Categories
From the Darkside - The EJ Files

Are You Ready For Some Cricket?

From the Dark Side

EJ

Numbers Are Deceiving

So it’s been over a week now since the Superbowl was played in what was one of the better games in recent memory.  In a game that has traditionally been a blowout with the majority of viewers more excited and interested in the newest commercials (LOVED the Snickers-Brady Bunch commercial!), this game actually kept the interest of the majority of Americans for four hours while the commercials disappointed (did anybody really think the tortoise would actually lose in the Mercedes-Benz commercial?!).  However, what really got everybody talking on Monday morning was the “impressive” 114 million viewers who tuned in for the game. Supposedly this was the most watched TV show in U.S. history.  That’s 35% of the entire population watching Pete Carroll make the worst call in the history of sports.  Impressive.

This seemed like a huge deal last week.  The Superbowl was the greatest sporting event, wait, TV event…ever.  I mean, come on, 114 million people watched it!  But what about the rest of the world? There’s another six or seven billion people out there!  How many people outside of the great US of A actually care about American football?

When I was young, I remember watching M.A.S.H.  I was probably too young to really understand the comedic genius of that show but at least I was introduced to Hot Lips Houlihan and my first TV crush.  The M.A.S.H. finale in 1983 drew 125 million viewers across the globe.  I guess since these were not all in the U.S. it doesn’t rank as the most watched show in American history.  But 125 million is 125 million.  The Superbowl was having a hard time competing with Hawkeye, Col. Potter, Hunnicutt and Klinger.  But, my glory days consisted of religiously watching Cheers, Seinfeld, and Johnny Carson. In 1993, the Cheers finale pulled in 93.5 million viewers in the U.S.  Not bad. Right when I started dreaming of my first Ferrari and moving to Maui with an English butler, Magnum drew over 50 million viewers in 1988.  All respectable numbers but nothing compares to the big global TV events.

I also wasn’t around in 1969 to witness the first moonwalk but 530 million people, or 14% of the world’s population at the time, watched.  I was around in 2011 for the wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton, but was not one of the 161 million people to watch those vows.  But seriously, those events are all peanuts.  Getting back to what people really love to watch, sports, a paltry 150 million watch the 100 meter sprint final in the Olympics.  Each and every year, 175 million watch the UEFA Champions League soccer final and 300 million people watch the UEFA Euro Indian fans burnFinal.  But the clear leaders in global viewership are the soccer and cricket world cups.  Over 700 million people watch these events.  That would be the equivalent of every single person in the United States and half of Europe stopping everything for two hours and watching the game.  And there aren’t even commercials during soccer games!  But the true granddaddy of them all, the #1 most watched television event in the history of the world is…..wait for it…the 2011 cricket world cup semi-final between Pakistan and India.  That game drew over 1 BILLION viewers!  Granted, that was probably every single Indian and Pakistani glued to their television, but a billion viewers is still pretty impressive.  The Superbowl’s 114 million seems a little less impressive.

So next time you hear about the Daytona 500 drawing 16 million viewers and celebrating, remember that the Brazilian Grand Prix averages over 85 million viewers.  Numbers can be a little deceiving.  Don’t believe me?  The 2015 Cricket World Cup begins on Friday!  Will you be watching?

 

Indian Fans

Categories
Other Sports

The Numbers Game

What a weekend to be a sports junkie!  As I’ve been comprehensively consuming games, numbers, scores and stats using my TVPTP (tv, phone, tablet, paper) method, I’ve been awed by the historical significance of some of the performances that we’ve been treated to from all corners of the sporting universe.

Witnessing these feats made me recall a quote I once read by Tonto Coleman, the former czar of the Southeastern Conference: “I turn to the front pages of my newspaper to read about men’s failures.  I turn to the sports pages to read about their triumphs.”

Jumping right into the Super Bowl fire and calmly glossing over Pete Carroll’s decision to keep the ball from Beast Mode down on the goal line, how about these Pats and in particular, that Brady character?  His tally now stands at 6 Super Bowl starts, 4 Rings, the most TD passes of All-Time in the Big One, and barring Gisele demanding that he start wintering with the family in Brazil, he’s not even close to done.  Spectacular.  Brady went out and executed the perfect game plan to counter the ‘Hawks aggressive defensive scheme to the tune of 328 yards and 4 TD’s.  It’s not like Brady had Jerry Rice and John Taylor lined up on each side either.  Total team effort, but credit to the QB who is now in the 4-Ring Club with Montana and Bradshaw.

And a special Sam Adams Winter Lager toast to the great Bill Belichick.  I just hope that when the City of Boston erects the Belichick statue someday that he is wearing the hoodie.

