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It seems as though the NCAA is as busy as ever investigating and punishing schools and “student-athletes” for taking what they consider to be improper benefits. With that in mind, I ask, “How can an improper organization punish someone for taking improper benefits?” Let’s face it, the NCAA is one of the most hypocritical organizations in America. They have created rules that allow them to benefit from the hard work of others, who do not reap equal benefits, and then punish them for trying to benefit from their hard work.
According to their own website, the NCAA was originally formed in order to “protect young people from dangerous and exploitive practices…” This was in 1906, and over the years as college athletics has grown the scope of the organization’s duties have also grown. However, in my opinion it seems that the scope of the organization has grown to the point of directly doing one of the things that they explicitly set out to prevent, which is exploiting “student-athletes”.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL HAS A PROBLEM! Every time you turn around it seems as though a different program is being investigated, put on some sort of sanctions, or having players suspended for some sort of violation of NCAA rules. According to the NCAA “student-athletes” (on scholarship) should perform for their university for the payment of tuition & fees, books, room & board, and a small stipend. To some people that may seem like a sweet deal. The “student-athlete” gets the opportunity to receive a free education in exchange for playing a sport that they enjoy. I too agree with that train of thought on the surface. However, once you pull back the top layer of that logic, you begin to see that this statement makes no sense at all and that they NCAA is simply an unconscionable organization that has figured out a way to profit handsomely on the backs of those working for basically nothing. Now, I will not disrespect those who suffered through one of the most troubling times in our nation’s history say that the NCAA and the BCS conferences are treating the “student-athletes” like slaves, but I will say that they are treating them more along the lines of how sharecroppers were treated.
I have heard the arguments made by some affiliated with major college athletics that say, that these kids are afforded the opportunity to receive a free education, which will prove to be priceless and provide the “student-athlete” with innumerable benefits over their lifetime. To that I call B.S! This is a case of providing someone with something that has no value to them. While it is true that there are some “student-athletes” who use their athletic abilities in order to get an education that will further them in life, more often than not, the athletes that fans fill the stadiums to see on Saturday’s are in college for one reason, and one reason only. To play football! Many of these kids do not have the academic credentials to otherwise be accepted and receive scholarships to the Universities that they represent on Saturday afternoons, nor do they have the capacity to succeed academically at these instituations. Therefore rewarding them with free tuition, books, and room & board is like my employer paying me with pepperoni pizza’s (I don’t eat pork). Giving someone something that is of no value to them is essentially the same as giving them nothing at all.
This has been a hotly debated issue on various websites, blogs, and by the paid talking heads on television. Many feel that it is now time for “student-athletes” to be paid. While I agree with that thought, I am not naive enough to actually think that will put an end to the problem. This will not solve the problem because it will be impossible for everyone to be satisfied with their pay. For instance, let’s pretend that the NCAA was paying all (BCS conference) football players $500 a month. That would mean that Terrell Pryor, the quarterback of Ohio State University, who is has won 3 Big Ten Championships, and has a 31-4 record as a starter would be paid the same as the third-string defensive tackle at Washington State. How difficult do you think it would be for someone to point that fact out to Pryor and offer him more than that allowance. Therefore, while the “student-athlete” should be paid, the problem will still persist. I have also heard someone say that the “student-athlete” should receive a percentage of the revenues from their jersey sells upon graduation. That won’t work either, because most don’t graduate. The bottom line is that big-time college football is not an extra-curricular activity. It is a multi-billion dollar business. EVERYONE profits from it except the players. Conferences sign billion dollar television deals, coaches are millionaires, and the schools get to reap the benefits from the sale of tickets, parking, concessions, and merchandise.
While most reasonable people agree that the system is flawed, no one has come up with a solution to this flawed system….until now. I have thought of a way to ensure that college football players are treated fairly, and also force the NCAA to return to their original mission and end the exploitation of the “student-athlete”. This solution will take a considerable investment from the NFL, but it will prove to be well worth it to them as well.
I will be the first to tell you that I like baseball about as much as I like ice hockey (I am a black man born and raised in Atlanta, so that should tell you how much I like ice hockey), but baseball’s minor league system is one of the best ideas in all of sports. With that in mind, I propose that the NFL create a minor league system. Not one with three levels, simply one league with each of the 32 NFL teams running one minor league team. Each NFL team should have a minor league team that is located in a different city within the state in which they play, or in a neighboring state. For instance, the Atlanta franchise could play in Macon Georgia, the Indianapolis franchise could play in Ft. Wayne Indiana, and the Philadelphia franchise could play in Deleware. These teams will be stocked with players drafted by the teams (in the newly expanded 14 round NFL draft) that four years are less out of high school. This means is that players will now have a choice coming out of high school. They could either attend college where they will have to stay a minimum of two years (I don’t like that part of my proposal, but I decided to throw the colleges a bone) or they can enter the NFL draft, where they will more than likely be taken in a later round and assigned to the team’s minor league affiliate.
I am well aware of the fact that a 17 or 18 year old kid is not physically or emotionally mature enough to play in the NFL. However, I feel as though being in an NFL system during those formative three or four years out of high school will be more beneficial to them then playing for a college coach. These minor league teams will be staffed by former NFL coaches who are looking to get back into the professional game. For example, the list of coaches could include Dennis Green, Jim Fassel , Herm Edwards, Dan Reeves just to name a few. Of course, there will also be a spot reserved for Chan Gailey because he is just a nice guy that always finds a landing spot when his employer decides to go in another direction. These coaches will teach these kids the pro game and develop their skills with an eye on being successful in the professional game. This is vastly different from the job that is being done at the college level, where the job of the coach is to win games, not to develop their stars to accomplish their dreams and succeed at the next level. The NFL will also love having the ability to train quarterbacks to play in a pro-style offense, and also teach offensive linemen to run block, which is becoming a lost art in the college game Minor league players will make between $40,000 and $60,000 per year. Therefore the players will be able to be paid a salary for their hard work, while also working toward their ultimate dream.
The NCAA would also benefit from my plan. Due to the fact that most of the athletes who have no interest in the academic programs at the respective schools will be earning a living in an NFL farm system, the NCAA will have a much easier time keeping the sport “clean” according to their standards. The term “student-athlete” will actually have real meaning. The students that choose to attend college would also feel better about the idea of playing for a free education (because I am sure that this plan will all but eliminate the billion dollar television deals and ultimately drive down the economic benefits of the coaches and administrators of the sport). Most major networks would choose to spend their money on the NFL minor leagues, which would essentially be the same quality of football that is played in major conferences today. Therefore the greed that surrounds what is allegedly amateur athletics will be gone, and amateur athletes can truly be amateur athletes instead of pawns in a highly lucrative game of chess that is currently being played between the major conferences and the television networks.
Earlier this week, a caller on a college sports radio show asked, “Why don’t schools just form football teams with the general student body, instead of recruiting athletes with the sole purpose of playing football?” The host replied, “That’s what the Ivy League does. When was the last time you saw one of their games on ESPN on a Saturday night?”
That conversation sums up the entire issue. College football is now big business, and everyone benefits besides the players that are putting it all on the line. It is time to put an end to that.
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Sunday, June 12, 2011
Sunday, May 15, 2011
A CHANGING OF THE GUARD
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I must admit that the combination of being done with school along with this beautiful Georgia weather has caused me to be quite un-disciplined with my writing. Admittedly, I have been spending all of my writing time and then some at the driving range trying to get the golf swing in shape. The hard work in paying off and I have gotten much better. However, I do now realize that I miss writing and it is time to (as Albert Haynesworth once said, but never did) “put my nose to the grindstone” and get back to work.
While watching these NBA playoffs, I couldn’t help but think of the opening line from one of my favorite songs, “My God” by Pusha T. The song opens with Pusha boldly proclaiming, “I can’t be bothered with paying homage to forefathers.” What he is saying is that although he is a rap veteran as a member of the critically acclaimed group, “The Clipse”, he is a new rolling solo and is here to take over the game. He has no time to honor to those who came before him, it is his time now, and he feels sorry for those stupid enough to try to get in his way. Apparently, I’m not the only person who loves this song, because I am convinced that it has been playing non-stop in the locker rooms of the Heat, Mavericks, and Grizzles. I say that because these three teams have been so disrespectful to the old guard of NBA championship contenders and decided that their time is now. When the season, and the playoffs for that matter started, most expected to see some combination of the Celtics, Spurs, and Lakers in the NBA Finals (for the record, I expected to see that Celtics and Lakers). However, it is now obvious that fear of these three teams is now all but gone among other NBA teams.
It all started when LeBron James decided to “take his talents to Miami”, and join forces with Dwayne Wade. They then decided to add one other sometimes significant piece, since the book (and candy bar) is called the “Three Musketeers” and not the two musketeers, they invited Chris Bosh along for ride. They came together for the sole purpose of taking down the mighty Boston Celtics, and take them down they did. They obviously didn’t get the memo (that I sent out) stating that Boston was supposed to win one more championship before they start collecting championship rings the way Bill Belichick collects draft picks. They made Boston look old and rattled, and they promptly eliminated them in five games. As it turns out, the series that everyone was looking forward to seeing, wasn’t very entertaining at all, because Miami chose not to pay homage to the team that inspired them to join forces and form a “Big 2….and a half.” They decided instead to simply whip their a$$.
Then we have the Dallas Mavericks, formerly known as the _allas Mavericks, because they never played any D. But for the first time in my life, this team seems, dare I say, TOUGH! Dallas has been an immensely talented team since Dirk Nowitzki developed into an elite offensive player. However, they have always lacked the requisite physical and mental toughness required to win an NBA championship. It seems as though, that has changed, and what better way to prove it to the world than to not only beat the Lakers, but SWEEP the Lakers in a playoff series. The Lakers are a physically tough team with the likes of Ron Artest and Andrew Bynum, and they possess arguably the most mentally tough player to grace NBA courts since “His Airness” in Kobe Bryant (OK, I deserve some credit for typing his name without calling him a &!%@$). It seemed to me that they broke the Lakers’ will in game one, by coming back from a 16 point deficit and beating them in LA. After that game, Kobe Bryant (I did it again, I didn’t call him a &!%@$) stated that he felt that Dallas could win that series. When has he ever admitted such a thing? This year’s version of the Mavericks is different from the team that squandered a 2-0 lead in the 2006 NBA Finals to an earlier version of the Miami Heat. In that series, Dirk played like a (insert word that I am avoiding calling Kobe Bryant) despite the fact that he was the MVP of the regular season that year. That playoff appearance, coupled with never reaching the finals again since has solidified his current reputation among NBA players, and fans alike. However, if both teams keep playing the way that they have in these playoffs, Dirk will get a chance to exercise HIS (not everyone else’s) South Beach Demons, while trying to prevent the Big 2-1/2 from winning the first of what I’m sure will be many championships.
