Jason Haskins's Blog, page 34

World Cup 2018: The All-Euro semifinals are set

There was a bit less drama in the quarterfinals of the 2018 World Cup than in previous rounds, but the four games still delivered plenty of action.Team penalty kicks -- especially those taken on soccer's grandest stage -- arrive with an innate sense of pressure.  Many of the best players in the game have succumbed to the wily ways of this torturous dance. Others have done what is expected, displaying a calm, cool, and collected wit about them to step right up, knock the ball into the back of the net, and move on.
Failures can sometimes be easily classified as a bad case of overthinking. Outwitting the opposing team's goalie is part of converting, of course, but often times overthinking is detrimental. The result: shots skyrocketing to the left, to the right, and up, up, and away (and not on a beautiful balloon).
I've been on both sides of the ball in those situations (albeit under quite less strenuous circumstances) and I still can't believe there aren't more goals scored on team penalty kicks. World-class goalkeepers play their part but I could never figure out how to make a stop (thus perhaps explaining my short-lived career between the posts).
Croatia and Russia, for the second time in as many games in the World Cup, found themselves lining up in this very situation. Croatia prevailed 3-2 on penalty kicks to advance to the semifinals.

HE DOES IT AGAIN!

For the second game in a row, Rakitic wins the penalty shootout for Croatia. pic.twitter.com/H3aH1Em3DP— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) July 7, 2018

A spectacular match had played out before this, with Russia taking a 1-0 lead in the first half. Croatia was able to tie it 1 and eventually went up 2-1 in extra time.

Russia kept the match alive with a goal to tie things at 2 with six minutes left in extra time and eventually send the game to penalty kicks.

In a game that comes down to inches, Russia not only missed a penalty kick far and wide, they saw shots easily saved.

The host nation, who many pegged for a group stage exit, had fallen just short in their bid to reach the semifinals. A valiant effort nonetheless in their quest for the semifinals in which all four teams will be representing a European nation.
France vs Belgium, 7/10 12:00 pm MTThe young team from France was 2-0 winners over Uruguay while Belgium defeated Brazil 2-1 to reach the semifinals.
France last made the semifinals in 2006, where they finished as runners-up to champion Italy. (A game the Italians won on penalty kicks). This result came eight years after the French defeated Brazil to claim the cup.
Belgium, meanwhile, has not made it this far in the World Cup since 1986 (where they finished fourth) and has never taken the top spot. They have not been defeated in 24 straight international matches.
France has totaled nine goals in the World Cup while Belgium has totaled 14. Belgium plays a fairly even-handed game, leaning towards a defensive style but certainly countering when needed. (And by the amount of goals scored, converting on these chances). France will get at you, but nothing Belgium didn't already see against Brazil. 
Antoine Griezmann and Kylian Mbappe, all 19 years of him, lead France with three goals each. And though he hasn't scored or assisted, Paul Pogba is always a threat.
Romelu Lukaku, Kevin De Bruyne, and Eden Hazard have all made cases as top player in the tournament. Lukaku has four goals and Hazard has two goals and two assists.
Both keepers -- Hugo Lloris of France and Thibaut Cortois of Belgium -- have both been outstanding. Tough one to call, but Belgium's run over the past few years has been nothing short of excellent. Look for it to continue with a victory over France.Croatia vs England, 7/11 12 pm MTIn the opening match of the day, hours before Croatia took care of Russia, the Three Lions of England defeated Sweden 2-0. In doing so, England will be taking part in their first World Cup semifinal since 1990, where they finished fourth.
Croatia last found the semifinals in 1998, where they finished third. Once part of Yugoslavia, Croatia has only been competing on the world stage since the mid-1990's and will be seeking their first appearance in the final.
England last won it all in 1966.
Croatia has outscored opponents 10-6 over its past five games. Luka Modric has netted two goals to lead the squad as Croatia uses a balanced attack on the pitch.
England has scored 11 goals, six of which came in a game against Tunisia. Harry Kane has delivered six goals over the span of five games, but it has been the play of others like Harry Maguire and John Stones as of late that has propelled England.
Each team is well-deserving of a spot in the final, but England appears to have a confidence and looseness to their play that hasn't been seen in recent World Cups. For that fact, I'm going with England in this match.
Be sure to check back later next week when the final and consolation games are set. To keep up with sports, movies, pop culture and more, be sure to follow Jason on Twitter: @jasonrh_78
Photo courtesy of flickr.com

