Sports Moments that Made my Jaw Drop: a Countdown

In two weeks, I'll be 19 years old. Over that period, I have bore witness to countless sporting events, viewed wither on television, in the stands, or as a player myself. Following most of these occasions, I would change the channel, leave my seat, or walk off the field and forget about the game's goings-on within a few days or weeks.

But there were exceptions; events, either momentary or prolonged, that left a clear and lasting impression on me, even to this day. Below, I have compiled a list of the occurrences in sports that did the best job of boggling my mind over the last 15 or so years (my first sports memory is from when I was four), along with when it happened and where I was at the time. You may read it and notice events that would most certainly be considered snubs if excluded from a countdown of the most memorable sports events of the last two decades (there are no NBA selections, for example, because up until very recently I just hadn't cared enough about it), but that is not what this is. This list is personal. It has as much to do about me as it does about these moments themselves. So please bear that in mind.

Sam Hurd Vs. The Wire and Breaking Bad Pt. 2

You can check out numbers 30-16 here if you haven’t already, but in honor of Sam Hurd here are the top 15 coolest/best drug players from The Wire and Breaking Bad.  Again spoilers all over the place so beware.

#15) Don Eladio, Breaking Bad- Don Eladio really didn’t appear that often in Breaking Bad, so admittedly a lot his ranking is due to Steven Bauer’s role in Scarface.  But in Breaking Bad, Don Eladio ran shit.  He owned a lot of land and had a lot of money.

The Enigma of Fantasy Basketball

Week 16 of the NFL marked the end of our league’s fantasy football season, and in most years, this would be the end of my fantasy sports activity until next September.  This year; however, I agreed to join a fantasy basketball league.  I was swept up in the excitement of the return of the NBA, and fantasy basketball seemed like a great idea at the time.  It was not until later that I realized the league was actually for money, but after negotiating the commissioner from twenty dollars down to ten, I was ready to go.  A few days before the draft I began to research players, and it did not take long to realize that I had no idea what I was doing.  Does anyone really understand how you’re supposed to manipulate the categories in order to field the best team?  Does it make sense that blocked shots are equally as important as points scored? Why is Quadruple Doubles a category?  These are just a few of the many questions fantasy basketball provided me with.

You Wouldn't Pay to See the Wizards? I Would.

Instead of being bored to death with my family at Deep Creek Lake last night, I stayed home and went to the Washington Wizards home opener with two other LBS writers.  The Wiz will probably win no more than 15 games in the shortened NBA schedule, but for some reason I was excited to go.  Would the average fan pay to see a team whose only marquee player is John Wall? Probably not, but I thought writing an article about why I would pay would be interesting.  So, in the ten seconds prior to me beginning this article, I decided on three different things that will be included:

1) Why I love going to Wizards games despite the fact that they suck

2) My impressions of the team after the home opener

3) Music at the end of the post

 I see promise in Javale McGee that I didn't last year

30 NBA Teams 30 Questions

Via Getty Images

We are less than 24 hours away from NBA basketball people. There are questions surrounding each team as they head into this condensed season, but I'll stick to a quick one question per team, while providing you all with my NBA playoff predictions at the same time. Get ya popcorn ready.

The Reign of Aaron Rodgers

This 2011 NFL season has been nothing but exciting and captivating from the very start. In a season full of interesting storylines, the story of Aaron Rodgers and the Packers, in my opinion, has been the most intriguing of all. 

Apart from the overhype and overanalyzed play of Tim Tebow, the injury to Peyton Manning, and the pretty damn good play of Drew Brees and Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers’ ascension to the top of the quarterback totem pole has got to be the most exciting quarterback story of the year, and lets face it, folks: love it or hate it, the NFL is a league about quarterbacks. What is so thrilling about Aaron Rodgers, especially for fans of the game (not purely fans of particular teams), is that I honestly believe we could be witnessing the very best quarterback of all time play right before our eyes, in the prime of his career. I realize that what I’m implying might be ludicrous to some, especially for a guy who has only been a starter for 4 seasons, but there is just something about watching him play that gives me that feeling, and no matter how many counter arguments I make to myself, I can’t shake it. 

