Do you think it is a coincidence that the same year Ray Lewis was accused of being involved with a felony murder, the Ravens won the Super Bowl? Also, is it a coincidence that the same year A-Rod is tortured by the press for cheating on his wife with Madonna, and for failing a steroid test, the Yankees win the World Series?

How about Kobe desperately seeking vindication after losing to the Celtics in the 2008 NBA Finals, as critics claimed he would never win a ring without Shaq? I am sure it is just a coincidence that the Lakers won the NBA championship in 2009.

How about the New Orleans Saints? The Saints represented an entire city that desperately needed a ray of hope after being destroyed by Hurricane Katrina. The Saints season was an emotional story for the ages as they beat the Colts to capture the 2010 Lombardi trophy.

How about Michael Phelps beating Milorad Cavic in the first big event following the Olympics, after the Serb talked major smack (thus fueling Phelp’s competitive drive)?

I am sure it is just a coincidence that after being tarred and feathered by the media for being an underachiever at the 2006 Winter Olympics, Bode Miller answered the bell with three medals including a gold in Vancouver.

I have said it 1,000 times: 21st century athletes are no longer driven by women, money, and fame. The emotional story and spite are the major catalysts that drive athletes to greatness in the modern era of sports.

There is no doubt that Tiger Woods should be vilified in the media for his sexual transgressions. How can you feel sorry for a billionaire that made a mess of his personal life because he thought he was above the standard of normal decency? However, Tiger has been distracted over the last three years because of the following: his father died, he got married, had two kids, and then cheated on his wife with numerous escorts. The events of the past few months are going to harden the resolve of the World’s best golfer, and he is going to be more focused than ever. Tiger has a chip on his shoulder the size of Cleveland. All of the recent media scrutiny is going to propel Tiger to a run of dominance never seen before in golf history. Trust me. Once Tiger knocks off the rust, he will win 8 of the next 10 majors.

Last but not least, how about John Calipari? The Kentucky coach was roasted in the offseason for being a cheater, for being a liar, and for failing to run a clean program anywhere. Calipari left Memphis high and dry quitting the job, stealing most of the Tiger’s blue chip recruits, and then bringing them with him to Kentucky. The media keeps saying that Kentucky is talented but too young to win it all. People are quick to point out that Calipari has never won a national championship, and that Memphis offered up one of the all time chokes in NCAA history by blowing a late lead against Kansas in the 2008 Finals. Even though I have Kansas winning it all in both my pools, don’t be surprised to see Calipari cut down the nets in Indianapolis.

Spite and emotion will carry you far not only in sports, but in life.

Woodman – fueled by spite my whole life

Mothers and citizens of New York, there is good reason for you to be resting a bit uneasy tonight. In a lapse of judgment last week, the mayor of New York City has decided to hand over the keys to the city to the players of a professional baseball team.  I am sure Mayor Bloomberg had good reason for trusting Nick Swisher and Carsten Charles Sabathia with this responsibility, but I sure as hell don’t. To the best of my knowledge getting the keys to the city means you have access to municipal bathrooms, city park gates, city hall doors, police station entrances, toll booths, public schools, sanitation trucks, salt trucks, EMT ambulances and a myriad of other city owned property. This is a very high honor as most people with access to those keys have advanced degrees from TCI Automotive Technology College and Borough of Manhattan Community College.

I’m being facetious of course. I would never trust Nicholas Swisher in my city with access to all the behind-the-scenes action he can handle. With any luck, he will let himself into P.S. 034 Tottensville and learn to read. Nicholas and Jonathan Damon will be sorely disappointed to learn that their keys don’t let them into the MTV studios and Real World houses.  

 Do you know who they gave their key to back in 1980? Saddam Hussein. No lie. Way to go Detroit.

It’s a ridiculous premise and ceremony. It’s one that has just as little meaning as being awarded an honorary degree. You didn’t really earn it; it doesn’t really mean anything and yet you still act like you are top stuff. If we really want to reward players, let’s give them the keys they really want. Carsten Charles would certainly want the keys to a Burger King, and you have to believe that A.J. Burnett would love the keys to Greenwich Jewelers Inc. with an extra little key to their necklace case.

