David Price Signs With The Boston Red Sox

#RedSox in agreement with David Price. 7 years and $217 million. Story on @BGlobeSports: https://t.co/uambYduqBK

— Pete Abraham (@PeteAbe) December 1, 2015

OHHHH BOY! Things just got very, very interesting. David Price pitching in Fenway wearing the red "B" on his cap. Obviously other fans (namely Yankees fans) are coming out of the woodwork saying "Good! Not worth the money and years!" among the other anti-Price arguments. 

The first thing people brought up was obviously the contract. Is 7 years, $217 million absurd? Yeah, but this is baseball, where you overpay for everything. If anyone can afford to take on that contract it's John Henry. If he bankrupts himself, so be it. It;s not my money, and not yours either. There's no salary cap in baseball, so money doesn't matter as long as the man at the top still has a way to make it. 

As for the years argument, there is a 3-year opt out. So when Price is dominant for the next 3 years, he'll opt out in search of a bigger contract and the Sox will cut ties when he does so. He should be in his prime and coming down from it at the end of those 3 years, so this is fine with me. We've also seen plenty of pitchers perform well into their mid and late 30's. John Lackey was 34 in 2013 when the Sox won the World Series. Curt Schilling was 37 in '04 when he helped break The Curse of the Bambino. THIRTY SEVEN. So I'll be the one to throw that argument out the window as well. Moving on...

The David Ortiz beef. Yes, they have had an interesting past and have butted heads. But, as Price told WEEI.com this past July, its exactly that. The past. Jared Carrabis of Barstool Sports has already broken down the Ortiz argument (and postseason one, which I'll get to), but he basically likened it to the Johnny Gomes-Coco Crisp incident. That day Crisp charged the mound, Gomes beat his brains in during the brawl. Who loved Coco? Ortiz. Who loved Gomes when he came to Boston and helped win a ring? Ortiz. Stuff like that can easily be put in the rearview when you're in it for the common goal of winning. Especially now that Ortiz has announced his intent to retire after next season. He wants one last championship, and knows Price can help. It's water under the bridge.

Ah yes. Finally. The postseason argument. Price is 2-7 with a 5.12 ERA in the postseason, and this is a fair point to make. But, as Jared Carrabis also wrote... You know what, forget it. I can't word it any better than Jared so here's the wrap up thought on the last of the Price arguments. 

"Now, here’s the big one. What about his history of poor performances in the postseason? I get it. It’s a more than fair criticism, but I don’t think it should carry as much weight as the Price haters would like it to. Look at the larger body of work here. In his career, Price is 104-56 with a 3.09 ERA. That’s a .650 winning percentage, and you’re either a liar or an idiot if you say that you don’t want a guy like that on your team. This past October, Price suffered his seventh consecutive postseason loss, tying the record for most consecutive postseason losses by a starting pitcher.

Here’s why I think his postseason struggles have largely been a fluke. Not only is it because we’re looking at seven starts spread out over the course of six years, but it’s also because the pitcher whose record he tied for most consecutive postseason losses was Hall of Famer — and arguably the best left-handed pitcher of all-time — Randy Johnson. Johnson lost seven consecutive postseason starts spread out over seven seasons, and he didn’t break that streak until 2001 when he was a co-World Series MVP with Curt Schilling for the Arizona Diamondbacks. Oh, and he was 37 years old. Price is 30 with still plenty of time to shine in October. But nobody remembers Johnson’s losing streak in the postseason. They only remember him mowing down the Yankees in the World Series, which Price is more than capable of doing, as we’ve seen flashes of his dominance as recent as this past ALCS when he racked up 16 strikeouts over his last 13.1 innings."

Welcome to Boston David Price. Let's get some rings.

Johnny Football Should Be Starting For The Browns

ESPN-Johnny Manziel has been replaced by Josh McCown as the starting quarterback for the Cleveland Browns, the team announced Tuesday.

One week after being named the team's starter, Manziel has been demoted to the third-string quarterback for Monday night's game against the Baltimore Ravens after social media posts surfaced this week showing Manziel allegedly partying last weekend in Texas during the team's bye week.