Skip Bayless Gets Owned

In case you missed it on ESPN First Take yesterday, everyone's least favorite sports personality Skip Bayless got completely destroyed by Stephen A Smith after saying that Derrick Rose wasn't very good.  Take a look if you hate Skip, the ownage starts around 3:15.

Sam Hurd Vs. The Wire and Breaking Bad Pt. 1

            Sam Hurd was arrested on ridiculous drug charges and it became clear he was a high-level drug player in Chicago.  Shockingly, Hurd, (a wide-receiver in the NFL!!!!!), was as influential in the drug game as some fictional characters.  In honor of Sam Hurd, this article will rank the drug players from two terrific shows, The Wire and Breaking Bad.  There are some characters who aren’t on the list, either because they aren’t directly involved in the drug dealing (Saul Goodman/Omar) or because I just don’t like them.  The rankings are a mix of each character’s rank in their respective drug trade along with how boss they are.  If you think I left someone off the list or you think I ranked someone too low let me know in the comment section.  Warning: There are spoilers abound so if you haven’t finished one of the series, bookmark this page and read it when you finish.

2011-2012 NBA Breakout Players

Who is going to be this year's Kevin Durant, Derrick Rose, Russell Westbrook, Kevin Love or LaMarcus Aldridge? Each year guys like the aforementioned players breakout and become stars, the question becomes who will they be. Now that the start of the 2011-2012 NBA season is within a week from tipping off, it is time to look at which players can make the leap from a player with potential, to a player that can change a game. Here are the guys I am going to pay special attention to this season.

Obvious Three:
These three guys are already household names, and are already good players in the association. They have the best chance of making a Derrick Rose-esque leap this season.

John Wall: Washington Wizards Point Guard
Everybody loves to compare John Wall to Derrick Rose. The two had very comparable rookie seasons, Rose was able to take the next step in his second year in the league (and then became the MVP of the league in his third year). Wall put together an insane lockout highlight tape, but NBA defenses will be better prepared to stop him and his blistering speed and breathtaking change of pace, so Wall must improve his jump shot (which he has been working on constantly this offseason) and cut down on his turnovers if he wants to take the next step this year. If Wall can average 20 and 10, the Wizards will have an outside chance at the 8th seed in the Eastern Conference, but if he doesn't progress the way most people expect he will, the Wizards will be in the hunt for the #1 pick in the draft yet again.

Why Sophie Deserved it

Until the final seven, Survivor South Pacific was one of the most predictable seasons ever. Luckily, one of the best finales in recent memory was able to salvage the season. Sophie, who many critics have said did not deserve the million dollar check, absolutely played the best game, and I will tell you exactly how she pulled it off.

Sohpie's first smart move was aligning with Coach. It is definitely dangerous aligning with a returning player, given the fact that they are an automatic threat, but she knew that Coach wanted to play with honesty and integrity, and, if you're not playing by those values, aligning with someone who is, is genius. Although she was lucky to be sitting out on the beach that second night with Coach, Albert, Rick, and Brandon, her and Albert were the only ones not blindly committed to following everything Coach says. She even said in an interview, that she aligned with these people because they were, "religious nut cases" that wouldn't lie.

Anyone For....Soccer?

It's about time the beautiful game received some coverage on this prestigious blog, and the Champions League draw that occurred this morning is the prefect excuse to analyze the greatest club teams and match-ups in Europe.

Arjen Robben, the Bayern Munich winger, looks to remain fit enough to see his team through to the finals in a repeat of their 2010 campaign

Plenty of unexpected story lines emerged from the group stages, the two most notable ones being the early exits of the two Manchester teams.  The debut of Manchester City in Europe's greatest club competition ended with disappointment as they fell one point short of Napoli and second place in the group on the final match day.  Manchester United also fell short of the knockout stages after they fell to FC Basel on their first match day and were only able to produce a tie back at Old Trafford.  Unfortunately, the draw was very early this morning so I was unable to do real-time analysis.  Fortunately, I play a ton a FIFA which has allowed me to accrue a vast knowledge of these teams.  So, without further ado, the most in-depth analysis you will find on a student-run, American blog.  Heavy emphasis will be placed on the perceptions I have of each team based on FIFA.

