Archive for the ‘Knockout Game’ Category

Why the World Baseball Classic should be a March Madness-style knockout tournament – CBSSports.com

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The World Baseball Classic is entertaining, somewhat flawed, and still new enough to have the whiff of novelty about it. When you encounter such a confluence, you are of course duty- and honor-bound to concoct a piece in which you declare how the event in question could be improved. This is one of those pieces. Stop now if you wish.

Its impossible to ignore the potential of the WBC when you see the enthusiasm in the seats, especially among the Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic and Japan rooters. However, its just as impossible to miss the logistical challenges and shortcomings in the execution of the tournament. Wielding my robustly negligible authority and imagined plenary powers, Im here to tell you how to make the WBC a better experience for players and fans while also making it into a thing in which more players might be willing to participate. Now for the big reveal: Make it a 16-team, single-elimination bracket.

Think of it as akin to the World Cup knockout stage or the presently very relevant Sweet 16 in college basketball. Its a seeded bracket, perhaps determined by a committee that evaluates the 16 finalized rosters. To simplify matters, you could grant 12 automatic berths to what could be considered the legacy powers of the sport: in no particular order, the United States, the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Japan, South Korea, Venezuela, Cuba, Mexico, Canada, Netherlands, Colombia and China. Maybe you make room for Australia in that group. For the remaining slots, the qualifying process could continue in its current form. Thats not a great departure from how things are now, as 12 automatic berths are given out based on performance in the previous WBC. (No, China does not have a particularly rich baseball history, but growing the game there is a priority for MLB. Consider this a nod to that.) Anyhow, those legacy berths mean the teams with the most major-leaguers on the roster wont need to slog through qualifying rounds -- a burden that would no doubt hurt participation.

I see the 16-team, single-elimination format conferring a few positives when it comes to the WBCs viability moving forward

This year, the WBC plays out over a span of 16 days. If youre an MLBer and your team advances all the while to the final, then youre missing more than half the spring schedule and seeing your camp routines altered in a major way.

Under this proposed format, though, you could complete the tournament in a span of two weekends or less. While weekend programming would be desirable, if necessary the schedule could be further shrunk to finish all games inside of a week, with just the semifinal and final rounds taking place on a weekend.

Heck, you can even go start to finish in a span of just four days -- say the rounds of 16 and eight on Thursday and Friday and then the semifinals and final on Saturday and Sunday. To make travel manageable under that scenario, you would need four ballparks for the opening two rounds all located reasonably close to one another and in locations suitable for spring baseball. Fortunately, Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, Petco Park in San Diego, Angel Stadium in Anaheim, and Chase Field in Phoenix all meet the criteria. Yes, this would be unfair to all those countries accustomed to hosting the early pool rounds such as South Korea and Japan, but theres no ideal way to pull off such a beast as the WBC. Winnowing this down to the span of a week or less has some costs, yes, but it could serve to make superstar participation more likely. Frankly, that strikes me as the tourneys biggest concern right now.

So we have that reduced time commitment noted above, and similarly we also have a reduced commitment when it comes to the number of games. At most, a given players team will play four games in the WBC, and thats only in the event that said team reaches the final. The teams that reach the championship game under the current format play at least twice as many games as that. Again, when it comes to asking players to take leave of their training regimens (and assume risk injury) in order to play games that dont advance the prevailing goal of winning the World Series, the less of an obligation the more likely widespread participation will be. Ideally, it wouldnt be this way. Ideally, the worlds best players would lay aside their concerns and suit up regardless of the tournament structure. However, thats not happening, at least on the U.S. side.

On that point, what would an ideal-world U.S. team look like in 2017? Maybe a little something like this

We can quibble, of course. Maybe Nolan Arenado belongs in there, and a case for Brandon Crawford over Seager can be made. Maybe David Price and Justin Verlander are in the discussion. Maybe you fade Harper for his out-of-character struggles in 2016. Maybe you favor Paul Goldschmidt over Rizzo. And maybe Adam Jones gets a lifetime roster pass for that catch . The point is that the actual 2017 Team USA roster is missing a lot of these names. Asking less of those star players, particularly the U.S. players, might persuade more to take part.

