I will not have time to write up a blog today, so instead I have found a few good reads and have them posted below. The writing and stories are probably better anyhow, so congrats on getting to read some professional writing for a change!

Scott Fajitia (NFL Linebacker) Op-Ed about Prop 8

Urinal Game at Minor League Ballpark

The 30 signs guys bring to games

Incredible High School Baseball Story





The most amazing football touchdown I have ever seen

(Not great quality of picture, but great quality of play)

One of the greatest fan running onto the field videos ever and then a full team brawl breaks out

Some of the best trick shots I have seen....

Sports Bucketlist

The beauty in being a sports fan is the fact that it allows you to basically live two lives, you have life number one that includes your job, family, and friends and then you have life number two that is your love affair with your favorite teams and players. Everyone knows what a bucket list is for life number one, but what about life number two?

 Every true sports fan has places they want to see, players they want to watch, and events they want to be a part of. Like all of you, I have this list as well.

Before I die I need to...

1. Watch a game in Wrigley Field
2. Stand on the field of Cleveland Browns Stadium
3. Be present at a World Series Game 7
4. Paint up and bounce with the Cameron Crazies at Cameron Indoor
5. Attend the Baseball Winter Meetings
6. Go on a baseball stadium road trip down the East  Coast
7. Take batting practice on an MLB field
8. Watch a college basketball game in "The Show" (San Diego St. Student Section) while holding a giant sign of Rodney Dangerfield
9. Go to an OSU/Michigan football game at The Shoe
10. Attend Spring Training
11. See the Red River Rivalry in person
12. Rush the court after a college basketball game
13. Attend a Cincinnati Reds World Series Championship Parade




Player I need to see play live....

1. Derek Jeter
2. Kobe Bryant
3. Adrian Peterson
4. Bryce Harper


Players I wish I could have seen play live but need to watch as many highlights and old games as possible...

1. Michael Jordan
2. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
3. Emmitt Smith
4. Barry Sanders
5. Nolan Ryan

COUNTDOWN WEBSITE

7 days and counting....

7, count em, 7 days until Opening Day! When living in Cincinnati, where Opening Day is nearly a city holiday, the thought of the Reds taking the field and having the opportunity to hear Marty and the Cowboy on the radio almost makes you forget about the snow that is currently falling outside your window. There is a lot of buzz around the Queen City this year due to the legitimacy of World Series conversation and the recent announcement of the All-Star Game coming to Cincy in 2015.

The Reds are primed to make another post-season run, but this team and fanbase are past the point that an NL Central title is enough, simply point: We want a deep run in the playoffs. Do not misunderstand what I am saying, a division crown and playoff appearance is awesome and exciting, but the amount of talent and experience on this ballclub should result in the Reds playing deep into the Fall.

Due to the combination of an extended Spring Training (Thanks WBC!) and no real position battles for the Reds, this training camp has really dragged on and on. It's time for real baseball to be played on the banks of the Ohio, nevermind the ice and snow. Before each professional season all the so called "experts" make predictions about teams and players, and while I am no expert I am going to do the same (You can see my Spring Training predictions in a previous post, and yes some of them have changed after actually seeing some action)

My preview of each projected starter will consist of a prediction and whether they will have a better, worse, or similiar year to last year.

Starting Rotation

Johnny Cueto (19-9, 2.78 ERA)
- Projected Stat Line: 14-8, 3.27 ERA
- Cueto will give up a career high number of home runs

Mat Latos ( 14-4, 3.48 ERA)
- Projected Stat Line: 17-6, 3.23 ERA
- Latos finishes in Top 3 in NL Cy Young Voting

Bronson Arroyo (12-10, 3.74 ERA)
- Projected Stat Line: 11-10, 4.05 ERA
- Bronson will spend time on the DL and miss at least 5 starts

Homer Bailey (13-10, 3.68 ERA)
- Projected Stat Line: 15-8, 3.71 ERA
- Bailey will be the only MLB pitcher this season to have at least 1 game where he strikes out 10 guys, 1 game where he gives up 7 runs, and 1 No Hitter

Mike Leake ( 8-9, 4.58 ERA)
- Projected Stat Line: 14-5, 3.56 ERA
- Leake will be an All-Star and win a Silver Slugger

Starting Lineup

Shin-Soo Choo ( .283 BA, 16 HR, 67 RBI)
- Projected Stat Line: .291 23 HR 61 RBI
- Choo has a 20/20 season

Brandon Phillips (.281, 18, 77)
- Projected Stat Line: .276, 14, 62
- Phillips leads the team in Grounded Into Double Plays with 27

Joey Votto ( .337, 14, 56)
- Projected Stat Line: .341, 29, 107
- Votto finishes 2nd in MVP voting and wins Batting Title

Ryan Ludwick (.275, 28, 80)
- Projected Stat Line: .252, 13, 51
- Ludwick struggles mightly and loses everyday job to Chris Heisey by June

Jay Bruce (.252, 34, 99)
- Projected Stat Line: .261, 41, 112
- Year of accolades for Bruce includes All-Star, Silver Slugger and Gold Glove

Todd Frazier (.273, 19, 67)
- Projected Stat Line: .266, 23, 74
- Frazier will hit 3 Walk Off Home Runs in 2013

Zack Cozart ( .246, 15, 35)
- Projected Stat Line: .262, 16, 50
- Cozart finds comfort in the 7 hole but hits below .250 with runners in scoring position

Ryan Hanigan (.274, 2, 24)
- Projected Stat Line: .265, 4, 34
- Hanigan will start a bench clearing brawl because he does not like the way someone stares down a Reds pitcher



Also, if you have not seen this yet then you need to watch it: Joey Votto shushes crowd

Darvish had buckled Votto's knees the previous pitch which had resulted in a lot of cheering from the crowd, so this is how Votto responds.

