Out Loud Sports Blog

      It is something that so many around the world look forward to on a quadrennial basis. The national pride, the inspiration we can draw from watching the world's best and, of course, NBC's famous intro music all come to mind. It is just about time to - for the second time - count down the days until the Tokyo Olympic Games begin.      We are counting down the days until the opening ceremony and the lighting of the Olympic cauldron. But should we be counting down the days?      After all, the COVID-19 pandemic still has not gone away. The cost of the Olympics and the ever-present health risks associated with staging the games have raised discontent in Japan.     So there are two existential questions that burn in my mind even brighter than the Olympic flame itself. Question 1, will the Games happen this summer, after being postponed a year ago? Question 2, should they go forward?      We had better start with the f...

      Many fans and commentators say that the two best words in sports are "game seven". Such an assessment is difficult to dispute. Who does not love a high-stakes, winner-takes-all scenario?       However, in my most humble of opinions, I do believe that there are two better words: single elimination. Or we could even come up with a phrase that may be better: win or go home.      That is the premise of today's writing. With the NBA and NHL playoffs currently going on, the question has been raised in other circles: Is a best-of-seven series format better than a single-elimination playoff system?      To me, the answer is simply, no.      I love a seven game series, without question. I love watching the uphill battle that an underdog team must encounter by trying to nab four wins off of a much more favored foe. Who would not like to watch some of the game's greatest go at it at least four, possibly even seven tim...

      The Final Four, the NCAA tournament, cutting down the nets and the ever-tantalizing prospect of having that one shining moment are all benefits that are possible for a basketball player once they have become a college basketball player.      Of course, the best - and most rewarding benefit - is the opportunity to receive a world-class education.      But, of course, any athlete that has the opportunity to reach the Division 1 level has to understand that they do have the chance of reaching the pros. As such, the mentality that each athlete has needs to change.       What begins as a game, becomes a business.      This has become especially true for basketball players. They have to be more open-minded about what their options are and the possibility that their best opportunity may be something that, at one point, was previously inconceivable: the opportunity to be paid and play professional basketball -...

          It's no secret that over the course of the past year plus, the world has been bearing the brunt of one history's worst health crises. Lockdowns, closures, Zoom meetings, traditions postponed, memories lost and the mentally painful physical distancing from those we love the most. I would be extremely shocked if anybody would seriously come to a sports blog for reporting of this nature. While flattered, that doesn't fall into my wheelhouse. So, I'll bring it back in to my own comfort zone- which may be why many of you have descended here anyway- to provide some perspective.     There is no denying the ramifications of this strange time in history. The tragic loss of life and the changes in our world that have sadly been experienced as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. In the sports world, everything has been different as well. All participants have been tested regularly or daily for the virus; lockers moved; surfaces sanitized repeatedly. Thos...

                Yesterday, we took a look at the team needs heading into this year’s draft for the AFC. But there are still many more intriguing to storylines that come with the teams in the NFC. I have gone division-by-division, listing out what I think each team should do. This is analytics-based, so we use the money ball ideology. Here are the keys to each team having a successful NFL draft.   NFC North Chicago Bears- We start our run through the NFC with the most personal one on this list. The Chicago Bears elected to pull the plug on Mitchell Trubisky. Now the team’s 102 (and counting) year search for stability at the quarterback position recommences. Quarterback seems obvious here. However, the Bears need to take a look at the offensive line. When healthy, the unit is a good one. Unfortunately, they have struggled to remain on the field and the lack of depth at the position has hurt the Bears. The team ...

              The NFL Draft sits just under two weeks away. One of the anticipated weekends on the sporting calendar brings with it much excitement, as teams and fans look ahead to what they hope are brighter days. I have divided this post in two parts. Today we will take a look at the draft needs of the teams in the AFC. Tomorrow, we will take a look at those sane needs amongst NFC clubs. Here is a look at what I think each AFC team needs to do in this draft in order to take the next step.   AFC North Pittsburgh Steelers- In spite of the departure of one Antonio Brown and the aging and injuries of Ben Roethlisberger, the Steelers have still managed to keep a respectable passing game in place. While their defense may not be quite to the standard of what they are accustomed to at Heinz Field, they actually have a very solid unit that ranked third in total yards allowed per game in 2020. Where did they struggle? The r...

The Corrupt Game   Today I am going to break from what the first two entries of this blog have brought. We have talked largely about “American” football. Today however, I would like to talk about a very pressing issue in the world of the “other” football: soccer. Last week and this week the world of soccer has been in the international break- a period of time where club soccer largely stops to allow the top players to participate in matches for their national teams. Without question, this international break has been a serious one on many levels. European Championship preparation, World Cup Qualifying, and some high-profile friendlies have all been taking place. The sporting world is beginning to look forward. We are, hopefully, beginning to move forward into some sort of normalcy soon after seeing the sports world largely re-shaped by the COVID-19 pandemic. As we do though, problems that existed in the pre-pandemic world will once again take center stage. Today we will look ...