After four years in charge, Barcelona's Pep Guardiola will be leaving the Camp Nou after the current season.| Photo courtesy of Soccernet.

Now that Guardiola is stepping back, there have been many saying that the Barcelona we have come to know is finished, it is the end of an era. Well, that is nothing if not premature. Even without Pep, Barca still have players of world-class quality – Lionel Messi (the three-time defending World Player of the Year), Xavi, Iniesta, David Villa, Carles Puyol. This is a team that features players who are all arguably among the finest playing their position in the world.

Pep, who assumed the managerial position in 2008 after coaching Barca’s B team, has enjoyed one of the most successful coaching stints in soccer’s history. Four full seasons have seen the club collect three La Liga titles, two Champions Leagues (and two semi-final appearances), two UEFA Super Cups, two FIFA Club World Cups, three Spanish Supercopas, and one Copa del Rey. That’s 13 trophies in four years — teams like Arsenal, Liverpool, and Chelsea in England haven’t won that many in a decade.

There has been no shortage of individual awards, either. After Barcelona’s Champions League victory last May (at the expense of my beloved Manchester United), many were apt to include Pep in the list of the greatest managers of all-time, as well as rank him ahead of modern day icons like Sir Alex Ferguson and Real Madrid counterpart José Mourinho. Organizations across the globe recognized his brilliance with countless awards — the Don Balon Award for Best Coach of the Year in 2009, ’10, and ’11, the World Soccer Magazine Coach of the Year in 2009 and 2011, and the inaugural FIFA Ballon d’Or Best Coach this year. Last September, Pep was even awarded the Catalan parliament’s Gold Medal for Sporting Merit.

Even with the impressive tally of trophies and awards with which he will leave Barcelona, it is perhaps the style of football that he has promoted over the last four years that will best serve Pep’s legacy. By emphasizing a model called tiki taka — defined by rapid, one-touch passing-and-moving — Barcelona has played football not seen for generations. It has become completely normal to see Barcelona maintain 70% of possession against even the highest caliber opponents, whether it be Arsenal, Bayern Munich, or Milan.

No team has so epitomized the word, for Pep’s Barcelona are a collective; there are no individuals bigger than the team, which speaks to Pep’s skills as a manager considering three of his players – Xavi, Iniesta, and Messi – were the three finalists for World Player of the Year two years ago. No, unlike Real Madrid where egos run rampant on a daily basis, Pep has continued the Catalan culture of the team first attitude, a view reflected in the club’s motto “Més que un club” (More than a club). They play as a team, succeed or fail as a team.

The 201o-2011 campaign was by far Barcelona’s finest, as they time and time again put on breathtaking displays, beating teams by four or five goals with ease. No victory was more encapsulating of their dominance, style, and indeed Pep’s footballing philosophy than the 5-0 one over Real Madrid in November of 2010. Real Madrid are no losers: they feature Cristiano Ronaldo, Kaka, Mesut Ozil, etc. But against Barcelona that night in the Camp Nou, it was like men against boys. The home side were superb and it was hailed as one of the finest displays in the sport’s long history.

It is a sad day indeed to see Pep bring his Barcelona managing career to a close. But with an impressive trophy cabinet to display and some of the best football ever played accredited to his tactics and philosophies, Guardiola will forever be remembered as one of the all-time greats, and deservedly so.

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No Vancouver Riots This Year | Photo Courtesy Of Wikimedia Commons

The most exciting story so far, however, has not been about the defending champion Bruins, but about the rivalry being described with so many four-letter words as the most intense in hockey, if not in all of sports. When the Philadelphia Flyers play the Pittsburgh Penguins, it’s as if a group of Olympic skaters imprisoned for murder have been told they can earn their freedom if they can walk out of the stadium alive, and oh yeah score some goals too. The violence can be exciting when controlled, but a few games in the series featured fighting at an egregious level. Multiple suspensions were handed out by NHL Player Safety Executive Brendan Shanahan, including 3 in one game to the Penguins. The heat of this rivalry is certainly rare. Bad Blood between teams hasn’t been this bad since the mid-90s Avalanche-Red Wings games. Like most rivalries, however, that midwestern hatred simmered down after the teams became competitively unequal. Look for the Pens and the Flyers to cool off whenever one (or both) does not make the playoffs consistently.

