Smark Your Territory: WWE Money in the Bank Recap

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Let’s be honest, very few people watched WWE’s Money in the Bank Pay-per-view on Sunday night, because, of course, Game of Thrones.  And although the hit HBO series didn’t end the way many of us anticipated, it still had to be better than the wrestling, right?

I was about to find out.

So I woke up early in the morning, grabbed my coffee, and started to watch some sports entertainment for my viewing please.

Here’s the good, the bad, and the ugly from Money in the Bank.

This is a quick and gritty recap of WWE Money in the Bank and contains spoilers. enjoy

Women’s Money in the Bank match – Bayley vs Nikki Cross vs Natalya vs Naomi vs Carmella vs Dana Brooke vs Mandy Rose vs Ember Moon 

This match was filled with each superstar doing their own thing.  Which is exactly what we’ve come to expect in these type of matches. However, the coolest part aside from the ending, was watching Sonya Deville carry Mandy Rose’s lifeless body to the top of the ladder. A devastating one handed push from Bayley would inevitable send both superstars crashing to the mat. The only thing left was for Bayley to hoist the briefcase high above her head.  Momma, she made it!

Winner- Bayley (in the bank)

United States Championship – Rey Mysterio vs Samoa Joe (C)

This match lasted longer than Cersei’s reign on the iron throne. And after Mysterio appeared to break Samoa Joe’s nose with a devastating whoopee cushion off the top rope, the match was quickly accelerated. A very weak and controversial roll-up pin, would prove to be the difference maker.

Winner – Rey Mysterio

And then in typical Samoa Joe fashion, he attacks Mysterio from behind.  He then beats the living hell out of him in front of his son.  The rivalry continues.

Shane McMahon vs The Miz inside a Steel Cage

I’m not really sure where this feud is going, but it appears that there is no end in sight.  And despite Miz looking like the superior wrestler for most of the match, the ending was about as bad as it gets.  As Shane tried to escape over the top of the cage, Miz grabbed him. And after a good minute of teasing a superplex from the top of the cage, Shane slipped out of his shirt like Houdini and onto the floor below.  WAIT! HOW!?!?!WTF!?!?!

McMahon defeats Miz in one of the more “meh” matches of the night.

Winner – Shane McMahon

Raw Women’s Championship – Becky Lynch (C) vs Lacy Evans

For weeks, I was left wondering why they were pushing Lacy Evans so hard. I think after this match, we now know why.  Evans is a stud and for most of the match, looked like the better wrestler. (Don’t be mad) And after dominating Becky for a solid five minutes, momentum would shift in Lynch’s favor.  Much like the Samoa Joe match, there would be a controversial finish.  This time, Evans rolled up Lynch for what appeared to be a three-count.  However, the referee did not count, and Lynch would reverse the pin into her signature “disarmer”- for the submission victory.

Lynch would celebrate with the millions and millions of her fans.  And then, Charlotte Flair’s music would hit. WOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!

Winner – Becky Lynch

Smackdown Women’s Championship – Becky Lynch (C) vs Charlotte Flair

Of course it’s not fair that Becky has to defend both titles consecutively, but she is “The Man”.  This match was quick and to the point.  And after a Lacy Evans right hand, Charlotte Flair would hit (completely miss) with a big boot that resulted in the 1,2,3 victory.  As if we all didn’t see this coming, Flair would once again become the Smackdown Women’s champion.  Evans and Flair would continue to assault Becky after the match and then…

BAH GAWD ALMIGHTY!  IT’S THE MOTHER HUGGER, BAYLEY!!!!!

Winner – Charlotte Flair

Bayley cashes in the Money in the Bank!

For as uneventful as the Charlotte/Becky match was.  Bayley finding a way to overcome all obstacles, cash in her Money in the Bank contract, and defeat Charlotte Flair was a great way to end things.  Very few are as deserving as Bayley and this almost certainly opens up a Bayley/Charlotte rivalry that should make Smackdown must-see television for the next few months.

Bayley would celebrate with all of her fans.

Winner – Bayley

CruserWeight Championship – Tony Nese (C) vs Ariya Daivari

Surprise, surprise.  205 live continues to be one of the better kept secrets of the wrestling world.  And this match did not disappoint.  Then again, it wasn’t overly great either.  Nese defeats Ariya (not Stark) to retain the title.  My guess is that Nese is the champion heading into Summer Slam but who really knows?  Vince could scrap the title tomorrow night in favor of the Hardcore title but again, idk.

Winner – Tony Nese

Roman Reigns vs Elias 

Elias continues to be a poor man’s Jeff Jarrett, this time attacking Reigns from behind with a guitar in the corridor.  After a quick ad, Elias is in the ring getting ready to play the guitar and talk bad about the fans in attendance.  As he’s getting ready to head to the back, ROMAN REIGNS appears from out of nowhere with a super man punch right to his face.  They then go in the ring and after Reigns hits the spear, it’s 1,2,3.  This further proves that Elias is just a glorified jobber with nice clothes and a guitar he likes to break over other human’s skulls.

Winner – Roman Reigns

Universal Championship – Seth Rollins (C) vs A.J Styles

This is a match that I could watch every night for the next 365 days and not get bored. (okay, maybe a little) But let’s be honest, heading into MITB this was probably the one match fans could get overly excited for.  After all, these two small-town prospects were fighting in a gymnasium 15 years ago.  Now, they’re two of the biggest superstars in the world.  And no matter how bad Vince McMahon is getting at his old age-it didn’t disappoint.