Moving from football to the hardwood, how about the amazing Atlanta Hawks and their 19 game winning streak?  For your reference, 19 in a row places them in a 6th place tie for the longest winning streak in the history of the NBA.  MJ’s Bulls never won 19 regular season games in a row.  And this coming from a team who looked to be in turmoil before the season with both the owners and GM Danny Ferry embroiled in a racial remark scandal. Take a look at https://www.headphonage.com/ website where you can get the headphones you’ve been looking for at a very affordable price.

But credit to Coach Mike Budenholzer, a 16 year Pop assistant in San Antonio, for installing a motion offense that these guys are thriving in.  If they can keep Al Horford on the floor, who has only played in 160 of a possible 328 over the past 4 years due to injuries, they may just make a run at the Cav’s and Bulls.

This is not a misprint: The 37-8 Golden State Warriors play at the 40-8 Atlanta Hawks this Friday night!

On the college hardwood, I was amazed to see that Coach K’s kids rallied late to win a road game at then 19-0 Virginia.  Coach K is now at 1,001 wins over the past 40 years while consistently playing the toughest competition in the land.  Insane.

From the insane on the hardwood to insanity on the hard courts, how about Serena Williams winning her 19th major at 33 years of age and Novak Djokovic continuing the male dominance by the Big 3?  I have to admit, I’m boggled with the domination of the Big 3 (Novak, Rafa, Federer).  From the 2004 Australian Open through today’s final, only 6 men not named Novak, Rafa, and Roger have won majors and they’ve captured 38 of the past 45 tourneys!  Can you imagine only 3 golfers winning every game in the eye xo launch monitor?  These guys are basically a lock to win.  And spare a thought for Andy Murray, who has two major wins in 8 finals appearances.  He’s arguably is one of the best ever but he’s had the unfortunate luck of playing in this amazing era.

Numbers, numbers, numbers.  Great stuff this sports.

 

Finally, check out this little nugget that Bruce Jenkins wrote in the SF Chronicle today:

Klay Thompson’s 37-point quarter broke the record of 33, set by San Antonio’s George Gervin on the final day of the 1978 regular season. Gervin was a man possessed that night, knowing he needed 58 points to steal the scoring title from Denver’s David Thompson, who scored an astounding 73 earlier in the day. No problem: Gervin went for 63 — and by the way, “I don’t feel Thompson broke my record,” Gervin told Bleacher Report. “I’d like to see him try to get 33 or 37 in a quarter when there was no three-point line.”

Categories
Other Sports

Anybody But Sherman

Being a lifelong sports addict, I’ve suffered through many a blue Monday after witnessing my team suffer a crushing defeat.  But a Monday morning after watching the Niners lose an NFC title game to a divisional rival because of a brilliant play made by Richard Fucking Sherman…..unbearable!  The world just doesn’t seem right on a day like this.  How can NaVorro Bowman suffer a career threatening injury while Richard Fucking Sherman gets to play on?  The dark side has prevailed.  Richard Fucking Sherman.  How many times do I have to say “Richard Fucking Sherman!!” before the sting starts to fade?  I’m initiating a Kickstarter campaign tomorrow to secure funds for my new non profit that manufactures life sized Richard Fucking Sherman punching bags and distributes them to underprivileged children and senior assisted living homes throughout The City.

“Go ahead kids, take a break and beat the Richard Sherman bag.”

The Bay Area has a new public enemy #1 and I think it’s safe to say there will be blood the next time the two teams meet.  I still clench my teeth and ball up the fists when I think back to the days of Michael Irving and Jimmy “How ‘Bout Them Cowboys” Johnson, but this is a new sensation.  At least you had to respect the what the Cowboys accomplished.  This punk makes one play and anoints himself the greatest ever while disrespecting his opponent?  This sort of BS cannot be tolerated. I’m a proponent of athletes expressing their individualism, but Richard Fucking Sherman crossed the line.  Seattle fans had better watch their backs for a few weeks around these parts because I’m sensing some hooliganism in the air.

(Hold on I need to take a push-up break…now doing some deep breathing…okay much better.  If I only had that Sherman bag to take out this aggression on…)

Let’s hope that Commissioner Goodell levies a heavy fine and puts the Stanford educated Sherman on the apology circuit to convey the message to the millions of kids watching yesterday that it’s not cool to act like Randy Macho Man Savage after winning a ball game.
And if it didn’t feel like a rivalry before yesterday, it sure does now.  Watching these two foes square off again next year will be must see TV.  In the meantime, l’ll be dreaming of Peyton Manning beating Richard Fucking Sherman with a fade route to the corner to win the Super Bowl!  Go Broncos!