2011-2012 English Premier League

Let the games begin! This weekend was the start of the 2011-2012 season for the English Premier League. Each of the 20 Premier League teams will play 38 games, for a total of 380 games to be played throughout the season.

Reigning EPL Champions, and 2011-2012 favorites, Manchester United, started off on the right foot with a 2-1 road win vs West Bromwich Albion. ManU narrowly escaped an opening week tie due to an own goal late in the match, when a cross by Ashley Young was deflected into the net by West Brom defenseman Steven Reid. ManU also survived some shaky play by their new 20 year old goalkeeper David De Gea. De Gea will have big shoes to fill in place of former keeper Edwin Van Der Sar who had retired after the end of last season. If the Reds want to repeat as champs, they will surely need some solid play from their young unproven keeper.

 

Another favorite to win the EPL, Chelsea, got off to a slow start in a road game against Stoke City. Chelsea played well, dominating the game for most of the time, but failed to put the ball in the net. The game finished in a 0-0 tie. Last seasons big name acquisition, Fernando Torres, played well in the first game of the season. This is in comparison to last season when Torres struggled after being transferred over from Liverpool in February. He's still not in top form, but Sunday's game was definitely a step in the right direction.

 

Other top contenders, Liverpool and Arsenal both failed to impress as they both came away with ties on Saturday. Liverpool had a 1-0  lead against Sunderland until the 58th minute when Seb Larson scored on a beautiful volley to make it 1-1.  Arsenal played Necastle, and got into a heated battle around the 73rd minute after the game started to get out of hand. Arsenal's Gervinho clearly dove in the box trying to draw a penalty after a failed to score. Newcastle's  Joey Barton took exception to the play and physically confronted Gervinho by grabbing him. The two then exchanged words and then Barton went down acting as if he’d been punched. This incident escalated out of hand and had players from both teams confronting each other. The referee gave  Gervinho, the Arsenal striker a red card, and decided to give Joey Barton yellow card for his involvement.

 

Top 3 finisher Manchester City is set to face off against Swansea City who is the first Welsh team to play in the EPL division since its formation in 1992. They are sure to have there hands full with Manchester City who finished the 2010-2011 season in 3rd which was their highest finish ever. With rumors swirling around their star forward Carlos Tevez, will Man City be able to come out with a victory? We shall see at 3pm.

Say it ain't so, Mo: Is Mariano Rivera on the Decline?

How does a guy have a 17+ year Hall of Fame career by throwing only one pitch? Easy. That pitch has to be really, really, really good.

New York Yankees closer Mariano Rivera has been terrifying hitters throughout his whole career with his magnificent cut fastball. Mariano consistently throws the pitch in the low 90 mph range, usually 89-92 mph.

Now there are many big leaguers who throw in the mid to high 90's, who have had no where near the success that Mo has had (see Kyle Farnsworth). But it's not the velocity that makes Mo's cutter so special, it's that late movement and the consistent pin point accuracy that he has shown throughout his career. Wherever the catcher puts the target, that's where his pitch goes.

Mariano's lack of consistent accuracy is what has had him struggling in recent outings. Now every time he has a couple of bad outings, critics want to announce that he is on the decline (rightfully so, considering he is 41 years old and has to come back down to earth at some time).   He'll usually bounce back and have some crazy scoreless inning streak or a long stretch where he doesn't blow a save. The streaks usually shut everyone up for a little while, until he blows a save against the rival Red Sox in a late season situation.

Rivera has struggled in his last two outings, in which he blew a save against the Red Sox on Sunday Night Baseball, and gave up a two run home  run (his second of the year) to former Yankee Bobby Abreu in the top of the 9th inning in a tie game against the Angels. When interviewed after the Angels game, Rivera said the pitch he threw to Abreu "just didn't cut."

Rivera's cutter hasn't been as sharp as it has been in previous seasons. Just look at the batting average for left handed batters in the past 4 seasons. In 2008, LHB were hitting .147. In 2009, they were hitting .182. In 2010, the number increased again to .214. This season, left handed batters are hitting .267 including last night (2-3).