Mascot Wars

Every college has a mascot, and while some of them are more well know than others, all of them have one main job: pump up the crowd the entire game. Well, I have decided to dissect each and every mascot from this year's NCAA Men's College basketball tournament to hand out some awards. Let's start with the Midwest Region:

The "Please do not confuse me with a 1980's WWE Superstar" Award goes to...

St. Mary's

The "I'm not so sure that I am really that intimidating" Award goes to...

University of Missouri

The "I will straight shoot you in the face" Award goes to.. 

Oklahoma St.

The "I should probably go to the gym a little more often" Award goes to...

Memphis

The "What the heck am I?" Award goes to...

St. Louis

LBJ and KAJ

Baseball Day

Babe Ruth
- Hall of Famer
- 1916 AL Pitching Title
- 1923 AL MVP
- 1924 AL Batting Title
- 714 HR, 2213 RBI, .342 BA
- 94 - 46 Career Pitching Record

vs

Albert Pujols
- 9x All Star
- 3x MVP
- 2x Gold Glover
- 6x Silver Slugger
- 475 HR, 1434 RBI, .325 BA



Barry Bonds
- 14x All Star
- 7x MVP
- 8x Gold Glover
- 12x Silver Slugger
- 762 HR, 1996 RBI, .298 BA

vs

Ted Williams
- Hall of Famer
- 19x All Star
- 2x MVP
-2x Triple Crown Winner
- 521 HR, 1839 RBI, .344 BA

Most Dominant Player Ever?

I have decided that I want this blog to become more interactive and I want its content to be chosen by you, the reader.

With that said, I want your help in determining who the most dominant player of all time in their respective sport really is.

We will start with 4 players from each of the main four sports (Basketball, Baseball, Football and Golf).  Each day for the next two weeks or so there will be a vote. You can vote on the right side of your screen and it will automatically tally for me and the person with the most votes moves on to the next round.

You may place multiple votes but only vote for one guy from each match up

 



Oscar Robertson
- 12x All Star
- 11x 1st Team All-NBA
- 1 MVP Award
- Career Averages: 29.7 PPG, 9.5 Assists/Game, 7.5 Reb/Game
- Averaged Triple-Double during the 1961/62 season
-1 NBA Championship Ring

vs

LeBron James
- 9x All Star
- 6x 1st Team All-NBA
- 4 MVP Awards
-Career Averages: 27.6 PPG., 6.9 Assists/Game, 7.3 Reb/game
-1 NBA Championship Ring





Michael Jordan
- 14x All Star
- 10x 1st Team All-NBA
- 5 MVP Awards
- 6 NBA Championship Rings
- Career Averages: 30.1 PPG, 5.3 Assists/Game, 6.2 Reb/game

vs

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
- 19x All Star
- 10x 1st Team All-NBA
- 6 MVP Awards
- 6 NBA Championship Rings
- Career Averages: 24.6 PPG, 3,6 Assists/Game, 11.2 Reb/Game

March Madness Survival Kit

The field has been set and the brackets filled out, now the only thing left to do is prepare for the marathon of basketball that you are about to consume over the next few weeks. This next weekend, well Thursday through Sunday, is easily the most exciting weekend of sports at any point in the year but in order to get through it, you may need a March Madness Survival Kit.


Items needed:

 - A great acting job to pretend that you are sick and need to leave the office at about 11:20 on Thursday. This needs to be done very well in order to play it off the next day as still being sick.

- On the way home, swing by the store and pick up your choice of beverage and some chips while ordering a pizza over the phone at the same time

- Collect every laptop computer available in your home, move the coffee table so it sits roughly 3 feet from you and log on to cbssportsline.com, so you can stream every game available

- Go grab a cooler that is big enough to fit all of your beverages but not so big that it becomes a hurdle while sprinting to the restroom during the under four minute timeout. Place it at the end of the couch so you can simply reach down and have a cool refreshment at arms reach. Also, this is a great place to store items such as pickles, lunch meat, and conditments.

- Now that your watching space is complete with 4 monitors and an assortment of beverage and food options you need to collect your brackets, (the copies you made of your own so you can score along while watching the games) a highlighter, a pen and a blank bracket for which you will fill in the correct winners. Use your highlighter to mark to any wins and  your pen to cross out any misses.

- This should have went without saying, but if you have not already done so, put on a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt for maximum comfort.

