Is Lionel Messi The Greatest Soccer Player Ever?

The crowd roars as a blue and red blur streaks across the 18 yard line. Lionel Messi has the ball again. His short legs pump almost faster than the human eye can follow. He weaves between taller and much stronger defenders, dodging their shoulders and nimbly sidestepping their thrusting boots. Just when the soccer ball seems to roll into the possession of an opponent, Messi deceptively alters the ball’s course to be back within his control. As he nears the goal, 5 defenders converge upon his path. A flurry of limbs and cleats and divets erupts, but Messi soon emerges from the chaos, ball still magically attached to his feet. Without a moment of hesitation, Messi strikes with his left foot. The ball sends waves through the back of the net before anyone on the pitch or in the stands even realizes what has just happened.

This is a common scenario for Lionel Messi. He is the undisputed best player in the world, and he has the hardware to prove it: three consecutive World Player of the Year awards (2009, 2010 and 2011). But the real debate begins when a much more complicated question is asked: Is Lionel Messi the greatest soccer player ever?

To even begin answering this question we need to find a comparison. In the modern game it must be Pele and Maradona. Both are soccer legends, both have been lauded as the greatest players ever, and both have won multiple World Cups for their country… Wait a minute, Messi has never won a World Cup. On soccer’s greatest stage Messi has failed to emerge victorious twice, and he won’t get many more chances. Advocates argue that it is not Messi’s fault. They point out that Argentina has suffered under poor management and a lack of depth and skill. Then again, that didn’t seem to stop Maradona when he won the 1986 World Cup practically single-handedly.

Is the World Cup the best deciding factor for the title of greatest player ever? Messi has claim to so many other impressive titles. He has already broken—on pace to shatter—Barcelona’s all time scoring record with 234 goals and he has won five La Liga titles and three Champions League titles. But critics will remind us that he will be hard pressed to score even half of Pele’s astounding 1,283 career goals. Also, his trophies have been earned with the support of a European dream team. Maradona took underdog Italian club team, Napoli, from 12^th place to Serie A Champions twice over.

None of Lionel Messi’s accomplishments can set him apart from the game’s greats. It is a safe bet that if he is not the victor of at least one World Cup, he will never even be placed on the same level as Pele and Maradona. In that scenario, becoming renowned as the World’s Greatest Soccer Player Ever is not even on the table.

So let us just take a deep breath, muster as much patience as possible and watch what happens. Come 2014, who is to say Messi will not stun the world by leading Argentina to a World Cup championship? And then why can’t he do it again in 2018? But until then, Messi will still manage to amaze us with his unbelievable feats of skill. His unprecedented five goals against super competitor Bayern Munich in a Champions League match is one such performance that will never be forgotten. No, Messi is not the greatest soccer player ever. But he will be.

As promised, here are the front and backs of a wide variety of Messi rookie and near-rookie cards. Let us know your thoughts as to which is the best or most rare.

The baseball world is still abuzz with Bryce Harper news, predictions and praises. But why is so much attention directed towards the young rookie? It is true he has a vast potential, and yes he has posted some solid statistics so far as a major leaguer, but why the never ending media buzz? I think it is time we turn our attention in a new, but much more deserving direction: Mike Trout.

Trout has had an incredible impact on his team, the Los Angeles Angels. Since he was called up they jumped from a 7-14 record to 22-14. His leadoff bat has been hot with a .404 OBP, a .950 OPS, and a .349 batting average, His glove has been baseball’s black hole—only a single error this season. And he seems to be living up to every word of his praiseworthy scouting report. Harper has no such stellar report card. Though he carries a high OPS (.885) he is only batting at .282 and 3 errors have already stained his stat sheet.

So why is Harper still getting all the attention? Because the media would rather write about a kid who hits his bat against the wall only to have it bounce back and smack him in the forehead than about a well rounded rookie who is playing fundamentally sound baseball at its highest level. Trout has done everything right (if not much better) and he still plays in the shadow of the “great” Bryce Harper. That just isn’t right!

I implore the media: let sensationalism give way to good, old fashion baseball. Give us the facts and let us decide who the heroes should be. For now, my Rookie of the Year is Mike Trout and I think he has easily earned the right to rule baseball’s spotlight.

It is hard to miss rising soccer star Alex Morgan. Not only is she taking the world of women’s soccer by storm, she is also drop dead gorgeous. She has posed in body paint for Sports Illustrated and was very recently ranked #66 on Maxim’s Hot 100 list. But even though she wears a bright pink headband on the pitch she is no beauty queen. She is a skilled striker with a killer instinct, who makes the most of every opportunity to send a precise and powerful shot into the back of the net.

