Tag Archives: ESPN

Chris Bosh Breaks Down And Reveals True Cause Of Abdominal Strain

Posted by Peter Teixeira on

Originally, Chris Bosh claimed that he suffered an abdominal strain while attempting to pull down a rebound during game one of the second round playoff match-up against the Indiana Pacers, but after some rigorous questioning, the all-star power forward broke down and revealed the truth about his injury.

In a shocking twist, Bosh admitted that he suffered the strain at his Miami area home. Apparently, Bosh was doing Pilates with his wife and she challenged him to a “Pilates posture-off!”

Bosh explained the rules in a recent radio interview. “Well, it’s pretty simple. Me and the misses get into different positions and the person who breaks first, loses. Each new position increases in difficulty and is worth one more point than the previous exercise.”

Mrs. Bosh was winning by a point after the couple completed exercise number eight, known as the mermaid. (I am not familiar with the pose but I assume there is some salt water involved!) Like any red-blooded athlete, the NBA star knew he had to push it to the limit in order to secure a victory.

The final exercise was the most challenging; the barrel stretch. (Pictured below!)

Here is Bosh’s explanation of the injury:

“I knew I had to dig down deep in order to win. My wife was in the lead and she was talking a little smack. Normally I wouldn’t mind but the, I love Skip Bayless, t-shirt she had on pissed me off. There was no way I could back down! We got into the position which was worth ten points and after an hour and a half, I began to feel some discomfort. This happens almost every night which is usually when I decide to stop posing, but I didn’t want to quit. I pushed myself and held the pose for another two hours. It was tough but I knew what was on the line. I think it was four hours into the final challenge that I felt the strain; I let out a loud whimper and that’s when my wife lost concentration; releasing her position. I know we are in the middle of the NBA playoffs but there are times in a person’s life when sacrifices have to be made for the greater good. The win was definitely worth it; I will forever be known as a champion!” (Yes Chris, I agree that you will forever be known as a Pilates champion!)

     Well folks, that’s quite a tale! ESPN sports anchor, Steve Levy, mistakenly reported that Bosh’s abdominal strain was the result of a bulging dick! (Watch the clip if you didn’t watch SportsCenter in the ‘90s! ESPN Blooper.)

In a way, Chris Bosh is a hero because he played a significant amount of minutes with a strain in his abdomen. Who would have figured!

The purpose of this post was to pay homage to Onion News Network! I hope I did them justice!

@PeteTeix617

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Seau

Posted by Peter Teixeira on

Originally, I planned on waiting a week before writing this post because I wanted people to read without allowing emotions to cloud their judgment. Upon second thought, I realize that emotional people will always be emotional, so there is no point in waiting. I also don’t mind being called emotionally dead! (For more of my thoughts on suicide, read yesterday’s post: Sui Caedere.)

First of all, let’s get one thing straight; Seau was a San Diego Charger; period. All of you Patsy fans can stop with the nonsense about him being a former member of your crappy team! (He played in only New England in the twilight of his career!)

     I’ve decided that people who commit suicide do not get to be honored. If you take the coward’s way out, we don’t have to respect them.

I’m aware of all the excuses that people are throwing out in order to explain why it was ok for Seau to take his own life, but it’s all a bunch of nonsense. We have to stop making excuses for the weak. Being too proud to seek out help is not a sign of manliness; it’s a clear sign of weakness. Pride is ridiculous and will lead to the downfall of the idiot. I believe judge Milian of the people’s court refers to such “caveman” behavior as “Quien es mas macho!” (If you don’t know what that means, Google it!) Hiding your pain and putting on a brave face has no Redeeming quality.

Honestly, can anyone think of a more selfish act? I was happy to hear a few of the radio personalities on ESPN talk about Seau’s decision in a negative light. I hate when people die and they are made out to be a hero. If Seau was murdered, then this would have been a great American tragedy, but people who take their own lives are never to be celebrated. They are the poster children for how not to solve problems.