- Put your feet up, relax and be ready to enter into the greatest 96 hours of sports on TV

For Your Viewing Pleasure:

We know that it can be tricky to determine which game you want to watch on the main television when there are three or four options out there so here are some rules to live by and to be followed in this order:

1. Always choose the game that has the two closest seeds playing eachother.

2. Flip to any game that is within 6 points with less than two minutes to play

3. Regardless of score spread, always be sure to watch the final, at a minimum, minute of a huge upset simply to watch the on court celebration afterwards

4. Find the game with the most exciting individual player

Tiebreaker: If Clark Kellogg is announcing one of the tied games, you always choose his

Suggested Viewing Schedule (2 Monitor System):

Thursday

12:15 Michigan St. vs Valpo (Main Screen)

12:40 Butler vs Bucknell (Main Screen) / Michigan St. vs Valpo (Monitor # 2)

1:40 Pittsburgh vs Wichita St (Main Screen)  / Butler vs Bucknell (Monitor #2)

2:10 Pittsburgh vs Wichita St (Main Screen) / St. Louis vs New Mexico St (Monitor #2)

4:00-4:40 Whatever game is the most exciting

4:40: Oklahoma St. vs Oregon (Main Screen) / Gonzaga vs Southern (Monitor #2)

7:15 Michigan vs South Dakota St. (Main Screen) / Arizona vs Belmont (Monitor # 2)

7:27 UNLV vs Cal (Main Screen)/ Michigan vs South Dakota St. (Monitor #2)

9:20 Colorado St. vs Mizzou (Main Screen)

9:45 VCU vs Akron (Main Screen) / Colorado St. vs Mizzou (Monitor # 2)

Friday

12:40 Wisconsin vs Ole Miss (Main Screen)

1:40 NC State vs Temple (Main Screen) / Wisconsin vs Ole Miss (Monitor # 2)

2:45 Creighton vs Cincy (Main Screen) / NC State vs Temple (Monitor # 2)

3:10 Creighton vs Cincy (Main Screen) / Kansas St. vs Boise St or La Salle (Monitor # 2)

4:40 Illinois vs Colorado (Main Screen) / Creighton vs Cincy (Monitor # 2)

7:20 UNC vs Villanova (Main Screen) / Georgetown vs Florida Golf Coast (Monitor # 2)

9:20 San Diego St vs Oklahoma (Main Screen)

9:45 San Diego St. vs Oklahoma (Main Screen) / Notre Dame vs Iowa St (Monitor # 2)

9:57 UCLA vs Minnesota (Main Screen) / San Diego St. vs Oklahoma (Monitor # 2)

Selection Sunday Scribbles

I just filled out the information sheet for the March Madness Bracket that I am in charge of and I could not be more excited to sit here for the next hour and watch the bracket revealed and then discuss and debate it for the next 3 days.

Pre-Show Thoughts:

Kentucky better not be in

Middle Tennessee better be

Doug Gottlieb drives me crazy

I am excited

Show Thoughts:

Midwest

Louisville as overall #1.... no one saw that two or three weeks ago

I'm predicting Kansas, Indiana and Gonzaga to join them as #1

Louisville in Lexington and then Indy does not seem fair

**Upset Alert** Oregon is a SUPER tough 12 seed, heads up Okla St

**Upset Alert** New Mexico State over St. Louis

Tough matchup for the Bearcats... Doug McDermott against a very tough Cincy Defense (I'm taking Creighton)

Middle Tennessee is In, as they should be

That is a very tough bracket for the over #1 seed

South

Early pick without looking at match ups is that Kansas is my National Champion

Watch parties for small schools are awesome

I thought that UNC would be higher than #8

Michigan dropping all the way to a #4 seed, that's a long slide from #1 in the country

Burke/Hardaway Jr vs Wolters from South Dakota St. makes for a high scoring game

**Upset Alert** Minnesota over UCLA

Easier bracket for Kansas than Louisville, seems backwards

East

I can't wait to see game times so I know how to schedule my weekend, I love a good match up starting at 10:07 pm

NC State has disappointed me this season, I expected more out of them

Temple will beat NC State

That is a LONG way for Syracuse to travel

Does John Groce have another tournament run in him?

Am I missing something? Why does Louisville seem to have the hardest bracket

West

I like Wichita St, a lot

Wisconsin a sneaky pick to get out of this bracket

I like that Boise St and La Salle are both in, means that Kentucky is very unlikely to be in

Dayton is a home game for OSU

How about a Big Ten tourney championship rematch for a trip to the Final Four?

Again, I think Louisville got shafted

Snubs:

Iowa

Tennessee

Southern Miss

(In that order)

People can complain about non-power conferences getting multiple teams in but until mid-majors stop making deep runs in the tournament, there is no reason to stop including them. 

IT'S TOURNAMENT TIME BABY!!!!!!

Do They Glow In The Dark?

Over the last two days I have watched South Florida play Seton Hall and have seen highlights of UC's victory. Why is this important? It's not really, except it has showed me exactly what basketball uniforms should not look like.

Cincinnati is currently sporting some type of shorts that look more like a hybrid between Hammer Pants and the way your television looks when the service is poor than they do a basketball uniform. They are ugly and look terrible. This new fad that all teams have to have 10 different uniforms and wear special things all the time is beyond me, what happened to teams simply having a home and away uniform that consisted of only their school colors?

While Cincinnati's Adidas created uniform, which I can only assume glows in the dark, is not easy on the eyes, it is not the only uniform currently being worn that makes you wonder what schools and designers are thinking. South Florida was seen sporting shorts that appeared to be swim trunks that are sold at your local Target. USF claims these to be a "retro" look but in reality all they did was take their jersey and put it on with the bathing suit they were planning on using in the hotel pool after the game.

After seeing these crazy displays of "fashion", I began to wonder if they are in fact the ugliest uniforms ever worn? Sadly, they are not. Not even close.

I have no clue who these guys are or what team they play for but I found them while doing my research and is there was ever a terrible uniform, it is this one! Give them credit for wearing it in public, I guess.

WHAT????

I would like to preface this list by saying that I would love to have one of each of these jerseys that I could frame and hang in my future basement because of the ridiculousness of them, but I can not believe teams actually wore these.

