It's Okay To Not Stick To Sports

On this blog we talk about sports. You name it and we've probably touched on it, but sometimes there are current events in this world that take precedence over the games and the athletes. Here on our blog, Nate and I have sometimes ventured out (examples here, and here) beyond the borders of sports and written about those, like Carmelo Anthony, who chose to step out of the sports bubble. Sometimes there are things that are simply too important to brush to the side, although we try while escaping to sports.

Athletes, coaches and sports media figures are stepping out of the sports bubble more than ever and giving the media and fans their thoughts on the world's current issues, leaders and political debates. Check the comment or replies section after any of these opinions are given and there's the same old comeback of "stick to sports."

Gregg Popovich, Steve Kerr, the USWNT and a whole host of NFL and NBA players have given their opinion on Donald Trump, Black Lives Matter, race and equal pay matters. Reporters like Richard Deitsch, Seth Davis and others are willing to talk politics on their social media networks. Every time each person listed above strays from sports topics they are told to just "stick to sports."

Sports is an outlet for people. It's a place to get away from the political debates and the issues of the world we live in. For three hours, a fan's worries can just be about the bad call the umpire made or the dropped catch by their favorite wide receiver. Sports is an escape, but it seems some would like to completely forget that there is more to an athlete, coach or media member than their job. They have earned a platform and they are entitled to use it how they see fit.

These are turbulent times in our world. Political leaders in multiple countries pose a threat, violence is on the rise both at home and abroad and the divide between the American people seems to be at an all-time high. Now, more than ever, it would be great if we could just stick to sports.

But we can't. There's more to this life than just sports and there are decisions being made by our leaders that will greatly affect the trajectory of this country and this world. These are no small matters when we talk about people's freedoms, equal pay, race relations, etc. More than ever, sports figures are taking responsibility for their cities and the happenings in them. The platforms they have are massive, reaching millions of people each day. Thankfully, most choose to use them for what they believe in.

You might not agree with their opinion and that's okay. You may disagree with Colin Kaepernick kneeling for the National Anthem or you might disagree with Derrick Rose and LeBron James wearing "I Can't Breathe" shirts in warmups. That's okay. You might not understand why the US Women's National Team is asking for equal pay with their male counterparts. That's fine. But what is not fine is telling them to just stick to sports. Appreciate the fact that they are using their platform for what they see as positive change.

Can you imagine if no one used their platform for change? Why do we ask sports figures to stay in a box, but not others? If everyone confined themselves to their profession then Martin Luther King would have just been a preacher. No person in today's world thinks that MLK should have "just stuck to his day job." Chance the Rapper is very dedicated to seeing Chicago prosper and recently donated $1 million to Chicago Public Schools. No one suggested he "just stick to music."

Rather than asking these sports figures to stick to sports, we should commend them for speaking up. When young black men are being killed unjustly, we should respect the fact that men with a platform speak out. When women aren't earning equal pay, we should appreciate that some of the most influential women in the US are setting an example and enacting change. When our President is causing strong divisions among the American people and a coach says it's wrong, bravo to the coach for taking a stand.

Sticking to sports is a tired comeback to those who choose not to. It's asking sports figures to put themselves in a box and not use the platform they have been given. Don't like it? The unfollow button isn't far away. Go ahead and give it a click.

For Wenger and Arsenal, FA Cups Not Enough

In less than a month, Arsenal will host Manchester City at the Emirates in an
FA Cup semifinal that will determine which team moves to the Cup title to face Tottenham or Chelsea. The Gunners are making a run at the FA Cup title for the third time in the last four seasons, and as winners of 12 cups all-time, are looking to add to the highest total in English soccer.

One could be optimistic about Arsenal's run through the FA Cup, but supporters of the club have grown tired of what is merely a band-aid on a wound that continues to fester: Arsene Wenger's job status and the club's inability to win the Premier League. Wenger, a legend who has spent two decades in charge of the Gunners, has a resume others would die for. He's won three Premier League titles, six FA Cup titles and six Community Shields and yet his job is in question due to recent play in the Premier League the past few years.

Arsenal has not won a BPL title since 2003-04, which is a lifetime in sports. While Arsenal has consistently been mediocre during the last decade-plus, rivals Chelsea have won four times and Manchester United five times. Still, Wenger has directed the Gunners to the Champions League every season, meaning he's never outside of the top four, but merely making a home in the good-but-not-good-enough category.

