Blake Griffin, of the LA Clippers, is known for his incredible dunks
Conor Bates | Sports Editor
It’s not a great time of year to be honest. We’re only five working college days away from the end of term. The buoyancy of Trinity Ball will inevitably fade into the impending doom of exams, and God forbid, actually studying for them. Not to mention the fact that it’s unseasonably cold. Seriously, it’s snowing out. Lousy Smarch weather.
But for many students, the next few weeks are just a formality to be passed before undertaking one of college life’s most enjoyable experiences: The J1 Summer. Apart from the long days of working, sightseeing and drinking heavily, sport is a very popular outlet of American culture to indulge in. Wherever you end up, you should do your best to take in a game; each team puts on a show on and/or off the field, and you may even come home with a long-lasting passion for your new local team.
Boston
By choosing Boston you have bought into most stereotypically Irish city in America. You have also picked a city of great sporting tradition. In keeping with the Irish theme first, the Boston Celtics are one of the most formidable names in basketball. The most successful team of all time, with 17 Championships, last brought home the gold in 2008. A number of impressive playoff runs have followed since, but have failed to reclaim the Larry O’Brien Trophy. The structure of the team hasn’t massively changed in the last few years, and may be succumbing to ageing problems. Certainly this season has been sub-par due to a significant volume of injuries. Still a great team to follow for any would-be fans.
On the baseball side of things, the history is no less captivating. The Boston Red Sox are another storied franchise of American sports. The Curse of the Bambino, The Green Monster and Jonathon Papelbon’s ridiculous six-pack dance are things you will become all too familiar with if you venture to Fenway Park. However, they may not be bountiful pastures for the coming season. The Sox have been in turmoil for the last few seasons and are offloading players and managers in the wake of financial trouble. Ironically enough, supporting the Sox is equivalent to taking a seat at the Aviva to watch the Irish football team inevitably draw every game they play. Be prepared for disappointment, but don’t let it get you down. On that note, the New England Revolution (‘soccer’) are poor.
If you’re around long enough, you’ll also get to see the New England Patriots and ‘Terrific’ Tom Brady, which somewhat makes up for other teams letting you down.
Ideal Team to Follow: Celtics
New York
New York is the ultimate city of variety when it comes to sporting teams. Both basketball teams, the Nets and the Knicks, are in fine form this year, and are both highly probable to make the playoffs. If travelling to the Big Apple, there will definitely be some playoff basketball happening there, so it really comes down to personal preference. The Knicks have the beastly Carmelo Anthony, the Nets have that guy who married Kim Kardashian. Choose wisely.
The city also comes alive on the baseball field. The Mets are a decent all round team, but getting to the playoffs would probably constitute a good year for them. They are, however, significantly less expensive than their crosstown rivals, the Yankees. The Yanks are essentially the baseballing baby of Manchester United and Real Madrid. You love them or hate them, they are stylish, successful and are arguably the most recognisable team in baseball. They haven’t won the World Series since 2009, however, and early projections aren’t great for the pinstripes. Robinson Cano is the standout player in pre-season, but beyond that they are lacking quality, and are ravaged by injuries. Throughout the summer, though, things may change, and with their spending power, I wouldn’t ever write them off.
New York also offers the chance to see some football have-beens and senior statesmen line out for the Red Bulls; Thierry Henry, Juninho and Tim Cahill are just a few of the names to look forward to. In American football terms, you again have a binary choice; the Giants or the Jets. I’ll break it down for you; the Giants are a tough, old-school football team with a great defence and recent Championships. The Jets are not.
Ideal Team to Follow: Yankees and/or Brooklyn Nets.
Derrick Rose is the star of the current Chicago Bulls lineup
Chicago
Chicago is the city of basketball. Six NBA Finals, six wins. Forever home to Bulls and Space Jam legend Michael Jordan, the city that produced some incredible raw talent, like Benji Wilson, and the current home of all-star Derrick Rose. The city lives and breathes the sport, and they are damn good at it. If you end up in Chicago this summer you will come home a Bulls fan, simply because you have no other choice. And that could be a good thing; the Bulls are sitting nicely this year and should make the playoffs without too much stress.
