NFL/NBA/MLB Teams/Games I should watch

[Vanhalen 0]

Basically, I finally subscribed to the sports channel NASN(North American Sports Network) in the UK and while I'm waiting for it to be activated can you guys help heres what they show

 

http://www.nasn.com/content/nasn/cms.nsf/s...n&dateadjust=0&

 

What are good teams, games to watch, what is the CFL like? Is college football/basketball any good, or is it like the lower leagues of football, alright, but not as good as the top league?

[treble 0]

The CFL's fun. The players and coaches aren't really on the same level as the NFL, neither are the television production values, but it's usually a good game.

[geniusMoment 0]

Best teams to watch are: Cubs, Red Sox, Yankees, Cardinals. In baseball those teams have some of the best fans and tradition, as well as good players today. Plus Fenway, Wrigley and Yankee stadium are must see fields for any true sports fan.

[HarleyQuinn 0]

college football can be pretty exciting, especially with their overtime format(Best teams are LSU, Oklahoma and USC) while college basketball can be fun as well(Teams like University of North Carolina(UNC) and Duke are the stand outs usually).

[razazteca 0]

As for the NFL forget the Dallas Cowboys jump on the Houston Texans bandwagon before its too late.

[Guest Vitamin X]

You'll figure out a team to like in those sports soon enough. I really dislike baseball, so I can't comment much on that, but you'll probably like the New England Patriots since they're a likable team and have been kicking ass for a while. My favorite team in the NBA is the Lakers, though pretty much everyone hates them mostly because of Kobe Bryant and because they're kind of like the Yankees of basketball.

[Guest Crazy Dan]

Ok, let me give a rundown on the sports to watch, or events to watch. Starting with college.

 

College Football

 

Go by Confrences and the game within them. The top powerhouse confrences include:

 

ACC

SEC

Big Ten

Pac Ten

Big 12

 

Look for games in these confrences to watch the best college football. I think most experts would agree that the ACC is the toughest confrence. The SEC also provides many good games to watch as well. And I live on the West Coast, so I dig the Pac 10, especially if you hate defense. The Big 12 is also a very solid confrence as well. The Big 10 is also solid, but I would rank it #5 in overall strength. The fun part of College football are the crowds, which are bigger than the Pro.s, and therefore it is louder and in some cases, the whole crowd will be decked in the school's colors. For games to look for. The rivalary week is usually provides good games. Look for Ohio St. vs Michigan, Cal vs Stanford, USC vs UCLA, and Army vs. Navy are just a few worth catching. Also, look for ranked teams playing each other, especially if you have two top 10 ranked teams playing each other, as those games can be fun to watch. And also check out the Bowl games, especially the New Years games and the National Title Game.

 

The rules which are different in college:

There is no two minute warning, but when there is a first down, the clock will stop to move the chains. This can provide a thrilling comeback or win, as teams will hussle to the line. The OT system is also different, as both teams get a possesion, instead of kicking it off, like in the Pros. The team will start on the 25 yd line and they go from there. This system has provided many thrilling games in the past. And the other major rule change, a wide receiver only needs to get one foot in, rather than the two that the Pro.'s require. The teams that play for the national title are determined by a series of things (ranking, strength of schedule) that make up the BCS. This is not perfect and needs tweaking constantly, as sometimes the best team does not get to play in the championship game. This is the only sport that does not rely on a playoffs. Also, a player will play at least 3 years of college, due to the NFL rule that requires you to be at least 3 years removed from H.S., so many teams stay together longer as a result.

 

Men's College Basketball.

 

The major confrences are the same as mentioned above, but there are many tough teams that play in a Smaller Confrence, which is called a Mid Major. There are 2 halves of 20 minutes and there are only 5 fouls. Check out ranked oppanents playing or playing against other ranked oppanents.