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Radio City Music Hall - photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons user UpstateNYer

This Thursday at 8 p.m., thousands of people will cram inside the Radio City Music Hall in New York City to watch a spectacular show.

No, it’s not the Radio City Christmas Spectacular.

I’m talking about the 77^th edition of the NFL Draft, or the three days of the year where a bunch of 20-year-olds sit around in their best suits and hope to hear their name called like a girl waits to be named prom queen.

Unlike NFL Drafts in the past, there isn’t much anticipation over who is going to be picked No. 1 overall. The Indianapolis Colts have already informed former Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck that he is going to be their prom king (I mean pick). It is also assumed that the Washington Redskins, who have the second overall pick in the draft, will go with former Baylor QB and Heisman trophy winner Robert Griffin III. So instead of starting the argument over who is going to go No. 1, draft experts all over are debating whom the Minnesota Vikings will select at No. 3.

The most likely pick for the Vikings will be Matt Kalil, offensive tackle from USC. While there is talk that they should select a playmaker like running back Trent Richardson or wide receiver Justin Blackmon, it’s more important that the Vikings find someone to protect quarterback Christian Ponder, who was sacked 30 times last season. It doesn’t matter how many playmakers Ponder has around him if he can’t stay upright long enough to throw to them. The Vikings already have players such as Percy Harvin and Michael Jenkins for Ponder to throw to, not to mention star running back Adrian Peterson to hand the ball off to. The Vikings’ main concern is without a doubt finding someone to protect Christian Ponder in the pocket. Matt Kalil is that person.

Trent Richardson, the running back from Alabama, will most likely hear his name called at No. 4 by the Cleveland Browns, who could really use a great back like Richardson to supplement that offense led by Colt McCoy. Richardson is a running back that can not only carry the ball very well, but he can also catch passes in the backfield, making him a deadly asset for that team.

A big question surrounding the draft is when the third-ranked quarterback, Ryan Tannehill from Texas A&M, will hear his name called by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. The most logical answer to that question is by the Miami Dolphins, who are in desperate need of a quarterback. Even though Tannehill only started a handful of games as a quarterback in college (he started his collegiate career at wide receiver before moving behind center), he would be under head coach Joe Philbin, who developed such great quarterbacks as Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers.

The New England Patriots, who lost to the New York Giants in the Super Bowl last season, will have four picks in the first two rounds this year, so that should help them fill some of the holes they have, particularly in their defense.

Complete coverage of all three days of the NFL Draft begins Thursday, April 26^th at 8 p.m. on ESPN.

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You like what you see, ump? | Photo courtesy of Flickr user Keith Allison

It’s too early.

It’s too early to start calling for heads to roll, to bemoan our $173 million team. It’s April 13 (at the time of this writing). It’s been one week since baseball started for Boston. Too many Red Sox fans have the tendency to threaten violent uprising if their favorite team even winks at a losing streak. Chalk it up to high expectations. Let’s get down to brass tacks.

The Boston Red Sox are 1-5. Dead last in the AL East, behind even the laughably pathetic NY Yankees. They were swept in the season-opening series against the Tigers in Detroit. They followed that performance up by losing two out of three to the Toronto Blue Jays. But, only four percent of the season has come and gone. That leaves… let’s see… something tells me 96 percent.

Bobby Valentine seems to be melding with the team, but a bonehead move that he himself is “second guessing” leaves much to be desired. In the sixth inning of Tuesday’s 7-3 loss to the Blue Jays, Valentine left young reliever Justin Thomas, a lefty, on the mound against righty J.P. Arencibia with the bases loaded, the Sox down by two. Runs were yielded. According to Valentine, it was “just a dumb move.” Nowhere to go but up.

