The stars are shining

I say that title for actually two reasons: the national championship game on Monday and a special all-star (MLB) game announcement.

So I'll get to the special announcement first. While the 2015 all-star game will be in the Great American Ballpark in Cincinnati, the 2016 all-star game will be in San Diego at PETCO Park! I am so excited!!! The last time San Diego hosted the all-star game was in 1992 at old Jack Murphy stadium (now Qualcomm). The AL won that game 13-6. Tom Glavine allowed 6 runs in the first inning. The Padres also hosted the mid-summer classic in 1978 when the host city sent out the likes of Goose Gossage, Rollie Fingers, and Randy Jones. The wonder of seeing the stars brilliantly shine for a great event and summer classic in the form of an all-star game will come without words. If you have ever attended an all-star game, feel free to leave a comment. I definitely plan on attending this one to see just how great it is to see all of the best major leaguers in person.

Another big event this week that had plenty of stars was the inaugural college football playoff national championship between the Oregon Ducks and the Ohio State Buckeyes. After Oregon led an opening drive to a touchdown, they could not push the throttle down with several key dropped passes. That gave Ohio State the chance to pull back and take the lead. They never looked back. the game got close in the third quarter with the Buckeyes on top 21-20 but shutout Oregon from that point with the final score of 42-20. Cardale Jones was a beast. At 6'5'', 250 pounds, he is a force at the QB position. But wait, there's more! Ezekiel Elliott led the rushing attack with four touchdowns in the game. Ohio State looks to be a favorite to win it again next year with Jones and Elliott returning (Jones was considering the NFL draft after only starting three games in his career). Meanwhile, Marcus Mariota was really held in check all night. The running attack was not working and neither was the passing game (hence the dropped passes). This was such an exciting year in the first year of the college football playoff. I look forward to yet another great year next year a whole seven and a half months away. Good thing baseball spring training starts up in 35 days.

In the NBA, the long-hyped Cavaliers team has been reeling of late. With LeBron returning to the lineup after resting a sore knee and a sore back for a couple of weeks, this Cleveland team looks to bounce back to a run at the playoffs. The Hawks in Atlanta (as of tonight) have an 11-game winning streak; their longest since the 1997-1998 season. They are tops in the Eastern conference and only have 8 losses all year long while the Cavaliers - who are playing around .500 basketball - have 20. However, the Golden State Warriors are atop the Western conference with only 6 losses. Pretty impressive.

Conference championship games arrive in the NFL this weekend with the Colts taking on the Patriots in New England and The Packers taking on the Seahawks in Seattle. The winners go to the biggest game in the world: the Super Bowl.

The next month or so may be boring when it comes to sports, but we have the X-games next week and then spring training begins around February 20. Let the countdown begin!

Happy New Year!

Well, two weeks sure go by fast. I could not write last week because I was super busy settling in to my apartment and preparing for a new semester here at school. So I will briefly touch on the events of last week (which are many) along with the stuff from this week.

So last week's highlight was definitely college football. There were some great games. The news year's 6 was amazing. I really enjoyed simply sitting down and watching football all day for two days. The Michigan State versus Baylor game was really good along with Wisconsin and Auburn. But the best games were the two college football playoff games featuring Florida State versus Oregon at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena and Ohio State versus Alabama in the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans. Oregon and Florida State was a tight battle until 4 turnovers resulted in many touchdowns for the Ducks. Final score: 59-20 Ducks. In New Orleans, the battle was more intense. Alabama pulled out to a 21-3 lead or something like that. Ohio State really pulled themselves together by the end and ended up winning the game 42-35. The score that capped it was an 85-yard touchdown run near the end of the game. So there you have it. The final stage set up for Monday the twelfth. Oregon versus Ohio State at AT&T stadium in Arlington, Texas. It's a date.

Also last week, the Padres made some trades in order to bolster the back end of the bullpen in the additions of Shawn Kelley from the Yankees and Brandon Maurer from the Blue Jays. Both of these right handers are hard throwing and have plenty of experience under their belts. Maurer can start, although his numbers are a whole lot better as a reliever than a starter. Kelley will most likely be placed in the back end of the bullpen somewhere with the likes of Kevin Quackenbush, Dale Thayer and Joaquin Benoit. I am stoked to be able to welcome back spring training. Mark your calendars, folks. February 20 is when the Padres' pitchers and catchers report to Peoria, Arizona. The entire league will report within one or two days of that date as well. Spring training exhibition games will then commence two weeks later.

That is the news as far as baseball is concerned for the past two weeks. There still remains Max Scherzer and James Shields as potential free agent acquisitions. But they will cost money to the price of the moon itself. The Padres also picked up a one-year, incentive-laden deal for Josh Johnson. He has just come off of his second Tommy John surgery in his career and will likely return sometime in the early summer. 

The NFL playoffs have begun. The Ravens defeated the Steelers last Saturday and will play the Patriots this Sunday in freezing Foxboro. Also across the league, the Colts will face off against the Broncos in Denver, the Cowboys will be in Green Bay to take an ailing Aaron Rodgers and Packers team ready to play. Also, Cam Newton and the Panthers will head to Seattle and take on the Seahawks. The NFL playoffs are always exciting to see who the best team in the world is.

I believe that that is it for today. If there is anything at all that you would like me to discuss, feel free to comment below. I want to make this informative and entertaining. Until next week, when a college football champion will be pronounced!