Now to the most disrespectful team in the entire league, the Memphis Grizzlies. They actually had the audacity to lose games intentionally at the end of the season to ensure that they got the #8 seed in the playoffs. They wanted to ensure a date with the 61-win #1 seed San Antonio Spurs. How crazy is that?! The Spurs obviously knew that Memphis WANTED to play them, which prompted Tim Duncan to say, “I guess Memphis got the matchup they wanted,” before the series started. Well Tim, they did and they showed why. They obviously had no respect for a 4-time champion that was the best team in the league throughout most of the regular season. They knew that they had the match-ups to take you down, and no one outside of their locker room believed them besides Charles Barkley and me. To quote Pusha T one more time, they “Saw the future, like a car-show floor model” and you weren’t in it. Now they have an opportunity, with a win in this afternoon’s Game 7 against the Oklahoma City Thunder, to get to the place that you assumed you would reach, The Western Conference Finals. Don’t worry, you won’t be the only team missing that many expected to see. The Lakers will be absent as well. Hey, maybe you two can watch the games together, just a thought.
Not only has the NBA moved on from the Jordan era, it also seems as though it is now moving away from the Kobe (successful once again at not calling him a &!%@$), Garnett, and Duncan era as well. It is now time for these younger super-athletic teams to take the torch and carry the NBA forward. As I write this (on Sunday morning before Thunder-Grizzlies, Game 7), we know that either the Heat, Mavericks, Bulls, Grizzlies, or Thunder will win the championship this year. None of the remaining coaches have won a championship as a head coach, and none of the principle players for either team, outside of Dwayne Wade, (and I guess you can include Kendrick Perkins if you consider him a principle player, which I don’t) currently own a championship ring. These teams didn’t come here to honor those that came before them, they are here to write their own legacy. So sit back and enjoy it, because it will be highly entertaining.
Follow me on twitter @scashhomey
I must admit that the combination of being done with school along with this beautiful Georgia weather has caused me to be quite un-disciplined with my writing. Admittedly, I have been spending all of my writing time and then some at the driving range trying to get the golf swing in shape. The hard work in paying off and I have gotten much better. However, I do now realize that I miss writing and it is time to (as Albert Haynesworth once said, but never did) “put my nose to the grindstone” and get back to work.
While watching these NBA playoffs, I couldn’t help but think of the opening line from one of my favorite songs, “My God” by Pusha T. The song opens with Pusha boldly proclaiming, “I can’t be bothered with paying homage to forefathers.” What he is saying is that although he is a rap veteran as a member of the critically acclaimed group, “The Clipse”, he is a new rolling solo and is here to take over the game. He has no time to honor to those who came before him, it is his time now, and he feels sorry for those stupid enough to try to get in his way. Apparently, I’m not the only person who loves this song, because I am convinced that it has been playing non-stop in the locker rooms of the Heat, Mavericks, and Grizzles. I say that because these three teams have been so disrespectful to the old guard of NBA championship contenders and decided that their time is now. When the season, and the playoffs for that matter started, most expected to see some combination of the Celtics, Spurs, and Lakers in the NBA Finals (for the record, I expected to see that Celtics and Lakers). However, it is now obvious that fear of these three teams is now all but gone among other NBA teams.
It all started when LeBron James decided to “take his talents to Miami”, and join forces with Dwayne Wade. They then decided to add one other sometimes significant piece, since the book (and candy bar) is called the “Three Musketeers” and not the two musketeers, they invited Chris Bosh along for ride. They came together for the sole purpose of taking down the mighty Boston Celtics, and take them down they did. They obviously didn’t get the memo (that I sent out) stating that Boston was supposed to win one more championship before they start collecting championship rings the way Bill Belichick collects draft picks. They made Boston look old and rattled, and they promptly eliminated them in five games. As it turns out, the series that everyone was looking forward to seeing, wasn’t very entertaining at all, because Miami chose not to pay homage to the team that inspired them to join forces and form a “Big 2….and a half.” They decided instead to simply whip their a$$.
Then we have the Dallas Mavericks, formerly known as the _allas Mavericks, because they never played any D. But for the first time in my life, this team seems, dare I say, TOUGH! Dallas has been an immensely talented team since Dirk Nowitzki developed into an elite offensive player. However, they have always lacked the requisite physical and mental toughness required to win an NBA championship. It seems as though, that has changed, and what better way to prove it to the world than to not only beat the Lakers, but SWEEP the Lakers in a playoff series. The Lakers are a physically tough team with the likes of Ron Artest and Andrew Bynum, and they possess arguably the most mentally tough player to grace NBA courts since “His Airness” in Kobe Bryant (OK, I deserve some credit for typing his name without calling him a &!%@$). It seemed to me that they broke the Lakers’ will in game one, by coming back from a 16 point deficit and beating them in LA. After that game, Kobe Bryant (I did it again, I didn’t call him a &!%@$) stated that he felt that Dallas could win that series. When has he ever admitted such a thing? This year’s version of the Mavericks is different from the team that squandered a 2-0 lead in the 2006 NBA Finals to an earlier version of the Miami Heat. In that series, Dirk played like a (insert word that I am avoiding calling Kobe Bryant) despite the fact that he was the MVP of the regular season that year. That playoff appearance, coupled with never reaching the finals again since has solidified his current reputation among NBA players, and fans alike. However, if both teams keep playing the way that they have in these playoffs, Dirk will get a chance to exercise HIS (not everyone else’s) South Beach Demons, while trying to prevent the Big 2-1/2 from winning the first of what I’m sure will be many championships.
Now to the most disrespectful team in the entire league, the Memphis Grizzlies. They actually had the audacity to lose games intentionally at the end of the season to ensure that they got the #8 seed in the playoffs. They wanted to ensure a date with the 61-win #1 seed San Antonio Spurs. How crazy is that?! The Spurs obviously knew that Memphis WANTED to play them, which prompted Tim Duncan to say, “I guess Memphis got the matchup they wanted,” before the series started. Well Tim, they did and they showed why. They obviously had no respect for a 4-time champion that was the best team in the league throughout most of the regular season. They knew that they had the match-ups to take you down, and no one outside of their locker room believed them besides Charles Barkley and me. To quote Pusha T one more time, they “Saw the future, like a car-show floor model” and you weren’t in it. Now they have an opportunity, with a win in this afternoon’s Game 7 against the Oklahoma City Thunder, to get to the place that you assumed you would reach, The Western Conference Finals. Don’t worry, you won’t be the only team missing that many expected to see. The Lakers will be absent as well. Hey, maybe you two can watch the games together, just a thought.
Not only has the NBA moved on from the Jordan era, it also seems as though it is now moving away from the Kobe (successful once again at not calling him a &!%@$), Garnett, and Duncan era as well. It is now time for these younger super-athletic teams to take the torch and carry the NBA forward. As I write this (on Sunday morning before Thunder-Grizzlies, Game 7), we know that either the Heat, Mavericks, Bulls, Grizzlies, or Thunder will win the championship this year. None of the remaining coaches have won a championship as a head coach, and none of the principle players for either team, outside of Dwayne Wade, (and I guess you can include Kendrick Perkins if you consider him a principle player, which I don’t) currently own a championship ring. These teams didn’t come here to honor those that came before them, they are here to write their own legacy. So sit back and enjoy it, because it will be highly entertaining.
Follow me on twitter @scashhomey
Sunday, March 6, 2011
I LOVE MY CITY, BUT….
Before I get started, I would like to invite everyone reading this to follow me on twitter @scashhomey.
As a person that was born and raised in Atlanta GA, I can say first-hand how great of a city that it is. I love it so much that I chose to attend college and live my adult life here. Honestly, I have never seriously entertained the thought of living anywhere else. Don’t get me wrong, I love to visit other places, but I definitely prefer to call the ATL home. This is a city with great weather, beautiful people, wonderful restaurants, lively night-life, and great venues to see live theatre and music. Why wouldn’t everyone want to live here? This is one of the few cities in America with big-city amenities, and a slow laid back life-style. As a matter of fact, I have met quite a few people who visited in the mid 90’s for a certain “black college festival,” and never left. You know who you are, and you are probably reading this with a reminiscent smile on your face.
Although I love so many things about my city, there is one thing that I absolutely hate about Atlanta. That is the fact that we absolutely suck as a sports town. Our teams epitomize mediocrity and will never be serious contenders for championships, and the fans here are primarily fair weathered who only root for the teams in the playoffs and only attend games when stars from other teams are on the schedule. It’s bad enough when the Hawks run ticket ads advertising the likes of Kobe Bryant and LeBron James, but it’s even worse when party promoters are even throwing parties after those games “hosted by” stars from other teams. I guarantee you that Joe Johnson and Josh Smith aren’t hosting any parties in South Beach, and that they aren’t on the cover of the LA Times when the Hawks play the Lakers. This is despicable and it all stems from a city-wide acceptance for mediocrity. I for one am sick of it, and will not accept it any longer.
Atlanta is home to the Falcons (have not had a lot of success in their history, but are really trying these days), the Braves (mediocre and perfectly happy being that way), the Hawks (good enough to make the playoffs, but will never get out of the second round, and that’s OK with them), Georgia Tech (football will forever be average and the basketball team has a coach they can’t/won’t get rid of), and the Thrashers (its hockey, so I don’t care).
Georgia Tech is in a precarious situation. Their football team will never win big on a consistent basis simply because of the location of the school. Sure they may win their division within the ACC every 5 years or so and may even win the ACC Championship once every 10 years, but they will never have any sustainable success. That is because in a sport that is so heavily reliant on recruiting, they are in the worst possible location. They will never be able to out-recruit the University of Georgia, and they will also lose players that they covet to the likes of Florida State, Florida, Alabama, Auburn, Tennessee, and LSU. They don’t have the deep pockets needed to land top recruits who share a financial advisor with Cam Newton, and their academic standards are too high to admit the type of marginal students that SEC football has been built upon. Therefore they will never be big winners, although it is really no fault of their own. The geographic gods simply did not smile upon them.
Before I get to the basketball team, I must first ask, "Why is Paul Hewitt still the coach?" He has done absolutely nothing since the last 2003-2004 season and has missed the NCAA tournament in 6 of his 11 seasons at Tech (I am making the safe assumption that he will miss the tourney this year as well). One thing that Hewitt has proven is that he knows how to recruit the occasional no impact one-and-done player that will be a lottery pick in the NBA. Although these players don’t make impact while at Tech, they blossom into NBA stars (i.e. Chris Bosh and Derrick Favors in a couple of years). That being said, his coaching leaves a lot to be desired. He runs a run of the mill ACC team that is nothing special and has been playing in a virtually empty gym for the last two years. I always thought that Tech was a sleeping giant in the ACC, waiting to emerge and regain the status that is once enjoyed among the league’s elite. However, Hewitt has put the program into a deep hibernation that looks like it will be impossible to recover from all while happily collecting his $1 million plus annual salary.