I just can’t bring myself to feel sorry for someone who lived a pampered life. Seau was a star at USC, and a star in the NFL; he made millions of dollars and was loved by millions of fans. I get it; he never won a Super Bowl, but you don’t see Dan Marino playing Russian Roulette with a shotgun. If Seau didn’t feel he deserved to live, I say good riddance! (I know money doesn’t solve problems, but there are plenty of poor people going through a lot worse and they continue struggling for survival on a daily basis!)

Seau was said to be a great ambassador for the NFL, but his legacy is tainted; he set a poor example by committing suicide and it is the responsibility of all parents to teach their children that it is wrong to run from their problems. All of the stories about his great character and leadership abilities mean nothing because his final message to the world is “quitting is ok!”

This former superstars’ children did not ask to be born. He had a responsibility to be here for them. Yes, he may have left behind a vast wealth, but who will walk his daughter down the aisle and who will his children turn to in times of hardship. How will his offspring find the strength to face adversity when the one person who was supposed to set an example failed them?

People say that it’s wrong to talk negatively about the dead. “Let Seau rest in peace.” They say. They couldn’t be more wrong. That is a terrible approach; we cannot allow suicide to become the an accepted act. We have a duty to set an example for the future generations. It is important to call out the cowards in order to send a clear message to anyone who is going through a period of suffering. SUICIDE IS NEVER THE ANSWER!

There are those who say, “the use of the word coward is too harsh.” What would these people have me call such a man? I can’t think of a more appropriate word!

To make matters worse, this is actually the second occasion in which Seau attempted to take his own life. He drove his car off a cliff in 2010 after a fight with his girlfriend, but survived the “accident.” I guess the old adage is right; second time was the charm. When someone attempts suicide and they survive, it’s easy for the individual to lie and say that it was an accident. Twice? That seems like someone who really doesn’t want to live. Seau had two years between suicide attempts. That is more than enough time to seek out help; there are no excuses for his lack of determination. (“Fool me once…you fooled me; can’t get fooled again!” misquoted by George W. Bush!)

When you are going through tough times, stay the course and you’ll persevere; don’t pull a Seau!

No mother should ever have to go through this!

@PeteTeix617

The Truth Is Revealed

Posted by Peter Teixeira on

Yesterday, I watched the ESPN 30 for 30 documentary called the Announcement. The film was about the 1991 announcement by Irving “Magic” Johnson about his positive HIV diagnosis.

It’s funny how people can take information and completely change it to create a something false. I was always under the impression that Magic Johnson was free from HIV. There were stories about a secret cure that he paid millions of dollars to attain. There were stories of a special blood transfusion which replaced his old blood with new blood. The conspiracy theorists were going crazy with their tales.

Yesterday, the truth came out. Magic Johnson is like any other person who contracts the disease. Magic still has HIV and he must take his medicine like any other individual. He began with the well-known AIDS cocktail and is now taking the replacement pill. Magic will continue to live with HIV for the rest of his life; he is not cured. (There is no cure!)

The most interesting bit of information, for me, is the fact that Magic believes that he has been a gift and a curse for HIV. On the one hand, he helped to raise awareness about HIV, which helped to teach people the importance of safe sex. The downside was the fact that people believed Magic was cured. The public watched as Magic regained his health and they believed that HIV was no longer a deadly disease.

People should continue to practice safe sex. Living with HIV comes with many complications and the medicine is expensive. Magic was lucky enough to react well to the medication and he has the money to keep up with the daily intake, but many people are not as lucky. BE SMART and avoid contracting HIV.

     To read about my views on this disease, read AIDS is Not For Everyone.

     I hope we don’t get to the point where HIV/AIDS becomes as common and accepted as teenage pregnancy!

@PeteTeix617

Perfect Timing

Posted by Peter Teixeira on

Our move to Los Angeles has been a major adjustment as far as sports is concerned. The first place we lived at had a 50 inch television, but the other residents had absolutely no desire to watch ESPN. With no other way to get our daily fix, we turned to the internet.

In order to find the perfect website, we turned to the best source for such information; a college student. My cousin provided us with a great site called, firstrow.tv. The web page was exactly what we needed; all of the major sporting events were free, including ESPN.

Firstrow.tv helped us make it through our stay in Van Nuys. Our move to North Hollywood provided another challenge; we couldn’t get cable service for a week. Being the veterans that we were, firstrow.tv was the way to go.

