San Jose's signature season falls just short of first title

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Two hockey greats meet at center ice following a hard fought Stanley Cup. (photo by Ezra Shaw)

By Ryan Ward | @RyanJWard

The San Jose Sharks turned 25 this year, and for a team so accustomed to outstanding regular seasons and consistent postseason runs through the years, this was far and away the most exciting and memorable single-season in team history.

In the end, there was no celebration, no champagne shower, no parade. No Marleau, Thornton, or Pavelski carving their names into the Stanley Cup to live on for eternity. But by reaching the Cup Final, they accomplished what no team had in franchise history, and for that, Sharks fans should be proud. They fell just two wins shy of the Stanley Cup as a team that had many doubters and reduced expectations. Dismissing them as a failure would be shortsighted to say the least.

The Sharks have a lot of question marks heading into this offseason, and some analysts foresee struggles ahead for the club. The future of aging of stars such as Marleau and Thornton are unknown, and the defense needs to add pieces after clearly being exposed in the Final by an elite Penguins offense.

Despite the changes that may come, the Sharks have a lot to be excited about and have plenty of reason for hope. There is something to be said for a group of overachievers marching through the Western Conference, as it sets a new standard for the younger players and remaining veterans going forward. Just ask the Giants what a little taste of fame does for the culture of a team in the coming years. As they say, success breeds success. 

The Sharks' Justin Braun in Game 6 (photo by Ezra Shaw)

Of course, we would be remiss if we discussed the future of this team and did not reflect on just how great the young Martin Jones was this postseason. The Sharks clearly have found a star in the making, someone who put his team on his shoulders nearly all the way to a title. Without Jones and his remarkable goaltending, it’s hard to imagine the Sharks winning a single game in this year’s Cup Final, and perhaps they don’t even get that far to begin with without Jonsie. All goalies are hot and cold, but when you find one that gets white-hot on the world’s biggest stage and flashes signs of greatness, you hold onto that player. Sharks fans should be excited about Martin Jones.

When it was all said and done, they did not claim their own chapter in hockey history, and it may be that the greater NHL fan base forgets the 2015-16 Sharks and their improbable postseason run within a few years. But these Sharks made a lasting impression on their fan base, going further than ever before, defying odds along the way, and proving that expectations can be surpassed when a gritty team comes together. And that, in and of itself, is very promising.

See you back at the Shark Tank for year 26. The city of San Jose shall drink from the cup sooner than later. 

The Pittsburgh Penguins celebrate their world championship in San Jose. (photo by Thearon W. Henderson)

Section925 Podcast Ep. 120 - "The Battery" reports on Game 5 from the Stadium Pub

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"The Battery" welcomes first time guest Dylan Tonneson ahead of Game 5 of the NBA Finals. As part of a three part series, the boys discuss the Sharks memorable season and debate the suspension of Draymond Green. "The Battery" then heads out to Stadium Pub in Walnut Creek to report at the half and finally wrap up the loss in a somber postgame report.

Kyrie and LeBron combine for 82 points in Game 5, sending series back to Cleveland

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Kyrie Irving erupted for 41 points in Monday's Game 5. Golden State will have two more chances to close out the series, starting on Thursday. (photo by Ezra Shaw)

By Connor Buestad | Connor@Section925.com

If ever there was a theme of the the 2016 NBA Playoffs, the cliche “expect the unexpected” does well to describe it. From Steph Curry’s overtime outburst versus Portland on a bum knee, to the historic rally down 3 games to 1 against Oklahoma City and everything in between, these playoffs have surprised us at virtually every turn. The only thing we’ve been able to count on is that every time the media convinces us of a trend or a sure bet, the opposite has reliably unfolded. Monday night in Oakland was no different.

Even with Draymond Green serving a suspension at the A’s game with Marshawn “Forest Gump” Lynch, it still seemed as though the Warriors would seal the deal at home on Monday. The fans wanted it badly, could taste it even. It all made sense, considering the Warriors have proven their superiority over the Cavs time and time again up to this point. Add on the fact that they were at home where they don’t lose, and you had yourself a mortal lock. But this is the 2016 Playoffs, so inevitably the exact opposite happened. LeBron James and Kyrie Irving went into NBA-Jam-Mode, to the tune of 82 points and the Dubs were left packing a bag back to Ohio while cold champagne was wheeled out the back door of Oracle.