Is it good enough anymore, though? Are deep FA Cup runs good enough anymore? And are appearances in the Champions League Round of 16 adequate at this point? Is the club satisfied with where it's at, or is it wanting to take a step forward? Lastly, is Wenger the man to get Arsenal to take that step?

His body of work should allow him time to fix things, but salvaging a lost Premier League season with another FA Cup title won't be enough this time around. Time may have run out on the Frenchman. Arsenal currently sits sixth in the Premier League table with Manchester United two points ahead in fifth and Liverpool six points ahead in fourth. At this point, Arsenal's run of Champions League appearances is in jeopardy and no Cup title could cover that mess.

An Arsenal that watches the Champions League from home is an Arsenal in decline. A team in decline needs a new voice to lead and the painful parting with Wenger must happen. His status as a legend is cemented, but his services are no longer able to get the club where it wants to be.

Times are tough at Arsenal. The board has been silent on Wenger's future and star players Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil may be on the move. No team will ever turn down a cup title, but for Arsenal supporters there are grander titles out there - ones that Arsenal has not competed for in some time.

Players have come and gone. A new stadium has been broken in. Perhaps the change needs to happen on the sideline.

USMNT Prepares for Ecuador in Copa Knockout Round

After a 2-0 defeat to Colombia in the Copa America opener, optimism was shattered for the US Men's National Team. The Americans generated few chances, their captain looked ill-equipped and it seemed that this tournament would be more of the same for Jurgen Klinsmann's side.

The loss produced negativity from everywhere (including this blog) as Klinsmann's job came into question and many wondered whether or not the US would ever be able to take the next step in international competition. Klinsmann remained calm, saying that he felt his team played well, but it did nothing to quiet those who were disappointed in the Americans' opening act.

But disappointments have transformed back into optimism over the past week as the US closed out the group stage in impressive fashion. The Americans had to earn a win over Costa Rica to stay alive, and they left little doubt, defeating Los Ticos 4-0. They followed it up with a 1-0 win over Paraguay, playing stellar defense down the stretch with only 10 men for the final 40-plus minutes after DeAndre Yedlin's red card.

The pair of wins gave the US a group win with the next task being Ecuador in the quarterfinals. This is a match the Americans can certainly win, and if they do, it would most likely set up a semifinal match against Lionel Messi and Argentina. But that's down the road. Right now, the job is to knock out Ecuador, a team that features quality play up front in Enner Valencia and Antonio Valencia.

The US and Ecuador met in a May 25 friendly in which Darlington Nagbe produced the game-winning goal for the Americans in the 90th minute. Antonio Valencia did not play in that match after winning the FA Cup with Manchester United earlier in the week.

The biggest issue for the US entering Thursday's match will be replacing Yedlin who is suspended after his red card against Paraguay. Consistency, something Klinsmann has never shown during his time as manager, has been key for the US so far in the Copa America as they have put out the same lineup  However, he will be forced to shift things around with Yedlin out and seven other players with a yellow card.

Losing Yedlin for any match would hurt, but especially against a side with as much firepower up front as Ecuador. Enner Valencia has tallied two goals and two assists during the Copa, while Antonio found the back of the net once and assisted another. The pair have had a hand in four of La Tri's six goals so far in the tournament.

A win over 13th-ranked Ecuador would give Klinsmann a signature win in a major tournament, while also helping the Americans accomplish their goal of reaching the semifinals. It won't be easy to advance, but the US has shown they can play well when their backs are against the wall. For a manager trying to quiet his constant critics, Thursday night's match is as big as it gets.

The United States and Ecuador kick off at 8:30 p.m. CT on FS1.

Americans Kill Optimism in Copa Debut

All the fanfare and excitement that surrounded the Copa America was gone less than eight minutes into the tournament Friday night in Santa Clara, California for American fans. Cristian Zapata's fantastic finish off of a corner kick in the eighth minute proved to be the winner for Colombia as it defeated the host US squad, 2-0, in the Copa America opener. As has become custom, the match left US supporters searching their feelings, wondering how to feel after a defeat that puts the Americans in a difficult position moving forward.

On one hand, Colombia is ranked third in the world and a 2-0 defeat seems like nothing to hang heads about, but on the other hand, it was not necessarily a well-played match for the Americans despite the claims postgame that it was. Colombia's early goal off a corner kick was perfectly executed, but Geoff Cameron appeared to lose Zapata as he made a run around a pick. The goal crushed any early momentum the Americans had with the home crowd backing them and chances were few and far between in the first half.