Tuesday was also Daniel Bard’s first professional start. It went okay: 5 IP, 8 H, 5 ER, 6 K. Bard was expected to be the next closer for the Sox, following Jonathan Papelbon’s departure. After the acquisition of Andrew Bailey from the Oakland A’s, Bard’s grooming for the rotation began. Andrew Bailey has since undergone thumb surgery, and will be out until around the All Star break. One would think that Bard would’ve moved back to the bullpen, at least until Bailey gets back. One would be wrong. Inconceivably, Alfredo Aceves, a proven MLB starter, has moved to the closer position, and has so far blown two of his three save opportunities. Those three innings don’t mean Aceves is a bad pitcher, but maybe Bard would be a better fit for the ninth. Valentine should see that, with the team as it currently is, this arrangement is not optimal.

Hitting and pitching has been erratic. Josh Beckett gave up seven runs on five home runs to the powerful Tigers lineup. The Sox lost 10-0. Jon Lester went seven innings and gave up one earned run on opening day, but the bullpen gave up two runs and the Red Sox were only able to score two. A back and forth battle on game 3 of the Tigers series ended in a 12-13 loss. The bullpen was a problem once again.

David Ortiz’s performance has been pleasing, hitting well after cutting some of his many, many pounds in the off season. He even tried to steal a base! Don’t worry, the apocalypse is not coming. He was tagged out. Dustin Pedroia and Adrian Gonzalez are also hitting; Kevin Youkilis and Jacoby Ellsbury are not. Other players are doing other things. Look it up, I don’t have enough space to cover everything.

I reiterate: have patience. The Sox started 2-10 last season, rose to great heights, and bombed historically. It’s a long season. Stay tuned, baseball fans!

The Red Sox home opener is Friday, April 13 against the Tampa Bay Rays. This season marks the 100th anniversary of Fenway Park.

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BU hockey team celebrates victory in 2011. | Photo by Flickr user wallyg.

The Men’s Ice Hockey Task Force held their first of two open forums at the Sargent Auditorium yesterday. About 20 students and professors gave their input about the problems with BU rape culture on and off the ice.

The task force Co-Chair and BU Provost Dr. Jean Morrison explained that the forum’s goal was to hear from the BU community about the issues they see on campus that would be helpful to the task force. “We’re not here to investigate,” she said, “we’re working to understand the climate that surrounds the team.” She also stressed that the task force was still at the information-gathering stage and that that was the goal of the forum.

Dean Elmore moderated. He stressed that talking about rape on campus can be a tough conversation point. He also asked that the attendees not ask questions, but rather share their concerns and thoughts about what the task force should be looking into. Speakers remained anonymous, but they brought up many important points that echo what many are saying and feeling across the campus.

Some felt that BU should assimilate the hockey team into the campus community. Many students treat the hockey team as celebrities, and some have even heard female students saying they would want to have sex with a team member. This could lead players to feel as though they are above BU rules and that any girl would want to be with them, whether or not she actually says so.

Others see the issue as larger than the hockey team, a symptom of a larger problem on campus. Students use the word “rape” in everyday conversation, condone events like Barstool Blackout, and believe the administration would take action against them if an incident occurs. These, and many other points, make it difficult for survivors to come forward and for the university to address the problem.

Another issue students pointed out was the lack of respect BU officials have toward survivors and female students alike. One student pointed to the BUPD website and their rape prevention tips. They felt there was a suggestion on the sexual assault section of the site that a survivor’s clothing or level of intoxication could play a factor in the incident. The students stressed that survivors are not to blame, and language like this could stop a survivor from coming forward to BU officials.

One of the main points was the importance of starting a rape crisis center on campus. Other Boston-area schools, like Northeastern and Harvard, have crisis centers as well as prevention centers. Though Student Health Services has follow-up programs and hotlines that survivors can call, a crisis and prevention center would help even more, and, more importantly, would help start a dialog about sexual assault with the BU community.

Students made it clear that the sexual assualt and rape on campus was more than just an issue with the hockey and other sports teams. It’s an issue that must be addressed with all students. One student suggested the task force look into ways to have a conversation with students about safe sexual interactions, what healthy sexuality means, and where the line can be drawn. All students should understand what sexual assault is and how it is not something to take lightly.

The task force will hold another open forum on April 23 at 4 p.m. in the Kenmore Classroom Building. Students who want to send their suggestions online can do so at the task force website. They will be accepting comments until May 18th.