I suppose it seems safe to count on the idea the Warriors couldn’t possibly lose three games in a row, especially when you consider that they made it through an 82-game schedule without once dropping back-to-back games. Dubs fans can also hang their hat on the stat that zero teams have successfully clawed back from down 3-1 to win a Finals series.

Things looked more than promising for the Warriors as they headed into halftime of Game 5. Klay Thompson’s jumper was silkier than normal, pouring in 26 points with six three pointers by intermission. Yes the score was tied at 61 and LeBron and Kyrie were in a groove, but it still felt like Golden State had taken Cleveland’s best punch and withstood it in style; not to mention Oracle was rocking. “The Cavs can’t contain that type of shooting,” the talking heads told us. There again, they were wrong.

Irving and James picked up where they left off in the second half, wearing out a Warriors defense that lacked Draymond and, eventually, Andrew Bogut due to a knee injury (MRI is looming). The Cavs duo was clicking in all facets, including from beyond the arc, which makes them virtually impossible to stop. Can the Cavs continue this type of Splash Brethren shooting form for two more games? If not, they are likely done, but what if they do? Well pass the Prilosec in that case.

Golden State woke up on Monday with three chances to nail down the greatest season in basketball history, against a player in LeBron who has plenty of chinks in his big game armor. At this point it’s hard to say who has the upper hand. Is it the Cavs riding high off a win in Oakland and a favored spread (-2) at home in Game 6? Or perhaps it’s the Warriors, who won their championship last year in Game 6, against the same team, on the same court? And if it goes to Game 7, who does the pressure fall on? The Warriors battling the ghost of the ‘96 Bulls or the Cavs trying to slay the Curse of Cleveland.

At this point, it’s anyone’s guess. In the meantime I’ll try to figure out what to expect, then bet the opposite.  

USA Rugby arrives in San Jose for a match with Italy

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Folau Niua of the Eagles fends off an opponent from South Africa in the 2015 Rugby World Cup in London. The U.S. will play Italy at Avaya Stadium this Saturday evening. (photo by Paul Gilham)  

By Connor Buestad | Connor@Section925.com

This Saturday, June 18th, the USA rugby team will face off with Italy in a match at Avaya Stadium in San Jose. Saturday's event is a part of the the "Summer Series" which includes two matches in Northern California, the second of which will be on Saturday, June 25th in Sacramento versus Russia. 

The U.S. side is coming off a five-match stretch in the Americas Rugby Championship that resulted in a second place finish for the Eagles. The Summer Series rugby event will give fans a better feel for new coach John Mitchell, who will be selecting his own roster for the first time at the helm. 

Tickets to Saturday's match vs. Italy can be purchased here for what should be a great venue to watch rugby in. Fans who can't make it out to Avaya (also the home to this year's MLS All-Star Game vs. Arsenal) can watch the match on the Rugby Channel. 

Bay Area rugby fans are used to being spoiled by getting to watch the National Champion CAL Bears, but now they will get to see the pros get after it on the the international level as well. Add this to the fact that the Olympics in Brazil are just around the corner to boot. CAL alum Danny Barrett will be suiting up for the USA in August as Rugby Sevens is set to make its first appearance in the Olympic Games. The last time rugby of any kind appeared in the Olympics, the United States outlasted France for the Gold Medal in the 1924 Paris games.  

So get out there and enjoy the rugby coming your way. Draymond Green may very well be watching too. 

For Sharks, Fast Start and Martin Jones Key to Forcing Game 7

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Martin Jones has been standing on his head as of late. (photo by Justin K. Aller)

By Ryan Ward | @RyanJWard

In their biggest game of the year, facing elimination on the road in a city that had all but hoisted the Stanley Cup already, the Sharks came out firing in Game 5 like we hadn’t seen this entire Stanley Cup Final, scoring twice in the opening minutes and surviving a thrilling 4-2 marathon of a regulation game, leaning heavily on goalie Martin Jones along the way.