The match had everything.  A reverse superplex off the top-rope.  A styles clash.  Phenomenal forearm. And most importantly, a Seth Rollins curb stomp.  I’m not sure where the feud goes after Rollins and Styles shook hands in the center of the ring, but I hope they prolong the sequel until Summer Slam.  We need more matches like this in our life and kudos to WWE for allowing these two superstars to do what they do best.

Winner – Seth Rollins

Lars Sullivan vs Lucha House Party

*insert fart sound*

At least Lars got his head split open like a cantaloupe.

WWE Championship – Kofi Kingston (C) vs Kevin Owens

Both of these superstars deserve to be in the spotlight. But this match seemed a bit stale compared to some of the others on this night.  And although many would have loved to see Kevin Owens once again be at the top of the WWE totem pole, they will just have to wait.  Kingston defeats Owens after hitting him with that cool, spinning kick that he does.  Will this rivalry continue?  I think so, but I’m not entirely sure.

Winner – Kofi Kingston

Men’s Money in the Bank Ladder Match –  Finn Balor vs Sami Zayn vs Baron Corbin vs Drew McIntyre vs Ricochet vs Randy Orton vs Andrade vs Ali

I was actually very surprised with how great this match was.  Finn Balor nearly died about fifteen times and the moves that were done onto/off/through ladders were breathtaking.  But for all the hard work that guys like Balor, Ricochet, Andrade, and Ali put into this match, they were rewarded with a kick in the nuts from Mr.McMahon.  And when Ali was at the very top of the ladder, with the briefcase in his hands.  What other superstar would you expect to come down the entrance ramp?

BRROROOOOOCCCCKKKK LEEESSSNNNAAARRRRR

And of course, Lesnar was not going to enter the match without walking out with the briefcase in hand.  It will now be interesting to see when and where he cashes in his briefcase.

The End.

How did you feel about last night’s Money in the Bank PPV? Let us know in the comments section below!

 

Griezmann y los falsos romances europeos

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Antoine Griezmann jugó con los sentimientos de los fanáticos del Atlético de Madrid por dos veranos consecutivos.

Hace menos de un año mantuvo en ascuas a sus seguidores rojiblancos, y hasta hizo un documental a lo LeBron James, para anunciar que se quedaba con el equipo porque “creía en el proyecto”.

¿Cuál era ese proyecto? El Atlético de Madrid venía de ser segundo en La Liga por detrás del FC Barcelona y sumó a varias piezas que lo colocaban muy cerca de los dos grandes de España para disputar este torneo.

En el ámbito europeo, el Atlético veía con ilusión el tener la final de la Champions League en su nuevo estadio, el Wanda Metropolitano.

Los dirigidos por Diego Simeone habían llegado dos veces a la final ante el Real Madrid, y estuvieron muy cerca de ser campeones de Europa.

Esta temporada, con la final en el Wanda, no tener a Griezmann en la plantilla parecía contranatura.

Fue el propio Griezmann, por cierto, quien falló un penal en la segunda de esas finales europeas ante el Madrid.

El Atlético de Madrid empató y logró llevar ese juego al alargue, pero nunca pudo terminar de superar a Cristiano, Ramos y compañía.

En parte, por la falta de precisión de Griezmann, quien ahora los deja con los crespos hechos.

El proyecto de Diego Simeone con Griezmann

El Atlético de Madrid logró incluirse entre los grandes de Europa gracias a Diego Simeone y su capacidad de potenciar a sus jugadores.

Antoine Griezmann fue uno de ellos. Cuando llegó desde la Real Sociedad, era un buen jugador.

Ahora que se va del Atlético, lo podemos considerar entre los 10 o 15 mejores del mundo.

¿Por qué decide irse ahora? ¿Era la final de la Liga de Campeones en el Wanda Metropolitano lo único que ataba al francés con el Atleti?

El propio Simeone, en una entrevista exclusiva con Fox Sports, dijo hace unos días que no imaginaba este proyecto sin su líder en este momento:

El Atlético de Madrid de Simeone logró títulos y consiguió convertirse en un equipo solvente, incluso hasta fichador, que logró pagarle a Griezmann un sueldo incluso mejor que el que le ofrecían en el FC Barcelona.

Antoine Griezmann se convirtió en un referente de este club gracias a su liderazgo en el campo, y su apego con el escudo.

Decirle que no a uno de los mejores equipos del mundo, por amor a la camiseta, no es poca cosa.

¿Por qué se va Griezmann de Madrid?

Suponiendo que no se va al rival blanco de la capital española, no podemos dejar de preguntarnos qué pasó que en unos meses que hizo que el francés cambiara de opinión.

En lo deportivo la situación es prácticamente la misma. El Atlético volverá a ser el segundo lugar en La Liga, en la Champions fueron eliminados por uno de los favoritos y en la Copa del Rey los eliminó el Girona.

El Atlético fue segundo en la 2017-18 en La Liga y en los otros dos torneos sufrió el mismo destino.

Con un año más de trabajo, ciertas piezas podrían encajar mejor, como es el caso del compatriota de Griezmann, Lemar.

Sin embargo, han sido varias las bajas de la plantilla anunciadas antes de la salida del delantero.

Eso probablemente influyó en la decisión del delantero francés, pero no me hace cambiar mi opinión de que Griezmann no fue justo y honesto con la afición del “equipo de sus amores”.