To be sure, the current U.S. squadron is a darned fine one, but coming as close as possible to putting the best roster out there should be the goal. The 16-team, single-elimination format makes that more likely to happen.

Along those same lines, the four games in four days mean that the worlds aces will be asked to make only one start in each WBC. If you space the final four out a bit more, then you could still decree that pitchers may make no more than one start in any WBC. Maybe, for instance, Clayton Kershaw or Johnny Cueto or Masahiro Tanaka would be willing to commit to five innings in one late-March game.

Such a rule would also add a layer of strategy. Do you, say, burn Kershaw in that first game against a low-seeded team, or do you hold him back for the later rounds and thus risk elimination with your best starting pitcher on the bench?

Blessedly, MLBs postseason is replete with best-of series. This is how it ought to be. Theres of course even talk that MLB will eventually turn the wild-card game into a best-of-3 affair. That said, the knockout game has all that built-in drama. Sure, it doesnt have the momentum and arc of a Game 7, but the win or take leave of this place intensity is unmistakable. I dont like the wild-card game for the absurdity of reducing a 162-game haul to nine innings, but its good for baseball to seek out ways to import the intensity of a one-and-done. This proposed WBC format does that without corrupting the more important MLB postseason.

Part of what made Adam Jones miracle catch so arresting was that it happened in a game in which everything was on the line. Under this format, every game would have everything on the line.

This ones obvious, but it bears mentioning. The WBC tiebreaker rules are dumber than a sack of asses . Switch to this, and they are no more.

The most obvious drawback is that youre asking countries to cobble together rosters and, in some instances, travel across the world for possibly only one game that counts. Theres no massaging that one. We can keep those spring exhibitions against MLB teams in the mix, of course, but one-and-done is a real possibility even for, say, a powerhouse like Japan that would be hopping the globe to take part. Time for some spin: Consider that another raising of the stakes. Also consider it incentive for teams to lean on MLBers to participate -- those who would already be stateside for spring training. The Japanese team, for instance, included just one active MLBer on its roster this time around. Either way, this is the most obvious counterpoint to the single-elimination idea.

On another level, we all know that baseball is weird and has some structural parity and such a proneness to luck-based outcomes that one-and-dones are in no way the best method to determine the best team. Heck, best-of-7s are no way to determine the best team. If you want truer results, then a larger sample of games is needed. Thats simply not going to happen in the WBC, though.

No doubt, shifting from pool-based play to single elimination will lead to more fluke-ish outcomes -- any team can beat any other in any given game. I would submit, however, that the minuscule sample size involved here isnt that much worse than the almost-minuscule sample size featuring less than full-strength rosters of the current setup. As well, this format opens up the belt and the title to Cinderella runs like the one that Israel enjoyed this year. Its more likely well have an underdog that plays for the championship under this format. As appeal and fan engagement go, thats a plus and mitigates some of those related concerns.

As well, you would be justified in calling the lack of starpower mostly a U.S. problem (although Team Canada manager Ernie Whitt lamented the absence of some of that countrys leading baseball lights). After all, the Dominican Republic, for instance, certainly wasnt lacking roster headliners. That said, putting out something less than the best each country has to offer undermines the tournament.

Really, its a matter of priority. Is it more important to have a tournament of larger scope or to have one in which the best players are more willing to take part? Thus far, these have been mutually exclusive. The single-elimination format doesnt make the WBC any less inclusive -- its still 16 teams -- but it does make it of a smaller scale and thus more likely to attract the best. Informal polling of MLB players -- Hey, would you be more likely to suit up for your country under this format? -- would be an obvious first step.

