Talk Sporty to Me is your monthly cheat sheet to the hottest, most talked about sports topics.
On the surface, sporting events and games boil down to scores and stats. But dig a little deeper and you’ll find juicy storylines, rumors aplenty, rivalries, breakups and makeups, cheating and deception. Sounds an awful lot like several reality TV shows on the air today doesn’t it?
For sports fans there is intrigue that goes beyond a nightly game. They’re drawn to storylines that have developed over the years of their fandom. Just like a good soap opera you’re not going to get the entire story by watching just one episode, but I’ve got a few notes to get you started on the catch-up process this month.
Season finales don’t get much juicer than what we saw during the NBA Finals. Dirk Nowitzki and the Dallas Mavericks are the new NBA Champions. They knocked off the Miami Heat and LeBron James who wilted down the stretch. It was about a year ago we were talking about LeBron’s big Decision. Turns out ‘hype’ doesn’t win games.
The hype around the NHL Finals continued all the way through Game 7, when the Boston Bruins beat the Vancouver Canucks. It was the first time in the series the home team didn’t win, which led to mass riots in Vancouver. It was a disappointing end for the Canucks, a team that still has yet to win the Stanley Cup.
Interleague baseball provides interesting storylines and drama this time of year. As a quick note to get you up to speed major league baseball is divided into two leagues: American League and National League. American League (AL) teams, like the Seattle Mariners, use a designated hitter in games and don’t allow the pitchers to hit. It creates more offense in the AL. The National League (NL) teams require pitchers to hit and since that’s not the strength of a pitcher there’s typically less hits and home runs in the NL. During this time of year the AL and NL teams play against each other. If the game is being played in an American League park both teams will use a DH. If the game is being played in a National League park there is no DH and the pitchers will hit. The exception to this rule happens next week at Safeco Field in Seattle. The Mariners will host the NL Florida Marlins but Florida will be the “home” team due to a scheduling conflict. So for the first time ever, Mariners fans will watch pitchers hit at home.
If you’re keeping an eye on the drama that’s filling the NFL right now, it looks as if both sides feel optimistic about getting a deal done before the regular season is scheduled to start. Of course there was an issue with the lawyers this last week. So the suspense builds but keep an ear out for a new labor deal sometime in early to mid July.
So how about that for a few dramatic, juicy storylines? Go ahead, get sucked in. It’s a blast and you’ll always have something to talk about.
Jen Mueller
Jen Mueller writes the monthly blog feature Talk Sporty to Me - your monthly cheat sheet to sports. You’ll get info on the hottest topics, and learn how to talk like pro without watching every game! Jen, creator and founder of Talk Sporty to Me, is rarely at a loss for words. Her passion for talking and sports led to a career in sports broadcasting. She is an anchor/reporter/producer at FSN Northwest and the Seahawks radio sideline reporter. In addition to her work on-air, Jen is a high school football official. Check out her site TalkSportyToMe.com, which is where you can also find links to her Facebook and Twitter profiles.
* This post is from a Girl Power Hour featured blogger. It is not written, edited or endorsed by Girl Power Hour. The authors are solely responsible for content.
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Sindi
06.21.2011
Watching game 7 from a bar on Richards Street in Vancouver was exciting!! Hockey’s great because it’s easy to follow and I know what is going on all the time. Of course, since I haven’t really been a fan (prior to last Wednesday) since I went to Winterhawks games in Portland, I didn’t know anything about the teams playing for the Cup. Luckily for me, people are always there – guys and gals who know more about the event we’re watching than I do – always willing (sometimes even excited) to share their knowledge about players, teams, history and the like because let’s face it: who has time to know everything about everything, eh? That’s why it’s great to have an expert like you in my corner – to help me sort out the gems that will make for great conversation in any situations. So thank you!
Jen Mueller
06.24.2011
You’re welcome Sindi!
I’m glad you feel comfortable jumping in and relying on others to help you get up to speed on the story lines. As you’ve found out just being open to learning and filing away the information for later use is very helpful.
Thanks for the comment!