Cubs vs. Mets Recap

     The Cubs vs. Mets series was a very anticipated series. However, it was anything but enjoyable to watch. The Mets swept the Cubs in four straight blowout games. During this series the Mets completely outscored, outplayed, and outworked the Cubs. You could cue the Cubs failure up to their overconfidence following the victories over the Cardinals, but I would say hats off to the Mets for their performances and talent.
     Following an impressive statement series win over the Cardinals, the Cubs were the favorite to win the World Series and, they could have. However, when you give up 9 total runs in the first innings of each game in the series, have barely 25 hits in the series, and are facing a team with a proven bullpen, it's very hard to win any games. New York really pulled everything that they did out of nowhere, completely stunning the Cubs. The Mets, not the Cubs, were the ones hitting homeruns, stealing bases, and dominating with their pitching. It was honestly one of the most dominating performances that I could've ever have imagined happening in this series. When it was all said and done, it was a disappointing series for all Cubs fans.

A Look at Sports' History

     If you were to exclude hunting as a sport, then the first sports that we as humans had would have to be boxing or wrestling. Boxing and wrestling were really the first forms of competition in combination with displays of athleticism. While boxing and wrestling still exist today, many new sports have been created and experienced by millions of people. For instance, in the late 19th century, football was invented when Rutgers and Princeton played each other in the first collegiate football game ever. Football has grown into the most popular sport in America and now generates over $10 billion dollars every year. Such fascinating sports such as boxing or football provide amusement and establish emotional connections to all of their viewers.

     Some of the greatest moments in history have come from sports. Depending on what sport you like, if you like any, your favorite moments in sports might include the U.S.A. upset over the U.S.S.R. in the 1980 winter Olympics, the Boston Red Sox's 3-0 series comeback against the Yankees, or maybe even Sergio Aguerro's last second goal against Queens Park Rangers to win the Barclay's Premier League. If you like sports, then you most likely have your own favorite sport's moment. Your favorite moment could even be some event to you actually witnessed. For example, my favorite sports moment was at game 6 of the 2014 World Series. The Kansas City Royals were already up 9-0, but then Mike Moustakas hit a solo home run to put the nail in the coffin on the San Francisco Giants. Sports provide excellent pleasure and a sense of pride for all that are involved. Long story short, sports are magnificent.

Comeback Cubs?

     It has not been a good past couple of days for Cubs fans. After losing the series opener in New York, the Cubs threw their ace Jake Arrieta. Arrieta has been dominant all season long and the Cubs were 7 and 0 against the Mets earlier in the year. It's fair to say that Chicago fans were confident that they would follow their game one loss with a dominant victory. This is why it was disappointing when the Mets outscored the Cubs 4-1.

     Almost all of the Mets' firepower came in the first inning when Curtis Granderson scored on a flyball double. Following the double, Daniel Murphy scooped a curveball about 3 feet past the foul pole.

      With Noah Syndergaard on the mound with a three run lead, it was pretty much wrapped up right there.
     The Cubs tried to come back in the later innings, but they were never able to string together hits. The Cubs did have a bright spot in the form of their bullpen. The Chicago bullpen has yet to give up a run through the first two games. That, however, was just about their only bright spot so far through this series. They have been outhit in both games and have had more errors than the Mets. Still, despite their 2-0 disadvantage, I expect the Cubs to put up a fight in their next couple of games at Wrigley.
     The Cubs have a chance to make a comeback in this series given the fact that they get to play the next three games of the series at home. Chicago has much better hitting in their home ballpark and the Mets have also struggled to put up runs at Wrigley. While the Cubs have already pitched their two best pitchers, you can expect there to be a high scoring game at Wrigley this Tuesday night.
     The Cubs will have Kyle Hendricks on the mound at home this Tuesday. Hendricks has had an up and down season but has been pitching well as of late. If Hendricks can pitch a decent couple of innings, then the Cubs should be able to put up enough runs to support him. And with the Cubs hitting clicking on all levels at Wrigley, that should be no problem. The real test will be which team has the lead when they hand the ball off to their bullpen. Both teams have strong enough bullpens to hang onto a couple run lead in the late innings.
     Both teams are extremely capable of putting up large number of runs. If you had to give the advantage to one lineup's hitting, it would be the Mets. However, the Cubs have been crazy good at home this entire season. This is in large part due to the fact that Kris Bryant has over 75% of his homeruns hit at home. If Bryant and other big hitters like Rizzo and Schwarber can connect to make a couple of hits between them, the Cubs will have a great chance of winning. It almost seems like it's Chicago's game to screw up on. They can throw everything that they got at the Mets because they have almost nothing to lose.
     In the end, I have the Cubs winning this one. They have already proven before, in games three and four against the Cardinals, that they can come back to Wrigley and just have their offense explode. The Cubs also have their backs against the wall, and as we all know, people are most dangerous with their backs against the wall. If the Cubs can win their next game, then I have them winning the entire series. If not, then I think that the series is all but over. If you would rather put it this way, the entire series will really come down to game three at Wrigley.

