fernandez, a 24 year-old Uruguayan International, has joined the Seattle Sounders. Fernandez just came off a great run in the 2010 World Cup Finals helping Uruguay finish impressively in 4th place.

Another high profile move that transpired this summer was the addition of International soccer star Thierry Henry. Although Henry is on the downside of his career, it should be noted that Henry is viewed as a better player than Beckham was when he joined the MLS. Rafael Marquez, Henry’s former Barcelona teammate, also made the move to the MLS New York Red Bulls in what figures to be the most impressive MLS roster in the history of the league.

All of this movement should be extremely exciting.

The prospect of being able to see the best soccer players in the world every week here in Portland starting next year gets me pumped up for the MLS expansion even more. Hopefully the Timbers will fully utilize their DP and we can have a star to root for here in the Rose City.

Next time we will look forward to the possible DP additions to the Timbers roster as they make the jump to the MLS.

photo: zimbio

[beyondthebeat2]

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The California State Athletic Commission on Wednesday made the right decision by ruling, 5-1, against restoring the boxing license of junior middleweight Antonio Margarito. In explaining their vote, members of the commission argued that Margarito hadn't shown enough contrition for or taken adequate steps to correct what happened the night in 2008 when illegal wraps were discovered in his glove; that there should be a zero tolerance standard on safety in the boxing ring; and questioned what he was thinking in seeking a license elsewhere before returning to the commission that punished him. [queensberryrules]

It was the right decision for all those reasons, but most especially because, under the rule in California -- and it's a good rule -- the boxer is held to "strict liability" for his equipment and what he puts in his body, even if he claims that his trainer was the one who was to blame. As one commissioner said in explaining his vote: "You can delegate authority, but you can't delegate responsibility." And, as another commissioner said earlier in the hearing, a mere one-year license revocation could send the wrong message that loading one's gloves is worth the risk of getting caught because if one doesn't get caught, cheating in that way could lead to a win that would pave a fighter's career path with gold.

But I'd be surprised if it affects whether Margarito fights in America again, as it should per the usual standard of one state honoring another's rulings. Texas is the preferred location for Margarito's fight with Manny Pacquiao, wherein Margarito will make more money than he ever has. Promoter Bob Arum said he expects Texas to provide a license, and last week came reports that Margarito's team had been "assured" that he would receive a license. Maybe Arum's wrong, and maybe the unnamed source who said Margarito was "assured" of receiving a license is unreliable. But all signs point to the likelihood that, no matter what California did, Texas was going to be on board for the fight.

So there was probably no justice done Wednesday, in reality. But what California's commission did is, at minimum, a victory for principle. And that's worth something. [queensberryrules2]

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Not only did Anderson Silva steal away Chael Sonnen's dreams of middleweight gold at UFC 117, he also took the money and ran.  The California State Athletic Commission yesterday  released the reported fighter salaries from the event, and Silva came away the big winner, netting a cool $320000 when you include the end of night bonus awards.  As always, please remember that this is only the reported purses that the fighters earned - it doesn't include any unreported bonuses, sponsorship money or pay-per-view earnings a fighter may have made.  In total, the UFC paid out a reported $1329000 to UFC 117's combatants.  Here's how the money was divvied up: [mmamanifesto]

 

Anderson Silva: $320000 ($200000 to show, $60000 for Fight of the Night, $60000 for Submission of the Night)
Matt Hughes: $260000 ($100000 to show, $100000 win bonus, $60000 for Submission of the Night)
Jon Fitch: $120000 ($54000 to show, $54000 win bonus, $12000 for Thiago Alves coming in over weight)
Chael Sonnen: $95000 ($35000 to show, $60000 Fight of the Night bonus)
Stefan Struve: $90000 ($15000 to show, $15000 win bonus, $60000 Knockout of the Night bonus) 
Junior dos Santos: $80000 ($40000 to show, $40000 win bonus)
Clay Guida: $56000 ($28000 to show, $28000 win bonus)
Thiago Alves: $48000 ($60000 original salary minus 12% paid to Fitch for coming in over weight)
Johny Hendricks: $40000 ($20000 to show, $20000 win bonus)
Ricardo Almeida: $35000
Tim Boetsch: $32000 ($16000 to show, $16000 win bonus)
Dennis Hallman: $30000 ($15000 to show, $15000 win bonus)
Rick Story: $22000 ($11000 to show, $11000 win bonus)
Dustin Hazelett: $18000
Phil Davis: $18000 ($9000 to show, $9000 win bonus)
Roy Nelson: $15000
Ben Saunders: $12000
Rafael dos Anjos: $12000
Charlie Brenneman: $8000
Rodney Wallace: $6000
Todd Brown: $6000
Christian Morecraft: $6000

Silva's big payday also moved him into second place in the 2010 UFC fighter salaries rankings, behind only Rashad Evans.  Check out the updated 2010 UFC fighter salary info here.

