Josh Hamilton - A true fairytale story

Probably the greatest raw talent playing the game today, when Josh Hamilton was drafted with the first overall selection of the 1999 draft the world was at his feet. He had been selected by the Tampa Bay Rays, and a long and prosperous major league career looked destined.

Just 5 years later, the prodigy had been banned from baseball for using illegal drugs, and his story was a desperately sad one of wasted talent and a horrific addiction.

Yet just 5 years after that, Josh Hamilton was the AL MVP, and one of the greatest comeback stories to grace US sport. His story is compelling and heart warming, and a great advertisement to baseball itself, and the power of belief.

Up until 2001, Hamilton had never touched alcohol, and no-one could have guessed the problems that would haunt his life. However, he was involved in a car crash with his parents, and it was at that moment, he claims his life turned around. There were no major injuries sustained by anyone in the crash, though Hamilton missed a month of baseball with a lower back injury. For the first time in his life, Hamilton was alone.

He first turned to drugs during this time, when he spent time with friends at a tattoo parlour near the Rays training centre. They introduced him to cocaine for the first time. Subsequent misfortune with injuries and poor well-being meant Hamilton spent more time off the field than on it. And this meant the $4m signing-on fee was being burned at an unsustainable rate as he slipped into a vicious circle of addiction.

After 4 failed drug tests and 8 different trips to rehab, Hamilton was slapped with a year's suspension by MLB in 2004. More time off the field meant more time with the wrong crowd and after he failed to appear at another drugs test in August '04, he was hit with another ban.

Hamilton reached rock bottom, when after one particularly drug-binge, he arrived at his grandmother's door, pale, underweight and gaunt. She welcomed him in, but provided a sobering thought on her grandson's life. Suddenly, he realised what had become of his life. He began to find a way to get back on track through his grandmother and through God. He had hit rock bottom, and only now could he begin to come back.

Only in June '06, when Hamilton had been sober for 9 months did MLB allow him to play baseball again. He had since been released by the Tampa Bay Rays. He was subsequently picked in the 'Rule 5 draft' which allows players to be signed for $50,000 by the Chicago Cubs, and immediately sent to Cincinnati for $100,000 in a pre-organized deal.

The Reds' gamble paid off. After a 19 second standing ovation from the home crowd at his first at bat, he began to bat like he wanted to. Hamilton hit with a .292 average, 19 home runs, and 47 RBI in 90 games. Suddenly, he was beginning to show the incredible talent everyone had expected back in 2000. The Texas Rangers kept their eye on him, and soon he was becoming a big talking point.

Texas began to show an avid interest in Hamilton. They sent six different scouts to report on him, and all raved about the outfielder's talent. Before the draft in 2000, he was described as being a 6 weapon player, Not only did he have good contact, power, plate discipline, running and fielding, but he also had incredible instinct. Texas spoke to doctors about recovery from addiction, although the trade reached a sticky point when Texas refused to part with pitching prospect Edinson Volquez.

Finally, a deal was reached. Texas agreed to part with Volquez, and took Hamilton and prospect Harrera back to Arlington. In 2008, he locked down the starting job for Texas as their center fielder. He hit 4th in the line-up and led all major league players in RBI through the month of April. He won player of the month, and then won it again in May after a sizzling start. He was not just winning over Texas fans. He was winning over baseball fans.

He was voted to the all-star team, but perhaps his greatest achievement to date was the performance he put in in the home-run derby. Hamilton hit 28 home runs in the first round, a major league record and he set Yankee Stadium alight with several bombs over 450 feet.

In 2009, Hamilton was plagued with injury, but still finished the season with a .268 average, 10 home runs and 54 RBIs.

2010 however, was a different story. Hamilton was moved to left field for the Rangers and batted like a 10 year all-star, hitting for an incredible .359 average with 32 home runs and 100 RBI. This was despite missing 29 games due to injury. He also played a key factor in the Rangers playoff run, and was duly voted as the AL MVP.

