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
Sunday, January 23, 2011
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.
Monday, December 27, 2010
THE MYTHICAL BOOK
Can someone please show me the official NCAA rulebook? If you have a copy, please send it to me. I will even send you a self-addressed, pre-paid, Fed-Ex envelope in which to send it. I challenge anyone to produce this document, because I simply don’t believe that it exists. Until I see this book with my own eyes I will believe that the National Committee of Asinine Administrators are simple making up the rules as they go along, with a focus on accommodating the growth of their pocket books and the well-being of their highest revenue generating member institutions.
It’s no secret that I hate the NCAA, and would like nothing more than to see this hypocritical organization broken up like the $710 million revenue generating monopoly that they are. (This $710 million figure is according to THEIR 2009-2010 revenue budget), so FORGIVE ME FOR THINKING THAT THEY ARE NOT REPORTING EVERYTHING AND THAT THIS NUMBER IS INDEED UNDERSTATED!
I know that I may sound like the Mad Blogger right now (I keep hearing a voice in the back of my head shouting “tell’em why you mad son”), but the NCAA’s handling of the most recent incident at The University of Ohio State (at least that's what Pryor thinks that school is called) is absolutely ridiculous. Everyone outside of Auburn, Alabama should be mad as hell at this farce of a punishment that was given out to the NCAA darlings that reside in Columbus Ohio. Auburn fans, just keep your mouth shut on this one because you all are currently getting away with things that would make former SMU boosters proud (Cam Newton may be the highest paid state employee in Alabama).
Apparently four prominent (and six total) Buckeye football players (and allegedly student-athletes) have been found by the NCAA to have accepted improper benefits. These benefits were the proceeds that the players made by selling championship rings, jerseys, and other awards for cash. While I disagree with 90% of NCAA rules, I do believe that these stupid rules should be enforced fairly and evenly throughout all of their member institutions. This means that if players at two different schools violate an NCAA rule, they should be subject to the same punishment. This is obviously not the case with the NCAA. Apparently the punishment for selling memorabilia is a four to five game suspension (although I seriously doubt that we will see that in writing anywhere). I am guessing that this is the punishment because University of Georgia wide receiver AJ Greene (who should be the first receiver drafted in April) was forced to sit out four games and pay back the proceeds that he got from selling an Independence Bowl jersey. He sat out the first four games of Georgia’s season (presumably because they were the next four games after he was found to have violated the rules), which basically ended their season before it got started. The University of Ohio State on the other hand is governed by a different set of rules. Since they are among the NCAA and the bowl system's favorite programs, the punishment for their star players will be slightly different from Greene’s. They will face a five game suspension as opposed to Greene’s four game ban, however, this suspension does not start until next season. This means that these players will be able to play in the Allstate Sugar Bowl on January 4th.
Many people are wondering how you can suspend players for the following season for violations that you discovered this season. Also isn’t it much more of a deterant to other players if the players are forced to miss a BS (the “C” is optional, so you can include it if you like) game. It is logical for people to feel this way, but the logical people who have these questions must remember two things. 1) The NCAA is not a logical organization therefore they do not make logical decisions, EVER! and 2) This is The University of Ohio State, which means that they are indeed above the law.
Just think back to the days of Maurice Clarett, who received thousands of dollars in improper benefits while leading the old Scarlett and Gray to a National Championship in 2002. In addition to the improper benefits, he repeatedly lied to NCAA investigators about his dealings in Columbus. Instead of punishing the program, the NCAA let The University of Ohio State simply toss Clarett to the wayside, without suffering any punishment. So in essence, the player who led the team in rushing and practically won the National Championship for them single-handidly (by making great offensive and defensive plays) was dismissed from school (which he deserved), but the school got to keep their National Championship and all of the revenue that came with it, and coach sweater-vest is still stalking the sidelines in Columbus beating up on glorified high school teams around the state of Ohio, while playing in a BS game almost every year. Their non-conference schedule annually includes Ohio University, Akron, and Youngstown State. In addition to that, they play in a Big Ten Conference that usually proves to be pretty weak, yet year in and year out they are highly ranked and virtually ensured in playing in a top bowl game. Even this season, when the Big Ten Conference had a three-way tie at the top, the Buckeye's still received a BS bid over Michigan State, because they have more of a national profile and they “travel well” (I guess any vacation is better than going to Cleveland), and thanks to the NCAA they will be traveling with their starting quarterback, running back, and two other key starters.
The thing that really makes this punishment laughable is the fact that the four key players that were suspended for the first five games of next season are all eligible to enter the NFL draft. If they choose to do so (which I am sure at least three will), The University of Ohio State would receive virtually no punishment for this incident, which is to be suspected because the boys up there in Columbus are definitely above the law. The NCAA stated along with this decision that postseason play is a “unique opportunity” that is “evaluated differently” when it comes to punishment, which is in essence saying that this is a high-profile game and we want to put our best product on the field, damn the rules that we created to govern ourselves by.
Although I gladly cheer each time this asinine organization makes a bone-headed decision that makes them look like the idiots that they are, I must applaud them for at least pretending to crack down on players who sell their memorabilia and paraphanelia. There are some that argue that these items belong to the players and are theirs to sell if they please. I strongly disagree with this argument, because this will open the door to players selling their $300 conference championship rings to boosters for $20,000. If that wouldn’t amount to a recruiting advantage, I don’t know what would. Just imagine coach sweater-vest telling a recruit that he should come to The University of Ohio State where he can win Big-Ten championships and sell the rings for tens of thousands of dollars. Worse yet, boosters of schools that are recruiting high profile prospects could potentially start buying thier high school championship rings and t-shirts for thousands of dollars, just to let the recruits know how much they "love a winner".
