Since one of the biggest upsets in tennis history at the last US Open when Vinci stopped Serena from achieving a Calendar slam, Serena has been plagued with injuries. But so have the other top 5 seeds for the women at the beginning of this year. Serena did knee surgery and ended up pulling out of the Hopman Cup recently so there were concerns of how well she could do this year.
Well, Serena steamed pass Sharapova in the Quarterfinals and she is looking like she is in good shape to not only face #4 Radwanska in the Semifinal tonight at 9:30pm on ESPN 2, but the whole Championship!
Suga thinks Serena is all business this year and will take all 4 Major Tournaments. History in the making. Go Serena!
Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos deflated Tom Brady and the New England Patriots’ dreams of going to Super Bowl 50 yesterday in the AFC Championship with a 20-18 win.
Hyped up match ups in the NFL are usually disappointing for the most part and this Manning-Brady match up was just that. Brady and the Patriots were not impressive at all. However, both teams had difficulty running the ball. But it was the Broncos who struggled all season and were considered as the underdogs that came through with the right plays and completed passes that Manning delivered!
It would be easy to say that the missed FG attempt in the first quarter could have costed the Patriots the game in the end but the Broncos also failed to convert a TD opportunity after acquiring an interception in the 1st half as well. The Broncos just were not going to let the Patriots win last night from the looks of it either. The Broncos stopped the Patriots from going for 2 after their TD with 12 seconds left in the game, then recovered the ball after the on-side kick. It was surely over then. Well done Broncos!
Panthers QB Cam Newton jumped over Cardinals fearlessly to score his own TD to increase the lead to 34-7 (Photo: www.charlotteobserver.com)
Cam Newton and the Carolina Panthers booked their spot in Super Bowl 50 much easier than the Broncos with a blowout 49-15 win over the Arizona Cardinals last night.
The Panthers had a fast start again, scoring a TD after an 86 yard completion, leading 17-0 after the 1st Quarter and 24-7 HT.
Cardinals QB, Carson Palmer had horrible passes resulting in most of their turnovers. Larry Fitzgerald was not as impressive last night either or didn’t have a chance to be and had a few incompletions. In total they had 7 turnovers! The Panthers were too fast, too hungry and just too good.
The Panthers will face the Broncos at the Bank of America stadium in Santa Clara, CA for the Lombardi Trophy at 6:30pm ET on Sunday, February 7!
The fight to play in the Conference Championships was on over the weekend!
The Patriots booked their 5th consecutive AFC Championship with a 27-20 win over the Chiefs on Saturday.
The Cardinals-Packers game was the highlight Saturday night. Very exciting game. It all came down to a coin toss to head into OT. There was drama where the coin did not flip and had to be tossed again (See video below). Packers QB, Rodgers was quite upset that it came down to that, saw that it was on heads so called tails, then it didn’t flip. Then he did not get the chance to make another call before the coin was quickly tossed again. This situation stirred up talks of changing OT rules so the teams can play out a certain time for a chance of another Hail Mary. But it was clearly fate for the Cardinals who scored the TD first and therefore won 26-20, with Larry Fitzgerald having a huge game and scoring a TD.
Camera focusing on NFL coin that didn’t flip in Packers-Cardinals game:
The Panthers sent home the Seahawks yesterday, totally blowing them out in the first half. The Seahawks haven’t been handled like that in a long time. The Panthers scored 31 in the first half with 2 interceptions and it was enough to hold on to without scoring in the second half and despite a full force comeback by the Seahawks. The game ended 31-24.
Photo: www.nfl.com
Panthers QB Cam Newton stated that they just stuck to their game plan and it worked. The Panthers will face the Cardinals in the NFC Championship next Sunday at 6:40pm.
Photo: www.nfl.com
After a slow start, the Broncos overcame the Steelers 23-16 to book what is likely to be the final Manning-Brady face off chapter in the AFC Championship with the Patriots next Sunday at 3:05pm.
In the AFC Wild Card Playoffs, the Chiefs smoked the Texans, 30-0. 17 out of 22 passes were completed by Chiefs QB, Alex Smith, while Texans QB, Brian Hoyer threw 4 interceptions. The Chiefs will face the Patriots next Saturday at 4:35pm.
www.cincinnati.com
The Steelers edged out the Bengals, 18-16. It looked like the Bengals were going to win but turnovers costed Bengals the game. The Steelers will face the Broncos next Saturday at 4:40pm.