For the Sake of Football

The most talked-about event of this past week's NFL action was undoubtedly Tim Tebow's miraculous comeback against the Bears, erasing a 10-point deficit and aiding the broncos to a clutch victory. While I shamelessly admit that I was in total awe as I watched Tebow drive down the field and ultimately triumph over seemingly insurmountable odds, I did not see this as the sports world's most significant story of the week. That designation, at least in my opinion, went to the groundbreaking disciplinary action the league issued upon Steelers linebacker James Harrison, as a consequence of his blatantly illicit helmet-to-helmet hit on the Browns' Colt McCoy.

Who to Root For this NBA Season

I already wrote a piece on reasons to watch every NBA team this year, but I just can’t contain my excitement for the NBA season.  Now that the Chris Paul disaster is in the rearview, we can all look forward to the slate of Christmas day games.  In the meantime here are 10 NBA players I’m going to be rooting for this year.

The Great Gelfandini's Hanukkah Present: Ricky Rubio

Hanukkah has come early for me.  The NBA is just about back and that means one thing: Ricky Rubio.

Grading the CP3 to LAC Deal

Chris Paul and Eric Gordon are on the move!

The Chris Paul saga finally seems to have reached its conclusion, at least for the next two seasons. David Stern...I mean the Hornets, agreed to send Chris Paul and two future second round picks to the Clippers in exchange for Eric Gordon, Al-Farouq Aminu, Chris Kaman, and the unprotected 2012 first round pick of the Minnesota Timberwolves. While the Clippers might have given up a ton to bring Chris Paul to the Staples Center, it is hard to say it was a "bad" trade for them. They got Chris Paul.

Why the Packers Shouldn't Want a Home Playoff Game

If you are a Packers fan, you should be happy about the fact that your team has all but clinched the top seed in the NFC, but you shouldn't be quite so happy that the game must be played at Lambeau Field. Before you rattle off how great the Packers at Lambeau throughout their history, just think about the other top seeds in the NFC...

San Francisco 49ers- This is a team built on power football. Harbaugh has made this team into a real contenter, and in the conditions that Green Bay will most likely have at this time of year they will give the Packers all they can handle. If it was in San Francisco you are probably still going to need a light coat, but nothing like the Frozen Tundra of Green Bay.

Have we Gone Soft?

The question is simple: Have we as a society gone soft?  The reaction to the Xavier-Cincinatti fight was an embarrassment. We have gotten to the point where every time a fight breaks out in a sporting event, the so called "experts" act like the participants need to go to therapy and take a long hard look at their life. I am not saying that fighting should be a major part of team sports, or advocating ridiculous brawls like the melee at Auburn Hills or the sucker punch that Lagarrette Blount threw, but there is a time and a place where fighting in sports is necessary.

Welcome To The Playoffs

Via @ConnorBarwin98

The Houston Texans have finally done it. Today they clinched their first ever playoff birth by completing a miraculous comeback win over the Cincinnati Bengals, and having the Titans fall short of their own miraculous comeback against the New Orleans Saints. The Houston Texans are the AFC South division champions for the first time ever. If you didn't already know, I am a die-hard Texans fan and have been since their inaugural season in 2002, and there were times during our previous nine seasons that I thought I might never be able to call my team AFC South division champions.

The Return of Tiger Woods (Hopefully)

(I apologize for the delayed timing of the post, I realize this took place a week ago... finals have been keeping me quite busy...)

With Tiger Woods' win at the Chevron World Challenge, Golf should rejoice. For the first time in over two years the king of the golf world found himself on the top of a leader board after 72 holes. I, for one, believe this could be a the turnaround point for a career that seemed to be hopelessly drifting towards the abyss. What I saw last Sunday was the Tiger of old, the champion that we all grew to know and love, and it was simply incredible to witness.

