The NFL Pro Bowl provides a relaxing week in gorgeous Hawai'i for the league's best, most notable performers and their families. For the viewers, however, it has become an uninteresting, mundane afterthought. There are certain formation and pressure restrictions that are instituted to simplify the game for the coaches and protect the players from injury.
While these safeguards are great for obvious reason, they indirectly create a game that can be painful for the fans to watch. I will give the NFL credit though, they recognize that there is a problem with this contest and they have looked into a few solutions.
Last year they implemented two changes. The first was moving the game from its usual place in Hawai'i to Miami, the site of last year's Super Bowl. The second change was to move the game up to a week before the Super Bowl instead of the week after in order to maintain fan interest.
They wished to cash in on fan anticipation of the Super Bowl and attempted to ride the wave of media attention and piqued consumer interest. This hope turned into fruition, as the game received nearly a 40 % ratings boost from the previous year's game. While this is a huge boost, there still seems to be the sentiment that there is something missing in the Pro Bowl in comparison to the other major professional sports.
The National Basketball Association has a whole All-Star Weekend including the Skills Competition, Slam Dunk Contest, and 3-Point Shootout. These "sideshows" help to encourage fan involvement until the main event takes place. The game itself is usually a high scoring, yet competitive event which features a faster pace and incredible dunks.
Major League Baseball has also recently altered its All Star Game guidelines. The league has made it mandatory for at least one player from every team to be on a team. While this is great for generating interest even in the lowliest of markets, it directly contradicts another addition to the game. Recently, it was decided that the winner of the game would determine which league gained home field advantage in the World Series. Even though baseball has tried to bring intrigue to it's "Midsummer Classic," there are evident flaws in its system.
Even the much maligned National Hockey League has an advantage of the NFL when it comes to this game. Similar to the NBA, they also have a set of competitions that showcase the skills of their superior athletes. This year, they even had a pick-up style fantasy draft in which two team captains were chosen to pick their respective squads.
The NFL could take just one or two elements from any of these other leagues and their product would be instantly improved. However, with the NFL focused on ironing out a new work agreement between the ownership and the players, it does not look like these improvements will come soon. Well, at least we have the Super Bowl to look forward to.
Monday, January 31, 2011
Thursday, January 27, 2011
The Red Hornets
The New Orleans Hornets are 31-16 and have a hold on the number three playoff spot in the Western Conference. Furthermore, they are in the midst of an impressive, defense-fueled ten game winning streak. They are in no danger of leaving the great city of New Orleans because they have fulfilled attendance requirements set by ownership. Surely, the average NBA fan must be thinking that these are either headlines from the 2007-2008 Season or facts made up by delusional Hornets enthusiasts. But, surprisingly, all of these statements are 100% factual. You are thinking, "Okay, it is all true, but how did a Hornets team that looked dead last year come back so strong"? Well, there are a number of answers to that very fair question. More specifically, three key things.
The first is the re-emergence of All Star point guard Chris Paul. Paul missed a huge chunk of last season and the Hornets dearly missed his leadership and play making ability. Despite grumblings of his unhappiness in New Orleans which surfaced this summer, he remained with the Hornets and has had a sensational season. He currently leads the NBA in steals with nearly 3 per game and ranks 3rd in the league with 9.7 assists. Helping Paul get the job done is a solid supporting cast consisting of David West, a bevy of young talent, and several new additions.
Secondly, the Hornets are no longer coached by former general manager Jeff Bower, but instead by first year head coach Monty Williams. Williams is the youngest head coach in the league, and he is currently one of the top candidates for Coach of the Year Award. With him, he has brought a great sense of leadership, an atmosphere of winning, and a ferocious, defense first mentality. This brings me to possibly the most important upgrade for the Hornets: defense.
The Hornets concluded their game last night against the Golden State Warriors as the league's leading defensive team, allowing a meager average of 91.19 per game. This superb defense is obviously keyed by Paul, and he is supported by top shot blocker Emeka Okafor and Trevor Ariza, one of the league's best perimeter defenders.