World Cup 2018: Countdown to the stretch run

Years ago, long before I was spectator of the World Cup, before I wheezed my way through indoor soccer matches, and even before a one-year term my junior year on the high school soccer team, I took part in another type of soccer world cup.
Aside from my junior year of high school, soccer was a sport I initially played up through the eighth grade. Autumns were spent on the pitch -- as the refined fan likes to say -- as a start to a rotation involving basketball and then baseball.
Summers were spent either on the road to visit family in the far away land of California or in a variety of sports camps, including for a couple of summers participating in a soccer camp.
The instructors of the Britannia soccer camp arrived from overseas, mostly from the UK. These camps were like most other sports camps, with a mix of instruction, drills and games taking up our hours on the grass field.
One of these soccer camp games was called "world cup". Sitting here today, I can't remember for sure if the teams were comprised of two or three players or we were sent out as individuals. The game was played in the six-yard box and the goal was to be the first team (person) to score a goal and advance to the next round.
So five teams of two competed to knock a ball into the back of the net with no goalie to stand guard. A team scores, they advance and step aside. The remaining teams go again, repeating the action until only one team has not scored. That team is eliminated, the four teams who scored return, and set about doing playing the same game, until only three teams remain. And so on until a winner emerges.
Thinking back thirty years, I'm sure there were variations on this game in which my memory escapes me. But I do remember the early the mornings, a layer of sweat between shins and shin guards, the jostling for position, and the thrill of outlasting your soccer mates in a competitive game of world cup.
The pressure, the nerves, and the rewards build with each passing round. Goals are tougher to come by when the stakes are raised and, for the eight teams remaining in the 2018 World Cup, they will likely experience all of these same emotions. Only with a lot more at stake.Quarreling in the quarterfinalsExtra time, late goals, and penalty kicks have been the story from Russia over the past few days. Surprises also took places, with the host team possibly being the most underdog story of them all.
The team from Russia, ranked 70th in the world by FIFA, used a second-place finish in Group A to advance to the knockout stage. In turn, they were matched up with a Spain team and not given much of a chance to advance much further.
Surprise, surprise.
A competitive game, in which Russia packed the box in defense of their goal in order to slow down a Spain team bent on passing, passing, passing (and passing some more), was decided on penalty kicks.
Russia won 4-3, sealed with this fantastic kick save: 

Believe. In. Akinfeev. pic.twitter.com/gkrdXS5SLz— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) July 1, 2018

All told, penalty kicks helped decide three matches. In addition to Russia, England (over Colombia) and Croatia (over Denmark) advanced on penalty kicks.
Japan nearly joined Russia as a surprise entrant into the quarterfinals, taking a 2-0 lead in the second half over the favored Belgium squad. 
Belgium proved to be too much, storming back for a 3-2 victory to advance.
And for the seventh consecutive World Cup, the team from Mexico -- who began on such a high note with a victory over Germany -- was sent packing by the feet of Neymar and 2-0 Brazil victory.
The likes of Ronaldo and Messi were eliminated in the knockout stage, but we'll still get to witness stars like Neymar, Harry Kane, and France's Kylian Mbappe. The 19-year old scored two goals in France's 4-3 victory over Argentina. 
Sweden and Uruguay complete the eight-team quarterfinals. Matches take place on July 6 and July 7. The schedule is below, with predictions in bold (I went six of eight in the last round so do with that what you will).
7/6: Uruguay vs France (8 AM MT)
7/6: Brazil vs Belgium (12 PM MT)
7/7: Sweden vs England (8 AM MT)
7/7: Russia vs Croatia (12 PM MT)

Be sure to check back after the quarterfinals for more. Or to stay up to date with results, highlights, pop culture and more, be sure to follow Jason on Twitter: @jasonrh_78

photo credit: maxipixel.net

World Cup 2018: Knockout stage here we come

The knockout stage of the 2018 World Cup is set as the final 16 teams vie to wear the crown and become the new soccer kings of the world.Two straight weeks of World Cup action and fans can finally breathe.