There is no shortage of “rising star” articles with Alex Morgan’s name in the headlines. She put herself on the map in the World Cup last summer, scoring four important goals from the bench. Moving into 2012, she has refused to disappoint. In just 12 matched for the national teams, Morgan has racked up 13 goals and 8 assists. These are dominating statistics, especially considering the other capable strikers that saturate the U.S. Women’s lineup including living legend Abby Wambach.

So where does a soccer superstar like Alex Morgan come from?  She got her start in the American Youth Soccer Association (AYSO), an organization that laid the foundation for American women’s soccer starting in 1979 and was the breeding grounds of major superstars such as Julie Foudy and Mary Harvey. She also took time to conquer Division I college soccer, leaving Cal with 45 goals and a degree in political economy. If the winners of the 1991 World Cup were the “Title IX First Generation” and the 1999 winners were the “Title IX Babies,” where can we place Alex Morgan? I would say she leads the pack of the “Title IX Revolution.”  If others are inspired by her example—and I guarantee you they already have been—American women’s soccer is about to step up above and beyond even their past glories.

But Morgan is more than just raw talent mixed with opportunity and combined with the world’s most popular sport. Her `statistics are incredible yes, but not defining. What truly sets her apart is how easy she makes it all look. And I don’t mean only when she is wearing cleats. After watching Alex chat with a reporter or pose in a photo shoot, one would think she has been doing it all her life. She has a natural poise that never falters and her infectious smile only disappears when she turns on her game face. This happy, positive energy is obviously the secret behind her fleet and fluid footwork. Do not take your eyes off of Alex Morgan, because the second you do, you are sure to miss something beautiful from America’s next biggest athletic superstar.

The trading card world is not blind to the impact of the  gorgeous new ambassador of women’s soccer and Morgan has been featured on numerous cards from Upper Deck, Sports Illustrated for Kids and Topps. Already priced at lofty levels, they may be set for an explosion should Morgan and crew fare well in the summer Olympics or the next Women’s World Cup.

The entire baseball world has been transfixed on Bryce Harper since he was the top draft pick in 2010. He entered the Washington National’s system at the tender age of 17 and he comfortably ruled the minor leagues for a season and a half. Now, in 2012, he has become only the sixth teenager in 75 years to hit a homerun in the Major Leagues. He is even the subject of a book called, “The Last Natural.” While I am not sure calling him the “Last” of anything is sound logic, the future holds an indefinite amount of sports legends. But the romantic word “Natural” is much more difficult to refute.

When we label a player as a “natural,” we are actually saying this: They are the “chosen people” of their field. Their destiny is to shine and all other players are merely compliments. They don’t have to work as hard as others because their skills come effortlessly. They are gods of their arena. Maybe that definition borders on hyperbolic, but since when did we begin putting limits on our worship of incredible athletes? The important question is: does Bryce Harper fit the description? Let us take a look back into his past.

He began swinging a toy bat around at the age of three. Typical kid. But at the age of 12 he found a rhythm that created a batting streak of 12 for 12; 11 of those 12 were homeruns. He quit highschool after two years and passed the General Educational Development tests in order to become eligible for the 2010 amateur draft. While waiting for the draft in June, he enrolled in the College of Southern Nevada and took their baseball team to the National Junior College World Series. He won the Golden Spikes Award and was named the 2010 SWAC Player of the Year. He was the first pick in the draft and carried an almost .400 batting average over the expanse of a year and a half in amateur play.

I know it seems that this article digressed into a series of Bryce Harper achievement facts, but each of these statistics points directly toward one idea: Bryce Harper was built to play baseball. Shall we continue?

Harper’s professional career has not strayed far from the path. Critics and naysayers chase shadows as they struggle to unearth evidence that the phenom is the recipient of more credit than he deserves. Bryce Harper entered professional baseball on the wake of what has been hailed “the greatest amateur season ever.” He is currently batting at .241, but has already powered two baseballs over the outfield fence. No player, coach or fan will ever deny his throwing arm’s ability to shoot lasers into the infield from his left-field position.  It may be too soon to say for sure that Harper will live up to the hype but he definitely seems ready to adopt even the loftiest of titles: “Savior of the Nationals” and “Baseball’s Chosen One.” Is it obvious yet? There is zero possibility that Bryce Harper was destined for anything except baseball dominance.

So as America continues to write its deep and mystical baseball lore, rejoice in the fact that you are witnessing one of the all time greats from his very beginning. Will Bryce Harper burn out, lose focus, or fail to live up to the standard we have set? These questions are moot. He is a natural. His destiny has already been written and nothing but greatness lies ahead.

Pitchers and catchers have begun reporting to their respective spring training locations, and when the Texas Rangers start up their camp, all eyes will be on the team’s pitching rotation.

