Let me start off by saying, I love the game of baseball. I appreciate how difficult pitching and hitting at a high level is in the MLB. Baseball “purist” who cite “unwritten rules” are the softest and most easily triggered sports fans. They get fighting mad over bat flips, celebrations, and bunting to get on base in a no-hitter. The purist claim that these things ruin the game of baseball. They claim violations of the unwritten rules should be met with fastballs to the head or clubhouse discipline. I could not disagree more. There is nothing tough or hard-nosed about hitting a defenseless batter.
The latest example to send baseball fans into a conniption fit was a minor league game. This play turned into a bench-clearing altercation between the teams. Is there anything more weak than being upset about this? Hartford was up 3-0 in the top of the 9th inning and was 2 outs shy of a combined no-hitter. The Trenton batter bunted for a single.
They were only down by 3 runs. A good rally can score more than 3 runs in one inning.
Nobody goes in the record books for a team combined no-hitter.
Bunts are legal. It is not the batter’s job to help you get a no-hitter.
Baseball fans are torn about bunts whether it is breaking up a no-hitter or getting on base against a defensive shift. I am of the Herman Edwards school of sports, “You play to win the game”. If that means bunting to get on base, then that is what everyone should do. I am truly confused why any legal strategy to win would ruffle feathers. It’s time for MLB fans to stop being so soft.
The NCAA is finally acknowledging the push to allow college athletes to receive pay from their name, image, and likeness (NIL). Both federal and state lawmakers have introduced bills seeking to allow college athletes to profit from their NIL. On May 14, the NCAA shocked college sports fans when they announced their creation of a working group to “examine issues being highlighted in recently proposed federal and state legislation related to student-athletes’ name, image, and likeness.”
With this announcement, the NCAA acknowledged the growing support for allowing college athletes’ to profit from their NIL. Some of the efforts have made quite a bit of progress. However, will the NCAA’s acknowledgment of this issue actually lead to real change that benefits college athletes? Will the NCAA finally do the right thing and allow college athletes to finally receive some of the benefits that their skills provide to so many coaches and college sports administrators?
College Athletes Give up the Right Profit From NIL When They Agree to Play
One may wonder why such legislation is even necessary. It would seem that people would automatically receive compensation for the use of their name, image, or likeness. However, that is not the case for college athletes. College athletes are prohibited from profiting from the use of their name, image, or likeness. Those who violate the rules risk losing their eligibility. College athletes have been suspended something as simple as signing an autograph. In 2013, Johnny Manziel was suspended for doing just that.
The ability of college athletes to profit from their NIL was addressed in federal court in O’bannon v. NCAA. While the case made some progress for college athletes, it did not result in blanket allowance of NIL compensation. Both federal and state lawmakers around the country have acknowledged the injustice of precluding college athletes from such compensation while the NCAA and its member schools generate billions of dollars each year from college sports.
Will the NCAA’s Working Group Result in NIL Compensation
Will the NCAA’s working group result in NIL compensation for college athletes? Initially, it would seem that the NCAA will do what it always does. That is, find a way to avoid allowing college athletes to receive any compensation in the name of maintaining its farce of “amateurism.” Afterall in the press release, the NCAA stated that the working group would be focused on “maintain[ing] the clear demarcation between professional and college sports.”
Allowing college athletes to profit from their NIL would certainly blur that line. College athletes would be able to sign endorsement deals similar to professional athletes. However, it is hard to imagine that it would blur the line any more than the billion-dollar broadcasting deal the NCAA has with CBS Sports and Tuner, a division of Time Warner already has. It clearly benefits the NCAA and college sports administrators for things to remain as they are. However, the creation of the working group signals that fact that the NCAA realizes that it needs to act before it is forced to act. The NCAA could be forced to act soon.
California Legislation Could Really Become Law: NCAA Athletes Pay
About a week after the NCAA made its announcement, the Fair Pay to Play Act in California took a giant leap forward. The California Senate voted 31-4 to pass the bill.
Yes!!! The California State Senate has spoken! It has just passed my legislation, #SB206, which will allow California college athletes to earn income from endorsement deals, with bipartisan support on 31-4 vote.https://t.co/CzLKufFJSD
The bill is headed to the state Assembly for further consideration. The bill seeks to allow college athletes to hire agents and profit from their NIL by 2023. The Fair Pay for Play Act will make it illegal for California colleges to punish college athletes for receiving compensation for their name, image, and likeness. If this Act makes it through the state Assembly, the NCAA would be forced to change its rules, at least for colleges in California.
The Federal Legislation Could Affect the NCAA’s Non-profit Status
In March, Congressman Mark Walker of North Carolina introduced the Student-Athlete Equity Act. If signed into law, the act will make the NCAA’s status as a non-profit contingent on the NCAA allowing college athletes to be compensated for their name, image, and likeness. It is about time the NCAA be forced to actually do something to warrant still being considered a non-profit. The Act is currently under review by the House Ways and Means Committee. If this bill becomes law, the NCAA will have to change its rules for colleges nationwide.
The NCAA may Enact Change Given the Progress of the Proposed Legislation
Considering the progress of the Fair Pay for Play Act and the Student-Athlete Equity Act, the NCAA may actually feel forced to revise its rules. In an effort to avoid being told what to do, the NCAA may revise their rules to allow college athletes to receive some compensation. Furthermore, 2020 democratic presidential candidate Andrew Yang believes that is time to pay college athletes. He plans to make the issue apart of his campaign. Here again, a politician is taking a stance against the NCAA’s exploitive system. The issue of paying college athletes is going to continue to grow. With that realization, the NCAA may actually revise its rules in order to maintain its control.
Through two negotiating sessions between the NFL and NFLPA, CBA talks are described as positive and amicable, sources say. There is some hope it can be done without a lockout. My story: https://t.co/8St2uOaF4j
The above is a far cry from 2017 when NFLPA Executive Director DeMaurice Smith declared the likelihood of a strike or lockout of the 2021 NFL Season “almost a virtual certainty.” What’s changed? At the time, one major issue was the league’s position on national anthem protests, which was eventually settled after the NFLPA filed a grievance in 2018. The NFL’s profitability is also motivation for resolution, with yearly revenue approaching nearly $14 Billion per year.
