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The Watchables: A Preview to the 2016/17 English Premier League Season

The Watchables: A Preview to the 2016/17 English Premier League Season #EPL

Last season’s English Premier League featured arguably one of the biggest upset in sports history, so how could this season possibly top that? Well, this season’s league is already loaded with storylines without even having a ball kicked yet. This season will feature some of the world’s best managers (Pep Guardiola, Antonio Conte, Jose Mourinho, and Jurgen Klopp to name a few), as many as 7 teams…

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The State of the USMNT

The State of the USMNT

2016 has looked very different from 2015 for the USMNT thus far. 2015 was one of the worst years in recent memory for the team. About a year ago, the U.S. put together a string of uninspiring performances against weak competition in the Gold Cup before getting unceremoniously knocked out of the tourney in the semis by Jamaica. This disappointment was followed up by a loss to Mexico in the…

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USMNT: Time to Panic? No (not yet).

USMNT: Time to Panic? No (not yet).

No. Plain and simple: No. Let’s put this game in context before we call for the heads of everyone and anyone who has been associated with the USMNT in the past 5 years. Now, if we leave this tournament 0-3 or even 1-2 we will be having a different conversation, but, for now, let’s not lose site of the goal of the next few weeks: a successful showing at Copa America. Currently, that is still…

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A Defining Moment for U.S. Soccer

Happy Easter! Here is our quick take on the USMNTs loss Friday night...

Sunday, March 27, 2016 Potosí, Rivas, Nicaragua There is massive pressure on Klinsmann to deliver a positive result Let me start by saying that Friday night Guatemala masterfully executed a simple, yet practical, game plan: play harder than your opponent for 90 minutes and wait for them to make mistakes. They were aware of their advantages, namely the hostile atmosphere… And they seemed keenly…

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USA v. Mexico CONCACAF Cup Preview

USA v. Mexico CONCACAF Cup Preview http://for-the-game.com/?p=1263 #USMNT #USAvMEX

By Tunde Demuren It’s finally here! The match we have all been waiting for since USA unceremoniously exited the Gold Cup in the semifinal stage against underdog Jamaica and Mexico won the competition after a series of controversial results. Given the rivalry and the stakes of the match (a 2017 Confederations Cup berth), this match is arguably as big as if not bigger than a World Cup match. USMNT…

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AL Wildcard Recap

  Last night the Astros put the final nail in the yankees dynasty coffin already that’s been buried for years.  Hey Brian Cashman, take it from me (As a Phillies fan), you’re in rebuilding mode.  Bite the bullet and have a few losing seasons so you can be back on top in a few years.  As much fun as it was to watch the Yankees go quietly into the october night, the only noise made all night being…

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NL Wildcard Preview

We’ve made it!  It’s time for the most exciting game of the year! Last night was a nice little appetizer, but it’s time for National League playoff baseball; tough pitching change decisions, when and who to pinch hit, hey maybe we’ll even see a bunt or two!! I can appreciate what the DH has done for the game, but it takes away most of what baseball strategy is.  But I digress, this post isn’t…

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MLB Postseason Predictions: AL Wild Card

MLB Postseason Predictions: AL Wild Card

  Tomorrow night the Bronx will welcome back postseason baseball as the Houston Astros make their way to the over infested city in a true Good V.S. Evil matchup for the American League Wild Card.  This is a matchup only a truly crazy person could have predicted at the start of the season, as the Astros have been baseball’s worst team over the past five years, and the Yankees are a collection of…

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Premier League Power Rankings Week 2

Premier League Power Rankings Week 2 #BPL

By Tunde Demuren and Jake Montgomery Another week, another set of rankings. The big movers in this one: Hapless Chelsea down, steady Swansea up, surprising Leicester way up, and sorry Sunderland plummeting like Harry Potter diving for the golden snitch or an NBA team trying to get the number one pick in the draft. Just a head’s up for Sunderland, we’ve found the definition of “relegation,” and no…

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Premier League Power Rankings