[mmamanifesto2]

 

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The one lesson everyone who watched yesterday's PGA Championship will walk away with is that golf isn't a fair game.  If golf were fair, Dustin Johnson would have had a chance to win his first major in a playoff, instead of being penalized two strokes for grounding his club in a sandbox/bunker.  If golf were fair, Bubba Watson might have completed one of the more inspirational major victories of recent memory, winning his first major while his father battles cancer and his wife just survived another cancer scare.  And if golf were fair, a talented, young German (Martin Kaymer) would be celebrated today as golf's next breakout star with more potential than anyone to win multiple majors, instead of being a current-day Bob Goalby. [randallsimonssausages]

Bob Goalby?  Even a knowledgeable golf fan might look at you with a confused face if you asked him about Bob Goalby.  But, if you mentioned the name Roberto DeVicenzo and the 1968 Masters, you would hear another sorry tale about golf's fairness, or lack thereof.  DeVicenzo, like Dustin Johnson, was about to go into a playoff with Bob Goalby for the championship, until he signed an incorrect scorecard and was disqualified from the playoff.  Much like the situation with Dustin Johnson, DeVicenzo took full blame for his mistake with his famous quote, "What a stupid I am!" While Johnson didn't say as much yesterday, he did face his gaffe like a man and took full responsibility for the penalty on the 72nd hole. After all, even though everyone sitting at home and sitting in that "bunker" knew it wasn't a fair outcome, it was the right outcome.

It was the right outcome because golf is different from any other sport, where the rules of the game, and values like honor and integrity are more important than fairness.  It wasn't fair that Dustin Johnson's drive found one of the 1,000 bunkers strewn about Whistling Straits by designer Pete Dye that happened to be filled with fans. Sure, it wasn't fair that throngs of people filled the "bunker" that Johnson's tee shot found on 18, making it impossible for Johnson to assess his surroundings accurately.  Maybe it wasn't fair that Johnson's caddie and rules officials didn't do a better job of clearing the crowd and reminding Johnson he was actually in a bunker.  Of course it wasn't fair that the PGA couldn't give Johnson a break in such unusual circumstances to allow him to participate in the playoff.

But, take it from someone who plays the game and played golf competitively (although small-time Ohio high school golf loosely qualifies as "competitive"), golf's very foundation is built on honesty and integrity.  This isn't a sport where players get ahead by blatantly cheating through the shameful flopping that has become so popular in soccer and basketball.  For generations, golfers have been calling penalties on themselves, not relying on rules officials to follow them every step of the way. Dustin Johnson admitted as much yesterday, he knew he should have looked at the rules more closely. The bunkers at Whistling Straits were a big story all week, and players and media were told each of the 1,000 or so would be played as hazards, whether they were inside the ropes, or whether little Johnny was building a sandcastle in it outside the ropes. No other major venue in the world would have fans standing in a bunker with a player as he's trying to par the last hole to win his first major. That still doesn't excuse Johnson not knowing the rules, and refusing to play it safe by not grounding his club.

Many in sports will compare Johnson's plight to Tigers pitcher Armando Galarraga, who had a perfect game robbed by umpire Jim Joyce's blown call at first base for the last out of the game.  Both had significant accomplishments stolen from them by a lack of fairness.  And while both handled their tragic circumstances with class, the two situations should be remembered differently. Bud Selig still could have intervened and given Galarraga the perfect game since it was the last out of the game. Or better yet, he could have replay systems in place to avoid a botched call costing Galarraga a place in history.  But most of all, in that situation, no rules were broken, an umpire missed a call.

Here, the officials got the call right, the rules were followed as they were laid out before the tournament.  And while anyone who saw what happened at the PGA would agree it wasn't fair, they should all agree it was the right decision.  So while Martin Kaymer might still live in obscurity as a first-time major winner, and Bubba Watson and Dustin Johnson have the consolation prize of making the Ryder Cup team, everyone will remember the 2010 PGA Championship for Johnson's penalty on the 72nd hole.  Golf, like life, is filled with instances like yesterday, where the world just isn't fair. But, the values of integrity and honor were preserved yesterday by Dustin Johnson and the PGA, which will always be more important than fairness in the game of golf. [randallsimonssausages2]

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Yesterday we gave you the 20 players to watch in this year's EPL season.  In the second and final part of our preview, it's time to put our prognosticating prowess on the table.  We let you know our forecast for the final table in the 2010/11 English Premier League season.  Who will fight the battle for relegation?  Who will qualify for Europe?  And most importantly, who will be lifting that Premiership trophy when all is said and done? [randallsimonssausages]

(1) Manchester United (last year-2nd)
Though questions about for Manchester United just like any other side (health of the defense, age of key midfield pieces, can Rooney keep it up), Sir Alex Ferguson always seems to have the answers.  While his side has stayed at the top of the table for years, he's also managed to develop the deepest side in the EPL by a large margin.  Expect to see even more of the youth movement on a week-to-week basis with players like Gibson, Macheda, Fabio/Rafael, and new signing Chicharito being given the chance to be more than bit players in the Carling Cup. This youthful, skillful depth, along with the wily leadership and steady hand of players like Van der Sar, Vidic, Giggs/Scholes, and Rooney, Man United seem to be the most complete side going in to the season.  While it certainly won't be a run away, expect Manchester United to finally get their 19th Premiership to pass Liverpool for the most all-time.

(2) Chelsea (last year-1st)
Many forget that Chelsea were perhaps a dubious offside call at Old Trafford away from losing the Premiership.  Instead, they were barely able to hold off their top rivals in Manchester to be champions by a single point.  While it will be hard to duplicate the drama of last year's title race, expect Chelsea's priorities to be on other tasks than defending their Premiership.  Russian tycoon/owner Roman Abramowich has always coveted the Champions League above all else, and with a side missing a lot of players who provided depth (Joe Cole, Belletti, Carvalho, Ballack, etc.) it will be difficult to fight a war on two fronts.  Unless reinforcements to Ramires and Benayoun are brought in, it appears Chelsea will fall short once again in England.

