Halftime with Hambone

Who: English sides Liverpool & Manchester City clash and Spanish powerhouse Barcelona visit Italian stalwarts Roma.

Where: Liverpool-City = Etihad Stadium, Manchester, England
Barcelona-Roma = Stadio Olimpico, Rome, Italy

When: Today at 2:45pm eastern.

Why: For a spot in the semi-finals of arguably the most prestigious club soccer tournament in the world, the UEFA Champions League.

How: Last week in the first leg, Liverpool hosted Man City and gave them a proper drubbing to the tune of a 3-0 score line. Superstar Mohamed Salah opened the scoring (12′) by cleaning up a lose ball just outside the 6-foot box. Then, an absolute firecracker from Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain had City warming up the bus in only the 21st minute. Finally, a perfectly placed cross from Salah allowed Sadio Mane to head one home (31′) and cap off a brilliant first half for the boys in red. It was a scoreless second half, and Liverpool couldn’t be any more pleased with the home result.

Meanwhile over in Spain, it was a 4-1 result that seemed to be played inside of a pinball machine rather than the Camp Nou. The scoring opened late in the first half with Iniesta attempting to play Messi, but Daniele De Rossi put it into the back of his own net (38′) with a sliding interception attempt that turned into a perfectly place shot toward his own goal. Ten minutes into the second half, Barca did well to play the ball into a dangerous area and the knee of Kostas Manolas produced a second own goal (55′) after his own clearance attempt hit the post, then his knee, then crossed the goal line. Just four minutes later, a shot attempt by Roma inside the Barca box was blocked by Pique and the counter was on. A nice one-handed save by Roma keeper Alisson Becker rebounded directly to the foot of, who else, Pique for a tap-in goal (59′). Roma found some life from the foot of Edin Dzeko posting up a smaller defender and tapping in a cross to bury the all-important away goal (80′). Rather than take that momentum into the home match today, Roma failed at clearing once again with Luis Suarez latching onto a blocked cross loose in the box. A quick, precise first-touch strike into the corner of the netting (87′) had Barcelona riding high following leg one.

Leg 1 Review: Given these results, different strategies will come into play with the advancing team needing to win on aggregate scoring. It will be interesting to see how Liverpool and Barca begin the matches. I imagine each will play a more conservative, possession focused game and perhaps counter attack as the desperate sides do everything they can to put goals in and apply pressure.

Leg 2 Preview: It may sound crazy, but you could make the argument that Barca really shouldn’t have scored any goals in the first leg. Two own goals and two from deflections. In each case, Roma was present and defending fairly well. If the ball bounces slightly differently, it likely doesn’t result in a goal. With that being said, keeping Barca off the score sheet is very difficult. They only have 1 loss this season, coming in a Copa Del Rey match. Roma has their back against the wall here. I think they will strike early and give Barca fans a nightmare inducing 0-2 defeat. The announcers will bring up last year’s epic comeback against PSG, but Barca will hang on and go through to the Semi’s.

As for Liverpool v City, I just don’t think City cares about the Champs League following the first leg. I have absolutely no way of knowing that, and they will probably win 5-0 because I’m typing this. I think the first 20 minutes will decide this one. If either team scores quickly, I think the other will be frustrated and try to do too much, allowing the other team to capitalize. What I think will happen is no first half goals, and City bag one in the 70th minute or later, an ultimately meaningless goal.

PREDICTIONS:

Liverpool 0 – 1 City
Barcelona 0 – 2 Roma

*Goal highlights courtesy of FOX Soccer and Replay TV YouTube channels.

Thursday March 29 marks Opening Day for Major League Baseball with all 30 teams scheduled to begin their seasons. Unfortunately, one game is already postponed, but baseball is upon us and Spring Training has wrapped up. A sign of the impending summer and hot dogs and the smell of freshly cut grass, ah America’s past time is here!

Full disclosure, I haven’t followed baseball as closely in recent years with the Reds’ futility and being the opposite of interesting come each August, so most of my predictions will be based off the Fangraphs’ Effectively Wild podcast and my random searching of baseball-reference dot com.