Our service was scheduled to be installed on the following Thursday, but there was a major problem; On Monday, we learned that the government decided to crack down on sites which provided free television feeds. (It was a race against time!)

Luckily, the site remained working up until our installation. Amazingly, we discovered that the government shut down the site later in the afternoon; we couldn’t have scheduled the cable installation on a better day!

Homeland Securities Investigations seized the site. If you don’t believe me, click the link and see for yourself! (FIRSTROW.TV)

     Sometimes, things just work out perfectly! The move to California has been a natural fit for us. If you are considering such a life changing relocation, don’t hesitate to throw caution to the wind and get in contact with the newest West Side Boys!

P.S. We’re supposed to have every channel but we don’t have BIO. I think Time Warner cable is about to receive a scathing letter from a dissatisfied customer!

@PeteTeix617

Third Day: LA

Posted by Peter Teixeira on

This day started off on the right foot. We had the best breakfast ever. It wasn’t good because of the quality; it was good because we ended up having to pay $76 dollars. (Room service is definitely overpriced!)

We decided to check out one of the casinos in Los Angeles. The place ended up being decent, but I’m pretty sure I’ll never step foot in another LA casino in my life.

Our next stop was LA Live, home of the cities sports complexes.  We chose to eat at the Hooters across the street from the Staples Center. We figured it was only right to have a comparison to the Hollywood Hooters. I can honestly say that the Downtown LA Hooters is a definite upgrade. The setup is better than the counterpart and the women are way hotter. A bonus was watching the Miami Hurricanes get destroyed by FSU. (My cousin did not find the game to be to his liking!)

We learned that the fight would not be shown there so we walked to the ESPN Zone. They had one of the best Guinness drafts, comparable to the Guinness at Boston’s famous Mr. Dooley’s. The fight was less than I expected, but Pacquiao won, which hopefully will ensure the fight between him and Mayweather.

I honestly don’t want to make the trip back home, because I am not looking forward to the day of travel. The jetlag has taken all of my energy so I will not add any more details. Overall, the trip was a success and we gained the necessary information for our future move.

The weirdest thing about our time in LA was the fact that we weren’t able to adjust to the time change. For some reason, 8pm always felt like 2am. It will probably take us a week or so to make the necessary adjustment, once we move here for good! I was excited to move out to LA, and this trip only increased the desire. I have absolutely no reservations about switching coasts! (I guess it’s a good sign that we have used the word home to describe driving back to the hotel!)

My good friend Mr. Jetlag has decided that this is the end of the post!

WEST SIDE!!!

@PeteTeix617

Great Advice

Posted by Peter Teixeira on

Due to my recent change in work schedule I will keep this one short, simple, and funny. (I will also blame @Efidalgo12 who suggested we edit the movie script!)

Today, I found a hilarious tweet from ESPN’s Jamele Hill. She posted a newspaper column which actually made me COL! (Let’s get the chuckled out loud movement going!)

For all of the people who do not have perfect vision, I went the extra mile and retyped the text. You’re welcome! (Why people feel the need to use performance enhancers such as glasses or contacts, I have no idea!) I prefer to keep it real and use my god given visual talents!

Enjoy!

Why men shouldn’t write advice columns

     Dear John,

I hope you can help me. The other day, I set off for work, leaving my husband in the house watching TV. My car stalled, and then it broke down about a mile down the road, and I had to walk back to get my husband’s help. When I got home, I couldn’t believe my eyes. He was in our bedroom with the neighbor’s daughter!

I am 32, my husband is 34 and the neighbor’s daughter is 19. We have been married for 10 years. When I confronted him, he broke down and admitted they had been having an affair for the past six months. He won’t go to counseling, and I’m afraid I am a wreck and need advice urgently. Can you please help?

Sincerely, Sheila

Dear Sheila,

A car stalling after being driven a short distance can be caused by a variety of faults with the engine. Start by checking that there is no debris in the fuel line. If it is clear, check the vacuum pipes and hoses on the intake manifold and also check all grounding wires. If none of these approaches solves the problem, it could be that the fuel pump itself is faulty, causing low delivery pressure to the injectors.

