London Trip Provides Great Sports Memories

Over Christmas break I had the opportunity to join eight other Anderson University students on a trip to London. For ten days our group toured the city of London and the sites we saw were incredible and unforgettable.

There’s plenty I could write about the Tower of London, Kensington Palace, Windsor Castle and various other London sites, but this being a sports blog, I decided it would be best to tell about the sport sites I was able to take in.

In America I think it’s easy to only see American sport and forget that other countries have cathedrals of the games, fan bases in pandemonium about their teams and famous international tournaments played on their soil as well. During our trip, we were allowed a free day that gave us the chance to do whatever we wanted.

Myself, along with four other students, decided to spend the day seeing some of London’s most famous sports stadiums and venues. We made three stops: Wimbledon, Stamford Bridge and Emirates Stadium.

Wimbledon is a stereotypical hoity-toity British club. The famous tournament is played their every summer, but also is home to the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, a private club. Nestled in a neighborhood on the outskirts of London at the end of the District Line on the London Underground, Wimbledon is in a quiet area on a small piece of land. There is no room to expand on the hilly terrain that is surrounded by houses and apartments.

There is the famed Centre Court, a 15,000-seat court that hosts the championships with a retractable roof that closes in 11 minutes, and then numbered courts 1-19. An interesting fact we learned though is that there are only 19 total courts due to the fact that Court 13 does not exist. So many players complained about how 13 was unlucky that the Club decided to just tear it up and leave it out.

Another interesting fact we learned on our tour of the grounds is that, because of Wimbledon’s location in a wooded neighborhood, the main problem they have is foxes. The foxes that live in the area try to get on the grass courts and dig them up. For that reason, there are electrical fences around every court to keep animals away.

During our tour we were able to see Centre Court, No. 1 Court, the museum, the Gents’ Dressing Room, the players’ tea garden, the media building and we sat behind the desk in the players’ interview room. Our tour guide was highly-educated on the ground and the tournament which made for an interesting hour and a half tour.

From Wimbledon we hopped on the Tube and went up a few stops to see Stamford Bridge, the 105-year-old stadium of Chelsea FC. We were unable to tour the stadium, but even the outside made it clear that the stadium was something similar to how Americans regard Fenway Park or Wrigley Field.

The reason we were unable to tour the stadium is because my friend and I had to get on the Tube and be up in the northern part of London by 5 p.m. for the Arsenal-Tottenham FA Cup match at Emirates Stadium. We weren’t sure if we were going to be able to find tickets to the game, but we would at least find a restaurant to eat and watch the game in. However, once we arrived at the stadium and saw the atmosphere, there was no way we weren’t going to that game.

We found two club level tickets for the 100 pounds apiece (the equivalent to 131 American dollars), which were 200 pound face value. Our seats were incredible, first row right on the corner with the Tottenham cheering section below us.

The first goal of the game was scored at the goal on our end and the fans amazed me from start to finish. There was hardly anybody on their phone and everybody was engaged. The fans chanted various things, sang songs and cheered wildly for the full 90 minutes. Tottenham and Arsenal fans traded verbal barbs the entire game and the booing was relentless when a player on Tottenham made a positive play.

I came away from that game thinking it was the best sporting event I’ve ever attended and it would be hard to top. To see sport in another country was both exciting and unforgettable. The way fans root for their teams and the tradition that comes with athletics across the pond was interesting to see.

It’s something I won’t forget.

Sherman's Talk Discredits Impressive Play

Richard Sherman is a really good football player. He might just be the best cornerback in the NFL. However, you don't need me to tell you that because Sherman already let you know. He's the self-proclaimed "best corner in the league" and he wants to make sure you know it.

Did you see Sherman's act at the end of the NFC Championship game Sunday? That was Richard Sherman in a nutshell. Sure, he made a great play that won the game for the Seattle Seahawks, but he followed that up by antagonizing Michael Crabtree and then made an absolute fool of himself in a postgame interview. He didn't stop there. His mouth kept running in the postgame press conference.

Richard Sherman is not a thug though.

Sherman is a Stanford graduate who hails from Compton, California. That's the Compton that has become notorious for gang activity and crime, but Sherman escaped all of that. He chose Stanford as his collegiate stop and now in his third season in the NFL he has already earned all-Pro honors twice. That's impressive.

But while Sherman may have made class a priority in life and became a great success story, he knows nothing about having class. He is an idiot with a mouth that won't stop running and he ruins his on-field performance every time he steps in front of a live microphone.

