Guest Blogger: Corey Bennett

Hey Everyone,

As most of you know my graduation was this weekend. Since I had over twenty family members in town and the logistical nightmares involved with feeding, boarding, driving, and entertaining all of them, I had zero time to update my blog. So to avoid making my readers wait, I invited a good friend of mine Corey Bennett to guest blog for me this week. Be sure to leave some comments! I will try to get my own posting up sometime in the next week. After that be sure to look for Part 1 of the Battle of the Brads, as my friends Brad Denny and Brad Golden go head-to-head and debate some relevant topics for us.

Okay here is Corey's guest blog....

In this inaugural guest blog, I’ve decided to avoid the pretentiousness of a top-ten list and opt for the more attainable “Six I Already Know.” Off we go…

6. I know sports would be better off if leagues (and media networks) actually addressed the issue of pathetic in-game commentary. What amazes me is the amount of money organizations and leagues will spend on public relations, marketing, and branding—all necessary expenditures that seek to connect fans to the sport and build loyalty. Yet when it comes to choosing people to do commentary, we’re often force-fed the idiocy and ignorance of former players and coaches whose ability to provide an intelligent, engaging narrative for 48-90 minutes is as lacking as their ability to choose a matching neck-tie.

Bill Simmons has written extensively about this topic—chiding the NBA for benching Marv Albert in big games in lieu of clowns like Bill Walton. We’re all familiar with Mr. Madden and his uncanny, seemingly inebriated zingers. For those of you who watched the 2006 World Cup, ESPN treated its English-speaking audience to the likes of Shep Messing, JP Dellacamera and others. If you didn’t catch it or went to therapy and had it erased from your memory, JP and Co. reminded us in Saturday night’s MLS game between Chivas USA and FC Dallas. At each goal, JP broke into his chorus of “It’s in the net. It’s in the net.” But after the second goal, JP’s partner offered this gem: “He sees Salas way off his line in nowhereland…cool as a cucumber, great definition.” Enough said.

5. I know that ABC’s season finale of “Lost” marked the return of the show’s greatness. As a zealot from episode one, I grew frustrated with the sudden departure of coherent, clever writing in season three. I was intrigued by the Kate-Sawyer sub-plot, as well as the introduction of Juliet and the Others, but the bar had been set very, very high. I was actually hoping ABC would announce the end of the show next year. I hate to see shows spiral to their death…or in the case of ER and CSI, just spiral. After the stellar, two-hour Lost finale, I have acquiesced to the tentative five-season goal.

While I’m on this subject, can the mainstream media networks get with the program (pun intended)?!? We all know the importance of ratings in terms of generating enough advertising revenue to justify a show’s existence and future. Since programs have been made readily available on the internet and with the rise of TiVo, however, it seems the networks have forgotten that the playing field has changed. Now the networks are dumping quality shows like NBC’s Studio 60 based on outdated metrics. Figure it out people and stop toying with my emotions (okay, I really liked Studio 60).

4. I know Atlanta Falcon Michael Vick should be harshly punished for his involvement with the illegal dog-fighting world. The NFL should suspend him for at least one season, and the Falcons would do well to start building for life after Vick (assuming there will ever be life in that organization again). This isn’t a doping allegation that could be ducked by a simple denial because the prosecution lacks the necessary evidence. It clearly is not a widespread problem. Vick probably won’t get immunity in exchange for naming names. There may be some who have no objection to dog-fighting (I’m guessing Raider fans), but if the evidence keeps pouring in like it has, I see no other choice than to make an example of Vick. While they’re at it, the NFL should suspend Marcus Vick too, just to avoid the media spectacle that will invariably follow his next round of shenanigans.

3. I know the Yankees won’t even make it to the World Series with Roger Clemens. Sorry Dave. As nice as it was to let me write this guest blog, you seem to have slept through the last few years that saw the winning mentality get drained from that organization. The Yankees are not a team that is one guy short of a title. They don’t need any more veteran leadership in the clubhouse. The Yankees have been and still are a team with a lot of talent, but no chemistry; no cause; and no hope for at least a few more years.

2. I know everyone would be happier if the NFL would lengthen the regular season. Hell, I say why stop at 17 games? On the one hand, I recognize there has to be a limit and that requiring each team to play every other team would be unduly burdensome. On the other hand, a 16-game season with required games against a team’s own division exacerbates the parity problem—that the AFC is much stronger than the NFC.

As a start, the NFL should add one non-conference game. Play it in Japan or Mexico or wherever. I’m not as concerned with the home-away issue as I am with fairness. The league and teams would reap higher revenues by adding a game or two. The sport would be well-served if the Bears had to play an extra AFC team before “earning” that first-round bye in the playoffs.

1. I know David Beckham will not be the biggest story in MLS this season. Don’t get me wrong. I think his arrival will be a fantastic event, bettering the league and the state of soccer in the U.S. But Becks isn’t a flashy player. He scores few goals that aren’t from the penalty spot or free-kicks, and even then he scores very little. He is a talent, make no mistake, and a world-class player. His mark, however, will be made off the pitch. His impact will be seen in the seats, front-offices, and media.

The second biggest story will be Maykel Galindo, striker for Chivas USA. The 26 year-old Cuban gained political asylum from Cuba two years ago, spent a successful season with a minor-league club, and has made quite a splash in the first eight games of this season, with five goals and two assists. On Saturday he scored a remarkable goal against FC Dallas. Running at the goal, he was hauled down from behind, but stayed on his feet and struck a wonder-goal from 22-meters. First, let me clarify. That was not a typo—he stayed on his feet. He didn’t roll around on the ground or cry to the referee. Second, he represents that which MLS must not ignore as it continues to grow. He is not like Beckham—a high-paid superstar imported from abroad to play the last year or two of his career. Galindo has four to five years of playing in his prime. He is from this part of the world and is a product of the A-League—a minor league that serves as a pipeline for developing players.

But the biggest story in the MLS will be Juan Pablo Angel, striker for the New York Red Bull and recent import from Aston Villa in the English Premier League. Like Beckham, Angel is near the end of his career. Unlike Beckham, Angel is a creative forward and has produced three goals and two assists in his first three games. While he was brought in under the Beckham rule (newly created by MLS and allows teams to bring in one or two stars that would otherwise be unaffordable for teams to pay), Angel’s salary is $1.6 million, compared to Beckham’s $6.5 million (consider that 93 players make less than $17,700 per year). In its current state, MLS cannot afford more than one David Beckham, but the influx of players like Angel will help grow the game. If MLS makes a few major changes—most importantly to restructure and lengthen the season—we may soon begin to see world-class players imported before they reach the age of 30.