The fast start was just what the doctor ordered for San Jose - they hadn’t led a single minute in this Final until Brent Burns opened the scoring - but the real story of Game 5 was Jones. After the second goal gave the Sharks a 2-0 lead after 2:53, the floodgates opened and it appeared the Sharks had lost their spark, coughing up two goals in 22 seconds. But from that moment on, Martin Jones was simply unbelievable, even historically so; with 44 saves, it was just the 3rd time a goalie registered more than 40 in a Final game in the last 30 years.

It’s a problem that the Sharks weren’t able to slow down the Pittsburgh onslaught, allowing them to dominate the final two periods and pepper Jones repeatedly with shots, but what isn’t a problem is the fact that they weathered the storm and find themselves heading home for Game 6 Sunday night in San Jose.

We’ve seen it elsewhere as recently as this week. When it comes to a championship series, nobody cares (least of all the players) how the job gets done or how pretty it is, as long as you win. The Warriors hadn’t felt the presence of Klay or Steph through three games in the NBA Finals, and still led their series 2-1. If they go on to clinch the title Monday night at Oracle, nobody will remember the Splash Bros disappearing act through the first three games.

Same goes for San Jose, who now have 60 minutes of ice time Sunday to scratch, claw, and fight for the right to head back to Pittsburgh and finish this historic season the way they have dreamed since training camp. And to do that, they’re going to need Martin Jones. A LOT of Martin Jones, and whatever other pieces to the puzzle they can figure out along the way.

Sharks Won't Look Far to Find Inspiration Down 3-1

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San Jose's season is on the brink as they head back to Pittsburgh for Game 5. (photo by Bruce Bennett) 

By Ryan Ward | @RyanJWard

Four games into a best-of-seven postseason series, a Bay Area team finds themselves in a deep hole against an opponent that has overmatched them, facing insurmountable odds that suggest a comeback is next to impossible. Sound familiar?

It should. The above statement would have applied as recently as two weeks ago, when our beloved and resurgent Golden State Warriors were all but dead in their Western Conference Finals matchup against the OKC Thunder, down 3-1 after two straight miserable defeats and the weight of a larger-than-life 73-win season pressing down on them. And where are they now, a short 14 days later? Well, in case you’ve been living under a rock, things are looking a bit up for the Dubs, and the Sharks should draw from that as they take on a seemingly impossible comeback climb. The Sharks head back east to face the Penguins in Pittsburgh, down 3-1 in their best-of-seven Stanley Cup Final series after falling 3-1 in game 4 at The Tank, and it’s time to draw from the deep well of hope and optimism.

It was more of the same for the Sharks in Game 4, as they went down 1-0 for the 4th straight game and were again sent chasing the Penguins for nearly 60 minutes. In fact, the Sharks have not led for a single minute in this series, their only win being in overtime of Game 3. At this point, it's hard to foresee a scenario where they win one or more of the remaining games unless they can fix that issue and take control of the play against Pittsburgh.

The magic formula for a turnaround might be simpler than Sharks’ critics believe, however. Looking back two weeks, the message from the Warriors’ after falling behind 3-1 to the Thunder was that of “we know who we are and what we’re capable of,” and commentary along the lines of “we know we can fix this and what we have to do to win.” In other words, it was their deep confidence that allowed them to stay loose, play their game, and eventually prevail. Although the Sharks did not have as dominant and decorated a regular season as their companions up Interstate 880, they know that their roster is full of capable goal scorers, stick-handlers, penalty killers, and overall winners who can take their destiny into their own hands and win three straight games. No, it’s not the same battle the Warriors fought - the Sharks must play Game 5 and a potential Game 7 on the road - but after going 28-10-3 away from home, the confidence should remain.

Of course, it may be too deep of a hole and the Sharks may have missed the best opportunity in franchise history to bring the Stanley Cup home to San Jose. But then again, maybe this is just another page in the final chapter of a remarkable season...and two weeks from now, we might all be saying, “Remember when the Sharks were down 3-1? Yeah, me neither.”