El Clásico

Tension and anticipation build every time Real Madrid and Barcelona face off.  Saturday, the two teams played in the first ‘El Clasico’ of the season in Madrid.  Going into the game Christiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi were tied atop the leaderboard in goals with 17 a piece, although Real had 3 points on Barca.  A win for Madrid would have put them in complete control of La Liga and it appeared the match might be headed that way after the first 45 seconds.

Early Season Stock Watch

In honor of Dick Vitale and college basketball being superior to the NBA, here is my early season stock up and stock down.

Stock up:

Missouri- Missouri has rolled through early season competition with an athletic team featuring an extremely up-tempo offense.  Marcus Denmon and Kim English make up one of the most dynamic backcourts in the country, combining for 40 a game.  The Tigers rank 6^th nationally in points scored, 14^th in assists, and 7^th in field goal percentage.  Missouri and Baylor, another team off to a hot start, have made perennial powerhouse Kansas look like the third best team in a conference it historically dominates.

2011-2012 NBA Preview: Part I

Matt will be doing a four part NBA preview before the season kicks off on Christmas day. This is part one. 

I love the NBA. I love Christmas. I love the NBA on Christmas. So it brought me indescribable amounts of joy when Roy woke me up on the morning of Saturday November 26th to tell me that the lockout was over. The effects of the festivities that took place the night before were immediately overwhelmed with a feeling of pure joy.

Please Manny, Just Be Manny

Manny has reportedly filed for reinstatement and is looking for a team to sign him.  I'm ecstatic about this and only hope that Manny will provide some moments half as comical as the following.  I hope Manny Ramirez will forever remain relevant.  Enjoy.

Manny's infamous cut-off

Standard double play for #24

Pondering the Future

It is pretty hard to believe that only two years ago, the Minnesota Vikings were one play away from the Super Bowl. Since then its been a comedy of errors only comparable to Shane Falco's epic collapse in the '98 Sugar Bowl. The only way to look to the future, is to understand how we got here.

The Greatest Family in Sports

If that's not a sports family, I don't know what is.

There are a lot of families who have spent their lives in the eye of the sports public.  The Manning’s are arguably the most famous family in sports, the Staal brothers should be thrown into the mix for the most Canadian, and I think the Molina’s might actually be my favorite sports family.  But the most successful sports family is undoubtedly the Kardashian’s.  Although no Kardashian by blood has ever done anything of notice in the sports community, their tentacles (or husbands/boyfriends) seem to touch almost every sport you can think of.  The Kardashian’s certainly put the love in LoveBoatSports and in honor of their prominent role in American history, let’s take a closer look at the family.

Best Sports Commercials

A little vacation through time, and your vehicle is sports commercials. I couldn't give these outright rankings, so they are grouped by what they are advertising for. Also all of these products should pay me for the vast amount of publicity I am giving them. Enjoy.

Farewell, Bruce.

And just like that, he's gone. Almost as abruptly as he entered, Bruce Boudreau has left the Capitals, except this time it he didn't have a say in it. There are many who won't be surprised by the firing considering that the Capitals have been in the midst of a miserable month of hockey--losing 7 of their last 10 and falling out of 1st place in the Southeast Division for the first time in a long time. There has also been lots of talk recently about how he has mishandled the superstars of the team (i.e. Alexander Ovechkin and Alexander Semin), and how his reputation as a softy coach has come back to haunt him. With a roster as talented as the Capitals, and considering their futility in the playoffs the last few years, fans (and apparently the front office as well) were fed up with the underachieving that has been synonymous with the Capitals over the past three or four seasons. People were calling for Boudreau's head on a platter.

Rock Out Cause They Aren't Locked Out

            All I want for Christmas is Lebron James Vs. Dirk Nowitkzi; Paul Pierce Vs. Carmelo Anthony; Derrick Rose Vs. Kobe Bryant… lucky me!  A lot of people don’t really care about the NBA but here are upwards 34 reasons why you should watch the NBA this year (about one for each team and 5 reasons for the San Antonio Spurs).