There really isn't any reason for the Cleveland Browns to not start Johnny Football. You're 2-8, the AFC North is pretty much decided (at the very least it has been decided you're not winning it), and you play in Cleveland. Let Johnny Football be Johnny Football. You name him the starter and let him be who he is. No PR-stunt rehab trips, no "we're disappointed" comments. He's the starter and let him ball out. If you let him off the leash and he does well, no one cares about what he does off the field and you win on it. If he sucks then he sucks. You can say, "Hey, we let you do you and look what happened." No harm done to the season that is already lost, and you can say you tried it out and it didn't work and maybe move on from Johnathon Football. Win-win if you're the Browns right now. 

And do people really think Josh McCown gives you a better chance to win than Manziel? Travis Benjamin is arguably you're best home-run threat and he loves Manziel. They have a certain chemistry built already, and that can be invaluable. I also just cannot trust a man with no vices. Have one for me. McCown won't even look at porn on his computer, one of the simplest vices man could have. That's how vanilla he is. You're in Cleveland, you need flair. You need Johnny football under center. 

#RuffRuff

PS-Whole different conversation, but Manziel is dumb as rocks and at fault here. Partying on a bye week isn't unheard of, just a heads up for all the squares. But maybe don't shove your own face in the camera in the DJ booth, ok Johnny? Take your boys to the backroom or VIP lounge or whatever, and make everyone hand over their phones upon entry. It's simple. 

Four Revs Who Should Get USMNT Looks

Jurgen Klinsmann released his roster for the USMNT World Cup Qualifiers against St. Vincent and the Grenadines and Trinidad and Tobago on Nov. 13 and 17 respectively. Clint Dempsey was left off the roster, while Darlington Nagbe and Matt Miazga were called up to seemingly earn their first caps with the senior squad. From the New England Revolution, Jermaine Jones was also called in. Juan Agudelo and Charlie Davies have had their share of opportunities as well, but do they have teammates who deserve a look as well? Absolutely.

Lee Nguyen
Stop me if you've heard this before. Lee Nguyen was snubbed from another Jurgen roster. For someone who has very little in the form of creative, attacking midfielders, it's a head scratcher. Klinsmann has talked about Nguyen in the past, but has seldom used the 28-year old. Even if he's not in the plans for 2018, at least use him to help you get there. As Doug McIntyre of ESPN mentioned, veterans rave about Lee Nguyen. Being popular among teammates, fans, and the manager alike should be a recipe to get a call up and significant play time, but alas, Lee Nguyen will have to wait and see if he's tapped on the next go around.

Chris Tierney
Here's a interesting one. The 29-year-old left-back earned his first selection to the MLS All-Star Game this past summer, becoming the first Revs player to be named to the gameday roster since Shalrie Joseph in 2011. He was unable to play due to injury, but after recovering he continued to prove he's one of the best, if not the best, left backs in the league. He has also never made an appearance with the men's national team. It's a little baffling to be honest. He's good defensively and is able to move up the flank and attack, playing perfect crosses into the box. Break Shea has been uninspiring in his last few appearances with he squad, and other than him there's Greg Garza who's inconsistent. Fabian Johnson has seen more time at left midfielder and right back but could slot in there as well. Given the lack of depth at the position you'd think Tierney could get one look in at least a meaningless friendly, but Klinsmann seems to disagree.

Andrew Farrell
Here's one that may be happening in the future, or at least it should. Farrell has been a key piece to the Revs defense, shifting this season from the starting right back position to the central pairing with Jose Goncalves. He was shaky at times, but offers a lot of upside. At 23, he should get a look soon. A future central defensive stable of Farrell, Miazga, John Brooks, Erik Palmer-Brown and Cameron Carter-Vickers would be quite the sight to see. Farrell's ability to play right back as well could help his case.

