Things that make you go Huh ?
Well, as the election cycle gets into full swing with the Presidential and Vice Presidential Debates the world cannot escape the incompetence now being shown by GOP nominee Donald Trump . As his misogynistic rants continue, so too do the depths of his infamy. Not content with having admitted to making several derogatory remarks about a female political activist , Trump would also go on to state he tried to elicit sex from several females, groping them improperly without their consent. With the second of the two Presidential Debates taking place on Sunday night, Trump having issued a less than contrite apology would then parade four females who were said to be victims of the unwanted sexual advances of former President Bill Clinton . The Republican nominee in seeking to distance himself from his latest meas-culpa , tried to suggest Bill Clinton’s behavior as President was less than honorable when it came to his sexual indiscretions. Less I am mistaken , there is no difference Donald Trump’s actions and that of the politician he now claims to be a sexual deviant. Unfortunately, for the American public as well as the electorate, they now have to choose between two candidates who happen to represent all that is wrong with the current political climate within the country.
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Away from the political arena, the sports’ world is in the midst of one of the most important periods of the calendar year. Baseball has begun its postseason and we have seen the demise of the New York Mets and the Baltimore Orioles . Two teams thought to be capable of winning the World Series this year , but clearly, neither of these teams were capable of being there for the long haul . The surprise performers of this postseason might well be the Toronto Blue Jays , who have booked themselves a berth in the ALCS and where they will await the winner of the series between the Boston Red Sox and Cleveland Indians . Boston faces an Indians’ team firing on all cylinders, looking to secure their own path to the ALCS and will do their utmost close out the series with an emphatic game-three victory . That game will take place on Monday evening
We are now just fifteen-days away from the beginning of the NBA regular season schedule. The Cleveland Cavaliers will be looking to defend the title they won last season under somewhat controversial circumstances. Anyone who believes the ejection of Draymond Green did not play a part in the outcome of the NBA Finals between the Golden State Warriors and Cleveland Cavaliers might well have been watching another series altogether. Both teams have been in action during the NBA preseason schedule , looking to resume from they left off from last season . A bold move was made by the Golden State Warriors as they acquired multi-time scoring champion and former League MVP and All Star , Kevin Durant . His joining the Warriors , adds a potent offensive talent and will likely add another twenty-five points per game to Golden State’s already astonishing scoring average based upon last season’s statistics . The core depth of the roster might just be the best in the entire NBA and I do believe they will be team to beat this upcoming season in spite of the Cleveland Cavaliers being the reigning NBA champions.
Draymond Green , Kevin Durant , Steph Curry , Klay Thompson and the rest of this Steve Kerr coached team will certainly be looking to avenge last year’s postseason display . Curry has missed a couple of games during the preseason , as he sits out those contest due to a medical issue . I have no doubt the Warriors are the team to beat within the Western Conference and are certainly more than justified as the prohibitive favorites for the NBA title. The team will next be on court when they are due to face the Denver Nuggets on Friday night. That contest will be followed by two back-to-back road games against the Los Angeles Lakers on the 15th and 19th October respectively. Golden State’s regular season will begin on the 25th October when they face the San Antonio Spurs in their season home opener , a game which will likely be very competitive if last season’s contests are anything to go by.
LeBron James continues be the best player of his generation and most certainly he has lived up to the hype, ever since being taken as the number one overall draft pick in the 2003 NBA Draft . LeBron continues to chase basketball immortality , as he seeks to emulate the achievements of his idol Michael Jordan . Whether or not he is able to surpass those achievements remains to be seen, but I do believe he will be considered among the top-fifteen players in NBA history by the time he chooses to end his career in the league . With an unbeaten streak to start the preseason , LeBron James and his teammates will be looking to remain dominant within the Central Division of the Eastern Conference , as was the case last season . James led the Cavaliers in all of the relevant offensive categories and was similarly impressive , as a defensive stalwart for the team. This upcoming season, I believe the Cleveland Cavaliers are quite capable of surpassing last season’s win total and quite possibly notch a sixty-win mark for only the second time in franchise history . This will all begin in earnest when the Cavaliers open up their regular season schedule against the New York Knicks at the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland,Ohio on the 25th October , the official opening night of the NBA season. Last season the games between these two teams were very lopsided , with the Cavaliers having an easy time in getting the better of their Eastern Conference counterparts. On paper, the Knicks’ roster are likely to be better than the team of last season , given the moves made by the front office during the off-season. The addition of Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah should bolster the effectiveness of the New York Knicks , but I continue to have my doubts over the coaching ability of their newly installed head coach Jeff Hornacek !
Five games into the NFL season and we are already beginning to see the shakeout of the pretenders from the real contenders and nowhere has this been more evident than with the complete ineptitude shown by the Miami Dolphins (1-4) . Other than the hapless Cleveland Browns (0-5) , whose five-game win-less streak has become a real embarrassment . Perhaps no other team in h the NFL has become more of a joke than the Dolphins. The team’s quarterback Ryan Tannehill continues to show a lack of ability , leadership and and the prerequisite skill-set needed to win games when they matter the most. Defensively , as well as from an offensive standpoint , Miami continues to be in a dire situation, leading me to believe head coach Adam Gase could very well become the first coaching casualty of this NFL season !
The Miami Dolphins’ lack of effort seen in their 33-17 loss suffered at the hands of the Tennessee Titans was painful to watch , even more so, when you witness the sacking of Ryan Tannehill several times during the game . Tannehill was slow to read the Titans’ defense and I must say , he gave me the impression , his knowledge of the game is less than average , never-mind his entire performance in the contest ! Titans’ quarterback Marcus Mariota came away looking every bit the passer taken second overall by the Tennessee Titans in the 2015 NFL Draft . Where the Miami Dolphins now go from here is open to great deal of conjecture and speculation . In week six the Dolphins will face a tough task at home when they play the always dangerous Pittsburgh Steelers (4-1) .