No major issues have surfaced during the groups’ two formal sessions, with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell describing the discussions as “direct and open.” But it’s a long way to 2021. Below are some of the biggest issues surrounding extending the current NFL Collective Bargaining Agreement:
Stadium Credits
It’s laughable a group of billionaires believe they are entitled to benefits to finance stadiums. Stadium credits are player-funded allowance, taken from NFL revenue before it is split with the players to alleviate costs associated with construction. Owners used their full amount of credits provided with the 2011 CBA. With the league looking to build new stadiums in Las Vegas and Los Angeles and renovate existing ones in other cities, this topic has developed into a strong negotiation point.
Players receive roughly 47 percent of revenue earned by the league, down from 50 percent due to the last round of negotiations. With stadium credits decreasing the total amount of sharable revenue, the NFLPA must fight to (1) decrease the amount of allocatable stadium credits or (2) increase their revenue share. Otherwise, it will be the players, and not the billionaire owners, left footing the bill.
Marijuana
Credit: The Dan Patrick Show
Last week, the NFL and NFLPA announced the creation of a “Joint Pain Management Committee” to research pain management and alternative therapies. In other words, the NFL is slowly opening the door to players using marijuana as a means to combat injury. On the heels of XFL Commissioner Oliver Luck stating the XFL would “prefer not to test for marijuana,” coupled with the legalization of marijuana in California, Nevada, Colorado, and other states, it only makes sense for the league to modify its stance.
Two-time Super Bowl champion Chris Long recently admitted to using marijuana throughout his playing career. The NFL tests for the drug once per year, usually within the first two weeks of training camp. Once passed, players are free to smoke at will. At this point, the NFL’s policy is merely for show, and the next iteration of the CBA should remove punishments for use.
Guaranteed Contracts
Kirk Cousins is the first quarterback in NFL history to sign a fully guaranteed multi-year deal. Notwithstanding, players still struggle to obtain their worth. This is the reason why players such as Russell Okung and Todd Gurley believe a strike is necessary.
Owners of one of the world’s most violent sports should not be able to escape paying fully guaranteed contracts. Why this issue isn’t presently being discussed brings into question the seriousness of the current state of negotiations. NFL careers can end at a moment’s notice. If a structure for greater guarantees is not obtained now, the NFL will continue to kick this bucket down the road.
Follow Alan Wilmot on Twitter and Instagram @alanwilmotlaw
Virginia is undergoing a massive unearthing of scandals with their major politicians. Senate Majority Leader Tommy Norment, Governor Ralph Northam, and Attorney General Mark Herring all find themselves defending themselves and calls for their resignation. A 1968 yearbook of Virginia’s Military Institute, which Norment was the managing editor of, contained racial slurs, blackface, and Confederate flags. In another yearbook, this time a medical school yearbook of Ralph Northam, he was accused of appearing in blackface or in KKK garb. Herring, amidst everyone else’s blackface revelations, disclosed that he also had worn blackface in decades earlier. As is the case with Kareem Hunt, these actions are inexcusable. However, shouldn’t there be a path to redemption for people who run afoul of social standards?
It’s 2019 and most of us can agree that blackface is completely in the wrong. Granted there are still some that are inexplicably confused by it and thus turned it into a “complicated” subject. For example, this last October NBC canceled Megyn Kelly Today because of her remarks about blackface.
Megyn Kelly Spoke Her Truth
Kelly stated, ”Back
when I was a kid that was OK, as long as you were dressing up as, like, a
character.”
“There was a
controversy on The Real Housewives of New York with Luann, and she dressed as
Diana Ross, and she made her skin look darker than it really is and people said
that that was racist,”Kelly said. “And I don’t know, I felt like who doesn’t love Diana Ross? She
wants to look like Diana Ross for one day. I don’t know how, like, that got
racist on Halloween.”
“The iconic Diana
Ross came up as an example. To me, I thought, why would it be controversial for
someone dressing up as Diana Ross to make herself look like this amazing woman
as a way of honoring and respecting her?”
Kelly was completely wrong in her idea that blackface can be used to honor someone. It might seem like a great idea and you might truly adore the person you are dressing up as, but you are ignoring the brutal past of blackface. Blackface has a harsh history of white actors portraying racist caricatures of black culture. They insulted, belittled and disparaged black culture while at the same time perpetuating stereotypes. If there wasn’t a history of blackface used in this way, perhaps Kelly would be right. However, because of its past, we can’t accept that. This is something most of us know now. We understand the apauling history and why it is completely unacceptable in today’s culture. But Megyn Kelly wasn’t completely wrong in her understanding of blackface.
The Past vs The Present
She was right about America’s past. Things were different. Despite it being disgusting, it was socially acceptable to dress in blackface. Blackface, sexual harassment and many other offenses didn’t disturb people’s moral fabric or have the consequences that they do today. Society wasn’t as educated, aware, and didn’t care about the victims and the reasons why each were misdeeds. Barry Bonds played baseball in the steroid-era of baseball, yet he’s still not in the Hall of Fame because of this. Whether it is a politician, athlete, or even an inmate, we have to consider the environments that people grew up or operate in.
With that being said, let’s review our Virginia
politicians, where they went right, where they went wrong, and how politicians
and citizens should move forward with redemption at the forefront of their
focus.
If you recall, there are three Virginia politicians that have been linked to blackface and they each came out in different ways. Norment, after his 1968 yearbook came out, condemned blackface and also protecting his own actions by stating that he was “one of seven working on a 359-page yearbook.” Northam initially admitted to appearing in the image, though he did not say whether he was the one dressed in blackface or as a member of the KKK. Yet, later he retracted that admission, even though the photo appeared on a yearbook page dedicated to him. However, he did still admit that he appeared in blackface as Michael Jackson in a 1984 party. Herring, unlike the others, came out before anyone had accused him. He claimed to have worn blackface decades earlier.
Time Heals Voter’s Wounds
The most peculiar thing in all of this is that there is still large support for these politicians. A recent Washington Post-Schar School poll found that 60-percent of Virginians said that Herring should stay in office and 58-percent of African American Virginians said that Northam should stay in office. Even though Northam retracted his admission, he still had support by many. The reason why is because of people like Louise Butler, a 76-year-old woman with a deep history of Virginia, including segregation. She said that whatever views Northam held in 1984, she was confident that he was now committed to advancing racial equity. “He’s been a good governor, and he’s been good, as far as I know, to black people,” Butler said. The poll also showed that more Whites believed Northam should resign from office.
