![[SPORTS] WHAT CHAMPIONSHIP SATURDAY MEANS FOR COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF](https://i0.wp.com/sloppyvinyl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/img_8796-1.jpg?resize=656%2C369&ssl=1)
by sloppyvinyl | Dec 2, 2018 | SPORTS
Who’s In And Who’s Out?
Championship Saturday in college football typically produces memorable matchups and moments and yesterday’s slate of games didn’t disappoint.
While Dabo Sweeney and No. 2 Clemson rolled as expected over a five-loss Pittsburgh team, elsewhere, we got a healthy dose of drama elsewhere from teams currently in the Top six of the College Football Playoff Rankings.
Let’s dive in to each of those games and what they mean.
Alabama Secures Spot, But Did Georgia’s Performance Prove They Belong Too?
Untested for much of this season, the college football world saw the Alabama Crimson Tide pushed to its limits in a fast-paced, hard-hitting affair with their SEC rivals Georgia Bulldogs in what turned into Deja Vu for Kirby Smart’s team.
Off the bench and in the game for Tua Tagovailoa, Jalen Hurts — who was replaced by Tagovailoa in the second half of last year’s National Championship Game vs Georgia — led the Crimson Tide to a dramatic 35-28 comeback victory over Georgia to win the SEC Championship.
Hurts threw for a touchdown and scored on a 15-yard run with a little over a minute left to play to give Nick Saban’s Crimson Tide a 35-28 lead.
The former starting quarterback replaced Tagovailoa in the fourth quarter after a lineman stepped on his injured ankle.
Georgia held a 21-7 and 28-14 lead in this game, as they stroked fast and early, with Jake Fromm leading the charge.
The offense fizzled, however, in the fourth quarter vs. arguably the best defense in the country, and for a second straight year the College Football committee has a tough choice to make.
Georgia outplayed the consensus favorite to win it all in Alabama for much of the SEC Championship Game, and because of that Kirby Smart believes his team — which entered No. 4 — should maintain its spot.
The question is, how can you justify that beyond Saturday’s game?
A two-loss team making the Playoff would seem to put the system into question, and that just doesn’t seem like something a system keeping UCF from the top six can afford to do.
Oklahoma and Ohio State Win, But Who’s In?
Oklahoma and Ohio State were both victorious in their conference title games on Saturday, as Heisman hopefuls Kyler Murray and Dwayne Haskins led their teams to comfortable double-digit victories over their opponents.
The Oklahoma Sooners avenged a early season loss to Texas with a 39-27 victory at AT&T Stadium while the Ohio State Buckeyes fended off Northwestern’s surprising second half rally to cruise to a 45-24 victory at Lucas Oil Stadium.
Oklahoma entered the game No. 5 while Ohio State’s 62-39 drubbing of Michigan last Saturday in Columbus saw them jump from No. 10 to No. 6.
While Urban Meyer’s football team has its claim to a potential Playoff spot, their lone loss — a 49-20 beatdown vs. the Purdue Boilermakers — clouds their chances because of how badly it was to a team that finished 6-6 on the season.
Lincoln Riley’s team, with Georgia’s loss, should secure that fourth and final spot to join Alabama, Clemson, and Notre Dame for next month’s College Football Playoff.
What are your takeaways from Championship Sunday? Leave your comments below!
![[SPORTS] NEW YORK METS ADD CANO, DIAZ IN TRADE WITH SEATTLE MARINERS](https://i0.wp.com/sloppyvinyl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/img_8795-1.jpg?resize=1080%2C675&ssl=1)
by sloppyvinyl | Dec 2, 2018 | SPORTS
Amazins Hope Additions Turn Them Into Contender In 19′
The New York Mets front office vowed to improve immediately on a team that finished in fourth place in the NL East this past season. They did so on Saturday, even at the cost of their possible future and purging of their farm system.
The New York Mets agreed to a blockbuster trade for Robinson Cano and Edwin Diaz from the Seattle Mariners on Saturday.
New York will send Jay Bruce and several prospects to Seattle, which include Justin Dunn and Jarred Kelenic.
As apart of the deal, Seattle will also send $20 million to New York.
Robinson Cano signed a $240 million, 10-year deal with the Seattle Mariners back in December 2013. He has five years, $120 million remaining in the deal.
The 36-year-old perennial All-Star second baseman missed 80 games last season due to a failed PED test.
He hit .303 with 10 home runs and 50 RBIs in just 80 games last season.