He suffered yet more disaster this season, when a fan fell trying to catch a ball he threw into the stands and died. Hamilton was distraught, but as he had throughout his life, he fought through the pain and delivered another superb season, again blighted by injury.

Hamilton still suffers because of his alcohol addiction, and mindful of this, the team celebrated their ALCS victory last year with ginger beer. Hamilton is said to be one of the friendliest players in the league, and his incredible story is one that is ongoing - a World Series title would surely be the defining moment of a scintillating life.

Baseball - My new craze!

Yes, my seemingly insatiable hunger for new and different sports (scarily they're both american..) has moved on to Baseball and this drive has once more been caused by starting up a fantasy league with a few mates. I'd seriously recommend that if you want to get in to a new sport you use a fantasy league because it really gets you interested and involved.

As with the NFL I don't really support a team, just follow the action and marvel at the incredible detail in the rules and regulations - it certainly ain't like school rounders! I think the sport is much smaller in the UK though, and in America too, though it gives me something to do during the lockout and off-season of the NFL.

From batting average to home runs to stolen bases to ERA the game seems to have every single fact and figure nailed down and the sport takes on a much more precise offering than something like the NFL. The amount of concentration required by a batter (not batsman!) to watch a 95mph fastball and make a split second decision about whether it is going for the corner of the strike-zone or is missing completely is simply mind-boggling. Some of the astounding athleticism involved is underrated either in the field, on the mound, at the plate or behind it - how do the umpires make these decisions?!

If you're someone who loves to become completely immersed in a sport you'll love baseball. If you want a quick sport to catch a look at every now and then you'll either hate it or become absolutely absorbed. As you can tell, after a couple of months of friendly fantasy competition, I've become interested to the point of obsession!

India – Pakistan. More than a game?

Without doubt one of the greatest fixtures of the modern era was played yesterday between two of cricket’s greats as India faced off against Pakistan. Emphasis was placed on key battles across the pitch- India had the superior batting line-up, but could they deal with the Pakistani bowling? However, the closer the game got, the more it became apparent that this was not just a game. This was one of the greatest events in recent sporting history. Sure, upon first view this is just a World Cup Semi-Final – cricket isn’t even that popular anyway is it?

Well, over one billion people are believed to have watched the event in Mohali, as cricket fever gripped not just Pakistan and India but the entire world. The Rotunda in Kingston was bouncing up and down as every run and every boundary was greeted with huge cheers from the respective fans. Supporters woke at 3am in Toronto to watch the game. The scenes in Southall, London were quite incredible; never mind the pure jubilation in Mohali and across the rest of India.

The match was also billed up to be a big diplomatic event, claiming the game could fuel peace between the countries. One day before the game, Indian and Pakistani officials allowed each other to enter the other country to investigate the events surrounding the Mumbai attacks. For the game, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh invited his counterpart Yousuf Raza Gilani and they watched the game together after shaking hands with the players.

For many fans, this was a bigger game than the final itself. A win against the old enemy would mean so much, and that’s exactly what they got to set up a dream semi-final against co-hosts Sri Lanka. A solid India performance gave them the vital win and set up a long night of wild celebrations reminiscent of those at Diwali. Many criticized the length and set-up of the tournament, but one thing it hasn’t been short of is drama and excitement. The final on Saturday is sure to provide no less, and an Indian win in front of the home crowd seems destined, with Tendulkar’s hunt for his 100^th century sure to be a fascinating side story.

Ben Carter

The NFL - America's Game?

American football always has been and always will be a hotly debated topic in the UK, with many followers of the game over here but a lot of fierce critics, who believe the sport is inferior to those like rugby.

What doesn’t help the sport is that it is one of the most complicated in the world. There seems to be a never-ending list of rules and regulations the players must comply by, there seem to be penalty flags thrown on every play. For a newcomer, this must make the sport very daunting, though I believe it makes it more exciting and complex.

The pinnacle of the sport is of course the Superbowl, which involves the top team from each ‘conference’ playing against each other for the title of worlds best. The event is massive, and this year had the highest viewing figure ever on US TV, with 111 million people tuning in to watch the game.