You know what though, if you are a believer in the ceremony and if you were to be awarded the keys, there aren’t many places better than NYC…but what about if you played for the Royals? I assume that if you were given those keys, you would try to trade up for a couple Book-It coupons and get your Pizza Hut personal pan pizzas.

~ Gordon Southard, JAS Hodgepodge Correspondent

Instead of going on a long winded diatribe and putting our great fan base to sleep with a number of stats and meticulous match-up breakdowns that will be available on a number of other websites, I want to facilitate discussion on the site and get input from you, the reader and knowledgeable sports fan.

We know the deal with the Yankees: this is their 40th trip to the World Series and they are stacked with players who have been there before and know how to win. Add in Teixeira, Burnett, Sabathia, Swisher and a billion dollars in payroll over the last four years and it is no surprise they will contend for title #27.

The Phillies are the defending Champions, but have flown under the radar because of their unreliable bullpen which has blown countless saves in 2009. Few experts gave the Phillies a chance to defend their title, but here they are with a chance to be the first NL team since the 1975-76 Reds to win back to back titles.

It is rare that you have the two best offensive teams competing for a championship, but for the sake of baseball’s ratings, this is what we fortunately have on tap. Ironically, it will probably be the lowest scoring World Series in history. Both of the ballparks are launching pads and almost all of the marquee hitters for both teams are playing well. Throw in the passion of each city and the World Series will probably be an epic, seven game series that will go down as one for the ages. Here are my questions for the readers:

Will the performance of each bullpen be the deciding factor? Will the Phillies find a reliable second starter to compliment Cliff Lee? Will we get the dominant Brad Lidge of 2008, or the disaster waiting to happen of 2009? Will both teams continue to play great defense, or will one team (pull an Angels and) give the series away with a number of unforced errors? Can A-Rod and Ryan Howard continue to produce? Who will be the unsung hero that will emerge and make a difference for either team? Who will DH for the Phillies? Can Mariano Rivera continue to deliver and add to his 37 postseason saves? Will Andy Pettitte close out another series and add to his record-setting 16 post season wins? Will Mark Teixeira be able to produce from the right side of the plate against Philly’s wealth of left handed pitchers? Will Posada be a defensive liability? Who is going to win? How many games will it take? Which manager will be the better tactician? Which manager will be a liability? Will Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell join Kate Hudson in the stands in Yankee stadium? Who will be the MVP? Which fan base will demonstrate the worst sportsmanship? Which spite storyline will be the ultimate catalyst? Will the Cleveland Indians front office throw themselves off a bridge for allowing Cliff Lee and Sabathia to leave town?

I am ready to interact, so let’s get it on. I have no definitive read on this series and think it is 50/50 that either team will win. Even though my parents were born in Philly and I would like to see the Phillies win, I have to stick to my guns and stay with the Yankees who I have predicted would win since late April. Yankees in 7.

Woodman – is baseball even relevant anymore????

I haven’t contributed anything to the site for a few weeks and wanted to weigh in on some of my recent thoughts relating to the current sports landscape.

U.S. Men’s National Team forward Charlie Davies was seriously injured in a car accident the night before the World Cup qualifying game against Costa Rica. Davies will be unavailable for the 2010 World Cup as a result of the severity of the injuries suffered during the crash which left 22 year old Ashley Roberta of Phoenix, MD dead. Davies was the one American forward who had legitimate pace and could have given elite defenders around the world a real run for their money. Davies was also developing a special chemistry with striking partner Jozy Altidore. The combination of Altidore’s size and Davies speed would have given the U.S. a real chance of making it out of the group stage at next summer’s World Cup. Without Davies (who was getting solid minutes and delivering goals for Sochaux in France’s Ligue 1) it is still possible to have success in South Africa next summer, but all U.S. futbol fans would have loved to have seen Davies put in some work for the Red, White, and Blue.

Rivals’ magazine has the Terps ranked #45 in the preseason College Basketball poll. Every other website and ratings service that I have investigated is shortchanging the Terps as well.