¿Adónde se irá Griezmann?

El FC Barcelona era el mayor pretendiente la temporada pasada, y apenas se dio la eliminación estrepitosa del Barça en Anfield Road, volvieron a sonar los rumores de una posible llegada de Griezmann a la entidad blaugrana.

En mi opinión, Griezmann no hace falta en el FC Barcelona. No lo veo jugando junto a Suárez y Messi en el ataque, a menos que el Barcelona salga de Coutinho y Dembelé, algo que parece poco probable.

En caso de que Griezmann llegue al Barça, les recomiendo este análisis del sistema que utilizaría Valverde.

Ya la dirigencia del club dijo que no quiere otra novela con Griezmann, refiriéndose a la idea que tiene su entorno de hacer otro documental para anunciar dónde jugará a partir del próximo verano.

El Real Madrid sería un equipo ideal por el momento de reconstrucción al que apuntan, aunque ya sabemos que este tipo de transferencias entre los dos equipos simplemente ya no existen.

Griezmann podría irse al PSG a tratar de terminar de impulsar ese proyecto en Europa, junto a Neymar y Mbappé, con quien ya ganó la Copa del Mundo Rusia 2018.

Con los conocidos problemas personales que existen entre Neymar y Cavani, no sería descabellada la salida del urugayo para abrirle paso al zurdo francés.

El propio Cavani podría ser el recambio de Griezmann en el Atleti.

El Bayern Munich es el último invitado a la fiesta que ha armado Griezmann, pues debe suplir a Robben y Ribery, quienes no seguirán con el equipo alemán.

El Manchester City de Agüero o la Juventus de Cristiano Ronaldo, que también se quedaron cortos en la Champions League, son unos posibles destinos menos probables, pero podrían dar la sorpresa.

Griezmann deja el Atleti y acaba con esa bonita historia de amor. Fue simplemente otro falso romance europeo…

 

Si te gustan los romances, o mejor dicho, las peleas y debates constantes, te invitamos a que escuches Cinco Razones Podcast haciendo clik aquí. Ahí trato de convencer a Leandro Soto y Ricardo Montes de Oca de que Cristiano no es mejor que Messi…

Now, Josh Rosen needs to earn it

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DAVIE – So it begins. The Josh Rosen era? At this point it’s the onset of the audition.

Coach Brian Flores prefers to view it as a competition.

Though few outsiders believe Rosen won’t be behind center when the Dolphins open the 2019 season, it is in the best interest of the franchise that the second-year quarterback acquired from the Arizona Cardinals must show he merits the job.

That is as it should be. If Rosen really has the makings of a franchise quarterback, it should be no sweat to earn the starting job.

If not, it will become apparent to the coaching staff through the course of offseason work, training camp and the exhibition season.

Flores made that point recently and the process began this week with the first week of offseason organized team activities for veterans and rookies.

Tuesday was the first full session open to the media and the largest turnout in years for OTAs – it’s offseason practice! – assembled to get a glimpse of Rosen in action.

For the record, when they began running plays in 7-on-7 drills, veteran Ryan Fitzpatrick was lined up with the starting receiving corps of Kenny Stills, DeVante Parker, Jakeem Grant and Mike Gesicki.

There certainly was a message in that, for Rosen as well as for the media to pass along to the fan base.

Remember, it’s a competition – even if it’s really a charade (wink, wink).

Notably, Fitzpatrick was the sharper quarterback through the course of the session.

When it was Rosen’s turn, he fired a strike over the middle on his first pass. His second was picked off by Sam Eguavoen, a former CFL linebackers and returned to the end zone.

Rosen also fumbled a couple of snaps at the beginning of practice.

None of which, of course, is of any consequence. As Flores said, “We’re not making cuts today.”

It’s May, and much of this rebuilding team is still putting names to faces and learning the way to their respective lockers.

“You kind of underestimate from the outside looking in all the logistical issues from having to have to move and uproot your place,” Rosen said after the workout. “I’m walking into the receivers room thinking it’s the bathroom. But when you step on the field you’ve just got let all that go and just play football.”

Rosen’s twitter account featured a photo from Monday’s session of its smiling namesake under center and the message, “Great to be back on the field and just play football.”

 

Rosen’s predecessor, Ryan Tannehill, waited until the beginning of his final season in Miami to try to project some personality via social media, but the effort kind of fizzled out – like his tenure.

It was refreshing that the absence of No. 17 in the quarterback corps isn’t due to injury. (Wide receiver Brice Butler now wears Tannehill’s old number).

It was more than time to try something different and it begins with competition (really, it is) between a 37-year-old journeyman and a top-10 draft pick who has already been discarded by the team that traded up to select him and acquired by the Dolphins for a No. 2 draft pick.

The intrigue of a rebuilding season will be in where that leads under the direction of a rookie head coach and staff, many of them with connections to the Patriots’ extended run of success.

“We’re looking for guys who can consistently move the ball down the field,” Flores said of the quarterback competition.

Flores has said that he welcomes players wanting to know the why of things, which has been portrayed as a criticism of Rosen in Arizona.

“I appreciate it. Our meeting room has been really productive, really good,” Rosen said, noting that he’s already picked up valuable guidance from quarterback coaches Jim Caldwell and Jerry Schuplinski. “It’s always about progress. I just want to keep taking steps forward and I think they’re helping me do that.”