Scott Caldwell
This might be the biggest stretch of them all. At 24, Caldwell has time to grow, much like Farrell. He also happens to play defensive midfielder, a position where Kilnsmann has little depth. Kyle Beckerman is the one true holding midfielder in the pool right now, and he's set the bar high. Jermaine Jones can play their as well, but has a knack for going forward to join the attack and help dictate the midfield. He was paired up on the Revs with Caldwell, who's staunch defensive efforts helped Jones do what he wanted on the field. Caldwell is aggressive and has a high work rate, but is a smart player that could be great for the USMNT. His shortcoming is he's, well, short. Standing at 5'8" compared to Beckerman's 5'10", he can get outmuscled by larger opponents, but as he continues to learn and figure out how to exceed his physical capabilities using his mind, he could be the new DM for Klinsmann. The consistent Caldwell won the Revolution's MVP award this season, and Jones has even tabbed him as his future replacement, a glowing endorsement from a seasoned veteran.

Newcomers aiding Bombers' backline

(This article originally appeared in The Ithacan)

It has been a season of transition for the men’s soccer team. Longtime head coach Andy Byrne retired in February 2015, and his first full-time assistant, Patrick Ouckama ’05, was chosen as his successor. Ouckama inherited a large issue for any soccer coach across the globe: He was set to lose the team’s starting goalkeeper.

The graduation of Jordan Gentile ’15 left an opening at the back of Ouckama’s defense. He had a returning player in sophomore Dan Hinckley who saw fewer than 18 total minutes of play last season, as well as incoming freshman Brandon Enny competing for the starting spot.

In the end though, it was junior Zach Jacobsen, a transfer from Lincoln Memorial University in Tennessee, who won the job.

Ouckama said Jacobsen showed solid ability in the net during the preseason, and that he’s being pressured daily by his backups.

“Technically he’s very good and he communicates well,” Ouckama said. “That being said, there are two other goalies that are pushing him as well, and whoever the strongest goalie is will play at the end of the week. So far it’s been him, but he’s certainly being pushed day in and day out.”

Ouckama also said Jacobsen’s experience with the college game also played a role in his selection as the first–choice goalkeeper.

Jacobsen said he transferred from Lincoln not for athletics, but for academics, yet still had a desire to play soccer.

“As I began looking to transfer I still wanted to play, but there was no guarantee I would find a team,” he said. “I found Ithaca by chance [when I was] looking at environmental programs and saw it as a good fit.”

Jacobsen said after deciding to switch to South Hill, he looked at the team’s roster and saw an opportunity to join a squad in need of depth in the net. He thought he had a good shot as a rising junior with games under his belt at the college level.

Jacobsen is not alone when it comes to starting in his first year with the Bombers. Freshman Sam Factor has been playing on the back line throughout the season in his first year.

As was the case with Jacobsen, Ouckama said he liked what he saw from Factor from day one of preseason and has included him as part of his starting defense ever since.

“He has a very high work ethic, he’s very attentive, he learns very well, he wants to do things the right way,” he said. “Whatever year the player is, if they go at it with that attitude, then they’re putting themselves in a position to see the game field.”

Along with a majority of freshman athletes, Factor said he has found the transition to be challenging, but his veteran teammates have made it easier.

“They’ve all been great. They’re all experienced defenders and are always giving me advice in practice and in games,” he said. “Our center backs are constantly communicating during the games, which definitely helps. The leadership of the returning defenders along with Coach O’s defensive knowledge has certainly helped Zach and I have a smooth transition.”

Speaking on his own transition, Jacobsen said he related to Factor.

“Coming to a new team, it made me feel like a freshman again,” he said. “I was a first–year and had something to prove.”

Despite a 4–7–2 record, the Bombers have an Empire 8 best 4–1 record in conference play. The squad has also only allowed three or more goals in just three games this season and has a goals against average of 1.32. Ouckama said this gives the improving defense reason for optimism.

“Having a couple games where we let in one goal or no goals at all, that’s kind of coming along as the season goes on,” Ouckama said.