Things got worse at the end of the half as DeAndre Yedlin was whistled for a handball in the box, which earned Colombia a penalty. James Rodriguez, who would later leave due to a shoulder injury, netted the penalty with authority, putting the US down two at the interval.

Clint Dempsey's strike from just outside the box midway through the first half was the only good look the Americans would have in the first 45 minutes, and it sailed just wide of the right post. With the exception of Dempsey's shot, the US struggled to get anything off set pieces and Michael Bradley continually found himself with the ball in the middle of the park, only to turn it over with an errant pass. His turnover led to the Yedlin handball, a play that summed up his night in a nutshell.

Dempsey provided the US with one more quality chance off a set piece in the second half, but Colombia's David Ospina made a diving save to maintain his clean sheet. Darlington Nagbe and Christian Pulisic, a pair of newcomers who captured the nation's attention during friendlies leading up the Copa, both played well off the bench, but the US simply did not generate enough quality offensive chances to keep up with the Colombian side.

Bradley's poor play doomed the Americans and the lack of chances was a death sentence against a quality side like Colombia. So which is it for the US? Is it the glass-half-full outlook that besides two plays they played okay? Or is the glass-half-empty outlook that they generated only two shots on goal, while killing any optimism the fan base had about a quality showing in the opener?

These kind of debates have come to define Jurgen Klinsmann's time as manager and, quite frankly, it's getting old. For a country that wants to take the next step into international soccer relevancy, outcomes like Friday night's have to be seen as a disappointment. Surely nobody expected the US to go out and dominate against the world's third-ranked team, but only two shots on goal and poor play from the captain have to be deemed unacceptable.

Moving forward, the US will not face a team in Group A of the caliber that Colombia was, but Tuesday's match against Costa Rica in Chicago is a must-win for the Americans. The result is certainly attainable, but some adjustments will have to be made.

A win would put the Americans back in a good place in the group and might just rekindle that optimism that so many felt going into the tournament. For at least one writer, that would most certainly be true.

USA and Costa Rica kick off at 7 p.m. CT at Soldier Field in Chicago Tuesday night.

Copa, Euros Provide Packed Soccer Summer

I played soccer nearly my entire life. When I was five I began playing youth soccer and I continued playing until I was a sophomore in high school. I played every position throughout the years, but settled in at left back during my high school playing days. I enjoyed the game back then, but only enjoyed playing it. I couldn't seem to gain any interest in watching the sport or following any of the leagues or teams across the world. I was the definition of a bandwagon fan: I would root hard for the U.S. National Teams when they played in the World Cup, but that was it.

Times certainly have changed now. In December 2013 I traveled to London and was able to attend an Arsenal-Tottenham FA Cup match at Emirates Stadium. Seeing the North London Derby in person was an absolute thrill and I was treated to perhaps the best sporting event I'll ever attend. The passion of the fans was amazing and the level of play was elite. It's hard to describe how incredible the atmosphere is, but it's something that every sports fan should attempt to witness.

Since then, I've fallen in love with the game. I simply can't get enough of it. I have taken a liking to Arsenal and the Premier League, but I'll watch any soccer that's on television. Others may find it boring for the lack of scoring, but I find it exciting as sides try and crack each other's defense. The talent that each player possesses is incredible (40-yard passes on the money that a teammate brings down right on to their foot) and they make the game seem so effortless when in reality it is very difficult.  I'm now that guy who wakes up at 6:30 a.m. on a Saturday to watch games and yesterday I found myself watching a friendly between Belgium and Finland in the middle of the afternoon when I could have been doing anything else in the world.

Now, as a fan of the game, this summer promises to be one of the biggest soccer summers ever. Tomorrow night the Copa America kicks off for the first time on U.S. soil and next week the Euro championships begin in France. For the first time ever, Lionel Messi will be coming to America to play in competitive matches and fans can watch 83 matches live between Copa and the Euros.

This is a huge summer for soccer in the U.S. It's the first Copa to be held outside of South America and matches will be played in 10 different cities across the country. The Americans were placed in a difficult group that includes Colombia, Costa Rica and Paraguay and if they advance through the group they will most likely meet Brazil. Certainly, if the game is going to continue to grow in this country than this is the summer for it to happen.