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Super Mario | Photo Courtesy of Steindy via Wiki Commons

“Super Mario” is a player of a rare class. At the age of 21, he possesses a impressive recipe of size at 6’2” to go with a concoction of technique and pace that has lead pundits to say the Afro-Italian striker has a chance to become one of the world’s best…if he would only grow up. Problematically, Balotelli displays a combination of hubris alongside questionable, ill-thought actions in his quest for attention. Since making his professional debut as a 17-year-old at Inter Milan, Balotelli caught the eye of the world not only with his amazing footwork but also with his on-field temper tantrums, his spats with Manager Jose Mourinho, and his choice to wear the jersey of city rival AC Milan on Italian television.

After burning many a bridge at Inter, in 2010 he moved on to Manchester City, reuniting with Manager Roberto Mancini, who gave him his start at Inter. Some critics thought that Mancini would be the father figure that Balotelli needed to calm him. This has come to no avail. In the past two years, Balotelli has had great moments, including several man-of-the-match performances against teams like Manchester United, which have somewhat been eclipsed by his constant presence in the headlines for training ground fights, ejections from games, and his off the pitch personality.

And for all of it, Mancini chose to forgive, until now. On Sunday, it appeared that Mancini had enough of his “footballing son,” after Balotelli received a red card following two challenges against Arsenal defender Bacany Sagna in a 1-0 loss for City, which has nearly taken the club out of the title race. The Manager noted that the club might try to sell him in the summer, a sign that Balotelli has burned another bridge. Although he has a chance to return to Inter Milan to play under another past coach, Balotelli is on the path to being a cautionary tale.

For all his talent, the only consistency that Mario has shown has been a flavorful attitude towards authority and a need for attention. For the “why always me” footballer, the time has come to learn maturity, so he doesn’t wind up playing in second division Spain with a career marred with controversy. Mario constantly describes himself as capable of being in the top five in the world, but like l’enfant terrible before him, talk only goes so far.

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Magic Johnson's group recently purchased the Los Angeles Dodgers. | Photo Courtesy of Wikimedia user Sreejithk2000

The group purchased the team for a whopping $2 billion, which shatters the previous record for money spent on a baseball team—the Chicago Cubs was purchased for $845 million in 2009.

Kasten will most likely be the day-to-day executive, and Mark Walter, the chief executive officer of the financial services firm Guggenheim Partners, will be the controlling owner of the team. Johnson, however, still says that he will be a very active member of the organization.

“I won’t get in Stan’s way. I won’t get in our manager’s way,” Johnson said, adding, “I will be heavily involved. I’m writing a big check here.”

The five-time NBA Championship winner said that he would help recruit free agents, and while he can’t necessarily talk hitting or pitching with players, he “can talk winning.”

That he can. This purchase is great not only for the Dodgers but also for Major League Baseball and the city of Los Angeles as a whole.

The Dodgers, who finished third in the National League West last year with an 82-79 record, were frequently at the center of sports news stories. And not for the right reasons. Frank and Jamie McCourt, the former Dodgers’ team owners who divorced in October of 2009, entered a dispute over control of the team that led to the dismissal of Jamie McCourt as CEO of the Dodgers and ultimately, the Dodgers’ bankruptcy.

Magic Johnson | Photo curtesy of harkin.senate.gov via Wikimedia Commons

Guggenheim Baseball Management’s purchase of the Dodgers not only takes the team out of financial turmoil but also takes a lot of pressure off of MLB Commissioner Bud Selig, who took over day-to-day activities of the team last year.

Now the Dodgers have more money to spend on players, and they have a living legend in Johnson to draw in those players. Johnson is not only a proven winner on the basketball court, but he is also a proven winner when it comes to business. Both of those qualities (in addition to that contagious smile of his) are great recruiting tools for the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The Dodgers, who have the reigning NL Cy Young winner in Clayton Kershaw and the reigning NL Most Valuable Player runner up in Matt Kemp, should have a good season in 2012 under this new ownership. With Frank McCourt out of the front office, the Dodgers can finally focus solely on baseball, something they have not been able to do for years while under the McCourt’s.