Colorado Rockies

 Any time you are using a cartoonish drawing on your uniform, it is not going to turn out well. Especially when that cartoon consists of a giant baseball flying over squiggly lines that appear to be scratched by a cat. The cut off sleeves outlined in purple do not help either, but Larry Walker does his best to out due the ugly uniform with that silly facial hair arrangement.

Montreal Canadiens

No, that is not a typo. That is actually, in fact, how they spell their name, what is wrong with you, Canada? Anyhow, the Canadiens decided that the most effective way for them to score goals and win games was to dress up like Waldo and hope that the other teams did not see them blending in with the crowd.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The old creamsicle jersey was one of the worst decisions by a professional sports team ever, but what was even worse is that the Buccaneers were terrible on the field and looked like idiots. In recent seasons, this jersey has become a "throwback" and gained popularity. Which seems dumb.

Houston Astros

I have no words to describe how outrageous this uniform design really is. The team name is Astros and they decided to put a rainbow on the jersey, it would not be as bad if they were the Houston Rainbows or even Leprechauns but they are not. Thankfully, the organization decided to tone it down and get back to looking normal.

Philadelphia Eagles
This is another uniform that I do not understand. I can not, for the life of me, figure out why the Philadelphia Eagles would decide that they should have an alternate jersey with bright blue and yellow. They look like they should be playing in the Canadian Football League. Or roller derby.

Pittsburgh Pirates
The state of Pennsylvania really knows how to wear horrible jerseys. Our final three selections are all from the Liberty Bell state and they should have never happened. This jersey falls in line with the rules stated above for the Rockies. Do not make the main focus of your jersey a cartoon character. Seriously, these guys look like they are wearing the cover of a cereal box on their chests.

Pittsburgh Steelers
I'm confused whether they were trying to intimidate the other team by appearing to be bumblebees or jailbirds. Either way, it did not work and they ended up just looking absurd. The giant white placard on the chest and back stating your number does not really help the look of the jersey either but at least you can see from miles away what number the player carrying the football is. Pittsburgh, we all know you are the worst, but even you can do better than these...

 







              

I'll Take One Ticket To The Madness

It's the middle of Champ Week, which means a few thoughts are running through my mind about the things I love during the Madness:

1. Surprise conference tourney champs bursting team's bubbles
2. Small conferences playing their tournament at highest seeds gym
3. Schools I have never heard of suddenly become my favorite schools because they are my big upset pick
4. All teams given a chance to live the dream
5. Liberty in with 20 losses
6. Watching young coaches make names for themselves, I'm talking to you Billy Donlon
7. Players with names like Erik Buggs
8. Bryce Drew back in the Big Dance
9. Meaningful sporting events starting at noon
10. Hooking up my iPad to a monitor to stream games while also watching on television and my computer at the same time
11. Looking forward to staying awake to watch the 10:50 match up of UNLV vs Tennessee
12. Tracking how you are doing in your office pool
13. Comparing your bracket with your friends in the office pool
14. The excitement you feel the first time you see the standings for the office pool
15. Discussing how you should not have to work during the tournament
16. Highlighting your bracket that you have at home to make sure it is being scored correctly
17. Hoping every year for a VCU or a George Mason type run
18. Watching as Brad Stevens and Tom Izzo can suddenly make their teams so much better in tournaments
19. Checking Bracketology daily
20. Hoping your team makes it into the "Locks" category on Bubble Watch
21. Talking about players that you barely have seen - like you have watched them all year
22. 4 wins in 4 days
23. 5 wins in 5 days, in Madison Square Garden
24. Hoping against hope that someone goes all Syracuse vs UCONN and plays 6 OTs
25. Buzzer Beaters
26. Cinderellas
27. Being torn if you would rather an underdog win for the "coolness" factor of it or the big name win because it helps your bracket
28. Having players burst onto the scene that you have never heard of
29. Remembering Steph Curry's wild run
30. Finally having a chance to watch Doug McDermott on TV
31. Watching Greg McDermott coach Doug McDermott
32. Checking every score to see if you win your scoring square
33. Crazy on court celebrations
34. Bench warmers being the biggest cheerleaders
35. Clark Kellogg on the call
36. Former proteges beating the coaches that gave them their first job
37. Dick Vitale's reaction when first seeing the bracket
38. Immediately printing out the bracket and filling it in
39. Deciding whether to enter the same bracket in all of your pools or to mix it up
40. Teams that "should have gotten in"
41. Teams that "shouldn't have gotten in"
42. Gus Johnson yelling
43. Crowds pulling for the underdog
44. Yelling for CBS to switch to a different game
45. Adidas attempting to make a splash with new uniforms
46. Adidas making a splash with new uniforms
47. Adidas making a splash because they have designed the ugliest uniforms in history
48. Group watch parties
49. Sudden return of college pride
50. Cutting down the nets

The big conferences begin playing their tournaments mostly today and tomorrow so might I suggest just sitting back and enjoying the fun.....

Fantasy Football with a Twist Pt. 2

A few posts back, I created an offensive starting 11 using only players from other sports. Today, I will reveal my starting defensive side of the ball. I have determined that I will be running a 3-4 defense because I would rather have speed and athleticism through my middle than extra big guys up front, and to be honest it was easier to pick from athletic players than to find a fourth overweight professional athlete.