The Braves are a franchise with a self-imposed budget in a sport in which the teams that spend the most usually win. Baseball is a sport where you really can buy a championship. Of all of the major sports, chemistry and teamwork matters least in baseball, which is why an owner can simply buy the best players he can find and they can win. The Braves are run by a faceless corporation as an investment property that they expect to return a designated annual return on their investment. This means that winning is not the priority, which begs me to ask why they won’t simply sell the team to someone who actually wants to own a baseball team and will not treat it as simply a line item on a balance sheet. The Braves in recent years have managed to have just enough talent to win the Wild Card and get slaughtered in the first round, and my feeling is that they have that as a stated goal again this year. I wouldn’t be surprised if new manager Fredi Gonzalez stands in front of the team after clinching the NL Wild Card this season and simply says, “Good job guys, mission accomplished. No go ahead and book your vacations to start after game three of this first round series.” Then all of the guys will cheer and pat themselves on the back, feeling a sense of accomplishment.
The Falcons are trying their best to build a winner and fight for respect in the NFL. Arthur Blank has hired a brilliant GM, who has in-turn hired a good head coach and drafted a quarterback that has been solid and has a promising future. That being said, they are still not a well respected franchise in the NFL. Although they went 13 – 3 last season and were the #1 seed going into the NFC playoffs, did anyone really expect them to make the Super Bowl? This is a solid team that is being built the right way, but they will never be fully embraced by this city for one simple reason. They lack a super-star. When they win, they will be embraced by a ton of bandwagon fans, but they won’t develop a true and loyal fan base in this city because they lack the superstar player. The Falcons were tremendously popular when they had Michael Vick, because he was a transcendent star. He is now gone, and the team will never be embraced the same way again. That is largely because this is a terrible sports town. In Atlanta, people will go to the games if it is considered the “it” thing to do, or if it is the place where they can see and be seen. Unfortunately the Georgia Dome is not that place.
The Hawks have frustrated me to no end. This is the only team in the city that I considered myself a true fan of. I watched them grow from nothing to the peaks of mediocrity. The problem is that once they got to mediocrity they forgot to look up and see if there existed anything beyond that. Until this year, I watched about 75 Hawks games per season. Although they were bad in the beginning, it was fun watching a young and exciting team develop. I didn’t care if they got their brains bashed in each night, I simply enjoyed watching the process and I felt as though I was in on the ground floor of something special. Well, I was wrong. What this team was building towards was nothing special at all. Instead of a team developing into a serious championship contender, we have a team that is good enough to be the fourth or fifth best team in their conference, and who is yet to win a second round playoff game. I didn’t say series, I said GAME! This year, I have probably watched about 10 Hawks games in their entirety. Not because I don’t want them to do well or because I don’t feel like they will win the championship (I didn’t expect them to win it this year or anytime soon for that matter), it’s just that I have seen this movie before. It is a very frustrating feeling to watch other teams make moves to get better, while your favorite team simply stays the same. When Miami signed LeBron James and Chris Bosh, we countered by overpaying Joe Johnson and signing Josh Powell. When the Knicks traded for Carmelo Anthony, we traded for Kirk Henrik. When Boston deepened their bench by trading for Jeff Green and signing Troy Murphy, we get Hilton Armstrong. Is anyone noticing a trend here? I am fan of teams making an effort, but unfortunately I live in a city where none of the teams (except the Falcons of late) are making a legitimate effort.
The bottom line is that I love my city, and I wouldn’t want to live anywhere else (unless I was being paid an obscene amount of money). But sometimes the sports fan in me wishes that he could live in Boston where the Celtics, Red Sox, and Patriots start each season with the goal of winning a championship and spend each off-season figuring out a way to reach that goal. Maybe that part of me would like to live in Chicago where the Bulls seem to be building something special and the Bears are trying their hardest to become winners again. Or is the place to be now New York, where the Yankees are well, the Yankees and the Knicks are in the midst of building a serious championship contender. Truth be told, I don’t want the sports fan in me to leave my city. I would rather the teams in my city take their cue from these other cities and work to satisfy the sports fan within me and every other real sports fan in Atlanta.
Once again, be sure to follow me on twitter @scashhomey.
As a person that was born and raised in Atlanta GA, I can say first-hand how great of a city that it is. I love it so much that I chose to attend college and live my adult life here. Honestly, I have never seriously entertained the thought of living anywhere else. Don’t get me wrong, I love to visit other places, but I definitely prefer to call the ATL home. This is a city with great weather, beautiful people, wonderful restaurants, lively night-life, and great venues to see live theatre and music. Why wouldn’t everyone want to live here? This is one of the few cities in America with big-city amenities, and a slow laid back life-style. As a matter of fact, I have met quite a few people who visited in the mid 90’s for a certain “black college festival,” and never left. You know who you are, and you are probably reading this with a reminiscent smile on your face.
Although I love so many things about my city, there is one thing that I absolutely hate about Atlanta. That is the fact that we absolutely suck as a sports town. Our teams epitomize mediocrity and will never be serious contenders for championships, and the fans here are primarily fair weathered who only root for the teams in the playoffs and only attend games when stars from other teams are on the schedule. It’s bad enough when the Hawks run ticket ads advertising the likes of Kobe Bryant and LeBron James, but it’s even worse when party promoters are even throwing parties after those games “hosted by” stars from other teams. I guarantee you that Joe Johnson and Josh Smith aren’t hosting any parties in South Beach, and that they aren’t on the cover of the LA Times when the Hawks play the Lakers. This is despicable and it all stems from a city-wide acceptance for mediocrity. I for one am sick of it, and will not accept it any longer.
Atlanta is home to the Falcons (have not had a lot of success in their history, but are really trying these days), the Braves (mediocre and perfectly happy being that way), the Hawks (good enough to make the playoffs, but will never get out of the second round, and that’s OK with them), Georgia Tech (football will forever be average and the basketball team has a coach they can’t/won’t get rid of), and the Thrashers (its hockey, so I don’t care).
Georgia Tech is in a precarious situation. Their football team will never win big on a consistent basis simply because of the location of the school. Sure they may win their division within the ACC every 5 years or so and may even win the ACC Championship once every 10 years, but they will never have any sustainable success. That is because in a sport that is so heavily reliant on recruiting, they are in the worst possible location. They will never be able to out-recruit the University of Georgia, and they will also lose players that they covet to the likes of Florida State, Florida, Alabama, Auburn, Tennessee, and LSU. They don’t have the deep pockets needed to land top recruits who share a financial advisor with Cam Newton, and their academic standards are too high to admit the type of marginal students that SEC football has been built upon. Therefore they will never be big winners, although it is really no fault of their own. The geographic gods simply did not smile upon them.
Before I get to the basketball team, I must first ask, "Why is Paul Hewitt still the coach?" He has done absolutely nothing since the last 2003-2004 season and has missed the NCAA tournament in 6 of his 11 seasons at Tech (I am making the safe assumption that he will miss the tourney this year as well). One thing that Hewitt has proven is that he knows how to recruit the occasional no impact one-and-done player that will be a lottery pick in the NBA. Although these players don’t make impact while at Tech, they blossom into NBA stars (i.e. Chris Bosh and Derrick Favors in a couple of years). That being said, his coaching leaves a lot to be desired. He runs a run of the mill ACC team that is nothing special and has been playing in a virtually empty gym for the last two years. I always thought that Tech was a sleeping giant in the ACC, waiting to emerge and regain the status that is once enjoyed among the league’s elite. However, Hewitt has put the program into a deep hibernation that looks like it will be impossible to recover from all while happily collecting his $1 million plus annual salary.
The Braves are a franchise with a self-imposed budget in a sport in which the teams that spend the most usually win. Baseball is a sport where you really can buy a championship. Of all of the major sports, chemistry and teamwork matters least in baseball, which is why an owner can simply buy the best players he can find and they can win. The Braves are run by a faceless corporation as an investment property that they expect to return a designated annual return on their investment. This means that winning is not the priority, which begs me to ask why they won’t simply sell the team to someone who actually wants to own a baseball team and will not treat it as simply a line item on a balance sheet. The Braves in recent years have managed to have just enough talent to win the Wild Card and get slaughtered in the first round, and my feeling is that they have that as a stated goal again this year. I wouldn’t be surprised if new manager Fredi Gonzalez stands in front of the team after clinching the NL Wild Card this season and simply says, “Good job guys, mission accomplished. No go ahead and book your vacations to start after game three of this first round series.” Then all of the guys will cheer and pat themselves on the back, feeling a sense of accomplishment.
The Falcons are trying their best to build a winner and fight for respect in the NFL. Arthur Blank has hired a brilliant GM, who has in-turn hired a good head coach and drafted a quarterback that has been solid and has a promising future. That being said, they are still not a well respected franchise in the NFL. Although they went 13 – 3 last season and were the #1 seed going into the NFC playoffs, did anyone really expect them to make the Super Bowl? This is a solid team that is being built the right way, but they will never be fully embraced by this city for one simple reason. They lack a super-star. When they win, they will be embraced by a ton of bandwagon fans, but they won’t develop a true and loyal fan base in this city because they lack the superstar player. The Falcons were tremendously popular when they had Michael Vick, because he was a transcendent star. He is now gone, and the team will never be embraced the same way again. That is largely because this is a terrible sports town. In Atlanta, people will go to the games if it is considered the “it” thing to do, or if it is the place where they can see and be seen. Unfortunately the Georgia Dome is not that place.
The Hawks have frustrated me to no end. This is the only team in the city that I considered myself a true fan of. I watched them grow from nothing to the peaks of mediocrity. The problem is that once they got to mediocrity they forgot to look up and see if there existed anything beyond that. Until this year, I watched about 75 Hawks games per season. Although they were bad in the beginning, it was fun watching a young and exciting team develop. I didn’t care if they got their brains bashed in each night, I simply enjoyed watching the process and I felt as though I was in on the ground floor of something special. Well, I was wrong. What this team was building towards was nothing special at all. Instead of a team developing into a serious championship contender, we have a team that is good enough to be the fourth or fifth best team in their conference, and who is yet to win a second round playoff game. I didn’t say series, I said GAME! This year, I have probably watched about 10 Hawks games in their entirety. Not because I don’t want them to do well or because I don’t feel like they will win the championship (I didn’t expect them to win it this year or anytime soon for that matter), it’s just that I have seen this movie before. It is a very frustrating feeling to watch other teams make moves to get better, while your favorite team simply stays the same. When Miami signed LeBron James and Chris Bosh, we countered by overpaying Joe Johnson and signing Josh Powell. When the Knicks traded for Carmelo Anthony, we traded for Kirk Henrik. When Boston deepened their bench by trading for Jeff Green and signing Troy Murphy, we get Hilton Armstrong. Is anyone noticing a trend here? I am fan of teams making an effort, but unfortunately I live in a city where none of the teams (except the Falcons of late) are making a legitimate effort.
The bottom line is that I love my city, and I wouldn’t want to live anywhere else (unless I was being paid an obscene amount of money). But sometimes the sports fan in me wishes that he could live in Boston where the Celtics, Red Sox, and Patriots start each season with the goal of winning a championship and spend each off-season figuring out a way to reach that goal. Maybe that part of me would like to live in Chicago where the Bulls seem to be building something special and the Bears are trying their hardest to become winners again. Or is the place to be now New York, where the Yankees are well, the Yankees and the Knicks are in the midst of building a serious championship contender. Truth be told, I don’t want the sports fan in me to leave my city. I would rather the teams in my city take their cue from these other cities and work to satisfy the sports fan within me and every other real sports fan in Atlanta.