For one day, at least.

So...#URUPOR

World Cup 2018: Taking a peek at forgotten Group H

Day 11 of the 2018 World Cup is in the books, with teams from Group H delivering on a fine day of matches.All of the talk about the World Cup on this blog in recent weeks has spoken of great teams, powerhouse countries, and Iceland. In the process, much has not been said about the countries from Group H.
Guys. Group H matters, too.
It might have been easy to write off this group at the start of the World Cup. Many assumed Colombia and Senegal would advance to the Group of 16, with Japan and Poland fighting to even sniff the next round.
Poland was the first out of the group to officially be eliminated after falling to Colombia 3-0 today. Poland, making their first World Cup appearance since 2006, is a team on the rise but found nothing comes easy on the world stage. Not that they expected it to, but I'm sure they noticed a lot of work still has to be done.
This is not to say Poland was routed out of the World Cup. They fell 2-1 in their opener to Senegal and kept pace with Colombia for the game's first 60 minutes. Poland still has a chance to play spoiler in their final game when they take on Japan. A victory against the Japanese could very well end Japan's 2018 run.

So, Group H...

1) #JPN
2) #SEN
3) #COL
4) #POL

Poland are now eliminated from the #WorldCup pic.twitter.com/0cJRRlI3fb— FIFA World Cup

World Cup 2018: The bells of the proverbial ball

Weekend number two of the 2018 World Cup is nearly complete as Belgium and Mexico continue to display their dominance in different ways.
The knockout stage of the World Cup is on the horizon, with a few countries already eliminated and a few others locked in on the Group of 16. Some -- including a few of the big ticket countries -- are staving off the sun setting a few days longer. And Iceland will need a big win, plus help, if they hope to advance.
Belgium and Mexico, however, are two teams cruising in the group stage.
Belgium won handily in its second game of group play, a 5-2 decision over Tunisia. The five goals brings their total to eight for the tourney so far.
While they have not clinched a spot in the next round, Belgium is using a blistering pace on offense in blitzing their opponents into submission. And the defense will only get better when injured star defender Vincent Kompany returns when Belgium faces England on Thursday.
England is set for their second game in group play when they face Panama on Sunday. A win or tie by England guarantees that Belgium will advance.
Mexico is close to advancing as well. El Tri -- after counterattacking and playing a speed game in their victory over Germany -- used a much different tactic in their 2-1 victory over South Korea. Possession was the name of the game as Mexico moved one step closer to finding the Group of 16 yet again. They will need at least a tie against Sweden or a South Korea victory over Germany to be guaranteed of advancing.
Germany was on the precipice of needing a miracle to advance. Tied at one apiece with Sweden well into stoppage time, the Germans shockingly were hanging by a thread. Then, Toni Kroos found the back of the net with one of the better goals of the tournament:

TONI KROOS HAS THE CLUTCH GENE pic.twitter.com/YDO2nNQty7— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) June 23, 2018