CB: Gary Payton
(6'4", 180 lbs)

Gary "The Glove" Payton is one half of what will be a very athletic and ball hawking secondary. Payton, 4th all time in steals in NBA history, is one of the best all time when playing man to man defense which will help him to be a shut down corner on any receiver. With his experience at the point guard position he will also see the field well and be able to read the eyes of quarterbacks causing numerous turnovers.






CB: Jason Kidd
(6'4", 205)

Another ball hawking point guard will fill out the cornerback position for this team. Kidd, 2nd all time in steals, is a bigger and more physical style corner to start across from Payton. In the typical coverage, Kidd would take the bigger of the two receivers and Payton the quicker. Kidd also brings a lot of leadership and some toughness to this defense that is looking to run fast and hit hard.




FS: Ken Griffey Jr.
(6'3", 195 lbs)

With our cornerbacks pressed tight in man coverage, the need for a Free Safety that can adjust to a ball in the air and take the most efficient route to a thrown pass is enormous. Who better to do that than possibly the greatest centerfielder to ever play major league baseball. The Kid is fast, fearless, and has tremendous hands which means he will be an Ed Reed like fixture in the back of the secondary.




SS: Ty Cobb
(6'1", 175)

Ty Cobb will be the enforcer of the secondary, but he will do it with speed and some nasty play. Cobb is widely recognized as one of the dirtiest and meanest men to ever play Major League Baseball and its that attitude that I want him to bring to the secondary. Cobb will be the safety that keeps Wide Receivers from wanting to go over the middle and he will stick his nose in the running game. Expect Cobb to be a hard hitter and a bit of a trash talker.



DE: Carmelo Anthony
(6'8", 230 lbs)

Carmelo begins the unveiling of our defensive line. By definition, Anthony is everything that we want from our defensive eleven, he has size, speed, and some attitude. The main task for Anthony this season is to pressure the quarterback and force some bad throws for our talented secondary to pick off. The speed and quickness that Anthony possesses for a guy his size will be sure to allow him to abuse some linemen from time to time.


DT: John Daly
(5'11, 276 lbs)

Daly will anchor the defensive line with the main job of clogging up the middle of the opposing offensive lines. Daly will have to force two offensive lineman to contain him to allow the linebackers to find the ball carriers and make plays downhill. Stats will be low for Daly, but the important aspects of his job do not show up in the boxscore.







DE:Charles Barkley
(6'5", 250 lbs)

Sir Charles, at playing weight, would be a terrible matchup for any offensive tackle because of his size and strength. Barkley also possessed an outrageous amount of athleticism including an ability to jump. This will come in handy when rushing opposing quarterbacks and being able to get off the group to knock down passes. Barkley's strong hands will also allow him to pick off passes right at the line of scrimmage.











OLB: Eric Davis
(6'2", 165 lbs)

If you are looking for athleticism and an ability to use a large body very quickly, then look no further than Eric Davis. Davis has the speed of a man about 6 inches shorter than he is but is built like a rock. From time to time, Davis will be asked to drop back into coverage to handle tight ends but his speed and physical nature will allow him to do this without an issue. There is a very good chance that Davis becomes THE leader on the defense.






ILB: Metta World Peace
(6'6", 244 lbs)

The inside linebacker spot is the perfect spot for Metta World Peace to roam and hit people play after play. Obviously, World Peace will bring an attitude and toughness that is difficult to pass up when setting up the center of your defense. Between World Peace and Cobb, very few receivers will be willing to go over the middle knowing that they are likely to be laid out.


ILB: Brock Lesnar
(6'3", 266 lbs)

The former UFC and current WWE mega star will bring a monstrous figure to the middle of the football field. Lesnar is a strong and tough athlete who can hit people as hard as anyone and will be very intimidating for the QB to look at hovering over the center. In this attacking style defense, Lesnar will be blitzing a lot and attempting to make plays on the QB while stuffing the run game at the same time.



OLB: Dion Phaneuf
(6' 3", 218)

Phaneuf, known around the NHL for his hard hits and ability to be the enforcer will do similar things while completing the linebacker group. Similar to a James Harrison, Phaneuf will use his size and downright nastiness to lead this defense by establishing a fear in opponents. Also, he dates Elisha Cuthbert and its always nice to have her around the games.

Free Agency Thursday

Imagine having to start a team from scratch and you could only sign available free agents, while staying under the salary cap. That is the challenge I have taken this morning.

Important Numbers:

46 Active players on a gameday NFL Roster (I am only naming my starting 22)
123 Million = Salary Cap
500,000= Average league minimum for 1st/2nd year players

My goals: Sign all 22 starters for 90 Million dollars or less

Rules:

For sake of simplicity, all salaries will be split evenly between the number of years in contract
(If contract is 4 yrs for 20 Million, it is assumed each year will receive equal 5 Million payments)

For every position that I choose a player, the top remaining player of that same position (according to NFL.com rankings) will be forfeited to another team

All players must sign contracts for more yearly salaries than they had previously, as is typical when signing of free agents.

We are assuming I am allowed first priority at all players.

I will sign the players in order of importance which will effect certain decisions depending on money.

Building My Roster:

Remaining Budget: 90 Million

OT: Sebastian Vollmer (2012 salary: 650,000)
Contract: 4 yrs, 12 Million Dollars
Player Lost: Jake Long
Analysis: This decision came down between Vollmer and Long but the opportunity to get a player of the same age who is not coming off of injury for drastically less money (Long made 11 million last season) could not be passed.