During Tuesday’s 90-minute session, with players in shorts, Rosen showed some zip and the ability to connect with receivers in coverage.

He lobbed a deep ball on the mark that should have gone for a touchdown but it slipped through the hands of Parker. Some things don’t change.

“Obviously, he’s a talented player – big arm. But like everyone else he’s got a long way to go – [on] fundamentals, technique, playbook,” Flores said of Rosen, who did display some pocket presence in dancing away from a rusher and completing a short pass.

This week is about formulating early impressions. Drawing firm conclusions is still months away.

As Flores noted, this stage of the offseason program is still voluntary. Veteran safety Reshad Jones elected not to attend as he did during the first offseason minicamp last month.

But for most of the 91 players on the roster, the audition is underway.

“Everybody is getting evaluated in this building every day. Period,” Flores said. “That’s just what it is.”

When it comes to the quarterback sweepstakes, that’s a good thing, no matter who ends up winning it (wink, wink).

One way or another the Dolphins will find out if he is the player to lead them into the future or whether they’ll need to dip back into the talent pool and find someone else next year.

Craig Davis has covered South Florida sports and teams, including the Dolphins, for four decades. Follow him on Twitter @CraigDavisRuns

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Josh Rosen needs a nickname

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In my many years as a fan of the Miami Dolphins, there have been moments that had nothing to do with the on-field product that brought about great excitement.

The Dolphins acquiring Keith Jackson, the signing of Jimmy Johnson as Head Coach, the trade for Ricky Williams, Nick Saban coming to town, and yes, the drafting of Ryan Tannehill.  (For a few minutes, at least.) The trade that brought Josh Rosen to Miami, might be right up there with all of them.

There is no denying that Dolphin fans are pinning a lot of their hopes for 2019 and beyond on Josh Rosen, and why not? There is nothing going on to properly evaluate him, even though we engage in this annual ritual of watching players run around in shorts in May every year.  Until he plays in camp, a pre-season game, a regular season game, we have to postpone our evaluation, but we don’t have to postpone our excitement.  With that excitement, has come the nickname the “Hebrew Hammer”, and with it, countless examples of many in our network casually referring to Rosen as such:

As well as some, that have sought to sell T-Shirts with the name emblazoned on it:

Now, this is fun. I am all for fun. But lets be a bit original. “Hebrew Hammer” belongs to others. Yes, Josh Rosen seems to have given himself the nickname. He needs a writer on staff. The nickname not only belongs to others, but is rather common:

The OTHER “Hebrew Hammers”:
Adam Edelman- Israeli Olympic team’s Menn’s Skeleton Racer
Ryan Braun- 6 time MLB All-Star.
Hank Greenberg- Hall of Fame MLB Player.
Gabe Kapler- MLB Player.
Al Rosen- 4 Time MLB All-Star.

and there are others!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hebrew_Hammer

So, let’s be a bit original. In fact, our network, has, uh, well, kinda started on this:

5 Reasons Jew Brees Tee

Subtle. Effective. No comment.

So, what nickname do I like? I like “Josh Chosen.” Does it suck? Probably, maybe, but it’s original. Have at it in Twitter threads, and in the comments to this item. Let’s name JOSH ROSEN.

Dolphins’ new regime believes in second chances

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Usually when a change is made at the top, it has a trickle effect throughout the entire organization.

So once Miami moved on from Mike Tannenbaum and Chris Grier was handed the keys, a shift in philosophy was sure to follow.

And whether it be trading a second-round pick for Josh Rosen or signing an undrafted free agent with plenty of ‘juicy’ history, what the Dolphins’ organization has done this offseason is “different.”

For years, the Dolphins were more concerned about their public image than giving a mulligan to talented players.  But Brian Flores, who has mentored under Bill Belichick, believes in second chances. And that has been evident more than ever this offseason.

Aside from giving players like Eric Rowe and Chris Reed, low risk, high-reward contracts, the Dolphins are taking fliers on players with “character concerns.” And no we’re not talking about the fabricated issues some South Florida media have with Rosen.

For example, Miami signed Preston Williams, the undrafted wide receiver who has had a troubled past.  Williams was arrested on a misdemeanor assault charge after reportedly pushing his girlfriend out of the way, as he tried to leave  their apartment.  Williams was forced to sit out the 2017 season after transferring from Tennessee, and was later suspended for part of the 2018 season.  His off the field troubles forced the talented wide receiver to go undrafted.

When Williams was asked what he’s learned from his off the field troubles, he said this.  “You have to be a professional on the field and off the field. I just try to stay clean and do what I’m supposed to do.”

Williams isn’t the only ‘bad boy’ the Dolphins took a flier on this offseason.   Yesterday, Miami signed former Hurricane’s running back Mark Walton.  Walton, 22,  has been arrested three times over the last several months.  Most recently, for carrying a concealed weapon and marijuana possession.  And we all saw the video of him ripping the taser off and breaking away from cops with his 4.4 speed.  That was his third arrest in as recent months.

Dolphins head coach Brian Flores said this regarding Walton and second chances.

“I’d say I think … I think people deserve a second chance. I believe that. I think that’s the case. I don’t want to judge people based on one incident (or) two incidents. I think it’s a case-by-case situation for a player and just for people in general. That’s kind of my stance.”

Whether you agree or disagree with what these players have done off the field, this regime believes the talent on the field is worth the black eye that could follow.