Whether you're a fan or not, take time to watch some games this summer. The world's greatest players will be on display and hosting the Copa America here in the United States is a huge step for this country when it comes to soccer. If you live in one of the host cities then make an effort to attend a game. There's something special about seeing the passion and enthusiasm that surrounds soccer. It is unrivaled by anything we have here in the States.

The Copa America will be held from June 3-26 and will air on FS1, Univision and Univision Deportes, while also being available on Fox Sports Go and Fox Soccer 2 Go. The Euro championships will be held in France from June 10 to July 10. That tournament will air on ESPN and ESPN2.

The Greatest Stretch in Sports

A sadness crept over me Tuesday morning as I realized college basketball was out of my life until November. The game had been so good to we the fans, producing unscripted drama throughout the NCAA Tournament that culminated with Kris Jenkins' title-winning 3-pointer to defeat North Carolina Monday night. For three weeks it was hoops heaven, but suddenly it was gone for seven months.

Fear not though, baseball and the Masters have come to the rescue. MLB Opening Day was conveniently placed in between the NCAA Final Four and National Championship, while the Masters began Thursday. The sadness of college basketball being over quickly faded as baseball and golf started up. In addition, the NBA and NHL playoffs are looming and that begs the question: is this the greatest time of year for a sports fan?

Within a month there is the NCAA Tournament, beginning of the NBA and NHL playoffs, The Masters and MLB Opening Day. Depending on your taste in sports, MLS also starts up and the European soccer leagues are coming down to the wire. The NFL Draft will take place April 30 and for those college football fans, spring football has begun.

Whether it's the best time of the year or not, there's no denying that your remote gets a workout around this time of the year.

Here are some other potential candidates for best time of the year...

October - November
The weather becomes a little unfriendly, but the games are wonderful in the fall. NFL and NCAA football are in full swing, which occupies America for the entire weekend. The MLB playoffs take us through October and the World Series caps the postseason in the beginning of November. In addition, the NHL, NBA and NCAA basketball seasons all get underway sometime during the two month stretch. For soccer fans, MLS season is winding down and European soccer leagues are just starting up.

May - August
The summer months are kind to sports fans as several sports give us championships. The NBA and NHL playoffs are played during May and June, while the MLB season is in full swing and the weather is perfect for attending a game. Golf gives us three majors within a six-week stretch and tennis also has three majors in the span. The Triple Crown horse races are run at the beginning of the summer and, depending on the year, the Olympics or the World Cup are played.

December - February
December and February sometimes get lost in the shuffle, but there's plenty to watch in the thick of winter. NCAA football bowl season takes us through Christmas time before the NFL playoffs take over, which leads to the Super Bowl in early February. NCAA basketball conference play gives us enticing matchups every week and the NBA season is in full swing. NHL and European soccer are also in the middle of the season and the Winter Olympics come once every four years. The winter months also feature some of the best stand alone days in sports. Besides Super Bowl Sunday, Christmas Day is fantastic for NBA games, the Premier League takes over Boxing Day with a full slate of games and New Year's Day is must-see TV with college football bowl games and the NHL Winter Classic.

Which time of year is the best? Did we miss anything? Let us know by commenting below with your opinions and be sure to vote on our Twitter poll @WorldofWadley.

Leicester City's Improbable Run Nearly Complete

With a 1-0 win Sunday against Southampton, Leicester City moved to seven points ahead of
Tottenham at the top of the Barclays Premier League table. Wes Morgan netted the game's lone goal, his first of the season, and Leicester took another step closer to completing its fairytale. In a league that's dominated by titans of the game, Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, etc., Leicester has defied the 5000-1 odds and held the top spot for much of the season.

The story that is unfolding before us is one the Premier League has never experienced. Parity is a word solemn used when referring to the league except to say that there is none. 47 clubs have competed in the Premier League since it's inception in 1992, but only five have won the league. Manchester United's dominance is well-documented as the Red Devils have won the league 13 times. Chelsea has won four times, Arsenal three times, Manchester City twice and Blackburn once.

The league is more predictable than deciphering who the villain is in a Scooby-Doo episode. Leicester has defied the normal script though. The Foxes have a star in Jamie Vardy, who trails only Tottenham's Harry Kane in goals scored with 19, and they have a defense that has orchestrated 12 clean sheets, which is good for second in the league.

