Who says? : A Sports News Rebuttal

Recently I've come across some serious statements from sports analysts who think their opinions are set in stone... so clearly I have to make a statement of my own. Pardon the rhyme.

Tennis and Soccer. Here's what I have to say.

WORLD CUP 2010 - Holland's "success."
SoccerNet says: The Dutch have no chance at taking the glory.

Lies.

Whether you call them the Oranje, the Dutch, the Netherlands or Holland, this team is globally known to be "the greatest soccer team who has never won the World Cup." That shouldn't suggest, however, that they won't be a force at this summer's competition in South Africa.

Leander Schaerlaeckens of ESPN.com published an article dedicated to listing the many reasons why this Cup's orange-adorned squad will falter on center stage, but as a clearly biased Dutch fan, I can't help but disagree completely. Disagree. Completely.

Sure. Holland has to cope with some dramatic behind the scenes complications (yes... we all know Wesley Sneijder's ego has gotten out of control) but that does not diminish their raw talent and superb game tactics.

After qualifying for the World Cup in dominating fashion, the Dutch are looking physically strong and capable. Their latest friendly match against the US ended in a 2-1 win, but the scoreline does little to depict the true flow of the match. US fans will admit that the Oranje danced around the American players with fluid passes and pristine ball control.

The Netherlands' only difficulty seemed to be putting the ball into the net as often as they probably should have, but that will change with the return of all-star Robin Van Persie who has been taking time off to recover from injury. Pair his skills with the ever-improving striker Dirk Kuyt, and a personal favorite of mine, midfielder Rafael Van der Vaart, and the Dutch offense can be just as venomous as that of teams like Spain.

The #3-in-the-world Dutch team is by no means a favorite to win the World Cup, but to count them out completely is an absolute fallacy. It's true that they have lost their top ranked goalkeeper Van der Saar to retirement, but with the experience of seasoned defensemen like Giovanni Van Bronckhorst, the team should still have confidence in their back lines.

It's time to put aside the politics of the present and the haunting memories of the past (ugh, the Dutch's loss to Portugal in the 2006 World Cup). In soccer, just as in any sport, no match is a certainty. Anyone can beat the best at any time.

I think American sports journalists covering soccer should stop doubting other teams until the United States actually accomplishes something.


PROFESSIONAL TENNIS - The rise and fall of the Serbians.
Tennis.com says: Ivanovic, Jankovic and Djokovic aren't as good as they once were.

I'll start with the world #2 Novak Djokovic first because, well, it's a quick and easy statement.

The guy rocks out on a tennis court. Having a rough time at a few tournaments is natural in a sport that has virtually no off-season. The crowd may have booed his poor performance at the Sony Ericsson Open in Miami after his early-round loss, but might I remind them: he's a Grand Slam Champion and world class baseliner.

Now on to the women...

There was once a time when Ana Ivanovic and Jelena Jankovic shared the #1 and #2 world ranking positions together. In fact, both of them have been #1.

Jelena is the easier of the two to defend after her recent championship title at the BNP Paribas Open.

One of the most athletic players on the women's tour, JJ is an overly dramatic, high-emotion court princess with enough attitude to fill the stadiums she plays in. But man do I love it. It would be one thing if she acted this way without having skill, but her rock-solid backhand down the line is by far the best in the game, and her court coverage is ridiculously good.

All in all, she is on her way back into full swing. Sure, she had a rough 2009 season, but I have a feeling that 2010 will have some Jankovic highlights.

Then there's Ana Ivanovic...

...sigh...

Ana has had some difficulty of late, losing in the early rounds of nearly every tournament she has played in. Let's just say it hasn't been impressive for the former world #1; the tears have been flowing.

But who wouldn't cry when you've had poor results and the media has doomed you to a quick fall from glory, writing you off as a has-been?

Tennis.com went so far as to publish an article claiming that Ivanovic is becoming the new Anna Kournikova-- a pretty face with less than average talent.

Might I remind those who believe such statements of a few things, beginning with this picture:

Ivanovic is a former French Open champion. Kournikova never did anything worth noting, really (other than making tennis one of the sexiest sports on the scene).

Ivanovic, with the ability to grind out long rallies and slap electrifying forehands, was on the top of her game when she won her first slam, and it's only human of her to have fallen back after the weight of expectation was placed upon her shoulders.

