2011 RW Awards
In lieu of spending a ton of money on renting out the Kodak Theater and inviting a bunch of sports stars and celebrities who wouldn't show up, how about we hand out the 2011 RW Awards over the Internet? Sound good? Thought so.
BASEBALL
Player of the Year
Justin Verlander. I know, I know, I should have given Matt Kemp his due here, especially after it looks as though my guy Ryan Braun may have been consuming more than the requisite amount of Matzah on Passover. But how can you deny Verlander here? I know he tailed off a little in the playoffs, but Kemp wasn't in the playoffs, Braun was on the non-kosher diet, and Pujols didn't have a great regular season. I'm going with Verlander. Every outing for him was a must-watch gem. He single-handedly made his team a scary team to face headed into the playoffs. We won't see another season like the one Verlander just had for a while.
Game of the Year
Do we really need to reference this? I allegedly had the Rangers at 15 to 1 to win the World Series and they get to within 1 strike of winning! 1 strike! That really was the game of the year. Damn it all.
Team of the Year
I never figured out the point of this category. That's why they have playoffs right? Let's reserve this category for college football coaches and writers.
BOXING
Boxing Fight of the Year
There were a few that could have made it here, but I always like choosing a noteworthy fight. I know what you're thinking, "that means he's going with Marquez/Pacquiao III." It was a definite contender as it was a long overdue rematch and a fight nobody thought Marquez could win. But everybody watched it in awe and the fight could have gone either way. That said, I'm going with Victor Ortiz' victory over Andre Berto. Talk about an action fight. There were about a million flurries and both fighters hit the canvas. Victor Ortiz outpointed Berto in my pick for Fight of the Year. Their rematch should be great.
Round of the Year
There isn't a second place. Go youtube Angulo/Kirkland Round 1 and then find me a better pick.
KO of the Year
Floyd Mayweather over Victor Ortiz. I'm sure there were better KO's but not more exciting and inexplicable. I haven't watched a fight in a long time that made me yell in astonishment . . . for about four straight hours. As Jim Nantz would say, "what a moment!"
Fighter of the Year
I guess Andre Ward has to be the pick, right? Pacquiao was unimpressive. Floyd ends the year with a guilty plea and a 90-day jail sentence. Sergio Martinez didn't get to fight anyone. Ward was as good as it gets in a noteworthy tournament in the 168-pound division. Now, will he fight Bute?
GOLF
Golfer of the Year
Sorry golf fans. Golf gets only one category. What, you want putt of the year as a category? And I love golf. That said, have to go with Bill Haas. Talk about having ice run through the veins. I know he didn't win a major, but watching him down the stretch to win the FedEx Cup and the $10M that came with it was exhilirating. A great finish to a great year for Mr. Haas.
SOCCER
Player of the Year
We are all lucky to have the priviledge of watching Lionel Messi in his prime. That is all I have to say about that.
Team of the Year
At least in soccer it makes sense to have this award. There are multiple clubs in multiple countries. I know, there's the Champions League. But some teams aren't great teams that happen to be wired for the home/home format. Witness Liverpool for about a decade. But for now, Barcelona dominates in all formats. It is like watching live art every time they take the pitch. Xavi and Iniesta are magicians in the midfield and they have weapons everywhere on the field. Messi and Villa up top? Come on. The best team I have seen in my lifetime.
FOODTBALL
Player of the Year
I know, I know, the season isn't over yet. And no, I'm not going to make this last year's pick. Who even remembers last season? So, for player of the year, I'm going with . . . TEBOW! Just kidding, I wanted to see faithful reader, Allyson from N.Y.'s head explode. No, this award is going to Aaron Rodgers by a slim margin over Tom Brady and Ndamukong Suh's future therapist who already worked wonders with Metta World Peace. Aaron Rodgers won me over for this award with the game-winning drive against the Giants. Never have I seen a clutch drive from a QB look so effortless. And that's the way Rodgers plays the game (unless his line falls apart again).
Game of the Year
Every Tebow comeback. Done and done.
Tebow's Favorite Movie Character
Jesus Shuttlesworth from He Got Game. That was too easy.