Hopefully the addition of Johnson into the front office will bring fans back into the stadium as well. The Dodgers fell just short of three million fans at home games last season—the first time they fell below that number since 1992.

With this new management, the Los Angeles Dodgers are a completely new team and will prove to be a force to be reckoned with in 2012.

The Los Angeles Dodgers will begin their season by visiting the San Diego Padres on April 5, 2012. First pitch is set for 4:05 p.m.

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Let it be understood—this is a great move for both teams. The Broncos get a player (Manning) who will definitely be a member of the Hall of Fame and increase their chances at going far in next year’s playoffs. At the same time, the Jets get a quarterback with starting experience, great leadership skills, and a hardworking personality. There are only two people this doesn’t work for—Tebow (duh) and Jets starting QB Mark Sanchez.

Tebow Tebowing. | Photo courtesy of Clemed via Wiki Commons.

For Tebow, this is a big setback. Being traded to a team with an established QB who has a track record of making solid playoff runs means Tebow has officially been demoted. He has also already caused several controversies, including upsetting the established second-string QB, who has since been traded. Finally, his popularity may drop for not playing every Sunday, like his superfans want him to. But he has been in that same situation before, and it worked out fine.

Sanchez suffers because of the nature of Jets fans and the Big Apple media. Whenever the Jets win, fans think they’re Super Bowl-bound tomorrow. When they lose, either Sanchez is getting traded or Rex Ryan is getting fired. This is a pressure cooker to live in. Now, let’s add more pressure—let’s bring in a QB who has a Heisman, two NCAA championships, and actually went to the playoffs last season. Sure, he played poorly, but he was there.  Sanchez has to transform himself into Tom Brady if he wants to quiet his more enthused naysayers, who will call for Tebow on the first mistake.

Now the Jets hope that the two players will be able to co-exist and Tebow can be used in the infamous wildcat formation. It’s possible that both QBs learn from each other and find success. However, as a Patriots fan, I’m hoping for the worst possible outcome—team implosion, of course.

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Photo Courtesy of Wikimedia user Elhumilde

After a busy off-season that saw steroid investigations, international imports, players coming out of retirement, and many players getting sent off to new teams, we are finally ready for the beginning of a new baseball season. And while Opening Day isn’t until April 5^th, here are my predictions for the upcoming season, division by division:

As for the American League East, I expect the New York Yankees to repeat as champions in that division. They have one of the most stable starting rotations in all of baseball, behind CC Sabathia, Phil Hughes, Michael Pineda, and hopefully, Joba Chamberlain; not to mention that the Yankees have one of the greatest closers of all time in Mariano Rivera. Andy Pettitte, who retired following the end of the 2010 season, recently signed a minor league contract to return to the Yankees. In addition to their pitching, the Yankees also have one of the most consistent line-ups in the MLB, with players such as Derek Jeter, Robinson Cano, Curtis Granderson, Alex Rodriguez, and Mark Teixeira. The Boston Red Sox, who brought in a new manager in Bobby Valentine have a good line-up as well and should have a good season, but they just don’t have a stable enough rotation to compete with the Yankees.

I believe the Detroit Tigers are the runaway favorite in the American League Central. With the addition of Prince Fielder along with returning stars Miguel Cabrera, Brandon Inge, Jhonny Peralta, and Alex Avila, the Tigers have the absolute best line-up in all of baseball, in my opinion. Not only that, but that also have arguably the best pitching staff behind Justin Verlander, Rick Porcello, Max Scherzer, and Jose Valverde. There is no other team in that division that will be able to hold their own against Jim Leyland’s squad at Comerica Park. The Kansas City Royals have arguably the best farm system in all of baseball and should be a team to look out for in years to come, but I believe that 2012 will belong to Detroit.

