Can the USA Win the Copa America Centenario?

The upcoming excitement for American soccer fans is the 2016 Copa America Centenario tournament that begins in early June.  Played in the USA, there will be high hopes for the likes of Tim Howard and Clint Dempsey to win a major international tournament.  However, unlike the Gold Cups that feature only North American soccer teams, this tournament will feature South American super powers like Argentina and Brazil.  Does the USA even stand a chance?

While I fear that hoping for an American victory in this event is completely far-fetched, I do believe that this team has an opportunity to do something special here.  Not only is the tournament to be played in front of our home fans, but I feel that the current group of stars have reached a level of veteran maturity that could push them over the top.  These tournaments don’t come around often, and it could be the last real chance for guys like Howard and Dempsey to make a real mark.

With thousands of screaming fans behind them, I think the USA will do very well and go far, but I think everyone is waiting for them to take that vital next step and beat a team like Brazil at a major tournament.  It may be a dream, but this is of good a chance that America has ever had to claim such a massive victory.

Baseball is Back: But Does Anybody Know what will Happen in 2016?

As a new season of baseball dawns upon us, the weather beckons warmly to spring and the summer beyond with all its lazy evenings and hot dog feasting.  Spring training sessions are wrapping up and the players are getting comfortable in their new surroundings at Major League ballparks all throughout America (and Toronto).  So what’s set to happen in the 2016 MLB season?

Well, if history gives us any guide, just about anything is possible.  Based on last season’s results, and the 2016 free agency and trade period, the experts are widely touting the Chicago Cubs, New York Mets, Toronto Blue Jays, and reigning World Series champions the Kansas City Royals as the favorites to contend this year.  But baseball is a funny and finicky sport; just when one team seems to have erected a dynasty, a few ill-timed injuries and a drop in play can send a team crashing back to mediocrity.  Certainly not all of these mid-market clubs can expect to return to the MLB playoffs?

Instead, look for a Boston Red Sox resurgence behind the arm of David Price.  Expect the Los Angeles Dodgers and their free spending ways to finally come to fruition.  And don’t ever count out the tried and tested methods of the St. Louis Cardinals.  Oh yeah, and don’t you dare forget about the San Francisco Giants’ and their run of 3-straight World Series titles in even-numbered years since 2010.

Amazingly enough, we still haven’t even touched on the New York Yankees.  My, how far have they fallen?  Which makes me slightly nervous and expectant that they might just be the ones to separate themselves this year.  With a usually powerful lineup and a stunning back-end to the bullpen, I think the Yankees may just get enough out of their starters (and probably trade for someone else midyear in a blockbuster deal) to make a serious run.  Could a 41-year-old Alex Rodriguez possibly earn such a glorious redemption?  Who knows, with such a wide open season maybe I should have picked my hometown team of the Cleveland Indians instead…  You never know!

A look at the 2016 Rio Olympics

Every 4 years the sporting world turns to one of the greatest competitions of all time: the Olympics.  Held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, the 2016 Olympic games is a sure bet to be thrill for everyone watching at home, especially for Americans who are usually the most medaled country to participate.

Of special note in the Olympics this year are a host of returning stars like swimmer Michael Phelps, and track star Justin Gatlin.  However, Gatlin will face a tough task against Usain Bolt, largely regarded as one of the greatest sprinters ever.  Another familiar face will be women’s beach volleyball star Kerri Walsh Jennings, though she’ll have to compete without her longtime partner, Misty May-Treanor, who retired following their gold medal run in London 2012.

Several other sports stars will also be present, including tennis legends Serena Williams and Novak Djokovic, who are both the top ranked singles players.  However, both Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal will not be present.

The basketball tournament will be especially entertaining for Americans, whose teams typically dominate the sport.  Names like Kevin Durant, Carmelo Anthony, Klay Thompson, and Kyrie Irving highlight the famous cast, though NBA superstars LeBron James and Steph Curry will not participate.

Soccer will also be a fun event, especially for the host nation, Brazil.  With renowned world star Neymar at the helm, the Brazilians will certainly be expecting to win the event.  One point of contention is the issue with the Russian team, which has had nearly one third of its athletes banned over doping allegations.  It will be sad to see an Olympics without so many competitors from this usually impressive nation, though it’s nice to see the Olympic games committee take such a strong stance against performance enhancing drugs.  Either way, it will certainly be a big story heading into the games.