BASKETBALL
Player of the Year
You just can't go with anyone over Derrick Rose. And what's great is that he is a hometown guy who seems to be one of the genuine good guys. He stayed loyal, does things the right way, basically, everything LeBron's PR people would recommend only the exact opposite.
Game of the Year
Game 6 of the NBA Finals. The game where the Heat were eliminated. It didn't get any better than that, unless you hate puppies and apple pie that is. In all seriousness though, that was one of the greatest NBA Finals I've seen in my lifetime. The ebb and flow, the LeBron and Dwyane making fun of Dirk's flu, the Jet and his tattoo, the revenge of Dirk, Chris Bosh looking like an Avatar. It was all great.
Dunk of the Year
Blake Griffin over Timofey Mozgov with the U.S.' greatest statement over Russia since the Miracle on Ice.
ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
This one was open to athletes in all sports. I almost went with Abby Wambach here but the U.S. couldn't get it done. I thought about Derrick Rose, but he's not quite there yet. No, this award goes to Lionel Messi. There is nobody who performs at his level against elite competition the way he does. You could argue for Aaron Rodgers here, but I just can't give it to a QB with all of the advantages QB's have right now. Look at the number elite QB's are throwing up across the board. No, no Rodgers for me as Athlete of the Year. Give me the little lion known as Messi.
(Note: Sorry, but I decided to exclude college this year because it's too painful as a Bruin and the BCS ruins everything, and sorry to hockey, but I'm no longer qualified there.)
WEEK 16 PICKS
Indianapolis +7 vs. Houston
Cincinnati -4 vs. Arizona
Denver -2.5 at Buffalo
New York Giants +3 at New York Jets
Tennessee -7.5 vs. Jacksonville
Miami +10 at New England
Baltimore -13 vs. Cleveland
Oakland +1 at Kansas City
Minnesota +6.5 at Washington
Tampa Bay +7.5 at Carolina
St. Louis +14 at Pittsburgh
Detroit -2 vs. San Diego
Dallas -1.5 vs. Philadelphia
San Francisco -1.5 at Seattle (stay away from this game)
Green Bay -13 vs. Chicago
New Orleans -6.5 vs. Atlanta
Last Week: 7-9
Season: 106-109-9
BASEBALL
Player of the Year
Justin Verlander. I know, I know, I should have given Matt Kemp his due here, especially after it looks as though my guy Ryan Braun may have been consuming more than the requisite amount of Matzah on Passover. But how can you deny Verlander here? I know he tailed off a little in the playoffs, but Kemp wasn't in the playoffs, Braun was on the non-kosher diet, and Pujols didn't have a great regular season. I'm going with Verlander. Every outing for him was a must-watch gem. He single-handedly made his team a scary team to face headed into the playoffs. We won't see another season like the one Verlander just had for a while.
Game of the Year
Do we really need to reference this? I allegedly had the Rangers at 15 to 1 to win the World Series and they get to within 1 strike of winning! 1 strike! That really was the game of the year. Damn it all.
Team of the Year
I never figured out the point of this category. That's why they have playoffs right? Let's reserve this category for college football coaches and writers.
BOXING
Boxing Fight of the Year
There were a few that could have made it here, but I always like choosing a noteworthy fight. I know what you're thinking, "that means he's going with Marquez/Pacquiao III." It was a definite contender as it was a long overdue rematch and a fight nobody thought Marquez could win. But everybody watched it in awe and the fight could have gone either way. That said, I'm going with Victor Ortiz' victory over Andre Berto. Talk about an action fight. There were about a million flurries and both fighters hit the canvas. Victor Ortiz outpointed Berto in my pick for Fight of the Year. Their rematch should be great.
Round of the Year
There isn't a second place. Go youtube Angulo/Kirkland Round 1 and then find me a better pick.
KO of the Year
Floyd Mayweather over Victor Ortiz. I'm sure there were better KO's but not more exciting and inexplicable. I haven't watched a fight in a long time that made me yell in astonishment . . . for about four straight hours. As Jim Nantz would say, "what a moment!"