Once again, be sure to follow me on twitter @scashhomey.
Sunday, February 20, 2011
PEOPLE ARE JUST DIFFERENT DOWN HERE
Everyone who follows college football knows that the Southeastern Conference is by far the strongest conference in the nation. It is home to such traditional powers as Alabama, LSU, and Florida. Even its second tier programs (Auburn, Georgia, Tennessee, and Arkansas) are traditionally stronger than most top programs in other conferences. Even though the quality of football is the strongest in the world outside of that Sunday afternoon league, one could argue that the SEC is more well know for the “passion” (and I use that term loosely) of its fans than the actual football being played on the field.
Being born and raised in the South, I realized early in my life that I was a minority. Not because of my race, but because I prefer the NFL over college football. In the mind of most of the people that I have encountered, that is absolute lunacy. Down here, college football is king, and nothing else matters (although NASCAR provides a nice way for some to pass the time until spring practice begins). Those of you reading this that are from non-SEC states may feel that I am exaggerating, but trust me, I am basing these statements on people I know or have interacted with personally. I once worked with a guy who would walk up to me daily and tell me whose colors I was wearing on a particular day. Needless to say, it would always be an SEC school. For instance, if I wore an orange shirt to work, he would say, “Why are you wearing that ugly Tennessee shirt today?” or if I happened to wear burgundy (or crimson), he would make a comment about his hatred for Alabama. I found this hilarious, especially considering the fact that he did not go to an SEC school. What amazes me even more is the fact that outside of Peyton Manning, the die-hard SEC fans rarely follow their favorite players once they move on to the NFL. It’s all about their favorite college team and the players that are currently there.
Although, I think it’s a little silly and have always gotten a kick out of watching the battle for fan supremacy in this region. I can honestly say that it is predominately good natured and light hearted banter between family, friends, or co-workers. That all changed earlier this week.
A lot of colleges have campuses have landmarks that are meaningful to its students, alumni, and the overall sense of community of the campus. On the Auburn campus, that place is Toomer’s Corner. This is where two 130 year old Oak trees reside that serve as the landmark for the celebration of all big football victories. This season, thanks largely to college football’s highest paid player, Auburn celebrated many big victories at this historic landmark. This season, the Auburn faithful managed to see a win over their hated rival (Alabama), a SEC championship win, and a win in the national championship game. Needless to say, Toomer’s Corner was the place to be this year.
Unfortunately for Auburn fans, it was also the place to be for Harvey Almorn Updyke Jr. Updyke is an Alabama fan who was arrested last week for poisoning the 130 year-old Live Oaks on Auburn’s campus with a lethal dose of herbicide. Updyke is no college kid playing a prank on the rival school. THIS MAN IS 62 YEARS OLD! The only thing related to this story that is stupider than a 62 year old man poisoning some trees, is how it was discovered that the poisoning occurred. Apparently Updyke was careful when he committed the crime, because he wasn’t caught in the act. Instead of simply getting away with it and watching the trees die a slow (and what would possibly appear to be a natural) death, this idiot called into the Paul Finebaum Radio Network (dedicated to almost exclusively to SEC sports, which is a brilliant idea) as “Al from Dadeville” to tell of the crime.
I am hoping that by making this phone call he wanted to get caught, because if he thought he would get to brag about this on syndicated radio (where all calls are recorded) and use a form of his real name (Al is short for his middle name of Almorn) and say where he really lives, he is even dumber than I originally thought that he was. Needless to say, the call was traced and he was arrested. He is and should be facing jail time for this crime, with a little bonus time for being a moron.
Just to further prove how intense the rivalry is between Auburn and Alabama, I found it interesting that after this event happened, Alabama immediately began guarding the Bear Bryant (he is Elvis to Alabama football fans) statue around the clock, to avoid what they felt would be retaliation on the part of Auburn fans.
To all of my fellow residents of the southeastern United States, let’s get a little perspective on life and college football’s place in it. It is a fun sport to watch and a nice diversion from real life for 3 or 4 hours each Saturday afternoon or evening in the fall, but it isn’t important enough to go to jail for. If you find yourself condoning the actions of Updyke, thinking about (or have thought about) committing a criminal act to hurt the rival of the school that you root for, or if you are not speaking to someone in your family simply because of their allegiance to another college football team, you should stop reading this blog and seek help immediately. Simply put, IT’S NOT THAT SERIOUS!
The one question that I do have, is whether or not Updyke is an Alabama alum. It is bad enough that he did what he did, but if he did so strictly has a fan with no real ties to the University, that makes it even worse.
This story has led me to a suggestion for the ticket offices at all twelve SEC schools (except for maybe Vanderbilt). When you mail the season tickets to your fans each year, please include a pamphlet highlighting things to do in your town and the surrounding cities when football season is over. This should include such things as museums, theaters, various workshops and classes, and nice restaurants to visit. Basically things that could diversify the interests and hobbies of your fan-bases.
Also,
To the Auburn faithful, I am in no way making light of the love that you have for your campus and your famous landmark. But please stop leaving "Get Well Soon Signs" and flowers on the trees. THEY ARE TREES, they can't read, and I seriously doubt that the flowers are boosting thier spirits because THEY ARE TREES!
Being born and raised in the South, I realized early in my life that I was a minority. Not because of my race, but because I prefer the NFL over college football. In the mind of most of the people that I have encountered, that is absolute lunacy. Down here, college football is king, and nothing else matters (although NASCAR provides a nice way for some to pass the time until spring practice begins). Those of you reading this that are from non-SEC states may feel that I am exaggerating, but trust me, I am basing these statements on people I know or have interacted with personally. I once worked with a guy who would walk up to me daily and tell me whose colors I was wearing on a particular day. Needless to say, it would always be an SEC school. For instance, if I wore an orange shirt to work, he would say, “Why are you wearing that ugly Tennessee shirt today?” or if I happened to wear burgundy (or crimson), he would make a comment about his hatred for Alabama. I found this hilarious, especially considering the fact that he did not go to an SEC school. What amazes me even more is the fact that outside of Peyton Manning, the die-hard SEC fans rarely follow their favorite players once they move on to the NFL. It’s all about their favorite college team and the players that are currently there.
Although, I think it’s a little silly and have always gotten a kick out of watching the battle for fan supremacy in this region. I can honestly say that it is predominately good natured and light hearted banter between family, friends, or co-workers. That all changed earlier this week.
A lot of colleges have campuses have landmarks that are meaningful to its students, alumni, and the overall sense of community of the campus. On the Auburn campus, that place is Toomer’s Corner. This is where two 130 year old Oak trees reside that serve as the landmark for the celebration of all big football victories. This season, thanks largely to college football’s highest paid player, Auburn celebrated many big victories at this historic landmark. This season, the Auburn faithful managed to see a win over their hated rival (Alabama), a SEC championship win, and a win in the national championship game. Needless to say, Toomer’s Corner was the place to be this year.
Unfortunately for Auburn fans, it was also the place to be for Harvey Almorn Updyke Jr. Updyke is an Alabama fan who was arrested last week for poisoning the 130 year-old Live Oaks on Auburn’s campus with a lethal dose of herbicide. Updyke is no college kid playing a prank on the rival school. THIS MAN IS 62 YEARS OLD! The only thing related to this story that is stupider than a 62 year old man poisoning some trees, is how it was discovered that the poisoning occurred. Apparently Updyke was careful when he committed the crime, because he wasn’t caught in the act. Instead of simply getting away with it and watching the trees die a slow (and what would possibly appear to be a natural) death, this idiot called into the Paul Finebaum Radio Network (dedicated to almost exclusively to SEC sports, which is a brilliant idea) as “Al from Dadeville” to tell of the crime.
I am hoping that by making this phone call he wanted to get caught, because if he thought he would get to brag about this on syndicated radio (where all calls are recorded) and use a form of his real name (Al is short for his middle name of Almorn) and say where he really lives, he is even dumber than I originally thought that he was. Needless to say, the call was traced and he was arrested. He is and should be facing jail time for this crime, with a little bonus time for being a moron.
Just to further prove how intense the rivalry is between Auburn and Alabama, I found it interesting that after this event happened, Alabama immediately began guarding the Bear Bryant (he is Elvis to Alabama football fans) statue around the clock, to avoid what they felt would be retaliation on the part of Auburn fans.
To all of my fellow residents of the southeastern United States, let’s get a little perspective on life and college football’s place in it. It is a fun sport to watch and a nice diversion from real life for 3 or 4 hours each Saturday afternoon or evening in the fall, but it isn’t important enough to go to jail for. If you find yourself condoning the actions of Updyke, thinking about (or have thought about) committing a criminal act to hurt the rival of the school that you root for, or if you are not speaking to someone in your family simply because of their allegiance to another college football team, you should stop reading this blog and seek help immediately. Simply put, IT’S NOT THAT SERIOUS!
The one question that I do have, is whether or not Updyke is an Alabama alum. It is bad enough that he did what he did, but if he did so strictly has a fan with no real ties to the University, that makes it even worse.
This story has led me to a suggestion for the ticket offices at all twelve SEC schools (except for maybe Vanderbilt). When you mail the season tickets to your fans each year, please include a pamphlet highlighting things to do in your town and the surrounding cities when football season is over. This should include such things as museums, theaters, various workshops and classes, and nice restaurants to visit. Basically things that could diversify the interests and hobbies of your fan-bases.
Also,
To the Auburn faithful, I am in no way making light of the love that you have for your campus and your famous landmark. But please stop leaving "Get Well Soon Signs" and flowers on the trees. THEY ARE TREES, they can't read, and I seriously doubt that the flowers are boosting thier spirits because THEY ARE TREES!
Saturday, February 5, 2011
IT’S GAME TIME!
Is it just me, or does anyone else find it ironic that the city of Dallas is covered with a white powdery substance during the week when all of the world’s eyes are fixated on that city? Kind of reminds me of the Cowboy’s heyday in the early 90’s, when America’s eyes were also fixated on Dallas Texas and “America’s Team”. Shout out to Michael Irvin.
I must say that I am interested in how the NFL reacts to the terrible weather that is putting a damper on the usually festive mood that surrounds the Super Bowl each year. I am watching closely because I live in Atlanta, which has hosted two previous Super Bowls. However, our bid for a third has been repeatedly denied due in large part to an ice storm that took place in late January 2000. Never mind the fact that the game was actually played in a comfortable 72 degree dome (where all football should be played in my opinion), and that it had one of the most amazing endings in Super Bowl history, the NFL simply will not award another Super Bowl to my great city. Although I think the most important thing about Super Bowl week in the actual SUPER BOWL, there are obviously those who feel as though the partying and corporate schmoozing that goes on is more important than the actual game. To those people, I say enjoy the snow, while we real football fans (who largely can’t afford tickets) enjoy the actual game.
Now, what you all have been waiting for….