Ouckama also said Jacobsen is playing with confidence and communicating well with the four defenders in front of him, allowing all five to read the play of the game more efficiently. As a result the defense as a whole can ensure they are in good position to stop an opposing attack.

Factor said he echoed his coach’s sentiments, but there is always room for improvement.

“I think that we have defended well as a back five and as a team for the most part. We just need to make sure we stay focused for the full 90 minutes,” he said. “Most of the goals scored against us have been [penalty kicks] or rebounds, which just comes down to staying concentrated and playing smart.”

Jacobsen said one weakness he has seen is injuries to members of the defense, but that as players return, the Bombers’ end of the field will tighten up.

“Going forward for the rest of the season I think we will only improve,” he said. “As players return from injury and each game becomes more important than the last, I feel we will get stronger as a unit.“

As the season begins to come to a close, and with the Bombers poised to grab the top seed in the Empire 8 conference, they believe that pressure can turn their defense into a diamond.

Q+A With Ithaca Bombers Assistant Men's Soccer Coach Braden Studelska

(Article originally appeared in The Ithacan)

Following former head men’s soccer coach Andy Byrne’s retirement after 31 years at the helm of the program on Feb. 17, assistant coach and former captain Patrick Ouckama ’05 was appointed as the new head coach. This created a vacancy in Ouckama’s former role, and this past summer, Braden Studelska was called upon to fill that responsibility. 

Staff Writer Alex Wong spoke with Studelska to discuss his coaching background, how he pursued the position, what he brings to the Bomber program and what he thinks of the future of the program.

Alex Wong: What is your coaching background?

Braden Studelska: I was a student–athlete at Buena Vista University for four years, and after that I was doing some small coaching during that time, with the local high school and some of the youth programs. Then I took a teaching job and was the head boy’s coach at a small Catholic high school for two years. And then the opportunity came to join the staff back where I had played. They had created a full-time assistant position, so I went back there and was there for two years. After my second year I was looking for something different, and this job came along. It was a good fit for me personally, and I think it’s a good fit the other way as well, as far as what I bring to the program.

AW: How has the transition between schools been going? Has it been relatively smooth, or have there been any road bumps along the way?

BS: It’s been fairly smooth. It was a hectic summer getting everything done and getting moved out here, but beyond that it’s been super easy to jump in with Coach Ouckama and the guys. He’s brought me full on with everything going on with the program, and we’ve seen good results with our guys. There’s a lot of excitement going forward with the group of returners we have, and the incoming players as well have shown well. It’s been pretty smooth as far as the soccer side goes.

AW: Have you noticed any similarities or differences between the schools?

BS: The big difference is the size. The school I was coming from is much smaller. When I was a student there it was about 1,200 undergrad, and by the time I left it was sub-900 in terms of undergraduate enrollment on campus. So just the size of the campus and the number of students is really a big difference. I wouldn’t say there is anything good or bad, it’s just different. Things tend to be much more orderly at a big school with set procedures, whereas at a small school it can be much easier to get things done quickly because there wasn’t those set procedures in place because their volume of work they were doing was much smaller. But there’s definitely still a small college feel here, especially with athletics. I get to see all the different coaches at staff meetings and stuff like that, so that culture is still here, so that’s nice as well. 

AW: Was the position here something you actively sought out and pursued, or was it something that was presented to you?

BS: It was definitely something I pursued. I was fairly selective about the type of school I was looking at and what type of environment I wanted to join. I applied kind of all over, but after doing some initial research about Ithaca College and looking more into it, it was really a place I could see myself doing well and thriving.

AW: What do you think you can bring to the table as a member of the coaching staff?

BS: A lot of it is just a second pair of eyes. I think Coach Ouckama and myself are relatively similar in how we want to play the game and the ideal of what we want to do, but at the same time we have some differences as well, which is good. We see different things — different things stand out to us. Unity in vision, but a diversity of talents. We both have similar goals in mind and broad ideas of how we’re going to get there, but different things stand out to us that way. I also think I bring some experience. The conference I’m coming from, while probably not as competitive top to bottom as the Empire 8, the top three teams are very talented. Usually, three of them are ranked in the top-25 in the nation, and usually we send two, maybe three teams, to the national tournament. So I think having been exposed to that level of play has been beneficial in how I prepare for teams.