 

However, the Men's 64 Tournament, which begins in March and goes for three weekends, is my favorite post season tournament. You get upsets galore and it is where you feel that a lower ranked team actually has a chance to win it all. The first weekend has the best games, IMO, as you see teams that get too high a ranking get matched up with a lower ranked, but obviously a stronger team. So it is fun to watch these games in the early rounds. If you watch any college basketball, this is the Tourney to watch, which is also known as March Madness. Also, you can join a NCAA pick-em bracket, and try to pick the winners of each round and the eventual champion. This is a good way to get into this particular sport. And in some cases, you get to see future great players grow in front of your eyes, like Carmelo Anthony. I just like how a team can not take a day off, or they go home. Teams have to play 6 great games in order to win.

 

Onto the Pros.

 

NFL

This has become the National Pastime in the USA. The teams to keep an eye on include: The Patriots, Eagles, Vikings, Colts, and many others. Due to the salary cap and revunue sharing, there is much parity in the league and any team can win it all with proper management and player signings. Some don't like that the same two teams play each other, year in and year out, but I like that you can see different match ups in the Super Bowl. The league plays 16 games, so each game is important. There are two Conferences: AFC and NFC, and each has four divisions of four teams. The division winners and two wild card teams (the two teams with the best record, who did not win the division) make up the playoffs. The OT period consists of 15 minutes, sudden death. Usually the team that wins the coin toss, more times than not, ends up winning the game. There is two minute warning in the second and fourth quarter. A wide receiver needs to get both feet in bounds to count as a catch. Fumbles can not be caused by the ground. There is instant replay, but in a game, a coach can challenge up to three plays, in the case where the referee has blown the call. However, the coach needs to have a timeout to cover the challenge. If the play is overturned, the team that challenged is not charged a time out, but if the play stands the team is charged a timeout. A team can not challenge a penalty or anything that happens once the whistle is blown. But you can challenge field position, whether a catch was in bounds, or a fumble for example.

 

You probably have heard of the Super Bowl. This is definate must watch, even if the game does not live up to the hype. This is like the USA unofficial National Holiday. You get to watch at least the great commercials and sometimes a boob that is the result of a wardrobe malfunction. But, every now and then, you get a great game, like last years Super Bowl Game. However, the best games usually happen in the playoffs.

 

Monday Night Football is usually the best match up for the week, and it is football on a weekday. But this game is made prior to the season, so sometimes you get a stinker, like last nights game. And Sunday night on ESPN is also provides a solid matchup as well. So those are the games to check out. Usually, you pick your team based on your location, I live in the Bay Area and so the Niners are my team, but this is not always the case. If you want to get into football, look for games that have teams with a good record playing each other. It is a cool sport to watch, but it might take some time to get used to all the rules and how the play goes.

 

Another way to get into the NFL is playing fantasy football. This is a good way to get familiar with the players and who is playing who. Many people play, either for money or for fun. Yahoo has free public leagues, or if you can get a group together, you can form your own league. I know that by playing fantasy football, I keep intrest, even when the Niners are off to a bad start.

 

MLB

 

The original national pasttime. I can understand how this is considered boring by many, but there is much to like about baseball. Watching pitchers throw the ball with blazing speed, nothing is more fun than watching a 98 mile per hour pitch blow by a batter. Also, the homerun is a spectacular thing, which many like to see. And despite some fat players, it is still impressive how good the hand-eye coordination of these players. The playoffs, which consists of two League rounds and the World Series. Round one is the Divisional Series, which is Best of 5. The League Championship, is Best of 7 and that is the same for the World Series. In 1995 the league added the Wild Card, which allowed for the team with the best record, that didn't win the division, to still get a shot to win it all. And there have been three Wild Card Champions, with the last two champions being the Wild Card team. So any team has a chance to win it all. But usually, it is the Yankees who win, or are right there competing for it all.

 

However, some of the best pro rivalries are in MLB:

Dodgers vs Giants

Red Sox vs Yankees - This is the best rivalry, as these two cities hate each other. The players might change, but the hatred remains. And the crowds are so loud.