For all of the Division 1 athletes that may read this entry, I want to leave you with some words of advice. Do not sell your personal rings and other awards until you are eligible to go pro, and your chances of getting away with it increases ten-fold if you attend The University of Ohio State.
One Final Thought: The NCAA ruled the players eligible to play, but the idiots at The University of Ohio State can take a stand and do the right thing by suspending the players themselves. I seriously doubt that they will do such a thing, but there is still the remote possibility that they will do what's right.
AND NOW FOR MY BALLER & SCRUB OF THE WEEK:
BALLER OF THE WEEK: LeBron James (Miami Heat) – Last week he messed around and got a triple-double against the Lakers. LeBron proved once again that he is the best player in the league with his 27 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists on Christmas day.
BALLER OF THE WEEK: Aaron Rodgers (Green Bay Packers) – 25 of 37 for 404 yards with 4 touchdowns and 0 interceptions. They say that big-time players show up in big-time games, which is what Rodgers did in a must win game for his team’s playoff hopes.
SCRUB OF THE WEEK: The NFC West – If Seattle beats St. Louis on Sunday they will win the division with a 7-9 record. Worse yet, they will have a HOME game to open the playoffs. If this happens, something tells me the NFL will be reseeding playoff teams by record next season. The NFL also shares in this honor for making this game the NBC Sunday Night Football game. What did the rest of us do to deserve to have this as a nationally telvised game? This punishment should be reserved for the people in Seattle and St. Louis only!
Totally Unrelated to the World of Sports: If you enjoy hip-hop and are in the market for something new to bump in your iPod, I strongly recommend Friday Night Lights by J. Cole. Give it a listen if you haven't already, you won't be disappointed. As a matter of fact, if you download it for FREE from his website at http://www.jcolemusic.com/ and don't like it, I will give you your money back!
It’s no secret that I hate the NCAA, and would like nothing more than to see this hypocritical organization broken up like the $710 million revenue generating monopoly that they are. (This $710 million figure is according to THEIR 2009-2010 revenue budget), so FORGIVE ME FOR THINKING THAT THEY ARE NOT REPORTING EVERYTHING AND THAT THIS NUMBER IS INDEED UNDERSTATED!
I know that I may sound like the Mad Blogger right now (I keep hearing a voice in the back of my head shouting “tell’em why you mad son”), but the NCAA’s handling of the most recent incident at The University of Ohio State (at least that's what Pryor thinks that school is called) is absolutely ridiculous. Everyone outside of Auburn, Alabama should be mad as hell at this farce of a punishment that was given out to the NCAA darlings that reside in Columbus Ohio. Auburn fans, just keep your mouth shut on this one because you all are currently getting away with things that would make former SMU boosters proud (Cam Newton may be the highest paid state employee in Alabama).
Apparently four prominent (and six total) Buckeye football players (and allegedly student-athletes) have been found by the NCAA to have accepted improper benefits. These benefits were the proceeds that the players made by selling championship rings, jerseys, and other awards for cash. While I disagree with 90% of NCAA rules, I do believe that these stupid rules should be enforced fairly and evenly throughout all of their member institutions. This means that if players at two different schools violate an NCAA rule, they should be subject to the same punishment. This is obviously not the case with the NCAA. Apparently the punishment for selling memorabilia is a four to five game suspension (although I seriously doubt that we will see that in writing anywhere). I am guessing that this is the punishment because University of Georgia wide receiver AJ Greene (who should be the first receiver drafted in April) was forced to sit out four games and pay back the proceeds that he got from selling an Independence Bowl jersey. He sat out the first four games of Georgia’s season (presumably because they were the next four games after he was found to have violated the rules), which basically ended their season before it got started. The University of Ohio State on the other hand is governed by a different set of rules. Since they are among the NCAA and the bowl system's favorite programs, the punishment for their star players will be slightly different from Greene’s. They will face a five game suspension as opposed to Greene’s four game ban, however, this suspension does not start until next season. This means that these players will be able to play in the Allstate Sugar Bowl on January 4th.
Many people are wondering how you can suspend players for the following season for violations that you discovered this season. Also isn’t it much more of a deterant to other players if the players are forced to miss a BS (the “C” is optional, so you can include it if you like) game. It is logical for people to feel this way, but the logical people who have these questions must remember two things. 1) The NCAA is not a logical organization therefore they do not make logical decisions, EVER! and 2) This is The University of Ohio State, which means that they are indeed above the law.