THE SUPER BOWL (Steelers vs. Packers) – This game will feature the #1 and #3 ranked defenses in the league this year. Logically, this would lead you to believe that this game will be a low scoring defensive slugfest. If you believe this, you are absolutely WRONG! While the defenses on both sides are extremely good, both of these quarterbacks are great, and great usually beats good where I’m from. This game will be an absolute track-meet with both teams scoring in the 30’s. Trying to pick a winner is this game will be like splitting hairs. In a way these teams are mirror images of each other, which will make for a highly entertaining game. Let’s take a look at some of the key positional matchups in this game:
Quarterback
Ben Roethlisberger v/s Aaron Rodgers - Ben Roethlisberger has proven to be the best clutch quarterback in the NFL today. A fact that has Steelers’ fans absolutely giddy about the possibility of winning a 7th Super Bowl. However, Green Bay’s Aaron Rodgers is quickly becoming THE BEST QUARTERBACK IN THE NFL! (I know that a lot of you won’t believe that I said that, considering the big football related man-crush that I have had on Peyton Manning, but I think that Rodgers is quickly surpassing him and all of the other usual suspects that are in that conversation). There was once a time when the Packer fan-base was split over Rodgers and a certain diva quarterback who wears #4 t-shirts in Wrangler commercials they way people were split over Michael Jackson and Prince in the 80’s. Looks like Rodgers has brought them all together to sing his praises in unison.
Running Back
No need to compare the running backs in this game because neither team will be able to run the ball, nor will they try very hard to establish the run. Look for both QB’s to throw for nearly 400 yards.
Wide Receiver
Mike Wallace is an absolute beast and is one of the five fastest players in the entire league, along with Chris Johnson, Devin Hester, DeSean Jackson, and…. Darius Heyward-Bey (one day when he actually catches a pass we will be able to see how fast he is with a football in his hands).
I know this isn’t comparing apples to apples and it is crossing sports, but who was the better draft pick, Darius Heyward-Bey (taken 7th overall by the Oakland Raiders when Michael Crabtree, Percy Harvin, Jeremy Maclin, Kenny Britt, and Hakeem Nicks were still available) or Marvin Williams (taken 2nd overall by the Atlanta Hawks when point guard was their obvious need and Chris Paul, Deron Williams, and Monte Ellis were all available).
I digress, I just love finding time to point out how terrible of a draft pick Marvin Williams was, and the fact that he has lived up to expectations by becoming a terrible NBA player (considering how high he was picked). By the way, Williams chimed in with a stellar 9 point effort Friday night (two below his career average of 11).
Sorry about that, but I had to vent. Now back to the regularly scheduled blog, already in progress….
Outside of Wallace, the Steelers’ receivers are rather pedestrian. Hines Ward is still a good player and a reliable third-down receiver, but he doesn’t scare anyone at this point in his career (actually I’m not sure if he ever did). Rodgers on the other-hand has the league’s best group of receivers at his disposal, which is led by Greg Jennings. Four of his receivers had 45 catches or more. This means that he can spread Pittsburgh’s defense out with four or even five receivers (that are legitimate threats), which will prove to be a huge advantage because the Steelers do not have four or five competent cornerbacks to cover this group. Look for both Jennings and James Jones to make a big play at some point during this game.
Defense
These are both hard-hitting and ridiculously athletic 3-4 defenses who run zone blitz schemes designed to confuse the quarterback by coming at him from every conceivable angle with players that they are not accustomed to seeing coming on a blitz. As a matter of fact these were the top two teams in the league this year at knocking the quarterback’s block off (the Steelers led the league with 48 sacks, and the Packers were second with 47). They were also second (Packers) and fifth (Steelers) in interceptions. As I stated earlier, conventional logic would suggest that these stats would lead to a low scoring defensive struggle, but as I also stated earlier, that will not be the case. However, this game will turn on a defensive play. One quarterback will make a big mistake that the defense will capitalize on. There will be a sack-fumble or a pick-six in this game that will make all of the difference. Many would assume that this play will be made by Troy Polamalu, James Harrison, Clay Matthews, or Charles Woodson. Those assumptions would be incorrect. The player that will make the Straight Cash Homey!!!! game-changing play of the game will be Green Bay cornerback Tramon Williams. This play will propel him to game MVP status (I bet you didn’t see that one coming).
The Bottom Line
This game will have everything that a football fan looks for in a Super Bowl, and for the fourth consecutive year, football fans will be treated to a phenomenal championship game. This will be the game in which the legend of Aaron Rodgers will begin to be built. Look for him to have a monster game and lead the Packers to victory.
My Prediction: Packers 38 – Steelers 31
One other thing….
I would be remised, if I didn’t give the proper credit to Jerry Jones and Roger Goddell for figuring out a way to take even more money from football crazed (and not all that intelligent) fans. They are giving people the opportunity to pay $200 per ticket (must purchase a minimum of four tickets) to stand outside of Cowboy’s Stadium and watch the game on HD televisions. That is absolutely foolish to me, but they are selling like crazy and even appearing on the secondary ticket market for around $330. Love or hate him, Jerry Jones is one brilliant businessman or should that be a Business, Man.
Also….
I usually don’t get into the Super Bowl commercials (I usually use that time to “refuel” with soft drinks of course), but I can’t wait to see what my little homey, the ETRADE baby comes up with this year. Those commercials are awesome!
I must say that I am interested in how the NFL reacts to the terrible weather that is putting a damper on the usually festive mood that surrounds the Super Bowl each year. I am watching closely because I live in Atlanta, which has hosted two previous Super Bowls. However, our bid for a third has been repeatedly denied due in large part to an ice storm that took place in late January 2000. Never mind the fact that the game was actually played in a comfortable 72 degree dome (where all football should be played in my opinion), and that it had one of the most amazing endings in Super Bowl history, the NFL simply will not award another Super Bowl to my great city. Although I think the most important thing about Super Bowl week in the actual SUPER BOWL, there are obviously those who feel as though the partying and corporate schmoozing that goes on is more important than the actual game. To those people, I say enjoy the snow, while we real football fans (who largely can’t afford tickets) enjoy the actual game.
Now, what you all have been waiting for….
THE SUPER BOWL (Steelers vs. Packers) – This game will feature the #1 and #3 ranked defenses in the league this year. Logically, this would lead you to believe that this game will be a low scoring defensive slugfest. If you believe this, you are absolutely WRONG! While the defenses on both sides are extremely good, both of these quarterbacks are great, and great usually beats good where I’m from. This game will be an absolute track-meet with both teams scoring in the 30’s. Trying to pick a winner is this game will be like splitting hairs. In a way these teams are mirror images of each other, which will make for a highly entertaining game. Let’s take a look at some of the key positional matchups in this game:
Quarterback
Ben Roethlisberger v/s Aaron Rodgers - Ben Roethlisberger has proven to be the best clutch quarterback in the NFL today. A fact that has Steelers’ fans absolutely giddy about the possibility of winning a 7th Super Bowl. However, Green Bay’s Aaron Rodgers is quickly becoming THE BEST QUARTERBACK IN THE NFL! (I know that a lot of you won’t believe that I said that, considering the big football related man-crush that I have had on Peyton Manning, but I think that Rodgers is quickly surpassing him and all of the other usual suspects that are in that conversation). There was once a time when the Packer fan-base was split over Rodgers and a certain diva quarterback who wears #4 t-shirts in Wrangler commercials they way people were split over Michael Jackson and Prince in the 80’s. Looks like Rodgers has brought them all together to sing his praises in unison.
Running Back
No need to compare the running backs in this game because neither team will be able to run the ball, nor will they try very hard to establish the run. Look for both QB’s to throw for nearly 400 yards.
Wide Receiver
Mike Wallace is an absolute beast and is one of the five fastest players in the entire league, along with Chris Johnson, Devin Hester, DeSean Jackson, and…. Darius Heyward-Bey (one day when he actually catches a pass we will be able to see how fast he is with a football in his hands).
I know this isn’t comparing apples to apples and it is crossing sports, but who was the better draft pick, Darius Heyward-Bey (taken 7th overall by the Oakland Raiders when Michael Crabtree, Percy Harvin, Jeremy Maclin, Kenny Britt, and Hakeem Nicks were still available) or Marvin Williams (taken 2nd overall by the Atlanta Hawks when point guard was their obvious need and Chris Paul, Deron Williams, and Monte Ellis were all available).
I digress, I just love finding time to point out how terrible of a draft pick Marvin Williams was, and the fact that he has lived up to expectations by becoming a terrible NBA player (considering how high he was picked). By the way, Williams chimed in with a stellar 9 point effort Friday night (two below his career average of 11).
Sorry about that, but I had to vent. Now back to the regularly scheduled blog, already in progress….
Outside of Wallace, the Steelers’ receivers are rather pedestrian. Hines Ward is still a good player and a reliable third-down receiver, but he doesn’t scare anyone at this point in his career (actually I’m not sure if he ever did). Rodgers on the other-hand has the league’s best group of receivers at his disposal, which is led by Greg Jennings. Four of his receivers had 45 catches or more. This means that he can spread Pittsburgh’s defense out with four or even five receivers (that are legitimate threats), which will prove to be a huge advantage because the Steelers do not have four or five competent cornerbacks to cover this group. Look for both Jennings and James Jones to make a big play at some point during this game.
Defense
These are both hard-hitting and ridiculously athletic 3-4 defenses who run zone blitz schemes designed to confuse the quarterback by coming at him from every conceivable angle with players that they are not accustomed to seeing coming on a blitz. As a matter of fact these were the top two teams in the league this year at knocking the quarterback’s block off (the Steelers led the league with 48 sacks, and the Packers were second with 47). They were also second (Packers) and fifth (Steelers) in interceptions. As I stated earlier, conventional logic would suggest that these stats would lead to a low scoring defensive struggle, but as I also stated earlier, that will not be the case. However, this game will turn on a defensive play. One quarterback will make a big mistake that the defense will capitalize on. There will be a sack-fumble or a pick-six in this game that will make all of the difference. Many would assume that this play will be made by Troy Polamalu, James Harrison, Clay Matthews, or Charles Woodson. Those assumptions would be incorrect. The player that will make the Straight Cash Homey!!!! game-changing play of the game will be Green Bay cornerback Tramon Williams. This play will propel him to game MVP status (I bet you didn’t see that one coming).
The Bottom Line
This game will have everything that a football fan looks for in a Super Bowl, and for the fourth consecutive year, football fans will be treated to a phenomenal championship game. This will be the game in which the legend of Aaron Rodgers will begin to be built. Look for him to have a monster game and lead the Packers to victory.
My Prediction: Packers 38 – Steelers 31
One other thing….
I would be remised, if I didn’t give the proper credit to Jerry Jones and Roger Goddell for figuring out a way to take even more money from football crazed (and not all that intelligent) fans. They are giving people the opportunity to pay $200 per ticket (must purchase a minimum of four tickets) to stand outside of Cowboy’s Stadium and watch the game on HD televisions. That is absolutely foolish to me, but they are selling like crazy and even appearing on the secondary ticket market for around $330. Love or hate him, Jerry Jones is one brilliant businessman or should that be a Business, Man.