But despite all the big names participating in these games, so much of the fun with the Olympics is in learning about the new athletes in somewhat lesser known sports that rise to greatness and earn a medal.  Who will be the surprise star of these 2016 Olympics?  We’re about to find out!

Who will be the surprise NFL team to contend next season?

Despite the salary cap in the NFL, it’s typically the same group of teams (usually those featuring a star quarterback) who contend year in and year out.  But every season there’s one or two franchises that seem to come out of nowhere and actually contend.  Last year it was the Kansas City Chiefs and the New York Jets.  Who will it be in 2016?

I’ve got my eye on the Buffalo Bills. I know, I know, the New England Patriots have won the division practically every year since 2000, and as long as Tom Brady is at the helm, they’ve got a shot to beat anyone.  And this is the Bills we’re talking about…

But I think this team is ripe for glory in 2016.  They had a respectable 8-8 showing last year and with head coach Rex Ryan now entering his 2^nd season in charge, he’s had proper time to really inject his will on the team.  What does this mean?  Expect the Bills to have a very tough defense this year.

Buffalo has two tremendous cornerbacks in Stephon Gilmore and Ronald Darby.  Additionally, their drafting of Shaq Lawson and Reggie Ragland suggests they are looking to establish a formidable defense.  Though their overall performance was average last year, the team did rank well in takeaways, and these big plays could make the Bills very competitive.

And while we basically assume that any Rex Ryan defense will be strong, the opposite is expected of his offenses.  I expect this to change in 2016.  Quarterback Tyrod Taylor got his first real opportunity last season and passed with high marks.  His 99.4 QB rating was 7^th best for starters and was equal to league MVP Cam Newton.  His 6 interceptions displayed a maturity not often seen in first-year starters and bodes well for his future.  This team will go as far as Taylor takes them.  With LeSean McCoy and Sammy Watkins as primary offensive weapons, the Bills will put up more points than people are used to in 2016.

Perhaps one thing that heavily points in the Bills’ favor this season is Tom Brady’s 4-game suspension to start the year.  The Patriots may find themselves in a deep hole; one that a good team like the Bills can take serious advantage of.  Expect the Bills to be the surprise team in 2016, and make a strong run to the NFL playoffs behind an 11-5 record!

The 2016 NBA Draft Winners and Losers

With the NBA Draft now firmly behind us, it’s time to take a look at which teams stand to come into next season in great shape, and which will continue wilting down the long hard road of despair.  Here are the big winners and losers from the 2016 NBA Draft:

 

Winners – Philadelphia 76ers – It’s pretty easy to win these drafts when you have the top pick (in addition to 3 first-rounders), but the Sixers went above and beyond.  Their fledgling team acquired superstar big man Ben Simmons, who could lead the team to the promise land of mere respectability.  Additionally, two great shooters in Timothe Luwawa and Furkan Korkmaz could help the team in their scoring department, and perhaps develop into decent players themselves.

 

Phoenix Suns – Sometimes it takes a big trade to make something happen, and the Sun did just that in this draft.  With the 4^th pick they took Dragan Bender, a 7-ft. tall center who’s got great ball and passing skills.  But while Bender was the obvious choice, their smart trade back to the top 10 to land Marquese Chriss gives them another potentially dominant forward.  While both players are still just 18, they have wonderful potential and could make the Suns’ front line very formidable one day.

 

Losers – Boston Celtics – Much was expected on draft night for this team that is just a star player away from contending in the East, and was loaded with trade bait in the form of 8 draft picks.  However, no blockbuster deal materialized and the Celtics ended up with the likes of Jaylen Brown, Guerschon Yabasele, and Ante Zizic.  And while one day they may be good, the Celtics’ fans were hoping for something tangible now.

 

Sacramento Kings – Perhaps the Kings had targeted a player who went before their 8^th pick, but their trade back to 13^th left them with a very questionable Georgios Papagiannis, a center who will be unlikely to break into a very crowded position on the team.  Perhaps there is going to be some serious re-organization with this club, but right now it looks like the Kings flopped big time.

