LEICESTER CITY, STEPH CURRY, AND THE ALL MADRID FINALS II

by Nwaji Jibunoh

Nwaji Blog

 

 

 

 

As we get into the business end of the sports season, you find that times are changing with some intriguing accomplishments occurring.

Denver's stingy defense helps "The Sheriff" ride off into the sunset a champion. (Photo courtesy of FoxBusiness.com)

Denver’s stingy defense helps “The Sheriff” ride off into the sunset a champion.
(Photo courtesy of FoxBusiness.com)

In the 2015/2016 sports calendar year, we have already seen Peyton Manning and The Denver Broncos crowned Super Bowl Champions after an incredible defensive display against the Cam Newton-led Carolina Panthers.

In as much as the lead up to the Super Bowl was quite exciting and the emergence of Cam Newton as an elite Quarterback was something to note, special mention needs to go out to other fascinating accomplishments occurring in other sporting events.

EPL Champions - Leicester City

EPL Champions – Leicester City

Let us begin with the English Premiership. At the conclusion of the 2014/2015 season, a little known club located in the East Midland of England finished in 14th place in a league with only 20 clubs. A little known club that nobody truly ranked and were given a whopping 5000/1 Odds to win the title the following season. That little known club are currently the champions of England and that little known club is Leicester City. To put things in context, let us use a case study for the odds that the bookies put in play at the beginning of the season. A lifetime Leicester City supporter put a 50 pounds ($30) bet on those odds of 5000/1 to win the title. That lifetime supporter cashed out on a take home prize of 250,000 pounds ($166,000). What has been accomplished by this club who had a spending budget of 52m pounds ($32.5M) in comparison to the likes of Manchester City (411m – $274M), Manchester United (391m – $260M), and Chelsea (298m – $198M) is something that has never ever been witnessed in British football. Leicester City took advantage of a slow methodology of playing every single game to win and taking advantage of lackluster performances from the other big clubs. Credit goes out to their manager (Claudio Ranieri) and star players James Vardy (who only a few years ago was combining his playing time while working part-time as a technician making medical splints) and Riyad Mahrez (a relatively unknown Algerian now among the English Premier League elites).

As we talk about this great accomplishment in sports by Leicester City, we cannot go any further without mentioning what Wardell Stephen “Steph” Curry has done in the NBA this year. Let us look at some quick numbers to put things into perspective. In the 2014/2015 season where he was crowned MVP and also won the NBA championship, his numbers were as follows:

Regular Season – 23.8 ppg. Playoffs – 28.3 ppg. Total number of three pointers made – 286.

This season, his numbers are:

30 ppg and he made 402 three pointers. I will say that again….402. The only other player to come close was Ray Allen with 289 and we all know him to be a three point genius. Steph Curry has

Stephen Curry hoists his second consecutive MVP trophy prior to Game 5 of the second round of the Western Conference Semifinals vs. the Portland Trail Blazers at Oracle Arena.  (Photo courtesy of Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports)

Stephen Curry hoists his second consecutive MVP trophy prior to Game 5 of the second round of the Western Conference Semifinals vs. the Portland Trail Blazers at Oracle Arena.
(Photo courtesy of Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports)

completely redefined basketball and the point guard position, and he makes shots from pretty much anywhere he wants to. He controls the tempo of the court and pulls out perimeter defenders, allowing other players such as Klay Thompson and Draymond Green to make significant contributions. The Conference Finals this year will see some exciting matchups with Golden State taking on Oklahoma City Thunder as perennial All-Stars (Curry, Thompson, Green, Durant, Westbrook, Ibaka) will dominate the highlights in the best of 7 series. On the East Coast, it looks like Cleveland with Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving, back at this stage of the competition healthy, will compliment the enigma that is LeBron James. We will most likely see the Cavs steamroll pass the Toronto Raptors to meet the best of the West.

UEFA Champions League Final - Real Madrid vs. Atletico Madrid - May 28th, 2016

UEFA Champions League Final – Real Madrid vs. Atletico Madrid – May 28th, 2016

Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid both finished in second and third positions in the Spanish La Liga. They were edged out by Barcelona but not before Barcelona suffered successive defeats to both clubs in the El Classcio and Champions League semifinals. These two clubs are Spanish power houses and are getting ready to battle it out in the Champions League Finals. This is not the first time we are going to have an “All Madrid Final”. In 2014, we saw these two clubs battle it out with Real Madrid emerging victorious. The Star man then and now and 3 time Ballon D’or (World Footballer of the Year) recipient, Cristiano Ronaldo is of course the centre of attraction. The last time these two teams met, Ronaldo was breaking records with an astonishing 51 goals. He has achieved that milestone again this season and goes into this final fully charged and poised to pick up his 3rd UEFA Champions League trophy. It will not be easy as Diego Simeone and his Atletico Madrid team, that play a high tempo coordinated style of Spanish football, will be looking to get revenge against their 2014 finalist fellow city rivals. These two teams have already met twice this season with Atletico winning one game and the other game ending in a tie. The UEFA Champions League Final which will be played at the San Siro Stadium in Milan, Italy will be an explosive encounter come May 28th.