Thanks to that goal, the Germans have found a new lease on life. They still don't necessarily control their own destiny, but a victory over South Korea later this week will go a long way in deciding their World Cup 2018 future.
Russia looking towards Group of 16No, the host country does not automatically advance to the next round. The Russians have done so all on their own.
After a 5-0 victory to open the Cup, the Russians continued to march on with a 3-1 victory earlier this week over Egypt. Uruguay's victory over Saudi Arabia helped Russia lock up a spot in the next round.
Uruguay has also advanced through the group stage, meaning when Russia and Uruguay meet up seeding will be on the line.
France and Croatia are also locked in for the next stage. Brazil picked up a big win over Costa Rica and currently sit tied with Switzerland atop Group E with 4 points (Serbia is one point behind those two.)
And the darlings from Iceland? Well, things are looking a little sour after losing to Nigeria. Iceland will need a victory over Croatia to even begin to think about moving on. Their co-cellar mates in Group D, Argentina, needs to defeat Nigeria and hope Iceland loses to Croatia. Goal differential might still have a say in this group.
Lionel Messi and Argentina were supposed to have a pretty good shot at winning it all. It's surprising to see them in this position, especially when one of the best players -- if not best player -- in the world in this position. 
While one man can certainly dictate a team's performance, like Ronaldo over in Portugal, one man is often not enough. Is it Messi's teammates failing him? Or does the star have a lack of disinterest and frustration with his team?
On occasions in this World Cup, both have been true. But on the soccer world's grandest stage, the star players need to play like the stars they are. If not, the four years of building towards capturing the pinnacle title of the sport can be washed away in three games just like that.
And in the case of Messi, leaving after three games would be a damn shame.
photo credit: pixabay.comBe sure to follow Jason on Twitter for all of his random thoughts on soccer, movies, sports, the Boston Red Sox, and how much ice cream he likes to consume: @jasonrh_78

World Cup 2018: Powerhouse teams showing weak spots

Five days in and the 2018 World Cup has lived up to expectations, even delivering a few surprises.David has not quite slain Goliath here in the 2018 World Cup. The giants have taken their licks, some have been brought to one knee, but for the most part they're still standing.
The underdogs are certainly closing the gap, though.
Soccer is normally a sport in which we see a lot of 1-0 and 2-1 results. It's part of the beauty of the game, in which a single goal by a team can propel them to an upset.
Fourteen matches have been played through five days, with eight of those decided by one goal.
A few countries
Dries Mertens hits the volley perfectly to put Belgium up 1-0. pic.twitter.com/Pkvv28VCYk— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) June 18, 2018Belgium would go on to win 3-0. As an outside favorite, theirs was one of the most convincing wins of the tourney thus far.
Close wins were also on tap for many of the favorites. France knocked off Australia 2-1, a game that featured the first use of the V.A.R. system. The video-replay-assistant is being used for the first time in World Cup play.
England also had their fair share of struggles in a 2-1 victory over Tunisia. Despite an edge in shots, 17 (7 on goal), and possession (60-40), it took a stoppage-time goal by Harry Kane -- his second of the game -- for England to pull out the victory.
Then there's the story of three favorites, including defending champion Germany. The Germans became the third-straight winner of the previous Cup to lose their first match. Now the upset isn't one of epic proportions -- they lost 1-0 to Mexico -- but the result caught many by surprise.
Mexico, meanwhile, got the start to the Cup they were looking for. El Tri picked their spots to sprint with Germany and used multiple missed opportunities by the Germans (25 total shots) and excellent game by goalie Guillermo Ochoa (9 saves) to pick up the victory.
A bigger shock was Brazil playing to a 1-1 draw against Switzerland. Also owners of a 1-1 draw was Argentina, who failed to defeat first-time participant Iceland.
Iceland fights onThe dance of the underdog is oft-told tale. A person, a team, a country who isn't supposed to even be in contention rises above the rest. In the process, they win the hearts of not only their fans, but of so many more.
It's only one game, but it's safe to say Iceland has done exactly that.

Iceland fans during their match against Argentina today...#VikingClap #ISL #ARGISL #WorldCup

WWE: Elias circling the top level and it's great

Money in the Bank 2018 promises to be a solid pay-per-view, with Seth Rollins vs Elias as one of the matches many are looking forward to.Don't ever mess with a man's guitar, even in the WWE. Especially if the owner of said guitar is Elias.
Last Monday night on RAW, Seth Rollins -- owner of the Intercontinental Championship and best run of 2018 -- took a stomping to Elias' guitar. The very guitar recently given to the Drifter by John Mayer.
Sure, Elias goes through his fair share of guitars in destroying the instruments on the backs of other wrestlers. But that's his choice and one that usually pays dividends.