 

The best time to watch baseball are the playoffs, which is going on right now. In fact, watch the Red Sox/Yankees match up, as it is looking like a good one. Quick history lesson, you might hear mention of the Curse of the Bambino. Way back in 1918-1919, the Red Sox had Babe Ruth (who is one of the All-Time Greats). Well the owner traded him to the Yankees for money to finance a play he wanted to get on Broadway. Well, the Yankees get Babe Ruth, who revolutionizes the game by slugging homeruns and the Yankees go on to win many World Championships and the Red Sox have not won any since 1918. And it seems that the Yankees get the upperhand over the Red Sox, either by winning the East, or eliminating them from the playoffs with last year being the latest example, as the Yankees came back in Game 7 and won on a game ending homerun. Some believe the Sox are cursed, becuase they get so close, yet can not win it all and it all started whent they traded Babe Ruth away for nothing.

 

MLB has the history that can not be matched by any other American Sport. This league also is the World's game, as many players come from Latin America and the tropical Islands (Domincan Republic and Puero Rico area), Canada, Japan, Korea, and Australia. Also, the player's union is the strongest and there is no salary cap, so the teams with the money end up getting the best talent, like the Yankees and Red Sox. But, as proved last year, that is not always a guarantee of victory.

 

NBA (The final sport I will talk about)

 

This used to be a great league, especially in the 80's. But over the 90's and 2000 years the level of play has gone down. It is not due to the athletic talent, as the best athletes are basketball players, IMO. It is due to the fact that many players don't go to college anymore, and hence their skills and fundamentals are not fully developed, like shooting the ball or passing or running the break. And I have noticed that the team concept is not as evident as it once was. Once again, this is due to league expansion and free agency.

 

Teams that are worth watching:

Detroit Pistons - which is the defending Champ and is made up of players who get the team concept.

San Antonio Spurs

Sacramento Kings

Los Angelas Lakers

Dallas Mavricks

 

These are just a few of the teams that are good. I do feel that if you must choose a playoffs to watch, the NCAA's Men's Tourney is better. Mainly becuase it takes about month and a half to complete the playoffs. There are three rounds and the Championship series is Best of Seven. There are not many upsets, but you will get to see at least the best team play, normally. But if you like a Cinderella story, you will be disappointed. Every now and then, an underdog like the Pistons beats the heavy favorite (LA Lakers), but most of the time the Championship game is not very good. As usually one team is way better than its oppanant, or the games don't go 7 games. But, the first three rounds can have some great games. Usually the Conference Championship Series is better than the NBA Championship Series.

 

There is the Western and Eastern Confrence. There are two divisions in each, but since I think there are enough teams now, the NBA will be expanding to three divisions per Conference.

 

Reasons why I like the NBA:

-The athleticism of the players.

-LaBron James and Carmelo Anthony who appear to be the next big thing in the NBA. I especially like James, as he is mature beyond his age, plays basketball the way it should be, and has a great attitude. Melo I like for his smoothness and I believe that once he grows up a little, he will be a top player.

-Kobe vs Shaq- as two teammates have made it known they trully hate each other. And this should provide us much entertainment as you watch Shaq go nuts. By the way, Shaq looks to be in phenomal shape and 30 lbs lighter. Which means I see him destroying oppanents.

-The teams like Sacramento- who like to pass the ball and get teammates involved.

-The defense of the Pistons and the fact this was the best team who beat the best players.

- The influx of the World Players, which should be a wakeup call to the USA players, that just becuase you have athletic talent, does not make you a sure NBA superstar. Also, the best players should play the best.

-Ben Wallace's 'Fro - The best hairstyle in the NBA.

-Whenever the Lakers are in the playoffs, I love rooting against them. So you have a viable villian, except in So. Cal of course.

- Players such as Jason Kidd, Kevin Garnett, Tim Duncan, Shaq, Kobe, and many others.