The Hornets might not be an irrefutable title favorite quite yet, but if they continue to play outstanding defense, they will certainly be able to do considerable damage in a top heavy Western Conference.
The first is the re-emergence of All Star point guard Chris Paul. Paul missed a huge chunk of last season and the Hornets dearly missed his leadership and play making ability. Despite grumblings of his unhappiness in New Orleans which surfaced this summer, he remained with the Hornets and has had a sensational season. He currently leads the NBA in steals with nearly 3 per game and ranks 3rd in the league with 9.7 assists. Helping Paul get the job done is a solid supporting cast consisting of David West, a bevy of young talent, and several new additions.
Secondly, the Hornets are no longer coached by former general manager Jeff Bower, but instead by first year head coach Monty Williams. Williams is the youngest head coach in the league, and he is currently one of the top candidates for Coach of the Year Award. With him, he has brought a great sense of leadership, an atmosphere of winning, and a ferocious, defense first mentality. This brings me to possibly the most important upgrade for the Hornets: defense.
The Hornets concluded their game last night against the Golden State Warriors as the league's leading defensive team, allowing a meager average of 91.19 per game. This superb defense is obviously keyed by Paul, and he is supported by top shot blocker Emeka Okafor and Trevor Ariza, one of the league's best perimeter defenders.
The Hornets might not be an irrefutable title favorite quite yet, but if they continue to play outstanding defense, they will certainly be able to do considerable damage in a top heavy Western Conference.
Friday, January 21, 2011
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Karma is a (South) Beach
Ok, that was slightly corny, but absolutely relevant to the Miami Heat's current situation. This is a team that was flying sky high just a week ago. They had won 21 of 22 games and were sitting on top of the extremely crowded Eastern Conference standings. Then, they made a fateful visit to the young and hungry Los Angeles Clippers and their gleeful ride came to a screeching halt. But the story here is not so much based on the Heat's current four game losing streak and sudden injury problems. It is based on a Tweet (which coincides with the losing streak) that LeBron James sent out after his former team, the Cleveland Cavaliers, were throttled by the Los Angeles Lakers.
LeBron seemingly sent out a condemnatory Tweet meant for the Cavalier organization, more specifically, owner Dan Gilbert. He was sure to point out to Gilbert that "karma is a b----." Fantastic observation, Mr. James. But even with all of this new found philosophical knowledge, LeBron forgot to take into account that mocking an entity at its lowest point is--you guessed it--bad karma. Well, he has been educated over the past week, because the Heat have lost four straight and all of the "Big 3" have been bitten by the injury bug in some fashion. LeBron missed the losses at Denver and Chicago with sprained ankle and Chris Bosh missed today's game against Atlanta with the same ailment.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to say that Lebron's Tweet caused a mystic, unseen force to descend upon the Heat and dismantle their highly touted team. I am also most certainly not saying that they are doomed for all of eternity and will never win a basketball game again. All I am saying is that before LeBron decided to impale his former team on a skewer, roast them over an open flame, and feed them to the citizens of Cleveland, the Heat were an evil, unstoppable force. Now, they are one major letdown away from dropping a fifth straight game. Yes, Mr. James, karma is indeed a b----."
LeBron seemingly sent out a condemnatory Tweet meant for the Cavalier organization, more specifically, owner Dan Gilbert. He was sure to point out to Gilbert that "karma is a b----." Fantastic observation, Mr. James. But even with all of this new found philosophical knowledge, LeBron forgot to take into account that mocking an entity at its lowest point is--you guessed it--bad karma. Well, he has been educated over the past week, because the Heat have lost four straight and all of the "Big 3" have been bitten by the injury bug in some fashion. LeBron missed the losses at Denver and Chicago with sprained ankle and Chris Bosh missed today's game against Atlanta with the same ailment.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to say that Lebron's Tweet caused a mystic, unseen force to descend upon the Heat and dismantle their highly touted team. I am also most certainly not saying that they are doomed for all of eternity and will never win a basketball game again. All I am saying is that before LeBron decided to impale his former team on a skewer, roast them over an open flame, and feed them to the citizens of Cleveland, the Heat were an evil, unstoppable force. Now, they are one major letdown away from dropping a fifth straight game. Yes, Mr. James, karma is indeed a b----."