Remaining Budget: 87 Million

WR: Mike Wallace (2012 Salary: 2.742 M)
Contract: 3 yrs 21 Million
Player Lost: Wes Welker
Analysis: Again I went with a cheaper option but I also got a playmaker who is much younger than Welker and one that I am willing to pay 7 million annually too and do not have to worry about him breaking down in a few years. Wallace is only 27.

Remaining Budget: 80 Million

S: Dashon Goldson (6.2 M)
Contract: 3 yrs 24 Million
Player Lost: William Moore
Analysis: This was a tough decision because there are certainly cheaper options at safety but Goldson is too good of a talent to overlook. I want a hard hitting safety to anchor my defense.

Remaining Budget: 72 Million

OLB: Paul Kruger (565,000)
Contract: 5 yrs 30 Million
Player Lost: Phillip Wheeler
Analysis: Despite having to spend 6 million a year on Kruger, this is a steal. Kruger is coming off his rookie contract and is blossoming into a star linebacker that will anchor my 3-4 defense with his pass rush abilities. Locking him into 5 years is excellent as well since he is only 27.

Remaining Budget: 66 Million

DE: Michael Bennett (2.742 M)
Contract: 2 yrs 13 Million
Player Lost: Cliff Avril
Analysis: I wanted Avril but his base salary in 2010 was nearly 11 million dollars and I could not afford that much money on my books. I opted to only sign Bennett for two years because I think that the career dropoff of defensive lineman happens quickly and suddenly. With the addition of Bennett, I have now secured a top level player at all 3 levels of my defense.

Remaining Budget: 59.5 Million

RB: Ahmad Bradshaw (3 M)
Contract: 4 yrs 18 Million
Player Lost: Reggie Bush
Analysis: This was one of the tougher decisions to make between Bradshaw and Bush but I went with Bradshaw because I figure I can get him for a discount since he is coming off injury and had an up and down season. Bush is only 1 year younger and has not been as productive throughout his career as Bradshaw and Bradshaw cost less money.

Remaining Budget: 55 Million

CB: Aqui Talib ( 1.852 M)
Contract: 1 yr 5 Million
Player Lost: Sean Smith
Analysis: The only 1 year contract I will be signing while trying to build my team. Talib has proven in the past to be an off the field issue so we will give him a season to prove that his attitude and decisions can match his extensive skill on the field. The loss of Smith hurts here because he is a little younger and could have signed for longer.

Remaining Budget: 50 Million

OG: Andy Levitre (615,000)
Contract: 5 yrs 25 Million
Player Lost: Louis Vaquez
Analysis: Levitre is only 26 and has shown over the past few seasons that he is a top tier offensive guard and lining him up next to Vollmer will create a great left side of a line for Bradshaw and will protect my QB for years to come.

Remaining Budget: 45 Million

C: Todd McClure (925,000)
Contract: 2 yrs 5 Million
Player Lost: Andre Smith (I lose a OT since I only need to sign one starting C and losing one would not hurt me)
Analysis: McClure is 36 years old so he was not necessary to sign long term and could be signed for cheap. His experience and veteran leadership will be essential for a team that is made up mostly of young players.

Remaining Budget: 42.5 Million

ILB: Dannell Ellerbe (1.927 Million)
Contract: 5 yrs 40 Million
Player Lost: Ray Maualuga
Analysis: I am stealing another Baltimore Raven with this signing, but they have laid the foundation of how to build a successful defense, so why not take some of their players? The price tag for Ellerbe is pretty high and I hope that it does not impact any decisions on players later in this selection process, but his on the field playmaking should make up for it.

Remaining Budget: 34.5 Million

QB: Chase Daniels (700,000)
Contract: 3 yrs 6 Million
Player Lost: Matt Moore
Analysis: This certainly was not my first option at QB, but to be honest the pickings were pretty slim. Daniels comes cheap and has been learning behind Drew Brees so hopefully some of that New Orleans voo doo magic has rubbed off on him.

Remaining Budget: 32.5 Million
Half way through, time to start signing some lower-level money wise players

DT: Ty Warren (1.25 M)
Contract: 3 yrs 4.5 Million
Player Lost: Alan Branch
Analysis: Let the bargain shopping begin. The 32 year old is a serviceable DT that will be mostly used to jam up blockers in order to let the linebackers run wild and make tackles.

Remaining Budget: 31 Million

CB: Darius Butler (770,000)
Contract: 5 yrs 10 Million
Player Lost: Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie
Analysis: Butler is young, cheap, and has good upside. Having the ability to always cover the second receiver will help Butler to excel in this defensive alignment.

Remaining Budget: 29 Million

OG: Deuce Lutui (700,000)
Contract: 2 yrs 3 Million
Player Lost: Brandon Moore
Analysis: Lutui is young, large, and relatively cheap. Those are honestly the only three reasons that I have selected Lutui.

Remaining Budget: 27.5 Million

ILB: Brandon Siler (700,000)
Contract: 3 yrs 4.5 Million
Player Lost: Brain Urlacher
Analysis: Siler is a young and athletic linebacker who can be signed for cheap. With the defensive talent around him, he will not be asked to do too much and should be able to slide right into a complimentary role.

Remaining Budget: 26 Million

OT: Jordan Black (825,000)
Contract: 3 yrs 6 Million
Player Lost: Gosder Cherilus
Analysis: Black played for Notre Dame and is currently 33 years old. A 3 year deal may be a little long, but I was able to pay less money annually in order to promise extra years.