You might not like it , but they are for real, the Alabama (Crimson Tide) remain the team to beat in College Football . At 6-0 , they are making things look extremely easy on so many levels . In week six Alabama took apart Arkansas (Razorbacks) by the score of 49-30 , barely breaking sweat along the way . With the victory the Crimson Tide will remain at the top of the polls and they are clearly the favorites among the top-ranked teams in the nation for the national title .
One of the highlights of the weekend ,. was the always volatile rivalry between Florida State (Seminoles) and the Miami (Hurricanes ) . This game did not fail to disappoint , as both teams were locked in a constant battle of wills , which in the end , came down to defense on the part of the Seminoles. In week seven Miami will go on to play North Carolina (Tar Heels) on Saturday afternoon , while Florida State will host Wake Forest .
Nick Saban , head coach of Alabama will be preparing his team for their game against Tennessee (Volunteers) , in a contest which should bring out the best in both teams .
Michael Bisping may not be the most high-profiled name within the UFC , but having won the UFC Middleweight Title the champion is now trying to cement his legacy within the sport. A well-respected veteran , Bisping’s dethroning of former champion Luke Rockhold , has been the defining moment of his career so far. However, at UFC 204 , Michael Bisping made his first defense of the title by facing fellow countryman Dan Henderson of England. The champion > retained his title with a unanimous decision on all three scorecards of the judges. Effective striking was the key to the victory and it now remains to be seen if a lucrative bout can now be arranged for Michael Bisping , with him taking on the number one contender for the Middleweight Title. UFC President Dana White is said to be leaning towards a possible match-up between Michael Bisping and UFC legend Anderson Silva , the most successful Middleweight fighter in UFC history. Chris Weidman , a former champion , currently ranked in the top-ten , is known to be frantically lobbying White , with a view to becoming Bisping’s next challenger. Either way , for the Englishman , this is the chance he has been waiting for , for a very long time .
It is by far in way the most popular sport in the world with , where the names of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi are known all over the world and are considered to be the best two players in the world . Soccer is the art form whereas, NFL football remains gladiatorial in nature , with the fans yearning more for the bruising tackles , the crunching of bones and relatively little finesse being shown by the players within the NFL . Soccer for its part , has the skill-set and excitement one could wish for , but at the same time even when the games are not high-scoring the games can be very exciting. The English Premiership League (EPL) is considered the best professional soccer league in the world and where several of the top teams are among the best on the planet.
Last season , the Premiership was provided with one of the biggest surprises in its history , when Leicester City won the league title for the very first time in its history. This season as the defending champions this team will have its work cut out , seeking to make a successful defense of their title. Mid-table and struggling to keep pace with the league leaders , this Leicester City team has suddenly found they are no longer the hunters , but they have become the prey . In their last Premiership encounter Leicester faced Southampton in a contest which ended in a scoreless draw (0-0). Next up for The Toffees as they are more commonly know by their fans will be Premiership game against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in London on the 15th October , 2016 .
With Leicester City’s rise to prominence , along came fame and fortune for the team’s best player Jamie Vardy , has now become the face of Leicester City as well as , one of the most well-known players in the entire Premiership (EPL). If Vardy can continue to show the consistency seen over the past two seasons with the team , then there is no reason to believe his teammates will not follow his lead.
The most successful club in English soccer history is Manchester United and having changed managers this past season , a new chapter begins and there are great expectation under the team’s new manager Jose Mourinho . The new manager with the blessing of the Board of Directors have spent millions of dollars acquiring new players to form a competitive squad . This season United will have to be at their very best if they are to challenge their rivals within the Premiership . Jose Mourinho and his players will be on the field this weekend when they play Liverpool , in what will be one of the best games on the schedule .
Though it’s still early days yet with regard to the schedule , there is still a long way to go in the Premiership season and the games to be played. Teams will strive to be competitive as the season progresses and I believe it will all come down to the consistency shown by the clubs .
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With all of the political intrigue and stupidity recently shown by Donald Trump, has it caused to be disinterested in the upcoming election ? Also as baseball , football and basketball makes their impressions upon us , which of these sporting events will now have your undivided attention ?
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Tophatal ………… 2016/10/10
This week in MLB history . On this day in postseason history
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UFC 204 results and under-card
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Seven weeks into the NFL season and we continue to witness how inexplicably bad this league can be . With just the Monday Night Game to close out week seven . It could be said the NFL continually meets the low end of expectation at this point of the season. The Denver Broncos (4-2) will be looking to stop the bleeding having lost two consecutive games , when they take on the Houston Texans (4-2) at Sports Authority Field in Denver, Colorado,.
Denver’s quarterback Trevor Siemian had his baptism of fire and now seems to be found wanting along with his teammates as they are now being tested . For head coach Gary Kubiak and his coaching staff , a possible third consecutive loss would be seen as disastrous , possibly derailing the Broncos’ ambition of winning the AFC West , making the postseason and a successful defense of their Superbowl title. It will be interesting to see how the Denver Broncos acquit themselves in their next game when they face the the San Diego Chargers in an all AFC clash in week eight on the 30th October , 2016.
