The Problem With Premature Super Bowl Predictions

So the lockout has been lifted in the NFL and we already have the match-up for the Super Bowl. Patriots vs. Eagles. Sorry everyone else, but the season is over.Well, at least that is what ESPN and others are boldly predicting.

The problem with their prediction is that they seem to have forgotten something.

With many assuming that these teams will be representing their conferences in the Super Bowl, one would think that both of the teams have shown promise in the playoffs in recent years. Actually, the Patriots haven’t won a playoff game since the ‘07-’08 campaign and the Eagles haven’t won one since ‘08-09.

Yeah, these teams are clear-cut favorites.

Oh and here is another thing the media is conveniently forgetting: the two teams that were in the Super Bowl last year.

Anyone who says that the Packers are not the early season favorite to win the Super Bowl must have missed the 2010 season, or they are just foolish. So the Packers have all of their core returning, have one of the best QB’s in the game, and showed with their remarkable playoff run last year that they are the best in the NFL, but somehow they are not the favorite.

And then you have Pittsburgh. The Steelers have quarterback Ben Roethlisberger back for a full season this year and still have All Pro defensive talents in James Harrison and Troy Polamalu. They have won 2 Super Bowls in the time period since the Patriots won their last Super Bowl, and came close last season. How you can count out a team with a winning pedigree like Pittsburgh is borderline insanity.

Then of course you have teams that have actually won playoff games in the past years. The Colts and Saints are only 2 years removed from the Super Bowl and are definitely a threat come postseason, despite early exits last year. The Falcons and their dynamic offense will be ready to go again, and the NY Jets have played in the AFC Championship two years in a row, not to mention their playoff beatdown of the Patriots last season.

So why are the Eagles and the Patriots favorites?? Clearly they must have made bold off-season moves.

The Philadelphia Eagles have much more reason to claim that they are the team to beat. Signing Nnamdi Asomugha and trading for Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie createsthe best 3 cornerback tandem possibly ever, in addition to Asante Samuel.
Having Michael Vick coming into the season as the starting QB and likely retaining star wide receiver DeSean Jackson will lead to another year of great offense. If the argument was for whom is the favorite in the NFC East, I’d definitely agree with the Eagles as the choice. The only problem is that the team needs to prove it can win a postseason game in the post-Mcnabb era before I am willing to say they are a “dream team”.

The Patriots defense last season was the team’s glaring weakness, and as Jets’ linebacker Bart Scott put it, “They couldn’t even stop a nosebleed”. Surely the Patriots must’ve made tons of upgrades on defense.

Well, uhm, yeah. They signed a big fat dude!


Yep Fat Albert Haynesworth is coming to New England to save the day.¤.¤. or maybe to eat a hotdog. Washington fans are happy to never see this guy put on a Redskin jersey again, and although talented, he truly does not care about football. I don’t care who Belichick is; he can’t save this guy.

And then you have the incredibly overrated Chad Ochocinco. Chad is a brilliant man, managing to manipulate the media into thinking he is still a relevant receiver by having a reality show, driving NASCAR, trying out for the MLS, and riding a bull. Unfortunately his skills have deteriorated and he is not even the Pats best receiver (Wes Welker). There has never been so much hype around a non #1 receiver and Chad figures to be average at best. Plus, you know he will only be able to live the “Patriot Way” for a few weeks, and then he will want all the spotlight on himself.

The Patriots and the Eagles are both very good teams, and have the potential to win their conferences and maybe even the Super Bowl. But it is way too premature and very foolish to crown champs long before the season started, especially when neither of these teams is the defending champion. The Packers are the team to beat and will be until they are eliminated from the playoffs.

Sorry Pats and Eagles, you will have to prove yourselves in January.

MLS All Star Game Shows US Soccer Still Far Away

The United States has been trying to convince the World that they are an up-and-coming soccer nation destined to contend with the big boys on the international scene. If last Wednesday’s MLS All Star game was any indication of how far the United States still has to go, the US still has a ways to go.

The MLS All Star game is a twist on the usual conference vs. conference type of game. Rather the league took its top stars and faced them against the legendary Manchester United club.

This seemed like a good idea for many reasons.

First, the MLS is certainly lacking in star-power. Outside of Thierry Henry and David Beckham, the casual soccer fan would have had a hard time recognizing many of the players in the game. Adding another squad of MLS “stars” to have a face-off would have just been a match of anonymity.
And then of course you grab much interest by having Manchester United, the second best club in the world, coming to play in the US. Fans love the opportunity to see World-Class players such as Wayne Rooney, Rio Ferdinand, and Dimitir Berbatov.

All of this sounds great right? Well not exactly.

MLS players simply cannot compete with a team like Manchester United. It is a little unfair to say this, because the All Stars had not previously played together, and the core of Manchester United has been together for years. Still, the difference in the game was more than just chemistry issues.

Former Arsenal legend and current Red Bull striker Thierry Henry created quite the buzz when he came over from Europe to play for New York in 2010. However, after watching him match-up against defensemen like Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic, it is clear why Henry left Europe for NY, and it has nothing to do with the bright lights. He is old and his skills have faded. Sadly, Henry was the worst player on the field for either squad and only played one half.

David Beckham was the biggest celebrity in the game, and proved he still had something left in the tank, but too many times players deferred to him. In the 7th minute, Mexican striker Omar Bravo had a great opportunity as he appeared in on goal, but instead chose to pass the ball backwards to Beckham, who shot wide.


The most alarming issue revolving around the game was the attitudes of those involved in American soccer. This includes MLS officials, event coordinators, and most of all fans.

Now this event was at Red Bull Arena and some crazy pre-game antics were expected.

Having two guys parachute out of an airplane into the stadium: cool.
Fireworks going off during the national anthem: somewhat cool.
Fireworks going off during the entire national anthem: borderline disrespectful.
Having two separate announcers give the starting lineups for each squad: starting to get annoying.
A juggling player to give the game ball: Now I'm bored

This wasn’t the Super Bowl, there were about 25,000 at the stadium, all of which wanted to watch soccer, “the beautiful game”, not all of these shenanigans.

Then we have fans chanting “USA, USA”. Meanwhile around half of the MLS All Stars were not even American. Fail. Fans seemed even more confused when a ball was booted into the crowd, and a fan threw the ball back onto the field after a new ball had already been put in play. And then to further distinguish the class of the American fan, fans chanted “You suck asshole” following goal kicks taken by Manchester United.

American fans constantly ask for the respect of the international community, yet we have certain fans mocking the world’s most popular game. Not a good way to garner respect.


US soccer is in a state of limbo, as it is not ready to take the step to an elite program, but is far from an afterthought. Despite the firing of Bob Bradley for a German, Jurgen Klinsmann, the country still has a ways to go.

As seen in the MLS All Star Game, most of the US’s top talent are not playing in our own league, and the few that are playing domestically looked drastically overmatched against top-tier talent.

The United States has the athletes and resources available to create an outstanding men’s soccer team, but it would require a change in culture. Our domestic league, although improving, is not up to par with that of Europe. Soccer is still far behind of football and basketball and baseball in popularity. In the end, the money isn’t there to attract top players and youths to pursue a career in American soccer.

Unfortunately that is what it comes down to. Klinsmann will improve the squad, players like Henry and Beckham will generate interest in the MLS, but until our soccer players are making big money, the US will not be able to compete for international competitions.