However, the reward is far greater than the risk, especially for the Dolphins, who need elite potential wherever they can find it as they rebuild. Williams has the potential to be a #1 wide receiver and Walton was highly regarded out of college.  Both players have the chance to make an impact in 2019 and beyond.  And although no one knows how this will play out, this change in philosophies is a breath of fresh air. And that’s all we can ask for, after so many years of mediocrity.

 

Josh Houtz (@Houtz) contributes to Smark Your Territory and is the co-host of Fantasy On Five. Photo by Tony Capobianco.

Don’t sleep on Dolphins’ Albert Wilson

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The Miami Dolphins 2018 season was a disappointment — to say the least.

But unlike what we’ve grown accustomed to in year’s past, it wasn’t all doom and gloom in 2018.  In fact, several players emerged as potential franchise-caliber players.  Laremy Tunsil took the next step, Xavien Howard did too. Raekwon McMillan and Jerome Baker — former Buckeyes teammates — both showed some potential to be key contributors on defense for many years to come.  

And then there’s the skill position players.

Kenyan Drake got out-touched by Frank Gore, and guys like DeVante Parker and Mike Gesicki struggled to make any type of impact.  However, one player emerged as legit playmaker, one who could have a significant role heading into the 2019 season.

His name is Albert Wilson.

Obviously, EVERYONE listened to the latest episode of Fantasy on 5 where I mentioned Wilson as a player I see having a significant impact in 2019.

Personally, I think a lot of people are going to overlook Albert Wilson.  That is a guy that just, he lit the world on fire when he got the opportunities.  And we know he didn’t get as many opportunities as he could have. But the guy can make plays as a running back, can make plays as a wide receiver.  He (Wilson) can make plays all over the field that we haven’t seen in Miami for- I mean maybe Jarvis Landry, but this is a supped up Jarvis Landry. For me, hands down as long as he comes back from injury, Albert Wilson is that guy.  I think he’s going to be one of those guys that creeps up as a top-15 fantasy wide receiver. If you’re going to make me throw a hot take out there, I’m going to say Albert Wilson is going to be a top-15 fantasy wide receiver this year.

Prior to his injury in Week 7 vs the Detroit Lions, Albert Wilson led the NFL in ‘fantasy points per route’.   

To some, this may be an insignificant statistic.

To others, it provides a pretty good outlier of what type of impact Wilson had in year one in South Florida.

Last offseason, Wilson signed a 3 year, $24-million contract and at the time, very few understood the type of impact he could have. He is good.  Very good.  And he will look to take the next step in 2019.

During the 2018 season, Wilson recorded 26 receptions on only 35 targets.  The end result? 394 yards and 5 touchdowns (1 passing).

Currently, Wilson is being drafted 195th-overall in standard leagues according to FantasyPros.com

Let’s take a look at what Wilson did in 2018 and what we can expect from him in Chad O’Shea’s New England Style offense.

FILM

There are a lot of things that Wilson brings to the table.  And anyone that is familiar with New England’s offense, understands just how deadly the quick slants and crossing routes can be.

If you haven’t figured it out by now, he is a special talent.

Here’s a prime example of that, as Wilson throw a perfect 52-yard touchdown strike to Jakeem Grant in week 3 vs Oakland.

Despite what the stat sheet may say, Ryan Tannehill had nothing to do with the success of this play.

In this play, you see just how explosive Wilson can be with the football in his hands.  He uses every bit of his 4.43 forty to outrun the defense.  *high five*

At 5’9, 201-pounds, you don’t expect Wilson to be able to shake would-be tackles.  And yet, here we are.

Osweiler does a good job of standing tall in the pocket and delivers a pass in stride to Wilson.

Again, Wilson is one of the most explosive playmakers in the NFL.

For years, the Dolphins would try to get the ball in their receivers hands using screens and other variables.

It has been a long time since Miami had a guy with this type of game-altering potential.

In conclusion, Wilson has all the skills to be a dominant wide receiver in the NFL.  Obviously, he must fully recover from the hip injury that he suffered last season.  And surely, he must build a repertoire with new Dolphins quarterback Josh Rosen, before he can have the type of impact we all expect.  But what many in South Florida will soon find out, is that Wilson has the potential to be one of the league’s top receivers in 2019.

#WilsonGangGang

Josh Houtz (@Houtz) cooks in his spare time, when he’s not working on 65 things for Five Reasons Sports Network and Dolphin Maven

Valverde y la era de las debacles

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Ernesto Valverde ha sido exitoso en su pasantía por Barcelona, pero será recordado por las debacles históricas en Champions.

El FC Barcelona volvió a ser eliminado de la Liga de Campeones de Europa tras ser goleado, humillado y superado por el Liverpool en el encuentro de vuelta en Anfield Road.

Ernesto Valverde va a cumplir su segunda temporada como entrenador del Barça.

En ambas ha ganado la liga española, muy por encima del eterno rival Real Madrid.

De hecho, el Atlético ha sido su principal rival desde que llegó a dirigir a los blaugrana.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h9Yp1kofQmw

Sin embargo, su gestión hasta los momentos está marcada, y quedará marcada por las eliminaciones vergonzosas en la Liga de Campeones.

Las dos temporadas de Valverde en el Barcelona han tenido algo en común. Dominio total en España, y fracasos rotundos en Europa.