This support for political leaders in turmoil is similar to the careers of Richie Incognito and Tyreek Hill, discussed in Part 1 about KareemHunt. In the NFL, fans and teams need talent. In politics, citizens look for party lines, common ground and issues that pertain to them. They vote and support many times in spite of the controversy. Nevertheless, just as it did with Incognito, scandals have a way of compiling and spiraling if change and growth are not actually sought after.
In contrast to the current political cycle of dodge and spin, America should adopt a new age of moving forward. Imagine this. A photo comes out of a politician in blackface. Instead of denying that it was him, or retracting his admission, he (or she) comes out and takes full responsibility, admitting the racism and wrongdoing. He then explains the roots of his actions, why he did it, society around him. Context is given. It helps people understand his background. But not stopping then, he explains how and why he has grown and changed since then. He enlightens the public on the policies he’s supported to eliminate racial bias. Last, he commits to serve the community, support bills that will lift up communities of color and push America forward into greater equality. This is the way of Tyreek Hill and should be every politicians attitude and first choice.
Redemption and Rehabilitation
If we want politicians to start doing this, we need
to set up an America that is focused on reform and rehab. We can start with our
criminal system. America currently represents 4.4-percent of the world’s
population, but houses around 22-percent of the world’ prisoners. We need
reform. Rehabilitation should not be something that is just awarded to those we
like. It should be a right that each of us are granted. And are many ideas on how to do this: give district
attorneys, judges, and parole officers more discretion, don’t lock up mentally
ill or addicts, provide more educational options in prison, use house-arrest
for non-violent offenders, provide tax credits to employers who hire
ex-convicts, allow for expungement after good behavior or community service or
completion of programs, decriminalize drugs, bail reform, more halfway houses,
larger public defender system, create more groups and ministries inmates can
join, etc.
In spite of all of the brilliant ideas that there are, they are nothing without a commitment by us to reform and accept. We need to give second chances. Otherwise, we will continue to send people to prison, let them serve time, refuse to accept them back into society and watch them fall back into prison. We’ve created a debilitating system that desperately needs attention, both politically and socially. It’s time we start creating opportunities for redemption and rehabilitation. If we want change to happen, we need to be that change. When we start pushing forward, giving people the space to admit their wrongs and grow, they will start changing. It won’t matter if they are an athlete, a politician, a friend or a family member. Everyone deserves redemption.
U.S. Women’s National Team (USWNT) vs U.S. Soccer Federation (USSF)
Less than one month prior to the FIFA Women’s World Cup, the USSF and the USWNT are butting heads over fair pay. 28 players, including Alex Morgan and Megan Rapinoe, are the plaintiffs. In this lawsuit, the USWNT’s names the current payment situation as gender discrimination. This has even drawn support from Serena Williams, Billie Jean King, Sloane Stephens and former FIFA head of women’s soccer, Tatiana Haenni. Here are the arguments for and against the USSF.
Gender Inequality
Statement from a spokesperson on behalf of the #USWNT players in response to USSF's reply filing just hit my inbox.
As previously discussed on the Unafraid Show, sports needs to make greater strides towards gender equality in coaching. For women’s soccer, they also want equality in pay. In their case, the USWNT identifies 41 different issues with equal pay. Three stand out: prize money and bonuses, doing the “right thing” and success.
Less Prize Money for Women of USWNT
After losing in the round of sixteen in the 2014 FIFA World Cup, the men’s team earned 5.375 million dollars in bonuses. Dissimilarly, the women (2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup winners) only received 1.725 million dollars in bonuses. Additionally, FIFA allocated 30 million dollars of prize money for the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup versus 440 million dollars for the 2022 FIFA (men’s) World Cup. The winning women’s team will earn 4 million dollars in prize money, but that is far below the 38 million dollars gain by France in 2018.
Merit and Doing the “Right Thing”
In a 2016 lawsuit against the USSF (for similar reasons), lawyer Jeffrey Kessler brought up a strong argument in favor of equal pay regardless of revenue. He noted that figure skating distributes prize money equally. Even though the women produce more revenue than men, figure skating chooses to “do the right thing”. Like this, Kessler and the USWNT believe that the USSF should set a strong example moving forward with equal pay.
Unlike the U.S. Men, U.S. Women are Actually Good at Soccer
For years, the U.S. National Men’s soccer team has been a disappointment. They didn’t even qualify for the 2018 FIFA World Cup. On the other hand, the U.S. Women’s National Team is adorned with success. The USWNT won the World Cup in 1991, 1999 and 2015 in addition to winning four Olympic gold medals. Each of these are feats that the men’s team haven’t come close to, let alone achieve it multiple times. Because of this success, the 2015 Women’s World Cup final broke the record for being the most watched soccer match shown on English-language television” in the US. This wasn’t just the most watched soccer game involving a U.S. team, it was the most viewed soccer game in America, period.
USSF Retort
On Tuesday of this week, the USSF sent their volley back at the USWNT in their federal statement.
Pay-For-Play
First off, the USSF argued that the U.S. Women’s National team can’t compare apple to oranges. The sports the U.S. men and women play and their contracts are different. Contract-wise, the USMNT and USWNT have different CBAs. Men are paid strictly by matches played. This is a “pay-for-play” structure. They are not compensated year-round for being called up to the national team. Women, on the other hand, are under contract with benefits for their entire tenure with the national team. This includes guaranteed salaries, half-pay maternity leave, and even paying the salaries of national team players in the N.W.S.L. Because of the stark difference between the structures of the men’s and women’s collective bargaining agreements, U.S. Soccer refuses to admit disparities on sex. Especially because the USSF claims that the women “consistently rejected all proposals” for a pay-for-play structure.
Revenue Matters to the USSF and FIFA
Furthermore, the USSF backed their stance against the allegations on gender-based pay. “Any alleged pay differential” is due to the “aggregate revenue” differences generated by each teams, among other factors. Sunil Gulati, U.S. Soccer’s president, said that revenue generation should matter in a market economy. Though the 2015 World Cup final broke viewing records, Gulati noted that, on average since 2012, the men’s ratings are more than double than the women’s. Taking World Cup games out of the equation, those numbers are almost four times as high. So even with record-breaking views, women’s soccer in the US is still below men’s in revenue and ratings. Like this, FIFA president Gianni Infantino, said that the prize money for the World Cup tournaments are “linked with the revenues that are generated”. Thus, Gulati and the USSF argue, the pay differential is legal and not sex-based.