Meanwhile, Edwin Diaz has turned into one of the MLB’s best closers. The 24-year-old saw his potential transform into ready-made star as he finished the 2018 season with a 1.96 ERA and a MLB-best 57 saves.
He’ll come into a situation of need for the New York Mets, who over the past two seasons have been one of the worst teams with a one-run lead late in games.
What are your thoughts on the New York Mets’ additions of Robinson Cano and Edwin Diaz? Leave your comments below!
![[SPORTS] UFC FIGHT NIGHT 142 RECAP: DOS SANTOS WINS SLUGFEST WITH TUIVASA BY 2ND-ROUND TKO](https://i0.wp.com/sloppyvinyl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/img_8794-1.jpg?resize=640%2C427&ssl=1)
by sloppyvinyl | Dec 2, 2018 | SPORTS
Cigano Gets It Done Again
Looking to close out 2018 in style, Junior Dos Santos understood that he would be going up against a violent and determined opponent in Australia’s own Tai Tuivasa in his own backward.
Showing championship metal, an iron chin and his experience in tough situations, Dos Santos took down one of the UFC’s bright new faces in classic fashion.
Junior Dos Santos (20-5, 14-4 UFC) defeated Tai Tuivasa (8-1, 3-1 UFC) by 2nd-Round TKO on Saturday night at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre.
Known for his ability to hurt his opponents at difficult and odd angles while moving backwards, Junior Dos Santos did it again on Saturday night to silence a rowdy crowd in Adelaide.
Dos Santos took advantage of an over-aggressive and stalking Tuivasa by flooring him with a powerful right hook coming off a solid left cross as he was backpedaling near the fence.
The veteran former champion — who’s faced a who’s who at heavyweight in his career — would go on to finish the contest with ground and pound strikes from full mount, as Herb Dean called a stop to the fight to the dismay of a frustrated Tai Tuivasa.
Dos Santos won consecutive fights for the first time since beating Cain Velasquez and Frank Mir in consecutive victories in November 2011 and May 2012.
A difficult challenge to be sure, Dos Santos took punishment from the 25-year-old fast-rising heavyweight.
Tuivasa had his moments in this fight, particularly in the first round as the Aussie brawler was assertive and forced his will on the former UFC heavyweight champion, tattooing him with hard overhand shots while begging for Dos Santos’ best shots.
He also used leg kicks to the lead leg of Junior Dos Santos, causing him limp considerably.
But in the end, all it took was Dos Santos finding a window of vulnerability to bring the boom to a inexperienced but game fighter.
Afterwards, Dos Santos said he was interested in a rematch with Alistair Overeem, a fight he has wanted to avenge on his resume for quite some time now.
Alistair Overeem finished Junior Dos Santos by 2nd-Round TKO back in their matchup back in December 2015.
Dos Santos’ knockout victory on Saturday is the 9th of his UFC career. He is tied for second all-time with Andrei Arlovski. Derrick Lewis and Cain Velasquez are tied for first all-time with 10.
UFC Fight Night 142 Results
Mauricio Rua outlasts Tyson Pedro in wild war with TKO finish in Round 3
Mark Hunt (264) vs. Justin Willis outpoints Mark Hunt in unanimous decision
Jake Matthews (171) vs. Anthony Rocco Martin uses anaconda choke beat Jake Matthew by submission in Round 3
Sodiq Yusuff finishes Suman Mokhtarian by TKO in Round 1
Jim Crute gets Paul Craig with kimura to win by submission in Round 3
Alexey Kunchenko cruises past Yushin Okami for unanimous decision win
Wilson Reis outmuscles Ben Nguyen in unanimous decision win
Keita Nakamura squeaks by Salim Touahri with split-decision win
Kai Kara-France dominates Elias Garcia in unanimous decision win.
Christos Giagos in full control in unanimous decision win over Mizuto Hirota
Damir Ismagulov wins tactical battle over Alex Gorgees by unanimous decision
What are your takeaways from UFC Fight Night 142? Leave your comments below!
![[SPORTS] WILDER, FURY FIGHT TO CONTROVERSIAL SPLIT-DECISION DRAW](https://i0.wp.com/sloppyvinyl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/img_8793.jpg?resize=620%2C372&ssl=1)
by sloppyvinyl | Dec 2, 2018 | SPORTS
Highly Anticipated Bout Ends With Questions Needing To Be Answered
Plenty of fans leaving the sold out Staples Center on Saturday night will feel like they got their money’s worth. The conclusion, however, at the end of the heavyweight showdown between Deontay Wilder and Tyson Fury will leave a lot left to be desired.