WHERE did @IAmEliasWWE just come from?! #RAW pic.twitter.com/qV6WpzXG3j— WWE (@WWE) May 29, 2018

Elias has been steadily rising on the WWE's flagship program over the past year. His efforts are being rewarded with a title fight for the IC belt on Sunday night in Chicago.
Having not seen a whole lot of NXT over the years, I didn't know what to expect when Elias showed up on RAW. He wandered around backstage, into interviews and generally drifted from place to place.
In all appearances, it looked to me like his run wouldn't be all too successful.
Consider my words eaten.
Creative has taken their time with Elias, giving him his own time in the ring to become one of the top heals working on RAW. The character is one we've seen before, but Elias is embracing what is given to him and giving max effort.
And the fans love to hate it.
It helps he's been placed in the ring with experienced workers who have helped him along. Too often, chemistry in the ring between wrestlers can make things stale, forced, and just not that entertaining. Elias has found not only good chemistry, but his mic work has continually improved since his arrival on RAW.
Plus, this story with the Rollins has helped. Rollins has owned 2018 so far and Elias has done nothing to hamper the kingslayer's momentum.
This match is near the top of what I'm looking for at Money in the Bank. I doubt Elias will win and I'm not sure if the story with Seth will move forward after Sunday. Whatever Elias does next, however, I will be right there walking with him.
In spirit, of course, from the comfort of my couch.
Money in the Bank predictions, thoughtsElias and Seth will have a chance to steal the show on Sunday, but my guess is the ladder matches will have their say as well.
The men's match has some of the top stars in the company competing for the coveted briefcase. Names like Kevin Owens, Finn Balor, Braun Strowman, Samoa Joe, Rusev, Bobby Roode, and whoever The New Day entrant will be are all deserving of the title. I can see anyone of these eight winning, but my money is leaning towards one of the following: KO, The Miz, Samoa Joe
On the women's side, you have a nice collection of talent competing for the briefcase. Charlotte, Alexa Bliss, Becky Lynch, Nattie, Ember Moon, Sasha Banks, Naomi, and Lana all -- for the most part -- have their strong suits and should make for an interesting match. Rumors are flying James Ellsworth might be returning. Does Becky Lynch does find redemption for last year's close loss? Will Rusev and Lana be married champions, each carrying a case? I'm leaning towards Nattie, Charlotte, or Sasha grabbing the case.
Ellsworth might also have a say in the women's Smackdown championship bout as Carmella takes on Asuka. Tough call, but I'm saying Carmella retains.
Going the same route as well with the men's title match, giving AJ the edge over Nakamura in their Last Man Standing match.
The best of the rest:Bludgeon Brothers retain over the Gallows/AndersonJinder Mahal will fall to Roman ReignsSami Zayn is doing some fine work as of late, even if the storyline has taken some missteps. Still I see him losing to Bobby Lashley.Nia Jax defeats Ronda RouseyDaniel Bryan will defeat Big Cass and I can't help but wonder if Shelton Benjamin makes an appearance.What are your thoughts about Money in the Bank? Is Elias a star? Do you agree with the predictions? Share your thoughts below.
photo credit: commons.wikimedia.orgBe sure to follow Jason on Twitter for random thoughts on sports, wrestling, movies, pop culture and more @jasonrh_78 or Sports 'n' Stuff

World Cup 2018: Spain and Portugal deliver a match for the ages

photo courtesy of maxpixel.net
The United States men's national team failed to make the 2018 World Cup, but there's still plenty to be excited about.Portugal and Spain, two teams ranked in the top-ten in the world, lived up to pre-match expectations on Friday. And it was only the fourth game of World Cup 2018.
On a day which saw only two combined goals in the first two games, Spain and Portugal had matched that in the first 24 minutes on Friday. The goals would keep coming for both sides, en route to a 3-3 tie between the likely top-2 teams in Group B play.
It took Uruguay until the 89th-minute to find the back of the net in defeating Egypt 1-0 (who were without star striker Mohamed Saleh). And it was an own goal late in the Iran-Morocco matchup that secured a 1-0 victory for the Iranians.
Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo was much quicker getting the scoring going during the marquee matchup of day 2. 
Ronaldo -- who earlier in the day was sentenced for tax evasion -- was fouled by Spain's Nacho in the box, giving a penalty kick for the star. 
Needless to say, in the game's 4th-minute, he didn't let fans down: 

Cristiano Ronaldo gets the opener!