Best Celebration Ever?

Stevie Johnson, of the Buffalo Bills, just scored a touchdown against Plaxico Burress and the New York Jets. He then preformed what could be the greatest touchdown celebration ever. Take a look.



Shawne Merriman then tweeted this during the game.

@shawnemerriman
Shawne MerrimanNever tweet during the game but what @StevieJohnson13 did was disrespectful & not needed & should never ... http://t.co/6nlUO0rC 14 minutes ago via UberSocial for BlackBerry · powered by @socialditto

The Prodigal Son Returns

Sidney Crosby, hockey’s chosen one, returned to NHL action last night after missing almost a full year with a concussion, and immediately reminded us what we were missing without him.  As a Capitals fan, it pains me to admit this, but Crosby is the best hockey player on the planet.  Crosby netted two goals on eight shots on goal, also adding two assists, in his return to the ice.  Despite my hate of the Penguins and Crosby in particular, even I have to admit the NHL has been far less interesting with Crosby off the ice.  The absence of an NBA season looks more and more likely with each passing day, and the NHL needs Crosby to be back in full force to capitalize on the opportunity to be the premier winter sport and expand their fan base.

Fantasy Madness

               March 

     Fantasy Madness

I for one have been devastated by the NBA lockout.  I’ve paid a little more attention to the NHL and even have begun to follow -- gasp -- the MLS.  Luckily Love Boat Sports has come up with a new fantasy college basketball game called Fantasy Madness to help fully integrate you to the college season.  The Loveboat staff is currently drafting but it has been a long process that has been made longer thanks to this guy.  We will get some posts up after the draft but until then here are the rules:

Why I Love Tebow, Even if You Hate Him

          

           Tim Tebow has made one of the most boring, irrelevant teams in all of football fun to watch.  That alone is a commendable feat.  Bill Simmons tweeted earlier tonight, “I’m irrationally excited for this Broncos-Jets game”.  However most people don’t watch the Broncos because they want to see good football-- that is why one watches the Packers.  People watch the Broncos because they want to watch Tim Tebow: @DJShampoooo before gametime Thursday night, “EVERY DAY I’M TEBOWING”.  And I would argue people watch Tim Tebow not because he is a particularly fun player to watch, but because they want to be right.  And up to this point, whether you hate Tebow or love him, you have most likely felt justified in your beliefs. 

Yet Again, A Touching Moment in Sports


It's a pretty common, yet always appropriate occurrence in sports; either before or during a game the home team will take the time to honor our nations military personnel who attended the game that day.  At Nats park, the military men and women all go down to right behind home plate in between an inning and the crowd gives them a standing ovation.  I will never tire of it, and I will always applaud until my hands are red.  Something like that at a hockey game after the jump, including an unbelievably emotional video.

Songs For Days

            Let’s take a look at some of the best songs from sports.  Now I don’t mean the best songs athletes have made.  That list would be a lot shorter and far more humorous.   I’m talking about the songs you hear and immediately think of something sports.  Without further ado here are the Top 10 songs in sports with a few honorable mentions.

A Much Needed Classic

Tonight’s Carrier Classic served as a representation of everything that’s still good in sports.  In the midst of an unthinkable scandal defaming one of our most beloved figures and the prolonged NBA lockout, we needed an event like the Carrier Classic to remind us why we love sports.  With the game played outdoors on an aircraft carrier, both teams wearing camo jerseys, and frequent interviews with military personnel, including the Commander in Chief himself, the game was a great celebration of Veterans Day.  Although there were questions about whether or not having the game outdoors would affect playing conditions, both teams’ players and coaches did not even consider moving the game to the lower deck of the ship.  While there were a few slips here and there, the outdoor conditions did not cause any real problems.  The game itself was not particularly exciting, we were treated to our first look at UNC, the pre-season number one.  In the midst of one of the most depressing sports periods in recent memory, it was a refreshing change to see two teams of amateurs putting it on the line to make history, playing the first outdoor game in college basketball history, and more importantly, to put on a display for the troops.  While most of us will probably sleep in tomorrow morning and have a relaxing weekend, the sailors on the USS Carl Vinson will be up before six performing their regular duties, and soon enough, will be deployed.  They will carry the memory of tonight’s game with them through long days and nights overseas, and if that isn’t enough, at least for one night, for any sports fans out there, I’m not sure what is.