Fortunately, my strongest impression from Midnight Madness was that incoming freshmen James Padgett (6’9″, 225 lbs.) and Jordan Williams (6’10″, 260 lbs) definitely have the physiques to step right into ACC play for the Maryland Terrapins basketball team. They may not provide much (if any) offense this year, but they will give us some big, athletic bodies to help defend elite post players like Carolina’s Ed Davis. The Terrapins frontcourt was a real achilles heel last season and finished last in the ACC in rebounding differential. I know Padgett and Williams will help rectify the rebounding deficiencies and add much needed athleticism and depth. My only real concern for this season is the need for a steady 3 point shooter, but I am hoping Hayes can build on the end of last season and step into this role. Whatever your expectations are for the 2009 Terps you need to raise them. I am guaranteeing that the Terps finish top 4 in the ACC and make it to the Sweet 16 in the NCAA tournament. They will be a top 25 team all year. Don’t forget about the 2010 recruiting class featuring Terrence Ross, Mychal Parker, Terrell Stoglin, and a stud to be named later. The present and future is bright for Terp hoops. What do you think Duke and Carolina fans?

Winning ugly in the NFL is beautiful. It doesn’t matter what happens during the 60 minutes other than who comes away with a W. The NFL is a bottom line league and nobody cares about the woulda-coulda-shoulda come January when playoff spots are being determined. The fact that you beat a winless team by one point is frustrating in October, but nobody remembers how you won in January, only that you are 11-5.

NFL fans look at their favorite team’s schedule and truly think they can predict what is going to happen. Please stop wasting your time. Nobody has a clue, and what you feel today and think is true and absolute, will certainly change after this weekend’s games are played.

In the NFL, being dynamic on offense is overrated. The primary result of being potent on offense is that most defenses and special teams will lack urgency because they feel like they have a margin for error. Look at the teams that have won the Super Bowl in the last ten years. The majority are boring, physical, efficient teams that stop the run, win the turnover and penalty battle, and grind out close games with their defense. This message goes out to all Raven and Steeler’s fans: you have to be careful what you ask for when you want your team to stop “winning ugly”. Because the dynamic offense that you were so desperate to see will only lead to your team “losing pretty”. The NFL is the ultimate team game and you need urgency from your defense and special teams. When you know your offense is anemic (or brutally efficient), the other parts of the team play full throttle EVERY play. This urgency evaporates when players get used to the offense throwing up 30+ most games. The NFC East formula for winning is an oldy but goody…tried and true. Don’t believe me, go ask Josh McDaniels.

Alabama has one of the best defenses I have ever seen in college football. It reminds me of the 1992 Alabama team that throttled Miami 34-13 in the Sugar Bowl on the way to their first National Championship with a coach not named Bear Bryant. Nobody is going to move the ball consistently on this team. Alabama literally plays 11 guys in the box and they have the speed to take away anything over the top. Even though their offense is pedestrian, Heisman trophy candidate RB Mark Ingram and big play WR Julio Jones provide more than enough offense for the Crimson Tide. Fast forward to the National Championship game of Alabama vs. Texas. Guess who is a lock?

Think about this Thanksgiving day crew sitting around watching the Dallas/Oakland game. Goldie Hawn, Kurt Russell, Kate Hudson, and A-Rod. I wonder if they will be impressed with A-Rod’s World Series ring and MVP trophy? What movie do you think they will watch after the game? Wildcats? Overboard? Used Cars? Big Trouble in Little China? Captain Ron?

Valentino Rossi has all but put away the 2009 MotoGP championship. Rossi has a 38 point lead with two races to go virtually guaranteeing “The Doctor” his 9th title. On the Nascar front, Jimmy Johnson has a 90 point lead over sentimental favorite Mark Martin with five races left in the chase for the Nextel Cup. Hendrick Motor Sports and Jimmy J are going for an unprecedented 4th consecutive points title. Fan favorite (and son of deceased Nascar legend Dale Earnhardt Sr.), Little E is the only Hendrick driver not involved in the chase for the Cup. C’mon man!

Who is going to win the scoring title in the NHL this year? Ovechkin or Malkin?

Can we please get rid of the muscle-bound wrestler guy and get more martial arts back in MMA?And does anyone think that it is inevitable that Hollywood will remake the cult classic ‘Bloodsport’ with Georges St. Pierre playing the role formerly played by Claude Van Damme?

Stay tuned for my World Series preview which should be out following a Yankee win tomorrow.

- Woodman – I will never stop sawing the wood