Just think back to the days of Maurice Clarett, who received thousands of dollars in improper benefits while leading the old Scarlett and Gray to a National Championship in 2002. In addition to the improper benefits, he repeatedly lied to NCAA investigators about his dealings in Columbus. Instead of punishing the program, the NCAA let The University of Ohio State simply toss Clarett to the wayside, without suffering any punishment. So in essence, the player who led the team in rushing and practically won the National Championship for them single-handidly (by making great offensive and defensive plays) was dismissed from school (which he deserved), but the school got to keep their National Championship and all of the revenue that came with it, and coach sweater-vest is still stalking the sidelines in Columbus beating up on glorified high school teams around the state of Ohio, while playing in a BS game almost every year. Their non-conference schedule annually includes Ohio University, Akron, and Youngstown State. In addition to that, they play in a Big Ten Conference that usually proves to be pretty weak, yet year in and year out they are highly ranked and virtually ensured in playing in a top bowl game. Even this season, when the Big Ten Conference had a three-way tie at the top, the Buckeye's still received a BS bid over Michigan State, because they have more of a national profile and they “travel well” (I guess any vacation is better than going to Cleveland), and thanks to the NCAA they will be traveling with their starting quarterback, running back, and two other key starters.
The thing that really makes this punishment laughable is the fact that the four key players that were suspended for the first five games of next season are all eligible to enter the NFL draft. If they choose to do so (which I am sure at least three will), The University of Ohio State would receive virtually no punishment for this incident, which is to be suspected because the boys up there in Columbus are definitely above the law. The NCAA stated along with this decision that postseason play is a “unique opportunity” that is “evaluated differently” when it comes to punishment, which is in essence saying that this is a high-profile game and we want to put our best product on the field, damn the rules that we created to govern ourselves by.
Although I gladly cheer each time this asinine organization makes a bone-headed decision that makes them look like the idiots that they are, I must applaud them for at least pretending to crack down on players who sell their memorabilia and paraphanelia. There are some that argue that these items belong to the players and are theirs to sell if they please. I strongly disagree with this argument, because this will open the door to players selling their $300 conference championship rings to boosters for $20,000. If that wouldn’t amount to a recruiting advantage, I don’t know what would. Just imagine coach sweater-vest telling a recruit that he should come to The University of Ohio State where he can win Big-Ten championships and sell the rings for tens of thousands of dollars. Worse yet, boosters of schools that are recruiting high profile prospects could potentially start buying thier high school championship rings and t-shirts for thousands of dollars, just to let the recruits know how much they "love a winner".
For all of the Division 1 athletes that may read this entry, I want to leave you with some words of advice. Do not sell your personal rings and other awards until you are eligible to go pro, and your chances of getting away with it increases ten-fold if you attend The University of Ohio State.
One Final Thought: The NCAA ruled the players eligible to play, but the idiots at The University of Ohio State can take a stand and do the right thing by suspending the players themselves. I seriously doubt that they will do such a thing, but there is still the remote possibility that they will do what's right.
AND NOW FOR MY BALLER & SCRUB OF THE WEEK:
BALLER OF THE WEEK: LeBron James (Miami Heat) – Last week he messed around and got a triple-double against the Lakers. LeBron proved once again that he is the best player in the league with his 27 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists on Christmas day.
BALLER OF THE WEEK: Aaron Rodgers (Green Bay Packers) – 25 of 37 for 404 yards with 4 touchdowns and 0 interceptions. They say that big-time players show up in big-time games, which is what Rodgers did in a must win game for his team’s playoff hopes.
SCRUB OF THE WEEK: The NFC West – If Seattle beats St. Louis on Sunday they will win the division with a 7-9 record. Worse yet, they will have a HOME game to open the playoffs. If this happens, something tells me the NFL will be reseeding playoff teams by record next season. The NFL also shares in this honor for making this game the NBC Sunday Night Football game. What did the rest of us do to deserve to have this as a nationally telvised game? This punishment should be reserved for the people in Seattle and St. Louis only!
Totally Unrelated to the World of Sports: If you enjoy hip-hop and are in the market for something new to bump in your iPod, I strongly recommend Friday Night Lights by J. Cole. Give it a listen if you haven't already, you won't be disappointed. As a matter of fact, if you download it for FREE from his website at http://www.jcolemusic.com/ and don't like it, I will give you your money back!
Sunday, December 19, 2010
I HOPE YOU MISSED ME WHILE I WAS GONE
I would like to thank you all for taking the time to read this, this evening. You're far to kind. You could be anywhere in the world, but you’re here with me. I appreciate that. (Since I am currently reading Decoded, I’m in a Jay-Z frame of mind.)
Thanks to my educational pursuits (I have completed my MBA), it has been a while since I last posted. But the important thing is that I am back now, and I will do my best to make this blog better than ever. Since I’ve been gone, quite a bit has happened in the world of sports. Let’s discuss a few of them, shall we?
Cam Newton wins the Heisman Trophy (at least temporarily)
Many people believe that Cam Newton will eventually have to return the Heisman Trophy. I am not one of those people. That is because I don’t think they ever let him take it home. Sure they let him pose with it for lots of pictures and hold it up triumphantly after he was announced as the winner. But after the ceremony, I believe that they just asked him to leave it with them to save the return shipping, that would otherwise have to be spent when it is taken away in the near future. In my opinion he is definitely on Auburn’s payroll, because I simply refuse to believe that it was going to cost Mississippi State $180,000 for his services, but Auburn got them for free. NO CHANCE! I hate the NCAA (the most hypocritical cartel in all of sports) and I wish them nothing but the worst. Anything that makes them look bad makes me feel better, so I am enjoying all of the bad publicity that they have been receiving over this poorly handled fiasco.