When did the world know Leicester was for real? The Foxes got off to an incredible start, losing only two games before the turn of the calendar. The losses came to classic heavyweights, Arsenal in the sixth game of the season, and Liverpool on Boxing Day at Anfield. Still, the dream seemed to be just that - a dream.

Since we welcomed in 2016, Leicester has gone 9-1-3 with the lone loss at Arsenal.  For anybody still doubting, Leicester reeled off wins over Tottenham, Stoke, Manchester City and Liverpool by a combined score of 9-1 from January 13 - February 6. The Foxes' favorable schedule since the Arsenal loss has led to five wins and a draw, and the 1-0 win Sunday over Southampton was yet another victory over a team fighting for a Champions League spot.

Six matches remain for Leicester, including dates at Old Trafford and Stamford Bridge, but there's no debate anymore: the Foxes are for real and this fairytale is in its final chapter. Barring a collapse of epic proportions, Leicester will win the league. It's an improbable story because of this: Leicester, before a promotion to the Premiership last season, hadn't even played in the BPL since 2004. The Foxes finished 14th last season and were at 5000-1 odds to win the title this year.

But the dream season is almost complete. Leicester is prepared to rewrite the narrative of the Premier League, quelling any leftover doubters in the final six weeks of the season. In a league dominated by clubs like Manchester United and Arsenal, LCFC will be crowned champion.

Who would have ever thought?

Ann Coulter: Out of Line and Ignorant

The World Cup is now in full swing as the knockout round begins today with Brazil taking on Chile. It has been the most entertaining collection of soccer that I have been alive to watch and, quite frankly, this is the most exciting month in sports aside from the Olympic games. The significance of the World Cup is due largely in part to the fact that it happens once every four years which allows the anticipation and excitement to build over an extended period of time. However the most obvious reason for all of the hype surrounding the World Cup is that soccer is the world's sport. It always has been and it always will be. Yet here we sit, with the round of 16 just minutes away from beginning, and one American journalist doesn't have the slightest idea just how special this tournament is.

Ann Coulter wrote a scathing article about the sport of soccer, saying that the increased interest for the game is a sign of "moral decay". Coulter went on to give multiple reasons about why she believed soccer is over-hyped and, essentially, not worth even noticing. While everyone is entitled to their own opinion, that doesn't mean that said opinion deserves respect. So to counter the blasphemy that Coulter felt the need to publish to the world that is surely laughing at her, here's a look at why this particular journalist is nothing short of uneducated.

Coulter says: "Individual achievement is not a big factor in soccer. In a real sport, players fumble passes, throw bricks, and drop fly balls - all in front of a crowd..."

Being in shape to battle for 90 minutes is underappreciated

Two things: Her first problem is that she turned everyone off to whatever else she was going to say when she failed to recognize soccer as a "real sport". Ann Coulter, please go get in shape to run/sprint for 90 minutes while having the footwork to have the perfect touch on a ball, to be able to make a 40 yard pass straight to your teammate's chest, and to be able to bend in a free kick from 30 yards out. The finer necessities of the game of soccer go unappreciated because the average ignorant American (in this case it's Ann Coulter) doesn't take the time to actually study the game. They see the flopping and the constant complaining from the players and immediately write off soccer as something that's not to be taken seriously. I pity those people.

The second issue of this statement is that she believes there is no individual achievement or failure? I didn't even feel frustration at this comment because the humor of this display of ignorance trumped anger. No individual achievement? Ann Coulter, have you never watched a player take a penalty kick? Have you never watched a player redirect a header into the net off a corner kick? Have you never watched a keeper make a save in a one-on-one situation? While it takes 11 players to give the team a chance to score, individual success is what drives the sport! In her article, Coulter says that when a baseball player makes an error they have to stand there as the whole stadium recognizes their mistake. Well I can honestly say I would rather have 30,000 people in one stadium voice their displeasure with me for dropping a fly ball than to miss a crucial penalty kick in the World Cup and have my entire country cursing my name. No individual achievement or failure? Oh, Ann Coulter, you make me laugh.

Coulter says: "No other "sport" ends in as many scoreless ties as soccer."