He draws the penalty and buries it to give Portugal an early 1-0 lead against Spain. #PORESP pic.twitter.com/P08bLoLcKV— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) June 15, 2018

Portugal controlled much of the action for the game's first fifteen minutes. Spain kicked it into gear, missing on a few shots (including a save by Portugal's crossbar) before Diego Costa equalized things at one in minute 24.
Ronaldo struck again late in the second-half, striking a left-footed ball mishandled by Spain's goalkeeper to give Portugal a 2-1 halftime lead.
Not to be outdone by Ronaldo, Spain's Costa would score off a beautiful set piece in the 55th minute.

Another one for Diego Costa!

Spain's training-ground free kick ends up in the back of the net thanks to Busquets and Costa.

Golden State Warriors: A fantasy dynasty for the ages

The Golden State Warriors have won back-to-back titles and their third in four years.In our younger days, on dirt courts with bent rims, on cement pads with chain nets, and on playgrounds with no nets at all, basketball dreams were had. Alone, you created a super team in your head.
Michael Jordan with Magic Johnson and Larry Bird.
Kobe Bryant with Shaquille O'Neal and Karl Malone. (Oh wait. That one happened.)
Or perhaps the fantasy team dream stemmed from days of playing NBA Live or any of its video game siblings in which you'd trade for that super team.
That's the Golden State Warriors in a nutshell.
A 108-85 Game 4 victory sealed the deal. A game in which Steph Curry dropped 37 points and Kevin Durant had a triple-double (20 points, 12 rebounds, 10 assists) to help steamroll the Cleveland Cavaliers.

#StrengthInNumbers #DubNation #NBAFinals #ThisIsWhyWePlay pic.twitter.com/42j2bdBvEt— NBA (@NBA) June 9, 2018

Durant had another outstanding series -- his second straight Finals MVP in the bag -- and proved once again it's much better to chase titles than power through adversity by being loyal.
The stars of any sports league have always carried the weight of the world upon their shoulders when attempting to deliver their beloved franchise a title. Expectations can be even greater when the team (or city) has never won a title.
Just ask James, the man who began the current era of stars chasing titles by forming super teams with other all-star.Chasing dreams, chasing titlesEven before James went to the Miami Heat to join forces with Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade, the greatness of an athlete's career was defined by number of titles won. Charles Barkley, Patrick Ewing, Karl Malone and John Stockton have zero titles between them, but does that truly make their hall-of-fame careers any less spectacular?
The idea that titles define an athlete's career has only swelled over the years. It is often a main talking point in the tiresome Jordan vs James debate, in which number of titles and championship losses are used in attempt to settle a debate that can never be settled.
If rings were the end-all-be-all, Bill Russell (11, out of 13 seasons) would be the greatest player of all time. I mean, even Steve Kerr (5) has more rings as a player than James, Curry, Durant, etc.
But rings aren't -- and shouldn't be -- what ultimately defines the greatness of a player. The tangibles are certainly there, like scoring, rebounding, defense, and so on. Intangibles should be marked aspects of a player's greatness as well. Do you inspire others? Do you make others around better? Do you pick them up when they are down? 