Fighter of the Year
I guess Andre Ward has to be the pick, right? Pacquiao was unimpressive. Floyd ends the year with a guilty plea and a 90-day jail sentence. Sergio Martinez didn't get to fight anyone. Ward was as good as it gets in a noteworthy tournament in the 168-pound division. Now, will he fight Bute?
GOLF
Golfer of the Year
Sorry golf fans. Golf gets only one category. What, you want putt of the year as a category? And I love golf. That said, have to go with Bill Haas. Talk about having ice run through the veins. I know he didn't win a major, but watching him down the stretch to win the FedEx Cup and the $10M that came with it was exhilirating. A great finish to a great year for Mr. Haas.
SOCCER
Player of the Year
We are all lucky to have the priviledge of watching Lionel Messi in his prime. That is all I have to say about that.
Team of the Year
At least in soccer it makes sense to have this award. There are multiple clubs in multiple countries. I know, there's the Champions League. But some teams aren't great teams that happen to be wired for the home/home format. Witness Liverpool for about a decade. But for now, Barcelona dominates in all formats. It is like watching live art every time they take the pitch. Xavi and Iniesta are magicians in the midfield and they have weapons everywhere on the field. Messi and Villa up top? Come on. The best team I have seen in my lifetime.
FOODTBALL
Player of the Year
I know, I know, the season isn't over yet. And no, I'm not going to make this last year's pick. Who even remembers last season? So, for player of the year, I'm going with . . . TEBOW! Just kidding, I wanted to see faithful reader, Allyson from N.Y.'s head explode. No, this award is going to Aaron Rodgers by a slim margin over Tom Brady and Ndamukong Suh's future therapist who already worked wonders with Metta World Peace. Aaron Rodgers won me over for this award with the game-winning drive against the Giants. Never have I seen a clutch drive from a QB look so effortless. And that's the way Rodgers plays the game (unless his line falls apart again).
Game of the Year
Every Tebow comeback. Done and done.
Tebow's Favorite Movie Character
Jesus Shuttlesworth from He Got Game. That was too easy.
BASKETBALL
Player of the Year
You just can't go with anyone over Derrick Rose. And what's great is that he is a hometown guy who seems to be one of the genuine good guys. He stayed loyal, does things the right way, basically, everything LeBron's PR people would recommend only the exact opposite.
Game of the Year
Game 6 of the NBA Finals. The game where the Heat were eliminated. It didn't get any better than that, unless you hate puppies and apple pie that is. In all seriousness though, that was one of the greatest NBA Finals I've seen in my lifetime. The ebb and flow, the LeBron and Dwyane making fun of Dirk's flu, the Jet and his tattoo, the revenge of Dirk, Chris Bosh looking like an Avatar. It was all great.
Dunk of the Year
Blake Griffin over Timofey Mozgov with the U.S.' greatest statement over Russia since the Miracle on Ice.
ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
This one was open to athletes in all sports. I almost went with Abby Wambach here but the U.S. couldn't get it done. I thought about Derrick Rose, but he's not quite there yet. No, this award goes to Lionel Messi. There is nobody who performs at his level against elite competition the way he does. You could argue for Aaron Rodgers here, but I just can't give it to a QB with all of the advantages QB's have right now. Look at the number elite QB's are throwing up across the board. No, no Rodgers for me as Athlete of the Year. Give me the little lion known as Messi.
(Note: Sorry, but I decided to exclude college this year because it's too painful as a Bruin and the BCS ruins everything, and sorry to hockey, but I'm no longer qualified there.)
WEEK 16 PICKS
Indianapolis +7 vs. Houston
Cincinnati -4 vs. Arizona
Denver -2.5 at Buffalo
New York Giants +3 at New York Jets
Tennessee -7.5 vs. Jacksonville
Miami +10 at New England
Baltimore -13 vs. Cleveland
Oakland +1 at Kansas City
Minnesota +6.5 at Washington
Tampa Bay +7.5 at Carolina
St. Louis +14 at Pittsburgh
Detroit -2 vs. San Diego
Dallas -1.5 vs. Philadelphia
San Francisco -1.5 at Seattle (stay away from this game)
Green Bay -13 vs. Chicago
New Orleans -6.5 vs. Atlanta
Last Week: 7-9
Season: 106-109-9
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