Not many people, particularly Americans, will know who is Jozy Altidore. Altidore is a Haiti-American professional soccer player. He currently plays for the English club team Hull City on loan from Villarreal. Altidore is currently of the age of 19 about to turn 20. He has been a professional soccer player since the age of 16. His accomplishments so far in his career are magnificent. Altidore was the youngest player to score in in Major League Soccer Play-off(with the New York Red Bulls), youngest american to score in their first international start, youngest American to score in a World Cup Qualifier, youngest American to score a hat trick in World Cup Qualifier, and the first US International to score in Spain's La Liga. These stats are something that can make any sports fan stand in awe especially someone like me who loves the game of soccer.
Even with all of these great accomplishments, I have little to wonder about Altidore except for why someone who has parents who have escaped a poverty stricken country would give up the chance for a college degree to play for a possible 10-15 year soccer career. Altidore was able to finish out high school and get his diploma at the age of 16. Obviously, the love for the game of soccer or any sport tends to outweigh reasoning. Other than that little fact of Altidore's life, I am actually jealous that I'm not in his shoes playing professional soccer and making game winning goal to knock off the World's number 1. If I was given the option to play professional soccer at the age of 16, I would have never thought twice about that decision. I would be kicking a ball somewhere in Europe right now.
Here is a commercial that Adidas did with Altidore two years ago.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Monday, October 19, 2009
Sooner's Bradford re-injures shoulder
The University of Oklahoma's starting quarterback Sam Bradford injured his shoulder during the September 5 battle with BYU that resulted in a loss. Bradford had passed up the NFL last season in hopes of leading his college to a National Championship. Bradford, as a sophomore, won the Heisman Trophy last year over the hopeful repeat Tim Tebow and future number one pick in the NFL Draft Matthew Stafford. On the first game of the season, the star Bradford went down along with his team. National Championship possibilities are almost out of the picture at this point and for Bradford a good look at the NFL (not saying that he won't do well). After Bradford's dismiss, the Sooners went on to win 3 out of the next 4. Oklahoma entered Saturday's game with a 3-2 record with both losses to top 25 teams, a much needed win, and a Red River Rival on the line. Bradford was now back to complete the Sooners and hopefully turn the team around. In the first quarter of the game, unblocked Longhorns cornerback Aaron Williams sacked Bradford while he was running backwards trying to get away from the defender on Oklahoma's second drive. Bradford landed on the same shoulder and re-injured it in what he claims as the same feeling as the BYU game.
This brings me to wonder why Bradford would ever come back especially if all it took to re-injure his shoulder was one hit. The hit was a powerful hit but that still doesn't take anything away from the stupidity of Bradford to play or the training staff to let him. Sam Bradford is an intelligent man, he knows that the NFL will always be there for him especially considering that he is the current Heisman Trophy winner. He has at least one more year of eligibility and a throwing arm to take care of. I know that playing the game and the thrill that comes out of doing something you love tends to outweigh any reason. But when there is time to reason with an injury that is crucial to one's career, that's not an excuse. In my opinion, this was a brave but dumb decision by Bradford. Cut your losses and wait until next year.
This brings me to wonder why Bradford would ever come back especially if all it took to re-injure his shoulder was one hit. The hit was a powerful hit but that still doesn't take anything away from the stupidity of Bradford to play or the training staff to let him. Sam Bradford is an intelligent man, he knows that the NFL will always be there for him especially considering that he is the current Heisman Trophy winner. He has at least one more year of eligibility and a throwing arm to take care of. I know that playing the game and the thrill that comes out of doing something you love tends to outweigh any reason. But when there is time to reason with an injury that is crucial to one's career, that's not an excuse. In my opinion, this was a brave but dumb decision by Bradford. Cut your losses and wait until next year.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Michael Crabtree as a 49er
During the 2009 NFL Draft, the San Francisco 49ers drafted Michael Crabtree as the 10th overall pick. Michael Crabtree spent his previous 3 years as a nationally recognized top receiver playing at Texas Tech. The San Francisco 49ers finished last season with a record of 7-9 and falling short of the playoffs. The addition of a great wide receiver was and still is thought by the organization to possibly be the finishing piece to the puzzle and send them over .500 and possible to the playoffs. But unfortunately Crabtree saw things differently.
Like most of your wide receivers in the NFL and plenty of other athletes, it's all about them. Crabtree and his agent were never able to find the right amount of money in a contract that was good enough for a 21 year old wide reciever. Crabtree's agent had said to the media that they were even considering not playing for a year and re-entering the draft in 2010. Crabtree did eventually sign with the 49ers 4 games into the regular season and is not going to hold out.
In my opinion this is very selfish play by anyone yet alone a professional athlete. I believe very few people have the right to not sign with a team just because they believe they are not getting what they deserve. Crabtree has yet to even prove that he can play at the professional level. So I wonder why him and his agent think they can hold a team out of player for selfish reasons. But I guess this is one of the many things some athletes just like most humans. They have greed and it keeps them from playing the game they love. When Michael Crabtree was eight years old, do you think he got mad about not getting enough Caprisuns at the end of the game? I highly doubt it, just play the game.
Like most of your wide receivers in the NFL and plenty of other athletes, it's all about them. Crabtree and his agent were never able to find the right amount of money in a contract that was good enough for a 21 year old wide reciever. Crabtree's agent had said to the media that they were even considering not playing for a year and re-entering the draft in 2010. Crabtree did eventually sign with the 49ers 4 games into the regular season and is not going to hold out.
In my opinion this is very selfish play by anyone yet alone a professional athlete. I believe very few people have the right to not sign with a team just because they believe they are not getting what they deserve. Crabtree has yet to even prove that he can play at the professional level. So I wonder why him and his agent think they can hold a team out of player for selfish reasons. But I guess this is one of the many things some athletes just like most humans. They have greed and it keeps them from playing the game they love. When Michael Crabtree was eight years old, do you think he got mad about not getting enough Caprisuns at the end of the game? I highly doubt it, just play the game.
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