Surprising Teams Dominating Baseball this Season

It’s been a recent trend in Major League Baseball, and it’s simply continued into the 2016 season; small market teams have been successful.  Last season it was the Kansas City Royals who dominated their way to a World Series trophy.  Now it’s a new cast of “little guys” who have defied the odds and are vying for playoff spots this coming October.  So who are these teams?

First on my list of upstarts is the Cleveland Indians.  At 52-36, they are in 2^nd place in the American League.  They’ve done it with patience and a couple young players who’ve taken major steps forward.  Francisco Lindor has emerged as a star at shortstop and pitchers Danny Salazar and Corey Kluber have given the club viable options on the mound.

Next are the Washington Nationals, who are looking smarter and smarter each day for their acquisition of Max Scherzer in 2015.  Between him, Stephen Strasburg, and Tanner Roark, the club has the best pitching staff in baseball.  They’re 6 games ahead of the National League champion New York Mets so far and seem well placed to contend for a pennant themselves this year.

Another team to watch out for is the Baltimore Orioles, led by the bats of Manny Machado and Mark Trumbo.  They currently lead in the AL East over the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees, though their postseason prospects are slightly more contained given their slender two-game lead over both the Sox and the Toronto Blue Jays.

Ultimately, having teams like the Indians, Nationals, and Orioles finding success makes the sport of baseball far more fun.  While usual contenders like the St. Louis Cardinals, Yankees, and the Atlanta Braves have struggled in 2016, it’s refreshing to see if another small team can claim a title like the Royals did last year.  Who knows though, with baseball just passing the All-Star break, there’s still a lot of baseball left to play, and with the San Francisco Giants looking dominant yet again, we could be in for a now-predictable run by the recent 3-time champs.  However, it’s all shaping up for a tremendous run-in to the 2016 MLB season!

 

World Series Prediction – Chicago Cubs vs. Baltimore Orioles

Meet Your Fundraising Goals with Autographed Memorabilia

There are all sorts of charity and fund raising events that occur around the country on a daily basis. These events are created to help someone in need or to create revenue for a non-profit organization that lend themselves to helping others, or finding a cure for an illness that inflicts thousands of young children and/or adults, or raise funds for an athletic team or a local non-profit organization.

These great fund raising events use all sorts of great ideas to raise money. Maybe they team up with another company to sell their products and the charity receives a percentage. Or, the event charges an entry fee for a golf tournament or a marathon. Some seek donations from companies to use for silent and live auctions. These are all great ideas that help generate the needed funds that these events and/or individuals need.

AAA Sports Memorabilia has been assisting several of these non-profit organizations for the last several years. Our specialty is autographed sports and entertainment memorabilia.

Almost all professional sports, along with collegiate sports, have experienced a tremendous growth of fans in the last few years. In conjunction with this growth, the collecting of autographed sports memorabilia has grown tremendously. The fans have grown more attached to specific teams and specific athletes. Sports enthusiasts are buying more autographed sports memorabilia to remember their favorite players, the greatest plays, and the greatest games.

By incorporating authentic autographed sports memorabilia into your next fund raising or charity event, you will be adding an additional entertainment aspect for your guests which in turn will add additional revenue for your event. These great autographed collectibles can be used for a silent or live auction, door prizes, or raffles.

What is great about adding autographed memorabilia into your event, is that most sports collectibles companies will provide your event with items that are in high demand, are valuable, and are high-quality. Sports companies should offer a consignment arrangement to showcase autographed memorabilia at your event. By offering the autographed collectibles on consignment, then those items that may not receive a bid, or goes unsold, are typically returned to the company at no charge.

Numerous charities and fund raising events have boosted their attendance and money raised by adding autographed sports and entertainment memorabilia to their line-up. The next time you have a fund raising event, give it a try and see how beneficial it is for you.

Before adding this great idea into your event however, make sure the sports company you hire is legitimate and has a program that is beneficial to you. Make sure their items are authentic and include certificates of authenticity from reputable companies and not by companies that are not well-known.