That being said, I would like to explain something to all of the old school sports writers and commentators who hold the Heisman Trophy in such high regard. I have heard so many people refer to it as the most significant honor in all of sports. That may have been a true statement 30 or 40 years ago, but that is no longer the case. I am pretty sure that very few high school or college football players would list winning the Heisman Trophy as their main individual goal. Honestly, they could care less. The most significant honor in college football is now, A FIRST ROUND NFL PAYCHECK! That’s the ultimate goal, not a 25 pound bronze statue that symbolizes that you are the best volunteer football player in the entire nation (although I’m pretty sure that all of them weren’t “volunteers”.) With that in mind, don’t feel sorry for Cam Newton when his picture is removed from the walls and placed in a back room of the Downtown Athletic Club along with Reggie Bush, because they won’t be feeling bad at all. They will simply log on to their bank’s website and hit balance inquiry. At that moment they will realize that they have indeed won.
LeBron James Takes His Talents to South Beach
All of the haters can now suck on a baby’s bottle full of haterade and just stop talking. Anyone who though that Wade, Bosh, and James wouldn’t be able to play together, obviously don’t understand basketball. Let’s just put LeBron James’ otherworldly talents into perspective. He led a Cavs team that wouldn’t win the Big Ten without him to 60+ wins each of the last two seasons. He was the entire team, and the future was not going to get any brighter. He had reached his plateau there. The team was not going to improve, because with him there they were too good to get high draft picks. Also, they were never going to sign any of the top free-agents because, well….(not to offend anyone’s hometown), but it's Cleveland. I challenge anyone to name ONE top free agent in any sport that CHOSE TO PLAY IN CLEVELAND. It's simply not happening, and LeBron knew that as well. Any player that it traded to Cleveland will surely leave as soon as their contract is up. Do I think that they are going to win a championship this year? NO, because my Celtics (led by my favorite NBA player, Rajon Rondo) will. However, outside of Rondo all of the Celtics best players are a year or two away from AARP eligibility, therefore we can expect the Heat to have a nice five-year run beginning next season. In the meantime, don’t hate the man for wanting to play with better players, live in a city with better weather, and enjoy better scenery (draw your own meaning from that) while hanging out on an off day. Like I said, no disrespect to Cleveland, but it's Cleveland. I think the great bow-tie wearing NBA philosopher Joakim Noah said it best when he asked, “When was the last time someone said that they were going on vacation to Cleveland?”
Joe Johnson Becomes an Elite (at least in salary) NBA Player
You have to love free-enterprise. Only in Atlanta, can a player who has career playoff averages of 16.3 points, 3.6 assists, and 4.5 rebounds per game, and is yet to lead his team to a second round playoff win (NOT WIN A SECOND ROUND SERIES, I AM TALKING ABOUT WINNING A SECOND ROUND GAME!!!!), be rewarded with a 6-year, $119 million contract. Don’t get me wrong, these would be excellent numbers for Marvin Williams (actually I would wash Marvin Williams car if he ever performed this well, even in the pre-season), but Joe Johnson is allegedly our best player and team leader. Giving a playoff scrub this contract ranks up there with other brilliant Hawks personnel moves like trading away Dominique Wilkins for Danny Manning. This is also the franchise that at one point was paying Jon Koncak more than Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, and Larry Bird were making at the time. Now Joe Johnson is definitely a better player than Koncak, but when you look at bang for the buck, I wonder which deal was better. I wonder if they have the same agent? And if that agent has pictures of a Hawks executive riding through Buckhead with a woman other than his wife (shout-out to Damon Evans).
Andy Reid Gets Lucky
This off-season the Philadelphia Eagles traded franchise icon Donovan McNabb to make room for Kevin Kolb to become the team’s starting quarterback. Kolb was injured in his first start, which forced Reid to turn the reigns of the team over to Michael Vick. And the rest is history. There really isn’t much more to say about this, if you have been living under a rock and have missed Vick’s season (it looks like he is playing a video game and has all of the cheat codes), you will just have to clear some time and watch the highlights on YouTube. You know, I think Kolb is now 100% healthy, why isn’t he playing? Wasn’t he the player that they thought would be better after watching both of them all through training camp? I guess Andy Reid was wrong, but fortunately, he finally got it right.
The Eagles and Falcons look to be on a collision course to face one another in the NFC title game at the Georgia Dome. Everyone in America (that doesn’t play defense for the Falcons) is looking forward to that possibility.
Brett Favre Breaks New Ground
For the first time in team sports history, a player served as his coach’s boss. This is essentially what happened in Minnesota when Brad Childress sent three players down to Mississippi to beg Brett Favre to come back for his 83rd NFL season. Anyone who knows anything about the narcissistic diva that is Bret Favre knows that he loved this feeling of being the only girl at a homecoming dance at an all boy’s school. All of the attention and power was his. Even though Favre had a 3-7 record and had thrown only 10 TD’s in comparison with 17 INT’s, Childress did not have the authority to bench him for his poor play, simply because his authority as coach went out of the window of the private jet he sent to Mississippi. Thanks in large part to Childress’ brilliant coaching and Favre’s Hall of Fame level of play, one of the most talented teams in the NFL is currently playing with an interim coach and are out of playoff contention. Just to add insult to injury, the roof of their stadium also collapsed. I guess, when it snows, it pours.