Or maybe some superstar watching from his Florida or Arizona spring accommodations saw that Adam Jones grab and thought, Hey, I wanna do that.

In the event that Jones didnt save the WBC, then maybe this will.

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Why the World Baseball Classic should be a March Madness-style knockout tournament - CBSSports.com

Radio Derb Transcript Up For March 17: Roundup Of Anti-White Stories From The Week’s News, Etc – VDARE.com

The Radio Derb transcript is up for March 17. Go here to read or listen.

Just a very quick roundup of anti-white stories from the weeks news. First story: Ill just read it off the news report, quote:

Joseph Molohon, a 37-year-old disabled white male, was eating at Texas Chicken and Burgers in the Flatbush neighborhood of Brooklyn, NY. He saw two young black males who came up short on cash to pay for their meal.

He offered to give them a few dollars. The pair then began brutally attacking him. Then two more black males joined in. They beat Molohon with his own cane.

As the original attackers left, a fifth black male picked through his pockets.

End quote. Several readers emailed that one in with reference to item (10h) in my infamous 2012 column The Talk: Nonblack Version, wherein I advised readers not to act Good Samaritan to blacks in distress.

As I noted in my comments on the fuss about that column, its rather easy to find news stories supporting my advice. This one, though, Ill agree, is one of the more forceful examples.

Item: Second anti-white story: Also in New York, borough of Manhattan this time, a 71-year-old woman with a cane was getting into a subway elevator when she was pushed aside by 24-year-old Breonna Turk and her son. The woman told Ms. Turk that she should teach her child some manners. Ms. Turk thereupon knocked her down, grabbed her cane, and beat her with it.

Ms. Turk, who is black, has been arrested.

I have no data on the race of the victim, but I dont think it is outrageous to assume she is white.

In which case we have a small trend starting up: blacks beating old or disabled white folk with the white folks own canes. I guess they got tired of the Knockout Game.

Item: Third anti-white story, this one with a political dimension. The agent of anti-whiteness here is the New York Times.

Representative Steve King of Iowa tweeted thus on March 12th in reference to the nationalist candidate Geert Wilders in this weeks Dutch elections, quote:

End quote. As obviously true as that is truer even than Steve Bannons comparison of the present invasion of Europe to Raspails Camp of the Saints that got Steve King denounced by, yes, the New York Times. Rep. King had, said the Gray Lady, unmasked himself as a white nationalist [scream].

So heres my suggestion for a new hashtag: #SteveKingForSecretaryOfDemography.

Whats that you say? The U.S.A. doesnt have a Department of Demography? Well, we darn well should have. Demography is destiny.

Continued here:
Radio Derb Transcript Up For March 17: Roundup Of Anti-White Stories From The Week's News, Etc - VDARE.com

Lebanese set up title clash against Jeddah United in Orient Watch Cup – Arab News


Arab News
Lebanese set up title clash against Jeddah United in Orient Watch Cup
Arab News
Needing to win the knockout game against Egypt team by four points or more after they split their two games in the eliminations, the Lebanese did just that as they won 74-67 in a thrilling game that fittingly looked like playoff basketball between two ...

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Lebanese set up title clash against Jeddah United in Orient Watch Cup - Arab News

ASN article: Fabian Johnson Injured, Emerson Hyndman Thriving – AmericanSoccerNow.com

As a monumental international break approaches, ASN's Brian Sciaretta looks ahead to the weekend action abroad with an eye on promotion candidates, relegation fodder, and U.S. national team players.

THE FINAL WEEKEND before the international break has arrived and many Americans are at pivotal moments as the U.S. men's national team prepares for its most important game in years.

Some Yankslike Christian Pulisicare on the ascendancy while others, including Bobby Wood and Emerson Hyndman, could be looking for different clubs soon.

Then, of course, you have the promotion-contenders, including Tim Ream, Julian Green, and DeAndre Yedlin as well as relegation-battlers like Wood, Alfredo Morales, and Aron Johannsson.