Well, actually more than likely, one player, Japanese sensation Yu Darvish.

Darvis was signed to a massive contract (eight years, $60 million) that came well after the Rangers spent $51 million just for the rights to negotiate with the highly touted pitcher.

Darvish was dominant in the Japan Pacific League — one of two leagues that make up Nippon Professional Baseball. He posted a pristine 1.72 ERA in five seasons with the Nippon Ham Fighters. Darvish also struck out 1,083 batters, while walking just 221 during that strech.

Darvish’ stats indicate an elite-level pitcher in Japan, but the question at large is can he replicate those numbers in Major League Baseball?

History isn’t on his side when it comes to pitchers making the switch from NPB to MLB.

Hideki Irabu and Hideo Nomo weren’t able to dominate the major leagues and were good in spurts. Daisuke Matzusaka had one great season (2008, 18-3 2.90 ERA), but has since failed to stay healthy and has struggled in Boston.

Darvish is making the leap a few months shy of his 26th birthday, which is typically when the Japanese pitchers have moved over from Japan, so Darvish will immediately draw comparisons to his fellow countrymen.

The pressure, also, will be a tad bit higher given the circumstances surrounding the team.

The Rangers lost C.J. Wilson to division rivals Los Angeles in the offseason, and Darvish is expected to make up Wilson’s production (16-7, 2.94 ERA in 2011) in a rotation featuring Colby Lewis (14-10, 4.40 ERA), Derek Holland (16-5, 3.95 ERA), Matt Harrison (14-9, 3.39 ERA) and Neftali Feliz (32 saves in 2011).

Luckily for Darvish, the Rangers are an offensive-minded team, hitting an American League best .283 as a team with 210 home runs, which was second to the New York Yankees in the AL. Darvish should receive the offensive support he needs while he acclimates to the major league hitters.

If Darvish can produce within the range of 14 to 16 wins with an ERA hovering around 3, then it will be a solid debut season for the Japanese superstar.

Then after that, it’s on him to break the mold on Japanese pitchers.

By Paul Delos Santos

Major League Baseball is about to kick off its spring training and one compelling question entering Washington National’s camp will be is Bryce Harper going to make his big league debut in 2012?

The answer is a resounding…maybe.

Expecting Harper to be on the Nationals’ 25-man roster come Opening Day is beyond ludicrous. Harper has yet to play an inning of Triple A ball, and over the course of 37 games in Double-A ball with the Harrisburg Senators, he hit .256 with three home runs and 12 RBI.

His Single-A numbers project that Harper is better than most players at the one-A level. He played 72 games, compiling a .318 average with 14 home runs and 46 RBI. His more impressive number came in the form of his OPS (Slugging plus On-Base percentage), where he had a .977 in Single A.

The major thing preventing Harper’s ascension is a lack of plate appearances. Harper has only made 452 plate appearances and that’s not even against Big League-caliber pitching that he will see if he was to make the Nats’ roster.

Development wise, it would be a terrible thing for the Nationals to bring him up now where he’ll face the likes of Tim Lincecum, Clayton Kershaw and the entire Phillies rotation.

That said, the Nationals shouldn’t hurry Harper’s development. They’ve spent far too much money for them to throw him into the fire where only bad things can happen.

Harper needs to establish that he can hang with Big League pitching, and the best way to do that is see how he does in Triple A ball before bringing him up.

There’s no hurry if you’re the Nationals since Harper, at 19, is far from the transcendent player that will carry the Nationals out of the National League East cellar. So why bring him now when the kid’s best years are still in front of him?

If fans want to see Bryce Harper in April, Syracuse might be the place for them.

By Paul Delos Santos

Teams in need of a quarterback have to envy the position the Indianapolis Colts are in for the NFL Draft.The Colts have the luxury of picking between Stanford’s Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin III.

Fortunately, rookie card collectors can choose both though the market will likely assign different values to the two top draftees.

So, who is the better long term hold?

Both had outstanding college careers and would seemingly fit for Indianapolis owner Jim Irsay’s rebuilding process.

Look at the numbers:

Luck was a three-year starter for the Cardinal, racking up 9,430 yards while completing 67 percent of his passes, leading his team to go 31-8 during that span. He has thrown 82 touchdowns in three seasons to only 22 interceptions. Luck also was capable of running the ball in short spurts, rushing for 957 yards and seven touchdowns.

Griffin, also known as RG3, isn’t a slouch either.

