The Sports Freak and Big Money Tony are joined by Stu to discuss the NFL Wildcard Weekend, Penn State's new head coach, and the Redskins draft prospects.
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The Sports Freak and Big Money Tony are joined by Dr Gonzo to discuss the Capitals new regime, the Terps abysmal football season, and the return of the NBA.
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A vast majority of the Sporting fan landscape is dotted with miserable lemmings who are forced in to an inherited fandom. Not one of choice, because like myself, most of us are born in to our rooting interests. We latch on to the team that our fathers followed or the team that we grew up around. During one of our most naïve periods of life, we make a choice or a choice is made for us and the rest is history.
Growing up, and to this day, I'm a diehard Redskins, Terps (Hoops), Wizards and DC United fan. I love the Caps, but my family wasn't a hockey family, so to claim to be a fan of the Capitals leaves me feeling a little off. Baseball was a little more difficult, my father hated the Orioles. Something to do with the Senators moving away and the Orioles being the only show in town, this somehow made him a full-fledged Orioles hater. As you may have guessed, innocent, sponge like me soaked up this hatred and wanted nothing to do with anything from Baltimore (That hatred has spawned to include the Ravens).
Left without a baseball team to root for, a young impressionable seven year old me (Imaging shorter, but same large head, and a bowl cut) did what most misguided fans do, I picked a winner! The winners at the time were the Toronto Blue Jays, and I was hooked. I watched all of their playoff games, then World Series number one. I memorized the lineup from top to bottom, I knew the pitching staff like the inside of my catcher's mitt and I was there, well on my couch anyway, when Joe Carter snuck a World Series winning homer over the left-field wall. That was me, future Red Sox fan, unaware of the fandom laws I was breaking as I ran around my living room fist pumping in stride with Joe.
After a few season of bad Toronto baseball I began to forget about my love for our neighbors to the North. So having only one other option since proximity was out, I chose to follow my father's team once again, I became a fan of Red Sox nation in 1995.
From my early days as a Blue Jay junkie, up until 2003, I started to get burnt out on the games I loved as a child. It had to do with consuming the same type of stats, seeing the same type of highlights every night and being that I was starting College at the time, I craved a new experience. Enter the 'Beautiful Game.'
I must be attracted to blue or teams from outside the USA because I was once again enthralled with a winning team in blue, but this time it was a soccer team, Chelsea FC. Over the past eight years I denounced my pledge to Chelsea FC and moved across London to my beloved Gunners of Arsenal. I also follow Ajax FC of Amsterdam. (Took a trip to Amsterdam after College, fell in love with the City)
The Sports Freak and Big Money Tony discuss Terps Football, Maryland Athletics funding, and the Nationals.
The Washing Post article on Maryland athletics financing is here.
You can find our podcast on iTunes. All the episodes are there and new ones will be published there. Subscribe so you automatically get it by clicking on the iTunes button on the top right. Please rate us in iTunes.
Big Money Tony and the Sports Freak are joined by Stu where they discuss the Penn State scandal and the firing of Joe Paterno.
****Note regarding the links to the timeline and Grand Jury Report. Both have some NSFW'ish details. Proceed with caution.****
The ESPN Sandusky timeline is here.
The Grand Jury Report is here.
The missing attorney story can be found here.
You can find our podcast on iTunes. All the episodes are there and new ones will be published there. Subscribe so you automatically get it by clicking on the iTunes button on the top right. Please rate us in iTunes.
The Sports Freak and Big Money Tony to talk Terps football, the new graduation guidelines for the NCAA, Capitals, and Redskins.
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The Sports Freak and Big Money Tony preview the Redskins vs the Rams, review the 2011 Nationals, talk Capitals and discuss college conference changes.
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The Sports Freak and Big Money Tony discuss Redskins vs Giants, Terps vs WVU, and ACC Expansion
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Opening Kick: Bittersweet
Regular readers of Set Pieces will remember the Rust vs. Rest quagmire that was looming for DC United this weekend. Well just the people that actually read my articles, which I heard as of now has grown to three, me my fiancé and some guy in New York. That's right, what up New York? Anyways, Rest vs. Rust refers to the fact that DC United had nearly three weeks off following hurricane Irene.
Those twenty days off seemed to rejuvenate United as they turned in one of their most complete performances of the season defeating Chivas USA 3-0. I actually saw rust chipping off of Andy Najar as he menaced the Chivas defense bolting down the right flank time after time. United improved their stellar road record to 5-4-4 on the season and gave the United faithful reason to belief that a three year playoff drought may be over.
Now we get to the bittersweet portion of Set Pieces. First the sweet, remember that guy who was re-writing his redemption story after a near fatal car crash near RFK? You know he used to play for the National team and came to DC seeking a fresh start? It's okay if you don't, because the Charlie Davies that started the season scoring eight goals seemed to disappear as of late. Davies has been hampered with reoccurring injuries for much of the season and at times seemed to not have his head where his heart was. That all changed on Saturday as Davies reminded us just how deadly he can be scoring a hat trick and jumping to third place in the race for golden boot. (Author's Note: Golden Boot refers to the guy who scores the most goals in a season).
Before I could even text my buddy about the Davies 'hatty', something bitter crept into my mouth. Chris Pontius, who notched two assists in the game, and who was recently training with the US National team, suffered a season ending leg injury. I know, I know, just when you think it safe to talk playoffs, enter the jinx. Seeing Pontius stretchered off the field really bothered me, here was a guy who was finally blossoming in to a top notch player and it's all over, at least for this year. Initially my gut reaction is to panic, the seasons over, no playoffs, but then I let it marinate a bit. This United team is pretty deep; on the attacking side we still have Najar, Santino Quaranta, Dwayne De, Davies and Josh Wolff. The defense seeming to finally be jelling and Bill Hamid is a solid number one keeper. We'll miss you Pontius, but what doesn't kill, makes you stronger.
United sits in 5th place in the East, but has only played 25 games, two and in some cases three less games than the rest of the East. So there is plenty of time to make up points and move up the conference ladder.
NEXT UP: This Saturday, September 17, in another roadie against the Seattle Sounders (2nd in the West).
At the half: EPL TIME!
It's only week four of the EPL season and I'm already starting to come to some solid conclusions:
The Sports Freak and Big Money Tony talk Terps basketball recruiting, Terps vs Miami, Redskins, Peyton Manning, the NFL opener, and the Terps new uniforms.
You can find our podcast on iTunes. All the episodes are there and new ones will be published there. Subscribe so you automatically get it by clicking on the iTunes button on the top right.
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