Monday, January 17, 2011
Sunday Divisional Round Recap
The Seattle Seahawks came into this game as a team who was lucky to get into the playoffs, lucky to beat the defending Super Bowl champs, and would have to hire a fleet of moving trucks stuffed full of four leaf clovers in order to defeat the second seeded Chicago Bears.
Well, those trucks were late, because in the first half of this football game the Seahawks looked like the undeserving 7-9 football team that everyone thought that they were. The Seahawks fell down 21-0 at half due to a porous passing defense and several drops from receivers. The Bears moved the ball effortlessly down the field, and tight end Greg Olsen went for 110 yards and a touchdown in the first half.
The Seahawks played much better during the second half and brought the game within two scores, but the outcome of this game was apparent early on.
After a long weekend of waiting, finally the highly anticipated game, the New York Jets at the New England Patriots. The game opened up very slow, with both offenses stalling and both defenses playing phenomenally.
The first major breakthrough came five minutes into the second quarter when Mark Sanchez completed a short pass to LaDainian Tomlinson who took it in for a score.
The only other scoring in the first half came after Braylon Edwards caught a pass from Sanchez dragged two Patriot defenders into the end zone taking the score to 14-3. This critical score came after New England botched a questionable fake punt in their own territory.
The gap was closed to three at the end of the third quarter when Tom Brady connected with Alge Crumpler for a short touchdown. Instead of kicking the extra point, the Patriots elected to go for the two point conversion and reserve running back Sammy Morris punched it in straight up the middle. On the first play of the ensuing drive, Jerricho Cotchery caught a mid range pass from Sanchez and ran down the field for a huge 58 yard gain. A few plays later another huge connection was made to Santonio Holmes who made a circus catch in the corner of the end zone for a touchdown.
The following Patriot drive was stalled when Deion Branch dropped a wide but catchable ball. Just a side note, Branch had been passionately jawing at the Jets' sideline after several positive New England plays.
But the Patriots were not quite done yet. After a huge punt return by Julian Edelman, Shayne Graham knocked in a 35 yard field goal to cut the game back down to a possession. After a failed onside kick recovered by the Jets, Shonn Greene ran the ball in from 16 yards out to salt away the shocking victory. Brady tacked on a late touchdown pass to Branch to bring the score to 28-21, but this one was over.
How did the Jets win this game after such a recent beat down at the hands of the Patriots? Two things, unrelenting pressure on Brady and fantastic coverage on the shifty Patriot receivers. The Jets have now reached the AFC Championship for two consecutive years under head coach Rex Ryan and quarterback Mark Sanchez. However, they will be hoping for a different outcome than last year's defeat at the hands of the Indianapolis Colts when they travel to Pittsburgh next Sunday.
It should be a physical, hard hitting affair to remember. Let the trash talk begin!
Well, those trucks were late, because in the first half of this football game the Seahawks looked like the undeserving 7-9 football team that everyone thought that they were. The Seahawks fell down 21-0 at half due to a porous passing defense and several drops from receivers. The Bears moved the ball effortlessly down the field, and tight end Greg Olsen went for 110 yards and a touchdown in the first half.
The Seahawks played much better during the second half and brought the game within two scores, but the outcome of this game was apparent early on.
After a long weekend of waiting, finally the highly anticipated game, the New York Jets at the New England Patriots. The game opened up very slow, with both offenses stalling and both defenses playing phenomenally.
The first major breakthrough came five minutes into the second quarter when Mark Sanchez completed a short pass to LaDainian Tomlinson who took it in for a score.
The only other scoring in the first half came after Braylon Edwards caught a pass from Sanchez dragged two Patriot defenders into the end zone taking the score to 14-3. This critical score came after New England botched a questionable fake punt in their own territory.