Rivera also has been struggling putting away batters with 2 strikes on them. He already has given up almost double the amount of hits in favorable two-strike counts (0-2, 1-2, 2-2) this season, 16 hits, as he did last season,  9 hits.

Mariano, at 41 years of age, is still considered one of the best closers in baseball, but his numbers have slowly declined in recent years, showing his human side. It will be a sad sight in New York when Mariano has to step down. The Yankees are going to have some HUGE shoes to fill when that day comes.  Of course no one expects him to pitch forever, but lets hope he can find his accuracy and finish his career with the precision and perfection that he has shown throughout his storied career. Until that day, enjoy watching one of the greatest pitchers of all time.

Giants 1st Round Pick Injured In Practice

After being the last 1st rounder to sign with his respective team, Giants' rookie cornerback Prince Amukamara fractured a bone in his left foot in just his second practice with the team on Saturday. Amukamara fractured the fifth metatarsal bone in his left foot while performing a press coverage drill against wide receiver Duke Calhoun. The cornerback will have surgery to repair the injury and is expected to miss about two months.

This is the second injury to occur in the Giants defensive backfield in the past week, as cornerback Bruce Johnson ruptured his Achilles on Thursday and since has been released by the team. The Giants will now be thin at the position behind starters Corey Webster and Terrell Thomas, and reserve Aaron Ross.

This is just another blow in a tumultuous offseason where the Giants have been relatively quiet as both their in town rival Jets, and their division rival Eagles have been pro active by adding free agents to bolster their already proven rosters.

The Giants failed to add WR Plaxico Burress who was recently released from prison, and also saw their standout tight end Kevin Boss sign with the Oakland Raiders. With the usually reliable Steve Smith coming off major surgery, the Giants receiving core also lacks depth behind studs Hakeem Nicks and Mario Manningham.

Giants fans can't be happy with the way the offseason has gone with the injuries, lack of free agent signings, and the ongoing contract disputes with Osi Umenyora. As a Giants fan myself, I try to have faith in General Manager Jerry Reese as he has done well in the past, but this season already seems like it's going to be a long one for Big Blue.

Why The Lockout Was Good For The NFL

First off I'd like to just start by saying IM BAAAACKKKK! Now that that's out of my system I can now return to a professional manner and talk sports. Yes we went almost 6 months without the usual off season NFL routine and yes there were times when we all sat in fear as we relentlessly watched coverage on the negotiations and sometimes though will we see an NFL game ever again?

Coming off a feel good wild card Green Bay Packers super bowl victory it seems like the lock out would crush the momentum that the NFL was going to carry over to the 2011-2012 season but if anything, it boosted it. Now I admit I'm as spoiled a fan as many others are while under-appreciating the 5 or 6 months we get of football then miss it during the spring and summer months. I was definitely given a wake up call when I shuttered to think what am I going to do with myself every Sunday afternoon from September to February.

But now that football is officially back I can discuss what the lockout has done to positively affect the NFL with a smile on my face. It has taken months and months of speculation in signing free agents and trade talk and crammed it into a few short days almost like a Madden video game simulation. This has created a whirlwind of interest in the NFL as now fans and analysts are playing catch up with endless momentary coverage of who's going where. This especially helps when in a non-lockout season players get signed or traded in march and then we forget about them until training camp and go "oh he's playing there? I forgot all about that".

Now come September 8th everything will be fresh in our head and the United States will be hungrier than ever to see some meaningful football. Speaking of meaningful football that brings me to my next point. Usually the pre-season is a one or two drive game for starters with miserably low ratings and a way for an NFL fan to inexpensively watch a football game live where now in the post lockout you will see starters making up for lost time and maybe playing a little bit more, especially those teams with new players still trying to get acquainted with the playbooks and schemes.

Will this make the games more meaningful or exciting? Probably not but at least its another step in the return to normalcy. So before you knock the lockout completely, do two things; first be thankful it's over, and then realize what it has done for us, the football fan. Before I go i must answer the question everyone has been asking...YES I'm ready for some football!

