Actually a Sports Blog

Let's be honest: Erin Blanchfield (one of my favorite MMA fighters) deserves the next flyweight title shot after three submission wins and a hard-fought decision victory over a former title challenger in Taila Santos. However, as much as it pains me to say it, in a continuation to the up-and-down 2023 she's had, that probably won't happen.  Case in point: her bout against Santos was stuck behind Nakamura v. Garcia AND Chikadze v. Caceres AND a Smith v. Spann rematch, whereas the Fiorot v. Namajunas bout is the co-main at UFC Paris. In the UFC's eyes, they have a winner that they want competing for the title, especially if that fight ends with a stoppage (I'll explain). For Erin Blanchfield fans like myself, this has been an interesting year. 1. It was looking up in February- she'd submitted a former strawweight champion and flyweight title challenger in Andrade and was looking to be next in line to face Shevchenko after Shevchenko defeated Grasso. 2. Then Grasso...

The men's soccer field for next year's Paris Olympics is now halfway filled out after the Europe and Africa qualifiers, with Egypt, Israel, Morocco, Spain and Ukraine joining the Dominican Republic, France and the United States. Africa Egypt will be making their thirteenth appearance and second straight after qualifying for the Tokyo games two years ago. This will also be their third appearance in the last four Olympic men's soccer tournaments, only missing out on the Rio games over the previous twelve years.  After missing out on London and Rio, Morocco will be making their return to Olympic men's soccer competition, their eighth appearance.  Europe Israel will be making their third appearance in Olympic men's soccer and first since 1976. Spain will be making their twelfth appearance, although this will be their eleventh tournament that they've made through the qualifiers as they were the hosts in 1992. This will be their second straight appearance after qu...

August The Oceania qualifiers for Paris 2024 men's and women's field hockey will run from the 10th to the 13th of this month. The Europe qualifiers for Paris 2024 women's field hockey will run from the 18th to the 26th of this month. The Europe qualifiers for Paris 2024 men's field hockey will run from the 19th to the 27th of this month.  The Oceania qualifier tournament for Paris 2024 men's soccer will start on the 27th of this month and run through September 9th.  September The Paris 2024 women's soccer CONCACAF playoff between Canada and Jamaica will take place during this month on dates to be determined.  The Asia qualifiers for Paris 2024 men's and women's field hockey will start on the 23rd of this month and run through October 8th.  October The Pan Am qualifiers for Paris 2024 men's and women's field hockey will start on the 20th of this month and run through November 5th.  The Asia qualifier tournament for Paris 2024 women's soccer wi...

ACC: Virginia Tech America East: Vermont  American Athletic Conference: East Carolina  Atlantic-10: Saint Louis Big East: Connecticut  Big Sky: Sacramento State  Big South: Gardner-Webb  Big Ten: Iowa Horizon League: Cleveland State Mountain West: UNLV Pac-12: Washington State  SEC: South Carolina Southern Conference: Chattanooga  Southland: Southeastern Louisiana Summit League: South Dakota State           Sun Belt: James Madison West Coast Conference: Portland

Atlantic Sun: Kennesaw State Big Sky: Montana State Big South: UNC Asheville  Horizon League: Northern Kentucky  Missouri Valley: Drake  Northeast Conference: Fairleigh Dickinson (Merrimack won the title but is still in the transition process from D2 to D1)  Ohio Valley: Southeast Missouri State  Patriot League: Colgate Southern Conference: Furman  Southland: Texas A&M-Corpus Christi  Summit League: Oral Roberts  Sun Belt: Louisiana-Lafayette  West Coast Conference: Gonzaga

What CONMEBOL teams would compete in women's soccer at Paris 2024 if countries boycott due to Russian and Belarussian athletes being allowed to potentially qualify?  Currently Qualified: Colombia (won the first semifinal) and Brazil (won the second semifinal) If Colombia withdraws, their spot would more than likely go to Argentina, who they beat in the semifinal round. If Brazil withdraws, their spot would more than likely go to Paraguay, who they beat in the semifinals. If Argentina and Paraguay both choose not to go, here's the descending order of teams that would be chosen: 1. Chile (won the fifth-place match) 2. Venezuela (lost the fifth-place match) 3. Ecuador (both Ecuador and Uruguay finished 1-3 in their respective groups, but Ecuador finished +2 in goal difference to Uruguay's -3)  4. Uruguay, on the strength of their 1 win to Bolivia and Peru's 0 wins) 5. Bolivia (yielded two fewer goals- 16 v. 18- and scored once compared to Peru's 0- both teams finished ...

There's the potential for a boycott of the Paris 2024 games if Russian and Belarussian athletes are allowed to qualify (which, if my change.org petition is anything to go by, I don't think they should be allowed). In this and subsequent posts, I'll go through various qualifiers to see what would happen if Olympic boycotts go into effect, starting with the qualified CONCACAF teams in men's soccer.  *This follows the Tokyo '20('21) super heavyweight boxing from the Asia/Oceania qualifiers, where if someone withdraws their spot goes to the person they beat. UNITED STATES (First Semifinal Winner) Who would get their spot? IF THEY WITHDRAW: Honduras (we beat them in the semifinals) IF HONDURAS WITHDRAWS: Panama (Honduras beat them in the quarterfinals)  IF PANAMA WITHDRAWS: Cuba (Panama beat them in the round of 16)  DOMINICAN REPUBLIC (Second Semifinal Winner) Who would get their spot? IF THEY WITHDRAW: Guatemala (DR beat them in the semifinals) IF GUATEMALA WITHDRA...