Should Revenue Matter?
The short answer is an obvious yes. Revenue matters. Money talks. Capitalism in U.S. sports is highly relevant. However, revenue can be quite different at times when opposing sides are comparing notes. Dwight Jaynes of NBC Sports compared the respective revenues of the men’s and women’s FIFA World Cups. In 2010, the men’s World Cup brought in four billion dollars, of which the teams split 9-percent.
On the contrary, the women’s World Cup brought in 73 million dollars in 2015, of which teams shared 13-percent. Additionally, of the six billion dollars generated by the men’s World Cup in 2018, teams split less than 7-percent. Whereas, this Women’s World Cup is expected to earn 131 million dollars and dole out 30 million dollars. If that estimation is correct, FIFA prize money for women would be almost 17-percent higher than men. This suggests that FIFA is much more generous to women than men.
But, the Associated Press reported that generated money is quite unclear. This is because much of FIFA’s revenue comes from top sponsors signed up for both World Cups.
“That’s something never really analyzed.” “What is the potential value of the Women’s World Cup? Nobody knows the Women’s World Cup commercial value because it’s not sold separately. This is something that should at least be discussed.”
Tatiana Haenni, former FIFA head of women’s soccer
So, if the revenues are difficult to assess, why then do both sides claim to have a strong grasp on the generated money?
Is U.S. Soccer Sexist?
Murky Waters
Without clear financials, it is extremely difficult to assess the equality in U.S. soccer. If revenue numbers from the World Cup and prize money percentages are correct, U.S. soccer does practice unfair gender payment… but in favor of women. Proportionally, they would out-earn men in soccer based off of that revenue generated. With that being said, soccer lacks study into revenue streams.
Ratings and Views
It becomes murkier when considering World Cup views. Women, in the 2015 final, set record ratings. How could a World Cup winning team set a record for viewing, yet still fall below men in the same sport that didn’t make it past the round of sixteen? It’s baffling, but it’s about more than one game. Greater action requires longevity and consistency. A single blip of a game won’t be enough for change. They need to earn ratings and revenue equal to, or close to, the men in order to garner financial success.
The Future is Promising
At the moment, there is not enough public evidence to persecute U.S. Soccer in gender-inequality. Obviously, this isn’t good for women. Such a large gap in the same exact sport is an incredibly hard pill to swallow. Yet, there is hope. First off, both Visa and Adidas came out in support for equal pay. Visa reported they will invest as much marketing support to women’s football as they did with the men’s FIFA World Cup in Russia. Additionally, Adidas promised to pay equal bonuses for their sponsored players if they win the World Cup.
Last, the USWNT has the chance this summer to cement themselves as America’s favorite soccer team. Without a berth in 2018, American soccer fans lacked a home team. Now, those same fans have the reigning champs for the 2019 World Cup. If the USWNT can somehow pull off another World Cup win, they should garner more attention, sponsors and ticket sales in the future. Should female athletes have to outperform their male counterparts by miles in order to get equal pay? Of course not. But with how male-dominated professional and national sports are, it’s the current state of soccer.
Get Out and Support Female Athletes
So, I’ll end with a call to action. To fans of all sports. Go watch this World Cup. Follow every match, Tweet about these impressive athletes and bring attention to the sport. Help push the USWNT into not only another World Cup final, but a level playing field with men.
As they prepare for the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup, the USWNT goalkeepers have big gloves to fill. In 2016, the USWNT decided to terminate Hope Solo’s contract in controversy. Solo was the greatest women’s goalkeeper in U.S. history and probably the world. From the 2007 World Cup, she dominated the international level and was an intimidating wall to opposition. Solo holds U.S. records for international appearances, starts, wins, shutouts, wins in a season, consecutive minutes played and the longest undefeated streak. Solo led the U.S. to two Olympic gold medals and a second-place finish in the 2011 Women’s World Cup, earning the Golden Glove. Most notably, Solo’s strength, leadership and prowess as a goalkeeper led the U.S. to win the 2015 Women’s World Cup.
But now, without Solo, how will the USWNT goalkeepers fare? For over two decades, the U.S. had arguably the best back-to-back set of goalkeepers in Briana Scurry and Hope Solo. They covered six World Cups in that time. That was then. This is now. All eyes are on the USWNT to repeat their 2015 success (especially considering their lawsuit for equal pay). Because of Jill Ellis’ decision to only bring only six midfielders and seven defenders, the defense and goalkeeping will have to be stout. One injury or two yellow cards to those positions puts this team at a high risk of collapsing. The 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup is a big test for the USWNT goalkeepers. Let’s hope they are mentally prepared for it.
Starting USWNT Goalkeeper
Alyssa Naeher | Age: 31 | Caps: 44
It is time!! Grateful for everyone who has pushed me to be my best, picked me up when I’ve been down, and been by my side for every up and down along the way! 🙏 The journey continues together! pic.twitter.com/hloSh9HJbv
Following the Hope Solo fallout, Alyssa Naeher rose to the top of the USWNT goalkeeper’s depth chart. Alyssa Naeher is the starting goalkeeper for the Chicago Red Stars in the NWSL. In her 23 games in 2018, Naeher recorded a save success rate of 67.7-percent and 7 clean sheets. One year prior, in 2017, Naeher had a 72-percent save success rate and 6 clean sheets.
She was drafted 11th overall in the 2010 Women’s Professional Soccer draft. Since then, Naeher played for the Boston Breakers (WPS), the Turbine Potsdam (Frauen-Bundesliga), the Boston Breakers (NWSL) and the Chicago Red Stars. Naeher was NWSL Goalkeeper of the Year in 2014 when she broke the record for saves in a season (106). Soccer analysts acclaim Naeher as a top-ten goalkeeper heading into the 2019 Women’s World Cup, but criticize her lack of big-game experience and mistake prone play.
