Rollercoasters And Revelations

What?! Since when could pigs fly?
(espn.com)

Good to kick off the July entries with what I have experienced on the diamond and on the pitch the past few days. Important to note that I have probably aged about 40 years since my last entry, so get the IV machine ready. Glad to still have a heart after all the sports and celebrity deaths the past few days. Hopefully I will be revived by the barbecue and some sun (Does it even exist?) when the holiday comes up. My plans still haven't been made up, but I hope to make the most of the holiday wherever I am and whatever I do. I'm thinking that I'm gonna have to try to top the time I had in Norway a couple months back on their national holiday, so all ideas welcome. However, it seems like the almighty may take me before the holiday the way the sports world has been treating me these past few days. And just to think that a soccer game was a part of all the blood pressure fluctuations (Welcome to the 2009 me!). You know a sport has got a hold of you when you're gripping a stress ball as your rooting interest collapses. I guess Sunday was a first for me in the realm of soccer. And of course, how 'bout those two games that the Sox and the Orioles have played? I mean, last night's debacle was jaw-dropping, but the comeback by the Sox today made this series wilder. I was even thinking about doing a gamecast yesterday, but thank God, for I would have had my blog shut down by the FCC for the last two innings alone. You can say it was hell freezing over, but our monsoon summer thus far is explanation enough. Was that 11-10 loss the most shocking, devastating loss ever? Yes, if it was from a large sample of June games. In fact, it wasn't even the most gut wrenching loss of this year, as I had to watch my WBC team Puerto Rico blow a 2 run lead against the U.S. in the 9th this March for a 6-5 score (remember these numbers). I mean, if PTI didn't mention it on their show today, it must be only July minutiae. But it doesn't mean that it didn't grab my attention. It's Sox baseball after all. But what isn't nonsense is that I have finally decided on a favorite soccer team. Get excited!

Midseason revenge has never been sweeter.

(espn.com)

Let's dive into to this past Sox-Orioles series in Fenway South, ummmm, Camden Yards that just ended. Luckily, the Sox came out of this series and the road trip with a 6-3 record, alive and sane (at least I did). And to think after Lester dominated the Birds in the 1st game that it would be the same ole song and dance. But if you experienced that comeback last night, you know that this was anything but an ordinary three game stop in B'More. Coming into the series, the Sox were an astronomical 42-15 against the O's since 2006, but last night's game was the ultimate display of Murphy's Law and the law of averages crammed into one diamond in possibly the largest combination ever due to the opposite positions of both teams. And I thought the biggest gaffe would be the whole Sox infield going in the dugout after only 2 outs were recorded. And it always seems to start with Mother Nature. Apparently, she was an O's fan for the day, as she halted what would have not only have been John Smoltz's first win in the American League, but also opened the door for those two bad innings that the bullpen produced. Unbelievable that the best bullpen in the majors would allow 10 runs in the final 2 innings against a team that they have owned all year. I mean, the O's had a 0.3% chance of winning going into the bottom half of the 7th, and ended up pulling off the biggest comeback ever by a last place team on a first place team in the history of baseball. Masterson was dominate for two innings, then all of a sudden his slider just kept magically hanging over the plate. Okajima and Saito were just putting it on a tee, and Papelbon concluded the Vesuvius-like explosion by allowing a 2 run double from Nick Markakis, who hadn't had a hit off Papelbon in his whole career. Admittedly, it was a little embarrassing. What made it worse is that it rejuvenated my Oriole fanatic friends, creating another page in a rivalry that I still don't understand (see head-to-head record last 3 years). Well, you can have your one June game, and we will take the Series in October because it's only one game, right? Well, it didn't look good to start the afternoon. The O's started off well, pounding our ace Beckett for 5 runs in the 1st four innings. What was worse is that Brad Bergesen was pitching like he was the next incarnation of an '02 Rodrigo Lopez. I don't know how many worms got killed from all of his groundballs. Going into the 9th inning this afternoon, I was thinking of what my friend P-Mac was telling after last night's game about the carry over effect that could possibly be damaging to our season. A Youk bomb, Baldelli single, and a Lugo single later, the Sox were able to avenge last night's loss in the most dramatic way possible by hanging in late and winning in the 11th. Impressively, the Sox pitching had their magical powers returned to them in the 4th inning, and retired the next 24 batters in the game. And in many ways, the game resembled another legendary comeback that the Sox made, "The Mothers Day Miracle". Both games were 6-5, both comebacks were created in the 9th after some 20-something "interim-ace" pitcher dominated us for 8 innings, both games had Beckett on and off the hook, and both ended with Julio Lugo becoming the deciding factor. Like I said in my second sentence of my Facebook/Twitter status, "And the world is back to normal".

