Clash of Continents - November 25, 2012

I’ve been in Singapore for just over 4 months now and in that time, I think I’ve seen a wider variety of sports than any similar period I spent in Japan. Locally I’ve seen soccer, water polo, golf, rugby sevens, and F1, and taken a couple of quick overseas trips for cricket and basketball. Many of these events may not have the media recognition of their more famous counterparts in Japan, but it has been a lot of fun to be part of them anyway. As...

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NFL Playoff Picture - Week 12

I used to enjoy putting together these playoff picture posts, trying to figure out which team was better based on the NFL's tiebreaking rules, but these days the NFL does it all so much better. I have been reduced to simply copying their info over. The only advantage is that I will keep the weekly record here so that at the end of the season, we can compare how teams did over the final 7 weeks.NFC Week 11 Week 121. Atl (9-1) Atl (10-1)2. SF* (7-2) SF* (8-2)3. GB (7-3) Chi (8-3)4. NYG (6-4) NYG (7-4)5. Chi (7-3) GB (7-4)6. Sea (6-4)...

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Dear NHL Fans - Don't be suckers!

For the second time in nine seasons, the NHL is locking out its players. In 2004-05, the lockout lasted the entire season and no Stanley Cup was awarded. This dispute looks set to end similarly with games up to mid December canceled along with with the Winter Classic and the All-Star Game. Sure, there is a chance that games will begin in January and the playoffs will run until July. But it is becoming more likely that the entire season will be wasted while the two parties bicker incessantly.Whatever the case, I think it is time for NHL fans to...

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Philippine Basketball Assocation at Araneta Coliseum - Nov 18, 2012

In 1975, Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier fought their third and final bout in Manila, Philippines. Known as the “Thrilla in Manila”, the match is now considered one of the greatest sporting events of the 20th century. Despite the magnitude of the bout, few fans in North America could actually name the venue that hosted these two great boxers that early October morning. Well never fear, that is why I do these sports road trips, to find out trivia like...

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NFL Playoff Picture - Week 11

The NFL has completed all their bye weeks, so we can begin to look at the playoff picture. I do this every year but unlike the NFL or ESPN, I keep the previous week's records available so you can compare and see how teams have improved or fallen off the pace. There has been a tie this year, which I denote with an asterisk to keep the columns pretty. I'm also including the best non-playoff teams in each conference to help further analysis down the line.NFC Week 111. Atl (9-1)2. SF* (7-2)3. GB (7-3)4. NYG (6-4)5. Chi (7-3)6. Sea (6-4)------------7....

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Texas Triangle Trip Planned

Now that I live in Singapore, getting back to North America is a long and painful process. There are two direct flights (one to LA, one to Newark) but those are not affordable and won't be around into 2014 anyway. Instead, I am forced to transit via my old stomping grounds in Tokyo, which adds at least 8 hours to what used to be a half-day trip, depending on my destination. So it takes a fairly big event to get me back across the Pacific. Next year sees my parents celebrating a milestone anniversary, so I'll be heading home for that. But with no...

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Singapore Open Golf - Nov 10-11, 2012

When I first moved to Singapore, I noted in a post that the city is considered the 6th top sports destination in the world, beating every U.S. city except New York. After a half-year here, I can see how that might be true if you are not particularly geared toward American sports, For such a small country, there are a lot of interesting international sporting events filling the calendar. Golf is no exception, with the Singapore Open the annual highlight.It...

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Rugby Sevens at the Singapore Cricket Club - November 2-4, 2012

Singapore may not have more than a single soccer league, but that doesn’t mean there are no other sports to watch. November has three world-class events being played on three separate weekends and I’ll be there for all of them. First up was the 65th edition of the Singapore Cricket Club’s International Rugby Sevens tournament. Initially contested in 1948, the tournament has grown in popularity since and is now one of the top international club competitions...

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