Improvements Must Come Soon

When Jürgen Klinsmann took over as the US mens national team coach on July 29th everyone expected the team to start producing goals or at the very least some attacking play that Klinsmann's Germany team displayed in their 2006 World Cup run. After six games under the new regime the team is just 1-1-4 which includes a disgraceful loss at the hands of Costa Rica's "B" team.

New Domain Name

Just wanted to keep everyone updated, we will now be at www.loveboatsports.com as opposed to www.loveboatsports.blogspot.com. Thanks to everyone for the support!

The Worst Ending to the Best Career

Joe Paterno is (was?) the greatest college football coach of all time.  No one has more wins, no one has been doing it longer.  Unfortunately, this famed coaching career has now crashed and burned in the absolute worst way possible.

Say It Ain't So, Joe

“All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing” – Edmund Burke

The Fate of the Cardinal

Often times, sports journalists and announcers seem to only know how to speak in hyperbole. If we as viewers were to believe everything that we heard from different media outlets, we would believe that we were witnessing history just about every weekend. The first example that comes to mind is the Alabama vs. LSU game this past weekend. Promoted as "the best 1 vs. 2 matchup in a decade" for 2 weeks straight, the game really wasn't that great to watch, and because of the ridiculousness that is the BCS, we may be watching the exact same game in a couple of months. Sometimes though, there are games that do truly change the course of college programs and college football itself. I believe the Stanford vs. Oregon game this weekend falls into that category. The implications of this game are huge for Stanford, and in turn, the future of the West Coast college football landscape. Assuming that Stanford will beat 2 average teams in Cal and Notre Dame, here are just a few things this weekend's game will most likely determine:

What's Left For Roger Federer?

Roger Federer won the ATP tournament in Basel, Switzerland last week. While it might sound ridiculous, I think you should savor that victory because there might not be a whole lot of them left. There are certain figures in sports that it is almost impossible to root against. Guys like LeBron James, Alex Rodriguez and Barry Bonds. Roger Federer might be the most likable, dominant athlete there is in the world of sports right now. 

Usually when a person or team experiences success at the highest level over and over again people begin to grow tired of that team or person, and they will find reasons to dislike them. Champions will also fall from the good graces of the general public due to their own doing, looking at you Tiger. Roger Federer though has been able to maintain his popularity and reputation better than many of the champions that have come before him and will undeniably do so better than many of the champions that come after him. He not only celebrates his victories with the utmost amount of class, but he handles heartbreaking losses with amazing dignity. The funny thing is, one of the men who has began to dethrone Roger in recent years from the pinnacle of tennis, possesses the exact same characteristics that he does, that man being Rafael Nadal. This clash of admirable champions has led to numerous inner-conflicts when it comes to deciding whom I'd prefer come out on top when they square off head-to-head. Recently though it has been an easy choice. Roger. 

Ranking the Metro

The D.C. Metro is one of the most under appreciated features of the nation's best city. Washington boasts one of the best train system in the United States. It's cleaner than NYC's more useful than Chicago, and more existent than L.A.'s I give you here, the top stations on the Metro.

