2014 World Series: Good vs. Evil

Tomorrow night at 7:07pm at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri, pitcher James Shields will throw the first pitch officially starting the 2014 World Series. The American League champion Kansas City Royals will take on the National League champion San Francisco Giants in what is supposed to be a matchup for the ages. There's more to this season's "Fall Classic" than determining who will win baseballs ultimate crown, it is a struggle between good and evil.

The Kansas City Royals are truly a "cinderella story". The Royals, who haven't been to the playoffs since 1985, won this years AL Wildcard by beating the Oakland Athletics in a 12-inning game that has gone down as one of the greatest games in recent baseball history. Since September 30th, the Royals have swept through the AL playoffs by defeating powerhouses the Anaheim Angels and the Baltimore Orioles.

This season's Royals have proved that the "money ball' system can successfully work. Lead by fifth-year manager Ned Yost, the Royals have put together a team combining great young talent defensively, offensively, and on the mound. With 13 stolen bases and 8 home runs through their 8 postseason games, it's safe to say these Royals can do it all. Backed by their incredible fan base, who have waited through 29 years of pain for a moment like this, it's hard to route against such and incredible team and story.

The Kansas City Royals celebrate defeating the Oakland
Athletics in walk off fashion in the 2014 AL Wildcard game
(Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images)

On the National League side, however, things are a little different. The San Francisco Giants beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 8-0 in Pittsburgh to win the 2014 NL Wildcard. Since then, the Giants have blown through the NL East champion Washington Nationals in the NLDS and the NL Central champion St. Louis Cardinals in the NLCS. Even though their record may not have shown it, the 2014 San Francisco Giants are a powerhouse. With starting pitchers like Tim Lincecum, Jake Peavy, Madison Baumgarner and Matt Cain one could argue the Giants pitching staff is baseball's best.

Backed by arguably baseball's greatest (and most annoying) fan base, the San Francisco Giants won the National League qualifying it to their 3rd world series in 5 years after winning the "fall classic" in both 2010 over the Texas Rangers and in 2012 over the Detroit Tigers.

This year's World Series is more than just Major League Baseball's championship series, it determines the future of this sport. It will show us if a fan base can really carry their team to glory and it will show us if courage and good coaching can actually beat bought talent.


For More Information See:
http://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/SFG/2014.shtml
http://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/KCR/2014.shtml

The SEC West: Sports' Greatest Conference

When a college football fan thinks of the SEC West, he thinks of LSU's success throughout the 2000's, he thinks of quarterback Johnny Manziel's breakthrough success at Texas A&M, Cam Newton's remarkable 2010 season at Auburn, and who could forget, Alabama's recent dynasty under head coach Nick Saban. By the time the 2014 college football season is over, however, the SEC West should truly lament itself as sports greatest conference.

So far, after seven weeks of college football play, the SEC West is 26-0 against non-conference opponents. An entire conference having an undefeated record is unheard-of considering West Virginia, Florida, South Carolina, Wisconsin and Kansas State have all been some of the opponents. Overall, SEC West teams have played seventeen games versus top 25 ranked opponents!

Although their non-conference record is a remarkable show of their talent, there is nothing more remarkable than what is happening within the conference itself. Over the past two weeks, Ole Miss has upset #1 Alabama at home and Mississippi State has upset #2 Auburn. Both Mississippi schools are the only two football programs that remain undefeated in-and-out of conference play. Powerhouse Alabama almost lost to Arkansas this past weekend, and LSU led by head coach Les Miles has yet to win an SEC West game this season!

MSU QB Dak Prescott runs the ball during their game
against LSU in Baton Rouge (Gerald Herbert, AP)

Coming into week 8 Ole Miss, Auburn and Alabama are all ranked in the top 10, while Mississippi State is ranked #1 in the nation for the first time in program history. Texas A&M, LSU and Arkansas (all very storied programs) sit at the bottom of the conference with .500 or above records. If not already, The SEC West is proving to the country that it owns college football.


For More Information See:
http://espn.go.com/college-football/rankings
http://secsports.go.com