(3) Manchester City (last year-5th)
Man City are certainly the nouveau riche of the football world with the money pouring in from their Arabian owners.  As if all of their additions last season weren't enough, the Sheiks have kept going adding quality pieces like David Silva, Yaya Toure, and defenders Boateng and Korolov.  Give City credit though for not following the Real Madrid model by buying the best attacking talent and leaving the defense to fend for itself.  They recognize, especially in England, that a solid defense is the key.  And with the attacking talent already in place (Tevez, Johnson, Adebayor or possibly Balotelli from Inter), any sort of defensive resistance should be enough to vault City past some of their rivals into Champions League qualification.  While they aren't on the level of Man U/Chelsea yet, they are much closer than many traditionalists would like to admit.

(4) Arsenal (last year-3rd)
The football punditry has been waiting for years for this generation of Gunners to challenge once again for the Premiership.  And with talent overflowing at almost every position, it isn't hard to fall in love with Arsene Wenger's free-flowing brand of the Beautiful Game.  But, a couple of familiar foes will derail any serious title hopes.  First, the constant distraction of captain Cesc Fabregas's eventual departure to Barcelona still doesn't seem settled.  Second, there aren't reinforcements in the middle of the park, specifically in central midfield and central defense.  And third, Arsenal will never win a major title with Manuel Almunia as their first-choice goalie, take it to the bank!

 

(5) Tottenham Hotspur (last year-4th)
Tottenham were the beneficiaries of Liverpool's failures and Manchester City's extravagance to finish 4th and claim the crucial Champions League berth (i.e. truckloads of money!)  But, with the improvements already seen in Manchester City, Spurs have been chasing transfer targets like a hare around a greyhound track, only to come up empty so far.  Complicating matters is the usual logjam at striker with players like Keane, Pavleyuchenko, Defoe, and Crouch all fighting for minutes.  Added to that the uncertainty in defense with the health of Ledley King, and it will be tough for Tottenham to get back to Champions League football.  In a season where their depth will be tested, Tottenham are just a few players short to duplicate last year's success.

(6) Liverpool (last year-7th)
The buzz word around Liverpool this season is transition, which might as well be code for "big fat waste of time".  Without Rafa Benitez to kick around, and many of the players who gave fans bouts of joy and heartache, it will be a new look Liverpool squad at Anfield.  And while stalwarts Torres and Gerrard were convinced to stay, neither looks as if they are at their physical peak.  The biggest developments for Liverpool will happen off the pitch, where American owners Gillett and Hicks have to be ousted if Liverpool are to compete with the new Top 4.  Without a few big money signings, Liverpool could begin a slow slip down the standings from Champions League, to Europa League, to fighting for their lives.

(7) Everton (last year-8th)
One has to give credit to Everton manager David Moyes for always making a sweet-tasting batch of lemonade out of some sour lemons.  Seemingly with only smoke and mirrors, Moyes has made Everton a constant fixture in the Top 10, which should hold true again this season. The return of a healthy Mikel Arteta will be a huge boost.  Add to that the potential of resigning American Landon Donovan, and Everton should find even more success.  If MLS had any brains at all, they would sell Donovan to Everton in a heart beat and adopt them as their unofficial EPL team, with U.S. GK Tim Howard firmly entrenched there as one of the country's best goalies.  Of course...that would require MLS to use their brains...I won't hold my breath.

(8) Stoke City (last year-11th)
Stoke City have gone from one-trick pony (Rory Delap's long throw-ins) to hard-nosed home specialists to a very real threat to make it to European competition.  WIth their rock-solid defense, the question for Stoke was always going to be if they could score enough goals to break through the glass ceiling.  Well, with the signing of Kenwyne Jones from Sunderland, manager Tony Pullis might have found just the man for the job.  While Darren Bent got all the headlines and goals last season for Sunderland, Jones can be just as dangerous when he wants to be.  If he brings his A-game to go with Stoke's always rough-and-tumble defense (led by Ryan Shawcross), Stoke will be on the verge of European qualification.

(9) Aston Villa (last year-6th)
Frankly, Villa are a team who have gone from competing for the Champions League to hanging on by a thread in a matter of days.  With the loss of manager Martin O'Neill, it seems a tower of cards might come tumbling down at Villa if owner Randy Lerner gives the go-ahead. Not only might Villa lose James Milner to Man City, but GK Brad Friedel and W Ashley Young could be following out the door soon after. If that's the case, Villa may stumble further down the standings than 9th.  But, even with a couple of losses, there is enough quality in the side to stay inside the top half of the table.

(10) Fulham (last year-12th)
While Fulham lost Roy Hodgson to Liverpool, the rest of their Europa League runner-up squad returns, including rumored target GK Mark Schwarzer.  But, Fulham's hopes will rest on the form of their front men, namely Clint Dempsey, Andy Johnson, and Bobby Zamora.  If they score goals in the EPL the way they did on Fulham's Europa League run, they could find themselves easily within the Top 10.  If not, the team will struggle to compete, it's as simple as that.  Also, don't discount the redemption factor of Mark Hughes, who was dumped so rudely by Man City last season.