I hope this helps,

John

-          Forwarded by Steve Sanderson,

Gilbert, S.C.

This letter is probably not real, but I found it to be quite amusing! (If this is what passes for an advice column, I would love to have that job!)

I thought about Sheila’s problem and I decided to write my own advice for her.

Dear Sheila,

I know you must feel as if your marriage is falling apart, but you have to realize that these things happen! I would say good luck but you are pretty much screwed; unless you believe in the “good lord.” In that case, your husband cheated for a reason. Keep faith in “god,” and everything will work out in the end! (The “lord” will not burden you with anything that you cannot handle!)

     Everything is so much easier for a believer!

I planned on ending the post, but it was earlier than I thought. I decided to search the net for some more content; here are three of the funnier “real” letters to advice columns.

You can check out the website for yourselves:

(http://vbulletin.thesite.org/showthread.php/48197-Funny-short-advice-column-letters.)

1. Dear Abby,

A couple of women moved in across the hall from me. One is a middle-aged gym

teacher, and the other is a social worker in her mid-twenties. These two women

go everywhere together, and I’ve never seen a man go into their apartment or

come out. Do you think they could be Lebanese?

2. Dear Abby,

I have a man I never could trust. He cheats so much I’m not even sure this baby I’m carrying is his.

3. Dear Abby,

I suspected that my husband had been fooling around, and when I confronted him with the evidence he denied everything and said it would never happen again. Should I believe him?

**I hope these were enjoyable!**

     I am no advice columnist, but I would love the opportunity to answer a question from a reader. Who is brave enough to seek out my advice? (I would not recommend accepting this challenge!)

P.S. – Only real problems, please!

@PeteTeix617

Sportsmanship

Posted by Peter Teixeira on

Most people get confused when it comes to the topic of sportsmanship. The term has nothing to do with the score. Sportsmanship is about how you treat the opponent; competitors should always shake hands after the contest and say, “good game.” You can even help an opponent get up after a play is over, during a football game. That is all that sportsmanship encompasses.

For this post, I will focus on football. I can only enjoy a really close game with a great finish, or a big embarrassing blowout; running up the score is not unsportsmanlike. The only place where running up the score should be frowned upon is in Pop Warner football. Even then, running up the score should be the option of the coach. Personally, I would run up the score every chance I got. (Don’t tell me the kids don’t want to run up the score. My nephew was extremely proud when his team blew out the opponent 46-0!)

I support running up the score because there are many players on each team who put in a lot of hard work during the week and they deserve to get in during “garbage time.” These backups also deserve to run the same plays as the starters; they want to score too! Running up the score can also be a great way to send a message to the next opponent. No one wants to play against the team that scored 70 in their previous game; the psychological effects are immeasurable. The losing team will understand that they do not belong on the field and the next opponent will have some fear. Plus, recruits want to play for a coach who will put up the big numbers. (Chicks dig touchdowns!)

NFL players are paid way too much money to cry about an opponent running up the score; man up and play some defense.  In college, running up the score is a necessity. The entire season is contingent on each teams ranking. The best way to impress voters is to have as many blow out victories as possible. (Any coach who avoids running up the score is placing his team at a disadvantage.)

Last year, former Florida Gators coach Urban Meyer allowed a walk-on senior defensive lineman to carry the ball three times while the team was on the goal line. The kid, a hard worker, was rewarded on senior day, and Meyer didn’t care about running up the score. (It doesn’t get classier than that.)

Meyer also had a great way of answering any disrespectful behavior. During a rivalry game against Georgia, the Gators were embarrassed. After scoring the first touchdown of the game, the entire Georgia bench ran into the end zone and celebrated. The following year, the Gators were up big against Georgia and instead of allowing the clock to run out, Meyer called timeouts to prolong the game.

Also, it is important to remember that the games are sixty minutes long. Players should give it their best until the final whistle blows. If you don’t want the other team to run up the score, play better defense. There are too many instances in which one team amounts a big lead, then they decide to shut it down and are forced to work hard to avoid an epic comeback. (RUN IT UP!)