The gap was closed to three at the end of the third quarter when Tom Brady connected with Alge Crumpler for a short touchdown. Instead of kicking the extra point, the Patriots elected to go for the two point conversion and reserve running back Sammy Morris punched it in straight up the middle. On the first play of the ensuing drive, Jerricho Cotchery caught a mid range pass from Sanchez and ran down the field for a huge 58 yard gain. A few plays later another huge connection was made to Santonio Holmes who made a circus catch in the corner of the end zone for a touchdown.
The following Patriot drive was stalled when Deion Branch dropped a wide but catchable ball. Just a side note, Branch had been passionately jawing at the Jets' sideline after several positive New England plays.
But the Patriots were not quite done yet. After a huge punt return by Julian Edelman, Shayne Graham knocked in a 35 yard field goal to cut the game back down to a possession. After a failed onside kick recovered by the Jets, Shonn Greene ran the ball in from 16 yards out to salt away the shocking victory. Brady tacked on a late touchdown pass to Branch to bring the score to 28-21, but this one was over.
How did the Jets win this game after such a recent beat down at the hands of the Patriots? Two things, unrelenting pressure on Brady and fantastic coverage on the shifty Patriot receivers. The Jets have now reached the AFC Championship for two consecutive years under head coach Rex Ryan and quarterback Mark Sanchez. However, they will be hoping for a different outcome than last year's defeat at the hands of the Indianapolis Colts when they travel to Pittsburgh next Sunday.
It should be a physical, hard hitting affair to remember. Let the trash talk begin!
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Saturday Divisional Round Recap
This sensational weekend of football kicked off with a fantastic game that featured much more scoring than ever imagined. The Baltimore Ravens jumped out to a 21-7 lead early and thoroughly dominated the first half of this dichotomous football game. The Steelers, however, were not prepared to go quietly into the night and roared back in the second half, outscoring the Ravens 24-3. The Ravens demise was keyed by inopportune turnovers and a complete lack of offensive proficiency in the second half, both running and passing. Joe Flacco completed just over 50 percent of his passes with a touchdown and an interception. Similarly, the usually strong running game of the Ravens managed an anemic 1.9 yards per carry. The Ravens came into this season with what seemed like a loaded offense largely due to an upgraded receiving core with key additions T.J. Houshmanzadeh and Anquan Boldin. Despite these huge pick ups, a promising young quarterback, and a solid running game, once again offensive miscues that have sent the Ravens packing.
The second game of the day was a close game that turned into a laugher with one key Matt Ryan mistake. The Green Bay Packers were leading the Atlanta Falcons by a touchdown with under a minute left in the first half and the Falcons were in prime scoring position. Ryan dropped back, fired the ball to an out-route, and was intercepted by cornerback Tramon Williams, who returned the ball seventy yards for a mesmerizing touchdown. The Falcons and their fans came out flat in the second half, and the Packers continued their clinical domination of the NFC's top seed. Keying the Packer offense was one of the best young quarterbacks in the NFL, Aaron Rodgers, who threw for 366 yards and 3 touchdowns while only missing on 5 passes. He completely outplayed his fellow young counterpart in Ryan who continues to struggle in his brief playoff career. After such an outstanding regular season for the Falcons, it will undoubtedly be a long and difficult off-season after this embarrassment.
The second game of the day was a close game that turned into a laugher with one key Matt Ryan mistake. The Green Bay Packers were leading the Atlanta Falcons by a touchdown with under a minute left in the first half and the Falcons were in prime scoring position. Ryan dropped back, fired the ball to an out-route, and was intercepted by cornerback Tramon Williams, who returned the ball seventy yards for a mesmerizing touchdown. The Falcons and their fans came out flat in the second half, and the Packers continued their clinical domination of the NFC's top seed. Keying the Packer offense was one of the best young quarterbacks in the NFL, Aaron Rodgers, who threw for 366 yards and 3 touchdowns while only missing on 5 passes. He completely outplayed his fellow young counterpart in Ryan who continues to struggle in his brief playoff career. After such an outstanding regular season for the Falcons, it will undoubtedly be a long and difficult off-season after this embarrassment.