New Coliseum Referendum Vote on August 1st

August 1, 2011 will not only be one of the most significant days in Islanders history, but it will also be one of the most significant days in the history of Nassau County and Long Island. On August 1st, the residents of Nassau County will have the ability to vote yes or no on the proposed referendum for a $400 million taxpayer- funded plan for a brand new coliseum and new minor league ballpark. The new Coliseum and ballpark will be built in the space where the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum currently stands.

It is my job as a lifelong Islanders fan, as well as a lifelong resident of Nassau County, to inform every resident I can about the benefits that the proposed referendum would bring to the hardworking people of Long Island.    I understand that there are residents who are against the proposal,  but I feel it is my duty to inform you of all the facts and the benefits that this deal will bring,  so you can make you can have all the facts before you make your decision.

Being a diehard Islanders fan isn’t always easy.  I have always stuck with them through the good and the bad, it almost goes without saying that I am going to be voting yes on the proposed plan. It's more than just the Islanders and the concerts and shows that the new coliseum would host, it's also about  having a place to go on Long Island, a landmark, and a brand new arena that we can be proud to call our own.


What does the plan call for?

The plan calls for a brand new Coliseum to be built next to the current Coliseum as well as a minor league baseball park.  As to how the money from the referendum would be allocated, $350 million will go to the construction of the coliseum, and $50 million will go to the construction of the ballpark. That's a total of $400 million that the plan is looking to collect from the taxpayers.  Any overage costs over that number will be paid for in full by Islander’s owner Charles Wang. The Coliseum and ballpark will be owned by the County, with the Islanders and Minor League team paying rent. The county will also receive a percentage of all revenue that the coliseum and ballpark accrue, including concessions and parking.

Why a new Coliseum?

The Nassau Veteran’s Memorial Coliseum, which opened in 1972, is one of the oldest arenas in all of professional sports.  It ranks near the bottom of the NHL in ice quality because of its outdated refrigeration system. The Islanders have trouble signing big name free agents to come to Long Island, partly because of the run-down arena's quality compared to other arenas around the league. A new Coliseum would also help attract A-list performers who have skipped the old and outdated Coliseum on their tours because of the poor quality of the arena, as well as the lower number of seats and luxury boxes.  In the NYC-Metropolitan area alone are the Prudential Center in New Jersey and currently under renovation Madison Square Garden. If you have been to the Coliseum, and compared it to either of these other arenas/stadiums, or almost any other arena/stadium you already know about the disparity.

What’s the plan going to cost the average Nassau County homeowner?

Both sides have presented their own numbers, but the cost for the average Nassau County homeowner will be between $13.80-$58 annually. The last study by an independent consulting company paid for by the county determined that the burden would be $13.80 per home if the Islanders and Coliseum gain about the same revenue as they do now. The new Coliseum is sure to do more business than what the current Coliseum is doing, which means this number could be even lower. So the best case scenario could be $13.80 or lower annually, and the worst case scenario, which was calculated by the Democratic opposition, is $58 annually. Think about in terms of this: if you are a non Islanders fan who take their family to the circus or a concert at the coliseum one time a year, you would now have to take the train or drive into the city to go to Madison Square Garden to see the show. The transportation costs for that trip will most likely cost you around, if not more than the $13-$58 that you would be in taxes. So if you go to the coliseum just once a year, the plan would pay itself off. The independent study also suggests that at the end of the 30-year lease, Nassau County will have gained a net profit of $400 million in revenue and sales, through its revenue sharing agreement with Islanders owner Charles Wang. This means that over 30 years, the Nassau County homeowner will actually see his taxes lowered because of the new Coliseum.

Why vote yes?

Nassau County would stand to lose close to $104 million in annual earnings and 2,600 jobs if the Coliseum was to be closed, which will almost certainly happen when the Islanders lease is up in 2015. This loss will be paid by the taxpayers in an estimated $16 annual tax raise. So you can pay $16 annually and have no Coliseum, or pay the proposed $13-$58 annually and have a brand new arena to go for Hockey, Concerts, and all other types of entertainment.