My favorite coach of all time is Steve Spurrier. While he was at Florida, he constantly ran up the score. He is known as “the old ball coach.” I believe the moniker was given to him because his teams scored more than basketball squads. Not only did Spurrier constantly run up the score, but he did a little trash talking at the press conferences. Here are a couple of his best lines:

“You can’t spell Citrus without U-T.” UT stands for Tennessee, one of Florida’s rivals. The second place team in the SEC East usually went to the Citrus bowl.

“But the real tragedy was that 15 hadn’t been colored yet.” There was a fire at Auburn’s football dorm which destroyed 20 books.

Spurrier was notorious for running up the score. Whenever the Gators failed to score at least 60 points, I felt as if we didn’t play well. (Yes, I said we. I am “one of those fans”!) The best Steve Spurrier story came in the Sugar bowl against FSU for the national title in 1996. The Gators were ranked number one in the country but lost to number four Florida State in the regular season. During the FSU celebration, one of the Florida student assistants was trampled. The Gators moved back to the top of the rankings after winning the conference championship the following week.  The two teams played a rematch in the National Title game in the Sugar Bowl.

Spurrier promised the assistant that he would do his best to get revenge. True to his word, the Gators blew out the Seminoles by a score of 52-20. Spurrier was shown on the sidelines urging his players to run up the score. (He literally gave the run-it-up signal.) At one point, the assistant asked Spurrier to score more and he replied, “I’m trying son!” (Greatest coach ever!)

The Old Ball Coach & Gator Great Danny Wuerffel

     I feel the scoring was justified, especially since the Gators lost by a score of 62-24 in the previous season’s Championship game against Nebraska. I had to endure every single excruciating moment. Sometimes every team is on the business end of an ass-whooping. (For me, the Nebraska game was “good times!” As you can probably imagine, my phone didn’t stop ringing during that blowout.)

One of my favorite stories concerning running up the score happened on ESPN Sunday Night Football. The Vikings were playing the Seahawks and everything went wrong for Minnesota. The Vikings were down 35 points in the first half and commentator Mike Patrick said, “if you are just tuning in, the game recap is simple, the Seahawks won the toss and elected to kick the bejesus out of the Vikings!” (It was classic!)

Another favorite blow out game happened last year in the PAC 10 conference; USC was playing Stanford. For those who don’t know, USC has a history of dominating the conference and blowing teams out. Last year, Stanford was the better team and coach Jim Harbaugh decided to go for a two point conversion at the end of the game. No big deal except for the fact that Stanford won 55-21. USC coach Pete Carroll approached Harbaugh after the game and asked, “What’s your deal?”

Honestly, I have no idea why Carroll was angry. USC destroyed Stanford by a score of 66-19 in 2005. Harbaugh had the best possible response to Carroll’s question. He simply said, “What’s your deal?” (One of the best endings ever!)

Hands down, my favorite football moment of all time is not only funny, but a little racist. (OK, maybe it’s a lot racist!) The incident happened during a game on ESPN. I can’t remember the game but one team’s running backs were gaining a lot of yards and a commentator said, ‘’These guys are running like they’re the Denver Broncos.” This game happened in the early 2000’s when the Broncos had the league’s best run attack. Every year, no matter who the running back was, Denver put up big numbers. (I truly miss the good Old days!)

The other commentator replied, “No one runs like Denver. You can put a Puerto Rican back there and he’ll gain a thousand yards!” This was before DVR and I have searched high and low to find the footage, to no avail. (One day, I will find the tape!)

For those of you who are fans of running up the score, be sure to tune-in to the last game of the season between Florida and Florida State. The Gators were on a seven game win streak in the “rivalry”, before finally losing last year. To celebrate their victory, the Seminoles fans decided it was a good idea to pay for a banner to be flown above the stadium during the Gators’ spring game. The banner featured the score of last year’s game, 31-7, and the plane circled the stadium for an hour. (The Seminoles are idiots. Payback will be a bitch on her period!)