Deontay Wilder (40-0-1, 39 KOs) and Tyson Fury (27-0-1, 19 KOs) fought to a split-decision draw on Saturday night as Wilder retained his WBC heavyweight title.
Alejandro Rochin scored the fight 115-111 for Deontay Wilder. Robert Tapper scores the fight 114-112 for Tyson Fury, while British Judge Phil Edwards would score the fight 113-113, even a draw.
It was a fight that saw Tyson Fury — who held a rare two-inch height advantage over the six-foot-seven Wilder — mostly outclass and outbox the heavy hitting Wilder. Fury showboated throughout, putting his arms behind his back, yelling at Wilder and poking his chin out as a show that Wilder couldn’t hit him.
For a long while, Wilder couldn’t, swinging at air when trying to collect with a left hook or a straight right-hand.
That all changed in the ninth round when Wilder used a right cross over the temple of Fury to knock him down, bringing the crowd to its feet.
Fury recovered in the round, once again taunting his opponent. After cruising to easy rounds in the next two rounds, adversity would hit the Englishman again — and hard.
Following a straight right-hand shot landing, Deontay Wilder would use a thudding left hook to drop Tyson Fury to the canvas in a knockdown that appeared to mark the end of the fight and give Wilder a improbable and stunning victory.
Fury barely beat the count, shocking a confident and expressive Wilder, who after scoring the game-changing knockdown, appeared as if he thought he had collected his 40th career knockout.
The two fighters battled down the stretch, with Fury weathering the onslaught of “The Bronze Bomber”, finishing the fight with the edge.
Wilder and Fury promised fireworks in the lead up to this fight, and neither disappointed on that front.
Unfortunately, this fight will forever be clouded by what I felt was a miserable decision by Mexico’s Alejandro Rochin, who’s 115-111 Decision was both abominable and debilitating for me to stomach.
I had the fight scored 115-111 in favor of Fury, with Fury taking nine rounds and Wilder winning rounds five, nine and 12.
Disagree if you will, decisions such as the one we saw in an entertaining and memorable heavyweight title bout tarnish and ruin the sport’s credibility when a high-profiled fight of this magnitude ends in controversy.
Who do you believe won the fight? Leave your comments below!
![[SPORTS] TUF 28 FINALE RECAP: USMAN PUMMELS RDA IN DECISION WIN](https://i0.wp.com/sloppyvinyl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/img_8789-1-1.jpg?resize=1080%2C675&ssl=1)
by sloppyvinyl | Dec 1, 2018 | SPORTS
Usman Wants Title Shot Following Victory
Years after feeling like he’s been overlooked and undermined, Kamaru Usman took years of frustration out on a fighter who was once in his precarious position.
Kamaru Usman (14-1, 9-0 UFC) dominated Rafael Dos Anjos (28-11, 17-9 UFC) in a one-sided unanimous decision victory on Friday night at the Pearl Theatre at Palms Casino Resort.
Few fighters have a mean streak quite like Kamaru Usman, who said coming into this fight he was going to “make it look easy” in dispatching of Rafael Dos Anjos.
Even with the fight in hand, Usman kept the pressure on, looking for a finish on the ground and on the feet, particularly in the final two rounds as he overpowered the No. 3 ranked fighter in the welterweight division.
The winner of Season 21 of ‘The Ultimate Fighter’ dominated the action for much of the fight against a crafty veteran who knows what it takes to win UFC gold.
With his forward pressure, work against the fence in the clinch, and always looking for the takedown, the “Nigerian Nightmare” broke down the former world champion.
There was a moment of anxiety for Usman in the early going, as Dos Anjos sunk in a kimura in the second round from the bottom against Usman against the fence, only to see Usman scramble out of danger as the two brawled to end the round.
Outside of that, this was as effortless a performance as we’ve seen out of the 31-year-old Blackzilian.
Kamaru Usman landed a career-best 11 takedowns in this fight while landing 190 total strikes.
Usman is now 9-0 in the octagon, and you can count on one hand how many rounds he’s lost. Dominant performances of this magnitude deserve a reward, a reward such as a shot at UFC welterweight kingpin Tyron Woodley sometime in 2019.
Get it done UFC.
TUF 28 Season Winners Crowned
The TUF 28 Finale saw winners crowned for the heavyweight and Women’s featherweight tournaments.
Macy Chiasson’s long and storied road through ‘The Ultimate Fighter’ saw her put together her best performance of the tournament. Chiasson finished her teammate Pannie Kianzad by 2nd-Round submission as she used a rear-naked choke to take home a six-figure contract with the UFC.