How The USGA Ruins Perfectly Good Golf Courses

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Tiger Woods at the difficult Oakmont Country Club, site of the 2016 U.S. Open. (photo by Ross Kinnaird)

By Matthew Van Fossen | @MVF510

Officials at the USGA have, more than once, turned perfect courses into dog tracks. The course conditions at the 2004 US Open at Shinnecock Hills became so brutal on Sunday it became impossible to hold the green at the par-3 seventh hole. With three triple bogeys and another bogey, the first four players played the hole in a combined 10 over par. The USGA then decided to water the green after every two or three groups came through. As the story goes, they didn’t water the greens before Jeff Maggert’s group and he made a special request to water the green before he hit his tee shot. Maggert said they told him, “We water it when we feel like it.” No one likes greenskeepers with attitude.

Billy Mayfair hit the green with his tee shot but his first putt rolled into a greenside bunker. He ended up shooting an 89. After a seemingly perfect Charles Howell III shot rolled into the greenside bunker, the gallery actually booed the hole. Retief Goosen ended up winning the tournament on a day when not one player broke par.

The prototypical U.S. Open setup features long holes, narrow fairways, deep rough, and firm, fast greens.

And how do they get super fast greens? They don’t water them. In 1989 at the Olympic Club, fast greens and an ill advised pin position made it impossible to stop a downhill putt anywhere near the hole. Seeing his putt pick up speed after it passed the hole a frustrated Kirk Triplett put his putter in front of his ball while it was still moving, invoking a two stroke penalty (he was going to miss the cut anyway).

Poor Billy Horshel didn’t like the greens last year at Chambers Bay at all. “We’re not looking for perfect greens. We’re not looking for Memorial’s greens or even last week in Memphis. But we’re looking for something that’s very consistent and this week they’re not…four is Godawful. Ten is not much better…that hole is in dirt. It’s literally dirt. There’s no grass around that hole.” And hearing Billy Horshel complain about anything would be like hearing Jay-Z complain about Beyonce’s cooking; there’s zero chance I would feel any sympathy. However, he makes a good point.

Why not just play the course moderately fast and firm? Why take a risk that it gets out of control? Why make the courses so difficult? People like to see birdies! A ten-footer for par is like wheat toast. Yawn.

In addition to the tweaks to the course conditions, the USGA will shorten two of the par 5s to make them par 4’s and changes the course par from 72 to 70. The purpose is to make the winning score close to even par. I don’t really get the point. By that logic, you could make par whatever you want. Why not change a couple of the par 3s to par 2s and then 8 over would be the target winning score? And wouldn’t that really show how incredibly difficult it is to win a US Open.

The other problem with changing par 5s to par 4s is that it significantly modifies the aesthetic and strategy of a hole. For example, think about the two shortish par 5s at Augusta National, 13 and 15. They both have a creek in front that forces players to make a great shot to get on the green in two. If you shorten them slightly and make it a par 4 then the strategy goes away. You have to go for it every time. If the USGA were able to hold the U.S. Open at Augusta they would absolutely make one of those holes a par 4. What a ridiculous thought.

The other course setup tradition, deep rough, makes hitting the fairway very important as it is difficult to stop approach shots on the fast, hard greens from the rough. But deep rough also removes some of the strategy of approach shots. There is little a player can do from deep rough except to swing hard and play to the fat of the green. There is no chance of working the ball from 4 inch rough. One of the great things about watching professional golfers is the incredible shots they make from trouble. Watching a player try to hit a low runner or a high cut to avoid a tree and then seeing them pull it off is an incredible thrill. Think about Phil Michelson’s approach from the pine straw on 13 at the 2010 Masters. And compare that to all those memorable deep chunks from 4-5 inch grass at US Opens through the years. Oh, that’s right, there aren’t any.

Recent setups have changed some of this. The USGA moved away from the deep rough setup for the 2014 event at Pinehurst. In an attempt to have the course play more like the original Donald Ross design they only had two cuts of rough. The USGA might have been alarmed as Martin Kaymer blitzed the field with an overall score of nine under. But Eric Compton and Rickie Fowler tied for second at one under so, USGA, you can be comfortable that your fake par was not compromised.

 One thing that the USGA has done right recently is to use public courses for their venues. For the time being, it looks like municipal courses Bethpage and Torrey Pines will be in the rota. And why is that important? The list of courses that have hosted multiple times is mostly made up of private courses with notable exceptions being Pebble Beach and Pinehurst (Pebble Beach costs $495 to play. You have to stay there to get a reservation. The cheapest room at the lodge is $790.)