(11) Bolton Wanderers (last year-14th)
Give Bolton credit for being one of the few mid-table sides committed to playing an attractive brand of football to fight their way up the table.  They've signed Martin Petrov to pair with some promising midfield pieces and have brought back Ivan Klasnic to be the primary goal-scorer.  If Bolton can get anything, anything from hulking Swedish striker Johan Elmander (8 goals in 55 appearances), they can be an outside threat for the Europa League.  Whatever the case, expect goalie Jussi Jaaskelainen to continually turn in some of the more spectacular saves in the league on a weekly basis.

(12) Birmingham City (last year-9th)
One of the surprise packages of last season was Birmingham City's march inside the Top 10 of the EPL in their first season after promotion.  But, there just don't appear to be enough goal-scorerers to support the mercurial Cameron Jerome up front.  Many of their crucial players (Phillips, Ferguson, Bowyer, Carr) are another year older, and none of Alex McLeish's transfers do much to spark excitement at St. Andrews.  While Birmingham City are firmly entrenched in the middle of the table, they won't see the same success as last season.

(13) Sunderland (last year-13th)
The last of the mid-table sides who will fight it out for faint hopes of Europe will be Sunderland.  The Black Cats always seem to have unbridled optimism at the start of the season, but usually have to claw their way back to mediocrity by the end of the campaign (kind of like a cat...rimshot?).  Manager Steve Bruce has always seemed more concerned with using the job as a stepping stone than building a cohesive side to threaten the Top 10.  This summer has been no different seeing players come and go, including powerful striker Kenwyne Jones.  Despite all the wheeling and dealing, expect Sunderland to finish right where they did last season, in the middle of mediocrity.

(14) West Ham United (last year-17th)
Not long ago, West Ham was a team in disarray with the departure of popular manager Gianfranco Zola and a 17th place finish last year.  But, give credit to owners Gold and Sullivan for hiring perhaps the perfect man for the job, the battle-tested Avram Grant.  Grant has made enough prudent signings to strengthen the squad, especially when compared to the lack of strength in many other teams who could finish below them in the Premier League.  While there is a significant step down in quality after the Top 13, West Ham should be the best of the also-rans this season.

(15) Blackburn Rovers (last year-10th)
The great Sam Allardyce led Blackburn from nowhere to 10th place last season.  As we mentioned yesterday, a lot of the burden will fall on David Dunn to facilitate and score many of the team's goals, but another player to keep an eye on is 22-year old Mame Biram Diouf, a striker on loan from Manchester United.  If Diouf can build on the flashes of glory seen in part-time appearances, he may be the missing piece to the strike force.  That, combined with a steady Paul Robinson in goal and the leadership of Allardyce, Blackburn should be safe.

(16) Wigan Athletic (last year-16th)
American fans who saw ESPN's World Cup coverage might pay more attention to Wigan, managed by the affable analyst Roberto Martinez.  Unfortunately, Martinez's team doesn't boast as much quality on the pitch as he does on tv.  Still, Martinez's sides usually show enough quality at home to barely scrape by another season in the EPL.  Expect to see more of the same this year, with Wigan hanging around the bottom five positions all season long.

(17) Newcastle United (last year-Championship 1st)
One of the most beloved teams in English football, Newcastle, are back in the Premiership after a year-long voyage through the wilderness of the Championship.  They dominated their opposition last year, but the team they bring back to the EPL is not near as strong as the side that was demoted two years ago.  They will rely heavily on the experience of veterans like Sol Campbell and Kevin Nolan while also infusing a nice blend of youngsters (Andy Carroll and Dan Gosling).  If crazy owner Mike Ashley can stay out of the way long enough, Toon should just avoid the drop.

(18) Wolverhampton Wanderers (last year-15th)
One of the fascinating subplots of the EPL is the relegation battle, where the bottom 3 teams are demoted at the end of the season to the 2nd-tier Championship (if only we could do the same to the Pirates and TWolves!).  The first side we predict to go down our Wolves, who only barely scraped the drop last season by 8 points.  And for the lowest-scoring side in the Premier League last season, they haven't made any significant moves to bolster their attack.  

(19) West Bromwich Albion (last year-Championship 2nd)
Many soccer pundits have rightly noted that WBA are the epitome of a "yo-yo" squad...one that can easily gain promotion into the Premier League, but is never good enough to stay there. No one player strikes fear into the hearts of opponents, and they never seem to have enough cohesion as a unit to ward off the rest of the bottom-half of the table.  That's a bad combination to fight off relegation.

(20) Blackpool (last year-Playoff Winner)
The most surprising entry into the Premiership in years have to be the Tangerines from the seaside resort town of Blackpool.  They finished 6th in the Championship last season, but managed to win the four-team playoff for the final promotion spot.  However, even their popular return to the top flight won't be enough to help a paper-thin squad devoid of any real Premiership quality players.  They will struggle to even top the poor records of some of the worst sides in recent memory like Derby County and Portsmouth...they are a lock to be relegated. [randallsimonssausages2] no comments

So Madden 11 came out this week and everyone freaking loves Madden. I've been playing NCAA Football 11 for the past month or so, and having played both games, I can tell you that NCAA is better. But I'm not here to review the merits of either game; I'm here to tell you that only one of them makes my list of the top five sports video games of all-time. As a side note, I don't play stupid games invlovling soccer or hockey. Don't expect Jordan vs. Bird to make this list, either, even though it was amazing in its own way. Without further adieu, here is my personal top 5, including an adventure with a crackhead: [thoughtsfromthejockstrap]

 

5. Double Dribble. This game was - and still is - amazing. With only four teams to choose from, my friends and I would play this game for hours while talking ish. I remember freaking out about the zoom in for the reverse dunk. It was tremendous. We would then go outside to throw down some serious funk on my friend's hoop using a trampoline, all while wishing we could throw down a sweet reverse while wearing nuthuggers.