@PeteTeix617

Sportswriters Can Be Wrong (Why I Watch)

Posted by Peter Teixeira on

Competing at the highest level is not an easy task. When it comes to soccer, there is no bigger stage than the World Cup. Women from all over the globe fine-tune their skills over a period of four years to prepare for the rigors of the WWC. This painstaking process is similar to the Olympics. When the Games are held, I try my best to follow as many events as possible, and I honestly mean that. I can’t remember how many times in my life, I have cheered on the United States in lesser known sports such as curling and equestrian.

Initially, I don’t understand the rules, but the commentators are able to get me up to speed. The most important factor, to me, is the preparation and desire to win. There has never been a sport which doesn’t intrigue me. Even competitions that are not athletic events are interesting to me. Whether it is the national spelling bee, America’s Best Dance Crew, or log cutting during ESPN’s Great Outdoor Games. (Yeah, I said it; I’ve watched ABDC—Mario Lopez is the man. How can you not support A.C. SLATER!) The dedication and commitment required to succeed at the Olympic Games is unmatched. The heart-break is also unparalleled, one can lose by less than a tenth of a second. I could never imagine devoting years of mental and physical preparation, only to earn a silver medal by a fraction of a second; it doesn’t seem fair. Why do I watch? How can I not watch!

The consensus among sportswriters seems to be, “the U.S. women’s soccer team choked.” Bleacher Report columnist Kyle Vassalo wrote, ‘Huge Choke Job Sets Back Women’s American Soccer.’ (This is not a personal attack on Vassalo, I simply read the Bleacher Report because I am a follower of the Florida Gators, and I happened to come across his article.) ESPN’s Jemele Hill also got it wrong in her column, ‘The World Cup ‘C’ Word: Choke.’ Just because people called the US Men’s loss in the Gold Cup Final a choke, doesn’t mean they got it right! (Again, not an attack on Hill, I follow her on twitter because I have always respected her as a journalist, but she was inaccurate on this one.)

The term “Choke” is used far to often, but we need to examine all of the factors before forcing the title on an individual or team. We must be careful not to disregard the competitive nature of the opponent. Sometimes, the other side has a will to win that cannot be matched or understood by the prognosticators, or so called “experts.”

I can appreciate how someone could mistakenly categorize Sunday’s Women’s World Cup loss as a choke which sets back US women’s soccer, but nothing can be further from the truth. In fact, the final match between the US and Japan was one of the most inspiring sporting events of our time. There are millions of women around the world who will turn to soccer as a means to improve their lives. The Japanese victory, not only uplifted earthquake ravaged Japan but was an example of what hard work and a strong will can accomplish. If you understand the nature of competition, you will be hard-pressed to call the US loss a choke. There are always two sides in every competition. Understanding each story is paramount to evaluating the outcome.

The US team was not the overwhelming favorite coming into the WWC, regardless of the number one ranking. The distinction of most probable victor was reserved for two-time defending champion and host nation, Germany. Also, Brazil, Sweden and France were all capable challengers. The US team actually struggled to qualify. Furthermore, most of the commentary leading up to the tournament was about, IF the United States would be able to sneak by Brazil and, IF they did, how would they beat powerhouse Germany. Yes, the number one ranking has some merit, but coach Pia Sundhage’s talented squad was not playing like the best in the world prior to the tournament. The experts were discussing, how the rest of the world had closed the gap on the US women. Not to mention, the American team last won the title in 1999.

The Japanese victory, in the quarter finals over host Germany, was labeled one of the biggest upsets in sports history. Prior to the game, no one gave Japan a chance. Even during the match, it seemed as if the commentators were simply waiting for Germany to turn it on and win. The experts often predetermine a champion based on talent, usually failing to consider HEART. The German loss was branded a choke initially but, upon further review, we now understand that the Japanese team was just better than every other nation in the WWC. The word choke is used because people often underestimate the “underdog.” There are too many instances in which a ranking turns out to be completely meaningless; it happens every year during March Madness.

The pre-season polls in college football are arguably the most erroneous rankings. Let me remind everyone that my Gators were ranked #4 in US Today and #3 in the AP polls; that didn’t quite work out for the team, which ended up in turmoil and unranked at season’s end. Why was Japan such an underdog? Because the prognosticators, who almost never know what they are talking about, said they were! What the perception of Japan was before the tournament didn’t matter. No one would be calling a US loss a choke if it came at the hands of the mighty Germans.