U-20 and Post-Solo Success
While Naeher doesn’t have World Cup experience, she does have starter experience in the U-20 Women’s World Cup. In that tournament, the Naeher earned the Golden Glove, while the USWNT U-20 took first place. Naeher also was on the 2015 Women’s World Cup roster. She wasn’t in the game, but she was a part of the preparation and saw the games unfold from the sidelines. Bench minutes are not equal to play minutes, but at least Naeher was part of it all. Internationally, Naeher has 43 appearances. In 2017, she started 13 of the USWNT’s 16 matches, recorded 6 shutouts and a 0.85 goals allowed average. Her strengths are in diving, reflexes and positioning. Naeher’s weaknesses are in handling and a lack of international starting experience. Critics will be quick to compare her to Solo and Scurry. Against Thailand on June 11th, Naeher needs to set the tone of her tournament.
Backup USWNT Goalkeepers
Obviously, it is a bad moment when a team turns to its backup goalkeeper. That means one of the following: injury, yellow/red card suspension, or poor play. U.S. fans do not want to see any of that. Top performances from Alyssa Naeher are the hope for U.S. soccer fans. Regardless, it is still important to know the goalkeepers in case of calamity or to better understand the future of the USWNT.
Ashlyn Harris | Age: 33 | Caps: 21
Ashlyn Harris is the starting goalkeeper for the Orlando Pride in the NWSL. In her 21 games in 2018, Harris recorded a save success rate of 66.7-percent and 4 clean sheets. One year prior, in 2017, Harris had a 66.7-percent save success rate and 2 clean sheets in 14 games.
Youth Standout
Though Harris is incredibly talented with a rich history of club and youth-international play, injuries stifled her career. She was a standout goalkeeper at a young age. At Satellite High, she won the Gatorade National Player of the Year award. Harris earned 39 caps for the USWNT U-19 squad. Playing for the North Carolina Tar Heels, she led them to three national titles.
Professional and International Career
After an impressive young career, Harris was taken 19th overall in the Women’s Professional Soccer Draft by the St. Louis Athletica. However, she was taken as the backup to Hope Solo. Therefore, she never played a match with them. Since then, Harris played for the Washington Freedom, Western New York Flash, FCR 2001 Duisburg (Frauen-Bundesliga), Washington Spirit, Tyresö FF (Swedish Division 1) and the Orlando Pride. Harris holds three NCAA Women’s Soccer Championships (2006, 2008, 2009), one Women’s Professional Soccer Championship (2011), one FIFA U-19 Women’s World Cup Championship (2002) and one FIFA Women’s World Cup Championship (2015). She was also the 2016 NWSL Goalkeeper of the Year.
Internationally, Harris played as the backup to Hope Solo in the 2015 Women’s World Cup and now backs up Alyssa Naeher in the 2019 Women’s World Cup. She has 21 total caps and has yet to carve out consistent playing time. Harris also suffered a minor knee injury in April. But, she appears to be fit and ready for competition.
Adrianna Franch is the starting goalkeeper for the Portland Thorns in the NWSL. In her 16 games in 2018, Franch recorded a save success rate of 73.9-percent and 3 clean sheets. One year prior, in 2017, Naeher had a 80.2-percent save success rate and 12 clean sheets in 26 games. In each season, she earned the title of NWSL Goalkeeper of the Year.
Collegiate Success
Our youngest and least experienced of the USWNT goalkeepers, Adrianna Franch is exceptional. At Oklahoma State University, Franch was the seventh player in Big 12 history to earn All-Big 12 First Team in each of her four seasons. Franch’s 38 collegiate shutouts are an OSU record and sixth all time in NCAA history.
Best Goalkeeper in the NWSL
Taken sixth overall in the 2013 college draft of the NWSL by the Western New York Flash, Franch quickly impressed soccer fans. She recorded six saves in her first game and helped the Flash to an NWSL Shield in 2013. Then, after missing the 2014 NWSL season, Franch started 12 matches for the Norwegian Avaldsnes IL in the Toppserien league. They finished second place in 2015. Then, Franch found her home in Portland. Franch recorded three shutouts in just six games in 2016, aiding the Portland Thorns to an NWSL Shield. Then, Franch led the Portland Thorns to an NWSL Championship in 2017. She was the NWSL Goalkeeper of the Year in back-to-back seasons. Franch is the first player to win this award twice.
Though Franch is decorated collegiately and professionally, she lacks international experience. She only has one cap to her name. Nonetheless, Franch very well could be the best goalkeeper on the roster. She plays in the same league as both Naeher and Harris, recorded better save success percentages in 2017 and 2018, and held a clean-sheet on 37.5-percent of her games with the Portland Thorns. She may be buried on the USWNT goalkeeper roster right now, but Franch is the future of this team.
Did anyone happen to watch the NBA Draft Lottery last night? It’s not that big of a deal. It can only change your franchise overnight if your team gets the first pick and receives the honor of drafting Zion Williamson. But other that than that, I’m sure you weren’t even watching…
I’m a diehard Knicks fans so the future of my favorite team was on the line. I’ll fill you in as to what happened.
I’ve taken punches to the face, hits to the stomach, and I’ve even been choked out. (Don’t wrestle your friend in college who outweighs you by 75 pounds after a night out). However, none of those can even compare to the disappointment I felt after hearing Mark Tatum say, “The third pick goes to the New York Knicks.” I was traveling back to my apartment via train so I had to stream the lottery from my phone. Needless to say, I was crushed.
I hate to use the typical “you just don’t understand” argument, but unless you’re a Knicks fan, you just don’t understand how much heartbreak the Knicks fanbase has suffered over the past couple decades. It all starts at the top with the owner, James Dolan. From banning Charles Oakley, disrespecting Patrick Ewing, and making horrible basketball move after horrible basketball move, Dolan is public enemy number one for Knicks’ fans.
I was born in 1993 so I never truly experienced the glory days of the 90s Knicks with Patrick Ewing and John Starks. Even though the Knicks lost two NBA Finals in six seasons, at least the team was winning. However, that all changed after Isiah Thomas was hired as the Knicks President of Basketball Operations. As bad as Dolan was at managing a roster, he’s not even in the same stratosphere as Thomas. Where do I even begin? Here were some notable moves during the Isiah Thomas era.
Traded four draft picks, Michael Sweetney, Tim Thomas and Jermaine Jackson for Eddy Curry.