Friday, January 14, 2011
Divisional Round Predictions
Ravens 16 Steelers 13
Packers 37 Falcons 24
Seahawks 17 Bears 21
Jets 24 Patriots 20
Packers 37 Falcons 24
Seahawks 17 Bears 21
Jets 24 Patriots 20
Playoff Preview: Jets vs. Patriots
While the NFC side of the playoffs seems a tad mundane and uninteresting, the AFC Divisional games are stacked. In two battles of division foes, the Ravens travel to Pittsburgh and the Jets head to Foxboro. The game that I most look forward to is the former, which will prove to be a tough, hard-nosed football game that should feature little offensive proficiency. Despite this game promising to be an amazing battle, it is not the game that has been getting all of press.
The AFC games have both been at the forefront of the media with players and coaches going back forth at each other, especially the Jets and Patriots. Jet coach Rex Ryan has been at conflict with Bill Belichick and the Patriots since he was hired. However, this playoff version of Ryan versus the league's most consistent franchise has been uniquely venomous. The hatred seems to have been brewing since the Patriots embarrassed the Jets 45-3 in Week 13. Throw in a few choice slights directed at Brady from Ryan and Antonio Cromartie along with a Wes Welker low blow meant for Ryan and all signs point to an extremely contentious ball game on Sunday. But enough of the soap opera that has clouded this game, let us talk football for a second. The two teams split the season series, with the Jets winning by fourteen early in the season and the Patriots winning in a complete blowout at the end of the year. The standing question over the past week has been, which game will be more indicative of this upcoming game's outcome?
Obviously, no one knows for sure what the outcome of this highly anticipated match up will be, but it seems that the overall consensus pick is New England in a game only slightly prettier than the Week 13 game. The Patriots and Tom Brady have been simply on fire since they lost to the woeful Cleveland Browns earlier in the season. Brady has all but assured himself the MVP and looks to add a Superbowl victory and MVP to his loot from this season. But Ryan and the Jets will not go down easily by any means. Ryan has instilled a never back down, never die attitude in the Jets, and their confidence frequently shines through, maybe even too often. But will their short memory of the last game be a positive attribute or a detriment? Can they fix the issues on the defense that the Patriots gutted time and time again while waltzing to an easy victory? Personally, I see no way that the Jets will let this game get away from them. I believe that Ryan will have them prepared to play their divisional nemesis and that this game will be much closer than the critics are claiming. Their defense will rise up and help their often unpredictable sophomore quarterback feel more comfortable under center. If they can keep the game close, their running game and short passing game will remain in the mix allowing for a more versatile offense that will keep the Patriots defense on their heels. Take these things into consideration and add a personal hunch, and I predict a 24-20 shocker from the Jets. Will I be right and will there be a changing of the guard in the AFC East? Tune in to your television this Sunday to find out.
The AFC games have both been at the forefront of the media with players and coaches going back forth at each other, especially the Jets and Patriots. Jet coach Rex Ryan has been at conflict with Bill Belichick and the Patriots since he was hired. However, this playoff version of Ryan versus the league's most consistent franchise has been uniquely venomous. The hatred seems to have been brewing since the Patriots embarrassed the Jets 45-3 in Week 13. Throw in a few choice slights directed at Brady from Ryan and Antonio Cromartie along with a Wes Welker low blow meant for Ryan and all signs point to an extremely contentious ball game on Sunday. But enough of the soap opera that has clouded this game, let us talk football for a second. The two teams split the season series, with the Jets winning by fourteen early in the season and the Patriots winning in a complete blowout at the end of the year. The standing question over the past week has been, which game will be more indicative of this upcoming game's outcome?