Why Jose Reyes to the Nats Makes Sense

The Washington Nationals showed a commitment to spending money towards building a contender when they signed Jayson Werth for seven years and 126 million dollars, making him the 14^th highest paid player in baseball history. Although nearly everyone, including Nationals fans themselves, realized that Werth was being severely overpaid, it was important for the Lerner family to show the Washington faithful that they were devoted to making the Nats a contender after six disappointing seasons in Washington. Although Werth had a down year, drawing boos from Nats fans and mockery from the national media, Wilson Ramos, Jordan Zimermann, Danny Espinosa, and of course, Stephen Strasburg gave the Nationals reason to believe that the future is bright. There has been a lot of talk about the Nats going after one of this summer’s big name free agents, and while most people are advocating a run at Albert Pujols or Prince Fielder, the hot stove’s top two sluggers, the Nationals should look in a different direction: shortstop and lead-off hitter Jose Reyes.

NCAA Hoops Is Here

Ladies and gentlemen, college basketball season is upon us. I couldn't care less if the NBA returned anytime in the next decade. This is what basketball is all about. College basketball is the greatest form of basketball on this planet, and anyone who believes otherwise is a basketball fan for all of the wrong reasons. I love everything about it, from diaper dandies to march madness. There is no equivalent in the sports spectrum that can come close to the purity and selflessness displayed in college basketball. There are no labor disputes or absurd max contracts. There are no Andray Blatches, Lebron James, or Nick Youngs and all of the dunks and drama they bring. I would take a back door cut or a well run flex any day. So while everyone is watching a bunch of spoiled, stupid wastes of space complain about how to split the last 30 million on ESPN everyday, I will be watching that Seton Hall vs Depaul game and loving every second of it. Because this is day one and it's anyone's season....except Michigan.


Greatest point guard to ever live: Gerry Mcnamara
Enjoy...

Next Article

The Great Tim Tebow

Homer at the Bat

The Simpsons series has long been considered one of the funniest television series of all time.  The writers have consistently created comedic genius, setting the bar high for animated series.  Although they're all great, my favorite Simpsons episode ever is ‘Homer at the Bat’.   If you’re a sports fan and haven’t seen this episode yet, you should go watch it and then come back and read this article, (it’s available to watch online, not that I condone watching tv shows illegally or anything).  The episode does a wonderful job of playfully jabbing at baseball customs that are accepted within the baseball culture, but ridiculous outside of it.

The Great Gelfandini's All NBA Athlete Team

In the world of professional sports, just about everyone is a great athlete.   But, within this bubble of supreme manhood, lie a few individuals that are a little better than the rest.  These are the guys that are referred to as "Freaks" or "Animals."
They are the ones making sportscenter's Top 10 on a daily basis.  They are the ones little kids try to emulate.  Quite frankly, they are the best athletes.  So I am proud to present you with my All-Athlete team.  I will go sport by sport honoring the worlds best physical athletes.

Today, I start with the NBA.  Provided that this list of players didnt stop working out during the lockout, you will be seeing them posterizing slow centers and flying across the paint to swat floaters.

Take A Lap, Sanchize

Let's start Monday off with a little humor from yesterdays slate of NFL games.  Obviously, some QB's are better suited for the wildcat offense than others.  The best part is that he immediately begins laughing at himself.  He had to have been in a good mood, since he had led his team to a 27-11 lead in Buffalo with 3 minutes left, and Rex Ryan decided to put him up at wideout.  Safe to say not familiar territory for Mark.  Terrific block, however.

MLB Free Agency Roundtable--2012

It's that time of the year again, folks--that's right, I'm talking about MLB free agency. The Winter months always provide tons of entertainment in the form of athletes receiving gazillions of dollars from various MLB teams, and this Winter should prove to be no different.  Now that the dust has settled and Brian Bixler has landed in Houston, we can finally take a look at the top of this year's class.  This free agency class boasts some of the biggest names in baseball, and there should surely be quite a bit of cash thrown around the league.

A few of the authors here at Love Boat Sports have decided to discuss the possible landing spots for 5 of the biggest names in this year's free agency class: Albert Pujols, Prince Fielder, C.J. Wilson, Jose Reyes, and Jimmy Rollins.