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So all this idiotic talk of Jadeveon Clowney stepping up in the wake of another overrated player JJ Watt being absent and we can clearly see that the Houston Texans are not the team many believed them to be. Watt being proclaimed the best player in the NFL remains farcical , though there’s no denying he is among the best defensive players in the league. Last night’s game prove not only are the Texans fallible , but quarterback Brock Osweiler is not all he’s cracked up to be. One or two games in the absence of Peyton Manning during 2015 , doesn’t make you a world beater and unfortunately , this is the type of constant asinine idiocy which is usually and predictably brought to the fore by inane idiots , who have no clue about the NFL , much less being able to formulate a subjective approach to the game.
The Houston Texans’ 27-9 loss to the Denver Broncos brought them back closer to the pack within the AFC South , while the Broncos were able to place themselves alongside the Oakland Raiders for the lead within the AFC West . The first divisional meeting between these two teams should prove to be very interesting , with there being a great deal on the line for both.
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The first game of this season’s World Series will be played at Progress Field in Cleveland , Ohio,. The Chicago Cubs will be playing host to the Cleveland Indians in the first two games of this proposed seven-game series. On the mound in this first contest will be Jon Lester of the Cubs as he faces Corey Kluber . Lester and the entire Chicago pitching staff have been very impressive throughout this postseason .
Ticket prices for tonight’s game has spiraled some 400% over the normal prices and the black-market sellers are having a field-day in the environment, given the historic nature of this series. The significance of this series has not been lost on the press within the local media market or with the Chicago Cubs’ fans in general . Should the Cubs win this series the value of the franchise would rise significantly , given the historic nature of the ball-club , the significance of the series , as well as their loyal fan-base
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While MLB begins their ‘ Fall Classic’ with the Chicago Cubs and Cleveland Indians being the two combatants for this season’s World Series . It will be interesting to witness the media attention and viewership for the series. Foxsports will be the sole provider of the coverage and it is expected this could one of the highest rated and viewed World Series of the past twenty years.
Major League Baseball will be expecting a bonanza ratings’ hike for this series given the historical significance of the Chicago Cubs’ arrival in the World Series. The whole world will be waiting to see if they can overcome their one-hundred year drought of having not won the World Series . In the case of the Cleveland Indians their journey has been one of consistency all season long and into the postseason. We have two very good teams , with a pair of excellent managers opposing each other , Joe Maddon of the Cubs and Terry Francona of the Indians.
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The NBA season will tip-off tonight . There are three games on the schedule . Reigning NBA champions the Cleveland Cavaliers will be in action when they face the New York Knicks . In the other two games on the night, the Utah Jazz will be on the road to face the Portland Trailblazers , with the final contest being between the Golden State Warriors and San Antonio Spurs .
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So who wants to step into the clown’s suit and make some bold predictions about the remainder of the NFL season ? As things now stand and week-eight within sight , it will be interesting to see how the teams fare. The Thursday Night Game will feature the Jacksonville Jaguars (2-4) facing the Tennessee Titans (3-4) . Both of these teams are desperately in need of a win to make some semblance of their respective seasons.
At this point last season things were looking good for several teams around the league.
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Game one of the World Series opened up with a flourish as the Cleveland Indians took on the Chicago Cubs , as the Indians won the opening game skirmish, clubbing six runs in the victory on their way to a 6-0 win . Corey Kluber of Cleveland got the win , as the Cubs fell in the opening game of the series. Wednesday evening and the series resumes with game two the Chicago Cubs looking to their starting ace Jake Arrieta facing Trevor Bauer of the Cleveland Indians.
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Opening night of the NBA and here is what we already know . The New York Knicks on paper appear to be a good team . Unfortunately, looking good on paper , means absolutely nothing, when you are on the court. This was very much in evidence as they lost to the Cleveland Cavaliers by a twenty nine point margin , 117-88 in a road loss. Defense will never be a strong point of a Jeff Hornacek coached team .
The most surprising result of the night might well have been the game between the San Antionio Spurs and the Golden State Warriors , last season’s beaten NBA Finalists. The Warriors appeared listless and out of sync as they fell to the Spurs in a home loss.
Wednesday night and the league kicks into gear with several more games on the schedule .
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So let me get this straight , after only one game of an eighty-two game schedule , idiots are questioning whether or not the Golden State Warriors are having issues , solely based upon the team’s loss to the San Antonio Spurs in their home-opener at the start of this regular season ? Given the dominance of the Warriors over the last two seasons , I certainly don’t believe the players , front office or coaching staff are unnerved by the events which took place on Tuesday night. If anything the defeat will provide Golden State with the impetus to make sure they are not complacent when they take to the court for their next scheduled game which will be against the New Orleans Pelicans . Regular season meetings between the two teams have tended to be lopsided affairs favoring the Golden State Warriors .
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Two games into this season’s World Series and we have already witnessed two high-scoring games. Wednesday night the Chicago Cubs rebounded from a disastrous game one loss to pound the Cleveland Indians by the score of 5-1 to level the series at one game apiece (1-1)
Game three will now take place at Wrigley Field in Chicago ,Illinois on Friday. 28th October , 2016 . The starting pitchers will be Josh Tomlin of the Indians against Kyle Hendricks of the Cubs.
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Day two of the NBA season and the Wednesday night results were equally as interesting as witnessed on Opening Night. So far no one team has really stood out , yet that is to be expected as the teams have yet to find their rhythm.
We should be able to tell a great deal about the NBA season by the Christmas action seen within the league. Certainly , during last season , that was definitely the case as the teams finally began to get themselves into a rhythm .
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Luke Walton , head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers garnered his first win as the coach of this team . In their season opener this young staff managed to get by the Houston Rockets on their way to a 120-114 victory over their Western Conference rivals . Lakers’ player Jordan Clarkson was the hero of the night for the home team in this contest.