En la 2017-2018, Barcelona se ahogó en Roma y terminó goleado y eliminado ante un rival de bastante menor nivel.

En la ida, el Barcelona había ganado 4-1, y parecía imposible que una remontada se diera en suelo italiano.

Un Barcelona sin corazón se quedó fuera en cuartos de final y todos señalaron a Valverde. Esa fue la primera señal de advertencia.

Así se despedía Andrés Iniesta de la competición. Un Iniesta que luego guio al Barça en la final de Copa para un contundente 5-0.

Una temporada con dos títulos, pero amarga por cómo se dio la eliminación y porque además, el Real Madrid terminó levantando su tercera Champions consecutiva.

Las debacles en Europa marcan la era Valverde

Antes de comenzar la temporada el FC Barcelona enfiló sus cañones hacia la Liga de Campeones, y todo el camino hasta las semifinales fue perfecto.

El Barcelona de Valverde nunca ha encantado con su juego, pero si algo tuvo fue eficiencia.

Además, las derrotas o traspiés que había sufrido llegaron en momentos puntuales y no desviaron el rumbo al objetivo.

Levante y Sevilla hicieron dudar a la afición culé en la Copa del Rey, pero siempre encontraron la manera de superar estas alcabalas.

Eliminaron al Real Madrid en Copa y le ganaron dos veces en cuatro días en el Santiago Bernabéu.

Luego, los blancos quedaron fuera en la Champions tras ser totalmente superados por el Ajax.

Era el fin del reinado blanco y todo parecía sonreirle a Valverde esta temporada.

Olympique de Lyon y Manchester United fueron dos rivales accesibles, aunque apenas anotaron un gol de visitante entre ambas eliminatorias, y fue un autogol de Shaw.

El Camp Nou se convirtió en un fortín y el Barcelona llegaba invicto y afilado a la eliminatoria con el Liverpool, el favorito para ganar la competición.

Valverde rotó a la perfección a sus figuras. Eso no se le puede criticar.

El espejismo de la ida en Camp Nou

En un duelo emocionante entre dos gigantes de Europa, el Barcelona sacó un excelente resultado.

En las planillas de los jueves, el Liverpool ganó por puntos, pero fueron los blaugrana los eficaces y se fueron con una ventaja de tres goles (que debieron ser cuatro por el fallo increíble de Dembelé en la última jugada del partido) a Inglaterra.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_wmpUIAUTU

El Barcelona B jugó el fin de semana mientras el Liverpool se batía con todo ante el Newcastle, ganando en los minutos finales con gol de Origi, y sufriendo la lesión de Salah, su máximo referente.

Sin Salah, y sin Firmino, que seguía tocado, los ingleses parecían tenerlo todo muy cuesta arriba para superar al Barça.

¿En qué falló Valverde?

El Txingurri repitió el once titular del juego de ida a pesar de que se había visto superado en varios fragmentos de ese encuentro.

Apostó nuevamente por Sergi Roberto en la banda en lugar de adelantarlo desde el comienzo.

Le había servido para tomar control en Camp Nou en la segunda mitad, pero no volvió a utilizarlo sino cuando ya estaba con el agua al cuello.

Los errores de Alba, Busquets y Piqué en el primer gol hicieron temblar a los aficionados.

El mismo guión de Roma. Un gol en contra en los primeros minutos y agobiados por la presión alta de los dirigidos por Kloop.

Allison volvió a ser el verdugo del Barcelona

Mucho mérito al planteamiento del alemán, pero Allison fue el que mantuvo con vida al Liverpool.

Alba no quiso patear en una clara ocasión.

La cedió a Messi, quien tampoco remató al arco, intentó un regate y no pudo superar a Virgil Van Dijk.

Era una clara señal de lo que venía.

Tapadas fenomenales a un remate de Lionel Messi, a otro de Coutinho, y luego a Suárez empezando la segunda mitad.

Cualquiera de esas jugadas terminaba en gol y ahí terminaba el sueño inglés.

¿Es el fin de la era Valverde?

A Valverde no se le puede criticar por las fallas de sus delanteros, pero sí por la falta de carácter.

Puso a Vidal de titular en ambos encuentros sabiendo que necesitaría el ida y vuelta del chileno en esta eliminatoria, pero lo sacó con el 3-0 en contra, aunque había sido uno de los mejores.

Sergi Busquets es intocable para el Txingurri, pero fue uno de los que peor estuvo en el mediocampo y no tuvo el temple para sacarlo.

El Barcelona se vio superado en la primera mitad, y el vasco decidió salir con los mismos once a la segunda parte.

Cuando trató de enmendar, ya tenía la eliminatoria empatada.

Ni él mismo vio el cuarto gol del Liverpool.

No es su característica, pero una semifinal a este nivel, se tiene que vivir con intensidad.

Los jugadores son los principales culpables de esta nueva debacle en Europa, pero Valverde podría ser el que pague los platos rotos.

Renovó por otro año hace unos meses, pero parece que esta eliminación podría ser la señal de que este ciclo ya terminó.

Queda la final de la Copa del Rey por disputar y podría volver a ganar un doblete.

Pero ha fallado en el objetivo principal. Creo que es hora de que Valverde diga adiós…

 

Alejandro Villegas es uno de los tres miembros de Cinco Razones Podcast. Escucha todos los episodios aquí.