All in all, it has been an exciting year so far with so much more to play as we have the NBA Finals, UCL Finals, and the European Championships.

Sports fans, eat your heart out as the games will always continue to bring nothing but sheer entertainment and exhilarating excitement….

 

Nwaji Jibunoh, International Correspondent for War Room Sports

Located in Lagos, Nigeria, Nwaji Jibunoh is War Room Sports’ International Soccer Contributor.  Nwaji also contributes commentary on U.S. sports from an international perspective.  He’s an Atlanta Falcons fan, Howard University alum, and former tight end for the North Atlanta High School Warriors.

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One Response to “LEICESTER CITY, STEPH CURRY, AND THE ALL MADRID FINALS II”

  1. liga inggris English Premier League (Liga Inggris) sebelumnya F. A. Premier League liga Adalah profesional di Inggris, liga inggris terkini Yang merupakan tertinggi jadwal liga inggris Kompetisi melemparkan klub di Inggris. Sebelumnya MENERIMA mensponsori Dari Barclays Bank Yang nama di resminya Menjadi Liga Premier. Di Luar Biasa Inggris Yang disebut Liga Premier Inggris. Dan Sekarang Kembali Ke Liga Premier League Premier SEBELUM dibentuk PADA Tahun 1992 liga inggris terkini persaingan di liga sepak bola profesional di liga Inggris Adalah Tingkat tertinggi Dari Divisi Pertama Liga Sepak Bola (bahasa Inggris: Divisi Pertama Liga Sepak Bola). Menjelang Akhir Musim 1991-1992, beberapa klub sepak bola Terbaik memisahkan Diri Dari liga sepak bola Penghasilan kena pajak MEMBUAT Kesepakatan Yang menguntungkan DENGAN Lembaga Penyiaran. PADA 20 Februari 1992 membentuk format yang Kompetisi baru DENGAN nama di FA Premier League DENGAN Jangka Waktu Anggota Anggota Dari 22 klub di Musim Pertama. Premier League Football League Adalah Yang Paling Lebih ditonton di Dunia, disiarkan di 212 wilâyah untuk review 643.000.000 pemirsa. [2] PADA Musim 2010-11 kehadiran rata-rata Penonton di SETIAP Pertandingan Liga Premier Adalah 35.363, Yang merupakan Jangka Waktu tertinggi Kedu Dari liga sepak bola Jerman profesional, Bundesliga DENGAN Tingkat load factor Adalah tahap 92,2. koefisien liga Premiership also peringkat. (Dalam Bahasa Inggris: koefisien liga) PADA berdasarkan jadwal liga inggris penampilan Pertama Dari Kompetisi eropa UEFA Selama lima Tahun Di Indonesia, Dari 2016-2017 Musim, Liga Inggris disiarkan di RCTI, MNCTV Dan membayar TV Indovision, media Pertama, TV Besar, Transvision Dan TV prabayar orange TV liga inggris Lagu Belakang Meskipun Sepanjang Tahun 1970 Sampai Awal tahun 1980 salah satu beberapa klub Inggris SUKSES di Kompetisi eropa, namun Mulai di Akhir 1980 satu menandai Titika Rendah untuk review Sepakbola Inggris. Stadion Penyanyi Penggemar dihancurkan, jadwal liga inggris fasilitas kurangnya untuk review para, vandalisme Luas, Dan klub-klub Inggris Dilarang Dari Kompetisi eropa Selama lima tragedi Penghasilan kena pajak Tahun Heysel PADA Tahun 1985.Pada jam ITU Football League Divisi Pertama (bahasa Inggris: Football League Divisi Pertama) Football League , liga Yang has Menjadi tertinggi Inggris sepak bola sejak Tahun 1888 Menjadi Kurang mengungkapkan Dan Penurunan Pendapat, liga Baik Belakang berbaring seperti Italia Serie Dan La liga Telephone Hybrid Serta beberapa Pemain Inggris Terbaik untuk review Pindah Ke Luar Negeri.l iga inggris terkini TAPI Penghasilan kena pajak Pergantian Tahun 1990 tren Penurunan Mulai membaik, seiring DENGAN keberhasilan Seleksi Inggris mencapai semifinal di Piala Dunia 1990 FIFA Piala UEFA, badan sepak bola eropa, akhirnya mencabut larangan PADA klub Inggris lima Tahun Ke liga inggris terkini Kompetisi eropa PADA Tahun 1990. Hasil Manchester United Mengangkat UEFA Piala Winners PADA Tahun 1991 Maka Laporan Taylor di panggung Standar Keamanan Yang mengusulkan peningkatan tahap mencakup biaya tahap agar DENGAN tempat Duduk untuk review semua bidang Penonton, Diterbitkan pada bulan Januari 1991.

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