AW: What have you seen so far out of the players, or the program as a whole, that you have liked?

BS: One of the things that stands out to me is the history and the culture. There’s high expectations. There’s that cultural excellence built up over the years through the program. Seeing the way the guys had come into the preseason, the commitment they have to their fitness and technical work during the offseason really bodes well and shows it’s important to them to live up to that standard. They want to do credit to the name on the front of the jersey.  They want to be part of that legacy, I think. And hearing the guys talking about it, that’s something special that is hard to build up in certain places, so that’s been really good to see and something I’m excited to be a part of and continue to cultivate with them.

NWSL Final 2015: 6 Takeaways

The 2015 NWSL Final was won by FC Kansas City last night (Oct. 1) by a score of 1-0 over Seattle Reign FC. This was a rematch of the 2014 Final, which KC also won, 2-1. Seattle went into each match as the winners of the Supporter's Shield for best regular season record, but KC showed two years straight that its all about that last game. Here are my takeaways from the match

1. Starpower. Arguably the two most stacked teams in the league. Seattle has USWNT players in Hope Solo and Megan Rapinoe, and add to them with 2014 league MVP Kim Little and Welsh international Jess Fishlock. Beverly Yanez also had a solid season up top for the Reign. But on the other side...

2. FCKC has top tier talent, and lots of it. KC has so much talent its ridiculous. They have four players from the World Cup Winning US roster from this past summer: Amy Rodriguez, who scored the lone goal in this years final, as well as KC's two goals in last year's edition. Lauren Holiday, who is the NWSL's all-time leader in assists (18) and second all-time in goals (22). Becky Sauerbrunn, the only player in the history of the NWSL to win Defensive Player of the Year (she's won three times in the league's three year history). Heather O'Reilly, who was acquired via trade with Seattle following the Championship game last season and provided the assist to A-Rod's goal last night. They also have multiple players with USWNT senior squad experience in goalie Nicole Barnhart, defenders Amy LePeilbet and Leigh Ann Robinson, and midfielders Erika Tymrak and Yael Averbuch. KC has so much talent that last night Averbuch was relegated to the bench before being substituted on late in the second half, and she has some serious skills.

3. Jill Ellis was in attendance. She's always evaluating any player that could help the national team win. And with Lauren Holiday's retirement, there seems to be an opening in the central midfield. Morgan Brian is a surefire starter in the middle in my eyes, but depending on what formation Ellis plays and the personnel she uses, Brian could be paired with Carli Lloyd, or would need a new parter should Lloyd play a more forward role. This dilemma could be a whole separate post, but there were  a few players on the field that fill a central or holding midfielders role when paired with Brian.

4. Erika Tymrak was impressive. She was everywhere and playing with a purpose. Constantly involved and one of the more noticeable players, Tymrak seemed to have drawn what would have been a go-ahead penalty kick when she was taken down in the box, but the referee waved play on. I haven't watched enough of Tymrak to know how consistent she is, but seeing as she is only 24 and has been called into the national team before, I definitely see her getting a call into pre-Olympic camp. While she likely won't make the 18-player Olympic roster, she will most certainly be in the mix through the next cycle. She would be 28 during the next World Cup, which should be her prime years as a player, and with most of the current squad in their mid to late 20's/early 30's right now, young players like Tymrak will be looked at to lead the team.

5. Lauren Holiday goes out in a blaze of glory. As previously mentioned, Lauren Holiday will be retiring from professional soccer following the final USWNT Victory Tour game this year. The 27-year-old is among the most decorated players in US Soccer history. Her accomplishments include: All-Time leader in Assists in NWSL history, 2nd All-Time in goals in NWSL history, 2013 NWSL Golden Boot, 2013 NWSL MVP, 2014 NWSL Finals MVP, 2007 US Soccer Young Female Athlete of the Year, 2014 US Soccer Female Athlete of the Year, Olympic Gold Medalist in 2008 and 2012, Women's World Cup Gold Medalist in 2015, was a 2015 recipient of the Sagamore of the Wabash, and had her #12 jersey retired by FC Kansas City this year, the first player in the league's history to be given that honor.