The proposed plan would create 1,500 new construction jobs, during a time when work is hard to find. The new Coliseum will also create 3,000 new permanent jobs.

A new Coliseum would keep the Islanders in Nassau County until 2045 with the terms of a new lease agreement.

Charles Wang spent millions of dollars trying to bring get his Lighthouse project approved. The Town of Hempstead shot it down because of zoning and traffic issues. He planned on funding the entire $1.3 billion Lighthouse Project by himself.  The team and its substandard arena have already lost Wang close to $20 million dollars a year.  He has been desperately trying to keep the Islanders on Long Island.

Without the new Coliseum, Wang will be forced to move the Islanders out of Nassau County, and most likely out of New York. Without the Islanders, the Coliseum would close, and the lot will most likely be vacant for some time. With nobody going to the coliseum site, the surrounding businesses are sure to suffer from the decrease in the amount of customers that go to the stores and restaurants, both before and after Coliseum events.

With the facts presented, there should be no question that a new coliseum would be a positive thing for Nassau County. By voting yes, we are telling the County that we do want to improve our quality of life, and keep the Islanders, the circus,  and all the great performers here on Long Island.

If the referendum passes, the county legislator and The Nassau County Interim Finance Authority (NIFA) will sit down with Charles Wang and tweak any part of the plan that needs to be changed to ensure the most benefit for Nassau County and its residents.

On August 1st, I hope you will do your part and vote yes for the new Coliseum. You can vote at your regular polling locations where you vote for government elections. This plan means a lot to me, as it should to all Nassau County residents. Let's do our part to help rebuild of Nassau, with the Coliseum being our first step.

Sincerely,
Mark Lupo


If you have any questions or concerns about the project that I could help you with, please feel free to email or contact me so we can straighten it out. 

Giants select CB Prince Amukamara with the 19th pick

The New York Giants have surprised many by going with a cornerback as their first pick in the 2011 NFL Draft. The Giants have selected Prince Amukamara out of the University of Nebraska.  The Giants have a need at offensive lineman as well as a possible need at running back. Although Mike Pouncey was unavailable, their was still a couple of lineman that were projected to be picked in the first round.

The Giants didn't expect Amukamara to be available at 19, but when he was, they jumped on him. They added to their CB depth of Terrell Thomas, Aaron Ross, and Corey Webster. These players have all struggled with injuries in the previous seasons, and as Giants GM Jerry Reese has done before, he chose the truly best available player when his team was on the clock(See 2006 1st round pick Mathias Kiwanuka).

Amukamara is a beast. He won the  Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year in 2010, his Junior year. He is a natural athlete who needs to work on some fundamentals, but should thrive in the Giants defense, especially with the great pass rushers they have.

Amukamara was featured on Sport Science. These guys do a great job on analyzing a players athletic abilities. You can't help but be excited after watching this video if you're a Giants fan. Give it a look.

NFL Draft tonight at 8 PM on ESPN

The 2011 NFL draft will take place tonight at 8 PM on ESPN. We will take a look at the local teams and where most project they will go with their first round pick.

New York Giants:

The New York Giants will have the 19th pick in this years draft. The Giants have multiple offensive lineman who are coming off surgeries during the off-season. With this is mind, many of the experts believe that the Giants will select Florida guard/center Mike Pouncey with the 19th pick. He is the twin brother of Maurkice Pouncey who was a 2010 first-round NFL Draft pick and is currently the starting center for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Maurkice started all 16 games as a rookie and was selected to the Pro Bowl. The Giants could only hope that Mike could be as good as his brother if they selected him. If Pouncey isn't available at 19, the Giants might look to select Boston College tackle Anthony Castonzo.