4. NBA 2K Series. This series changed my opinion on basketball games. To me, NBA Live seemed barely better than Double Dribble. 2K revolutionized the basketball video game. The player models were amazing and the game didn't feel like you were playing street ball all the time. On NBA Live (up until the latest version) you could win every game if you had the right player on your team. 2K required teamwork and skill, and every play doesn't end in a NBA Jam-style dunk.

3. NCAA Football Series. I'm partial to this series because of my obsession with college football, but the game is truly awesome. If you haven't played NCAA 11, pick it up and give it a shot. The graphics are ridiculous, the new changes with player fluidity make it feel like you really control every move your player makes, and the dynasty mode is better with an updated recruiting system. The realism of the game is getting better every year. This game is great, except for the fact that when I simulated a season to see who they would predict to win the title, Arkansas beat West Virginia in the BCS title game. How realistic can it be with that title game?

2. Mike Tyson's Punch-Out! From Piston Honda to Bald Bull, this game was amazing. I remember when a kid in my neighborhood finally beat Tyson on the game. It seemed so surreal. Of course, Tyson kicked the piss out of me every single time I faced him, but I kept coming back for more, only to get destroyed again and again. As much as I wanted to go all Chris Brown on Tyson, I could never quite get over the hump. But I wasted hours and hours of my life trying.

1. Tecmo Super Bowl. No contest. Tecmo Super Bowl is not only my favorite sports video game of all-time, it's my favorite game of all time, period. Any game with Don Majkowski on it must be top notch. Growing up, I had a neighbor who was a straight-up crack head. He once came over while I was playing hoops in the front yard and asked me if I had two dollars. I told him that I had $5 and I'd give it to him if he could beat me at Tecmo Super Bowl. Of course, he was all over that. I don't know how much crack five bones can buy, but he was acting like I had just offered him enough blow to last him until his late 30s. Anyhow, we get into his basement and he loads up the game. We played and I beat him pretty handily. He got pretty pissed off about this and blamed it on his joystick, claiming that he would have beaten me if he had been able to use the Advantage. So he then wants to go double or nothing. After he realized he hadn't put any money up for the first game, he quickly retrieved one of his Chicago Bulls t-shirts and offered that for a chance to even the stakes (I still don't think he realized he didn't owe me anything). So we played again, and just to be a prick I told him he could pick my team. So as the Cleveland Browns, I beat him 33-16, even though he had Bo Jackson on his team. He then told me to get the bleep out of his house even though I told him he could keep his Bulls shirt. With such fond memories of playing Tecmo Super Bowl, how could any other game hold the top spot? [thoughtsfromthejockstrap2]

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It took about a good two weeks to get Houston Alexander on the phone.

The man never sits still. [beyondthebeat]

Must be those deep Nebraska roots -- an every day reminder of where he's come from, and where he wants to go. One thing is for sure: swapping stories about the simple life during an hour-long conversation came as easy as a Tommie Fraizer touchdown run.

Within minutes, the story - which is currently running on Page 2 for ESPN.com - took shape quickly. But this story deserves more than 300 words on Houston moonlighting as a DJ in Omaha for nearly the last decade. Lost in translation was explaining how this single-father of six donated one of his kidneys to his oldest daughter in 2000 and how he juggles family, fatherhood and being an ambassador for his community while also fighting.

The faith is there too.

That's the heart of the story. Here's the rest of the story.

By Houston Alexander as told to Wendell Maxey

I usually get up at 5:30 in the morning.

I’ve been getting up then for the last five years – it’s an internal clock. It’s crazy. I don’t care what time zone it is. It’s more military now than anything and everything is always schedule.

See, I’m 38 years old. I’m a mixture of old and new – a little bit of everything.

My first show, I had a lot of rappers and wannabe R & B singers and a collection of music I’ve had since 1985. I put a lot of that stuff on the air. That first show was crazy. The show has changed, because you can hear the difference in the artists and production. Then you have a lot of old school rappers trying to hang on to their status.

They are trying to hang on to their status while the other ones are pushing through.

I actually sat at a table with Big Daddy Kane a few years ago. Picture this: Mr.C’s on North 30th street in Omaha. It’s an old school Italian place. It’s been open for years. I’m at this table with Big Daddy Kane, Slick Rick and MC Lyte - and all these guys were sharing all this information over the past years. They were talking about how Kool G Rap was one of the best rappers ever.

If there was one guy I could listen to over and over, it would have to be Scarface. You heard his progression as an artist from Geto Boys to his solo work now. He’s a great storyteller. Even though he’s an older guy, he could still out rap some of these guys trying right now. He’s steady progressing. Each album he’s done has gotten better.

As far as training, my mind has broadened. I’m going to camps all over the United States. Some of these camps are nothing – it’s just an octagon and some mats. That’s it. I’m going to go to one of Rashad Evans camps out in Denver. I’m just more open. You have to: everyone fight is different and everyone moves different. I’m trying to gain knowledge from everyone else.