AND NOW FOR MY BALLER & SCRUB OF THE WEEK:
BALLER: Michael Vick & DeSean Jackson (Philadelphia Eagles) – This combination is absolutely scary! You have Michael Vick who should be doing commercials for the penal system, because he is the first person that I have ever seen be rehabilitated by prison. He is simply not the same person he was when he enterened prison (maybe T.I. can learn a thing or two from him). He is either a changed man or a ridiculously talented actor. Either way, I commend him on his play on the field and who he appears to be off the field.
O'Dog (my nickname for DeSean Jackson) has to be the second scariest player in the NFL (only behind Vick). He can score from anywhere on the field. His speed is ridiculous (I think he is the fasted player in the league, apologies to Chris Johnson and Devin Hester). I for one am glad that he is such a successful football player, and I hope that he has a long and successful career. Although he is a little fella, he just strikes me as one of those Ball or Rob guys. I hope that I'm wrong, but he seems like the type that would be a Menace to Society if he wasn't a professional athlete. Therefore we should all be glad that he chose to rack up the statistics on the football field and not become a statistic off the field.
SCRUB: ESPN - Brett Favre is injured and did not play last week. As a matter of fact, he may not play again ever. Yet, somehow there is a Brett Favre story everyday on Sportscenter. "Come on Man!" are you serious, it is now time to find a new athlete to stalk. I hear Tim Tebow is looking for some attention.
SCRUB: Tony Dungy (NBC Football Night in America) - Tony, you are now a talking head on television, which means that the NFL no longer gives you clothes to wear each Sunday. Therefore you are now responsible for dressing yourself. The dress code for you current position is a suite and tie. Since you are on national television, i suggest that you stop buying your suits off of the clearance rack at JC Penney's. I am not saying that you have to spend a fortune on your clothes, but your suits have to at a minimum be nicer than mine. Don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with JC Penny's, but as a person on network television, you should look like a person on network television. Hit me up if you need some help, I have a homeboy that is a manager at a national men's retail chain that can help you out.
Thanks to my educational pursuits (I have completed my MBA), it has been a while since I last posted. But the important thing is that I am back now, and I will do my best to make this blog better than ever. Since I’ve been gone, quite a bit has happened in the world of sports. Let’s discuss a few of them, shall we?
Cam Newton wins the Heisman Trophy (at least temporarily)
Many people believe that Cam Newton will eventually have to return the Heisman Trophy. I am not one of those people. That is because I don’t think they ever let him take it home. Sure they let him pose with it for lots of pictures and hold it up triumphantly after he was announced as the winner. But after the ceremony, I believe that they just asked him to leave it with them to save the return shipping, that would otherwise have to be spent when it is taken away in the near future. In my opinion he is definitely on Auburn’s payroll, because I simply refuse to believe that it was going to cost Mississippi State $180,000 for his services, but Auburn got them for free. NO CHANCE! I hate the NCAA (the most hypocritical cartel in all of sports) and I wish them nothing but the worst. Anything that makes them look bad makes me feel better, so I am enjoying all of the bad publicity that they have been receiving over this poorly handled fiasco.
That being said, I would like to explain something to all of the old school sports writers and commentators who hold the Heisman Trophy in such high regard. I have heard so many people refer to it as the most significant honor in all of sports. That may have been a true statement 30 or 40 years ago, but that is no longer the case. I am pretty sure that very few high school or college football players would list winning the Heisman Trophy as their main individual goal. Honestly, they could care less. The most significant honor in college football is now, A FIRST ROUND NFL PAYCHECK! That’s the ultimate goal, not a 25 pound bronze statue that symbolizes that you are the best volunteer football player in the entire nation (although I’m pretty sure that all of them weren’t “volunteers”.) With that in mind, don’t feel sorry for Cam Newton when his picture is removed from the walls and placed in a back room of the Downtown Athletic Club along with Reggie Bush, because they won’t be feeling bad at all. They will simply log on to their bank’s website and hit balance inquiry. At that moment they will realize that they have indeed won.
LeBron James Takes His Talents to South Beach
All of the haters can now suck on a baby’s bottle full of haterade and just stop talking. Anyone who though that Wade, Bosh, and James wouldn’t be able to play together, obviously don’t understand basketball. Let’s just put LeBron James’ otherworldly talents into perspective. He led a Cavs team that wouldn’t win the Big Ten without him to 60+ wins each of the last two seasons. He was the entire team, and the future was not going to get any brighter. He had reached his plateau there. The team was not going to improve, because with him there they were too good to get high draft picks. Also, they were never going to sign any of the top free-agents because, well….(not to offend anyone’s hometown), but it's Cleveland. I challenge anyone to name ONE top free agent in any sport that CHOSE TO PLAY IN CLEVELAND. It's simply not happening, and LeBron knew that as well. Any player that it traded to Cleveland will surely leave as soon as their contract is up. Do I think that they are going to win a championship this year? NO, because my Celtics (led by my favorite NBA player, Rajon Rondo) will. However, outside of Rondo all of the Celtics best players are a year or two away from AARP eligibility, therefore we can expect the Heat to have a nice five-year run beginning next season. In the meantime, don’t hate the man for wanting to play with better players, live in a city with better weather, and enjoy better scenery (draw your own meaning from that) while hanging out on an off day. Like I said, no disrespect to Cleveland, but it's Cleveland. I think the great bow-tie wearing NBA philosopher Joakim Noah said it best when he asked, “When was the last time someone said that they were going on vacation to Cleveland?”
