Most of fall sports and the semester are wrapping up, and it is usually at this time that midterm grades are, or are not, given out. In the spirit of the midterm season, I will give out grades to all of the sports. Major League Baseball Playoffs: National League: A. The National League was touted all year as the league that would have its eventual champion lose to the Tigers, White Sox, Yankees, etc. in the World Series. It turns out the senior league had the most interesting series, culminating with the exciting NLCS that put the Mets against the Cardinals.
American League: C. Detroit was the best team in the American League that didn’t win its division. Although the team lost its first playoff game in years to the Yankees, the Tigers never lost another game in the divisional and championship series.
After sweeping Oakland, the team had a week layoff waiting for the eventual NL champion Cardinals, which meant there was absolutely no drama whatsoever.
World Series Champion Cardinals: A plus. This St. Louis team was swept by the Red Sox two years ago in the World Series and finally put an end to the strangle hold the AL had on the NL in the series.
Coverage and interest of MLB Playoffs and season: D. I’m not sure what it is, or why it seems to be this way, but baseball is lagging when it comes to the interest of the average sports fan. Yes, the game is fun to play, and I do love a game of catch with friends, but watching it can be so long and drawn out. Something has to be tweaked with the system.
Return of hockey: Ha, yeah right.
LSU’s season and postseason bowl outlook: C. The Tigers will have had two weeks to prepare for Saturday’s game against the Tennessee Volunteers, but with the way LSU has played against top 10 teams on the road, along with having to travel to South Eastern Conference West leading Arkansas, LSU may have to settle with an Independence Bowl at best.
College Football So Far: B plus. I hope the Bowl Championship Series computers don’t run Macintosh operating systems because I want this to be the year when what I call the mid-major, or “small conference” team, becomes the virus that puts the BCS to rest.
As long as Ohio State doesn’t lose to Michigan in the final game of the season, the Buckeyes will play for the National Championship in the Tostitos Fiesta, um, National Tostitos, no, the Nacho Bowl or whatever that fifth BCS game is called.
The second team is where it gets interesting. Besides OSU and Michigan, West Virginia, Louisville, Rutgers and Boise State are the only remaining undefeated teams in the country.
It’s unfortunate that WVU, Louisville and Rutgers play in the same conference, because all three could have a shot at the title, but the winner of the Big East will be playing in the National Championship if the SEC, Big XII and Notre Dame’s of the world lose in the coming weeks.
The Saints: C Plus. They finally lost. I’m not saying that in a condescending way; we all knew it was going to happen sooner or later. The Ravens were coming off two straight losses and have a former MVP leading the team. New Orleans is still 5-2 and can still do well the rest of the season, so don’t jump ship just yet.
Nicholls State Athletics: To be continued. Volleyball and football aren’t done just yet, and there is still much more to look forward to in the 2006-2007 season. I’ll leave that part of the grading to you.