Baseball is a different matter altogether. The White Sox are average, and they know it. The Cubs are considerably worse, but at least they can claim to be cursed. Don’t expect too much from either club, but if you were to pick one, I’d advise the Cubs. They possess an undying character in their brickwall and ivy stadium, their historic inability to win and the legendary association with Harry Caray. They will win one day, and it will be one of the most emphatic moments in baseball. Be on side for that, and that alone.
Resident soccer team, the Chicago Fire are abysmal, sitting last in the MLS, and if you’re in it for the long haul, don’t expect too much from the Chicago Bears pre-season; without Brian Urlacher the staple defence may be no more. Doesn’t mean you shouldn’t find another great team to bet on though. Using a system like Footstock (for a deep dive check out this Footstock review) you can bet on some of the greatest MLS teams. But unfortunately, the Chicago Fire isn’t one of them.
Ideal Team to Follow: Bulls and/or Cubs
The West Coast
The general trend for J1 students on the west coast is to move around a bit. With that in mind I’ll take a look at the best the California has to offer and help find a sporting home on your travels.
Los Angeles is a great place to start for variety. The city offers two baseball teams, the Angels and the Dodgers. The Angels spent big in the last few years and have a lot of power in their line-up, but are yet to come good. Many predict that this could be a big year for them. The Dodgers are likeable underdogs who are growing in stature. Although they are wracked in the fallout of an ownership debacle, they are something of a cool choice, with reasonable prospects for the season.
The Lakers are synonymous with basketball. The second most successful team of all time aren’t in great form however, as they are hovering around the playoff places. The past few seasons haven’t been happy hunting for the Lakers and this summer may be a tough ask for the legendary franchise. In reality it’s the under-appreciated LA Clippers who are making waves this year, with Blake Griffin and Lamar Odom (also married to a Kardashian) keeping the Clippers high up in the standings. Youthful, exuberant and stylish, the Clippers are the ones to watch in LA.
Alternatively, you can enjoy current MLS Champions the LA Galaxy, undoubtedly the best team in the MLS, but now without David Beckham. A good football team is a saving grace in America.
Buster Posey led the San Fran Giants to their second World Series in 3 years
Further north, San Francisco and Oakland provide some of Cali’s more favourable sporting choices. For a start, the San Francisco Giants are the current World Series Champions and are an exciting team to watch. They’re not showing too many signs of slowing up and should be in for another good year. The Golden State Warriors are currently in the NBA playoff positions, but are highly unlikely to get further than the last eight. A decent side, but nothing more. Oakland offers everyone’s favourite baseball team; the Athletics. The film Moneyball has connected many fans with the A’s and in truth they are a good group of players. If they can get on a good run, they definitely have the potential to challenge for their division. They are also a good brand, with many people wearing A’s hats, and not really having a clue who they are. If that’s you, then use this summer to reconnect with the city of Oakland. On the football side of things, the Oakland Raiders are an eternal underdog and not a great team in many ways. On the flipside, the San Francisco 49ers are last season’s Super Bowl runners-up, and are a well-drilled and skilful team. With a great history on side, the 49ers are undoubtedly the team to follow here.
Lastly, if you’re going to San Diego, then you’re in trouble sportingly. The Padres are an awful baseball team and the Chargers are moving to LA because no one cares enough to go to their games.
Ideal Team to Follow: Clippers (LA), Dodgers (LA), Athletics (Oakland)
If I could dish out one more piece of advice, it would be to enjoy your summer J1-ing, and go to an ice hockey game. All of the cities mentioned have teams, and hockey is the only sport in the world that has provisions for fighting in its rule book, despite the fact the fighting is not the primary objective. Truly exciting stuff.