From left to right, D’Angelo Russell, Brandon Ingram , Jordan Clarkson and at the front , Lakers’ head coach Luke Walton .
For the Houston Rockets it was James Harden once again leading all scorers for the team and in the match-up against the Los Angeles Lakers. Next up for Luke Walton and the Lakers will be a game against the Utah Jazz on the road in a contest to be played at Vivint Smart Home Arena in Salt Lake City , Utah.
James Harden and the Houston Rockets’ next scheduled game will be against the Dallas Mavericks , instate and conference rivals of the Rockets .
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Considered to be among the favorites this season for the Western Conference title the Los Angeles Clippers under the erstwhile guise and coaching ability of Doc Rivers , will be expected to challenge for title honors this season. Yet to begin their regular season schedule the Clippers certainly know there is every reason to believe why they will be among the top contenders this season. The team is built to last the long-haul of an eighty-two game regular season schedule . Lead players Blake Griffin and Chris Paul will be expected to lead by example.
The Los Angeles Clippers’ first game of the regular season saw them defeat the Portland Trailblazers at the Moda Center in Portland , Oregon on the 27th October , 2016. Chris Paul and Blake Griffin led the way in scoring for the visiting team in the contest. Next up for the Clippers will be a conference game where they face the Utah Jazz at the Staples Center in Los Angeles , California on Sunday , 30th October .
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If anything was proven by last night’s game in the NFL , it is that the bad teams are extremely mediocre in just about every aspect of the game. The Tennessee Titans (4-4) got by the Jacksonville Jaguars (2-5) in an all AFC clash with the home team gaining the victory .
This defeat for the Jacksonville Jaguars leaves Gus Bradley and his coaching staff under a cloud of uncertainty and it is clear GM David Caldlwell will have to make a decision about the near and long-term future of the head coach. The Jaguars have performed so badly , that is unclear if this team can succeed on any level.
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The World Series will resume tonight when the Cleveland Indians and Chicago Cubs meet at Wrigley Field in Chicago , Illinois in game three . On the mound will opposing starting pitchers will be Josh Tomlin of the Indians against Kyle Hendricks of the Cubs .
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Week nine of the College Football season will kick-off tonight before Saturday’s plethora of games being played . Among the most important games of the day to be played will be the match-up between the Miami Hurricanes and Notre Dame , two heralded programs seeking to find their way back among the elite . Also taking place within the ACC there will be Clemson facing off against the Florida State (Seminoles) in a game of vital importance for both teams .
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The Cleveland Indians (2-1) edged by the Chicago Cubs (1-2) , winning game three by the narrowest of margins 1-0 . Game four will take place on Saturday evening with the Cubs looking to square the series as they seek to win their first World Series in over one hundred years.
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Still trying to acclimate themselves early in the NBA season , teams are still seeking to play with some semblance of of consistency. On Friday night the Miami Heat allowed the Charlotte Hornets to erase an eighteen-point deficit and come back to win the game.
Russell Westbrook and the Oklahoma City Thunder (2-0) are on a tear, with the point guard dropping fifty-one points in their win against the Phoenix Suns . For the fools who were beginning to question the start by the Golden State Warriors (1-1) , can you just take it down a notch ? The team is now back to winning ways having defeated the New Orleans Pelicans by an eight-point margin defeating their conference rivals 122-114 .
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Many of the peripheral awards are being announced while the MLB postseason is underway. With the Cleveland Indians (2-1) having now taken a 2-1 lead over the Chicago Cubs (1-2) , tonight’s game four becomes pivotal in this best of seven-game World Series . The Cubs can ill afford to go down 3-1 against a Cleveland team which seems to be firing on all cylinders. Terry Francona and the managerial staff of the Indians would like nothing better than to bring the city of Cleveland their second professional sports’ franchise title in the last year following on the Cleveland Cavaliers’ series victory to win the NBA title this past season.
If the Cleveland Indians were to win the World Series , it would be the franchise’s first title since 1948 . The Indians’ ownership group led by Lawrence Dolan have been lucky enough to hire a very astute manager with the hire of Terry Francona . It has been Francona’s ability to inspire and transform this team over the last season which has proven to be exceptional .
On the mound for tonight’s game four as the starting pitchers will be Corey Kluber of the Indians against John Lackey of the Cubs .
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There are several games ongoing as week nine within College Football closes out . There were one or two surprises on the day which will likely shake up the college rankings . Somehow the Miami Hurricanes seem to be intent on sleepwalking their way through their season and today’s loss to Notre Dame only heightens that very every fact . Where Canes’ head coach Mark Richt now goes from here is now open to a great deal of conjecture and debate .
In week ten the Miami Hurricanes are set to face Pittsburgh (Panthers) in a game to be played on the 5th November , 2016.
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Yesterday’s results in the NBA and where the teams now stand after the games played . The Cleveland Cavaliers (3-0) , Atlanta Hawks (2-0) and San Antonio Spurs (3-0) are just three of the teams who remain unbeaten at this point of the season .
Defending champions the Cleveland Cavaliers , led by LeBron James have a robust start to the season and will face the Houston Rockets on the 1st November in a home game . In their last contest the Cavaliers got by the Orlando Magic with a six-point victory defeating their conference rivals 105-99 .
I certainly believe the New York Knicks (1-1) have a long way to go before they can be seen as credible contenders in the league for the NBA title . This Jeff Hornacek < coached team still leaves a lot to be desired in just about every aspect of their game. The Knicks gained their first win of the season when they outlasted the Memphis Grizzlies on their way to seven-point victory 111-104 .