 

Disqualification in the Derby

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It was another glorious first Saturday in May in Louisville, as the women dressed up to the nines, and the men wore their very best Seersucker suits.  The Kentucky Derby over the years, has become more of a Fashion, and beautiful people exposition, than the premier event for 3 year old thoroughbreds. But this writer happens to be a big fan of the sport year round, and not just when it’s time to spring for a $200 dollar hat for your wife that she will only wear once in her lifetime.  I’m a fan in November, when the Breeders Cup has come and gone, and next to nobody pays attention to Horse Racing.  So with everybody’s eyes on Churchill Downs on Saturday, I believe a great travesty was perpetrated.

Full Disclosure: I stood to gain (financially) from Maximum Security (#7) staying up as the winner of the 145th Kentucky Derby.
What happened on Saturday afternoon in the 145th Kentucky Derby was an outrage, and I should be upset by it, but the emotion that comes to mind is annoyance. The disqualification of Maximum Security (#7) and the elevation of Country House (#20) as the champion, was on it’s face, stupid. Country House was NOT interfered with, and was never impeded. He was out run to the wire. He lost. The only horse that had a rightful claim of Foul was War of Will (#1). Jockey Tyler Gaffalione did not claim a foul. War of Will’s trainer Mark Casse, said that he did not think that it was worth claiming a foul since his horse finished in 8th place. So a horse/jockey/trainer that had no business claiming a foul, in essence claimed it for somebody else, and then benefited from it. Congratulations to Country House/Flavien Prat/Bill Mott, I guess.

So, what do we have now? The owner of Maximum Security Gary West, is seeking to appeal the ruling, and after being denied (Kentucky law says the Stewards decision is final and cannot be challenged) is now contemplating going to Federal Court to address his grievance. We also got a declaration from Bill Mott (Country House’s trainer) that he will be shooting for the Belmont and will skip the Preakness Stakes, as will Maximum Security. So great, no rematch either. How could this get any worse? Well, it did, with blatant lies from jockey Flavien Prat and Hall of Fame Trainer Bill Mott. I mean, these two guys are great at what they do, but they evidently don’t understand the wonders of replay video. Too many Horse Racing analysts are waxing poetically about “safety”, “the rules”, the “spirit of the law” to justify the disqualification, and to be quite honest, it’s just not legitimate.

Here are the FACTS: The Stewards never posted the inquiry sign at the Race’s conclusion, so they themselves are saying that they saw nothing wrong. The one horse that had a real complaint (War of Will) never lodged an objection. A horse that was never interfered with and did not cross the wire first, got elevated to be the winner because they were just savvy enough to lodge a complaint for somebody else, and the Stewards were stupid enough to fall for it. So we have the first disqualification from first in the 145 year history of the Kentucky Derby.

Anyway, the money is gone. So where do we go from here? Easy. Country House has to win the Belmont Stakes, and probably another championship for 3 year olds to prove he is not a total fraud. Maximum Security just has to come back and be equal with the rest, and will likely win the Eclipse for best 3 year old in the land (after all, he “should” still be undefeated). In the end, We have an illegitimate Kentucky Derby champion, and the Triple Crown season is lost. To the casual fan, See you guys in October for Breeders Cup where we hopefully don’t do THIS again.

Derek Jeter’s actions mean more than hollow words

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When it comes to the state of the Miami Marlins, the words of CEO Derek Jeter mean almost nothing.

Not to say that the second-year chief executive is a liar, but when he makes a decision that’s impactful to the organization and offers no real explanation, then his words are merely hollow.

Chip Bowers was relieved of his duties as president of business operations on Thursday. Which meant Jeter was made available to reporters on Friday to find out why the seemingly sudden change in personnel. Bowers was a former Golden State Warriors marketing officer prior to joining the Marlins 14 months ago. He was tasked with negotiating for a new television deal and ballpark naming rights before his firing.

“It was a decision we didn’t make lightly, or spontaneously,” said Jeter, who also pointed out that the decision was made solely by him. “A lot of thought went into this. There’s a lot that goes on behind the scenes. We have an ownership group that has high expectations, and at times we move at a challenging pace.

“This has to do with our overall business strategy. We felt as though there was a change needed in the leadership group.”

A lot of factors went into this decision, according to Jeter. Factors that he had no interest in divulging despite the dutiful inquiries of the local media. When Local 10’s Will Manso asked Jeter about where the Marlins stands on revenue, he replied, “You keep going, I keep telling you I’m not going to go into details.”

This is more about Jeter than Bowers. As the CEO, everything runs though him. Because of his lack of details, his message usually falls on deaf ears. Even when trying to justify a course of action, there is nothing he’s been willing to say that a press release wouldn’t cover. What truly matters are his actions and the result, a cause and effect, if you will.

His actions produced a Hall of Fame career as a shortstop for the New York Yankees. His actions in Miami have put in place a rebuilding strategy similar to that of the Houston Astros and Chicago Cubs, and a fresh rebrand. Marlins Park has been revamped with cooler ascetics and cheaper concessions without the sacrifice of quality. An internal effort has been made to cultivate a bilingual organization in Miami from players to staffers.

“Our ownership group has invested a lot of money into giving our team the tools to be successful,” Jeter said. “We have high expectations.”

The results so far is an improved minor league system with pitching prospects stacked from Single-A Jupiter to Triple-A New Orleans. But as of now, the big league club is once again in last place in front of low attendance. Those results are expected to change in due time, which requires patience that he admittedly lacks.