I thought in the Kimbo fight – and with the game plan that we had – we were going to go in and show the people that we were going to show them a skilled fight. It’s not going to be a brawler’s fight. It was not going to be one of those fights where we’re going to be two monkeys beating our chests and going at each other. I said that in a couple interviews before the fight. Look, don’t expect me to go out there and start wailing on this guy. That’s the same way with Kimbo. I’m sure he had a game plan. We both had game plans. And I had an unpopular game plan with a lot of people, but I still felt I won the fight.

From the first to the third round – the second round was kind of shaky – whatever he did, I countered. I still feel that I won that fight. The third round, I was still trying to hold my composure. From the jump, we were supposed to kick this guy in his leg. But that mat is slick and I would slip or he would block it. It’s like glass walking on that thing, and then you try to kick. I had to switch up kicks. But if you are kicking, you are the aggressor, even if he is just standing there. I probably kicked him 12 or 13 times in the first round and he didn’t hit me once, but they gave it to him. How does that work out?

In the third round when I finally kicked him and knocked him down, but I thought he might be pretending he was hurt. We were so far into the round that I wanted to make sure he was hurt, and then I was going to go after him. He could have been playing possum, but that wasn’t our game plan. He tried to pound me, but he maybe hit me once on the ground. The one time he took me down was because I was out of position.

People thought he did some power move on me, but I do that when I break dance. People just don’t understand that. I’ve done moves break dancing and gotten hurt versus fighting. You might get hit in the face or get kneed, but that’s it.

Break dancing is hard. Fighting is easy to me.

If I had that fight over again, I would fight him the way I’ve always fought. That’s why I had to change it up. Because if you go into the third round, you want to have enough juice to last the entire fight. But you want to do something to your opponent immediately. And that’s what I’ve been doing over the past 10 years. Once you start learning different techniques and philosophies, then it can deter you from the animal you are supposed to be in the ring. Now I have to go back to being that animal.

I started off great and then they fed me to the wolves. It was one top guy after another. I came in and they didn’t give me anyone weak. Even at this level, I am still learning. I’ve been a pro for a long time, but they were smaller shows – I’ve fought guys where the show is 100 people and shows of 10,000. Even when I started in UFC, those people didn’t know I had over 200 fights. In the UFC when you fight every three months, you have to get mentally ready for it.

When I used to fight every week, I knew I had to go into battle once a week. So now, when you have to wait every three months, then you have to get motivated to get to that point. That is two interesting worlds to me. I’ve conquered the first world, and now I have to re-adjust and conquer this world. I’ve adjusted for what I need to do against a world wide scale of fighters.

I’m a true fighter. I’m not a faker. I’m a fighter. Whether it’s local or nationally, I’m a fighter. It’s in my blood.

When do I hang it up….when I don’t have enough speed, and when my body shuts down. I’m in better shape than anyone on the map. I guarantee that. My body hasn’t been beat up. I don’t have busted hands or a bad back. MMA has taken my physical abilities to the next level.

There was no fallout with the UFC. That was Dana White being Dana White. If anyone saw that fight, they would know it was a good fight: it was dramatic and everyone was up and out of their seats. It was a great fight. It lived up to the hype, even if we weren’t punching on each other like they wanted us to do. It was a good fight. It’s fine. If that’s the way they do business, that’s fine. But I’m not going to talk bad about Dana White or the organization that helped me out. That shows no class on my part. I lost the fight – that’s it. Move on. I’ve been doing this for too long.

A rematch with Kimbo? Of course that would interest me. If anyone would set that up, I would love to fight that guy again. But it would be a whole different demeanor.

As soon as we found out who we were fighting (Rameau Thierry) Sokoudjou and that he does fight internationally, I probably have 20 of his fights on DVD. I know when he lost and how he lost. I knew exactly what he was all about from the first day I found out I was going to fight him. I mentally researched it, because I like to see who is in front of me. That way when I get into the gym, I know what I need to be working on.

When I get to the gym, there is no time wasting. You can’t waste time. All I need is an hour. I do more in an hour in the gym then most guys do in a week. And I am dead serious. That includes punching and kicking. I don’t lift a lot of heavy weight. I lift enough to where a guy isn’t going to push me around. But if he does push me around, I’ll be the one to outlast him in the end.

I don’t care if people want to read about me or not, but when I’m in a national setting it brings attention to our area. And when it brings attention to our area, then you have kids walking around with no hope, then they see me. It’s wonderful. That’s why I haven’t left our neighborhood.

My family – they are called the ‘A-Team’- is the reason I fight. My main concern is getting my kids on the right track. I see so much going on with kids today and no one is doing the right thing.

Someone has to do the right thing. [beyondthebeat2]

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Italian soccer club AC Milan beat Greek side Panathinaikos 1-0 in a shootout this weekend. The score -- and the game, for that matter -- are not important. The location is. This game, held at the Pontiac Silverdome, drew over 30,000 fans. The soccer match was part of a push by Steve Apostolopoulos, the Silverdome's new owner, to rejuvenate interest in the stadium. [detroit4lyfe]

Apostolopoulos has some big ideas for the Silverdome, which he purchased for $583,000 from the city of Detroit last year (emphasis mine).

One of their goals in suburban Detroit is to acquire a franchise in Major League Soccer. To retrofit this 80,325-seat stadium to match the scaled-down models in vogue around MLS, the new owners are considering a radical idea. They would tear off the Silverdome's air-supported roof and divide the place horizontally into two levels with a new floor across what is now the middle deck. Atop this would sit an outdoor soccer field with less than half the current seats. Below it would be smaller spaces for basketball and hockey games or other events.

Could Detroit become the MLS' 20th franchise? Find out after the jump...