If you like to include autographed memorabilia at your next fundraising event, visit us at www.AAASportsMemorabilia.com for more information on our fund raising program. 

Maurice Jones-Drew Signed Jaguars Black Jersey Action 8×10 Photo

Check out some of our newest autographed sports collectibles that were just added including this great autographed Maurice Jones-Drew Jaguars photo.

The Top 10 NFL Free Agents in 2013 Beginning to Bat Eyes

Reggie Bush Autographed New Orleans Saints 8×10 Photo – Super Bowl XLIV Champion

Predicting who are the top 10 free agents of 2013 in the NFL will be is not an easy task, especially since many of the free agents will be re-signed by their respective teams in the buildup to the free agency period that officially begins on March 12th. One player in particular, Joe Flacco, is surely going to continue playing as a Baltimore Raven following his Super Bowl victory. Several other players are simply too important to be let go too. Therefore, this list is my prediction of the best players available in the NFL who are highly unlikely to stay on board with their current teams:

10. Cliff Avril – Free agency is always full of big money players who will fail to live up to their hype and I think Cliff Avril will be the guy this year. His statistics appear to be that of a premier pass rusher as he has reached about 10 sacks per year in the last 3 seasons. But Avril is rather poor otherwise, so although he will occasionally get to the quarterback, he does little else for the team, which is why the Detroit Lions will let him go. Expect him to sign a big contract but end up disappointing.

9. Reggie Bush – The world was expected of him when he came to the NFL in 2006, but he has largely failed to live up to the hype. Nevertheless, Reggie Bush has actually been a solid player for the Miami Dolphins in the last two seasons, generating around 1,000 rushing yards and scoring 15 touchdowns while averaging well over 4 yards/carry. He still has a few good years left at age 27 and presents a solid, dynamic playmaking type player who makes an impact. Not necessarily a team’s number 1 running back, Reggie Bush would fit nicely in a running back by committee situation but probably wants premier money.

8. Wes Welker – With five 1,000-yard seasons behind him, Wes Welker has been a great player. He routinely catches over 100 balls a season and is a great receiver to move the chains. However at age 31, Welker is also reaching the end of his talents. Teams will also be wary of his success at the New England Patriots, who are known to get the best out of less than stellar players. Will Welker still be a great wide receiver somewhere else without Tom Brady? I believe so and I think someone will benefit with a couple solid years of production with his signing.

7. Dominique Rogers-Cromartie – He never quite produced for the Philadelphia Eagles despite his solid years with the Arizona Cardinals. Very athletic and talented, I feel that Rogers-Cromartie will benefit from a change of scenery. Although he will command a high dollar amount, he will produce if placed within the right defensive scheme. Clearly the faults of the Eagles went beyond him alone, and I think a fortunate team will be happy to have him, though he is hardly going to be a bargain buy at cornerback.

6. Derek Cox – Another intriguing cornerback on the market has 12 career interceptions in just 44 starts with the Jacksonville Jaguars. He has had some niggling injuries but has also proven to be effective in guarding receivers and making plays. Less known than some of the other stars in the league, Cox is looking for a huge contract and may find just that given his young age and solid potential as a consistent and impactful cornerback.

5. Greg Jennings – A great wide receiver when healthy, it is worth noting that Jennings has missed a good deal of time over the last two seasons and hasn’t surpassed 1,000 receiving yards since 2010. Nevertheless, when healthy he is a great catcher of the ball with an eye for yards after the catch. Approaching 30, he may be reaching the end of the line, but will still command a decent price from a desperate team. How he fares without Brett Favre or Aaron Rodgers tossing him the ball is an entirely different question though.

4. Osi Umenyiora – Some teams may shy away from the 31-year-old pass rusher who only earned 6 sacks last year, but Umenyiora can be a beast and performed remarkably in the playoffs during the New York Giants’ 2011 Super Bowl run, forcing a fumble and earning 3.5 sacks. A true professional, he will cement the end position for a team for several seasons and can make the plays. The Giants don’t have much cap room so he has to go, but I do suspect him to make a small fortune in a few weeks and be a solid starter for whomever he signs with.