Joe Johnson Becomes an Elite (at least in salary) NBA Player
You have to love free-enterprise. Only in Atlanta, can a player who has career playoff averages of 16.3 points, 3.6 assists, and 4.5 rebounds per game, and is yet to lead his team to a second round playoff win (NOT WIN A SECOND ROUND SERIES, I AM TALKING ABOUT WINNING A SECOND ROUND GAME!!!!), be rewarded with a 6-year, $119 million contract. Don’t get me wrong, these would be excellent numbers for Marvin Williams (actually I would wash Marvin Williams car if he ever performed this well, even in the pre-season), but Joe Johnson is allegedly our best player and team leader. Giving a playoff scrub this contract ranks up there with other brilliant Hawks personnel moves like trading away Dominique Wilkins for Danny Manning. This is also the franchise that at one point was paying Jon Koncak more than Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, and Larry Bird were making at the time. Now Joe Johnson is definitely a better player than Koncak, but when you look at bang for the buck, I wonder which deal was better. I wonder if they have the same agent? And if that agent has pictures of a Hawks executive riding through Buckhead with a woman other than his wife (shout-out to Damon Evans).
Andy Reid Gets Lucky
This off-season the Philadelphia Eagles traded franchise icon Donovan McNabb to make room for Kevin Kolb to become the team’s starting quarterback. Kolb was injured in his first start, which forced Reid to turn the reigns of the team over to Michael Vick. And the rest is history. There really isn’t much more to say about this, if you have been living under a rock and have missed Vick’s season (it looks like he is playing a video game and has all of the cheat codes), you will just have to clear some time and watch the highlights on YouTube. You know, I think Kolb is now 100% healthy, why isn’t he playing? Wasn’t he the player that they thought would be better after watching both of them all through training camp? I guess Andy Reid was wrong, but fortunately, he finally got it right.
The Eagles and Falcons look to be on a collision course to face one another in the NFC title game at the Georgia Dome. Everyone in America (that doesn’t play defense for the Falcons) is looking forward to that possibility.
Brett Favre Breaks New Ground
For the first time in team sports history, a player served as his coach’s boss. This is essentially what happened in Minnesota when Brad Childress sent three players down to Mississippi to beg Brett Favre to come back for his 83rd NFL season. Anyone who knows anything about the narcissistic diva that is Bret Favre knows that he loved this feeling of being the only girl at a homecoming dance at an all boy’s school. All of the attention and power was his. Even though Favre had a 3-7 record and had thrown only 10 TD’s in comparison with 17 INT’s, Childress did not have the authority to bench him for his poor play, simply because his authority as coach went out of the window of the private jet he sent to Mississippi. Thanks in large part to Childress’ brilliant coaching and Favre’s Hall of Fame level of play, one of the most talented teams in the NFL is currently playing with an interim coach and are out of playoff contention. Just to add insult to injury, the roof of their stadium also collapsed. I guess, when it snows, it pours.
AND NOW FOR MY BALLER & SCRUB OF THE WEEK:
BALLER: Michael Vick & DeSean Jackson (Philadelphia Eagles) – This combination is absolutely scary! You have Michael Vick who should be doing commercials for the penal system, because he is the first person that I have ever seen be rehabilitated by prison. He is simply not the same person he was when he enterened prison (maybe T.I. can learn a thing or two from him). He is either a changed man or a ridiculously talented actor. Either way, I commend him on his play on the field and who he appears to be off the field.
O'Dog (my nickname for DeSean Jackson) has to be the second scariest player in the NFL (only behind Vick). He can score from anywhere on the field. His speed is ridiculous (I think he is the fasted player in the league, apologies to Chris Johnson and Devin Hester). I for one am glad that he is such a successful football player, and I hope that he has a long and successful career. Although he is a little fella, he just strikes me as one of those Ball or Rob guys. I hope that I'm wrong, but he seems like the type that would be a Menace to Society if he wasn't a professional athlete. Therefore we should all be glad that he chose to rack up the statistics on the football field and not become a statistic off the field.
SCRUB: ESPN - Brett Favre is injured and did not play last week. As a matter of fact, he may not play again ever. Yet, somehow there is a Brett Favre story everyday on Sportscenter. "Come on Man!" are you serious, it is now time to find a new athlete to stalk. I hear Tim Tebow is looking for some attention.
SCRUB: Tony Dungy (NBC Football Night in America) - Tony, you are now a talking head on television, which means that the NFL no longer gives you clothes to wear each Sunday. Therefore you are now responsible for dressing yourself. The dress code for you current position is a suite and tie. Since you are on national television, i suggest that you stop buying your suits off of the clearance rack at JC Penney's. I am not saying that you have to spend a fortune on your clothes, but your suits have to at a minimum be nicer than mine. Don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with JC Penny's, but as a person on network television, you should look like a person on network television. Hit me up if you need some help, I have a homeboy that is a manager at a national men's retail chain that can help you out.
Sunday, December 13, 2009
THERE’S ALWAYS SPORTS RADIO
After my customary break to focus on finishing up the semester strongly (I got two A’s this semester and I am only five classes away from my MBA), I AM BACK!!!! So sit back and enjoy, because I want to discuss a topic that at one point or another has entered the minds of all football fans (NFL and NCAA). That topic is the future of myth and legend that is known as Tim Tebow.