Here's what I'll be tracking in the next few days.

The United States national team camp has not even opened but already it might have suffered its first casualty. On Thursday Fabian Johnson was forced out of Borussia Monchengladbachs Europa League knockout game vs. Schalke in just the 16thminute.

Johnson left under his own power but upon first glance it did appear it was a right hamstring injury that forced him out. As of this writing it is not certain how much time, if any, Johnson will miss but hamstring injuries often require a player to miss several weeks. For Monchengladbach, that would force him out of Sundays game vs. Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich.

For the United States national team, it would be even worse. Already reeling at the fullback position with injuries to DeAndre Yedlin and Eric Lichaj, along with the suspension of Timothy Chandler, U.S. coach Bruch Arena would be further hampered if Johnson missed the two matches.

Without Johnson, one of the top two or three players in the U.S. player pool, the Yanks are going to have to dig even deeper to find a way to win.

Christian Pulisic gave yet another strong outing for Borussia Dortmund in Tuesday's German Cup match, breaking a scoreless deadlock with a 57th-minute goal against Sportfreunde Lotte.

Pulisic now has five goals and eight assists for Dortmund across all competitions this season.

On Friday, Pulisic and Dortmund will have a golden opportunity to enhance its grip on third place in the Bundesliga, and perhaps inch closer to second place Leipzig, when it hosts relegation fodders Ingolstadt and its American midfielder Alfredo Morales.

Under Jurgen Klinsmann, Morales received occasional national team call-ups but never really fit into to the team. Under Arena, his name is rarely mentioned. If Morales wants an international career he has to produce standout performances now because next year he will likely play in Germany's second tier. In central midfield, other American players like Emerson Hyndman, Kellyn Acosta, and Sebastian Lletget are stepping up both domestically and abroad.

Tim Ream has enjoyed a strong 2016-17 season for Fulham and the St. Louis native is now squarely back in the U.S. national team picture. He's got a lot going on at the club level too.

Fulham now sits in seventh place in the English Championship and is desperately trying to claw into the top sixthe last spot for the promotional playoff tournament.

The Cottagers had their chance on Tuesday in a home game against Blackburn but blew it. It was a game that a promotion hopeful has to win and Ream should have registered an assist. In the opening minutes when he got on the end of a free kick and sent a header to Sone Aluko in front of the goal. Unfortunately, the Nigerians shot when just wide.

With Fulham up 2-1 in the fourth minute of stoppage time, Ream lost Lucas Joao in the box and the Blackburn man headed home the equalizer with just second left. For Fulham to squander two points at home to the 21st-place team is a huge disappointment.

On Saturday, Fulham host Wolverhampton and it is another big chance to climb into the top six. A win would likely do the trick as sixth place Sheffield Wednesday and fifth place Reading face off. With one of those two dropping points, the door is once again open for Fulham to get back into the playoff picture.

It will be an important test for Ream.

When the United States national team assembles next week in California ahead of its crucial World Cup qualifier against Honduras, Geoff Cameron will be arriving on the heels of an important match as Stoke City hosts Premier League leaders Chelsea on Saturday.

Cameron should once again be in the starting lineup for the Potters. Since returning from injury he has been playing predominantly in defensive midfield although that is unlikely where he will play for the Yanks.

Under Klinsmann, Cameron was a first-choice central defender despite stints at right back and defensive midfield. But with DeAndre Yedlin and Eric Lichaj injured, the Graham Zusi at right back experiment likely over, and Timothy Chandler not called up due to suspension, dont be surprised if Arena plays Cameron at right back due to his experience and maturity.

Two players heading in opposite directions will be facing off on Saturday when Timothy Chandler and Eintracht Frankfurt host Bobby Wood and Hamburg SV on Saturday.

Eintracht Frankfurt has been in a tailspin the past month, suffering through five consecutive losses. Chandler has not performed well during this difficult span and has dropped in form after beginning the season playing great soccer.