Remaining Budget: 24 Million

TE: Tom Crabtree (490,000)
Contract: 3 years 2.1 Million
Player Lost: Jared Cook
Analysis: Crabtree is not a great receiver or a great blocker, but his is a very servicable blocker with adequate hands. Plus he will raise our amount of team tattoos and toughness.

Remaining Budget: 23.3 Million

FB: Lex Hilliard (615,000)
Contract: 3 yrs 3 Million
Player Lost: Greg Jones
Analysis: Hilliard is a small package that packs quite a punch. He has also shown an ability to carry the ball in short goaline situations with success. He is an above average blocker which should help Bradshaw.

Remaining Budget: 22.3 Million

S: Kenny Phillips (2.08 M)
Contract: 4 yrs 20 Million
Player Lost: Glover Quin
Analysis: Thanks to some thrifty spending at other positions, I have opened up the possibility to sign some bigger named players here at the end and Kenny Phillips is one of them. Phillips completes what will be a pretty tough secondary that will hopefully shut down the opposing passing game.

Remaining Budget: 17.3 Million

WR: Danny Amendola (1.972 M)
Contract: 3 yrs 12 Million
Player Lost: Greg Jennings
Analysis: Amendola will provide a great second option that is willing to go over the middle and catch the short routes. His crossing patterns should open some deep plays to Wallace down the field. The only worry is that he has had a lot of injury problems throughout his career.

Remaining Budget: 13.3 Million

DE: Osi Umenyiora (3.975)
Contract: 3 yrs 21 Million
Player Lost: Kyle Vanden Bosch
Analysis: Umenyiora hopefully will regain his pass rushing dominance with a change of scenery. At the very least he will be an emotional leader for the front 7 and force blocking schemes to decide between him and Bennett. Could add up to a very dynamic duo.

Remaining Budget: 6.3 Million

OLB: Connor Barwin (565,000)
Contract: 6 yrs 36 Million
Player Lost: Manny Lawson
Analysis: Barwin is young, athletic, and explosive. He has proven over his first few years in the league that he can be a difference maker on the defensive side of the ball. He is the final piece to what projects out to possibly be a top 10 defense.

Remaining Budget: 300,000

My Starting Lineup

QB: Chase Daniels
RB: Ahmad Bradshaw
FB: Lex Hilliard
WR: Mike Wallace
WR: Danny Amendola
TE: Tom Crabtree
OT: Jordan Black
OT: Sebastian Vollmer
OG: Andy Levitre
OG: Deuce Lutui
C: Todd McClure

CB: Aqib Talib
CB: Darius Butler
S: Dashon Goldson
S: Kenny Phillips
OLB: Paul Kruger
ILB: Dannell Ellerbe
ILB: Brandon Siler
OLB: Connor Barwin
DE: Michael Bennett
DT: Ty Warren
DE: Osi Umenyiora

March Madness Update (3/5 Edition)

12 Days Until Selection Sunday!

I am going to mix it up a little bit today and attempt to name the 64 teams that will be in the tournament with their projected seeding. Conference Automatic Bids will be determined by  the leader of the conference currently.

Projected Matchups with Seeds

West:

(1) Gonzaga vs (16) Niagra/Charleston Southern
(8) San Diego St. vs (9) Cincinnati

(5) St. Louis vs (12) Villanova vs Kentucky
(4) Marquette vs (13) Louisiana Tech

(6) Colorado St. vs (11) Temple
(3) Kansas St vs (14) Belmont

(7) UCLA vs (10) Butler
(2) Michigan vs (15) Stephen F. Austing


East:

(1) Georgetown vs (16) Texas Southern/ Western Illinois
(8) Missouri vs (9) California

(5) Oregon vs (12) Princeton
(4) Oklahoma St. vs (13) Detroit

(6) Pittsburgh vs (11) Middle Tennessee
(3) Florida vs (14) Robert Morris

(7) Notre Dame vs (10) Wichita St.
(2) Duke vs (15) Long Beach St

Midwest:

(1) Indiana vs (16) Northeastern
(8) UNLV vs (9) La Salle

(5) Syracuse vs (12) Virginia
(4) Arizona vs (13) Alabama/Bucknell

(6) Virginia Commonwealth vs (11) Akron
(3) Michigan St. vs (14) Norfolk St

(7) UNC vs (10) Minnesota
(2) Louisville vs (15) Montana

South:

(1) Kansas vs (16) Mercer
(8) St. Mary's vs (9) Creighton

(5) Wisconsin vs (12) Valpo
(4) Ohio St. vs (13) Davidson

(6) Memphis vs (11) Oklahoma
(3) New Mexico vs (14) Ole Miss

(7) Illinois vs (10) North Carolina St
(2) Miami vs (15) Stony Brook


Teams by Conference:

Big East (8)
Big Ten (7)
A-10 (5)
ACC (5)
SEC (5)
Big 12 (4)
Mountain West (4)
Pac 12 (4)
Horizon (2)
Missouri Valley (2)
West Coast (2)
American (1)
Atlantic Sun (1)
Big Sky (1)
Big South (1)
Big West (1)
Colonial (1)
CUSA (1)
Ivy (1)
MAAC (1)
MAC (1)
MEAC (1)
Northeast (1)
Ohio Valley (1)
Patriot (1)
Southern (1)
Southland (1)
SWAC (1)
Summit (1)
Sun Belt (1)
WAC (1)

Making the Games We Love, Better!

Yes, it is true that I could sit on my couch all day everyday and do nothing besides watch sports, but it is also true that these sports and their respective entertainment value and quality could be increased. The idea that I could possibly improve the most watchable and popular sports on the planet is a little arrogant, but none the less I am willing to try. The following are five simple rule changes that will help increase fan interest and lessen fan angst.