So without further ado, here are the predictions:

Brian's Gone

Earlier today the Astros claimed Brian Bixler off of waivers, ending his short tenure with the Nationals.  It makes sense that the Nationals feel as if they no longer need him with Steve Lombardozzi, and further down the pipeline Anthony Rendon, waiting for their turn to play in the Nationals’ infield.  With that said, I am sad to see Bixler go.  Members inside the Nationals organization admired Bixler’s work ethic.  Before games you could see Bixler getting his reps in all over the field while Ian Desmond did whatever Ian Desmond does before games.  This past year he notched appearances at 6 different positions for the Nats.

The Beauty of the Dogpile

No matter the participants, the situation, or the stakes, I will tune into any final inning of a baseball championship game to see the holiest celebration in all of sports, the dogpile. The dogpile is a sacred celebration, an explosion of joy and celebration of a shared accomplishment that only one team is lucky enough to partake in. The dogpile is such a transcendent part of baseball that the dogpile after my little league championship still ranks in the top moments of my life, and easily the happiest and most vivid memory I have of that team.

Reliving the Glory Days: 1996 Princeton vs. UCLA

I would classify the 1996 NCAA tournament first round matchup between UCLA and the Princeton Tigers as a matchup between David and Goliath.

Kevin Durant is the greatest.

Ever since KD entered the NBA, I have been one of his most adoring fans. Perhaps it is just my DC bias, but I honestly feel like he is one of the nicest, most genuine, and most humble players currently playing professional basketball---oh, and he's also pretty good.

In the midst of an ongoing NBA lockout (which hopefully will come to a conclusion within the next couple weeks), it is understandable that players would try to find things to keep themselves busy, whether it be pick-up basketball games, other business ventures, or in this case, flag football. I spotted this gem over on NFL.com about Kevin Durant lacing up his cleats for a little flag football matchup with the boys of Sigma Nu at Oklahoma St just for the hell of it. He had a pretty successful day out on the field, while also giving a group of guys the time of their lives out there in Stillwater, OK.

Just another reason why I'll always root for a guy like Durant.  Check the video out below or check out the article on NFL.com here.

Joe Buck Finally Nails It

Say what you want about Joe Buck and Tim McCarver, I’m right there with you. Joe Buck’s lack of emotion often ruins big moments and among other things, Tim McCarver does not know how to count. However last Thursday night, during the best game in over 100 years of baseball, Joe Buck killed it.

The Art of the Backup

Is there a greater job in sports than being a backup Quarterback? The easy answer is yes, being a starting quarterback, and that would also be right. But for those not talented enough to make it as a starter, there is nothing better than the life of a career backup quarterback. The problem is that many backup quarterback’s careers are cut short when they are forced onto the gridiron and we can see how inept they really are at playing the position. Others can avoid the starting role seemingly by choice. This is a tribute to those men.

The Best of the Best (Sir, with honors)

Jim Sorgi: If there was an America's Next Top Model for wearing headsets, Jim Sorgi would win every year. Sorgi milked a seven year career out of virtually no talent. After looking and playing exactly like every other Wisconsin quarterback ever, he went to the Colts where he sat behind Peyton Manning. It was in Indianapolis where he accomplished every backup quarterback's dream, never starting a game. That being said, Sorgi also possessed another key skill of a backup, playing well in garbage time to avoid being cut. Sorgi finished his career with a quarterback rating better than the likes of Dan Marino, Warren Moon, Fran Tarkenton, and Bart Starr. Curtis Painter was set to be the next Sorgi, but after abysmal play this year, he will never achieve Sorgi's level of success.

Career Highlight: Winning a Super Bowl ring with the Colts.

Welcome To Love Boat Sports

Welcome to Love Boat Sports, a sports blog run by a group of friends from the greater D.C. area.

The sports knowledge on this site is immense and diverse with each member having their own specific interests and opinions. You can read more about the authors of this blog, here, and get a full description of what exactly Love Boat Sports is, here.

Posts will range from European soccer to American football while covering almost everything in between.

We hope that you will stick by us in our early days while we work out any kinks we come across.

Enjoy the blog!

Sincerely,

The authors of Love Boat Sports
@LoveBoatSports