This is heartbreaking! Long uncut footage of LeBron, JR Smith & George Hill after Smith's mistake in Game 1. pic.twitter.com/MplQoAkk0a— Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) June 4, 2018

Durant has all of these things.
It's not like he was lacking any of these when he left his original franchise -- a team he'd taken to the NBA Finals -- to complete the fantasy team in Golden State. He wasn't hurting in Oklahoma City and Golden State wasn't hurting without him. Coming off a record-setting season, the Warriors fell in the Finals to the Cavs, but it's not like they were blown away and exposed to list of weaknesses. 
Prior to Durant's arrival, it might have been easier to be a fan of the Warriors (if you weren't already). Their top stars were all drafted and groomed in the city by the bay, surrounded by high basketball IQ and role players. The Splash Brothers were born, they played a style much appreciated, and were winning over a new generation of fans.
And now? Well, you know.
Two or three star players on a team is fine. Basketball had a bit more oomph to it when this was the case, held a bit more drama, and at least gave us some parity. The conference finals were more intriguing and eventful than the 2018 Finals were.
Super teams are hurting the product. It is a veritable arms race to knock the Golden State Warriors from their perch. And while they likely won't remain this way forever, they currently sit atop the throne. 
I'd rather see competitive games every night than stars sitting out games, teams tanking, or watching  disparity between talent and no-talent dominate the standings.
There are still teams doing it right. The Boston Celtics have blended free agency, trades, and drafting the right talent. The Houston Rockets have two superstars they are building a team around. Over in Philadelphia, the 76ers had their own process.
And yet, the latter two teams (and to some extent, Boston) appear to be on the radar for James (per the desire and beliefs of fans and pundits).
The free market is fine and players should be able to pursue their own teams and dreams. Congrats to the Golden State Warriors. 
But give me loyalty to a franchise over title chasing any day of the week.
photo credit: flickr.comFor more on sports, movies, pop culture and more, be sure to follow on Twitter: @jasonrh_78

J.R. Smith and 5 other sports blunders etched in time

photo credit: commons.wikimedia.org


Game 1 of the 2018 NBA Finals almost turned out to be one for the ages. Until it wasn't, except maybe for all the wrong reasons.
One day, it might be eventually noted as another stellar performance by LeBron James. James scored 51 points, pulled down 8 rebounds and dished out 8 assists in what turned out to be a losing effort. It took overtime, but the Golden State Warriors defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers 124-114.
Likely the game will go down for the J.R. Smith rebound and subsequent dribbling out the clock with four seconds left in hopes of a sealing a victory.  Except -- as many fans already know -- the score was tied at 107.

WHAT WAS JR THINKING?! pic.twitter.com/3LHkTmXYbv— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) June 1, 2018

In time, we as fans remember the main blunder -- rightfully so -- that cost the team a game (or at the very least a chance to win the game).
What about the surrounding events, before or after, in which the noted blunder might not have had an effect?
Take, for example, the missed free throw by George Hill that would have given the Cavs a one-point lead with a little over four seconds left. Would Steph Curry or Kevin Durant have hit a big shot in response? Chances are good we would have at least seen a shot by one of these two men. Whereas Hill might have been a hero in a game 1 upset, he is not being looked at as neither a hero nor a goat because of Smith's play.
Free throws played a big part overall in the game, as the Cavs missed six free throws while the Warriors only missed one.
Of course, a big issue is the lack of really anyone else stepping up for the Cavs. James and Kevin Love combined for 72 points for Cleveland, with Smith (10 pts) the only other Cav to reach double figures in points.
Smith, a 13-year veteran, had a mental lapse. He should have known the score, how much time remained, and if the team had any timeouts. Blame can be assigned a lot of places (Jordan Clarkson, Coach Lue failing to call a timeout, etc.) and Smith deserves his share of it. But as most of us who played sports, we know games might come down to one play, but that play isn't the entire reason for success or failure.
Here are five more occasions in which the blunder was remembered, but other situations might have erased it entirely.Bill Buckner's errorIf not for the "Curse of the Bambino" being exorcised in 2004 with a World Series title (and two more titles to boot), the Bill Buckner error for the Boston Red Sox might still be a bigger issue.
Except it can't all be tied to Buckner's error.
The Red Sox stranded 14 runners on base in the infamous game. Twice the Red Sox held leads (3-2, 5-3) in Game 6 of the 1986 World Series against the New York Mets. Calvin Schiraldi let those leads go both times, including in the tenth when he got the first two outs.
Schiraldi also gave up a 3-0 lead the Red Sox held in Game 7.
The Buckner error is forever etched into franchise history, but remember there were other factors that might have prevented the game even coming down to that play.The curse in ChicagoLong before the Chicago Cubs took their name off the list of franchises thirsty for a championship with a 2016 World Series victory, they were stuck in "cursed" land as well.
In 2003, the blame fell on Steve Bartman, the fan who interfered with Moises Alou's attempt to catch a foul ball.
Though he received a lot of the blame over the years, the fact is, other opportunities were missed by the Cubs.
They were five outs away from clinching a World Series berth with a victory in Game 6 of the NLCS against the Florida (now Miami) Marlins. Even after the Bartman incident, the Cubs could have rallied.
Except they completely fell apart. Leading 3-0, the Marlins cut it to 3-1 when shortstop Alex Gonzalez misplayed a ground ball that likely would have led to an inning-ending double play. The Marlins would go on to score 8 runs in total in the 8th inning. 
The Cubs were also up 5-3 in Game 7, but went on to lose 9-6.
Bartman was given a World Series ring in 2017, but the legend will likely live on. Chris Webber's timeoutThe 1993 NCAA men's basketball national championship was supposed to be the coronation of Chris Webber and the rest of his Fab Five teammates.
Instead, Webber called a timeout the Michigan Wolverines didn't have. The North Carolina Tar Heels, up 73-71, would end up winning 77-71.


