So he’s out. After many months of speculation dating from the Tat Five and the bowl game to the avalanche of evidence edging closer to the dreaded “lack of institutional control”, Jim Tressel has finally did what should have happened months ago, he left his dream job at Ohio State and will hang his head in shame. Okay, he probably won’t. He won bunches of games, established Ohio State as the annual BCS representative and destroyed Michigan so really, it’s about the same as when he left Youngstown State 11 years ago: Amid NCAA infractions, a title-winning coach leaves and does not take consequences for his actions (or lack thereof). So here’s the question: Who’s the loser?
So after watching UFC 130 tonight, all I can say is, “wow!” If anybody out there predicted all of the fight outcomes correctly, my hats off to you! Now Let’s start from the first fight and briefly discuss what we saw and what we learned.
Brian Stann def. Jorge Santiago (knockout):
Coming into this fight I thought Santiago’s game plan was going to be pretty simple: take this fight to the ground and look for a submission. After all we all pretty much knew Stann was going to come in looking for a knockout like usual. Without a whole lot of experience with submissions, which is one of Santiago’s strongest assets, I expected to see Stann be taken to the mat fairly quickly in this fight. Instead we saw Santiago attempt to stand and strike with Brian Stann, which quickly led to Santiago receiving a flurry of punches on his back in the first round. After weathering the first round storm, Santiago then came into the second round looking to stand and strike again. This would quickly lead to a knockout victory by Brian Stann with that vicious left hook.
Up until last week, UFC 130 was looking like it possessed one of the most stacked fight cards for a UFC pay-per view in quite some time. However, with injuries plaguing both Frankie Edgar and Grey Maynard, the 3rd match between the two which was set for Edgar’s lightweight title will be put on hold for now, which will leave fight fans looking forward to a main event between Matt Hamill and Quintin “Rampage” Jackson instead. Though this will obviously not be a title fight, but the winner of this fight may very well be looking at a number one contender-ship for the light heavyweight title in the near future.
Quintin Jackson will enter the main event at UFC 130 with a 31-8 mixed martial arts record, with his last victory coming from what some would consider a controversial decision in his bout with Lyoto Machida last November at UFC 124. With perhaps the best slamming power in the division, and quick striking (14 knockouts), Quintin Jackson has been a force to be reckoned with his entire career as a mixed martial artist. Matt Hamill, who is also a bit of a knock out artist as well, will enter the fight with a 10-2 record, coming off of a 5 fight win streak against the likes of Tito Ortiz, Keith Jardine, and Jon Jones (disqualification), and can be far from counted out in this match up.
Mir will come into this fight with a professional MMA record of 14-5, while his opponent Roy Nelson comes in with a record of 15-5. When you break down the two fighting styles, I really believe we are given an interesting match up. Both fighters come in with a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Frank Mir is a submission expert, winning 8 of his 14 victories by way of this. Roy Nelson on the other hand possesses strong hands to compliment his Jiu-Jitsu skills winning 8 of his 15 victories by knockout. Despite there not being a title, or a number one contender-ship on the line either, both fighters still have much riding on this fight.
Looking at this series it should not be a surprise to anyone that the Canucks are up on the Sharks 3 games to 1. While I can’t deny that the four games have been interesting to watch, I do have to say they have been interesting for all the wrong reasons. Looking at the series on paper one would expect to see exciting, fast paced and well executed hockey games coming from both ends of the ice, but that’s not what we’ve seen.
The perks of being in the ‘Sin Bin’
What we have gotten in four games is wonderful opportunity to watch both teams decide to take turns parading players in and out of the penalty box, and watch the other team capitalize on the bone-head plays. San Jose started this cycle in game 2 when they decided to try to combat Vancouver’s high-powered offense with over the top physical play, and earn 51 penalty minutes led by Ben Eager. By the way, congratulations to Mr. Eager for earning my coveted ‘Douchebag of the Conference Finals’ award with the celebration of his goal, and follow-up taunting of Luongo when his team was still down by 4 GOALS!! Stay classy Eager.
In game 3 it was Vancouver’s turn to try to show how physical they could be. Needless to say this led to 32 penalty minutes, and allowing 2 power goals in the first 10 minutes of the game. And then there was second period of game 4 – San Jose decided to do what they do best and ‘Go San Jose’, for lack of a better term. Three ‘five-on-three’ situations and allowing Vancouver to score 3 power play goals in 1:55. All I could say was “Woooooooow” and feel bad for Melanie Wilcox. Sorry Mel.
So that brings us to tonight’s game 5 in Vancouver. Whose going to win?? What team is going to show up at each end? I’d place my bets on the Canucks to finish the Sharkies off tonight. The Sedin twins are pretty much having their way with the Sharks defense combining for 34 points in the playoffs, and Kesler seems to finally be coming alive in the series.
Metro-Detroit Native (Livonia) and member of the 2010 USA Olympic Men’s Hockey Team – Ryan Kesler
To make matters worse for the Sharks, they’ll be taking the ice with hurt Joe Thornton. With so much of their offense in these playoffs coming thru the play of Captain Joe. It will be interesting to see what, if anything, he brings tonight. If San Jose is going to have a chance looks for Clowe and Marleau to step up and fill Jumbo Joe’s shortcomings, and Neimi will need to stand on his head.
Prediction: Vancouver for the series win tonight. And boom goes the dynamite!