In this era where golf is struggling to stay relevant it’s necessary to promote affordability and inclusivity. There are stupid-rich men building ultra-private vanity courses to feed their own ego. Do an internet search for The Institute Golf Course in the Southern Silicon Valley or the Alotian Golf Club in Arkansas. Oh, you didn’t find anything. That’s right, there are no websites for either of those courses. It’s like they’re ciphers whose sole bragging rights come from how few members they allow. That’s not good for the game. And in perennially dry Northern California it’s not a good use of water.

The list of courses that have hosted the US Open used to be nearly all private clubs. Winged Foot and Olympic have each hosted 5 times. This year’s host Oakmont Country Club has hosted 8 times, more than any other course. Those three are private but now Bethpage and Torrey Pines have each hosted twice. So bravo, USGA, for making your championship more accessible. Here’s hoping you can also make your course setups more accessible in the future. 

New Blood Provides New Life for Sharks in Game 3 OT Win

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Joonas Donskoi celebrates his top-shelf game winnning goal on Saturday night. (photo by Bruce Bennett) 

By Ryan Ward | @RyanJWard

The official NHL Twitter account called it “Possibly the biggest goal in @SanJoseSharks history.” Uh, ya think?

It was fitting that a rookie, Joonas Donskoi, scored the Game 3 winner in OT of the first-ever Stanley Cup Final game at the Shark Tank. And yes, that was undoubtedly the biggest goal in Sharks history. After so many years of playoff letdowns despite a consistent core of All-Star caliber veterans, this year has been different for the Sharks - which they proved again Saturday as they capped off an electric night inside The Tank. San Jose once again played uphill most of the game and had to overcome two one-goal deficits, but they forced extra hockey and ended the most exciting OT period of these 2016 playoffs with a precision goal by Donskoi.

It was another new star - new to the Sharks, anyway - in Joel Ward that tied the score in the 3rd period by willing the puck past Penguins goaltender Matt Murray with a blast from between the circles, giving the fans in attendance, who waited so long for this night, renewed hope that this wasn’t the beginning of the end for the 2016 Sharks.

The OT winner was perhaps a goal of destiny, taken from a near impossible angle by a player the Sharks signed as a free agent last offseason and whose name some more casual fans might not even recognize. But it’s been Donskoi and Ward, the rookie and the veteran, each new to San Jose, who have proven why this isn’t just another Sharks playoff run destined for disappointment. The duo has combined for 13 playoff goals this season, and are demonstrating why it didn’t take a changing of the guard by the Sharks front office for the team to reach this point...they just needed a little fresh blood.

San Jose Looks to Even Stanley Cup in Game 2

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Sidney Crosby shined for Pittsburgh in Game 1 (photo by Bruce Bennett)

By Ryan Ward | @RyanJWard

San Jose got their first taste of Stanley Cup hockey on Monday night, and at times the Sharks looked overwhelmed and a half step slower than the host Penguins. The game was decided late in the 3rd period when defenseman Paul Martin briefly lost sight of the Pens Nick Bonino in front of the San Jose net, leading to the eventual game-winning goal. But while the Sharks weren’t able to achieve the result they were after, there are a lot of positives fans can draw on going into Game 2.

For starters, San Jose withstood an early onslaught of scoring from one of the league’s most electric offenses and were able to bounce back with a pair of goals to tie the score. That tells us the Sharks can take a punch on hockey's biggest stage and get right back up. Coming out for the 2nd period down 2-0 against Sidney Crosby’s Penguins on the road had the ice heavily tilted against the Sharks, and they were somehow able to tilt it right back to tie the game within 20 minutes and go into the final period on even ground.

Second, the Sharks converted on the power play. Granted, they did not get as many opportunities on the man advantage as they would have liked, scoring on 1 of the 2 chances they were given, but they’ve proven that they can have success against a good penalty-killing team in the Penguins. This is again something positive to draw on and should instill confidence in the Sharks offense going into Game 2.

