For the Love of Sports

My name is Kirsten, and I'm just your average girl who fell in love with a guy who fell in love with sports.  (Fortunately, it didn't take him too long to fall for me too.)  But first, let's talk about life before I met him.

 I grew up watching the games (mostly baseball and football) with my dad and grandpas on Sunday afternoons or at night before bed.  I grew up going to Phillies games and signing the national anthem at the Trenton Thunder stadium.  I even had season tickets for a few years with my Dad and some friends for the Philadelphia Wings, our indoor Lacrosse team.  I have always been around sports, and I even tried playing a few of them (though not very successfully).

 But even though I never excelled in actually playing sports, I have always enjoyed watching them.  Our Wings tickets were right behind the  penalty box and right down the row from the teams' most enthusiastic fan: "Chopper."  My best friend and I would get so into the action - especially being up that close to the field.  There's something about feeling like you're a part of something bigger than yourself... something about being on a team and feeling all of the emotions that go along with winning and losing.  So this is where I stood on sports.  They were fun to watch, and while I knew about my favorite teams and players, my sports knowledge was pretty limited.  I didn't know a whole lot, and I didn't really have a reason to... until my junior year of high school, that is.

The Madden Curse: Bringin' it back!

Last week, the average bro wrote about conspiracies in the NFL Draft. None of them came true. Today, guest blogger, Andrew Rago, brings us back to conspiracies. There's no doubting this one!

As any Maddenite knows, the privilege of gracing the cover of EA Sports Madden video game comes with a price. 

Eddie George was the first official  Madden cover-athlete in 2001(Garrison Hearst and Dorsey Levens made the cover on alternate versions before Eddie George). He went on to have arguably his best season, rushing for 1,509 yards and 14 touchdowns, but a bobbled pass in the playoff game against Baltimore was returned for a touchdown, and sealed Tennessee’s fate. Eddie George’s career was never the same, always hobbled by injuries. Eddie’s yards-per-carry for his next four seasons were a measly 3.0, 3.4 and 3.3 in his final two seasons as a pro. Many claim this to be the birth of the madden curse, but was it?

On the official Madden 2000 cover, John Madden is prominently featured, but there is a visible player in the background.

Behind Locker Room Doors: Conspiracies of the NFL Draft!

In just under a week, the NFL Draft will commence. This is a great day in the year for all NFL fans. Who will my team draft? Do they get a shiny new quarterback? Or a hardnosed offensive lineman? Do they get that one guy I saw play one time and heard a guy say that he would fit our system? Or are they dumb and going to pick some guy who I've never heard of?! Idiots!

Anyway, the one thing I'm shocked about every year, is that there isn't some wheeling and dealing going on. And I'm not talking about trades for picks and Mel Kiper trading inside information for hair gel. I'm talking about some real, back room conspiracies. Oh yes! You thought conspiracies only existed in politics but, no! The NFL has them too! And boy are they juicy! Here's a few of my favorites.

The Bracket Battle Comes to a Close

Well Pros and Bros, it was an exciting run but the Tournament has come to an end. Remember all the fun? Remember all the laughs? Remember that one guy with the leg and the ...never mind. Can't think about it. Ughh!

Anyway, what a great tournament. The Louisvillle Cardinals won it all and cut down the nets. What an exciting time for all those involved. Every student and faculty member and blah blah blah.

Yeah, Congratulations Louisville. Good for you. But for the rest of us, only one thing mattered at the end of this tournament: The Sports Pro and the Average Bro Bracket Battle!!!