You say that like it's a bad thing? Sorry that every soccer game isn't scoring in the 30's and 40's like football, or the 90's and 100's like basketball. Sorry that scoreless ties in soccer means that for 90 MINUTES the two teams were evenly matched and both teams refused to let up. Sorry that, in a game where one bad touch by a midfielder, or one missed marking assignment by a defender could result in a goal, both teams stood their ground and played beautiful soccer for the duration of the match. Are goals exciting? Absolutely, any type of scoring is. But how can you complain when scoring in soccer is as intense, if not a little more, than scoring in hockey is? Goals can be hard to come by, and that's the beauty of the sport. In some games it takes one goal to decide the game and a 1-0 final is MUCH more common than a 7-0 final in football. My point is that letting up a touchdown in football is not as hard of a mistake to overcome as letting up a goal in soccer is.

Coulter says: "Baseball and basketball present a constant threat of personal disgrace. In hockey, there are three or four fights a game -- and it's not a stroll on beach to be on ice with a puck flying around at 100 miles per hour. After a football game, ambulances carry off the wounded. After a soccer game, every player gets a ribbon and a juice box."


I'm not quite sure what the fighting in hockey has to do with soccer? Hockey is the only sport where fighting is tolerated to a certain degree. If you fight in any other sport you're looking at an ejection, suspension, and possibly a fine as well. So, nice try Ann Coulter, the hockey argument is relevant only to hockey. As for soccer not presenting a constant threat of personal disgrace? I'm a collegiate keeper and in past games I've been scored on by my own teammates. I've watched other keepers whiff while attempting to clear a ball only to have the ball roll into the back of the net. I've seen forwards put moves on a defender that send them to the ground in more embarrassing fashion than a basketball defender having his ankles broke by a crossover. I've seen players trip and fall over their own feet when it's a one-on-one situation with the keeper. No threat of personal disgrace? That comment is yet another testament to your unwillingness to do your research and watch a game. And to think you're supposed to be a journalist with credibility?

Also, to glorify a sport for needing ambulances to carry players off a field during a game? That's an issue in itself. If you're going to determine if something is a sport based off the type of/severity of the injuries the game inflicts then I'm genuinely concerned for your mental well-being. You say that watching soccer is a sign of moral decay yet you believe soccer is not a sport because you believe it doesn't need ambulances to be on-call? Oh, the irony.

Coulter says: "The USA-Portugal game was the blockbuster match, garnering 18.2 million viewers on ESPN. This beat the second-most watched soccer game ever: The 1999 Women's World Cup final (USA vs. China) on ABC. (In soccer, the women's games are as thrilling as the men's)."

USA vs. Portugal was as exciting as any game in this year's Cup

I need some help understanding this. So, Ann Coulter, what you're saying is that it's a BAD thing that the women's games are as entertaining as the men's? You're essentially saying that sports are better when the men receive more attention and are viewed as superior to the women? Men's sports receive more attention in every sport yet when there is finally equality between the two genders and their World Cup TV ratings, you get upset? After all these movements for gender equality over the past few centuries you scoff at the fact that people actually pay attention to both the men's and women's US national teams? You're setting your entire gender back a step with comments like that. 

Coulter says: "Run-of-the-mill, regular-season Sunday Night Football games average more than 20 million viewers; NFL playoff games get 30 to 40 million viewers; and this year's Super Bowl had 111.5 million viewers."

That's a quality stat. It's good to know that the most popular sport in America is getting the most TV ratings because, quite frankly, I never would have guessed. Football is an American sport, it's obviously going to attract the average American more than a sport that originated in a different country. Hockey originated in Canada, is the growing interest in that sport a sign of moral decay? Actually, I want to retract that question. It's not a sign of moral decay because, as you said in your article, there are fights in that sport, so that definitely puts it higher up on the totem pole than soccer.

Here's an idea, Ann Coulter. Go to London or Manchester and ask people how they feel about American football. I guarantee you get laughed at. Both my brother and I have been to Europe and the Europeans laughed at us for supporting a sport like American football. The point is that different countries have different native sports. For Europe and most of the world it will always be soccer. For America, football looks like it's here to stay as our nation's most hyped sport. Just because a sport is not popular somewhere else in the world doesn't mean it's not a sport.

Ann Coulter, your article was very nicely structured. It provided a beginning, a middle, and (praise the heavenly God above) an end. You were also able to bring out multiple emotions such as frustration, anger, humor, and pity. Never in my life have I read something so unintelligent and unwarranted. The ignorance of that entire article is something to behold. You're entitled to your opinion but, quite frankly, I'll never respect anything you said. Ignorance is bliss. And nobody does ignorance better than you, Ann Coulter.