Premier League Power Rankings Stay tuned all season long for weekly updates. Watch out for @SwansOfficial all season long

by Jake Montgomery Wow! Opening weekend in the books and Week Two of the most exciting soccer league on earth rapidly approaching. Will Chelsea overcome opening day sluggishness to make a statement in Manchester? Will the squad that gave the Blues problems, Swansea City, continue to surge? Who will win the match between arguably the two most impressive teams from Week One, the Hammers of West Ham…

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EPL Week 1 Review: Overreactions from the First Weekend

EPL Week 1 Review: Overreactions from the First Weekend #BPL#EPL

By Tunde Demuren Finally, the Premier League is back! After a 3 month layoff, the EPL returned strong with a weekend that had everything we’ve been missing. Jose “Sour Grapes” Mourinho deflecting criticism on his team’s performance onto a random scapegoat (medical staff). Arsenal pulling an Arsenal, which according to the dictionary means playing a match that is more entertaining from a comedy…

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On the Cole Train finally departing Philly

On the Cole Train finally departing Philly, an ode to Cole Hamels

by Justin Stark Another icon has left the Phillies. The team is in full rebuild mode. We knew it when they traded away Shane Victorino and then later Jimmy Rollins, but knowing and understanding doesn’t ease the sting at all; Cole Hamels is now a Texas Ranger. Years ago, I began collecting bobble heads given out as promotions at Phillies games. I have amassed quite the assembly, including the…

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English Premier League 2015/16 Season Preview

Premier League Preview #EPL #BPL @Clapham_Grand @bluekippercom @Lloyd_Scragg @stoney_utd @joeaustinjoe @petemay3 @SteveDavis90 @JeffreyCarlisle

By Tunde Demuren and Jake Montgomery Wait, can it be? It’s here again already? The Premier League starts at 7 AM eastern on SATURDAY?!? This is too much to handle. We haven’t used NBC Sports Live Extra in what feels like an eternity! What if we forgot our Verizon password? Well, there are more important questions to answer, questions about winners and losers and the rising and fading stars of the…

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Joel Embiid: Behind the Injury

New article on Joel Embiid and Twitter @joelembiid @Sixers @NBA @andrewsharp @KUAthletics

by Jake Montgomery Before patrons of the Philadelphia 76ers get too depressed about the latest injury and surgery in a devastating saga that will now keep a young man and their 2014 #3 pick away from his profession for a second full year, it is worth remembering that Joel Embiid is a really tall dude with a great sense of humor. If you’re not already on team Joel, rooting for him ecstatically…

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Gold Cup Semifinals Preview: A Focus on U.S. and Mexico

Gold Cup Semifinals Preview: A Focus on U.S. and Mexico #USMNT

By Tunde Demuren and Jake Montgomery In a summer full of soccer (Women’s World Cup, Copa America, etc.) that has kept fans satisfied while waiting for the new seasons of European league soccer to begin, we have finally neared the end, with the Gold Cup semifinals taking place Wednesday night. The favorites, U.S. and Mexico, advanced to the semis in ways that could not be any more different;…

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U.S. vs. Cuba: Hat Trick for Deuce and a Collective Sigh of Relief for the Yanks

by Chris Rios The Yanks cannot seem to catch a break when it comes to the weather… it was a scorching 95 degrees fahrenheit in Baltimore before kick off, but the heat did not matter as “The Klinsmann Experiment” finally produced the tasteful result. If you missed the match, here are the full highlights provided by Fox Sports. Finally, finally, finally I have the opportunity to praise my…

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CONCACAF Gold Cup Knockout Stage Preview, Power Rankings, and Predictions

CONCACAF Gold Cup Knockout Stage Preview and Predictions

by Chris Rios We are off to the knockout stage of the Gold Cup! Well, we shouldn’t celebrate much because 3/4 of the teams advanced out of the group stage, and the average FIFA rank of the teams eliminated was 96 (yes, I did the math). So let’s not pat ourselves on the back for doing what was expected to be done. That being said, there are some powerhouses in the quarterfinals, along with some…