Jeter said he’s, “working hard on gaining the trust of our fan base,” but trust is a two-way street. Currently the fans don’t have enough trust in Jeter’s plan to come to the games and Jeter doesn’t have enough trust in the media to explain any of his moves with substance. He said as much in his Daily Show appearance in South Beach after the 2018 season.

This is the one occasion where you’re better off listening with your eyes than your ears.

AJR’s “Neotheater” transcends Pop Music

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AJR’s “Neotheater” is what you get when you mix the lyrical introspection of twenty one pilots, with the absurd production chops of Jon Bellion, and add a splash of Jack Antonoff’s knack to make make a record tell a complete story.

This album, as its title would suggest, is a new form of theater. The AJR brothers (Adam, Jack, and Ryan Met) made a record that could just as easily be turned into a Broadway musical as it is streamed on Spotify because of the themes it represents, its hidden reprises, and even its refusal to follow a single tempo for any given song. Whether that comes from a string section playing the chorus of an earlier song in the background of another track, or a lyric being brought back in a small sample, the album connects from top to bottom. (SPOILER ALERT: Check “Break My Face” for a piece of “Birthday Party”). “Neotheater” is a tale of twenty-somethings using simple questions combined with overarching themes of life to address the time and space in which the songwriters are in their lives, and that authenticity shines through every lyric, orchestral melody, and funky hip-hop beat.

From the top, “Neotheater” pays homage to a time where records accomplished the previously stated goal they set out for of completing a narrative. The use of 1920’s sounding harmonies off the top of “Next Up Forever,” the first track, straight into an electric sounding beat lets you know AJR is not going to stay within the confines of a traditional pop record.

Their previous album, “The Click,” explored some new territory in both lyrics and production, but this album felt like a conscious effort to take a risk and explore a new space. That’s something I admire in an artist or group.

Often times, an artist’s sense of comfort or fear of failure can lead them to attempt to duplicate success. It’s easy to make a carbon copy what you’ve done before and know your fans will like it. For example, the Plain White T’s did their best to duplicate the success of their hit, “Hey There Delilah,” with the knock off, “1234.” While “1234” was a fine song and it worked in part, what did it really accomplish in terms of artistry? (We’ll get back to “Hey There Delilah” in a bit…).

It’s the great ones who make every record unique to themselves but different from any of their previous work. It is actually something I greatly admire about Bruce Springsteen. Every Springsteen song certainly sounds like Springsteen, but each record takes on a new domain. When Bruce had smashing success with “Born to Run,” it would have been easy to pump out another 8-track record duplicating the folksiness of Thunder Road, attitude of Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out, anthem sound of Born to Run, and ballad of Jungleland falling 1st, 2nd, 4th, and 5th on the new album. Instead, he took 3 years and addressed his conflict with his record company and the negativity swirling around him while writing nearly 40 songs (10 of which made the cut) for “Darkness on the Edge of Town,” and he’s used that same process ever since.

AJR takes a similar path with this record in that they refuse to just write the same style of bops that came from the record before. Yes, there are a few “bangers” on this record, but lyrically, they almost feel accidental. Each song captures an emotion and the band makes a brilliant production choice in using an almost over-abundance of strings and horns. Similar to when you hear a piano melody in your favorite TV show that indicates a moment where you’re about to cry, the band taps into your subconscious. With the strings, you know it’s a moment of feeling the dramatic or deeper thoughts on the record, while with horns, you feel happy. There’s even a school bell ringing buried in production, but I’ll let you find that yourself. Nonetheless, each these choices tap into a specific feeling the band wants you to have while listening to a given song — whether that’s nostalgia, love, or hope.

Before I wrap up this long-winded way of saying, “This album was good and you should listen,” I do want to add a few quick notes about some individual songs’ lyrics concepts:

  • “Next Up Forever” — The concept of wanting to always be on the chase is relevant to any young person searching for the next step. In this case, in literal terms, it’s about the album, but it can be true to relationships, jobs, etc.
  • “Don’t Throw Out My Legos” — Anyone who has reached the moment of moving out of their parents house will cry listening to this song. There. I said it.
  • “Turning Out, Part ii” — I’m not sure I’ve heard a love song tackle this subject in this way. The overall concept is loving the idea of another person rather than actually having been in love with them and the tolls that can take on a person.
  • “Karma” — What happens when you feel you’ve been doing everything right but you haven’t quite found what you’re searching for quite yet? This song, set as a visit to the therapist’s office, delves into that.
  • “Dear Winter” — The one acoustic song on the record…if this doesn’t become the “Hey There Delilah” of this generation’s angsty teenagers, we riot. (See. I told you I’d bring it back)

AJR tackled a new domain with this album. They pushed the boundaries of pop music and quite literally told a story. I believe more artists should write this way. In the era of streams, many artists pump out a 2-minute song with a catchy hook to get you to listen as much as possible. AJR put out a complete record.

This is (technically) a sports site, so I’ll put it into sports terms. Mosts artists like Chris Davis — every once in a while they’ll avoid the strikeout and hit a homer, and they just have to live with those results because of the payoff. AJR made a Mike Trout-level record — it does all the little things well *and* consistently hits home runs.

So, anyway. Stream the album. Listen from it front to end. Pay respect to a group who made some music the right way. Cool? Cool.

(If you want more detail from the men themselves and are a music nerd like me, you’ll enjoy this breakdown in the link they tweet here.)