There are those who may say, “Japan’s win was a fluke.” Those are the idiots! The Japanese equalizing goal in the game’s final minutes defines competition; if they weren’t supposed to score, the referee should have ended the game once the US regained the lead. The WWC is just another example of the experts being completely wrong, which is why the games are never played on paper.

How can you call a team working hard and persevering, a choke by the other team. No, the Miami Heat didn’t choke—the Mavericks were just a better team. Lebron James didn’t choke in the NBA Finals, he merely has yet to figure out the secrets to winning. Making it over the hump and finally becoming a champion is a skill that must be acquired. I am one of the most die-hard Red Sox fans and, in the past, I have called the 2004 comeback against the Yankees the biggest choke in History. I was mistaken; we all were. The Yankees didn’t choke. The Sox laid down during the first three games, before refocusing and playing like champions. The Yankees didn’t collapse—Boston barely won games four through six. The Yankees were simply out-competed. Going into the series, everyone believed the Sox had a chance, and every single Red Sox fan knew we were going to win, until the 0-3 deficit. As a matter of fact, we felt the Sox were the ones who choked when they were down three games to none.

I’m not suggesting the word choke can never apply. There are many instances in which players or teams succumb to the pressures of winning. Rory McIlroy’s performance at the 2011 Master’s comes to mind. In that instance, there were no rankings which predicted Rory as the expected champion. He performed amazingly, then fell apart in the end. You can categorize his loss as choking if you wish, but the WWC is completely different. Two teams earned the opportunity to play in the final game and one team prevailed in the end. The Japanese played the exact same game as they did against the Germans; they earned the victory!

As far as Mr. Vassalo calling the game a set back, he is dead wrong. The Associated Press has reported that the WWC set the new record for tweets-per-second, eclipsing the (British) Royal Wedding and the death of Osama Bin Laden. I watched the game in the living room with several male family members and we watched every minute, cheering on each scoring chance. The game did everything to legitimize women’s soccer as an exciting sport. There were three Brazil soccer fans in the room, and we only changed the channel, to watch the Brazil vs. Paraguay game, during halftime of the WWC. The level of competition rivaled any major men’s sporting event, and the American loss was equally frustrating. Anyone who chooses the term “choked” to describe a loss in the Championship game of a World Tournament, which only occurs every four years, must not appreciate how difficult it is to win in sports. Did Roberto Baggio choke in the 1998 World Cup Final against Brazil? No! The Brazilian team was great. Baggio over-kicked the ball; these instances happen in sports. Winning is never easy!

As much as I hoped to see the US bring home the gold, watching the Japanese players perform with the true hearts-of-champions was amazing. They stepped up in the clutch and did what was necessary to attain victory. The US did not choke; there were many missed first half opportunities, but Japan also had missed chances. A game-changing infraction happened in the first half when the referee mistakenly called Shinobu Ohno, who was onside with a full head of steam, offside. Hope Solo is a great goalie, but I doubt she could have prevented a goal. Women’s soccer in America is in good hands. Abby Wambach is the world’s premier scorer, and a new star has emerged, Alex Morgan.

I believe the WWC’s following will continue to grow, and the Olympics will be a great sporting event for women’s soccer. No Jemele, I am not lowering the expectations for the US team because they are women. I’m simply pointing out that they stepped on the field, played at a high level, and lost to a better team. As far as the penalty kicks are concerned, did anyone actually expect the US to win? I have always been under the impression that the team which fights to earn a tie, will usually out-perform the team who has to deal with the disappointment of losing a lead. Not to mention, Hope Solo didn’t have the luxury of studying previous Japanese PKs; this was Japan’s first ever. Advantage Blue Team. I didn’t witness any “choke,” Japan out-performed the US.

Hopefully the United States players forget about the accolades which come with being ranked number one, and prepare like champions. The reason I watch sports is because I know the outcome is never predetermined; no team or individual is supposed to win. Being a champion is something that is earned, not handed out by experts. Set Back? No, US women’s soccer has a new fan. Great job ladies…bring home Olympic Gold!

@PeteTeix617