Obviously, no one knows for sure what the outcome of this highly anticipated match up will be, but it seems that the overall consensus pick is New England in a game only slightly prettier than the Week 13 game. The Patriots and Tom Brady have been simply on fire since they lost to the woeful Cleveland Browns earlier in the season. Brady has all but assured himself the MVP and looks to add a Superbowl victory and MVP to his loot from this season. But Ryan and the Jets will not go down easily by any means. Ryan has instilled a never back down, never die attitude in the Jets, and their confidence frequently shines through, maybe even too often. But will their short memory of the last game be a positive attribute or a detriment? Can they fix the issues on the defense that the Patriots gutted time and time again while waltzing to an easy victory? Personally, I see no way that the Jets will let this game get away from them. I believe that Ryan will have them prepared to play their divisional nemesis and that this game will be much closer than the critics are claiming. Their defense will rise up and help their often unpredictable sophomore quarterback feel more comfortable under center. If they can keep the game close, their running game and short passing game will remain in the mix allowing for a more versatile offense that will keep the Patriots defense on their heels. Take these things into consideration and add a personal hunch, and I predict a 24-20 shocker from the Jets. Will I be right and will there be a changing of the guard in the AFC East? Tune in to your television this Sunday to find out.
Thursday, January 13, 2011
The Next Super Bowl Winners? San Francisco 49ers?
Ok, that might be a about three or four years into the future, but do not let that hide the fact that the 49ers will be above .500 next year and will win their division. Yes, I know, that means that next year a losing season will not get it done in the "parity saturated" NFC West. Now you might be thinking to yourself, what is this guy on? What makes him think that this 6-10 team, with no legitimate quarterback, young and inexperienced wide receivers, an all pro yet injury riddled running back, and a first year head coach, will be a playoff team next year?
The first thing that the 49ers have going for them is the13th ranked defense from 2010 that is spearheaded by sensational Patrick Willis. Throw in promising rookie Taylor Mays, cornerback Nate Clements, defensive lineman Justin Smith, and several other solid role players and you have a top 10 defense in the making. But their defense is not the only positive attribute that this team has to offer. Their receiving core is stacked with the talented young pass catchers Vernon Davis, Michael Crabtree, and Josh Morgan. The offensive line is certainly an issue that needs to be addressed, as it is among the worst in the league in terms of protecting the passer and is not proficient in clearing holes for the running game either. However, there are two bright spots on the offensive line, rookies Anthony Davis and Mike Iupati, who should develop nicely in years to come. The focal point of the offense for the last several years has been versatile yet injury plagued running back, Frank Gore who missed a large chunk of the season after breaking his hip in Week 12. The 49ers have historically gone as Gore has gone. Consequently, his health will be unequivocally critical to any pending success in 2011. Unfortunately, all of these talented players might not matter if the 49ers do not stabilize their offensive coordinator and quarterback positions. The 49ers have had incredible turnover at the former position in recent years, with seven different occupants since 2004. A consistent voice at this leadership role should be able to provide visible benefits to the team's quarterback. Whether that quarterback will be much maligned, former top overall pick Alex Smith, a prominent free agent, or a highly touted rookie draft pick will remain up in the air for at least a few months after the season.
Assuming that first year coach and former NFL quarterback Jim Harbaugh can instill discipline and work ethic into the locker room, the 49ers are destined for success. Also, as an important side project, Harbaugh will attempt to positively influence whichever quarterback he decides to start and try to mold him into a Pro Bowl NFL player. With a new, previously successful college head coach, a new offensive coordinator (again), talent on both sides of the ball for days, and the seventh pick in the upcoming draft, what can go wrong? Well, actually a lot, but I am of the optimistic opinion that the 49ers will finally put together a successful campaign in 2011 and make the playoffs. Yeah, I said it!