For the NFC Wild Card Playoffs, the Seahawks recovered from a 9-0 deficit in the 4th quarter to beat the Vikings 10-9! The turnover forced by Chancellor and the TD conversion after Wilson recovered from a fumble were turning points in the game. The Vikings had many missed opportunities and then the Seahawks lucked out in the end of the game when Walsh of the Vikings kicked the Field Goal far left of the post, handing the game to the Seahawks. The Seahawks will face the head of the division, the Panthers, next Sunday at 1:05pm.
www.nj com
The Packers got off to a slow start trailing the Redskins but Rodgers found his throw, defense and offense were strong thoughout the second half of the game. It just kept getting better and better for the Packers to the point where Rodgers was smiling from ear to ear, which isn’t a frequent sight. Lacy had exceptional runs, with both him and Starks scoring touchdowns. Cobb and Adams had some good catches and kicker, Crosby was consistent. A total team effort. Great end to the NFL’s Wild Card Playoff Weekend!
The Packers will face the Cardinals next Sunday at 8:15pm.
With Tuesday night’s win over the Lakers, the Warriors are 33-2, 1 game ahead of NBA’s previous best, the Chicago Bulls at this point in their 1995-1996 season. Their next game is tonight at Portland. MVP Steph Curry has been playing through the pain with a shin injury that he should rest for 4 weeks but if he doesn’t rest it he is not in any great danger. According to ESPN Scorecenter, he attended full practice yesterday and will be playing tonight.
Even when a key player like Curry or Klay Thompson are out of the game, their line-up is big and they have other key players like Draymond Green who will step up big time and they still win. Green just won player of the week for the Week of December 28th. An average team will have to play GREAT to beat them says former basketball player and ESPN analyst Tim Legler, and the majority of their remaining games are versus average teams. They seem relaxed but hungry at the same time. Only a serious injury to one of their main players can stop them. Will Matthew Dellavedova kick Curry in the shin and just end his season? If the Warriors break the Bulls 72-10 record, it would only be right that they go for and win the NBA Championship title based on pure logic and historical statistics.
So which other teams are in the mix and who actually poses a serious threat?
To date, considering both the Eastern and Western Conference, the League standings for the Top 10 teams are as follows:
Photo: www.espn.go.com
So for the West, if Warriors meet the San Antonio Spurs it will not be easy. At the looks of it now, only the Spurs pose a threat to the Warriors in the West and vice versa. The Spurs probably still have the deepest bench in the league. Their bench alone scored 70 points in the 123-98 blowout win over the Jazz on Wednesday.Â
They also finally have some young, fresh players that Coach Pop is giving time on the Court. There is Past Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard, LaMarcus Aldridge, Patty Mills and more. Then the Big Old 3 are still present. Old Man River Walk, Tim Duncan is still looking good, not to mention Manu Ginobili who looks like he got his act together. Tony Parker is forever talented but hardly ever consistent. Perhaps he has his young baby on his mind.
Even though Suga gives the Spurs and Warriors the edge in the West, OKC is not to be forgotten. Past MVP Kevin Durant is back! He is on form after a broken bone in his right foot that needed 3 surgeries and after spraining his big toe last week. Hopefully he doesn’t continue to break a leg. No pun intended. He returned Tuesday night to beat the Grizzlies 112-94 and note that OKC went 12-3 in December. Westbrook is great, Ibaka and Adams are good, but without Durant, OKC will lose.
Now where all my LeBron James haters at? Sorry folks, he won’t go away. He has won player of the month 29 times now and his stats keep buzzing, equalling and breaking record after record. He scored 9 points in 1 minute Wednesday night versus the Wizards at Washington. It’s a pity he isn’t pretty to watch though. Suga predicts the Cavs will go straight to the NBA Finals again this year. All eyes are on the Warriors, so no immense pressure on LeBron, which is good because we all see how he buckles under pressure. There is also no serious threat on the East side. The Bulls are doing well but the Cavs will still destroy them. The Cavs are the kind of team that elevate their game based on their opponent. They are confident, arrogant, hungry and some bitter.
I would say LeBron’s partner in crime is back, but LeBron is a lone, selfish soldier on the court. Kyrie Irving is back yall! Now HE is pretty and exciting to watch, just 23 years old and full of energy. He is back on form, scoring well, up to 32 points Wednesday night versus the Wizards compared to LeBron’s 34 points and these are under restrictions in minutes he is allowed to play, which the Cavs will soon remove. The Warriors beat them on Christmas Day 89-83, but with a healthy Kyrie Irving and no minutes restrictions, it will be a whole new ball game. The Cavs also have a good starting line up and bench with dangerous players like Matthew Dellavedova and J.R. Smith. When teams feel excited about catching up with the Cavs or lessening a point deficit, J.R. will just burst their bubble with a 3-pointer. Then they also have Tristan Thompson, Kevin Love, Timofey Mozgov and Sasha Kaun.
Sad to say but Suga believes if the Cavs meet the Warriors in the Finals again with a now healthy Kyrie Irving, they will get the formula right this time and get revenge. But if somehow the Spurs, a team with a totally different dynamic and ball movement make it to the Finals, they may actually make a more exciting match up versus the Cavs and LeBron could have a Finals nightmare all over again. But we just have to wait and see. It is just January and there is still time for players to grow and teams to make adjustments. Don’t you just love this game?!