If both Castonzo and Pouncey are unavailable, the Giants might look to go in a different direction with their pick. There has been talk that the Giants are interested in Alabama star running back, and former Heisman Trophy winner, Mark Ingram. Ingram is the son of former Giants Wide Receiver Mark Ingram,SR. Although Mark Ingram JR won the Heisman as a Sophomore, he struggled during his Junior season after he missed the first two games due to minor knee surgery. With Bradshaw being a free agent, and the NFL still in labor talks, the Giants might select Ingram to sure up their backfield.

New York Jets:

The New York Jets have the 30th pick in the upcoming 2011 NFL draft. Experts predict that the Jets will select defensive tackle Phil Taylor from Baylor University. There is some debate whether the Jets will go for the best player available or for need. If the Jets go for need, they might select a linebacker. If they select a linebacker, outside linebacker Akeem Ayers from is most likely their choice UCLA. Another option at outside linebacker would be Brooks Reed out of Arizona who had a very strong combine. The Jets need to infuse some speed and youth into their front seven to help get pressure on the quarterback. Their has also been discussion that the Jets will trade down out of the 30th pick if they don't like any of the available players.

The draft is extremely important to a teams long term success. The teams that draft well are the ones that stay near the top of the league the longest. Good drafting teams can have a seamless transition from year to year as players leave to free agency or retire. Both the Giants and Jets have had recent success in the draft. Let's hope it can continue tonight.

In case you missed it: Messi's phenomenal goal vs Real Madrid

Lionel Messi's second goal during the first leg of the Champions League semifinal vs Real Madrid on April 26th. Barcelona won the game 2-0.

Red Bulls start off season on a tear

The New York Red Bulls are currently in 1st place through six games of the 2011 MLS season. The team is made up of a mix of International Superstars, MLS veterans, as well as some exciting young players.

Through six games, the Red Bulls defense has only let up two goals against. The strong defense, along with the hot goal scoring from Theirry Henry, Juan Agudelo, and Luke Rodgers has the Red Bulls atop of the Eastern Conference. The Red Bulls are currently 3-1-2 though six games for a total of 11 points, 1st in the East and 3rd best in the MLS.

Photo courtesy of Getty Images

The Red Bulls recently added midfielder and MLS veteran Dwayne De Rosario from Toronto FC. De Rosario is a Canadian International and has been a star in the MLS for years while playing for Toronto FC. He is a five-time All-MLS player and has won four championships in his career. His presence was immediately felt in his first game as a Red Bull.  De Rosario entered the game against the Houston Dynamo on April 2nd at halftime, and assisted on a goal two minutes later to tie the game at 1-1.

De Rosario has continued to help the Red Bull offense as the team has scored seven goals in their last two games, after scoring only two goals in their first four games. Although he has only one assist and no goals in his first four games, he has helped control the midfield and has had good chemistry with the other Red Bulls players.

If the Red Bulls continue playing the way they are playing now, they will surely be near the top of the Eastern Conference come season end. The MLS has been gaining interest as the surge of International Stars into the MLS continues.  The Red Bulls are sure to garner some interest from casual soccer fans as they have Superstars, a year old arena, and have been playing well. The Red Bulls have had an average of 16,000 fans in their first three games, and with the summer coming up and their recent play, that number is going to increase.

Knicks poor execution down the stretch has them coming home down 0-2

The title says it all. The final two minutes is where they separate the men from the boys, and unfortunately for the Knicks, they have some maturing to do. The Knicks had a lead in the final minute of each of the last two games, and have come away empty handed in Boston.

Many analysts believed that the Knicks had to win at least one game of the first two in order to upset Boston, and I agree with them. Winning 4 of the next 5 games against a powerhouse like Boston would be an incredible feat, but it is extremely unlikely that it would happen, especially with the uncertainty of stars Amare Stoudemire and Chauncey Billups.