The first thing that the 49ers have going for them is the13th ranked defense from 2010 that is spearheaded by sensational Patrick Willis. Throw in promising rookie Taylor Mays, cornerback Nate Clements, defensive lineman Justin Smith, and several other solid role players and you have a top 10 defense in the making. But their defense is not the only positive attribute that this team has to offer. Their receiving core is stacked with the talented young pass catchers Vernon Davis, Michael Crabtree, and Josh Morgan. The offensive line is certainly an issue that needs to be addressed, as it is among the worst in the league in terms of protecting the passer and is not proficient in clearing holes for the running game either. However, there are two bright spots on the offensive line, rookies Anthony Davis and Mike Iupati, who should develop nicely in years to come. The focal point of the offense for the last several years has been versatile yet injury plagued running back, Frank Gore who missed a large chunk of the season after breaking his hip in Week 12. The 49ers have historically gone as Gore has gone. Consequently, his health will be unequivocally critical to any pending success in 2011. Unfortunately, all of these talented players might not matter if the 49ers do not stabilize their offensive coordinator and quarterback positions. The 49ers have had incredible turnover at the former position in recent years, with seven different occupants since 2004. A consistent voice at this leadership role should be able to provide visible benefits to the team's quarterback. Whether that quarterback will be much maligned, former top overall pick Alex Smith, a prominent free agent, or a highly touted rookie draft pick will remain up in the air for at least a few months after the season.
Assuming that first year coach and former NFL quarterback Jim Harbaugh can instill discipline and work ethic into the locker room, the 49ers are destined for success. Also, as an important side project, Harbaugh will attempt to positively influence whichever quarterback he decides to start and try to mold him into a Pro Bowl NFL player. With a new, previously successful college head coach, a new offensive coordinator (again), talent on both sides of the ball for days, and the seventh pick in the upcoming draft, what can go wrong? Well, actually a lot, but I am of the optimistic opinion that the 49ers will finally put together a successful campaign in 2011 and make the playoffs. Yeah, I said it!
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Hapless in Cleveland
"I'm taking my talents to South Beach." With this now infamous utterance, Lebron James caused the city of Cleveland to go into a frenzy and unraveled the Cavalier franchise. Obviously, the Cavaliers would be nowhere near as successful as in previous years, but many analysts and media members still believed "Lebron's supporting cast" could still compete for a lower playoff seed in a weak Eastern Conference. This belief was fairly accurate for the first month of the season, but on December 2 at home against the Miami Heat their season ended. They were thoroughly beaten and embarrassed by their former favorite son, Lebron James, who scored 38. Since that fateful game, they have lost 19 of 20 games and are a league worst 8-30 on the year. Their most recent display of futility was a 112-57 smack down at the hands of the Los Angeles Lakers last night.
As if it couldn't get any worse, the man responsible for their rapid downfall Tweeted a scathing and condemnatory message towards the Cavalier organization. James has not only broken the hearts of an entire city and state, but now he insists on stomping on the face of the organization while it is at its lowest point. The game in Cleveland in the beginning of December was a huge detriment for Cleveland, but provided the exact opposite situation for Miami. Before the game, people were blasting the decision to bring the Big 3 together and questioning whether they would even make the playoffs. Since that drubbing of Cleveland they have won 18 of 19 games and are first in Eastern Conference with a 30-9 record.
Cleveland looks to be on the fast track for the number one pick in next year's draft, but the college game lacks a lock top pick thus far this year. With very few pieces to build around and no way to attract free agents to the bleak city of Cleveland, the Cavaliers seem to be in for years of living in the basement of the East. However, there is one glint of hope: if the Cavaliers end up with the top pick, they could end up with Ohio State's Jared Sullinger. Sullinger is a star freshman at the university and is a native of Columbus, Ohio. We all know what happened the last time Cleveland drafted a young, homegrown star with the top pick in the draft. Hey, you never know.
As if it couldn't get any worse, the man responsible for their rapid downfall Tweeted a scathing and condemnatory message towards the Cavalier organization. James has not only broken the hearts of an entire city and state, but now he insists on stomping on the face of the organization while it is at its lowest point. The game in Cleveland in the beginning of December was a huge detriment for Cleveland, but provided the exact opposite situation for Miami. Before the game, people were blasting the decision to bring the Big 3 together and questioning whether they would even make the playoffs. Since that drubbing of Cleveland they have won 18 of 19 games and are first in Eastern Conference with a 30-9 record.