Without giving away too much about the movie, Suga will tell you why Concussion just may be the movie to watch this Holiday Season and where to watch it.
Suga went to iPic Theaters in Maryland last Monday night and it was like a hotel! Persons have compared it to the AMC Theater in Long Island, NY. Not only can you purchase tickets beforehand, which is normal, but you can reserve regular seats in the theater and you do not need to join any lines when you reach. You just simply head to the Express ticketing machine and print your tickets. During the holiday season with no line, it must be an efficient system.
The counter to buy tickets looks like you are checking in at a hotel, not to mention the fabulous art work displayed on the walls on the way to the different theaters and then there are the bathrooms! If you get into a fight with your date you can hide in luxury all night in there.
Then there is comfortable seating that is too comfortable for some people, putting them to sleep with a blanket, pillow and reclined chair with a raised footrest.
Gabby from Suga Lifestyle relaxes and gets ready to watch Concussion last Monday night at iPic Theatres, Maryland
Note that chairs are paired together in 2s and 4s, so a bit difficult for sensitive 3rd wheels and single people, at least for the theater I was seated in.
Your personal waiter introduces himself to you as you sit down, takes your order and you can order throughout the movie too with just the press of a button.
What’s on the menu besides the standard Popcorn, Soda, Hot dogs and Chips? A wide Wine selection, Beers by draft or the bottle, Cocktails, Pizzas, Dips and Spreads, Desserts, Burgers, Tacos, Sandwiches, Skewers, Lobster rolls and more.
So my Suga Readers, find an iPic Theater near you!
Now on to the movie based on a true story, Concussion with Will Smith, also featuring Alec Baldwin.
Photo: http://en.wikipedia.org
How would Suga describe it? It was like Pursuit of Happiness 2 and you know sequels have less impact than the originals. There was depth but not to the degree of tear jerkers in Pursuit of Happiness. Will Smith was quite good though.
Will played Dr. Bennet Omalu, a Nigerian Forensic Pathologist that came to America and made a correlation between the damage to some American Football players suffering Concussions and Chronic Traumatic Envephalopathy (CTE).
He came to America and spoke to and for the dead. He perfomed an autopsy that changed his life and the NFL on Mike Webster, former Pittsburgh Steelers center in 2002.
The sudden and unexpected deaths and suicides of other NFL players such as Terry Long in 2005 after Webster, built his case further.
According to the movie, many NFL players have been diagnosed with early onset of Alzheimer’s disease but with more deaths and positive results for CTE, could the NFL deny science?
Did the NFL publicly acknowledge the link between Concussions sustained by players and CTE and of so, when?
Did players do or say anything?
Was the NFL brought to court?
How many other deaths were there from ‘CTE’?
Did the movie have an effect on Players?
Find and Watch Concussion at a theatre near you, preferably an iPic Theatre, remember the News and then Google.
However, the game plays on. Many lives have been changed, saved and opportunities created for young men across America because of American Football.
Last night the Denver Broncos and Cincinnati Bengals gave viewers an entertaining close to Monday night football. After a 17-17 tie and an opportunity for the Broncos to win, their kick went way off the left side of the post forcing overtime (OT).
The Broncos then recovered a loose ball in OT and clinched their Playoff Berth.
I know Americans have been watching closely but my Jamaicans, if your team looks like they have no chance of making the Playoffs or you just haven’t been paying attention, now is the time to choose your team. Playoffs start January 9!
Only 6 teams will play for each Conference.
Here are the standings for the AFC:
Taken from ESPN Scorecenter
Here are the standings for the NFC:
Taken from ESPN Scorecenter
With New Years around the corner, so is that Super Bowl Party. Not to mention, it will be Super Bowl 50. The Halftime show and Ads should be spectacular!
The 24-0 winning streak and record season start for the Warriors finally came to an end last Saturday night with a 95-108 road loss to the Milwaukee Bucks. Curry scored 28 points. Who put their money on that game?
Suga saw this loss coming as the other Splash brother for the Warriors’, Klay Thompson has been out with an ankle injury for the last 2 games. The Warriors battled to win the previous game on Friday night versus the Celtics in 2 overtimes, 124-119.
So now with a 24-1 record, the Warriors should still feel upbeat about the rest of the season. But watch out for other teams in the West such as the Spurs who remain under the radar with a revamped team and a 20-5 record.
The East? Well although the Cavs are playing cautious and conservative, Kyrie Irving is said to return soon, possibly on the 20th or even the latest January.
Let us see how it all plays out! I love this Game!
The Warriors are now 20-0 for their start this 2015-2016 season! The other night in their 116-99 win at the Hornets, Stephen Curry scored 28 out of his 40 points in the 3rd quarter.
Warriors look to continue their winning streak versus the Raptors today at 5pm. Happy Hour anyone?