Signed Jerome James to a five-year, $30 million deal.
Signed Jarred Jeffries as a free agent.
Traded Anfernee Hardaway and Trevor Ariza to the Orlando Magic for Steve Francis.
Traded Howard Eisley, Maciej Lampe, Antonio McDyess, Charlie Ward, Milos Vujanic, a 2004 1st round pick (Kirk Snyder) and a 2010 1st round draft pick (Gordan Hayward) to the Phoenix Suns for Stephon Marbury, Anfernee Hardaway and Cezary Trybanski.
There’s no need to explain any of the moves. They all didn’t pan out. Shocker!
After a few decent years with Carmelo Anthony and Amar’e Stoudemire under Donnie Walsh and Glen Grunwald, the Knicks then turned to the coach with the most NBA Championships of all-time, Phil Jackson, to run basketball operations. What was his first move as an executive for the Knicks? I’ll let Stephen A. Smith take this one.
The cycle of losing continued and Phil Jackson was fired in 2017. Let’s skip to this past season. For the first time in almost a decade, the Knicks FINALLY had a plan. The right coach was hired in David Fizdale. The roster was built to lose, which is exactly what this team needed to do in order to have a shot at a top pick. Even though the Porzingis trade was a mess, the Knicks freed up enough cap space to potentially sign two max contracts in the summer of 2019. Since the Knicks had the worst record in the NBA, they were guaranteed to have a top 5 pick in this year’s NBA draft. The prize? Zion Williamson.
Zion was the most hyped player in the draft since LeBron James and I wanted him more than anything in the world. All the pieces were in place. The Knicks were finally on the right path to doing something right. All that needed to happen involved a ping pong ball bouncing our way.
I’m not dumb or naive. The third pick is still a GREAT pick to have. New York will either select Ja Morant or RJ Barrett, who are going to be very good players. The Knicks are the frontrunners to sign Kevin Durant and possibly Kyrie Irving. They could use that third pick to create a package consisting og picks and players to trade for Anthony Davis.
The future is most certainly bright for the Knicks. However, for one night, I just wanted things to go right.
Mike Trout’s 12-year $430 million deal with the Los Angeles Angeles proves NFL and NBA owners have been getting over on their players with the salary cap and max contracts, unlike the MLB. The games’ greatest players like LeBron James and Tom Brady are rarely the highest paid.
LeBron is one of the greatest players in NBA history. He is a 14-time all NBA selection, four-time MVP, and three-time Finals MVP. He has only been the highest paid player once. LeBron has only been amongst the top five highest-paid four times. How much would teams had been willing to pay LeBron had there been no wage scale in the NBA? Maybe $50-60 million per season?
Tom Brady is considered by most to be the greatest NFL quarterback of all time. He is a six-time champion, four-time Super Bowl MVP, and he holds numerous passing records. But, is he ever the NFL highest paid player? No.
Money Left on the Table For NBA, NFL Highest Paid
LeBron, Brady and other greats are well paid, but don’t get to collect their fair market value because of wage restrictions. MLB players have a truly open market, and players are paid what the market will bear. LeBron and Brady combined have been paid or are owed a total of $614 million in on-field salary. Mike Trout himself will now be at at least $521 million.
The owners created the salary cap, and max salaries to control costs. The leagues are kicking down 100s of millions per year to each franchise. There is no shortage of dollars, but fans believe there is. Teams regularly ask players to take a discount to help build a championship roster. Fans should hold owners responsible for getting the finances right instead of the players. Let the billionaires figure it out. 16 years ago, Arte Moreno bought *the entire Angels franchise* for $182.5 million. They are now worth $1.8 billion.
It’s hard to find anything in basketball more thrilling and exciting than a buzzer beater. Just like a walk-off in baseball, buzzer beaters are the ultimate “go home” moment. Buzzer beaters can add to a player’s legacy and their reputation as a clutch performer. After Damian’s Lillard miraculous game-winner against the Thunder, I decided to take a trip down memory lane and list the greatest buzzer-beaters in NBA Playoffs history. Just a couple weeks later, Kawhi Leonard hit the first buzzer-beater in a Game 7. Some of the greatest players like Michael Jordan and LeBron James have hit game winners.
Big Shot Rob Beats The Kings- Robert Horry
There’s a reason why Robert Horry is known as “Big Shot Rob.” (Some might refer to him as “Big Shot Bob” depending on who you talk to.) Horry is widely known as one of the greatest clutch players and winners in NBA history. Horry is a seven-time NBA champion, but I’ll remember Horry for his game-winning three-pointer against the Kings in the 2002 Western Conference Finals. Think about this. Horry wasn’t the first or second option on this play. Kobe Bryant missed his attempt and then Shaq missed his attempt. However, after a Vlade Divac tip out to try and clear the ball, Horry was “Johnny on the Spot” and grabbed the loose ball and sunk the winning shot. This was just another example of Big Shot Rob doing Big Shot Rob things.
LeBron James Delivers Game Winner
It’s hard to create any list and not have a play from LeBron James on it. LeBron is not known for his outside shot, but in crunch time, LeBron can hit a deep jumper. Down two points to the Magic with one second left, LeBron put on his Superman cape and hit a spectacular three-pointer to nod the series at 1. Unfortunately, the Cavs went on to lose the series, 4-2. I call this the “Series That Ruined Everything” because had LeBron and the Cavs won the East, they would have faced Kobe Bryant and the Lakers. Thanks a lot, Hedo Türkoğlu and Rashard Lewis.
Dame Called Game- Damian Lillard
Is this a case of recency bias? Maybe, but the buildup for this buzzer beater was spectacular. I am pro trash talking in sports if you can back it up. If you back up your talk, never shut up. However, when you’re down 2-1 in a series and Russell Westbrook and Dennis Schroder are taunting like they’re about to sweep the Blazers, then you must back it up or you will look silly. It’s safe to say Westbrook and Schroder look like fools right now. In one of the greatest playoff performances I have ever seen, Damian Lillard scored 50 points including the game-winning 37-footer to send the Thunder into the offseason. Dame called game and waved bye-bye.