Okay... dropping out of the top 50 is a little sad, but who is to say that she won't have a big return to grandeur?

I'm hoping for a big run for Ivanovic at this year's French. I'm not going to hold my breath, but I can still be hopeful, even if I do have to close my eyes when she tosses the ball for a serve...

* * *

I guess I'm just tired of opinion pieces on sports being portrayed as fact... especially when it's negative coverage of my favorite teams and players.

Who says we have to take these sports journalists' words as the end-all be-all truth? Who says we can't write our own responses in hopes of finding more who agree?

Who says?

Not me.

Dedicated to DeVito

On Thursday, February 4, 2010, BU sophomore Mike DeVito passed away. He was my friend...

Though we had lost touch since becoming good friends during our first year of college, Mike's death has had a huge impact on me. The tragedy opened my eyes. I cannot even imagine the pain and sorrow that his family and closest friends are experiencing during this difficult time.

So, I want to dedicate my latest blog to Michael with a short poem, a good quote, and a few pictures. Even if you did not know this wonderful spirit, please take a moment to think about him, those who were close to him, and remember that life is something no one should take for granted.

* * *

Each day a blessing.
Each breath a gift.
My fragile heart,
To you I lift.

A name I will remember.
A laugh I can't forget.
Not hugging you goodbye,
Is the one thing I regret.

Now the light has faded-
No glimmer from your smile.
This friendship put on hold,
If only for awhile.

But now you are our angel.
May you watch us from above.
Rest easy amongst the stars,
For it is you we will always love.

Rest in Peace, Michael Peter DeVito
April 30, 1990 - February 4, 2010


* * *

"To live in hearts we leave behind
Is not to die."
~Thomas Campbell

Top 100 Songs of the Decade

As promised, here's the Billboard's Top 100 songs of the Aughties. What I did, as inspired by my friend's New Year's playlist, is collect the top 10 songs (In order from 10-1) and connect it to the top 10 of the following year.

Now I know many of you won't agree with the way I'm ranking songs because a number one in 2002 may deserve a high spot than the number three in say, 2007... But honestly. I don't really care. It's just fun to look back on how our taste in music has evolved!

Now, everybody, here's Everything You Want and more that'll just keep you Jumpin Jumpin for ten years straight.

[2000]

100) He Wasn't Man Enough -- Toni Braxton
99) Bent -- Matchbox Twenty
98) Amazed -- Lonestar
97) I Knew I Loved You -- Savage Garden
96) Say My Name -- Destiny's Child
95) Everything You Want -- Vertical Horizon
94) I Wanna Know -- Joe
93) Maria Maria -- Santana feat. The Prodcut G&B
92) Smooth -- Santana feat. Rob Thomas
91) Breathe -- Faith Hill

[2001]

90) Independent Women Part 1 -- Destiny's Child
89) Again -- Lenny Kravitz
88) Thank You -- Dido
87) Let Me Blow Ya Mind -- Eve feat. Gwen Stefani
86) If You're Gone -- matchbox twenty
85) I'm Real -- Jennifer Lopez feat. Ja Rule
84) Drops Of Jupiter -- Train
83) All For You -- Janet
82) Fallin' -- Alicia Keys
81) Hanging By A Moment - Lifehouse

[2002]

80) Blurry -- Puddle Of Mudd
79) U Got It Bad -- Usher
78) What's Luv? -- Fat Joe feat. Ashanti
77) In The End -- Linkin Park
76) A Thousand Miles -- Vanessa Carlton
75) Wherever you Will Go -- The Calling
74) Dilemma -- Nelly feat. Kelly Rowland
73) Hot In Here -- Nelly
72) Foolish -- Ashanti
71) How You Remind Me -- Nickelback

[2003]

70) Bring me to life -- Evanesence
69) Picture -- Kid Rock feat. Sheryl Crow
68) Miss You -- Aaliyah
67) Right Thurr -- Chingy
66) Unwell -- matchbox twenty
65) When I'm Gone -- 3 Doors Down
64) Crazy in Love -- Beyonce feat. Jay-Z
63) Get Busy -- Sean Paul
62) Ignition -- R. Kelly
61) In Da Club -- 50 Cent

[2004]