In Game 1, the Knicks were simply wetting their playoff whistle. Having only half of a season together, this group of players is still trying to gel. Their finish to the season raised excitement in Knicks nation, and the fans thought they could take on the world. Well the two games in Boston gave them a dose of reality. The Knicks are on their way, but are not an elite team yet. Elite teams can get a defensive stop in the last minute and make big shots when the game is theirs for the taking. The Knicks were dominating game 1, even with Carmelo Anthony being in foul trouble for most of the first half. The Knicks led basically the whole way, by double digits for a time, but you always knew that the Celtics were going to make their run, which they did. Some questionable calls by the refs down the stretch definitely helped them out, but when your an elite team and your playing at home, your going to get those calls. Still the Knicks were in it and had poor execution in their final possession. First off, not having a timeout to advance the ball is poor management by coach D'Antoni. I know he used a lot of timeouts to try and stop the Celtics runs, but you have to leave yourself with a couple of timeouts when you know the game is going to close. After a couple of poor defensive possessions the Knicks were down 2 with about 15 seconds to go. So with no timeouts, and no play called,  the Knicks put the ball into Melo's hand to win the game. If they had a timeout, maybe they would have called a play to get the ball to Stoudemire who was on fire, and who made two ridiculous plays in the final minutes to keep the Knicks in it. Now I don't have a problem with Melo taking the shot, I just wish it was a better shot and not a 29 foot 3 pointer. He missed, and the Knicks didn't even try to foul Garnett even though there was a couple of seconds left. It was an extremely heartbreaking loss for the Knicks and their fans.

In game 2 the tale of the first 46 minutes were a little different, but the final 2 ended up the same. The Knicks were struggling shooting the ball, had to battle to keep the game close. The Celtics led most of the way, with the Knicks chipping away every minute trying to come back and take the lead. The Knicks lost Amare to injury in the 2nd quarter, and he missed the entire second half. This was the second time in two games the Knicks had to play without one of their stars, this time without Amare and Billups, and they still managed to be right there in the end thanks to Carmelo Anthony's brilliant 42 point 17 rebounds performance. But again it came down to the final minutes, and again the Knicks struggled with execution and strategy.
After the Celtics took a :20 timeout with about 30 seconds remaining, coach D'Antoni took a :20 timeout right after the Celtics broke their huddle. I'm criticizing this because again at the end of the game the Knicks had no timeouts left to advance the ball.

They let Garnett score with some defensive pressure, and then after their last timeout they come with a play. Carmelo gets triple teamed and dishes it down low to Jared Jeffries who was wide open, and despite his offensive ineptitude, had scored a beautiful layup a minute earlier. Garnett comes over to Jeffries, and he tries a bounce pass to Bill Walker but Garnett's long arms grab the ball and as he is laying down he call timeout with about 4 seconds left. Down by 1, if the Knicks fouled quickly, they still would have had about 2 seconds to get off a good shot that could've won or at least tied the game, depending on if the Celtics made their free throws or not. But for some reason Anthony had no idea that Delonte West could go in the backcourt, which he did, and caught the ball and burned off 3.4 seconds and eventually go fouled with .6 remaining. You have to wonder if D'Antoni mentioned anything in the huddle if the Celtics could catch it in the backcourt, but even so, you should know that as a player. So West made both free throws, and the Knicks were left down by 3 with no timeouts, and had to heave a 3/4 court shot that came up well short. Another disappointing loss where the game was up in the air and the Knicks couldn't close the deal.

Just getting to the playoffs is a great accomplishment for the Knicks this season, and they seem to be heading in the right direction for the future, but after watching these two games, what fan couldn't ask for more from this team. They are going blow for blow with one of the best teams of recent years and they are lasting until the final seconds. Hopefully they can win a game or two at home and make this is a series, but if not, the Knicks fan who has been in pain for many years can now truly feel that the Knicks' time is almost here. It might not be this year, but with other teams getting older and most of the Knicks players being in their prime or younger, you can bet that the Knicks are back to being a perennial playoff team, and with a tweaking here or there, they could be a championship contender. The Knicks have been the laughing stock of the league for far too long.  The regular season is the regular season, but with the last two tight, hard fought playoff games, the NBA better take notice that the Knicks have arrived and that these Knicks will be around for sometime.