Also….
I usually don’t get into the Super Bowl commercials (I usually use that time to “refuel” with soft drinks of course), but I can’t wait to see what my little homey, the ETRADE baby comes up with this year. Those commercials are awesome!
Sunday, January 23, 2011
PLAYOFF PREDICTIONS (CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP WEEK)
What’s up, it’s your boi Carlos checking in, a.k.a. C-Lo, a.k.a. Straight Cash Homey, representing Eastside ATL, Decatur. One time for my folks out in the DEC, and shout to my people all over the “A”.
Ok, that was my ridiculous rap intro. I’ve always wondered why rappers have to introduce themselves in such “ludacris” way every time someone puts and microphone in their face. Just once, I would love to see/hear an interview with a rapper when he simply introduces himself as Jeff.
I digress….
Now for the real reason we are here. It is time to tell you who I feel will win today’s games and receive a trip to Dallas to play in the game that Jerry Jones was sure his team would be in when the season started. Well, HE IS hosting the game, it’s just to bad that his players will have to buy tickets.
Without further ado, my picks are as follows:
My message to you is the same as it was last week, for those of you who aren’t scared, feel free to post your picks in the comments section of this blog.
NFC Championship Game (Packers at Bears) – First of all, I would like to correct all of the commentators who have been calling this the best rivalry in the NFL. That is not a true statement. While it may in fact be the oldest rivalry in the NFL, it is far from the best. In all actuality, it’s not even one of the best. The fact that today’s game is only the SECOND time they have ever met in the playoffs, proves my point. For it to be a great rivalry, the teams must play in meaningful games. Unfortunately, these two teams have rarely played in meaningful games because they have never really been good at the same time. While the rivalry may be intense in their region and between the fans of the two teams (just as the Saints and Falcons are between the two respective cities), doesn’t mean that it is one of the best and most intense rivalries in the entire league. The two best rivalries in the NFL today are Colts – Patriots and Steelers – Ravens. In years past, Cowboys – 49ers and Steelers – Raiders have also been intense rivalries. The Packers and Bears don’t come close to these on any level.
Now to today's game. This will be a hard-hitting game that will remind you of the Steelers – Ravens game in last year’s playoffs (just the hitting, not the closeness of the game). I don’t think neither team will really be able to run the football against the opposing defense. In general, I feel as though the team with the best combination of quarterback, offensive line, and defense usually wins football games. Looking at this matchup, I give the Packers a big advantage in the quarterback comparison, and a small edge in the offensive line comparison. I think the defenses are about even, although they play completely different styles. They are both extremely good at what they do. That being said, look for Jay Cutler to have a Brett Favre type of performance (not the good Brett Favre) and literally throw the game away. I fully expect the Packers to return at least one interception for a touchdown.
Also, I have a quick word of advice for Green Bay Coach Mike McCarthy:
That guy that wears #23 for the Bears and serves as their kick/punt returner is pretty good. As a matter of fact he is the best kick returner in the entire 90 year history of the league, and HE HAS ONLY PLAYED FOUR YEARS! Therefore, if you plan on winning this game, you may want to consider NOT KICKING THE BALL TO HIM!
My Prediction (if McCarthy follows my advice): Packers 24 – Bears 10
AFC Championship Game (Jets at Steelers) – This should be an excellent football game. Both teams have tremendously strong defenses, solid running games, and a game-breaking receiver (Santonio Holmes and Mike Wallace). Mark my words, both quarterbacks will definitely be sacked multiple times this evening. You have James Harrison, Lamar Woodley, and Troy Polamalu wreaking havoc for the Steelers and the Jets will counter with a fierce front-seven in their own right that will be supported by the fact that Darrelle Revis and Antonio Cromartie have the ability to cover opposing receivers all alone without any help from the safeties, which allows Rex to dial-up as many exotic blitzes as his imagination can come up with. Now that the lights are at their brightest, I expect two things to happen in this game, Troy Polamalu will MAKE a big play for the Steelers on defense, and Braylon Edwards will BLOW a big play for the Jets on defense.
Therefore, I would like to tell all of the fathers of 18 – 20 year old girls in Milledgeville, GA to relax because Big Ben is going to the Super Bowl, so it will be at least two more weeks before he will be in your town to spend his off-season.
My Prediction: Steelers 17 – Jets 14
Ok, that was my ridiculous rap intro. I’ve always wondered why rappers have to introduce themselves in such “ludacris” way every time someone puts and microphone in their face. Just once, I would love to see/hear an interview with a rapper when he simply introduces himself as Jeff.
I digress….
Now for the real reason we are here. It is time to tell you who I feel will win today’s games and receive a trip to Dallas to play in the game that Jerry Jones was sure his team would be in when the season started. Well, HE IS hosting the game, it’s just to bad that his players will have to buy tickets.
Without further ado, my picks are as follows:
My message to you is the same as it was last week, for those of you who aren’t scared, feel free to post your picks in the comments section of this blog.
NFC Championship Game (Packers at Bears) – First of all, I would like to correct all of the commentators who have been calling this the best rivalry in the NFL. That is not a true statement. While it may in fact be the oldest rivalry in the NFL, it is far from the best. In all actuality, it’s not even one of the best. The fact that today’s game is only the SECOND time they have ever met in the playoffs, proves my point. For it to be a great rivalry, the teams must play in meaningful games. Unfortunately, these two teams have rarely played in meaningful games because they have never really been good at the same time. While the rivalry may be intense in their region and between the fans of the two teams (just as the Saints and Falcons are between the two respective cities), doesn’t mean that it is one of the best and most intense rivalries in the entire league. The two best rivalries in the NFL today are Colts – Patriots and Steelers – Ravens. In years past, Cowboys – 49ers and Steelers – Raiders have also been intense rivalries. The Packers and Bears don’t come close to these on any level.
Now to today's game. This will be a hard-hitting game that will remind you of the Steelers – Ravens game in last year’s playoffs (just the hitting, not the closeness of the game). I don’t think neither team will really be able to run the football against the opposing defense. In general, I feel as though the team with the best combination of quarterback, offensive line, and defense usually wins football games. Looking at this matchup, I give the Packers a big advantage in the quarterback comparison, and a small edge in the offensive line comparison. I think the defenses are about even, although they play completely different styles. They are both extremely good at what they do. That being said, look for Jay Cutler to have a Brett Favre type of performance (not the good Brett Favre) and literally throw the game away. I fully expect the Packers to return at least one interception for a touchdown.
Also, I have a quick word of advice for Green Bay Coach Mike McCarthy:
That guy that wears #23 for the Bears and serves as their kick/punt returner is pretty good. As a matter of fact he is the best kick returner in the entire 90 year history of the league, and HE HAS ONLY PLAYED FOUR YEARS! Therefore, if you plan on winning this game, you may want to consider NOT KICKING THE BALL TO HIM!
My Prediction (if McCarthy follows my advice): Packers 24 – Bears 10
AFC Championship Game (Jets at Steelers) – This should be an excellent football game. Both teams have tremendously strong defenses, solid running games, and a game-breaking receiver (Santonio Holmes and Mike Wallace). Mark my words, both quarterbacks will definitely be sacked multiple times this evening. You have James Harrison, Lamar Woodley, and Troy Polamalu wreaking havoc for the Steelers and the Jets will counter with a fierce front-seven in their own right that will be supported by the fact that Darrelle Revis and Antonio Cromartie have the ability to cover opposing receivers all alone without any help from the safeties, which allows Rex to dial-up as many exotic blitzes as his imagination can come up with. Now that the lights are at their brightest, I expect two things to happen in this game, Troy Polamalu will MAKE a big play for the Steelers on defense, and Braylon Edwards will BLOW a big play for the Jets on defense.
Therefore, I would like to tell all of the fathers of 18 – 20 year old girls in Milledgeville, GA to relax because Big Ben is going to the Super Bowl, so it will be at least two more weeks before he will be in your town to spend his off-season.
My Prediction: Steelers 17 – Jets 14
Saturday, January 15, 2011
PLAYOFF PREDICTIONS (WEEK 2)
Last week my record was 2-2, which is not bad. It isn’t necessarily good either. I was David Garrard, who is in my opinion the very definition of an average NFL quarterback. Good enough to keep his team from replacing him, but not good enough to ever really win anything. This is a new week, and this week I will elevate my game from David Garrard to Aaron Rodgers. That being said, I present to you my picks for the second round of the NFL playoffs.
My message to you is the same as it was last week, for those of you who aren’t scared, feel free to post your picks in the comments section of this blog.
Best Rivalry in the NFL (Ravens at Steelers) – I say it every time that they meet and it still applies, the team with the most people alive at the end of four quarters will win this football game. For those who love defensive football (not bad offensive football, but really good defensive football), THIS IS THE GAME FOR YOU! Nothing will be cheap. Every yard will be hard fought, and the hits will be vicious. These are two teams that play the game with bad intentions, which is what I love to see. That being said, this will be a tremendously low scoring game that will be decided on the final possession. These teams are so evenly matched, that one turnover will decide who goes on to face the (SPOILER ALERT!) Patriots in the AFC Championship Game and who comes over to my house and watches it with me. This game will also feature to two sure-fire Hall of Fame safeties, one of which will make a big play at some point during this game. I am picking the Ravens to win this game for one simple reason, their defensive line is better than Pittsburgh’s offensive line. This game will be decided in the trenches, and I don’t believe that Pittsburgh has an answer for Haloti Ngata and Terrance Cody, otherwise known as the 700 lbs. of beef that happen to be the defensive tackles for the Ravens.
My Prediction: Ravens 10 – Steelers 6
Foot in Mouth Bowl (Jets at Patriots) – This title can apply to both Rex Ryan (if you don’t know what I am referring to, look it up) or Antonio Cromartie. Cromartie had a lot to say about Tom Brady this week. I commend his brashness and confidence. I just hope for the sake of ALL of his kids watching at home that he can back up those words. Although Cromartie is an excellent corner in his own right, he plays opposite Darrelle Revis, which means that he will see plenty of action coming in his direction. Let me re-phrase that: He will have plenty of opportunities to make Brady look bad. You can also read that sentence as: He will have plenty of opportunities for Brady to make him look like a fool. Although this game will be closer that the 45 – 3 beat down the Patriots gave the Jets in Week 13, I really don’t expect this one to be very competitive.
My Prediction: Patriots 30 – Jets 14
The Joyride is Over (Seahawks at Bears) – Ok, I along with everyone else in the free world got the Seahawks – Saints game wrong last week. Thanks to the best single run I have ever seen in my entire life (by Marshawn Lynch, see video below), and a terrible effort by the unit that allegedly plays defense for the Saints, the Seahawks were able to pull off the huge upset. That being said, the Bears defense will be slightly better that the Saints defense (by slightly better, I mean the difference between Michael Jordan and Craig Ehlo). I know that the Seahawks beat the Bears in Chicago earlier this season, but that was a totally different Bears team. Once again, I am counting the Seahawks out by picking the Bears to win big and I dare them to prove me wrong again.