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The early afternoon games for week eight of the NFL have gotten underway . Teams are seeking to position themselves at the midpoint of the season , knowing the remaining weeks will be a true test of their abilities .
Tom Brady and the New England Patriots (6-1) seem to be well on their way to earning their seventh victory of the season , leading their division , conference and the league in wins . Say whatever you want about the Patriots and the constant claims of cheating. Yet in a league where hypocrisy remains , the NFL hierarchy is seemingly impotent , bad behavior is rewarded by the NFL Commissioner , with by nothing more than a slap on the wrist and where this league seems only concerned with making money , rather than the integrity of the game.
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After a fast start to the season , Matt Ryan and the Atlanta Falcons have suddenly come back to earth , although they still maintain a lead within the now ever increasingly mediocre NFC South . With the return of Cam Newton to the Carolina Panthers , I fully expect Newton and his teammates to have renewed confidence as they seek to retain their divisional title . Atlanta are currently in a hard-fought battle with conference counterparts the Green Bay Packers , where they have a two-point lead , heading late into the fourth quarter of their game.
If Matt Ryan can manage to salvage a win in this game , then it should provide the Atlanta Falcons with a great deal of confidence. Opposing quarterback Aaron Rodgers of the Green Bay Packers have to keep pace with the Minnesota Vikings within the NFC North . Minnesota will be the guests of the Chicago Bears on Monday night .
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Premiership games over the last two weekends , has not led to a drastic change in the Premierleague standings .
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With some spectacular late game heroics , Chicago Cubs’ (2-3) reliever Aroldis Chapman managed to save the day for the team , managing to pitch a 5K save on their way to a 3-2 win in game five of the World Series . In forcing a game six which will be played at Progressive Field in Cleveland Ohio, the Cubs survived to fight another day. However , it should be noted Terry Francona and the Cleveland Indians have been very good at home as they have been on the road during the MLB postseason .
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Still early days yet in the NBA schedule and season . Sunday’ results proved to be interesting for a variety of reasons . Among the winners on Sunday were the Los Angeles Clippers , Golden State Warriors , San Antonio Spurs , Detroit Pistons , Oklahoma City Thunder , Memphis Grizzlies and Houston Rockets .
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Week eight in the NFL has now come to a close . The Monday Night Game between the Minnesota Vikings and Chicago Bears was a stark reminder of how topsy-turvy the league can be , as the Vikings fell the Bears in a rather un-competitive contest. Neither quarterback performed with a great deal of confidence or showed any real leadership.
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The NBA now seems to be trundling along un-compromised . Perhaps, I might well be mistaken , but claims of the Dallas Mavericks (0-3) being competitive this season have been greatly exaggerated . The Mavericks have yet to win a game this season .
Dallas Mavericks’ head coach Rick Carlisle and the coaching staff may well soon have to reassess the team and how the players complement each other. It is clear that on both ends of the court the Mavericks are simply not good enough . In their last game the Mavericks suffered their third straight loss falling at the hands of the Houston Rockets . Next up for the Dallas Mavericks will be a game against the Utah Jazz which will be played on 2nd November on the road .
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Monday night games in the NBA . To date teams have played with some expediency . Winners last night included the Toronto Raptors over the Denver Nuggets , Chicago Bulls over the Brooklyn Nets , Atlanta Hawks over the Sacramento King , the Los Angeles Clippers taking down the Phoenix Suns in contests which were fairly competitive.
The departure of Kevin Durant doesn’t seem to have impaired the Oklahoma City Thunder . Oklahoma’s front office has decided to sign Steven Adams and Victor Oladipo to extended contracts believing both players can continue to contribute to the team’s success this season.
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Tonight will be make or break when the Chicago Cubs (2-3) face the Cleveland Indians (3-2) in game six of this season’s World Series . This is a must -win-game game for the Cubs as failure would seal their fate in this series . Given what is at stake tonight I don’t believe the Cleveland Indians will make the mistake of losing two games straight during this series .
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So why not them ? Well , the Chicago Cubs (3-3) have now pulled off the improbable , making sure there will be a game seven after a pitching performance for the ages by NL Cy Young Award winner Jake Arrietta in the Cubs’ annihilation of the Cleveland Indians (3-3) on the road by the score of 9-3 . In the case of the Indians this was a game of missed opportunities with their pitching and offense failing miserably against a pitcher who was at the height of his efforts with his complete dominance of the opposition. Jake Arrietta (2-0) was outstanding and is now looking every bit the favorite to win the World Series MVP Award for 2016 . In game seven the opposing pitchers will be Kyle Hendricks of the Cubs as he faces the Indians’ ace Corey Kluber . Progressive Field in Cleveland , Ohio will be filled to capacity , as these two teams will meet for a pivotal game in what has been an extraordinary series .
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Teams are are still trying to find their bearings at this point of the NBA season . There are five unbeaten teams in the league with the Cleveland Cavaliers (4-0) having the best record in the NBA .
At this point last season only four games had been played by the major of the teams in the league
NBA news
NBA results 1st November
NBA schedule 2nd November
This month in NBA history
On this date in the NBA
Tophatal ….. 2016/11/02 00:52:32 am
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There is a great deal to be happy about if you are a Chicago Cubs’ fan after you see the team win its first World Series title in over one hundred years. The Cubs’ last noted success in raising the trophy came in 1908 and since then their attempts have been forlorn until last night’s exhilarating game-seven triumph over a Cleveland Indians’ team which eschewed the opportunities that came their way during the series. The World Series’ MVP for 2016 was none other than Ben Zobrist , who put together a string of scintillating performances during the World Series for the Cubs.
Ben Zobrist of the Chicago Cubs .