Let's not make excuses for this guy. Let's not say, "Well, he backs up his talk with his play so it's okay." There are no passes for this guy. This is a no-class individual who doesn't know how to handle the limelight. He's the classic rags-to-riches story and he's the kind of guy one would think they could cheer for.

Yet it's impossible to put your hands together for Sherman.

There have been mediocre players who have done so much talking that their play got more attention than they deserved. Sherman's play is incredible, but he does so much talking that his antics overshadow his play. Rather than being known for leading the league in interceptions this season or for being an all-Pro two years in a row, Sherman is best known for his act after the NFC Championship and for his antagonizing of Tom Brady a few years back.

I'll say this about Richard Sherman: bravo to him for making something of himself and choosing a better life than the streets of Compton offer. But shut up Richard Sherman. Shut up. Just play football.  Show a little class, act like you have been there before and stop being a classical idiot for the entire world to see.

He may think he's "keeping it real" but the reality is that he is the realest idiot in sport today. Sherman has a platform, but he uses that platform to talk about himself and to disrespect others. Is that really somebody you want to cheer for?

Not me. That's not somebody I want to cheer for. For two weeks we will have to listen to Sherman talk and then on February 2 he will face the best offense in the NFL. He will go head-to-head with Peyton Manning and he will have a chance to win a ring.

The Seahawks might win the game and Sherman might make a big play. But no matter what happens, Sherman's mouth will be going faster than ever and it will discredit anything he does on the field. So go ahead Richard, yap all you want, but if you lose hopefully you handle yourself in defeat better than you did in victory.

Because in victory you embarrassed yourself.

Illinois: Young But Not Immature

Groce's energy reverberates throughout his program

With a big win over B1G conference foe Penn State, Illinois moves to a 13-2 record and a 2-0 record in B1G play. And while scoring was obviously the most notable aspect of the game (Illinois won 75-55), the change in the culture of the program was not hard to see. Throughout the mid-2000s, Bruce Weber suffered through underachieving seasons simply because his teams lacked discipline down the stretch and did not always show mental toughness. Even the veteran "leaders" like Mike Davis, Brian Randle, and Rich McBride (it hurts me to even call them leaders) were immature both on and off the court.

Yet what we have seen now with John Groce in charge is a change in how the Fighting Illini approach the game. There is a toughness aspect to how they play and it is exemplified on both sides of the ball. Guys like John Ekey, Rayvonte Rice, Tracy Abrams, Joseph Bertrand, and Nnanna Egwu are the veterans on the team and have proved that they are capable of running the show as well as anyone else in the conference and it is their maturity that has now established Illinois as a soon-to-be Top 25 team.

At the beginning of the game today, Illinois jumped out to a 9-0 lead which gradually shrunk to a 28-26 lead at the half. The game was physical and offenses on both sides seemed to stall at times which is something that Illinois fans have gotten so used to seeing. And while slow or ineffective offense is sure to come at some point for any team, the Bruce Weber era was one that could never find its way OUT of those little funks. Teams used to collapse under the pressure, players would take ill-advised shots too early in the shot clock, guys would become selfish and stop running the offense, or the team as a whole would just shut down and no longer compete. It made for many long winters and constant questions as to how Illinois could plummet so far after the 2005 Final Four team.

That is exactly what makes John Groce a God-send for Illinois' program. He has instituted a competitive label to this team that is slowly making its way into the national spotlight. It began with a tough road win against UNLV and was enhanced by big late-game execution that led to wins over rivals Missouri and Indiana. The Fighting Illini played hard-nosed but smart basketball down the stretch in all three games and today was no different. Penn State continually chipped away at the Illinois lead yet it never seemed like the Fighting Illini ever changed their approach. Body language was never poor and faces never appeared scared.

Frustration was all too familiar to Weber at Illinois

But more than the maturity being shown through the game of basketball is the maturity being shown in personality and character. The game was physical and two particular instances proved that this team, though young, is ready to handle just about any controversy. In the second half, Illinois freshman Malcolm Hill was tossed to the ground on a rebound and while emotions ran high momentarily, Hill never retaliated. It took some guidance from Nnanna Egwu, but Hill walked away from the scuffle. Later in the same half, freshman Kendrick Nunn drove the lane for a lay-up and made contact with Penn State's D.J. Newbill on his way down the floor. Taking exception to the contact, Newbill shoved Nunn in the back of the head which prompted Nunn to get in the face of Newbill. There is nothing wrong with defending yourself which is why there was nothing negative about Nunn's reaction, but once again his teammates came in and separated the two players and Nunn walked away. No retaliation. No punches thrown. And while Nunn and Hill are both 18 year olds, it speaks volumes that the two freshman carried themselves so well in a high-intensity game such as today's. Credit the young men on the team for keeping composure, but also credit John Groce for coaching his team to be disciplined.