Florida fans and the television powers that be (primarily ESPN & CBS) have had a huge football love affair with this kid since the day he stepped on campus. As a freshman, he was nothing more than a backup fullback (wearing a quarterback’s number) who attempted all of 33 passes that season. Yet for some inexplicable reason, he received more attention than Chris Leak who was Florida’s senior starting quarterback. You may remember him; he was the guy that actually led Florida to the national championship that season. Yet, when mentioning Tebow everyone always says that he won two national championships. I find that to be a bit disingenuous. While Tebow definitely won the National Championship in 2008, saying that he won it 2006 is like saying that Drew Bledsoe won the 2002 Super Bowl for New England, or that Byron Leftwich won the Super Bowl last season. Chris Leak did a lot for that program, and I just hope that when they celebrate the 10-year anniversary of that championship, that they at least invite him to be a part of the festivities.
I also found it quite nauseating that CBS interviewed him on the field immediately after Florida’s SEC Championship Game loss to Alabama. Now, I have watched a lot of college sports in my day, and I can’t recall any other instance where a losing player was interviewed on the field after a game. That usually happens outside of a somber locker room, or in the pressroom, but never on the field. That was Alabama’s moment, and CBS should not have let their obvious love affair with Tebow cast any shadow over Alabama’s celebration. As a matter of fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if CBS tries to pressure AFC teams into drafting him so that they can cover his sure to be brief NFL career.
Although I have been absolutely annoyed by the media coverage that Tebow receives, and equally annoyed by his carefully crafted image (more on that later), I will admit one thing: THIS KID WAS A GREAT COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYER! While it is true, that he has had the great fortune of playing on some phenomenal teams at Florida (a school that doesn’t have to recruit, they simply pick who they want), he has made his share of big plays to lead them to victories. His skill set is perfectly suited for the college football game, but not the NFL. He has proven that he can complete passes to receivers who are open by five yards. This happens a lot at Florida because their receivers are simply better than most secondary’s that they line up against. However, in the NFL if a receiver is consistently open by five yards, a defensive back will lose his job. Open in the NFL is basically having your inside shoulder inside of the defender’s inside shoulder. Tebow doesn’t have the arm or accuracy to consistently complete that pass. In college, he also proved to be a tough runner who can simply run through most defenders. If he tries to do that in the NFL, he will quickly be given Google Map directions to a place called injured reserve. Simply put, try that in the NFL and Ray Lewis will break you in half. Trying to run by NFL defenders is also not an option, unless you have the speed of Michael Vick or Vince Young (which Tebow does not). He will quickly learn that the majority of NFL defensive ends are much bigger, faster, and stronger than him. The bottom line is that Tebow is a quarterback with an average arm (can throw far with a lot of air under the ball, but can’t really throw the ball on a rope), who does not possess the skills to be a pocket passer in the NFL. He also isn’t fast enough to be a run/pass threat like Michael Vick, Steve Young, Vince Young, or Randall Cunningham.
I think that I have made it pretty clear that I don’t think that Tim Tebow can play quarterback in the NFL. However, I do feel that there is a place for him in the league. I think he could play an H-back position (sort of a fullback/tight end hybrid), and maybe hold for kicks. Now that I think of it he could possibly excel at being the personal protector for the punter on the punt coverage unit. But quarterback? NOT A CHANCE!
To me, Tim Tebow comes across as a carefully crafted political figure. I just get the vibe that his handlers are already preparing him for a career in politics. He acts like he grew up next door to the Cleavers and is the most wide-eyed and innocent person in college football. There have even been stories of him spending his spring break in third-world countries performing surgical procedures on children. He even writes bible verse, which some people can alter or interpret to be game results (please see picture below).
BALLER: John Wall (PG University of Kentucky) – He is simply the best player in college basketball. Over the past week, he has led Kentucky to victories over North Carolina, Connecticut, and Indiana. This kid is amazing. If you haven’t seen him play yet, make some time and check him out. He is definitely worth it. However, if you want to see him in college you had better hurry up because he will only be there one season. I hope his one season in Lexington leads to a National Championship.
Florida fans and the television powers that be (primarily ESPN & CBS) have had a huge football love affair with this kid since the day he stepped on campus. As a freshman, he was nothing more than a backup fullback (wearing a quarterback’s number) who attempted all of 33 passes that season. Yet for some inexplicable reason, he received more attention than Chris Leak who was Florida’s senior starting quarterback. You may remember him; he was the guy that actually led Florida to the national championship that season. Yet, when mentioning Tebow everyone always says that he won two national championships. I find that to be a bit disingenuous. While Tebow definitely won the National Championship in 2008, saying that he won it 2006 is like saying that Drew Bledsoe won the 2002 Super Bowl for New England, or that Byron Leftwich won the Super Bowl last season. Chris Leak did a lot for that program, and I just hope that when they celebrate the 10-year anniversary of that championship, that they at least invite him to be a part of the festivities.
I also found it quite nauseating that CBS interviewed him on the field immediately after Florida’s SEC Championship Game loss to Alabama. Now, I have watched a lot of college sports in my day, and I can’t recall any other instance where a losing player was interviewed on the field after a game. That usually happens outside of a somber locker room, or in the pressroom, but never on the field. That was Alabama’s moment, and CBS should not have let their obvious love affair with Tebow cast any shadow over Alabama’s celebration. As a matter of fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if CBS tries to pressure AFC teams into drafting him so that they can cover his sure to be brief NFL career.