Having won their World Series title , it will be interesting to see what the Cubs’ organization will now seek to do in order to make this ball-club better. GM Jed Hoyer and Baseball Operations Head Theo Epstein will no doubt seek to retain many of the players integral to the success of the team over the course of the season. Chicago has a very good farm system alongside several players who have proven to very productive for the club. With the success there is no doubt this will increase the value of the Chicago Cubs , already one of the profitable and valuable teams in all of baseball.
Chicago Cubs news
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Games have been played and teams have been found wanting on so many levels this season in the NBA . A number of teams have played no more han five games at this point of the season . Defending champions the Cleveland Cavaliers (5-0) lead the league with the number of wins at five. The Cavaliers led by LeBron James have been effective winning their games by an average of 10.4 points per game .
In their last contest the Cleveland Cavaliers got by the Boston Celtics in a high-scoring game with Cleveland coming away with the victory . Next up for the Cavaliers will be a game against the worst team in the NBA this season , none other than the Philadelphia 76ers (0-4) .
Rick Carlisle and the Dallas Mavericks (0-4) are struggling and there doesn’t seem to be a thing which can by done by the coaching staff to incite the players to play with a great deal more confidence. Four straight losses and things and things are not as they should be for this Mavericks’ team. In their next game the Dallas Mavericks will face the Portland Trailblazers at home which will be played on Friday , 4th November .
For Dallas Mavericks’ veteran Dirk Nowitzki , this might the last season for the player to add to his career achievements in the NBA . Given Nowitzki’s status as one of the league’s top players over the last fifteen-plus years and it is easy to understand why the German born player is held with such high esteem. This is likely to be the last season where fans are likely to see Nowitzki in a Mavericks’ uniform . I believe the Dallas Mavericks will be good enough to compete this season , but I am not so sure they are likely to be among the top teams in the Western Conference at the end of this season.
NBA news
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NBA schedule 5th November and for 6th November
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NBA team stats (points per game)
Team stats wins and games played
This month in NBA history
On this date in basketball
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Week nine of the NFL season opened up with another less than scintillating spectacle for the fans to witness.
NFL news and week nine schedule
NFL standings (divisional) and standings (conference)
NFL league standings
NFL team injuries
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The opening game of week nine of the NFL schedule provided the fans with another reason why the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-5) are a team heading absolutely nowhere . Tampa simply could not contain Matt Ryan and the Atlanta Falcons (6-3) , as they completely dismantled a Tampa Buccaneers’ team with no heart or will to win during this contest .
Perhaps the most intriguing of the games on this weekend’s schedule will feature the match-up between divisional rivals the New York Giants (4-3) and Philadelphia Eagles (4-3) , two teams struggling to make sense of their respective seasons .
The best team in the NFC just happens to be none other than the Dallas Cowboys , whose starting rookie quarterback Dak Prescott has been setting the league alight in the absence of Tony Romo . Off to a 6-1 start to begin the season the Cowboys have been impressive in almost every facet of their game. A seventh victory doesn’t appear out of the question when they face the lowly Cleveland Browns , a team which has continued to play hard, but continues to struggle on offense as well as defense .
NFL news
NFL standings (divisional)
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College Football is slowly meandering towards to what will be the climactic end to their regular season schedule. Still ranked as the best team in the game are the Alabama Crimson Tide . The team will be in action when they face Louisiana State (LSU Tigers) on Saturday, 5th November , 2016. Another game of note will be Texas A&M against Mississippi State in a match-up which will be of vital importance within the SEC . Florida will face Arkansas (Razorbacks) in what should prove to be a very good contest.
NCAA Football
NCAA Football week ten schedule
NCAA Conference Standings (FBS)
NCAA rankings (FBS
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It was so nice to see Florida acquit themselves with the aplomb of a sinking battleship in their 31-10 loss to the Arkansas (Razorbacks) . If Gators’ head coach Jim McElwhein does have a problem then lays with the team and the coaching staff after this abysmal performance . In week eleven Florida is set to face South Carolina (Gamecocks) in an SEC game which will be of vital importance for both programs.
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Still unbeaten at this stage of the season the Cleveland Cavaliers have been very impressive . Averaging 112.3 points per game and with a plus-minus of 8.5 points per game it is easy to understand why the team has been so successful this season. Next up for the Cavaliers will be a game against the Atlanta Hawks rivals within the Eastern Conference.
NBA news
NBA results 6th November
On this day in basketball and during this month in NBA history
Tophatal …..
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Another week in the NFL and things are pretty-much the same old mundane nondescript garden-variety complexity one come to expect of the league. Dak Prescott led the Dallas Cowboys to another impressive win as they pummeled the Cleveland Browns (0-9) into complete submission on their way to a 35-10 victory . The win puts the Cowboys firmly in the drivers’ seat within the NFC East as well as the NFC . Elsewhere, the faltering Superbowl champions the Denver Broncos continue to unravel as the season moves on . In divisional clash , Denver fell to the improving Oakland Raiders , who now seem to have the inside track on the AFC West and quite possibly making their very first playoff appearance in over a decade. Derek Carr and his teammates got by Denver without really breaking much sweat. The Broncos’ defense left a great deal to be desired in this game as did the performance of quarterback Trevor Siemian .
Green Bay Packers’ head coach Mike McCarthy has to begin questioning the heart of his team and whether or not they possess the will to win after their inexplicable loss to an average Indianapolis Colts’ team . This was not one of the better performances of Aaron Rodgers over the course of this season. From a defensive standpoint there appears to be a slew of issues for the Packers and the coaching staff .