3. Shonn Greene – Big and strong, Greene has rushed for over 1,000 yards in each of the past 2 seasons and also makes for a great pass blocker. His intangibles make him a great free agent buy and the New York Jets are fools to let him go. Only 27 years old, he will be a force for a lucky team with more direction, and could well be on his way to reinvigorating his career at a legitimate NFL contender.

2. Mike Wallace – He catches a lot of balls for good yardage and scores a lot of touchdowns. What more could a team want? One of the fastest players around he will command a ton of money, and he knows it. The Pittsburgh Steelers rarely cave to players demanding big money, so Mike Wallace is set to hit the road and take his talents elsewhere. Although costly, Wallace will definitely make fans happy and score a lot of points for whomever he signs with. He is surely among the best free agent wide receivers available.

1. Jake Long – A capable left tackle, the Miami Dolphins seem to be annoyed with Long’s late-season injuries the past two seasons and his demands for $10 million per year. As the former top draft pick in 2008, Long has the publicity and talent to command this kind of money. Although this year’s draft is filled with great offensive tackles, Long is proven and will be a foundation for whichever team he signs for. Yes he is expensive, but he will be worth the high price with his great play. His injury worries are a definite concern though and make him a bit of a risk.

AAA Sports Memorabilia has well over 100,000 autographed sports memorabilia and non-autographed officially licensed sports memorabilia for all teams.  New items are added daily and if you don’t see what you are looking for, please let us know as we probably have it.

Your Buying Guide For Sports Memorabilia

A fascinating genre for collectors is sports memorabilia,
normally defined as anything that can be connected with a
sports event, game or personality. This wide-ranging
definition can include sports photos, equipment, uniforms,
logos, collectors cards, as well as a variety of
autographed items.

The trading in sports memorabilia got a new boost off with
the introduction of e-commerce, in particular online
auctions. Collectors can now acquire the items they covet,
even if the seller is geographically far away.

Many people look to sports memorabilia collecting as a
hedge against inflation. A very rare item could
potentially be worth millions, while others collect simply
for the pleasure involved and a chance to perhaps relive a
magical moment from their past.

From simple beginnings at the start of the 20th century,
when fans in the USA began collecting baseballs and
autographs from their heroes, collecting sports
memorabilia has grown into a multi-million dollar affair,
with special occasion baseballs or signed sporting wear
fetching over a million dollars each at auction. As with
any type of collecting, sports memorabilia collectors need
to educate themselves about the items in which they are
particularly interested, to avoid being sold a dud.
Serious collectors will do their research on potential
purchases by asking friends, researching online, reading
descriptions thoroughly and checking the market prices
before spending their hard-earned money.

To avoid disappointment if you intend to purchase a rare
item, it is best to deal with a reputable company that
will guarantee the authenticity of your purchase. Many
companies nowadays will offer a lifetime, money back
guarantee of authenticity for your peace of mind.
Remember, even certificates of authenticity can be forged!

With such a wide range of items available, many people are
often confused as to where to start their sports
memorabilia collection. The best advice is to start
modestly and stick to items that you can afford. This way
you can build your expertise and knowledge and give
yourself a chance to decide where your specific interest
lies.

Popular items among collectors of sports memorabilia
include baseball cards, a good introduction to the hobby,
sports apparel, particularly if the item has been worn or
used by a famous player and die cast figures of sporting
personalities. Match programmes from sporting events such
as the Olympics, soccer, rugby, cricket or tennis matches
are also good value as collectable items, particularly if
signed by one or more of the athletes or players.

Whatever your favourite sport, whether you’re a player or
spectator, you’re sure to find something of interest and
value associated with it. Happy collecting!

—————————————————-
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marketplace. Buyers and sellers come to bidorbuy to buy
and sell virtually anything in auction format or at fixed
prices.
Contact details: bidorbuy Marketing Department; email
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AAA Sports Memorabilia is your one stop sports memorabilia shop.  Our speciality is authentic autographed sports memorabilia for all professional sports, but we also carry non-autographed sports collectibles.  Our products are officially licensed by their respective league and our autographed memorabilia comes with a lifetime guarantee to be authentic.  We also carry display cases to showcase your autographed memorabilia.  New products are added daily so visit often!