Webber does deserve a fair share of the blame. Other factors play into the final score as well. Michigan held a ten-point lead at one juncture in the first half, but were down 42-36 at the break.
Star Juwan Howard, who averaged 14.6 points per game, was held to 7. Jalen Rose committed six turnovers. And the Wolverines only attempted seven free throws (compared to 23 for North Carolina).The MailmanIn 1997, the Chicago Bulls were back and better than ever but Game 1 of the NBA Finals appeared to be going the way of the Utah Jazz.
Until Karl Malone missed two free throws with the scored tied at 82 with 9.2 seconds remaining. With it came the legend of Scottie Pippen of the Bulls whispering to Malone before the free throws, "the mailman doesn't deliver on Sundays, Karl."
The Jazz held the lead throughout most of the game despite committing 18 turnovers, seven of which belonged to John Stockton. And by any stretch of the imagination, Malone had put up a standard game with 23 points and 15 rebounds.
Michael Jordan dropped 38 points and hit the game-winner in that game and naturally Malone's missed free throws are a focal point. But again, other factors came into play.
*On a side note, it's interesting looking at the box scores of some of these games from the 1990's. The Bulls attempted 15 free throws and the Jazz 11. James Harden sometimes attempts that many by himself in a game.The FumbleThe Cleveland Browns are likely one of the last franchises who can truly considered themselves cursed. Long before their current run of rotating quarterbacks out of their lineup like a daily change of underwear, the Browns consistently competed for supremacy in the AFC.
The 1987 AFC Championship game, for the second year in a row, pitted the Browns against the Denver Broncos. A year prior, John Elway led the Broncos on "The Drive" to break the hearts of the Browns and their fans.
Down by 7 with 1:12 to play, the Browns were eight-yards away from getting within an extra point of a tie score. Earnest Byner had the ball, rumbling towards the end zone, when he was hit from behind and fumbled.


The Broncos recovered the ball, took a safety, and ended up winning 38-33.
Falling behind 21-3 didn't help matters for Cleveland. Bernie Kosar rallied them back to tie the score at 31 but the defense let the Broncos retake the lead.
And Byner that day? Without him, the Browns would have likely not been in the game at all. He had 15 carries for 67 yards and a score while catching 7 passes for 120 yards and one more score.
And there was even a missed block on the Bronco player who caused the fumble.
Blunders and goats are all part of the world of sports. For the future, remember it's likely more than one play that ultimately decided the game. As passionate as sports fans can be, we should also find it in our hearts to forgive (but not forget).
And for fans of the Cavs, that means even if that man is a detested J.R. Smith.
To stay up-to-date with daily thoughts on sports, movies, television, pop culture and more, be sure to follow on Twitter: @jasonrh_78