Maybe should have seen this coming.
(espn.com)

How 'bout we cap another entry with some of my latest opinions from the beautiful game. On Sunday, I continued my self-initiation into the world of soccer by watching the Confederations Cup final between the U.S. and Brazil. It was truly a tale of two halves. The first half presented a U.S. team that looked like the 2000 Rams. I was truly convinced that a Brazilian amateur team just pilfered the unis of the U.S. squad and put on a Globetrotteresque show. Admit it. You were like me and thought that the U.S. just might pull off the divine double upset to win their first FIFA cup. Then just like with the Sox-Orioles game this afternoon, the world's axis cruelly just turned back to its proper place in the midst of the sounds of those "swarming bee" horns, which for some reason makes a collapse all too appropriate. After the 1st half, it seemed as if the U.S. decided to play defensive soccer the rest of the way to protect the lead, and that passive strategy fell right into Brazil's hands. 2 goals from Luis Fabiano and a 84th minute header by Lúcio broke the spirits of a U.S. team and its fans. I just saw the disappointment happening, but I avoided it in my head until it happened right in front of me. The worst part of the defeat was that it was painfully accepting a reality that was so close to being defied. It was what Bill Simmons would call "the guillotine game" in his "13 Levels of Losing" column where the underdog puts up a good fight, but you know that the uber-collapse is imminent. But what does this mean for American soccer? Let's just call this "the progressive choke". We have learned that this squad can keep up with the best as evident with their game against the previously #1 Spaniards and their first half performance against the Brazilians, earning them a 12th place spot in the FIFA rankings. However, a master in any profession always has to close effectively. It's one thing to get to the finals in a regional tourney, but it's all for not if the U.S. experiences another first round exit in next year's World Cup. If they don't, the hype and attention on the team will fade faster than William Hung's career. But this past CONCACAF Confederations Cup tournament has done way more for American soccer in only a few days than Beckham has done in his "part-time" stint for the MLS. I believe the only people who can make soccer relevant in this country are the ones who don the red, white, and blue, and ladies and gents they're on their way.

F.C. Barcelona: Champions of my fanaticism.

(www.footballslate.com)

Yes, a historical moment on Cloud 10. After doing my research and crunching the numbers, I have decided who I would grant my soccer allegiance. And it has nothing to do with the result of the Champions League this year. F.C. Barcelona resembles a team that I have been following my whole life (I think you can guess who.). In comparison to that team, they play in a beautiful harbor city that is small enough to do a day's worth of tourism, but big enough for the passion of their respective clubs. In times thick or thin, they're a team with great tradition and a loyal fan base. They're also a team that remains highly competitive, while not having the reputation of monopolizing the league like Real Madrid. Even after the troubles brought on by Franco's nationalist reign (Barcelona is the capital city of the Catalonia province, which speaks Catalan to go along with Spanish), the popular club still has been able thrive. Surviving and thriving, now that's what's up! By looking at all this, it seems as if this was a no-brainer to me. Portugal don't you fear, as you still my support in South Africa next year. Soccer nation, make room for another!


Mochaman's Fantasy Baseball Report
- Bubba Gump Shrimpz - 90-65-13 (2nd, Steroid Freaks' Anonymous, 1 GB)
Poor week after being hot in the last couple while losing 1st place. Offense is part of the woe, as everyone has basically decided to slump now. Pitching didn't help me with 6 losses and a 1.34 WHIP. Now facing the top team in a heavyweight slugfest. Pitching has been other-worldly so far, but the offense will still decide the overall success of my week. Ricky Romero has pick-up of the year written all over him.

- Mocha Sox - 42-72-6 (12th, Yahoo Public 38095, 28 GB)
Another win last week, but no advancement as everyone else important did better. Much improved offense built on some key trades helped save the day against the 2nd place team at the time. With Sizemore and Halladay off the DL and Justin Upton and Ricky Romero as new recruits, I hopefully won't need those night lights for the cellar much longer. Still thinkin' baby steps.

- Firehawks - 59-56-5 (6th, Yahoo Public 162279, 7 GB)
Eeked out a victory with a pitching staff that recorded 7 wins and 52 Ks. Offense not productive, and not being helped by J Bay Bay's slump and platinum sombrero in this afternoon's game. Moved into the playoff zone in a league with 8 teams within 10 games of each other. Now facing the team that's 1 game ahead of me with another team right beside me with 7 GB. Now that's fantasy baseball at its finest folks!

R.I.P. To The Ultimate Pitchman

Billy Mays (July 20, 1958 - June 28, 2009)
(hitdawall.files.wordpress.com)