60) Lean Back -- Terror Squad
59) Goodies -- Ciara
58) Hey Ya! -- OutKast
57) I don't Wanna Know -- Mario Winans feat. Enya & P. Diddy
56) The Reason -- Hoobastank
55) The Way You Move -- Outkast
54) This Love -- Maroon5
53) If I ain't got You -- Alicia Keys
52) Burn -- Usher
51) Yeah! -- Usher feat. Lil John & Ludacris

[2005]

50) Behind These Hazel Eyes -- Kelly Clarkson
49) Don't Cha -- Pussy Cat Dolls feat. Busta Rhymes
48) Candy Shop -- 50 Cent feat. Olivia
47) Boulevard of Broken Dreams -- Green Day
46) Gold Digger -- Kanye West feat. Jamie Foxx
45) 1, 2 Step -- Ciara feat. Missy Elliott
44) Since U Been Gone -- Kelly Clarkson
43) Let Me Love You -- Mario
42) Hollaback Girl -- Gwen Stefani
41) We Belong Together -- Mariah Carey

[2006]

40) Check On It -- Beyonce feat. Slim Thug
39) Sexyback -- Justin Timberlake
38) Ridin' -- Chamillionaire feat. Krayzie Bone
37) Crazy -- Gnarls Barkley
36) Unwritten -- Natasha Bedingfield
35) Hips Don't Lie -- Shakira feat. Wyclef Jean
34) You're Beautiful -- James Blunt
33) Promiscuous -- Nelly Furtado feat. Timbaland
32) Temperature -- Sean Paul
31) Bad Day -- Daniel Powter

[2007]

30) Glamorous -- Fergie feat. Ludacris
29) Say It Right -- Nelly Furtado
28) I Wanna Love You -- Akon feat. Snoop Dogg
27) Hey There Delilah -- Plain White T's
26) Before He Cheats -- Carrie Underwood
25) Buy U A Drank -- T-Pain feat. Yung Joc
24) Big Girls Don't Cry -- Fergie
23) The Sweet Escape -- Gwen Stefani feat. Akon
22) Umbrella - Rihannah feat. Jay-Z
21) Irreplaceable -- Beyonce

[2008]

20) Forever -- Chris Brown
19) With You -- Chris Brown
18) Love In This Club -- Usher feat. Young Jeezy
17) Long Song -- Sara Bareilles
16) No Air -- Jordin Sparks duet with Chris Brown
15) Apologize -- Timbaland feat. One Republic
14) Lollipop -- Lil Wayne feat. Static Major
13) No One -- Alicia Keys
12) Bleeding Love -- Leona Lewis
11) Low -- Flo Rida feat. T-Pain

[2009]

10) Gives you Hell -- The All-American Rejects
9) Heartless -- Kanye West
8) Single Ladies -- Beyonce
7) I'm Yours -- Jason Mraz
6) Right Round -- Flo Rida
5) Love Story -- Taylor Swift
4) I Gotta Feeling -- Black Eyed Peas
3) Just Dance -- Lady Gaga
2) Boom Boom Pow -- Black Eyed Peas
1) Poker Face -- Lady Gaga

Now, go ahead and enjoy. Comment. Mention songs that didn't make the cut. Say whatever you want.

I "Aught" Not Think About How Fast Time Flies

The "aughties" are over.

For those who don't know, the decade of 2000-2009 has been coined the aught years, as in aught one, aught two, etc. (a numerical term connoting the placement of a zero, in case any of you are extremely math impaired).

I wanted to write something absolutely epic as my first blog of the new decade, but I can't help but think how strange it is that ten years ago I was a ten-year-old goofball moving from Maine to Connecticut. Now, I'm an almost-twenty-year-old goofball at Boston University.

Time flies.

One of the funniest thoughts I've come across during this period of self-reflection is what young-Kedzie would say if he met and spoke with present-Kedzie. I don't think at the age of ten I ever expected to go through or experience some of the things I did during these past few years of maturation and growth.

So, as I thought and thought about my life, I decided I really wanted to go over some of the biggest events of my life, but I didn't want to bore those of you opting to read this with a detailed list of successes and failures, so instead, here's my plan:

For the rest of this blog, I'm going to note a few of my favorite and worst memories from this past decade, and then I'm going to follow up this post with a Top 100 Songs of the Decade list (an idea I'm definitely stealing from a good friend of mine) in hopes that if my life doesn't thrill you, a but of musical nostalgia will.

* * *

2000
-Moved from Maine to Connecticut
- Began playing the drums and percussion in general.