Why I think Children should play sports

     I think that kids should play sports while they are growing for three reasons, to build relationships, to expose kids to various activities, and to prevent obesity.

     Kids should play sports to build friendships. From an early age, kids can meet a new pal on a team that they get along with and already you might have a friend for the rest of your life. The social interactions surrounding sports are terrific for children. Kids are able to work on social skills and communication, both of which are necessary for adult life. I would say that about 75% of the friends that I have played a sport with me at some point in my childhood. So not only do you make a lot of friends, but the friendships last too.

     Another reason why kids should play sports is because they need to be exposed to as many activities as possible early in life to see what peaks their interests and not their parents interests. From an early age I knew that I wanted to play basketball, and just like me, there are millions more of kids that find out what they enjoy at early ages. Even if you don't like sports at an early age, you figure that out early and can avoid doing as many similar activities in your adulthood. A big part of this exposure that the kids would be getting from sports is influenced by immature parents. Many parents pass down their own interests on their children and that is just plain wrong. Children should be encouraged to follow their own interests, sports related or not, and enjoy what they are doing. This isn't to say that parents shouldn't be involved with their kids, it's just that some are too influential. 

     The last reason why kids should play sports is to avoid obesity. Being active in sports is a great way to stop kids from sitting at home and gaining too much weight. In combination with a good diet, participating in sports will keep children out of obesity, feeling better, and active in life. 

     In conclusion, sports are an excellent opportunity for kids and should be taken advantage of while they still can early in life.

Friday Night Lights: Kennedy vs. Cedar Falls

     It was a cold, hard fought game last Friday night as Kennedy took the W in their game against Cedar Falls. The Tigers played hard, but the powerful Cougars' defense was just too much.
     Kennedy began the cold, frigid evening with a long touchdown drive. The drive was highlighted by a long 60 yard run by quarterback Nick Duehr. Although Kennedy scored easily on its first drive, it was tough for both offenses to get anything going in the harsh weather. The Kennedy offense was very ground and pound, once they got the lead. In contrast, the Cedar Falls offense was more of a spread offense with a little more passing. Nevertheless, the Tigers were no match for the Cougars in this one.
     Following their impressive 21-7 win, Kennedy remains unbeaten and, are still fighting for that #1 seed in the 32 team playoffs. Kennedy will stay atop their division at 8-0 while the Tigers will fall to 5-3. Kennedy has now clinched a spot not only in the playoffs, but also as one of the top seeds. The Cougars, having posted some of the best defensive numbers in the state, are hoping that their defense will be good enough to carry them to a state title game.
     Only time will tell if the Cougars from Cedar Rapids will be able to go the distance this year. They certainly have to talent and poise to do so. The question will be if they, or some other opponent, get hot late on in the year. Because as we all know, once the playoffs start, previous records go out the window.