The American League West will feature a very intriguing race between the Texas Rangers and the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. The Rangers, who won the division last year, signed Japanese pitching sensation Yu Darvish over the off-season, although they lost star closer C.J. Wilson. The Rangers will certainly have another great offensive year behind Josh Hamilton, Adrian Beltre, and Michael Young; the main question facing that team, however, is how well their pitching will perform. The Angels, who not only received C.J. Wilson from the Rangers but also first basemen Albert Pujols from the Cardinals, are the team to beat in the AL West in my eyes. With hurlers Dan Haren, Jered Weaver, and Ervin Santana, the Angels have a much more reliable rotation than the Rangers, and that is going to be the difference for Los Angeles come September.

Although both the Atlanta Braves and the Miami Marlins will have better teams this year, I still don’t think either of them can compete with the Philadelphia Phillies in the National League East. Even though the Phillies have a “declining” infield with Chase Utley, Jimmy Rollins, and an injured Ryan Howard, they will still perform this season, and will do so at a high level. Not to mention Philadelphia has one of the most elite pitching staffs in the league, consisting of Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee, Cole Hamels, and closer Jonathan Papelbon who was brought in from Boston over the off-season. No disrespect to the other teams in the division (except the Mets), but they just won’t be able to catch up to the Phillies this year. The Marlins, who brought in Jose Reyes to add to a line-up already consisting of Hanley Ramirez, Emilio Bonifacio, and Giancarlo Stanton certainly have the ability to fight for second place and possibly a Wild Card spot, but they just don’t have the talent to win the division crown (at least not this year). The Washington Nationals, who have two of the most promising young players in the MLB in Stephen Strasburg and Bryce Harper, certainly will be a force to be reckoned with in years to come, but until then, the AL East still belongs to the Philadelphia Phillies.

I expect the National League Central to be a three-team race between the Milwaukee Brewers, the Cincinnati Reds, and the Chicago Cubs. In the end, the Brewers, behind Yovani Gallardo, Zack Greinke, and reigning-MVP Ryan Braun, will come out as champions in the NL Central. Don’t expect the Reds and the Cubs to be far behind, though. The Reds have an impressive pitching staff led by Bronson Arroyo, Mat Latos, and young fire-baller Aroldis Chapman. The Cubs also have possibly the number one young prospect in all of baseball in Starlin Castro. Expect the Cubs to beat the team to beat in a couple of years. Until then, however, the Brewers are top-dog in the NL Central.

The National League West will feature a very interesting battle between the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Arizona Diamondbacks, and the San Francisco Giants, but I believe that the Dodgers will come out as division champs. Behind Clayton Kershaw, Chad Billingsley, Ted Lilly, and Aaron Harang, the Dodgers have the best starting rotation in the NL West, and outfielder Matt Kemp – who batted .324 with 39 home runs last year – is expected to have another great season at the plate. The Diamondbacks, who have a pretty good line-up in Justin Upton, Stephen Drew, Chris Young, and Lyle Overbay, will be a good team this year, but not quite good enough to defeat the Dodgers.

As for the four Wild Card teams, I expect the Boston Red Sox and the Texas Rangers from the American League, and the two National League Wild Card teams will be the Atlanta Braves and the Arizona Diamondbacks. I then think that the Rangers and the Braves will advance to the playoffs.

In the playoffs, the Detroit Tigers will defeat the Texas Rangers in the first AL Wild Card round match-up, with the Yankees moving past the Angels in the other. On the National League side, the Phillies will beat the Braves and the Dodgers will advance over the Brewers. In the American League Championship Series, the Tigers’ pitching will overcome that of the Yankees in what will sure to be an epic-pitching duel for the duration of the entire series. On the other side, the Dodgers will not have enough offensive talent to overcome the extreme pitching of the Phillies, and the latter team will advance to the World Series. In the World Series, I expect the Detroit Tigers to defeat the Philadelphia Phillies in six games. I believe that the Tigers’ line-up is much more superior to that of the Phillies, and even the great pitching of the Phillies will not be able to contain the Detroit bats for that long.

The 2012 MLB season will begin on March 28^th in Japan in a match-up between the Athletics and the Mariners. Opening Day will be on Wednesday, April 4^th at 7 p.m between the St. Louis Cardinals and the Miami Marlins.

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There has been no shortage of individual achievements for the Argentine. He is the three-time defending winner of the prestigious FIFA World Player of the Year/Ballon D’Or, he has won the European Golden Shoe as the continent’s top scorer once, he’s been named to FIFA’s World XI of the year for the last five years, and more.