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Week nine of the NFL season closed out with the Monday Night Game played between the Buffalo Bills and the Seattle Seahawks . It would be a home victory for the Seahawks, as they played their way into contention within the NFC West .
For the losing teams this past weekend has proven to be fateful with regard to their divisional and postseason ambitions . At this point last season the standings had already began to take shape . Bills’ head coach Rex Ryan must now be wondering what else can be done to re-energize his team after this loss.
NFL news
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Another night of of results within the NBA and it is still early days yet in the season . For Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra he has having to contend with witnessing a team struggling to find their feet .
On Monday night the Heat suffered a rather embarrassing road loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder . Oklahoma point guard Russell Westbrook had led his team with a great deal of aplomb this season, having already put up a triple double in one contest , as well as a fifty-one point game in another . Westbrook led all-scorers in this game against the Miami Heat .
The Chris Bosh ‘ situation ‘ has become something of a PR nightmare for the Heat , leading many to believe if there isn’t a buyout of the player’s remaining contract , then there is likely to be lawsuit filed on Bosh’s behalf by the Players’ Union seeking damages against the organization .
Chris Bosh (1) , left and Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra .
In their next game the Miami Heat will face the high-scoring Chicago Bulls at the United Center in Chicago , Illinois on Thursday , 10th November .
Russell Westbrook and the Oklahoma City Thunder are due to meet the Toronto Raptors in a game to be played at the Chesapeake Energy Center in Oklahoma City , Oklahoma on the 9th November .
NBA news
Miami Heat news
NBA results 7th November
NBA standings
NBA player stats
NBA team stats (wins)
This month in NBA history and on this date in basketball .
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Perhaps it’s naivete’ on my part , but when I read such idiocy as it was suggested , the Minnesota Timberwolves (1-5) are not struggling , concerning the start to the their season , given what was evidenced through the first two months of last season. I am not at all surprised Tom Thibodeau’s coaching staff have yet to decide on the best lineup , much less the consistency and productivity shown by the players.
From left to right , Minnesota Timberwolves’ owner , Glen Taylor , Tom Thibodeau (center) and GM Scott Layden .
The Minnesota Timberwolves were never going to be in contention within their division or conference this season. This team is still at least two years away to be seen as a formidable contender within the league , much less be thought of as a conference champion or title contender. The losses have mounted for the Timberwolves this season , with the franchise’s only victory coming in a game against the Memphis Grizzlies on 1st November at the Target Center in Minneapolis , Minnesota . The Timberwolves next start will be a match-up against the Brooklyn Nets at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn , New York on the 8th November .
Minnesota’s best player this season Karl-Anthony Towns is having a solid year for the Timberwolves and it is expected , Towns alongside Zach LaVine and Andrew Wiggins are expected to spearhead the long-term future of the franchise , as it seeks to be competitive within the next two seasons.
Minnesota Timberwolves news
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With the MLB postseason having come to a triumphant close and the Chicago Cubs claiming their first World Series in over one-hundred years , many of the teams during the off-season have begun to shed themselves of their high priced free agents or are on the brink of re-signing a number of their players under arbitration.
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It would appear the Golden State Warriors are now finally beginning to gel as a team . Now in spite of the idiotic criticism when buffoons were coming out of the woodwork suggesting Steve Kerr’s players were undergoing issues of self-doubt , the team finally settled into their stride and they are now beginning to prove why they might have the most depth of any franchise in the entire NBA .
In a recent game against the New Orleans Pelicans (0-7) the two-time defending League MVP Steph Curry (pictured below) proved why he is the best pure and most accurate shooter in this league. Curry hit thirteen three-pointers in the Warriors’ annihilation of the Pelicans on their way to a 116-106 victory over their Western Conference based opponents . Curry’s performance of forty-six points was a season-high for the player , but just short of a career-high for the point guard .
Courtesy of USA Today
The Golden State Warriors’ next game will see them face the Dallas Mavericks at home on the 9th November . While the idiocy continues as to where Curry’s stands among the NBA’s best three-point shooters, it should be noted the player’s career as a seven-year veteran is now coming into its peak and is likely to get better, surpassing the all-time leader his head coach Steve Kerr.
Golden State Warriors news
NBA player stats three-point field goal percentage
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After a season of sheer apathy and mediocrity , it would appear the New York Yankees and the front office are now willing to splurge in the free agency market , in order to bolster what has been a truly mediocre roster this past season. It seemed only fitting the Yankees failed to make the postseason and fell further afield within the AL East to their lowest placing in the last four years . GM Brian Cashman is desperate to get the best that money can buy , no matter what the cost might be .
Yankees’ GM Brian Cashman.
Courtesy of The New York Daily News
To understand how badly the Yankees’ performed last season , you only need to look at the team’s stats over the course of the season. Few, if any of the players on the roster actually met or exceeded expectations. Joe Girardi and his managerial staff will have a great deal of work to do during this off-season and heading into Spring Training in 2017.
With Alex Rodriguez having retired to join the Yankees’ front office in an advisory role and Mark Teixeira unlikely to return to the team in 2017 , it will be interesting to see the entire makeup of the roster moving forward to next season. Brian Cashman and Joe Girardi seem to have little faith in the farm system as it now exists.
If the rumors are to be believed. with Brian Cashman now said to be making overtures to closer and former Yankees’ reliever Aroldis Chapman , then clearly signs of desperation are showing within the organization . Chapman guided the Cubs to postseason success and the club’s first World Series’ title in one-hundred and eight years as they defeated the Cleveland Indians . The Yankees’ pitching was simply horrendous throughout much of the season with several of the pitchers being past their prime and overpaid . It will be interesting to see which of the team’s free agents are allowed to leave and which will be re-signed.