Friday Night Lights: Kennedy vs. Waterloo East

     Well, this should be a pretty easy game for the Cougars. When you look at these two teams, there is a very clear and definite favorite to win this game. The Cougars come in with a perfect record. The East team, can say just the opposite. Also, it hasn't just been the fact that East have lost so many games, it's the fact that they have lost by so much. They have lost by an average of 13 points through their first 6 games. Kennedy have an average win total by the exact same, 13 points. It should be a blowout this Friday night at Kingston.
     I'll try to keep this short just because of how little there is to write about this game. For starters, the biggest skill position player for the East football team is 6 feet tall and only weighs 130 pounds. And then on the other side, Shaun Beyer, Kennedy's biggest skill position player, is about 6 foot 5 inches tall and is being recruited by Iowa, North Dakota State, and Wisconsin. I realized that there are 10 other players on each side of the ball, but it is a clear mismatch if you just look at the top two players of each team.
     In the end I have Kennedy winning this one by a measly 56-0 advantage.

Cubs vs. Pirates Postgame

     Cubs Win! Cubs Win! As expected, it was a very intense game in Pittsburgh this past evening. PNC park was incredibly loud and both teams were amped up and ready to play by the first pitch. It was expected to be a close pitching matchup with few runs, if any, scored while the starters were still working. However, this was not the case.

      Gerrit Cole was on the mound for the Pirates and he struggled early. Cole gave up the game's first hit to the first batter, Dexter Fowler. Kyle Schwarber followed up with an RBI single after Fowler stole second base. Then in the second inning, Fowler again had a hit into the outfield. But this time, Schwarber followed up with a complete bomb to over the right field seats and out of the stadium. Schwarber's home run really opened up the game for Jake Arrieta. With a three run lead, Arrieta was sure to hold on to his lead.

Jake Arrieta had his stuff going through the first couple of innings, only allowing one hit through 5 innings.Then in the 6th inning, the Pirates were threatening with the bases loaded and their cleanup hitter up to bat. Down 4 runs, Starlin Marte had the opportunity to tie the ball game with one swing. Instead he hit a ground ball to shortstop Addison Russel for an inning ending double play. The double play really took the wind out if the Pirate's sails as they didn't get much going after that. Then again, who knows, if Addison Russel doesn't stop that ball and turn two, do the Pirates go on to win?

      There was a humorous moment in the 7th inning when Arrieta stole second base following a scuffle. The scuffle was a result of a pitch from Tony Watson that hit Arrieta. The pitch looked intentional considering that Arrieta had previously hit two of the Pittsburgh batters. Nevertheless, a benches clearing scuffle ensued, words were spoken, punches thrown, and finally the game started up again. This is when Arrieta stole second base rather humorously before the inning ended anyways on a Fowler strikeout. Nothing important really happened in the 7th inning, but it was still enjoyable to watch.

     Long story short, it was a fun game to watch, for Cubs fans at least. The Cubs will go on to face the MLB best, St. Louis Cardinals, in the next, best out of three series.

Cubs vs. Pirates Preview

     PNC Park is going to going crazy this Wednesday night. The second and third best teams in the entire MLB will be playing each other as the Chicago Cubs take on the Pittsburgh Pirates in what should be an exciting one game wild card matchup. Both teams will have their aces on the mound and their winning lineups on the field. Let's take a look at the pitching matchup.

     The Pirates will start their main man, Gerrit Cole. Cole posted very good numbers during the regular season, reaching nearly 20 wins on the year. Cole does his work almost exclusively with his laser four seam fastball and his killer slider. While the Pirates are not necessarily known for their defense compared to their hitting, Cole has been a very reliable option to go to this year. If he can get some offensive help, the pirates might be in good shape.

     On the other side of the ball, the Cubs will have the Cy Young candidate, Jake Arrieta, on the mound. Arrieta relies heavily on his Sinking fastball, slider, and curveball. Arrieta posted a career best year with 22 wins and an amazing 1.77 ERA. Arrieta also had a night to remember in Las Angeles. In this game Arrieta struck out 12 batters on his way to a no hitter. It was Arrieta's first no-no and it was also the first no hitter since Carlos Zambrano's no hitter in 2008. Arrieta, almost single handedly, could carry this team to the National League Divisional Series.