Third, they know that they can play better - a LOT better - and yet they almost stole that game on the road in their first ever Stanley Cup Final. They gave up more shots on Martin Jones than they had in any regulation playoff game this year, and yet he played well, stopping 38 of 41 and giving them a chance to win. They essentially conceded the 1st period to the Penguins, playing a step slower and allowing two early goals, so if they’re able to focus ahead of Game 2 and come out as the aggressor, they shouldn’t have to climb as far uphill to get back in the game as they did Monday night.


Would the Sharks have liked to win Game 1 on the road and have a chance for a 2-0 series lead heading back to the Tank? Of course. But the notion of stealing Games 1 AND 2 on the road in their first ever Stanley Cup Final was a little far-fetched, and the Sharks still have the chance to take home ice advantage away from the Pens on Wednesday and take back momentum going into their homecoming in Game 3. If they skate fast, draw a few more penalties, and tighten up their defense, they should be in great shape to get their first Stanley Cup Final victory.

Patrick Marleau's wrap around goal tied Game 1 late in the second period. (photo by Matt Kincaid)

Copa América Centenario Arrives by The Bay

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A collection of the best players in the world will be competing all over the States in June, including Levi's Stadium on the 3rd, 6th, 13th and 18th. 

By Robbie Repass | @ReelWorldLive (ReelWorldLive.com)

This past weekend, the European club soccer season came to an end as Real Madrid defeated Atlético Madrid in penalties at the UEFA Champions League final in Milan. With Europe's best team now crowned, international soccer fans can turn their attention to a very entertaining summer of marquee tournaments around the world.

The 15th edition of the UEFA European Championship begins June 10th in France, as well as the men and women’s Olympic tournaments in Brazil starting in August. While these are competitions of great importance to which I will absolutely be paying close attention, as an American soccer fan I am most excited for the Copa América Centenario.  The United States was fortunate enough to be chosen as the host country for this special edition of Copa América, and the Bay Area’s Levi’s Stadium was selected as the site for the opening match between the United States Men’s National Team (USMNT) and Colombia this Friday, June 3rd. 

For those who only tune in every four years for the FIFA World Cup, the Copa América is a men’s international soccer tournament between the national teams of the South American soccer confederation, CONMEBOL, to effectively determine the continental champion.  CONMEBOL only has 10 members (Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela) so teams from other federations are often invited to give the field more depth. Copa is held every four years, in World Cup off years, with the most recent Copa América taking place just last summer (won for the first time by Chile). 

So if it’s held every four years and the latest iteration took place in 2015, why is there another Copa América only a year later?  The answer is simple; this is the 100 year anniversary of the oldest continental soccer competition (hence the name Copa América Centenario). To mark the occasion, a special anniversary tournament was organized and six CONCACAF nations (the North American equivalent of CONMEBOL) were invited or qualified to join the party, including the United States who were not only chosen to participate, but also picked to host the festivities.

In addition to the aforementioned South American squads and the USMNT, the national teams of Costa Rica, Haiti, Jamaica, Mexico and Panama round out the formidable field of 16.  The competition follows the familiar soccer tournament format consisting of a group stage, in which the 16 nations are drawn into four groups of four teams for pool play, and the two teams from each group that accumulate the most points during this stage (wins are worth 3, a draw is worth 1, loss is 0) advance to the win-or-go-home knockout rounds.  The four groups are as follows; Group A (United States, Colombia, Costa Rica, Paraguay), Group B (Brazil, Ecuador, Haiti, Peru), Group C (Mexico, Uruguay, Jamaica, Venezuela), and Group D (Argentina, Chile, Panama, Bolivia).

I’m personally content catching these matches in a dark bar with a cold beer, but if you would like to see some of the biggest soccer stars in the world in person under the sun, the group stages and knockout rounds will take place at ten venues across America. The sites include CenturyLink Field (Seattle, WA), Soldier Field (Chicago, IL), Gillette Stadium (Foxborough, MA), MetLife Stadium (East Rutherford, NJ), Lincoln Financial Field (Philadelphia, PA), Camping World Stadium (Orlando, FL), NRG Stadium (Houston, TX), University of Phoenix Stadium (Glendale, AZ), the Rose Bowl (Pasadena, CA) and Levi’s Stadium (Bay Area). 