Representing the United States in international play she has 114 caps and counting, 23 goals and 31 assists.

It is every athlete's dream to win a championship during their final season. Lauren Holiday lived it twice. She will be missed in the soccer community, but at 27 years of age, has a whole lifetime ahead of her. Enjoy retirement #12.

6. HAO and A-Rod want to go to Rio. Heather O'Reilly (HAO, sounds like mayo) and Amy Rodriguez were seldom used during the 2015 World Cup. That didn't mean they weren't still good players, and they've proven it in NWSL and Victory Tour action. HAO has lit up international opponents since the World Cup, netting 5 goals in 3 games. A-Rod has been a rock in the NWSL, having a productive season despite missing time due to the World Cup. She finished 6 chances in 11 games played this year and is one of the more dynamic and unpredictable forwards the US has to offer. Their play following the World Cup to this point, and in the future leading up to Olympic roster selections, has shown, and will have to continue to show, they have had no drop off in form despite getting older and can contribute to the squad moving forward.

The closer we get to Olympic qualifying time is when we can truly start making roster projections for the Rio Games. It may be a pessimistic outlook, but bank on at least one injury to shake up the roster.

USWNT Won the World Cup, So Naturally Fans Are Criticizing Them For Being On Their Victory Tour

So this has become a thing now. The US Women's National Team won the 2015 World Cup and, as has been the case with Olympic wins, have recently begun a victory tour all over the country that will see them play 10 (now 8) games against other countries leading up to 2016 Olympic qualifiers. Some fans see this as a problem considering the National Women's Soccer League is at the end of their season and there is a hotly contested race for the playoffs. Numerous players are on these club teams vying for a spot in the postseason, but have been with the national squad for the first two games of the victory tour and will continue to leave every month or so to play two-game sets with various countries. This may be a small majority, but they're loud. They want all players with their clubs, or at least the ones that have teams in possible playoff positions. Carli Lloyd, Meghan Klingenberg and Morgan Brian of the Houston Dash, as well as Christen Press, Julie Johnston and Lori Chalupny of the Chicago Red Stars have been the most criticized for favoring the national team over their clubs. Fans crying out about how they need to build the NWSL for women soccer instead of being with the USWNT. I don't know any of these people personally so I'm not sure if they're being serious or just trying to spit some hot takes on everyone. But they're wrong. Teams are still selling a huge number of tickets without their national team players. And really, what would draw more viewers: Seattle Reign vs. Boston Breakers with a total of 3 WNT players on the field, or the complete winning roster dropping a healthy, 8-0, American hammer on Costa Rica? Forget the fact that theres only been one NWSL game on TV this year (after the World Cup, featuring Tobin Heath, the consensus face of US Women's Soccer Alex Morgan, and their Portland Thorns against the aforementioned Red Stars) compared to all of the US squads World Cup, Victory Tour and Send Off games, as well as multiple other friendlies. You're getting more viewers with option two. But lets do something here. Throw out TV ratings. You know why the players should be on the victory tour? They earned it. They proved they were the best in the world at what they do and earned the right to celebrate with their fans, new and old, on a cross nation tour to showcase their skills and, in turn, begin tuning up for Olympic qualifiers. You know how many teams have gone for the double in women soccer (Winning the World Cup and Gold Medal at the Olympics back to back)? None. The US ladies can be the first ever, and frankly I would like to see it happen. Representing your country, in any sport or event, is the highest of honors, something those ladies have been dreaming about their entire lives. So just because you keyboard warriors think they're hurting the NWSL by playing games for their country (their dream) on a victory tour (which they earned) after winning the WORLD CUP, doesn't mean you're right. They're still growing the game, just not how you want them to.