I could write a novel about the advantages and disadvantages Detroit has over other areas in search of becoming MLS' 20th franchise. Instead of wasting my time in something 80% of you have stopped reading because you're more interested in seeing Willa Ford's tatted-up cooch, here's the basic idea.

• After these renovations, Detroit will have a soccer-specific stadium, something the league covets and is pushing for among all of its teams.

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We all know sports aren't perfect. [aarontorrssports]

Baseball games are too long. College football needs a playoff. The NHL- for some inexplicable reason- still has a team in Phoenix. ESPN continues to show WNBA games.

But what really needs fixing?

Here's a list of a few ways on How I'd Change Sports...

One and Done Rule: When the one and done rule first came into play, I was a big proponent.

After all, it made sense: Go to college for a year, prove yourself, go pro. If not, come back and stay until you’re ready. Easy enough. The NBA would get players who were prepared to be professionals, while colleges would get everyone- even the superstars- for at least year. Everyone’s happy, right?

Just a few years in though, things have changed. And the rule is already outdated.

Early on, it was only the freshman that were destined for the lottery who left after a year (You know, the Greg Oden, Derrick Rose, Michael Beasley, Kevin Durant type players). But now everyone who is anyone is gone after a season, even those with crooked jump shots, bad attitudes, and guys that just weren’t all that good to begin with (think Eric Bledsoe or Daniel Orton). Basically, we’re back to the same problem we had five years ago: College basketball is sucked dry of its talent every year, and the NBA is continually getting a younger, and underprepared workforce. Not good.

(I always find it funny that in the current state of the NBA, guys are basically entering the draft and saying, “I’m not ready for your league now, and I might not be ready for two or three years. And even then there’s no guarantee. I hope you don’t mind. But oh, by the way, you’ve still got to start paying me now.”

Would that fly anywhere else in the real world? Imagine if I just walked into Dell or Apple at 18 or 19-years-old and said, “Well I’m not ready to be a productive member of this company yet, but I’ve got big time potential. I got a 1550 on my SAT and was voted “Funniest,” in my high school class superlatives. Give me three years and there’s a reasonable chance that I’ll be the best worker in this place. No promises until then though. Oh, and you’ve to start paying me now. If nobody minds, I want the corner office with the nice view too. See ya on Monday !”

Honestly, how quickly would I get laughed out of the building? Half a second? Except, that’s basically the current structure of the NBA.)

So with the one and done rule no longer being used the way it was intended, it’s time to scrap it and start over. Here’s my proposal, something I’ve discussed for years with friends and family.

If you want to enter the NBA Draft out of high school, you can go ahead and apply, but it’s treated like a real job interview. You go in front of a panel of experts (Ex-players, coaches, talent evaluators, whatever) and plead your case. Bring your game film. Bring your high school stats. Bring in letters of recommendation (Even if they’re from Big Rick from the block). If the panel deems you ready, you go to the NBA. Think the Durant’s, Dwight Howard’s, LeBron James’. These were guys that obviously didn’t need college, and shouldn’t have been required to go.

But if you don’t pass the admissions test, you’ve got to go to college for at least two years. After the second year, you can re-apply, and re-present your case, almost like a parole hearing (Only without the threat of shower rape if you get denied). If the panel doesn’t approve, you stay for a third year. After three years you’re free to do whatever you want. Go pro. Stay in college. Join the Peace Corps. Whatever.

I like this idea for a few reasons. The first of which, is that it’s like a real job interview.

Because here’s the thing: I’ve always gotten a kick out of people who defended players leaving for the NBA right out of high school by saying, “Well, if these kids can fight in a war, why can’t they play professional basketball?” Yeh, because those two things are so similar.  Besides, even to fight in a war there are basic requirements. You’ve got to have completed high school. You need to go through basic training. There's a reason we don’t just give 11-year-old kids guns and put them on the front lines in Afghanistan.

And that’s the way it is in the real world too. If I want to work at J.P. Morgan as a financial advisor, I can’t just walk in and demand a job. There are certain requirements of prospective employees, you know, like having a college degree. Why shouldn’t the NBA have requirements as well?

I also like the panel of experts idea, because it really does handle all situations: If you’re Durant, James or Kobe and you don’t need college, that’s fine. Go be a pro. Hang out with professional groupies. You’ve earned it. If you’re a guy who is good, but might need a year or two of seasoning (Say DeMarcus Cousins), then go to college, and if you work hard, you’re out in less than 24 months. And if you’re still not good enough then, stick it out one more year (When most people hit the age of 21 by the way) and you’re free to do whatever you want.

Finally, the NBA gets a ready to produce workforce, college basketball adds a little more luster, and kids get a chance to mature a little more organically.

Essentially, everyone’s a winner.

Baseball’s Divisions: Or as I like to call this, the “AL East Rule.”

Look, whether you love or hate baseball (And judging by the numbers, I’m guessing you probably don’t love it), the game needs some tweaking. The games are too long. The season is probably too long. And most importantly, 75 percent of the league goes into every season without any hope of winning. Why should the people of Pittsburgh, Baltimore, Miami, Oakland, Milwaukee and others care about baseball, or pay to show up at the ballpark to see a lousy product?

The bigger problem is that with the way the system is set up, it’s hard to go from perennial loser to winner. Good free agents don’t want to sign with lousy teams, and fans don’t want to pay to see them either. When teams actually develop talent internally, it’s hard to keep it, since there was no revenue produced through all the lousy years. Sure every once in awhile a team- like Tampa this year, or Oakland in the early 2000’s- strikes lightning and makes a run. But even those windows close fast.