Levi’s hosts four matches in the Bay’s backyard, including the opening match between USMNT and Colombia on June 3rd (supplemented by the official opening ceremonies and musical performances by Colombian reggaeton star J Balvin, American recording artist Jason Derulo, and Canadian reggae fusion band MAGIC!). The other three matches include a Group D tilt between Argentina and Chile (ranked #1 and #3 respectively in the latest FIFA Rankings) on June 6th, a Group C match between Uruguay and Jamaica on June 13th, and a quarterfinal match on June 18th to be contended between the winner of Group C and runner-up of Group D (likely either Uruguay or Mexico against Argentina or Chile).

The best soccer player on Planet Earth, Lionel Messi, will take the pitch at Levi's Stadium on June 6th when Argentina faces Chile. (photo by Ronald Martinez)

This affords Bay Area sports fans the opportunity to not only watch and root for your American national team, but the ability to see global soccer superstars including Lionel Messi and Sergio Agüero (Argentina), Alexis Sánchez and Arturo Vidal (Chile), Juan Cuadrado and James Rodríguez (Colombia), Luis Suárez and Edinson Cavani (Uruguay), and if Mexico passes through the Bay, Chicharito himself, Javier Hernández. Perhaps the only major nation without the potential to appear in the Bay is Brazil, however don’t rue the inability to watch Barcelona star Neymar on American soil.  The Brazilian football federation decided to only include Neymar on the Olympic roster, clearly prioritizing the Olympic Games, having never won the gold medal in the soccer competition and looking to do so as the host nation.

If you can’t make it out to Santa Clara, Fox Sports and Univision have the broadcasting rights in the US for the 100th Copa. Other marquee group stage matches worth watching include Brazil against Ecuador from the Rose Bowl on June 4th, Mexico against Uruguay from Glendale, AZ on June 5th, and Colombia against Costa Rica from Houston, TX on June 11th.  As mentioned, the USMNT faces Colombia in the Group A opener June 3rd, then faces Costa Rica in Chicago on June 7th and Paraguay in Philadelphia on June 11th.  The tournament will last most of June, with the final taking place on June 26th in East Rutherford, NJ.

What are the odds the USMNT appears in the Copa América final you ask? Well, not great. But don’t write them off as an early exit candidate just yet.  Despite their unceremonious dismissal from the 2015 Gold Cup via a semifinal loss to Jamaica, and an extremely disconcerting loss to Guatemala in a World Cup Qualifying match this past March that had me pricing the domain name firejurgenklinsmann.com, the squad has shown signs of life during a three-match exhibition run this past week in preparation for the Copa. 

The USMNT defeated a weak Puerto Rico team 3-1 in lackluster fashion before turning in a pair of impressive performances against CONMEBOL sides that will appear at the Copa (including a 1-0 win over Ecuador for which I was in attendance in Frisco, TX and a 4-0 win over Bolivia in Kansas City).  Even a draw against the 4th ranked national team in the world (Colombia) would be hard-earned, but I still expect the USMNT to accumulate enough points in their matches against Costa Rica and Paraguay to advance to the knockout rounds as the Group A runner-up.  If that is accomplished, the USMNT would face the Group B winner (likely a Neymar-less Brazil or an Ecuador team we have just beaten), which presents a not-so-strange scenario in which the US could find themselves making a surprise semifinal run.

If the USMNT is to achieve an impressive showing this summer, and restore our faith in Jürgen Klinsmann, it will require balancing a roster split between veteran names and fresh faces.  Stalwarts Clint Dempsey, Michael Bradley, and Tim Howard will be joined by 2014 World Cup roster members Kyle Beckerman, Alejandro Bedoya, Matt Besler, John Brooks, Geoff Cameron, Brad Guzan, Fabian Johnson, Jermaine Jones, DeAndre Yedlin, and Graham Zusi.  Goal-scoring forward Jozy Altidore, unfortunately, will not be available due to injury.  Even the San Jose Earthquakes’ own and Bay Area native Chris Wondolowski made the cut, at the expense of Stanford great Jordan Morris, likely due to his reputation as a top finisher in the box (despite his gargantuan miss against Belgium at the last World Cup).  Other USMNT players poised for breakout performances include MLS stars Darlington Nagbe (Portland Timbers) and Gyasi Zardes (LA Galaxy), and a pair of players plying their craft in the German Bundesliga, Bobby Wood (Hamburg) and 17-year-old phenom Christian Pulisic (Borussia Dortmund).