Damian Lillard waves to Russell Westbrook after game winner to end Thunder in Game 5 pic.twitter.com/rlKLS1nnVL
In terms of the degree of difficulty, Derek Fisher’s 2004 buzzer beater over the Spurs is one of the toughest shots ever made to win a game. Luck definitely played a factor in the setup to this hot. With .4 seconds on the clock, there is enough time to catch and shoot. If it’s .2 seconds less, then it has to be a tip in. Also, the ball was being inbounded on the left side of the court so Fisher was watching the ball on his strong side. If he catches it on the opposite side of the court, the odds of him making the shot are practically zero. What’s crazy is before Fisher’s shot, Tim Duncan made an equally impressive fadeaway at the top of the key. Fisher saved LA this series.
Kawhi Leonard Gets Four Bounces For Buzzer Beater
Kawhi Leonard hit the first game-winning buzzer beater in a Game 7 in NBA Playoffs history. This shot rivals Derek Fisher for the most difficult on this list. He ended the series against the Philadephia 76ers with a ridiculous fadeaway shot over the outstretched hand of 7’2″ Joel Embiid. The most insane part of the shot was that it seemingly hit every part of the rim before bouncing in. The crowd stood still and every person watching was silent for what seemed like an eternity. Skip Bayless said the shot was lucky. I believe it was 100% skill.
Michael Jordan Hits “The Shot” x2
Poor Craig Ehlo. Out of all the clutch plays in Michael Jordan’s career, this is the one that started it all. This play changed the course of history not only in Jordan’s career but the landscape of the NBA. In Game 5 of the 1989 Eastern Conference First Round, the 6-seeded Chicago Bulls were down one point to the 3-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers with three seconds on the clock. Jordan defeated a double team to catch the ball, dribbled to the middle of the cylinder, hung in the air, and hit the shot to send the Bulls to the next round. Although the Bulls went on to lose in the Eastern Conference Finals, this shot was the catalyst for the Chicago Bulls’ dynasty of the 1990s. Speaking of Ehlo, what’s forgotten is the fact that Ehlo hit a layup to give the Cavs the lead before Jordan hit a buzzer beater. However, now he’s known as the defender in “The Shot.”
*Note: Despite being the most iconic shot in NBA history, Michael Jordan’s shot over Bryon Russell in Game 6 of the 1998 NBA Finals was NOT a buzzer beater. There were five seconds left on the clock after his make. I’ll hear the argument for less than two seconds left on the clock as a buzzer beater, but not five.
What buzzer beaters are on your list? Let me know in the comments or on Twitter, @unafraidshow.
Wow. That was a massacre. There’s no sugarcoating it. Just when you think Game of Thrones will zig, it zags. Not enough people were dying? Ok, how about we kill the majority of people in King’s Landing? Will that make you happy? If you had Daenerys winning the Iron Throne in your gambling pools, you are in good shape heading into the final episode. Here’s my review for Game of Thrones Season 8, Episode 5, “The Bells.”
-Before the massacre at King’s Landing, there were still some loose ends to take care of at Dragonstone. After his discussion with Tyrion, Varys completed his betrayal of Daenerys by writing letters that state Jon Snow is a Targaryen and the true heir to the Iron Throne. As Jon arrives at Dragonstone, Varys is the first one to greet him. After informing Jon that Daenerys has not eaten or seen anyone since witnessing Missandei’s death, Varys gets right to the point. Varys knows that Jon should be King, not Daenerys. If there’s one thing Varys believes in, it’s the realm. All of his loyalty belongs to the crown and for him to choose Jon over Daenerys speaks volumes. Varys knows that Daenerys is going down a slippery slope and she’s moments away from becoming the Mad Queen. Varys said, “They say every time a Targaryen is born, the gods toss a coin, and the world holds its breath.” Clearly, Varys was right. Even when Jon refuses to become the King, Varys won’t take no for an answer.
Spreading news of Jon’s lineage to King’s Landing will be his way of forcing Jon to take the throne. Our first shot of Daenerys occurs when Tyrion visits her in the Queen’s chambers. Tyrion mentions that someone betrayed her and without hesitation, Daenerys answers “Jon Snow.” Varys might be the one to take the betrayal to the next level, but she’s not wrong. In fact, Daenerys correctly points out that Sansa told Tyrion about Jon’s lineage with the hope that he would spread it to the right people. Varys is the WORST person you could tell a secret and Sansa knew Tyrion would tell him. Once again, Sansa continues to have the upper-hand over Dany as she remains two moves ahead of her at all times. I’ve said Jon is extremely naive before, but the same can be said for Tyrion. Tyrion continues to believe that Daenerys can take the Iron Throne without killing innocent people because Cersei will surrender. Cersei once blew up and killed a crowd of people that included her daughter-in-law. Do you think she will go down without a fight and just surrender? That’s what I thought.
-Varys fate was sealed in Season 7, Episode 2. Daenerys stated to Varys that if he ever betrayed her, Varys would burn to death. That’s exactly what happened as Drogon burned and killed Varys in front of Daenerys, Jon, Tyrion, and Grey Worm. Even when Tyrion said his final goodbye, Varys could only think about the fate of the throne and how Daenerys is the wrong choice. “I hope I’m wrong” were his final words in reference to Daenerys becoming Queen. Varys, you were right. Varys loyalty to the realm is arguably the greatest loyalty that any character has had in the show. RIP Varys.
— Thrones Facts | HOTD 🐉 (@Thrones_Facts) May 10, 2019
Heartbreak in Game of Thrones Season 8 Episode 5
Grey Worm shared a heartbreaking moment with Daenerys over Missandei’s death. When offered Missandei’s last possession, Grey Worm threw it in the fire. That throw signified Grey Worm’s character turn. There is no more love in his heart. Only hate and revenge will fuel him from here on out.
-In the latest chapter of kissing your aunt, Jon once again can’t passionately kiss Daenerys. Sad! When Jon visits Daenerys in her chamber, Daenerys says something noteworthy. In addition, she asks Jon if she has love or fear. Jon states that Daenerys is his queen and he loves her. When she kisses him, Jon backs away because he can’t love his aunt like on an intimate level anymore. So Daenerys responds with “All right then. Let it be fear.” This further illustrates that Daenerys story is a tragedy. Think about her journey to this point. Her parents were killed and she was shipped away at a young age. All she wants to do is come home, but almost all of Westeros hates her family name. On her way to reclaiming the throne, she lost her husband, best friends, allies, and two children. Daenerys has no friends. All she has is a dragon.