As of last night, Messi can add yet another achievement to his impressive resumé. With three goals in Barcelona’s 5-3 win over Granada, Messi eclipsed Barca legend César as the club’s all-time leading scorer. Coming into the match, Messi had 231 goals, just one behind César’s tally. With a left-footed volley that clanged in off the post just 17 minutes in, the record was equalled. In the 67th minute, Messi coolly lobbed the Granada keeper to move solely into first place. His third and final goal, completing his eighth hat-trick of the season, capped off the night.

Lionel Messi, a living legend. | Photo courtesy of Addesolen via Wikimedia Commons

At just 24, Messi is now Barcelona’s all-time leading scorer. Think about that: 24. Athletes tend not to reach their peak until about 27-30, and Messi is still considered one of his sport’s all-time greatest. It took just 314 games for Messi to score his 234 goals, which is an average of about .75 goals a game, making Messi one of the most efficient goal scorers ever.

Since his rise to the top of the footballing world over the last five years, the Argentine has received constant praise. After becoming the first player to score 5 goals in a Champions league game in Barcelona’s 7-1 win over German side Bayer Leverkusen in the second leg of their last-16 tie, some wanted to label him the greatest ever. Such praise was repeated after last night’s record breaking performance.

Barcelona manager Pep Guardiola further commended his star. “We have to congratulate Messi, he has scored so many goals and is only 24, he does not just score ordinary goals but great goals and we hope he gets lots more for us, we can compare him perhaps the Michael Jordan of football. There are no players capable of dominating a sport with such superiority. In every sport there has existed only one player that can be considered as somebody unique. And this is the case. Yes, Messi can be compared to Michael Jordan,” he told BBC.

Barcelona goalkeeper Victor Valdez echoed his manager’s sentiments: “Messi is defining an era. He is the best.” Blossoming star Cristian Tello added his bit, saying, “I have no doubt that he will end up as the best to have ever played this sport. Each game he shows that he is on another level. He doesn’t stop surprising us.”

Surprising or not, Messi’s consistent excellence is a marvel to behold and certainly cements him as one of the sport’s greatest to lace up his boots.

Watch all 53 of Messi’s goals from the 2010-2011 season here.

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Bobby Valentine previously coached in Japan. | Photo courtesy of U.S. Consulate General - Osaka via Wikimedia Commons

The first pitch of the 2012 Major League Baseball season is less than a month away. On April 5, the Red Sox play the Tigers in Detroit to kick off what could be their most unpredictable campaign in recent memory. Fresh off a September nosedive that brought Boston from championship contention to an early winter break, the Sox will try to play consistent baseball under new leadership.

Undoubtedly, the biggest question about next season will be the effect that Bobby Valentine, Terry Francona’s managerial replacement, will have on the team. Valentine brings a completely different demeanor to the clubhouse than his predecessor. His motivational skills are aided by his exuberant personality, so he should be able to light a fire under any lazy players. Since the media frenzy over noncommittal player behavior during Francona’s final days, Valentine has banned beer in the clubhouse. Hopefully this tactic is a sign that the skipper will not tolerate any slacking from his new team.

Valentine managed the Texas Rangers in the AL from 1985 until 1992, and then most recently coached the New York Mets, in the NL, from 1996 to 2002. He found mild success with the Mets, taking a fourth place team in 1995 up above .500 and eventually to the National League Pennant in 2000. Since then, the Stamford, Connecticut native has spent time coaching the Chiba Lotte Marines in Japan, where he won the Japan Series (sort of like the World Series, but in Japan). Valentine has been notable for his eccentricity. On June 9, 1999, he was ejected from a game against the Toronto Blue Jays, only to sneak back into the dugout donning a fake mustache for a disguise. If Valentine is to find greater success with the Red Sox, he needs to parlay his wild, National-League-tuned management style into a formula that fits a very talented, and expensive, AL East team.