MLB news
New York Yankees news
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The Cleveland Cavaliers suffered their first defeat of the season in a loss to the Atlanta Hawks in an unexpected home defeat at the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland , Ohio . Cleveland’s loss to the Hawks should not be seen as major surprise at all. Paul Millsap and Dennis Schroeder led the Atlanta offense in the team’s victory over their Eastern Conference counterparts.
For those who believe LeBron James should’ve spent more time on the court dealing with team issues than stumping for Democratic Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton , might well have been unto something , considering Clinton is on the cusp of being seen as a two-time loser seeking to become the US President .
LeBron James is seen here campaigning alongside Democratic Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton.
NBA news
NBA results 8th November
Cleveland Cavaliers news
🙂
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As we enter week ten of the NFL season , we should consider what has taken pace in the previous weeks which has led us to this point of the season . It would be fair to suggest not all of the teams have met expectations . The Thursday Night Game which leads off the sequence of contests for this weekend will feature the Cleveland Browns (0-9) against the Baltimore Ravens (4-4) in a battle of wits between these two AFC North teams. The Browns are still seeking to win their first game of the season having played gallantly throughout. Make no mistake , head coach Hu Jackson and his coaching staff cannot be faulted for the issues seen on the field of play from this team . The Browns continue to play hard , but they have not taken advantage of the opportunities which came their way during the games played.
For the Baltimore Ravens this will be the chance for the players to regain their stride after some mistimed performances . Ravens’ quarterback Joe Flacco has to feel this game should provide him with one of the easier wins he is likely to obtain on his schedule. In what has to be seen as a tight race within the AFC North , the Ravens are in need of this victory to stay in the hunt as well as within the conference standings with a chance also to make the postseason.
With victories this weekend , both the Dallas Cowboys (7-1) and the New England Patriots ( 7-1) are assured of a playoff berth for the postseason. Dallas will be the guests of the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday afternoon , whereas, New England will face the Seattle Seahawks at home . Tom Brady will be seeking to improve his record against the Seahawks and notch career victory one-hundred and fifty-seven .
Other games of interest on the schedule for this weekend include the Philadelphia Eagles (4-4) taking on the Atlanta Falcons (6-3) in all NFC clash .
NFL news
NFL week ten schedule
NFL team injuries
NFL standings (divisional) and conference standings
NFL standings overall
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Several teams in the Eastern Conference of the NBA have been struggling this season . The New York Knicks (5-7) in particular continue to be a boon within their division as well as the conference. Over their last eight games the Knicks have performed poorly even with the acquisitions of Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah . In their last game the Knicks fell , losing to the Washington Wizards . Next up for this Jeff Hornacek coached team will face the Atlanta Hawks in a home game to be played at Madison Square Garden in New York City , New York on Sunday , 20th November , 2016 .
New York Knicks news
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So week twelve of the NFL season seems to be up in the air as the playoff race heats up . It’s pretty much safe to say this season in comparison to 2015 has been . Early afternoon results have been very have been very surprising to say the very least .
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As the NBA trundles along with the teams seeking to play themselves into contention , though it remains early days yet. Over their last five games the best team in the league has been the Golden State Warriors alongside ther San Antonio Spurs . However , the Los Angeles Clippers (14-3) have slipped up and the Warriors have become the best team in the NBA by way of their record .
On today’s schedule we have seven games being played . Four- time League MVP LeBron James will lead the Cleveland Cavaliers in their game against the Philadelphia 76ers (4-13) between two Eastern Conference rivals . The Clippers will be in action against the Indiana Pacers (8-9) in a road game between these two intra-conference franchises .
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Dwight Howard has a storied career in the NBA where he’s among the highest paid players and centers in the league . The fact he’s failed so miserably at just about every stage of his career speaks volumes as to the reasons why he’s seen as overrated. Having won multiple Defensive Player of The Year Awards was merely a malaprop by those who thought him worthy of the accolade. Yet., he has proven himself not a leader , not a great teammate and merely one of the numerous reasons he’s considered a mercenary.
Now with the Atlanta Hawks , Dwight Howard is there to provide the team with the offensive firepower needed as well as the presumed resolute defensive abilities sought by the franchise . Atlanta’s front office led by team owner , Tony Ressler , also has former NBA star Grant Hill as a minority stakeholder and Chairman of The Board. .
Atlanta Hawks news
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Shed no tears for Jeff Fisher after he was fired by the front office of the Los Angeles Rams . After a disastrous season , where the fans expected a great deal more from the team , as they failed to ignite offensively or defensively on their way to another losing record . One should bear in mind this was the Rams’ first season back in Los Angeles , after more than a decade away from the City of Angels. Rams’ owner and billionaire entrepreneur Stanley Kroenke is as much to blame for this latest woe , as are the members of the coaching staff as well as the players.
The Los Angeles Rams have made some woeful missteps and also concerning their draft classes over the last five seasons , with perhaps only Todd Gurley having shown any signs of real progress.
It would be fair to suggest , Jeff Fisher is certainly to blame in part of the Los Angeles Rams’ issues this season , but when you have no leadership coming from the players and coaching staff , then the problems become two-fold . Los Angeles Rams’ GM Les Snead will now seek a new coaching candidate to succeed Jeff Fisher on a permanent basis , but with three games remaining on the team’s schedule , it will be down to interim head coach John Fassel to coach the team over the remaining games on the schedule. In week fifteen the Los Angeles Rams are due to meet the Seattle Seahawks in all conference match-up which will be of vital importance for both teams .
Los Angeles Rams news
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