For the heavyweights, it didn’t take long for Juan Francisco Espino Dieppa to put away fellow finalist Justin Frazier, as after getting a takedown quickly in the first round, used a straight armbar to force his opponent to tap out three minutes and 36 seconds into round.
Espino Dieppa, 38, is the oldest fighter to win the Ultimate Fighter.
TUF 28 Finale Results
Pedro Munhoz finishes Bryan Caraway quickly in Round 1 by TKO
Edmen Shahbazyan grapples his way to unanimous decision over Darren Stewart
Antonina Shevchenko out-strikes Ji Yeon Kim by unanimous decision
Kevin Aguilar picks up unanimous decision triumph in war against Rick Glenn
Roosevelt Roberts gets Darrell Horcher to tap out to standing guillotine in Round 1
Joseph Benavidez topples Alex Perez with TKO finish in Round 1
Maurice Greene uses triangle choke to finish Michel Batista in Round 1
Leah Letson wins bloody split-decision war over Julia Stoliarenko
Tim Means punishes Ricky Rainey with ground and pound in TKO finish in Round 1
Raoni Barcelos uses rear-naked choke to stop Chris Gutierrez in Round 2 submission victory
What are your biggest takeaways from TUF 28 Finale? Leave your comments below!
![[SPORTS] NETS AGONIZE IN 2OT LOSS TO GRIZZLIES AT HOME](https://i0.wp.com/sloppyvinyl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/img_8787-1.jpg?resize=640%2C360&ssl=1)
by sloppyvinyl | Dec 1, 2018 | SPORTS
Bad, Awful, Saddening
Kenny Atkinson said that the Brooklyn Nets has a great film session following a disappointing loss at home on Wednesday to the Utah Jazz.
Facing a Memphis Grizzlies team that, more so than Utah, wants to play at a slower pace, Brooklyn’s return back to the hardwood on Friday night was a chance to correct their miscues and missed opportunities.
The Memphis Grizzlies rallied to top the Brooklyn Nets 131-125 in double overtime on Friday night at the Barclays Center to extend Brooklyn’s losing streak to five games.
Brooklyn collapsed once again in the fourth quarter, blowing a seven-point lead in the final 33 seconds of the fourth quarter.
Fouling on a 3-point shot attempt, turning the ball over on a inbounds pass, allowing another 3-pointer and then not getting a shot attempt to end regulation haunted the Nets, who over their past three games have blown comfortable leads.
After being unable to get stops at the end of regulation, Kenny Atkinson’s team were unable to get them in overtime as well.
Jaren Jackson Jr. had a phenomenal performance for the Memphis Grizzlies, finishing with a career-high 36 points to go along with eight rebounds.
While the rookie forward had a special night, it was Mike Conley steering Memphis in the overtime periods. He finished with 37 points, 10 assists and five rebounds.
Jackson was the hero at the end of regulation, hitting the two 3-pointers to help tie the game. He also was the reason for Brooklyn’s turnover on the inbounds play.
Conley tied the game with a uncontested floater in the lane at the end of the first overtime period to help send the game into a second overtime period and at the end of regulation, shutdown Spencer Dinwiddie on a drive to the basket, keeping Brooklyn from getting a shot attempt.
D’Angelo Russell led the Nets with 26 points and eight assists, but he struggled with his shot on the night, hitting only 10 of his 27 shot attempts.
Brooklyn as a team shot 44.7 percent from the field. Memphis shot 49.5 from the field.
The Brooklyn Nets (9-15) fell to 0-6 at home vs Western Conference teams after tonight’s gut-wrenching defeat.
The loss drops them to 3-8 at home this season, something that comes as a huge disappointment for the team to begin the 2018-19 season.
The Nets were without starting forward Joe Harris, who missed the game with a hip injury. Spencer Dinwiddie, who had a team-high 18 points on Wednesday night, made the start for Harris.
A common theme in all three of Brooklyn’s losses is that the defense was particularly poor when it counted, and the lack of fundamentally sound offense further fueled the other team’s rallies.
Kenny Atkinson knows what team he has here, and unfortunately, as close as they’ve been in much of their games this season, a good team wins these games.
Brooklyn simply isn’t.
The Brooklyn Nets will visit the Nation’s Capitol to take on the Washington Wizards on Saturday night.
What were your takeaways from Brooklyn’s tough loss on Friday night? Leave your comments below!