Bobby V is certainly not the only factor Sox fans need worry about this season. A few holes are left gaping on the defensive front since last season ended. First and foremost, shortstop Marco Scutaro has joined the Colorado Rockies in exchange for sinkerballer Clayton Mortensen. Replacing Scutaro will be two lukewarm bats and arms: Nick Punto, with his flashes of mediocrity, or the potentially-good-but-risky-nonetheless Mike Aviles. Jose Iglesias, the heir apparent to the Boston shortstop throne, is supposedly still unprepared for the big-league level according to the baseball brains in Boston. His progress, however, might have to be hurried along should Punto and Aviles disappoint.

Other notable changes for the Sox include a shakeup of the bullpen. Jonathan Papelbon will be throwing for the Phillies this season. Ben Cherington, Theo Epstein’s replacement as General Manager, brought in the extremely accurate Andrew Bailey from the Oakland Athletics to close in Pap’s stead. Daniel Bard was once thought to be next in line for the closer spot, but Valentine has decided to risk putting the young flamethrower in the rotation, given the inconsistency that has plagued the Red Sox’s starters lately.

Of course, there are many more factors to ponder from this off season. Jason Varitek and Tim Wakefield both retired after long and respectable careers. David Ortiz returns for another season of hitting balls really hard and then pathetically jogging around the bases — we’ll see how that turns out. Clay Buccholz returns from a back injury to possibly dominate again. Carl Crawford will attempt to make New England not hate him so much. When it really gets down to it, though, this season could bring some incredible moments. Stay tuned, baseball fans.

MLB Opening Day is April 4 at the new Marlins Stadium in Miami. The Red Sox open their season April 5.

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So, what happened? Injuries.

Manning spent the entire season on the bench after signing a 5 year/$28 million deal in the summer, and the team fell to 2-14 without their fearless leader. They even received the first pick, which was expected to be used on Stanford’s Andrew Luck. The team would have owed Manning $28 million by March 7, but instead of paying him, they chose to let him go.

So now the question is, where next for Peyton? His neck is apparently fine, and after his hero’s send-off in Indianapolis, he’s a free man.

Well, I’ve got some ideas.

First and foremost, only teams with an actual quarterback problem will be mentioned here, so the Chiefs are automatically out. Also eliminated from contention is any team with a young, rising, teachable talent, so Jacksonville and Minnesota are gone as well.

Miami Dolphins: Miami rises as a good possibility because they have a hole in the quarterback position thanks to the carousal of QBs that have been coming through Dolphin stadium the past several seasons. With offensive talent like a healthy Reggie Bush and Brandon Marshall there has to be someone throwing the ball, and that’s where Manning comes in. Also, there’s South Beach, with LeBron and the Heat Three, and you know who’s in the AFC East division? Tom Brady and the New England Patriots. Wouldn’t be nice to deliver some instant classics for the fans every season?

Manning in the 'ol Colts blue and white. | Photo courtesy of Craig O'Neal via Wikimedia Commons

Dallas Cowboys: In all honesty, Romo hasn’t gotten it done. He was supposed to bring the team five rings and a universe in the eyes of the Cowboys’ faithful. If owner/GM Jerry Jones has finally had enough, then Romo is gone. That said, Manning would have a field day with this team, thanks to the receiving corps of Dez Bryant, Miles Austin, and Jason Witten. Peyton lives off of pressure and has proven that when the heat gets turned up, he stays cool. In no other city would it get hotter for Manning than in Dallas.

Washington Redskins: They have the biggest need, the most money, and could probably bring in more talent if they attached Manning’s name to the franchise. This is maybe the simplest choice for those reasons alone. Also, there could be another Manning bowl, as brother Eli plays for the NY Giants. The biggest negative is that it’s the Redskins, who are basically the real pit of the NFL. It is not as if Washington’s a terrible place to play, but the team has been so up and down and down again that the pressure would really be on Manning if the team can’t attract any other big stars.

Manning is leaving maybe one of the healthiest legacies in football today, thanks to his never-say-die attitude and constant pursuit of greatness. He will surely go down as one of the NFL’s greatest players, and like with Joe Namath before him, it is finally time for him to open a new chapter. Hopefully, he’ll have success similar to his past and more priceless moments.

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