International NFL Games: NO!

Wow, this is my 100th post on this blog. Didn't think I made that many posts...

Anyway, the NFL has just announced that 2 regular season games next year will be played outside the United States. I have heard that the countries in thinking are England, Canada, Mexico, and Japan. They are doing this for more revenue as well as a larger fan base across the world, in case they ever decide to expand to make American football a world wide sport.

Personally, I think that this is an awful idea. As Woody Paige said on Cold Pizza this morning, this is taking away 1 game, out of 8, for season ticket holders as well as casual fans to go to at their respected team's stadium. Do these people realize how passionate many NFL fans are? To me, going to an NFL game is probably my favorite activity, and hopefully I will get to go to one this year. Taking away one of these games is terrible for the fans, and though the team might get compensation for lost revenue through tickets, concessions and merchandise, the fans will get nothing in return, except watching their team play at awkward times due to time zone differences.

The NFL also needs to realize that the rest of the world doesn't really care about this league. This league is definitely the most popular in America, and it should stay that way. By moving internationally, I know that fans may lose interest in the game. Diehards will stay NFL fans, but those casual fans may not enjoy the game if they cannot attend. People in other countries love soccer, and will have to adjust to football, and many may not want to. They also need to think of certain things such as terrorism, in these countries that are not as secure as ours. I understand they have larger soccer stadiums in some of these places, but they are not Americans playing the sport, who these people seem to hate more than anything.

I really disagree with this decision, and I hope it is really thought out before its execution.

I may send the NFL an online petition if I can get enough signatures, and if I can find out where to do so. If you want to help me get that started, please let me know.

Nice hit!

Don't have much to post, except that the Giants are in first place right now. Also figured that I would post this video, what a hit. Perfect AP, perfect.

Pierce's hit on Vick

What are they thinking?

What is wrong with our judges? Lynne Stewart, who has been found guilty of allowing terrorists to communicate from their jail cells during the 1993 attack on the World Trade Center only received 28 months in jail for this crime, when she was facing up to 30 years. The New York Post article says:

"She had been found guilty of providing material support to terrorists by helping her jailed client - blind Sheik Omar Abdel-Rahman, the suspected mastermind of the 1993 World Trade Center bombing - communicate with his followers.

[Judge John] Koeltl said Stewart was guilty of "extraordinarily severe criminal conduct" with "potentially lethal consequences" by smuggling messages for Abdel-Rahman and issuing inflammatory public statements.

Yet he ruled that a light sentence was justified, given Stewart's treatment for breast cancer and her 30-year career representing poor and unpopular clients."

Another part of the article:

"Stewart was arrested six months after the 9/11 terrorist attacks and accused of violating strict prison rules by helping the Egyptian-born Abdel-Rahman spread the word to kill those who did not buy into his extremist interpretation of Islamic law.

The sheik was serving a life sentence for plotting to blow up five New York landmarks, including the Holland Tunnel and George Washington Bridge, and to assassinate Egypt's president when Stewart helped him communicate with his followers and leaders of an Egyptian-based terrorist organization."

This is absolutely ridiculous. She was representing unpopular people because they are criminals, such as terrorists... I don't think they can be popular with too many in this country. I just wanted to comment quick about how disgusted I am. This could really be a case of treason, as she is helping people who want to attack the United States communicate with one another. This woman is a scumbag and deserves a hell of a lot more jail time than this.

Will A-Rod Prevail?

Well, tonight is the first playoff game for the Yankees, as they take on the Tigers at 8:00 PM at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx. Alex Rodriguez, the Yankees third baseman, will be hitting sixth in the lineup today. This is a little bit odd, considering he is arguably the best offensive player in the game, and could be the best ever when he retires. However, he will probably not move up in the lineup until he shows that he can get those big hits in October. To win over the hearts of the Yankees fans, this is what he needs to do. The regular season matters, but if you hit .150 in the playoffs with 0 RBI, these fans will not accept you.

This is somewhat reasonable, as I want A-Rod to do well in the playoffs, since he is absoutely a crucial part of the team. When he is up to bat, there is always a large possiblity that runs will be scored, via a home run, or just a hit to score runners on base. He has so much pressure on him because of the fact that he is usually so dominant, and in October, doesn't seem to get the job done (though people forget that he had an outstanding series against the Twins in 2004).

Will A-Rod succeed? I think he will. But, he needs to relax, and just ignore the garbage that the media constantly gives him.

If not, will he be traded? Quite possibly, but I am hoping not, considering he is in his prime and one of the greatest baseball players in this era, if not of all time.

Predictions for the Divisional Series:

American League
Yankees beat the Tigers in 4
Twins beat the Athletics in 5

National League
Dodgers beat the Mets in 5
Padres sweep the Cardinals