Cleveland looks to be on the fast track for the number one pick in next year's draft, but the college game lacks a lock top pick thus far this year. With very few pieces to build around and no way to attract free agents to the bleak city of Cleveland, the Cavaliers seem to be in for years of living in the basement of the East. However, there is one glint of hope: if the Cavaliers end up with the top pick, they could end up with Ohio State's Jared Sullinger. Sullinger is a star freshman at the university and is a native of Columbus, Ohio. We all know what happened the last time Cleveland drafted a young, homegrown star with the top pick in the draft. Hey, you never know.
Playoff Preview: Seahawks at Bears
Okay, so by now I am sure you have heard the big news: the Seattle Seahawks won their crappy excuse for a division and are in the playoffs. In this "competitive" division the 49ers finished 6-10 and were only one game back of first place. But wait, this story gets better. Not only did the Seahawks make the playoffs, but they were able to host a game at Qwest Field. Their opponent? The depleted defending champions, the New Orleans Saints. Well, even as double digit underdogs they somehow won that game and dispatched the Saints. Due largely in part to a Marshawn Lynch run that will be shown on NFL Films accompanied by lively music for years to come.
This week, however, they face a much different test. They must travel to frigid Chicago to face a top ranked Bears defense that will not miss fifteen tackles..at least not all on one play. The Seahawks will once again be huge underdogs, but if Matt Hasselbeck can once again channel his mid-2000s self, they have a chance. Couple that with the volatile nature of the Bears offense headed by offensive coordinator Mike Martz and you might see a perfect storm for Seattle out there on Sunday. Martz has been frequently criticized for his wide open play calling that often produces many sacks and plentiful interceptions for quarterback Jay Cutler. Due to relative success, long forgotten are Cutler's games against the Giants (nine first half sacks) and Redskins (four interceptions). Despite many casual fans love affair with this edition of the Bears, the true fans remain skeptic of this enigmatic offense. A 7-9 team in the NFC Championship game? Hey, it can happen.
This week, however, they face a much different test. They must travel to frigid Chicago to face a top ranked Bears defense that will not miss fifteen tackles..at least not all on one play. The Seahawks will once again be huge underdogs, but if Matt Hasselbeck can once again channel his mid-2000s self, they have a chance. Couple that with the volatile nature of the Bears offense headed by offensive coordinator Mike Martz and you might see a perfect storm for Seattle out there on Sunday. Martz has been frequently criticized for his wide open play calling that often produces many sacks and plentiful interceptions for quarterback Jay Cutler. Due to relative success, long forgotten are Cutler's games against the Giants (nine first half sacks) and Redskins (four interceptions). Despite many casual fans love affair with this edition of the Bears, the true fans remain skeptic of this enigmatic offense. A 7-9 team in the NFC Championship game? Hey, it can happen.
Five Straight
On Monday, January 10, 2011, something amazing happened in the world of college football. The Auburn Tigers defeated the Oregon Ducks 22-19 to win their first BCS National Championship ever. It was a soap opera of a season for the Tigers, with 99 percent of the controversy centered around man-child quarterback, Cam Newton. By now, you probably know the whole story. Newton's father solicited money from at least one school for his son's services, and allegedly the younger Newton had no idea...right. But that is neither here nor their, justice will undoubtedly be served in an adequate amount of time. Ya know, after no one would stand to lose revenue from a watered down, "Cam-less" bowl game. The macro level story in Auburn's triumph is the sheer dominance of the SEC over the rest of college football. The conference has now won five straight BCS titles with a remarkable four different teams. This is an unheard of feat in any major sport, and it will most likely never be repeated. Also, during this streak the SEC has defeated teams from the Big 12, Big 10, and now the Pac 10. The others simply cannot keep up. So, for now let Auburn bask in it's well deserved glory along with the rest of the SEC faithful, and let Oregon reload and prepare for their season opener in 2011. Where do the well conditioned, poorly dressed Ducks open up next year? At Cowboys Stadium..against another set of Tigers from the SEC, LSU. Personally I can't wait for what might be the biggest game of the year. Will the Pac 10 show that they can hang with the best of the SEC? Or will the SEC once again confirm it's legendary dominance? It will be a fun one, ya'll.
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