My Prediction: Bears 23 – Seahawks 7
Game of the Week (Packers at Falcons) – The Ravens and Steelers may be the best rivalry in the NFL, but this will be the best matchup of the weekend. This will be a beautiful game to watch. You have two high-flying offenses that can light up the scoreboard going head to head in perfect football weather, 72 degrees with no chance of precipitation. The Packers have already played a thriller against the Falcons at the Georgia Dome this season. In that game Atlanta narrowly escaped with a three point victory. However, I do not see that being the case this week. As I stated last week, the winner of Eagles – Packers game will be the NFC representative in the Super Bowl. The Packers won that game, therefore (SPOILER ALERT!) I will be picking them throughout the NFC playoffs. Aaron Rodgers is an absolute baller, and he will be too good to be denied on Saturday night.
My Prediction: Packers 28 – Falcons 24
My message to you is the same as it was last week, for those of you who aren’t scared, feel free to post your picks in the comments section of this blog.
Best Rivalry in the NFL (Ravens at Steelers) – I say it every time that they meet and it still applies, the team with the most people alive at the end of four quarters will win this football game. For those who love defensive football (not bad offensive football, but really good defensive football), THIS IS THE GAME FOR YOU! Nothing will be cheap. Every yard will be hard fought, and the hits will be vicious. These are two teams that play the game with bad intentions, which is what I love to see. That being said, this will be a tremendously low scoring game that will be decided on the final possession. These teams are so evenly matched, that one turnover will decide who goes on to face the (SPOILER ALERT!) Patriots in the AFC Championship Game and who comes over to my house and watches it with me. This game will also feature to two sure-fire Hall of Fame safeties, one of which will make a big play at some point during this game. I am picking the Ravens to win this game for one simple reason, their defensive line is better than Pittsburgh’s offensive line. This game will be decided in the trenches, and I don’t believe that Pittsburgh has an answer for Haloti Ngata and Terrance Cody, otherwise known as the 700 lbs. of beef that happen to be the defensive tackles for the Ravens.
My Prediction: Ravens 10 – Steelers 6
Foot in Mouth Bowl (Jets at Patriots) – This title can apply to both Rex Ryan (if you don’t know what I am referring to, look it up) or Antonio Cromartie. Cromartie had a lot to say about Tom Brady this week. I commend his brashness and confidence. I just hope for the sake of ALL of his kids watching at home that he can back up those words. Although Cromartie is an excellent corner in his own right, he plays opposite Darrelle Revis, which means that he will see plenty of action coming in his direction. Let me re-phrase that: He will have plenty of opportunities to make Brady look bad. You can also read that sentence as: He will have plenty of opportunities for Brady to make him look like a fool. Although this game will be closer that the 45 – 3 beat down the Patriots gave the Jets in Week 13, I really don’t expect this one to be very competitive.
My Prediction: Patriots 30 – Jets 14
The Joyride is Over (Seahawks at Bears) – Ok, I along with everyone else in the free world got the Seahawks – Saints game wrong last week. Thanks to the best single run I have ever seen in my entire life (by Marshawn Lynch, see video below), and a terrible effort by the unit that allegedly plays defense for the Saints, the Seahawks were able to pull off the huge upset. That being said, the Bears defense will be slightly better that the Saints defense (by slightly better, I mean the difference between Michael Jordan and Craig Ehlo). I know that the Seahawks beat the Bears in Chicago earlier this season, but that was a totally different Bears team. Once again, I am counting the Seahawks out by picking the Bears to win big and I dare them to prove me wrong again.
My Prediction: Bears 23 – Seahawks 7
Game of the Week (Packers at Falcons) – The Ravens and Steelers may be the best rivalry in the NFL, but this will be the best matchup of the weekend. This will be a beautiful game to watch. You have two high-flying offenses that can light up the scoreboard going head to head in perfect football weather, 72 degrees with no chance of precipitation. The Packers have already played a thriller against the Falcons at the Georgia Dome this season. In that game Atlanta narrowly escaped with a three point victory. However, I do not see that being the case this week. As I stated last week, the winner of Eagles – Packers game will be the NFC representative in the Super Bowl. The Packers won that game, therefore (SPOILER ALERT!) I will be picking them throughout the NFC playoffs. Aaron Rodgers is an absolute baller, and he will be too good to be denied on Saturday night.
My Prediction: Packers 28 – Falcons 24
Saturday, January 8, 2011
PLAYOFF PREDICTIONS (WEEK 1)
Those who know me know that my favorite sport is professional football (NFL, not UFL), and that my favorite time of year is when the playoffs begin. Well boys and girls, the playoffs begin later today, so consider me a HAPPY MAN! We are officially 29 days away from the Super Bowl, and judging by most of the playoff teams, we should get a good one this year (except if somehow there is a Chiefs vs. Seahawks matchup). That being said, the twelve remaining teams have a long journey to navigate if they expect to be playing in the castle that Jerry built in 29 days. That journey begins today, and I will do my best to guide you there, beginning with my PLAYOFF PREDICTIONS (WEEK 1 EDITION).
If you aren’t scared, feel free to add yours in the comment section below this entry.
Girlfriend/Wife Special (Saints at Seahawks) – Ladies, if you want to spend time with your boyfriend/husband on Saturday, feel free to occupy their time until 8pm. That is when the playoffs officially begin. Although they may try to tell you (as I will my wife) that the 4:30 pm game is important also. If they do, feel free to call them a liar. I know that Seattle is one of the toughest places to play a road game in the NFL, but this might be the most lopsided playoff game in recent memory. I am giving the Seahawks NO CHANCE in this game, and it won’t even be close. As a matter of fact, I think the Saints went up by a touchdown as soon as their plane touched down in Seattle.
My Prediction: Saints 31 – Seahawks 10
Front Row vs. Back Row (Jets at Colts) – This matchup reminds me of high school. We will get a chance to see a rematch of last year’s AFC Championship Game, when the kids who always sat in the front of the classroom (Colts led by Peyton Manning) will face off against the dumb loudmouth disruptive kids that sat in the back of the class (Jets led by Rex Ryan). That being said, it should be a highly entertaining and well played game. This game will be a true test of wills between the Colts (peaking at the right time) offense and the Jets (not as good as they think they are) defense. This one will be close and a lot of fun, so fellas, put your foot down and make sure that your lady knows that 8pm Saturday night is football time. If you end up watching The Notebook instead of this game, scan you man card into your computer and email it to me at the address shown at the top of this page.
My Prediction: Colts 24 – Jets 20
Thunder vs. Lightning (Ravens at Chiefs) – What happens when the league’s best rush offense plays host to the league’s fifth-best run defense in a playoff game? I don’t know thE answer to that question right now, but I will know after the 1pm game on Sunday. This game will be strength versus strength, because the Ravens’ hard hitting defense (thunder) simply don’t let you run the ball, while Kansas City’s offense (lightning) lives by the running game. As I see it, the only way to beat the Ravens is to exploit their below average corners in the passing game (but throw at your own risk because Reed is back behind those weak corners). However, I doubt that Kansas City’s 30th ranked passing game will be able to accomplish this feat. Although Kansas City is another ridiculously difficult place to play on the road, I think that the Ravens’ been here before attitude and road warrior mentality (they are 6 – 3 on the road in the playoffs since 2000) will overpower the young, inexperienced Chiefs who will be playing their first playoff game since 2006.
My Prediction: Ravens 21 – Chiefs 10
WHY DID THEY HAVE TO PLAY IN THE FIRST ROUND?! (Packers at Eagles) – Whether my prediction for this game is right or wrong, I feel as though the winner of this game will be the NFC representative in the Super Bowl. That being said, I must admit that this is the hardest game of the weekend to pick (and the reason that I am writing this blog entry so darn late). As a matter of fact, I came extremely close to not picking this game, and just saying that it was too difficult to choose a winner. For those reading this who know me personally, you know that is simply not my style. To pick this game, I had to look beyond the superficial Vick vs. Rodgers talk, and really dive into the match-ups. This is where I discovered my pick to win this game. While both teams will certainly light up the scoreboard, because there will be big play threats all over the field in Vick, Jackson, Maclin, and McCoy for the Eagles and Rodgers, Jennings, and Driver for the Packers, the difference in this game lies on the defensive side of the football. Although, the Eagles defense is a pretty good unit and has played extremely well at times this season, in my opinion the Packers defense is much better. Although Vick has proven time and time again that he can be unstoppable, the Packers defense has as good a chance as any to prevent him from scoring on every possession. He definitely won’t look like he did against Washington in that video game played earlier this season. The bottom line is that the offensive skill players in the game are ridiculous and the quarterbacks are two of the best in the business. However, I like Aaron Rodgers against the Eagles defense slightly better than I like Vick against the likes of Clay Mathews, Charles Woodson, and Nick Collins. Don’t miss this one, it will be a shootout. If you are a fan of Big 10 football and enjoy watching three yards and a cloud of dust, this is not the game for you.
My Prediction: Packers 38 – Eagles 35
Tune in next week for PLAYOFF PREDICTIONS (WEEK 2)….
If you aren’t scared, feel free to add yours in the comment section below this entry.
Girlfriend/Wife Special (Saints at Seahawks) – Ladies, if you want to spend time with your boyfriend/husband on Saturday, feel free to occupy their time until 8pm. That is when the playoffs officially begin. Although they may try to tell you (as I will my wife) that the 4:30 pm game is important also. If they do, feel free to call them a liar. I know that Seattle is one of the toughest places to play a road game in the NFL, but this might be the most lopsided playoff game in recent memory. I am giving the Seahawks NO CHANCE in this game, and it won’t even be close. As a matter of fact, I think the Saints went up by a touchdown as soon as their plane touched down in Seattle.
My Prediction: Saints 31 – Seahawks 10
Front Row vs. Back Row (Jets at Colts) – This matchup reminds me of high school. We will get a chance to see a rematch of last year’s AFC Championship Game, when the kids who always sat in the front of the classroom (Colts led by Peyton Manning) will face off against the dumb loudmouth disruptive kids that sat in the back of the class (Jets led by Rex Ryan). That being said, it should be a highly entertaining and well played game. This game will be a true test of wills between the Colts (peaking at the right time) offense and the Jets (not as good as they think they are) defense. This one will be close and a lot of fun, so fellas, put your foot down and make sure that your lady knows that 8pm Saturday night is football time. If you end up watching The Notebook instead of this game, scan you man card into your computer and email it to me at the address shown at the top of this page.
My Prediction: Colts 24 – Jets 20
Thunder vs. Lightning (Ravens at Chiefs) – What happens when the league’s best rush offense plays host to the league’s fifth-best run defense in a playoff game? I don’t know thE answer to that question right now, but I will know after the 1pm game on Sunday. This game will be strength versus strength, because the Ravens’ hard hitting defense (thunder) simply don’t let you run the ball, while Kansas City’s offense (lightning) lives by the running game. As I see it, the only way to beat the Ravens is to exploit their below average corners in the passing game (but throw at your own risk because Reed is back behind those weak corners). However, I doubt that Kansas City’s 30th ranked passing game will be able to accomplish this feat. Although Kansas City is another ridiculously difficult place to play on the road, I think that the Ravens’ been here before attitude and road warrior mentality (they are 6 – 3 on the road in the playoffs since 2000) will overpower the young, inexperienced Chiefs who will be playing their first playoff game since 2006.