Meanwhile, Wood is playing the best soccer of his career and Hamburg can finally move clear of the relegation zone for the first time this season. Last Sunday, of course, Wood scored a late match winner as HSV upset Borussia Monchengladbach 2-1.

On Wednesday, Wood also received a bit of good news when Hamburg sporting director Jens Todt said that Hamburg are ready to begin talks about a new contract.

Wood, 24, currently earns 1.5 million per year and his contract runs through 2020. The fact that HSV wants to give him a new contract reflects just how highly the clubs front office rates him. Its easy to see why: His numbers are very strong despite Hamburgs 16th-placestanding in the Bundesliga. Across all competitions, Wood has nine goals in 1,637 total minutesone goal every 181 minutes.

Also this week it was reported that Wood hired super-agent Volker Struth to represent him. Struths clients include Mario Gotze, Toni Kroos, Benedikt Howedes, Omer Toprak, Josip Drmic, and Marco Reus. Woods move to Struth is a clear indication that Wood is going to be expensive and clubs bigger than Hamburg might be interested in the near future.

DeAndre Yedlin has had a great season so far for Newcastle United, a club expected to rejoin the Premier League despite stumbling lately. Yedlin has been out for most of March and what was initially reported as a knock was later revealed to be a hamstring pull.

Yedlin was left off the U.S. men's national team roster yesterday and it was revealed he would miss five more weeks with this injuryjeopardizing the rest of his 2016-17 campaign.

Emerson Hyndman is currently in a great run on loan with Rangers. He is starting every week and is heavily involved in goals, assists, and overall offensive production from his central midfield position.

Last week he earned accolades among Rangers faithful for his performance in the final 20 minutes against Celtic when he helped Rangers draw leaders Celtic 1-1 in the Old Firm derby. It was Hyndmans shot that forced a rebound that led to the equalizer.

Rangers supporters are making it known that they desperately want to keep the Texan who is on loan from English Premier League club Bournemouth.

The problem is that last year Hyndman agreed to a four-year deal with Bournemouth so any buyout to make a permanent deal to Rangers is going to be costly. After the financial wreck Rangers have been mired in the past six years, management is unlikely to spend big on any one player.

Either way, Hyndman is in a great spot. The quality in the Scottish Premier League has been on a decline the past decade but Hyndman will attract interest from other clubs should Bournemouth decide to sell or loan him out again. Most likely he will be playing at a higher level but taking a big role at Rangers is not the worst option at the moment either.

On Saturday, Hyndman will look to continue on with his nice run when Rangers host Hamilton Academical FC at Ibrox.

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ASN article: Fabian Johnson Injured, Emerson Hyndman Thriving - AmericanSoccerNow.com

Quiz! Can you name the teams who’ve reached a Champions … – FourFourTwo

It's now seven painful seasons since the Gunners reached the last eight. So who's progressed beyond them in that time?

Arsenal crashed out at the last 16 stage for the seventh season running with their recent 10-2 aggregate defeat to Bayern Munich.

The Bavarians (three times),Barcelona (twice), Milan and Monaco have bested Arsene Wenger's side in that period, leaving Gooners tearing out what little hair they have remaining as they contemplate their annual failure to advance beyond the first knockout game of Europe's premier competition.

This year they're hardly alone of the three English sides that got beyond the group stage, only one has reached the last eight in 2016/17.

But anyway, to the quiz: you've got five minutes to name all the clubs that have reached the quarter-finals since 2009/10, then tell us how you got on @FourFourTwo. If you don't give answers away we'll retweet you to the masses. Oh, and tell us your times too. Deal? Grand.

(Please note: You'll need to turn off your adblockers on our site, else they'll block this quiz too. And nobody wants to see that.)

More time-killing quizzes on FourFourTwo.com

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Quiz! Can you name the teams who've reached a Champions ... - FourFourTwo