Although I have been absolutely annoyed by the media coverage that Tebow receives, and equally annoyed by his carefully crafted image (more on that later), I will admit one thing: THIS KID WAS A GREAT COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYER! While it is true, that he has had the great fortune of playing on some phenomenal teams at Florida (a school that doesn’t have to recruit, they simply pick who they want), he has made his share of big plays to lead them to victories. His skill set is perfectly suited for the college football game, but not the NFL. He has proven that he can complete passes to receivers who are open by five yards. This happens a lot at Florida because their receivers are simply better than most secondary’s that they line up against. However, in the NFL if a receiver is consistently open by five yards, a defensive back will lose his job. Open in the NFL is basically having your inside shoulder inside of the defender’s inside shoulder. Tebow doesn’t have the arm or accuracy to consistently complete that pass. In college, he also proved to be a tough runner who can simply run through most defenders. If he tries to do that in the NFL, he will quickly be given Google Map directions to a place called injured reserve. Simply put, try that in the NFL and Ray Lewis will break you in half. Trying to run by NFL defenders is also not an option, unless you have the speed of Michael Vick or Vince Young (which Tebow does not). He will quickly learn that the majority of NFL defensive ends are much bigger, faster, and stronger than him. The bottom line is that Tebow is a quarterback with an average arm (can throw far with a lot of air under the ball, but can’t really throw the ball on a rope), who does not possess the skills to be a pocket passer in the NFL. He also isn’t fast enough to be a run/pass threat like Michael Vick, Steve Young, Vince Young, or Randall Cunningham.
I think that I have made it pretty clear that I don’t think that Tim Tebow can play quarterback in the NFL. However, I do feel that there is a place for him in the league. I think he could play an H-back position (sort of a fullback/tight end hybrid), and maybe hold for kicks. Now that I think of it he could possibly excel at being the personal protector for the punter on the punt coverage unit. But quarterback? NOT A CHANCE!
To me, Tim Tebow comes across as a carefully crafted political figure. I just get the vibe that his handlers are already preparing him for a career in politics. He acts like he grew up next door to the Cleavers and is the most wide-eyed and innocent person in college football. There have even been stories of him spending his spring break in third-world countries performing surgical procedures on children. He even writes bible verse, which some people can alter or interpret to be game results (please see picture below).
Is there not a more perfectly crafted image of a wholesome, All-American boy? I’m not buying it. It all seems fake and phony to me. My only advice to him is if you are going to say one thing and portray one thing, you had better live it. There have been several high-profile instances of the exact opposite happening. You don’t want to become one of them.
The bottom line is this. If NFL teams are smart, he will not be drafted before the third round. At that point, the financial commitment will not be devastating if he doesn't pan out. The team that drafts him should immediately make him their H-back. He should have a decent career there. But we all know that's not going to happen. Some team will be stupid enough draft him in the first or second round to play quarterback (it has happened before with less accomplished college quarterbacks). Their thinking is that it will do wonders for their image. They will then learn the hard way that Tim Tebow does not have the ability to play quarterback in the NFL. He will certainly work hard and give it the old “college” try, but after three seasons of sitting on the bench or failing miserably on the field (depending on how stupid the coach is), Tim Tebow will begin his second career which is indeed his true calling. He will be a sports-radio host in Gainesville Florida, where he will always be considered a god. Hey, it worked for Buck Belue.
AND NOW FOR MY BALLER & SCRUB OF THE WEEK:
BALLER: John Wall (PG University of Kentucky) – He is simply the best player in college basketball. Over the past week, he has led Kentucky to victories over North Carolina, Connecticut, and Indiana. This kid is amazing. If you haven’t seen him play yet, make some time and check him out. He is definitely worth it. However, if you want to see him in college you had better hurry up because he will only be there one season. I hope his one season in Lexington leads to a National Championship.
BALLER: Mark Ingram (RB University of Alabama) – Although I am not an Alabama fan, Mark Ingram is by far my favorite college football player. He plays the game the way it should be played. He is a hard runner that can run by defenders, but would much rather run through them. I also have never seen him run out of bounds to avoid contact. He’s so tough that he makes you forget that Shaun Alexander (softest NFL RB in recent history) once played for Bama. Ingram definitely deserved to win the Heisman. Congratulations!
SCRUB: Tiger Woods (Professional Golfer) – I know that he isn’t the first person or high-profile athlete to cheat on his wife, but he is the latest to learn that eventually the mistresses will come out and say something. While I am disappointed in him for his “transgressions” as he likes to call them, I am not surprised. I mean, he was a filthy rich man who married a trophy wife. Did anyone really think that there was real love and respect there? Unfortunately, this type of thing happens all the time. He is a famous and wealthy guy who thinks that all of these women want him for his looks and charisma. I find that funny because to me he simply seems to be a corny dude who happens to be great at golf (which has made him extremely wealthy). He is waaayyyy to lame to think that he could pull off this lifestyle long-term. He had to know that eventually he would get caught. If not, shame on him.
SCRUB: Tim Tebow (QB University of Florida) – After your team got slaughtered by Alabama, you were on the sidelines crying like a little girl that didn’t get the bike she wanted for Christmas. I just want to know if you were crying because you lost the game, or because you realized that your athletic career would be all down-hill from there? Either way it goes, save it for the locker room. The man, the myth, and the legend that is Tim Tebow should not be seen crying after losing a game.
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