Bruce Weber was and is not a bad coach. He is currently coaching an above-average Kansas State team and did lead Illinois to a couple successful seasons. Yet Weber seemed to lose control towards the end of his time at Illinois and now John Groce has stepped in and made Illinois a competitive program once again. While Groce does have a good amount of veterans, there is no question that the maturity and ability of his freshman will soon prove to be something special. Illinois still has numerous tests to face in conference play with teams such as Ohio State, Michigan State, and Wisconsin, but if this kind of play continues, Illinois just may find themselves in the top half of the B1G at season's end. Groce has done everything right in reconstructing this program. The future is bright for Illinois.

Appreciate the Under-Appreciated: AJ McCarron Takes His Final Bow

He's won three National Championships, but he doesn't have the personality to earn him twenty minutes of air-time on an hour-long Sportscenter. He finished second in the Heisman voting this year, but you wouldn't find him speaking out to reporters. He's AJ McCarron, and he's as professional as they come. So why has the Alabama quarterback seemed to come and go without ever really getting the recognition he deserves? Don't be fooled, he's been on national radar as one of, if not the best, quarterbacks in the country and has led the Crimson Tide to historic success. He has not flown under the radar completely, but he's not as popular to the press as the colorful Johnny Manziel or the young phenom Jameis Winston. I'm sure if you asked him, he wouldn't care one bit. But it's time for us as football fans to care, because tonight will be the final time we'll have the chance to watch one of the best quarterbacks in Alabama history don the crimson and white.

McCarron has enjoyed stellar success at Alabama

With the Sugar Bowl only minutes away, take the time to notice just how fun it has been to watch McCarron these past few years. He led the SEC in pass completion percentage in 2011, boasting a 66.8%, and, not counting tonight, has completed 67% of his passes throughout his collegiate career which places him third all time in the SEC. To put that in perspective, McCarron has attempted over 305 passes each of the past three years. Efficient might be an understatement.

But with all that in mind, AJ McCarron has never really racked up gaudy numbers. He's only ever led the conference in passing efficiency rating and adjusted passing yards per attempted, both of which he finished first in 2012. Yet people have tended to get so caught up in the individual statistics nowadays. All the talk about Johnny Manziel's numbers compared to his numbers from last year is justifiable and well-deserved. After all the kid IS one of the best quarterbacks in the game, but what has his TEAM done? Texas A&M did not reach a BCS bowl game and finished outside of the top 20. AJ McCarron's team? Just barely missing yet another National Championship yet boasting a 36-3 record with McCarron as its starter. What McCarron has done at Alabama is nothing short of amazing and should be treasured while it culminates with yet another BCS bowl appearance tonight.

The AJs of Alabama

Yet it's more than football when it comes to McCarron's career. And no, that's not a reference to his relationship with Katherine Webb. In a special segment done during the pregame just minutes ago we had the chance to see the relationship McCarron has with the team's assistant equipment manager, AJ Starr. Their friendship started when Starr missed a campus shuttle in 2011, only to be asked by the starting quarterback if he needed a ride. With so many school records, and so many people wanting to talk to McCarron, their was no sense of ego and no sense of misplaced pride. Starr, who lives with cerebral palsy, noted in the segment that it was tough for him to make friends while at school and yet it was the most popular kid on campus who finally reached out to the struggling Starr. It presented the college football world with an image of McCarron that was grounded and human. It's more than just football, it's more than just sport. AJ McCarron is someone that should be remembered just as much for his character and professionalism as he should for his historic performances on the gridiron.

So with that we come to tonight. The stage is set for the 2013 Sugar Bowl where McCarron will suit up one last time for Alabama as they attempt to take down the Sooners of Oklahoma. It's just one more game for McCarron to prove he's one of the best to ever play in an Alabama uniform and another three hours of must-watch television. AJ McCarron's as good as they come and whether you're a fan of Alabama or not, you have to appreciate the player that McCarron has been. We may not see another winner like this young man for quite some time.