-Whenever a player hustles his way onto the team and the guys who leave everything on the floor.

 

I don't like:

-Too many three points being shot, not enough three point shooters.

-Missing freethrows, which shows the player does not work on the fundamentals.

-The "Me-First" attitude, as players who ball hog and take bad looking shots, when if they had looked up, they would see an open teammate.

-Guys who half-ass it

-Bad defense.

-The Lottery System - Normally you would think that the worse team should get the best player. Well the NBA does not think so and we get to watch a team that barely misses the playoffs, get a chance to land the number one draft position. The team that has the worse record should get first dibs.

 

So I know this is very long, but it should give you some ideas of what the most popular team sports are. Whatever sports you take an intrest in, at least watch the playoffs. Give your self some time to let the sport grow on you, because at first glimpse, you might not like the sport. But given some time, you probably will enjoy the sport more. I don't know enough about NHL to comment and this league might not play the up comming season. Also, there might be the extreme sports that you like, or you might like golf, or NASCAR. So explore your options. If you like Rugby, then you might like football. So examine the sports you like and find the equivalant of them. I also recommend ESPN.com to go to first, as this site will cover most sports. I hope this helps and that you didn't stop reading due to length, but I do love sports and these are the ones I like the best.

[Guest Vitamin X]

There is instant replay, but in a game, a coach can challenge up to three plays, in the case where the referee has blown the call. However, the coach needs to have a timeout to cover the challenge. If the play is overturned, the team that challenged is not charged a time out, but if the play stands the team is charged a timeout. A team can not challenge a penalty or anything that happens once the whistle is blown. But you can challenge field position, whether a catch was in bounds, or a fumble for example.

 

A bit of clarification: A coach can only challenge twice in a game, and is awarded a third challenge if the call is overturned on the first two. Often times, it's better to challenge in the first half since the 3 timeouts reset at the half so even if you use up all your challenges in the first half (not particularly wise though) you'll still have 3 timeouts to use for the 4th quarter.

[Guest Crazy Dan]

Thank you... I thought it was three. Also, in the last two minutes of the second and fourth quarters, only the replay booth can challenge a play they deem reviewable. And this is also the case in OT.

[iggymcfly 0]

That all might still be a little much for you to absorb though. I'd say, first make sure to watch a lot of this Red Sox/Yankees series, as those are basically the two biggest rivals in pro sports fighting to get to the World Series.

 

Also, don't think of college football and basketball as inferior to the NFL and NBA. The talent level is very close, and college sports are usually much more entertaining than their pro counterparts.

 

In football, the play clock's twice as short, which basically means there's a lot less time where they're just sitting around. Also, they have less commercial interruptions as the NFL packs in as many as it possibly can.

 

As far as basketball goes, during the regular season, the quality of play is often a little better in college than the NBA. There's much better ball movement and hustle and there's generally more to watch than the dribble-dribble-shoot game of the NBA. Then when the tournament starts, everything's so fast and exciting that it also blows the NBA playoffs away.

[snuffbox 0]

You should definitly be watching the Red Sox-Yankees series that starts tonight.

[Vanhalen 0]

Cheers for all your help guys, great fucking answers

[Guest Agent of Oblivion]

Also, don't think of college football and basketball as inferior to the NFL and NBA. The talent level is very close, and college sports are usually much more entertaining than their pro counterparts

 

No way. Only certain college players even make the pro leagues. The games can be more entertaining, but the skill level of NFL athletes is lightyears ahead of Division I-A college football.

[Guest Vitamin X]

NCAA football is nothing more than a farm league, the minors if you will for the NFL. The heads of both organizations have even admitted as much during the whole Maurice Clarett/Mike Williams brew-ha-ha.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

My problem with college football is that the talent is so spread out. Most weeks the matchups are flat out mismatches. The only reason there are great college games is that because there are so many of them, there are bound to be gems around somewhere.