Without further adieu, my 2018 MLB Season Predictions:

World Series Champion: Cleveland Indians

World Series Matchup: Indians vs. Cubs (6 games)

ALCS: Indians beat Astros in 6

NLCS: Cubs beat Nationals in 7

ALDS: Indians beat Red Sox in 4
Yankees beat Astros in 5

NLDS: Cubs beat Dodgers in 5
Nationals beat Cardinals in 4

AL Wild Card: Red Sox beat Angels

NL Wild Card: Cardinals beat Diamondbacks

I had a hard time with both NL Wild Card spots, but I don’t imagine that it will matter that much. Who will get past the Dodgers or Cubs? Their lineups and pitching depth are just absurd. The Nationals might, as they have lost in the Divisional round each time in they have made the playoffs since 2012. It would not surprise me at all to see LAD win the pennant, but I like the narrative of the Cubs/Indians World Series rematch (I also would love to see Cubs fans get their hopes up and then crushed in gut-punch fashion with an ‘Edwin Failed Bunt Turned Walk Off Championship Dinger’).

As for the AL, it seems pretty straight forward with Cleveland, New York, and Houston. I don’t really trust Boston right now with starting rotation concerns, but their offense should lift them to one wild card spot. The other is up for grabs and I don’t believe in Minnesota. I just want to see Trout in the playoffs because he is on my fantasy team, even if it is only one game.

Now that Cleveland has shed Jay Bruce and his ‘Up 2-0 in the Divisional Series Curse’, they will return to the World Series and there will be a Bauer Outage in Wrigley come October. Congratulations to the 2018 World Series Champions, Cleveland Indians!

6:36 Al Michaels utters “RPO” for the first time. I set the over/under for “RPO” during the broadcast at 100, and we’re off to a flying start on the Eagles first drive.

6:37 Torrey Smith providing the Pats fans with nightmare material on the opening drive.

6:43 A former Bengal scores the first points of the Super Bowl, Jake Elliot a field goal on the opening drive for the Eagles. PHI 3 – 0 NE.

6:51 Pats opening drive has them in 5-wide and then a Strong-I formation later. Brady play action gets the LBs to come forward and Gronk is wide open across the middle. Just unfair the different packages they can execute flawlessly. Just like Eagles though, they can’t finish the drive and are forced into settling for 3 points. PHI 3 – 3 NE.

6:59 Missed PAT from Elliot following a 3-play, 77-yard drive from Philly. Fireworks early, I love it! PHI 9-3 NE. 

7:01 Commercial of the game so far: Dodge RAM Vikings

7:08 Pats facing 3rd & 7 and Brady throws a dead duck wheel route to Danny 40 yards down the field. Blown coverage by the Eagles. Still have yet to see Rex Burkhead touch the field. I think that’s bad for my first touchdown scorer prop.

7:08 End of First Quarter: PHI 9 – 3 NE.

7:10 Hopper in the Tide ad! Did anyone know who that guy was before Stranger Things?? (Mrs. Hambone: “Tide probably shouldn’t be advertising right now or at least advertising, don’t eat our pods.”)

7:16 NE botches a FG and Philly with quick 3 and out. You have to make them pay there, and Eagles do nothing with a great opportunity.

7:17 Second Dilly Dilly commercial!

7:18 “85 and I wanna go home” E-Trade commercial, pretty entertaining; I have a feeling will be very under rated (maybe because no one wants to talk about their lack of retirement savings).

7:20 Brandin Cooks may be dead. Hate to see that. (Michaels mentions helmet-to-helmet contact of course when you slow it down second by second it’s a little helmet-to-helmet but there i no way to prevent that)

7:28 I wonder how many people with go to weathertech.com (I just did).

7:29 It’s highlighted that Malcolm Butler hasn’t played a defensive snap, only special teams.

7:30 You know what is interesting? The NFL logo in the middle of the Vikings field, they clearly cut out the Vikings logo and replace it with the NFL, I am just curious of how the hell that is possible.

7:31 Alshon Jeffery with a Willie Mays like reception. Aboslute beauty of a ball by Foles and tremendous concentration and hands by Jeffery.