He started for the Baylor Bears — a traditional doormat in the Big XII — for three seasons also. Griffin completed 66 percent of his passes for 10,071 yards, and his most impressive number was his 77 touchdown tosses to just 17 interceptions. He also put on display glimpses of his world-class speed, rushing for 2,199 yards and 32 touchdowns in his career. He also won the Heisman Trophy in 2011, after compiling 3,998 yards on 267 of 369 passing, with a sparking 6-to-1 touchdown-to-interception ratio (36-to-6). Winning came late for RG3, as he earned almost half of his career wins as a quarterback in 2011 (10-3, 23-18 all-time as a starter).

If the Colts had to draft today — without the benefit of watching more tape, seeing them at the NFL Combine or their respective pro days — Luck would be the better option.

It’s not a matter of skills as both have abilities very different to one another, but rather the things that cannot be quantified.

Luck is more suited for the Colts’ current roster, and Indianapolis can use the same formula it did with Peyton Manning. Luck also played in a much more complex pro system. He also had Jim Harbaugh as a teacher for three seasons (one for his redshirt season), which meant he was being bred for the NFL the moment he stepped onto the campus in Palo Alto, Calif.

All those things give Luck a slight edge over Griffin, and Luck is likely to be taken No. 1 overall by the Colts, but it is surely no indicator of how close he is with Griffin.

Collectors can soon hold their own draft as Press Pass rookies of both men arrive in stores March 21l.

By Paul Delos Santos

New York Knicks point guard Jeremy Lin is turning heads left and right with his stellar play over the last few games.

HIs majestic 38-point nationally televised performance against the Los Angeles Lakers on Feb. 10 have many people wondering if Lin is primed to become the league’s next elite point guard.

Such praise, however, should be tempered because there are still variables to take into account before it is known if Lin can join the likes of Chris Paul, Deron Williams, Rajon Rondo and Derrick Rose as a top-tier guard.

First, Lin hasn’t had the luxury of playing with both Amare Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony. Both players can only help complement the young point guard, but to expect Lin to continue to put up 28 points a night will probably come to an end. Stoudemire will help in the assist department, and the two should find chemistry once they get more floor time together.

The real X-factor, however, is Anthony.

Anthony — a player who dominates possession of the ball — is the top mouth to feed in New York, meaning Lin’s point average should take a dip once the All-NBA player returns from injury.  For a news media that relies on short descriptions from Twitter to understand events they do not witness, a decrease in points may be seen as a ‘coming back to Earth” for Lin, even if his overall play remains superb.

Second, is it possible Lin is a system point guard? Mike D’Antoni’s “:07 seconds or less” system really favors point guards who can score and pass out of pick and rolls— both things Lin does well. It’s difficult to predict what would happen if Lin played in a system different from D’Antoni’s uptempo style, but that needs to be considered in the determining if Lin is the real deal. It’s very likely this is the argument that the general manager and head coach at Golden State are making to their owner right now.

Finally, we have to remember Lin has only played in five games with the Knicks. Five games are just a miniscule part of an NBA career. There still isn’t enough tape on Lin to break his game down and find holes in it. Remember, Lin was an undrafted rookie, meaning there are always holes there to exploit.

So is Jeremy Lin a future NBA star? I’d say he still has a long way to go and a lot can happen over time — injury, coaching shifts, string of bad play leading to benching.

But if first impressions are any indicator, then Lin is a prime candidate for the next breakthrough point guard

New York Knicks guard and Harvard graduate Jeremy Lin has been a man on fire the past week… on the court and in the trading card world. In fact, the Asian guard with speed and vision has outsold the most recent hobby superstar, Blake Griffin.

While we strongly agree with Knicks coach Mike D’Antoni that Lin’s breakout is a long term thing, not just a great series of games, we also don’t believe that the prices in auctions can hold. Then again, he’s got the massive New York market buying as well as the vast international market of Asian buyers who are proven drivers of price. The Ichiro Effect.

Jorge Posada announced his retirement today, ending a storied career with the most popular sports franchise in North America.

As a catcher for the New York Yankees, Posada was outstanding under the microscope, a clutch player who stood out in his own right even among the sure-fire Hall of Famers in his own infield of Mariano Duncan, Alex Rodriguez and Derek Jeter. Posada was indeed a Yankee legend.

And perhaps he turns the plate over to the next Yankee legend, a phenom named Jesus Montero who proved he was something special with a strong fall after a late season call-up, a showing strong enough to perhaps tell Senor Posada that it was time to go.

Montero was already a hot commodity among trading card collectors – few Yankee phenoms are surprises- and the offense he displayed in 2011 threw gas on the fire. However, the departure of Posada guarantees at least a platoon for Montero with Russell Martin and a chance for the young man to become very, very popular quite quickly. Think how the card collecting masses rallied around Joba Chamberlain, and he was never much more than average.

2012 is supposed to be the year of Bryce Harper though it may not happen until mid-summer. Our guess is that the spring will belong to Jesus Montero.