However, also interestingly, 3.5 million people are believed to have watched the game in the UK, despite it being at a very unsociable time. Wembley stadium has hosted four NFL games, all of which have been completely sold out. It is clear there is a reasonable deal of interest in the UK, and that the sport is rapidly growing in popularity.

Although a Wembley game in 2011 is under jeopardy, the interest is apparent, with many teams wanting to spread their popularity, and many people wanting to watch games in the UK. There are several months until the beginning of next season, and many people both here and in the US will be keen to come to some sort of an arrangement regarding a fixture in the UK.

Whatever happens, it is apparent that American Football is a sport on the rise in the UK, and however complicated it may seem at the beginning, it is a thrilling and incredible sport, one unrivalled across the globe.

Ben Carter

Cricket World Cup

Does the quantity of fixtures at the World Cup detract from the quality?

With the Cricket World Cup just around the corner, there are a number of key talking points, varying from the final tournament for cricket great Sachin Tendulkar, to the worries about security and terrorism.

Another key talking point is the set-up of the cup. Instead of four groups with the top  two teams from each group progressing to the ‘Super Eights’ stage (as was the case in 2007), there are now only two groups (of seven teams) and the top four from each group progress to the quarter finals. The maximum number of fixtures you can play is 9, compared to the 11 that Australia and Sri Lanka played in 2007.

It has been suggested that the new format benefits the major teams (India, Australia, England) as they can recover from early defeats in the group stage as there are seven games to play. Part of the reason for the shake-up of the format may be because the Indians fell foul in 2007, losing out on a place in the ‘Super Eights’ because of a loss to Bangladesh.

One of the concerns about the shake-up of the format is that some interest may be lost, as the first few games will not be as critical as those later in the tournament. However, the tournament can allow a wildcard to win the competition- if a team can finish in the top four of their group and produce some great performances in the next three matches then they can win the cup. This means teams like Bangladesh, Pakistan and West Indies- all capable of great games but horribly inconsistent- have an outside chance of winning the tournament. Personally, I feel this makes the tournament more exciting, and the way the tournament is set-up means form will be a big factor- don’t be surprised if a team like New Zealand go on a good run.

One thing that won’t be in doubt however, is the crowds. The subcontinent is going cricket crazy, with Indians willing Tendulkar to a well-deserved cup before he retires, whilst Sri-Lankans will be cheering on their king Muralitharan - also playing in his last World Cup. Unfortunately, Pakistan are no longer co-hosting the competition, as their cricketing profile has been on the decline for a long time, what with terrorist attacks, match-fixing claims and the recent bans given to three of their players including promising young bowler Amir.

However, one of the key issues is that of fatigue. The England squad played 5 ashes test matches, followed by 2 T20 internationals and a 7 game one-day series with Australia. The quick turn-around into the 6 week tournament means a lot of players will be tired in the tournament, and as a consequence, the standard and quality of cricket will decrease. The Australians have also taken part in this series, and have just had a season of county cricket.

This begs the question- how hard will the players push it, particularly at the start of the tournament? A lot will be tired and may have their minds on other things- getting back home to their families and getting a break before the English county season starts. I feel there are too many games and too many teams at the world cup. I believe that the top 8 ODI sides in the world should qualify for the tournament, and they should be in one ‘Super Eight’ Group. They play each other side once, and the top four teams qualify for the semi-finals and then the final. Whilst the maximum number of games is still the same (9), there are fewer teams and therefore fewer matches, meaning the stadiums will be packed and every game will be crucial. There will be no more ‘easy wins’ as there arguably are this year with teams like Ireland and Kenya involved in the World Cup.

In conclusion, I believe that the way that the Cricket World Cup is structured, planned and organized detracts from the quality of the cricket, and ultimately tires the players and fans. In my opinion a shorter, more intense competition would be more interesting and competitive, although I must admit, I will be watching the matches this year with hope and intrigue- and that’s what the World Cup is all about!

Ben Carter