Harper's SportsCAR

Super Bowl Recap

2009-02-02T16:31:00.000-08:00

A quick recap on what I predicted and how that turned out.

1. Larry Fitzgerald 150 yards, actual: 127
2. Anquan Boldin 6 catches, actual: 7
3. 35-17 Cards, actual: 27-23 Steelers

Duke is constantly overrated

2009-01-28T16:54:00.000-08:00

Every year the college basketball world gets to hear about how fantastic Duke is THIS year, and that they will again be a basketball superpower, despite last year's early tournament exit. each year this cycle repeats itself, and it's bound to happen again this year. I think that Duke is consistently given unfair advantages by people who are mesmerized by them. Whenever they leave the tournament before getting to the Elite Eight, they almost never have a long distance to travel home, because they are too commonly placed right in the heart of the "Cameron Crazy" breeding grounds. they have gone to places like Tampa in 2008, and even as close as Greensboro in 2006 and Charlotte in 2007. Their unfair advantages have already begun this year. Earlier this week, Duke was named as the number 1 team because of their wins over "strong" teams like Xavier, Presbeteryan, and Rhode Island, and only one loss to unranked Michigan. Uconn on the other hand, recieved a number 2 ranking. Their only loss came to a number 8 Georgetown team, and their resume consists of wins over #21 Villanova, #22 Notre Dame, #8 at the time Gonzaga, and a solid West Virgina team. I will let you decide. Is Duke really that good?

What counts as a sport

2009-01-25T13:08:00.000-08:00

There are various debates around the world on what is a sport and what isn't. This argument is probably stronger in the U.S. than any other country. I believe that in order for something to count as a sport, than it must require a large amount of skill, physical ability, or a good combination of the two. For instance, C.C. Sabathia is largely overweight, but he is still arguably the best pitcher in baseball because of his solid combination of power and placement of his pitches. Offensive Linemen combine a small amount of skill with a large amount of physical ability, and Quarterbacks do just the opposite. My key point of this post is to underline that NASCAR isn't, and will never be, a sport. I understand that I've just alienated half of the country, but driving a car doesn't take nearly enough skill to compensate for the lack of physical activity that driving requires. If it was, then that 300 pound idiot who cut you off in traffic, then slowed down, would be considered an "athlete". So with this in mind, I say that NASCAR, F1, and the like, are all part of the entertainment part of ESPN , but not the sports

Why Uconn is the best college team in the nation

2009-01-24T16:26:00.000-08:00

Why is Uconn the best hoop team in the nation, two words: depth and versatility. Uconn has a strong roster that goes 8-deep. Their starting Center and Power Forward, Hasheem Thabeet and Jeff Adrian, are not only great on the offensive end, they also are doing well in carrying on Uconn's tradition of leading the nation in blocked shots like they have since the turn of the century. the versatility comes in with the remaining three spots in which they can create either a physical starting 5, or an athletic, shooting one. Jim Calhoun occasionally likes to put out a roster featuring three guards. The talented freshmen Kemba Walker handles and dishes the ball, and shoots a little too, while A.J. Price and Jerome Dyson shoot. They also can have your standard roster by moving Price to the point, and subbing former Mr. Basketball of Alabama, Stanley Robinson, for Walker, and have him play small forward. Robinson has a strong pressence in the paint on both sides of the ball, and is consistent from behind the arc. Off the bench, Kemba Walker is a fantastic 6th man, and Craig Austrie a good shooter at guard. Uconn also has a solid big man coming of the bench in Gavin Edwards, who had 14 points, 12 rebounds, and 3 blocks against Gonzaga when Thabeet was in foul trouble. I believe that they have a solid team that is capable of winning it all, and are also a fresh pool of NBA potential

Super Bowl Prediction: Cards over Steelers

2009-01-24T14:18:00.000-08:00

My prediction for Super Bowl 43 is the Arizona Cardinals for one reason. The steelers secondary can't stop Larry Fitzgerald. Three of the four starting defensive backs for the Steelers are under 6 feet tall, while Fitzgerald is 6 foot 3. Although the Steelers have arguably the league's best safety in Troy Polamalu, he won't be able to out jump Fitzgerald, who already has 5 inches on him. If Fitzgerald draws a double team, then the Steelers will have fewer players in the pass rush, which will give Kurt Warner plenty of time to find another open reciever, or throw through the double coverage which has worked several times this postseason because of Fitzgerald's unbelievable athleticism. If, and when, Fitzgerald is double covered, it will leave Anquan Boldin in single coverage which he will be able to take advandage of. A reciever of his calibur cannot be left in single coverage, and he will punish the Steeler's secondary. You heard it here first, Fitzgerald will have at least 150 yards and Boldin, a minimum of 5 catches. I say 35-17 Cards