2001
- I began middle school and was awkward.
- Got fed up with being ridiculed for my weight so I began running. Running eventually became a sincere passion of mine.

2002
- Was selected for a student leadership program. Can't remember why...
- Tried out for ODP Soccer as a goalie and failed.
- Began learning Spanish and acquired a keen interest in languages.
- Tried out for middle school soccer and was told I was "too small to play."
- Oldest sister, Greta, graduated from Loomis Chafee and went off to BU.

2003
- Twin sisters, Cara and Cayla, graduated from SWHS and went off to college. Became the only child left at home and became best friends with my dog, Madaket.'
- Almost moved back to Maine to attend North Yarmouth Academy and restart life back north. Hated Connecticut.
- Began playing defense on the middle school soccer team. Got MVP and fell in love with the position. Felt vindicated for last year's cut.
- Running had become a huge part of my life and I was soon the fastest sprinter on my soccer teams.

2004
- Got some sort of award for getting all As in my 8th grade classes.
- Graduated from Timothy Edwards Middle School.
- Began my high school career at South Windsor High School.
- Began high school soccer as a midfielder/defender. JV level.

2005
- Went back to Maine to visit friends for the first time. Went back every year since.
- Ran track and field for the first time. Was told I "would never be good at it" by my coach...
- Began my sophomore year of soccer swinging between both JV and Varsity teams as a defender/midfielder.
- Became obsessed with Brown University and wanted to go there more than any other place.
- Took my first journalism class. Double-nominated for my first broadcast package at the FOX News Student awards.
- Ran indoor track for the first time.

2006
- Earned the title as Journal Inquirer All-Academic male representative from SWHS for the spring sports season, and did so for every season following until I graduated. Still hold the record for most in a row (7 out of a possible 8).
- Worked at the high school as a Freshman Orientation advisor (LINK Crew Leader).
- Year of the SATs. Puke.
- Played varsity soccer as a defender. Received All-Conference and All-Academic honors.

2007
- Worked at the high school as a Freshman advisor (LINK Crew Leader) again.
-Played varsity soccer as the single captain and got a concussion in the first game. Came back as the central defender with my best friend Foley and ended up winning CCC East conference title, earned All-State and All-Academic honors as well as earned membership in the National All-Academic team.
- Finally got my driver's license!
- Got scouted by Brown University as a possible recruit for track. Ended up getting deferred from early decision and later lost contact with the track coach.
- Went to Spain for 10 days with a group of high school classmates, visiting Madrid, Granada, Sevilla, Cordoba, La Costa Del Sol and even went to Africa for a day to travel around Morocco.
- Took the position as Chairman of Communications for the local Relay for Life committee.

2008
- Broke multiple high school track records including the 100m, 300m, and 4x400m. Selected as All-Conference both indoor and outdoor.
- Got rejected from Brown University.
- Got accepted to Syracuse University at SI New House, and Boston University at the College of Communications.
- Experienced one of the best weeks of my life in Washington D.C. as a selected Al Neuharth Free Spirit Scholar for my excellence in journalism. (Met people such as Julia Butler, Natalia Ledford, Dave Lafortune, Natalie King and Paula Skaggs).
- Celebrated my 18th birthday in Maine at the New England track & field championships, placing 7th with my 4x400m relay team.
- Spoke with Boston University coaches and was offered a position as a sprint on the BU Track and Field team.
- Selected Boston University as my location of study and began my college career in late August/early September. Began track there as well.

2009
- Won my first college 200m heat at the Beanpot Battle at Harvard.
- Quit college track and field.
- Got my first college 4.0 GPA.
- Completed my first year of college (aka, survived it).
- Worked as a camp counselor / Barnes and Noble bookseller over the summer.
- Placed second with my best friend, Steph, at a local beach volleyball tournament: The VolleyBrawl.
- Without track, began playing volleyball and soccer intramurals, as well as became a starting Chaser on the BU Quidditch team.
- Won BU Co-Ed Soccer intramurals and placed 3rd at the Quidditch World Cup.
- Had to deal with the sudden loss of Madaket, my dog and best friend.
- Got my first B+ in college.
- Wrote a profile on an Olympic athlete with hopes of having it published in Sports Illustrated.

* * *

Now I know you all care so much. But seriously, a lot has happened. I'm sure as I continue thinking and remembering I'll add more to this list. I suggest you do the same and see just how much you've changed over the past decade.