-“I never thought that dragons would exist again. No one did. The people who follow you know that you made something impossible happen. Maybe that helps them believe that you can make other impossible things happen. Build a world that’s different from the shit one they’ve always known. But if you use them to melt castles and burn cities, you’re not different. You’re just more of the same.” – Jon Snow.
-Once again, Tyrion begs Daenerys to not attack if the bells ring in King’s Landing because it indicates a surrender. Daenerys agrees but leaves Tyrion with these final words: “Next time you fail me will be the last time you fail me.”
-This will be forgotten because of all the drama in King’s Landing, but I particularly enjoyed the conversation between Tyrion and Jamie. No matter what Jamie and Tyrion did, their bond would never be broken. It’s one of the core relationships of the show. Jamie helped Tyrion escape when Tyrion was sentenced to death and Tyrion returned the favor tonight by freeing Jamie and convincing him to save Cersei and flee King’s Landing. In an episode full of violence and death, at least two brothers were able to say their goodbyes.
-The Hound, Arya, and Jamie all made it to King’s Landing. More on that later!
-Now THAT was a true display of power. Drogon destroyed the scorpion weapons, the Iron Fleet, and the Golden Company within minutes. Jon, Grey Worm, and the army breached the walls of King’s Landing with ease. After this destruction, Daenerys is perched up on the outside of King’s Landing on the back of Drogon. She hears the bells, which she knows indicates a surrender. As Varys once said, “Respect is how the young keep us at a distance, so we don’t remind them of an unpleasant truth… Nothing lasts.” The past few episodes were building to a decision that Daenerys would have to make. Would she stay the Breaker of Chains or become the Queen of Ashes? Nothing lasts. Daenerys could only be peaceful for so long before her killer instincts took over. Daenerys starts to twitch and focus on the Red Keep. She remembers that she has lost all of her friends and has no love in her heart anymore. Then, it happened. Daenerys fully became the Mad Queen. In the battle of nature vs. nurture, nature won. Daenerys tried to be different than her father, but she could never escape the hatred. You are who you are and no matter what you try to do, nothing can change that.
-Some insight into Daenery’s choice to burn King’s Landing from the Hollywood Reporter.
-The massacre was on. What started out as a fight between soldiers turned into killing any resident of King’s Landing in sight. Daenerys destroyed buildings and innocent people with Drogon as Grey Worm and the army did their damage on the ground. Men, women, and children were not safe. This was BRUTAL to watch and Jon, Tyrion, Sir Davos, and Arya all realized that Daenerys has gone mad and may not be the best person to rule Westeros.
-Before Jamie could enter King’s Landing, he had to fight with Euron Greyjoy, who survived the destruction of the Iron Fleet. Euron and Jamie fought to the death with both characters suffering severe wounds. Jamie walked away limping while Euron was left to bleed out. Euron’s final words were, “I’m the man who killed Jamie Lannister.” If this is honesty hour, I hated Euron Greyjoy’s character. I never understood his purpose and he always felt like an afterthought to me.
-My favorite scene of the night belonged to the Hound and Arya. The duo finally made it into the Red Keep, but time was ticking as the castle walls were falling left and right. Arya wants to continue on in order to kill Cersei, but the Hound immediately stops her. The Hound knows he is going to die and he doesn’t want that for Arya. All his life, the Hound has wanted revenge. Look where that got him. But Arya can still have a life worth living if she so chooses. She can go live in the North with the rest of her family. Killing Cersei won’t solve her problems. When the Hound looked into Arya’s eyes, for the first time since season 1, she was not a killer, assassin, or warrior. Arya became a Stark again.
Finally, after years of teasing us, the writers came through and gave what us fans wanted, which was the Cleaganebowl. The Hound versus The Mountain in a battle to the death is what everyone wanted. Ever since The Mountain was recreated by Qyburn, we knew he was formed with some sort of magical powers and fantasy elements. The Mountain became a monster who always followed orders. For the first time since his reincarnation, The Mountain showed his human side by disobeying orders. I audibly laughed when The Mountain killed that snake Qyburn. The fight was an awesome moment as the castle began to crumble around them. The Hound couldn’t stab The Mountain to death so he decided to tackle him through a wall and fall to their death in the fire. In the end, The Hound finally got his wish. The Hound sacrificed himself to kill his brother, successfully completing his character arc.
-Speaking of character arcs, I’m furious with how Jamie and Cersei died. Jamie and Cersei found themselves trapped in the Red Keep with nowhere to go. Cersei pleaded how she didn’t want her or her baby to die. However, Jamie calmed Cersei down and assured her that all that mattered was their love for each other. As the Red Keep collapsed in the background, Jamie and Cersei hug each other before their section collapses and kills them. The writers opted to have Jamie die in the arms of the woman he loves.
I am mad.
Jamie and Cersei should not have died as equals. I believed that Jamie should have killed Cersei in order to stop her from burning the city to the ground with wildfire. However, Jamie and Cersei ended up dying together that wasn’t at the hands of a major character. (Drogon was the reason the Red Keep fell, but I’m not counting that as a major character killing another major character.) Cersei was pure evil and became a monster, which cemented her as one of the best television villains of all-time. Jamie started off as a brash, cocky and hateable character, but later went on a redemption story that showcased his compassion and likability. They should not have died as equals. Both went on journeys in the opposite direction and yet they made up in the span of a few minutes and died a painless death. (Yes, Jamie was stabbed a few times so he suffered some pain, but he didn’t have to bleed out any more thanks to instantly dying when the roof collapsed.) Some on Twitter are arguing that Cersei died powerlessly. I’m arguing she got the easy way out. I’m still upset.
-After all of the destruction, Arya was still standing in a desolate King’s Landing. That’s when she saw a white horse and rode out of the city. For those who don’t know, a white horse in mythology symbolizes death. Does this mean Arya will die or is she the one who is bringing death to someone else? Is Arya’s true destiny to kill Daenerys?
— Karen Maria Alston (@advertisingdiva) May 13, 2019
It’s hard to believe that there is only one episode left in the entire series. Will Jon kill Dany? Will Arya kill Dany? Can Dany be the last one standing? I have zero clues as to how they will wrap up the show next week. See you then.
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