Fresh off of last night’s Over the Limit, Jerry Lawler makes his way to the ring. Victorious over Michael Cole, Jerry brings out Bret the Hitman Hart to help him celebrate. I seriously was so glad to see Cole get humiliated last night not only by Hart and Lawler, but by Eve and JR as well. I’m hoping Cole will either go back to being a non heel commentator or just go to Smackdown because I can’t stand the sound of his voice. Surprisingly as Bret Hart is talking, he is interrupted by… R Truth?
Truth of course sits there babbling on about how he should get a title shot and how maybe he needs to beat on a hall of famer to get some respect. Good call Truth, going the Jericho route. Hart of course tells him to bring it on, but then that irritating John Cena music comes on and out comes the still WWE champ. He tells Truth the truth about what a nut bag he is and is about to take him on before the anonymous Raw manager (still? Really?) interrupts them all announcing he may give R Truth a shot after the main event tag match tonight, between CM Punk/R-Truth and John Cena/Rey Mysterio.
Our next match is a tag-team championship match between the champions Kane and Big Show vs Nexus members David Otungah and Michael McGillicutty. The match goes just like every other Kane-Big Show tag match. The opposite team unrealistically competes, except this time against the Nexus you can be guaranteed of cheating. That is of course what happens except this time they don’t get caught and it results it the Kane-Show losing their titles. I can honestly say this makes things a little better because nothing garners more interest in a match than seeing heels lose the belt. Otungah and McGillicutty are pretty damned boring with not a whole lot of talent going around, and I can’t wait until someone else takes the belts from them. It for sure doesn’t look like Show and Kane will be getting a rematch soon, since Big Show had his leg ran over in an altercation involving Alberto Del Rio and his Ferrari.
Finally the inevitable happens and Michael Cole comes down to the ring looking as if he’s going to cry. But the guy actually apologizes to not only Jerry Lawler, but everyone else and the fans. His only wish is that he can commentate side by side with Jerry on Raw and put the whole thing behind them. Jerry accepts after getting in a couple more jabs in at Cole. Thank god the feud is done and I can finally deal with Michael Cole being around again.
Immediately after, The Miz comes out with his butt buddy Alex Riley to bitch and complain about how he deserves another shot at the belt. The general manager responds by telling Miz no and monkey boy Miz fires Riley in a rage. He even slaps Riley causing the guy to snap. It was actually pretty gratifying to see Riley finally put an ass whooping on the Miz.
Yup, that’s the Miz
The next sees all of the lovely divas coming down to the ring for an eight woman tag match. I would tell you everyone involved but after Kelly Kelly and one of the Bellas start the match it is interrupted by Kharma who gets into the ring and inexplicably falls to her knees having a nervous breakdown as the divas watch on puzzled. I was a little puzzled too as we come back from commercial and all of the divas are gone. Uuuuuhhh okay.
We are then presented with a match between the U.S. Champion Kofi Kingston and Drew McIntyre, which a decent match but all too brief as many of the matches were tonight. All three of them…
After a nice Macho Man memorial the main event finally gets started with Bret Hart as the special guest referee. The match was pretty decent yet once again only about 7 minutes long after commercials. After a few twists and turns in the end Cena and Mysterio won with help from the ref. It felt a little cheap but they’ve made such a joke of R Truth that I find it hard to care. I was hoping for a little more out of a two-hour wrestling show instead of thirty minutes (if even) of actual matches. Booooo!
Ok this is going to be a quick one, since I am juggling a new-born baby, a recovering wife, and my want to share my hockey opinion with you all. God, I am so generous. You’re welcome! Anyways, let’s do this….
After overcoming a dismal Game 1 start, it appeared Boston was set to take the Eastern Conference Title with the games 2 and 3 wins…but then game 4 happened. Wow, what a meltdown. Allowing 5 unanswered goals after securing a 3 goal lead in the first period, embarrassing.
So now we have a best of 3 series with Home Ice advantage currently with the Bruins, but the momentum is clearly with Tampa Bay. Tampa Bay’s offensive domination has been simply amazing, minus the game 3 hiccup, scoring 15 GOALS IN 4 GAMES with St. Louis and Lecavalier leading the charge with 17 playoff points each! While I expect Tampa to come out firing in game 5, and continue their game 4 domination, one thing that can’t be forgotten is Tim Thomas’s ability to bounce back from a shelling and win a game for his team (unlike the goaltenders in the Bestern, I mean Western Conference, who can get easily rattled after poor performances).
If Boston is going to make it out of this series alive, it’s going to have to be on the shoulders of Thomas and hope he puts on his Vezina hat and pull off more game 3 shut-out performances.
Prediction: Tampa Bay in 7 and Steve Yzerman GM of the Year…Ride the Lightning baby!!
So he’s out. After many months of speculation dating from the Tat Five and the bowl game to the avalanche of evidence edging closer to the dreaded “lack of institutional control”, Jim Tressel has finally did what should have happened months ago, he left his dream job at Ohio State and will hang his head in shame. Okay, he probably won’t. He won bunches of games, established Ohio State as the annual BCS representative and destroyed Michigan so really, it’s about the same as when he left Youngstown State 11 years ago: Amid NCAA infractions, a title-winning coach leaves and does not take consequences for his actions (or lack thereof). So here’s the question: Who’s the loser?
Continue reading Jim Tressel Resigns – Ohio Adds Sweater Vests to LeBron Jersey Bonfires 
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