     Both teams have had incredible seasons hitting the ball. In fact the Cubs have had the most homeruns in the entire MLB since the All-Star break. Behind the oh so powerful long ball from Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo, the Cubs put up large scoring numbers since All-Star weekend. However, the Pirates have had their own success from the plate. Big hitters like Andrew McCutchen and Gregor Blanco provided firepower to the Pirates offensive efforts. It is clear that both teams have good pitching and powerful hitting, or else they wouldn't even be here. I think that the deciding factor will be which pitcher can last longer in the game. Neither team really has stellar bullpens so I expect each offense to take advantage of their oppositions bullpen. I would not put it past either team to keep their starter in for at least 7 innings, if not 8 or 9.

     Being a Cub's fan, I have to agree with Vegas odd makers with their opinion that the Cubs will come out victorious. Don 't get me wrong, I hope, I expect, this to be a fun game to watch.  However, I have to go with Cubs Nation in this one.

Kennedy vs. Linn-Mar: Postgame

     Cougars win! Cougars win! The Cougars put down the smack on an upset minded Lion team. Despite the fact that it was their homecoming game, Linn-Mar looked awful. Sure the final score was only 31-6, but Kennedy clearly outplayed Linn-Mar the entire game.
     Kennedy began the game with an early touchdown drive in which the Linn-Mar defense looked weak and lost. However, the Lions managed to stay in the game and were still in contention by the time that halftime came along. After halftime though, it was all Cougars. The entire game could be explained on one play from the second half. Shaun Beyer received a direct snap and weaved his way through the defense for a 55 yard touchdown run. It was Beyer and the Cougar defense that have propelled this team to a perfect 6-0 start.
     Cougar Nation was in full attendance for the game, all dressed in pink for breast cancer awareness. The Kennedy student section has been pretty large and loud for all of the football games this year. However, I'd like to take a moment and say something to all of the Freshmen, and some Sophomores, you need to move back when an upperclassman asks you to make room and also, could you please stop the bottle-throwing? It is getting really old. Anyways, it was a fun night for the student section as they got to watch their team dominate on the field. Then after the game, both the student section and the football team met by the fences, and joined in as one voice for a chant led by Lucas Berry (Shoutout). Both the student section and the Cougar football team will be anxious for next week's matchup against Waterloo East.
     Waterloo East is not a good football team. Kennedy will be hoping, planning for a blowout win against a weak East team at home. The Cougars will be heavy favorites to begin the season 7-0. You could expect there to be running clock for the majority of the game. I, like many others, have the Cougars winning their next game and I also, like many others, am planning on a fun game to watch with a lot of scoring on Kennedy's side of the ball. Long story short, it will be a fun game to go to for all Cougar fans.

Friday Night Lights: Kennedy vs. Linn-Mar

     Touchdown Kennedy! That's another touchdown for Shaun Beyer! I expect this to be popular phrase this Friday when Kennedy takes on Linn-Mar under the lights in Marion. Linn-Mar is a pretty weak 2-3 team. I believe that they are completely outmatched in this game as they take on the undefeated Kennedy team. Although Linn-Mar is coming off of a huge 58 point victory, they are the clear underdogs in this matchup. Kennedy's high powered offense put up 35 points on a very respectable Jefferson team this past week and are looking to do the same and then some against the Lions of Linn-Mar.
     This past week both teams had big wins, admittedly one more so than the other, but both were impressive nonetheless. While Linn-Mar was impressive in their 58-0 victory, it was Kennedy who had the more impressive night when they beat Jefferson 35-7 at Kingston field. Kennedy looked dominant in all facets of the game. The Cougars defense had a shutout going through four quarters, and the Kennedy offense worked their own magic with their dominating rushing attack which ended with three touchdowns each by a different running back. It was, to be quite frank, a completely dominating performance by Kennedy.
     In this week's matchup, Kennedy will have to focus on their game. In contrast, Linn-Mar will need to speed up the pace of the game in order to have any shot at winning their homecoming game. Linn-Mar's offense, much like Jefferson's, is going to have to have a big game in order to bring home a victory. However, this will be no easy task as Kennedy has had one of the best defensive starts to a season out of everyone in the state. In the end, I think that Kennedy's athleticism will be too much for Linn-Mar to handle. I have Kennedy beating Linn-Mar in the Lion's Homecoming game 49-7. You heard it here first folks!