Therefore, I think it’s time to go back to two divisions in each league- East and West- with two more Wild Cards going to the two best teams, regardless of division. That doesn’t solve every problem, but it helps.

For starters, it eliminates scenarios like this year, where the Yankees, Rays and Red Sox could end up with three of the four best records in the American League and one of them (Almost certainly the Red Sox) missing out on the postseason. Isn’t the point of the playoffs to get the best teams playing for a championship? If the third best team in the East this year is five games better than the first place team in the Central, shouldn’t they be in the playoffs?

More importantly, it evens out the playing field to a degree. If you’re Baltimore or Toronto in the AL East (Or Washington or Florida in the NL East), in the current market, it’s impossible to compete with the resources of the other teams in your division. At least with my proposal, the margin for error is a little wider. Maybe a team can stay competitive a little later into the season, and offer a little more hope to fans and potential free agents in the off-season.

Sure, there will still be bad teams. And sure, it doesn’t matter how the divisions broke down this year, Baltimore and Washington still weren’t making the playoffs.|

But there needs to be more balance in baseball. And it’s got to start somewhere.

Baseball Hall of Fame Voting- The Best Players Get In, Regardless: I may have already gone on this rant at some point in the past, but looking through my archives, I can’t find it. So if this gets repetitive, my apologies (What can I say, my brain is rotting).

Anyyyyyyyyyyyway, baseball’s Hall of Fame induction was two weeks ago, and for the fourth straight year, Mark McGwire wasn’t voted in. Yes, that’s the same Mark McGwire who is ninth on the all-time home run list. The same Mark McGwire that once hit 70 home runs in a season. And the same Mark McGwire (who along with Sammy Sosa), basically singlehandedly got America interested in baseball again after the 1994 strike. In my book those credentials are pretty Hall of Fame worthy.

Of course McGwire isn’t getting voted into the Hall because like so many of his contemporaries, he’s an admitted user of performance enhancing drugs. It’s the same reason Rafael Palmeiro won’t get into the Hall of Fame. Or Sammy Sosa. Or probably even Alex Rodriguez, who is the most complete baseball player I’ve ever seen.

The system is clearly broken. And while I’m not the first writer to mention this, here’s my beef with why: This isn’t the Hall of Morality. It’s the Hall of Fame. It’s a place where parents bring their kids to learn about the history of the game of baseball, the good and the bad. Didn’t part of that history involve steroids?

Here’s what the Hall needs to do (And I’ve proposed this before): Put a plaque at the entrance of the Hall of Fame that says the following:

Over the course of the last 150 years, a lot of stuff has happened which has impacted baseball’s record books: Segregation and integration, rules changes, guys going to war in the middle of their careers, advancements in weight training, medicine and nutrition, and performance enhancing drugs. Amongst other things. This is an imperfect history of the game. Enjoy your visit.

That’s it. At that point everyone is free to make their own decisions about the validity of those inducted. If I want to hate McGwire for using PED’s, that’s fine. If I want to discredit Ty Cobb because he never played against blacks, Hispanics or Asians, ok. If I want to say that guy is underrated historically because he spent his prime fighting in World War II, or overrated because he played in the 1990’s when expansion watered down competition, that’s my prerogative.

Again, the point of the Hall of Fame is to go and learn about the history of the game. That’s where my parents took me to learn about Willie Mays and Mickey Mantle, and where I want to take my kids (If I can ever trick a woman into having them with me), to teach them about the guys from my childhood.

Yes McGwire may have ushered in the era where first baseman looked more like middle linebackers than ball players. And sure, A-Rod may be one of the most socially awkward people in the history of, well, people. But they’re still great baseball players.

And they need to be in the Hall of Fame.

Finally, this last one is a little wacky, but would certainly add some excitement to the NFL offseason…

Sober  House: Starring Tim Tebow: I first mentioned this idea right before this past NFL Draft, when I suggested via Twitter that the Pittsburgh Steelers should have drafted Tim Tebow. Even if it was only to mentor troubled fellow quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. But why stop with one NFL superstar, when so many need guidance?

The premise of Sober House is simple: Just like the regular TV show on VH1, take 12 of the NFL’s wildest, most rebellious, ignorant and idiotic athletes, stick them together in a house, and with the cameras rolling watch as Tebow offers them the supervision, direction and leadership they’ve never had. Mornings would start with a prayer over Cheerios and orange juice (Hold the vodka!), afternoons filled with teaching points, and evenings spent out on the town, with Tebow showing his roommates how to have fun…Without getting arrested.

Episodes would center around themes like, “Tim takes Vincent Jackson out to a club, orders him a club soda, teaches him the importance of being a responsible drunk driver.” Or “Tim shows Roethlisberger how to open the car door for a young lady, without forcing her into the backseat.” Or even, “Tim faces his toughest challenge yet, when JaMarcus Russell unexpectedly shows up at the Sober House.”

Don’t tell me you wouldn’t watch this show.

(Love the article? Hate it? Disagree with something Aaron said? Let him know by commenting below, or e-mailing him at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Also, for his take on all things sports, be sure to add him on Twitter @Aaron_Torres, Facebook.com/AaronTorresSports and by downloading his APP for FREE for your iPhone or Android) [aarontorrssports2]

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