My Prediction: Ravens 21 – Chiefs 10
WHY DID THEY HAVE TO PLAY IN THE FIRST ROUND?! (Packers at Eagles) – Whether my prediction for this game is right or wrong, I feel as though the winner of this game will be the NFC representative in the Super Bowl. That being said, I must admit that this is the hardest game of the weekend to pick (and the reason that I am writing this blog entry so darn late). As a matter of fact, I came extremely close to not picking this game, and just saying that it was too difficult to choose a winner. For those reading this who know me personally, you know that is simply not my style. To pick this game, I had to look beyond the superficial Vick vs. Rodgers talk, and really dive into the match-ups. This is where I discovered my pick to win this game. While both teams will certainly light up the scoreboard, because there will be big play threats all over the field in Vick, Jackson, Maclin, and McCoy for the Eagles and Rodgers, Jennings, and Driver for the Packers, the difference in this game lies on the defensive side of the football. Although, the Eagles defense is a pretty good unit and has played extremely well at times this season, in my opinion the Packers defense is much better. Although Vick has proven time and time again that he can be unstoppable, the Packers defense has as good a chance as any to prevent him from scoring on every possession. He definitely won’t look like he did against Washington in that video game played earlier this season. The bottom line is that the offensive skill players in the game are ridiculous and the quarterbacks are two of the best in the business. However, I like Aaron Rodgers against the Eagles defense slightly better than I like Vick against the likes of Clay Mathews, Charles Woodson, and Nick Collins. Don’t miss this one, it will be a shootout. If you are a fan of Big 10 football and enjoy watching three yards and a cloud of dust, this is not the game for you.
My Prediction: Packers 38 – Eagles 35
Tune in next week for PLAYOFF PREDICTIONS (WEEK 2)….
Sunday, January 2, 2011
AND THE WINNER IS….
If you ask NFL players why they put their well-beings on the line week after week to play such a violent game, I am sure that you will receive a variety of answers. Some would say that they play simply for the love of the game (which I don’t entirely believe in most cases), some would say that they are playing for the money (which I mostly believe), and the really honest ones would simply say that they play in hopes to win one of STRAIGHT CASH HOMEY’s YEAR END AWARDS (which I completely believe).
Now, to makes some players efforts worth all of the hard work and sacrifice, I present to you they STRAIGHT CASH HOMEY!!!! 2010-2011 NFL AWARDS.
MVP – Tom Brady (QB, New England Patriots)
This was a neck and neck race until last week when Michael Vick and his Eagle teammates decided to lay an egg. Brady has been brilliant this year. His season stats at the press time (3rd quarter of his game vs. Miami) are simply amazing. He has completed 66% of his passes for 3,701 yards, with 34 touchdowns and only 4 interceptions. Vick was more exciting this year, and could have won it with a strong performance last week, but Brady has just been consistently too good this year to be denied.
Coach of the Year – Raheem Morris (Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
There were plenty of candidates for this award as well. Bill Belichick was masterful in leading the Patriots to the best record in the AFC (sans Randy Moss), Mike Smith has the Falcons playing better than anyone could’ve ever imagined, and Lovie Smith has completely turned the Bears around. While they are all worthy candidates, none of their accomplishments come close to Raheem leading the Bucs to nine or ten wins (depending on the outcome of their game with the Saints, which is currently being played). When he took the job, everyone assumed that he was just a cheap placeholder until ownership decides to pay attention to their NFL team again (they also own the Manchester United soccer team), but he has proven that he indeed has the “Juice” and is one of the bright rising stars in this league, thus earning my Coach of the Year award.
Offensive Player of the Year – Michael Vick (QB, Philadelphia Eagles)
While Brady may be the MVP, Vick has proven to be an unstoppable offensive force. He has been nothing short of incredible this season. Honestly, he won this award when he decided to play Super Tecmo Bowl against the Redskins on Monday Night Football earlier this season. I decided then and there that he would be my Offensive Player of the Year, and he or anyone else for that matter, has done anything to change my mind.
Defensive Player of the Year – Ed Reed (S, Baltimore Ravens)
I know that this will be controversial since he missed the first six games of the season after hip surgery. However, since he started playing in Week 7, he leads the NFL in interceptions with 8, and he also leads the league in interception return yards with 183 yards. Did I mention that HE DIDN’T PLAY THE FIRST 6 GAMES OF THE SEASON! Honorable mention goes to two other defenders who also had great seasons, Troy Polamalu and Clay Mathews.
Offensive Rookie of the Year – LaGarrette Blount (RB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
The easy choice here would be Sam Bradford, who will probably win it because he plays QB and he was the #1 pick of the draft. However, this knockout artist has proven to be a driving force behind the Buccaneers’ success this year. He can eclipse 1,000 rushing yards for the season with a strong showing today against the Saints. This is amazing considering that he has only played in 12 games and only had 6 starts. He is also averaging 5.2 yards per carry (the gold standard is 4.0) and has 6 touchdowns entering today’s action. He has been an absolute beast, and if this football thing doesn’t work out, I see boxing or MMA in his future.
Defensive Rookie of the Year – Ndamukong Suh (DT, Detroit Lions)
This should be UNANIMOUS! Honestly, I don’t know who could possibly come in second place. Suh has nine sacks, PLAYING DEFENSIVE TACKLE! He is an absolute beast and plays football the way it should be played, WITH BAD INTENTIONS! If anyone questions whether or not he is a great player, they should consider this one fact: No one mispronounces his name! Only truly great players with difficult names, have them universally pronounced correctly.
Comeback Player of the Year – Michael Vick (QB, Philadelphia Eagles)
Do I really need to explain this one?
BALLER: Joe Webb (Minnesota Vikings) – Have the Vikings found a QB for next season? I know the sample size is small, but Webb was phenomenal in his first NFL start against the Eagles last week. Webb passed for 195 yards with 0 interceptions and rushed for 31 yards and a touchdown. Not bad for a rookie in his first start, playing against a good defense.
SCRUB: Mike Haywood (FORMER Head Coach at the University of Pittsburgh) – What an idiot. There are already only a small handful of black Division 1 football head coaches (twelve, I believe), thanks a lot for making that number even smaller. Your dumb a$$ decided to celebrate your new job by beating the mother of your child, what an idiot. You don’t deserve to be a leader of young men. I hope that you will learn from this incident, and never put your hands on a woman again. In the meantime, I would like to thank you for being counter-productive to the fight for racial equality on the college football sidelines.
Now, to makes some players efforts worth all of the hard work and sacrifice, I present to you they STRAIGHT CASH HOMEY!!!! 2010-2011 NFL AWARDS.
MVP – Tom Brady (QB, New England Patriots)
This was a neck and neck race until last week when Michael Vick and his Eagle teammates decided to lay an egg. Brady has been brilliant this year. His season stats at the press time (3rd quarter of his game vs. Miami) are simply amazing. He has completed 66% of his passes for 3,701 yards, with 34 touchdowns and only 4 interceptions. Vick was more exciting this year, and could have won it with a strong performance last week, but Brady has just been consistently too good this year to be denied.
Coach of the Year – Raheem Morris (Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
There were plenty of candidates for this award as well. Bill Belichick was masterful in leading the Patriots to the best record in the AFC (sans Randy Moss), Mike Smith has the Falcons playing better than anyone could’ve ever imagined, and Lovie Smith has completely turned the Bears around. While they are all worthy candidates, none of their accomplishments come close to Raheem leading the Bucs to nine or ten wins (depending on the outcome of their game with the Saints, which is currently being played). When he took the job, everyone assumed that he was just a cheap placeholder until ownership decides to pay attention to their NFL team again (they also own the Manchester United soccer team), but he has proven that he indeed has the “Juice” and is one of the bright rising stars in this league, thus earning my Coach of the Year award.
Offensive Player of the Year – Michael Vick (QB, Philadelphia Eagles)
While Brady may be the MVP, Vick has proven to be an unstoppable offensive force. He has been nothing short of incredible this season. Honestly, he won this award when he decided to play Super Tecmo Bowl against the Redskins on Monday Night Football earlier this season. I decided then and there that he would be my Offensive Player of the Year, and he or anyone else for that matter, has done anything to change my mind.
Defensive Player of the Year – Ed Reed (S, Baltimore Ravens)
I know that this will be controversial since he missed the first six games of the season after hip surgery. However, since he started playing in Week 7, he leads the NFL in interceptions with 8, and he also leads the league in interception return yards with 183 yards. Did I mention that HE DIDN’T PLAY THE FIRST 6 GAMES OF THE SEASON! Honorable mention goes to two other defenders who also had great seasons, Troy Polamalu and Clay Mathews.
Offensive Rookie of the Year – LaGarrette Blount (RB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
The easy choice here would be Sam Bradford, who will probably win it because he plays QB and he was the #1 pick of the draft. However, this knockout artist has proven to be a driving force behind the Buccaneers’ success this year. He can eclipse 1,000 rushing yards for the season with a strong showing today against the Saints. This is amazing considering that he has only played in 12 games and only had 6 starts. He is also averaging 5.2 yards per carry (the gold standard is 4.0) and has 6 touchdowns entering today’s action. He has been an absolute beast, and if this football thing doesn’t work out, I see boxing or MMA in his future.
Defensive Rookie of the Year – Ndamukong Suh (DT, Detroit Lions)
This should be UNANIMOUS! Honestly, I don’t know who could possibly come in second place. Suh has nine sacks, PLAYING DEFENSIVE TACKLE! He is an absolute beast and plays football the way it should be played, WITH BAD INTENTIONS! If anyone questions whether or not he is a great player, they should consider this one fact: No one mispronounces his name! Only truly great players with difficult names, have them universally pronounced correctly.
Comeback Player of the Year – Michael Vick (QB, Philadelphia Eagles)
Do I really need to explain this one?
BALLER: Joe Webb (Minnesota Vikings) – Have the Vikings found a QB for next season? I know the sample size is small, but Webb was phenomenal in his first NFL start against the Eagles last week. Webb passed for 195 yards with 0 interceptions and rushed for 31 yards and a touchdown. Not bad for a rookie in his first start, playing against a good defense.
SCRUB: Mike Haywood (FORMER Head Coach at the University of Pittsburgh) – What an idiot. There are already only a small handful of black Division 1 football head coaches (twelve, I believe), thanks a lot for making that number even smaller. Your dumb a$$ decided to celebrate your new job by beating the mother of your child, what an idiot. You don’t deserve to be a leader of young men. I hope that you will learn from this incident, and never put your hands on a woman again. In the meantime, I would like to thank you for being counter-productive to the fight for racial equality on the college football sidelines.
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