Super Quick Takes

It's Monday morning and my brain is still scrambled from my weekend festivities.  Alot went on this weekend in the world of sports and otherwise so instead of trying to wrap my head around it all and formulate cohesive thoughts, I'm just going to go on a "stream of consciousness" type ramble here for the next few minutes.  I hope you don't mind, it's a way to catch up. 

It's not just because of his Name

It's also because of his fire. Ryan Theriot was ejected yesterday for going completely ballistic over a blown call at 2nd base in the 3rd inning of yesterday's game vs the Reds. Theriot, who is the unknowing honorary mascot of The Riot!, received a throw at 2nd base in a force play situation and Theriot thought that he had gotten his man. Umpire Mike Muchlinski thought otherwise and ruled Zack Cozart of the Reds safe.  Theriot went crazy, pointing his finger in Muchlinski's face and running at him while screaming. He was getting red, and of course he was tossed. This is the type of behavior we expect here at The Riot!, immature tantrum throwing to get your way; he didn't. It was a classic moment for sure though, and I think a suspension might be in order do to the contact that might have been made. But here's a lesson for you Muchlinski, don't mess with The Riot! or else you get spit in your face.

Lunchtime Sunday
What was with the destinations for this weekend's international sports action. They both made me hungry and want to fire up the grill. First we had Golf's British Open, live from Sandwich, England.  Sandwich? How am I supposed to take a tournament seriously when it's "Live from Sandwich?" I wonder if it's always held in Sandwich? I'm not a big golf guy, but I do parachute in on the majors, and I don't think I've ever heard of the destination, Sandwich, England.
Then later in the morning we had the FIFA Women's World Cup live from Frankfurt, Germany. WTF? Are they trying to sell delicious summer foods to me?  I know Frankfurt, I've heard of it and that one wasn't as funny as Sandwich, but still, big time events in Sandwich, England and Frankfurt, Germany on the same day?  That's something.  At least it is to me.

NFL Lockout Update
It's almost over. BORING!

Hot Girls Crying is very Sad

Nothing is sadder than seeing very attractive girls cry. That's what happened in Frankfurt, Germany yesterday when the US women's soccer team lost a heartbreaking final to Japan.  They blew two late leads, and then spit the bit in the Penalty Kicks to give Japan the World Cup.  Now I can dump on these girls and say that they choked, and that they were the much superior squad, but that just wasn't the case here.  Japan was a loose, relaxed team, coming up against a US team with a ton of pressure on them; with the ghost of a shirtless Brandi Chastain and the 99 squad looming over them. The US team dodged many bullets throughout this tourney and unfortunately the late heroics that got them to this point came back to bite them when Japan did the same thing back to them; scoring with 9 minutes left in regulation to tie, and then with 4 minutes left in extra time to tie again. Japan was clearly very loose during the Penalty kicks and the US was very obviously feeling the pressure at that point.  And then the tears started. Seeing Hope Solo on the brink of tears; it's very upsetting to see a girl that hot crying.  It makes you want to hug them, doesn't it.  Don't worry super hot goalie, someone loves you somewhere. You're a winner.  Say it to yourself, YOU'RE A WINNER!

An Annoying Analysis
The idea that the choke was in order is ridiculous. This team had dodged bullet after bullet throughout this tourney and very many said they shouldn't have even been in the final.  Most analysts picked them to lose to Brazil, and gave them an even shot against France.  So in order for the choke to be in order, they would have had to have blown a huge lead, or have been favored by a ton. Russia choked to the US in 1980. The Tigers choked against the Cardinals in 2006. The Rams choked in 2001 against the Patriots. This was not a choke, this was a dramatic loss to a team that had pulled together not just to win for themselves, but for a country that has had quite possibly the worst year a country can have. Congrats Japan.

And furthermore on the sour grapes angle of the analysis I heard last night, stop with this "Golden Goal" crap now. Look, I hate the Penalty Kicks as much as the next guy. No championship should be decided that way. It's like deciding the Stanley Cup with breakaways, or the World Series with a Home Run Derby; it's nonsense. But you can't whine about it after your team loses.  Wait a little while and then maybe discuss a rule change. You can't complain about the lack of a sudden death scenario after your team blew a lead in the extra time.  First off, this rule went away for a reason that I don't know, but I'm willing to bet it was this type of scenario where people were upset about the sudden death thing, so now this is what we have. The first thing here is that you know as well as I do that if Japan scores first in the extra time yesterday, we're thanking God for that extra time. You also know as well as I do that we were all envisioning Alex Morgan scoring the game winning Penalty Kick and ripping her shirt off like Chastain did in 99, so stop it with the "faux" anger at the Penalty Kicks. We lost, move on.

In any case, our sincere congrats to Japan for winning this thing, it's great to see something positive happen to that country and to the US squad; heads up, The Riot! still loves you.

Live from Sandwich
I just can't let it go, Live from Sandwich.  Anyway, the British Open champ Darren Clarke, from Ireland, really has a remarkable story. I think it's very cool that this guy, who lost his wife back in 2006 to cancer, could come back and win a major just 5 years later.  That is amazing. If my wife died from cancer at such a young age, I may not get out of bed for 5 years let alone compete and win a professional Major tourney. Good job Darren Clarke, you're a strong man.
Speaking of choke artists though, Phil Mickelson strikes again.  Immediately after tying Clarke at the top of the leader board yesterday, "Lefty" went and bogeyed, I don't know the rest of the holes. Now that's a choke artist there folks.  It's not an epic choke,  but still, you tie the thing going into the back 9 and then you get club happy and start hooking it in the rough; that's a choke.  Minor choke? Yes. Worth discussing? Probably not, but God I hate Phil Mickelson.  He just looks like the type of guy you would want to kick in the stomach, you know. I have no real reason to say that, he has a wife who has survived cancer so far, so I think he's blessed for that, but it's strictly a face thing, you now?

Make That 21
Cedric Benson was arrested over the weekend for assault on his former roommate. It's just a misdemeanor, but seriously guys, you're all millionaires, buy a punching bag. And by punching bag I don't mean a wife or a girlfriend; sometimes you have to clarify for these guys.

So that's my free flowing thoughts on the weekend that was. If you have any free flowing thoughts send them over to thesportsriot@yahoo.com and follow us on twitter @thesportsriot for more free flowing thoughts.