7:33 Former Patriot Legarette Blount, with the bruising TD run. That was enjoyable.  Eagles miss 2-point convsersion to make it Philadelphia

7:34 Oh man Bill Hader, this has high expectations, Pringles commercial, did not expect that. Remnants of Stefon there. Amazing Mich Ultra commercial with Chris Pratt.

7:37 New England kicks a field goal to make it PHI 15 – 6 NE. You have to think the Patriots are going to make a comeback, right? This is no 28-3, but it doesn’t feel like this is a 9-point game. Only feels like they are trailing by about a field goal.

7:43 Jay Ajayi with a huge run and first down into Pats territory, but as I’m typing this that play doesn’t matter, as #30 Duron Harmon makes a ‘right place, right time’ interception and Pats take over at their own 10 yard line.

7:45 Keanu Reeves riding a motorcycle standing up is such a Keanu Reeves thing to be doing. What a weird commercial…. then Dodge Ram follows up with an inspirational Martin Luther King Jr. commercial. (Mrs. Hambone: “Maybe Dodge RAM should have stopped with the Vikings commerical.”) Agreed.

7:52 Another missed PAT, what is happening tonight?? New England 12 – 15 Philadelphia after a James White 26-yard touchdown run. What a game so far.

7:53 Kicker tackle alert! Gostkowski takes out Barner on the kick return and 2-minute warning hits as Eagles take over.

7:55 What is Persil? And better yet, “What are all of these detergent commercials?” – Mrs. Hambone brings up a very fair point.

8:03 *Eagles line up on 4th and Goal* “This could decide the game.” – Collinsworth “How could this decide the game, it’s not even halftime.” – Mrs. Hambone. I love how my girlfriend who knows about 3 names on both teams combined has more sense than a retired All-Pro WR and Emmy award winning broadcaster.

8:11 New England with some garbage time yardage there, but no points on the board. Halftime: PHI 22 – 12 NE.

8:47 GRONK SPIKE! Patriots come out and feed Gronk en route to a touchdown drive of 8 plays, 75 yards, in under 3 minutes. Gronk had 4 catches for 68 yards and the TD on the drive. That was quick. PHI 22 – 19 NE. Oh, and a PAT with no problems finally. What a weird night of Super Bowl squares.

8:59 3rd and 6, and Foles delivers to none other than Corey Clement for a DIME in the back of the end zone. 22-yard TD pass. Foles is dealing right now. Foles on 3rd down that drive: 3-for-3 for 53 yards, TD. PHI 29 – NE 19. 

9:06 We haven’t had a defensive pass interference called yet. The patented NE opponent penalty. But Eagles get a flag for defensive holding on Gronk, giving them all sorts of fits. in the second half so far.

9:08 Chris Hogan with another catch. He is at 4 rec, 98 yards. Danny Who? Also, Gisele is shown on camera for the first time. Over/under for her to appear on screen was 1.5…

And it goes over. They show Gisele following a Brady touchdown pass to who else, Hogan. Touchdown Pats. New England is shredding the Eagles in the second half. Brady with 404 yards now. 3:23 left 3Q. PHI 29 – 26 NE.

9:15 Just me or have the commercials took a big down turn since the first half?

9:17 RPO alert! Collinsworth drops it for the first time in awhile… and as I’m typing he says it again, gotta be in double digits by now right?

9:20 The girlfriend: “Sometimes I don’t understand what the announcers are saying.” Same, babe…same.

9:22 Hey Eli and Odell, maybe less dancing and more winning?

9:23 Third quarter ends and the Eagles drive stops after some trickeration fails. Jake Elliot is true from 42-yards out. PHI 32 – NE 26. 

9:29 Michaels just mentioned Burkhead is a former Bengal, and that is the closest they have been to the Super Bowl in my life time!

9:35 GRONK SPIKE! Pats take their first lead. Hard to believe that. Philly has had their chances to really put the Pats in a bad spot, but does that even exist. These guys never stop coming. PHI 32 – NE 33. 