So whether you plan to hop on StubHub and bask in the glory of meaningful international soccer firsthand or take it all in on a television screen in the comfort of your local watering hole, buckle your proverbial chinstrap and get ready for an amazing summer filled with world-class soccer... And Go USA!

"Navigating Uncharted Waters" - Previewing the 2016 Stanley Cup Finals

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The Sharks will take the ice at the Consol Energy Center in Pittsburgh for Game 1 on Monday night.

By Ryan Ward | @RyanJWard 

It’s a sportsmageddon of epic proportions, on a scale we've never seen before in Northern California. Tomorrow night, the Bay Area will be treated to Game 7 of the NBA Western Conference Finals in Oakland, while simultaneously watching San Jose skate in their first ever Stanley Cup Finals in Pittsburgh. Spoiled, aren’t we? I don’t know about you, but I’ll be hunting for that seat at the bar that’s perfectly centered between the hockey and hoops screens. No doubt my head will be on a swivel this Memorial Day. 

Fortunately for us, the puck drops on Game 1 of the Stanley Cup an hour before tip-off inside Oracle, so the first period should garner our full, undivided attention. But before you don your black and teal (with blue and yellow undershirt) and head out to your local spot Monday night, here’s what you need to know about the Sharks’ first ever foray into the Stanley Cup, in what has to be considered a dead-heat matchup:

The star power is strong on both sides:

Each team boasts former MVP’s and All-Stars aplenty, so it’s difficult to give an edge to either team here. Sidney "The Kid" Crosby is considered one of the best - if not the best - forwards in the NHL, and at 28 he’s still in the thick of his prime after being tabbed the “next Gretzky” ahead of the 2005 amateur draft. Evgeni Malkin is also a former MVP, and these two have tasted success before, winning the Stanley Cup together in 2009. The Sharks will match Pittsburgh’s star power with Joe Pavelski, Joe Thornton, Brent Burns, and Logan Couture, but as much playoff experience as those four have, they’ve never lifted the Cup. Still, Pavelski has been scoring at an incredible clip this postseason with 13 goals, and is the front-runner for the Conn Smythe Trophy (postseason MVP) heading into the series.

Don’t blink, you might miss it:

These teams will match each other skate for skate, because they’re both built around two things: moving fast and scoring frequently. Winning loose pucks will be a key to each team’s success, and momentum shifts may come down to the simple things, such as racing down to negate an icing call.

A clash of special teams titans:

The Sharks are scary good on the power play, somehow scoring at an even higher clip on the man advantage this postseason than they did in the regular season, when they ranked 3rd in the league. They’ll pit their 27% postseason efficiency against the Penguins 5th-ranked penalty kill, and it will be must-see-TV whenever Pittsburgh takes a penalty. The flip side isn’t as intriguing, but could be just as important. The Penguins aren’t known for scoring on their power play, and the Sharks aren’t known for their penalty kill...so maybe that makes the Pittsburgh power play and SJ penalty kill the biggest keys to this series. I have a feeling.

You ain’t seen nothin’ yet:

If you thought the Tank was rocking for the Western Conference Finals, you’re in for a treat this series. Year in and year out, it doesn’t matter who matches up in the final series: the Stanley Cup brings out the most passionate, enthusiastic, and LOUD fans American sports has to offer. Oracle Arena can break some decibel records when Steph Curry gets into Human Torch Mode, but my guess is that the Shark Tank will be sending shock waves throughout Silicon Valley come Game 3 (especially if the Sharks bring back a 2-0 series lead). Who knows why we go so crazy for what is widely considered the 4th-favorite major American sport, but maybe it has something to do with the prize being SO. DAMN. COOL. Let’s be honest, there’s a reason hockey fans cheer “We want the Cup!!!”...it’s far and away the most prestigious and storied sports trophy in the world.

It may be unfamiliar territory for the Sharks, but make no mistake, this year’s version is as prepared and well-equipped to hoist Lord Stanley’s Cup as the team has ever been. All it took was 25 years and some lowered expectations.

Oh, and my prediction?: San Jose in six.