9:37 What a great Amazon Alexa commercial. Bezos cameo and perfect celeb spots.. Gordon Ramsey, that chick from Pitch Perfect, Cardi B, and topped off with some fava beans and a nice Chianti…

9:41 Eagles offense looking desperate with Foles just heaving one up there. Huge 3rd and 6 here…

9:42 Huge play, and Pats burned a timeout trying to stop it. Ertz gave Foles a big enough window on a little slant route, making the catching falling down.

9:45 And now a 4th and 1 conversion! Wow! Zach Ertz great catch and held on taking a hit. 5 minutes left and ticking. What. A. Game.

9:48 Collinsworth just alluded to the Eagles preferring to fail the 4th down play and let New England score to go up 8 and then drive down to score and tie, rather than let them have the ball back after taking the lead… Yeah, I’m sure that’s exactly what Pederson was looking for there… (I’ve gotta get the quote, will update later.)

10:01 Of course a touchdown catch ball coming loose at the goal line review it happening on the 4th quarter go ahead score. Correctly held up, in my opinion. PHI 38 – 33 NE.

Best Super Bowl ever?

10:05 Strip sack and Eagles have the ball back! Wow!!! Brady didn’t tuck that one!

10:10 Eagles only run 3 plays, but Jake the Snake Elliott with a huge FG to make it an 8-point lead. Does Brady have it in him again? PHI 41 – NE 33. 1:05 left.

10:13 4th and 10 and Danny makes the grab across the middle. Pats live to fight another down for now…

10:17 Pats resort to a hail mary and it’s tipped but falls harmlessly to the turf of U.S. Bank Stadium. #FlyEaglesFly Final Score: PHI 41 – 33 NE. Congrats to the Super Bowl LII Champion Philadelphia Eagles!

A few years ago I dreamt of owning the Cincinnati Bengals. When asked if I could do anything in life, that’s the position I chose.

It goes back to my child hood, growing up watching them each Sunday with my father in my 81 Carl Pickens jersey. That jersey is long gone, but my passion as a Bengals fan has only grown.

More recently, I came to the realization that owning the Bengals may be a little far fetched. However my curiosity had me wondering how each NFL team owner came to be. So I simply searched google and found a Wikipedia page listing each owner and what year they took over the team, and that led me to this column. Here goes…

Arizona Cardinals – Bill Bidwill, 1972

Atlanta Falcons – Arthur Blank, 2004

Baltimore Ravens – Steve Bisciotti, 2004

Buffalo Bills – Kim & Terry Pegula, 2014

Carolina Panthers – Jerry Richardson, 1993

Chicago Bears – Virginia Halas McCaskey, 1983

Cincinnati Bengals – Mike Brown, 1991

Cleveland Browns – Jimmy Haslam, 2012

Dallas Cowboys – Jerry Jones, 1989

Denver Broncos – Pat Bowlen, 1984

Detroit Lions – Martha Ford, 2014

Green Bay Packers – Green Bay Packers, Inc., 1923

Houston  Texans – Robert C. McNair, 1999

Indianapolis Colts – Jim Irsay, 1997

Jacksonville Jaguars – Shahid Khan, 2012

Kansas City Chiefs – Clark Hunt, 2006

Los Angeles Chargers – Alex Spanos, 1984

Los Angeles Rams – Stan Kroenke, 2010

Miami Dolphins – Stephen M. Ross, 2008

Minnesota Vikings – Zygi Wilf, 2005

New England Patriots – Robert Kraft, 1994

New Orleans Saints – Tom Benson, 1985

New York Giants – John Mara & Steve Tisch, 2005

New York Jets – Robert Wood Johnson IV, 2000

Oakland Raiders – Carol & Mark Davis, 2011

Philadelphia Eagles – Jeffrey & Christina Weiss Lurie, 1994

Pittsburgh Steelers – Art Rooney II, 2017

San Francisco 49ers – Jed York, 2009

Seattle Seahawks – Paul Allen, 1997

Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Bryan, Edward, and Joel Glazer; and Darcie Kassewitz, 2014

Tennessee Titans – Amy Adams Strunk, 2013

Washington – Dan Snyder, 1999