1. Make all "blows to the head" penalties reviewable .

Far too often crucial drives are either extended or built entirely on a blow to the head penalty that should never have been called. The referees and officials in today's NFL, which may be one of the toughest jobs in America, are receiving so much pressure from their superiors to "protect the players" that they are hurting the game. We are at the point that any big hit is automatically being called a personal foul and it is starting to effect the game in a negative manner - football is a contact sport and the officials are trying to remove the contact. For starters, hitting with your shoulder is not leading with your head and if the receiver catches a pass and lowers their head into the defenders, that is also not a penalty. If you only watched the games on Sundays, you would think those are fouls. Finally, if a receiver is in the air and the safety separates him from the ball before he hits the ground then there should be no flag - the defender is doing his job. The whole idea of a helpless receiver is outrageous. How can we fix this issue on Sunday and Monday nights? Make all these penalties reviewable. The point of the official is to get the call correct and if we can take the time to review a 7 yard crossing route, then why not take the time to review a possible drive extending 15 yard penalty flag that was thrown simply because the wide receiver got smoked. It is time for flags to stop being thrown simply because a play looks violent and let football get back to being the hard hitting game that it used to be.

2. Allow handchecking in the NBA

The players are too big and too fast to continue giving the offensive player so many advantages in the NBA on an everyday basis. If you are able to play in the NBA then there is no reason that you should be given any advantage offensively, these are already the best shooters in the world and possibly the most athletic individuals in any professional sports. A typical NBA player will have no issue with making a jump shot when no one is guarding him and by eliminating the handcheck, the NBA is basically giving open jump shots whenever someone wants them. In the NBA game, you are open if you are an arms' length away from the defender. In order to even the playing field and bring the idea of defense back to the NBA it is necessary to allow handchecking to be legal. Like most of our sports, and society in general, the NBA has become too soft and personally I believe a large reason for this is the lack of guys willing to sit down and play defense. The reasoning behind this lack of defensive desire is that every advantage is given to the offensive player in order to keep the game  faster paced and exciting for the fans, but what is more exciting than seeing Charles Oakley bodycheck Michael Jordan going to the rim because he is not willing to give up easy baskets. The grit and toughness of the NBA has been stripped away and this shell of the game that we watch now is all that is left. I know that allowing handchecking will not bring back the game from the 80's and 90's but it will help it get closer.

3. Eliminate the Home Run trot

This suggestion may not go over as well as the others and some may think of this as a stupid change but I have legitimate reasoning behind why I want this to occur. I love the game of the baseball and there are few things I like more than sitting down and watching a Reds game but even I can admit that the pace of the game is way too slow. There is no reason why a player who hits a home run can not simply peel off at first base and head back to their dugout to celebrate with their teammates. Yea, this would only eliminate maybe two total minutes from each game but it would also help to eliminate the "me" factor from the sport. While rounding the bases after a home run, the player is basically just doing a "look what I did" lap while everyone cheers but if everyone was cheering while he was celebrating with his teammates rather than alone, the idea of team would be much more present. There is one exception to this rule: a walk off homerun. You must jog the bases after the walk off simply to participate in the homeplate celebration.

4. Institute the "Must be passing" rule into NASCAR

NASCAR is supposed to be a high energy and high speed car race around the track, but it has become more of a quick traffic jam. The amount of cars making passes on the track is decreasing and the idea of driving single file around the track is increasing. In order to stop this, I suggest NASCAR institute a rule stating that each driver must attempt to pass another driver at least once per lap. This would not only make for a more exciting afternoon of watching cars make left turns but it would also bring into the game a new need for strategy. With more cars passing eachother, there would be more changes in positioning and a bigger need to drive aggresively and to determine when you had to attempt to make your pass. An attempt would be considered legal as soon as the car trying to pass moved to a different spot on the track and had the front of his car break the barrier of the back of the car infront of him. Obviously, the man running in the first position would be the exception to this rule. To make it more appealing to the drivers as well, for every pass attempt counted the driver would receive 1 additional point per attempt at the end of the race and for every lap not passed the driver would receive another additional point.

5. Change the rules of Hockey.

All of them. No one understands the game, no one cares. Go back to Canada.

March Madness or February Frenzy?

What an outrageous month February was for College Basketball. Night in and night out top teams were losing and courts were being rushed! We all thought we knew the top teams in the nation on February 1st, but now a month later do we still know?

(awesome story on Shane and Barry Larkin: http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/8997838/shane-larkin-passes-baseball-become-hit-miami-hurricanes-college-basketball)


Let's look back on the month that was:

AP Top 5 (Week of Jan 28)

1. Michigan
2. Kansas
3. Indiana
4. Florida
5. Duke

February 2nd:
(3) Indiana defeats (1) Michigan
Oklahoma St. defeats (2) Kansas
Pittsburgh defeats (6) Syracuse
California defeats (10) Oregon
Air Force defeats (22) San Diego State

AP Top 5 (Feb 4)

1. Indiana
2. Florida
3. Michigan
4. Duke
5. Kansas

Feb. 5th:
Arkansas defeats (2) Florida

Feb. 6th:
TCU defeats (5) Kansas
Indiana St. defeats (16) Creighton
Providence defeats (17) Cincinnati

Feb. 7th:
Illinois defeats (1) Indiana
Colorado defeats (19) Oregon
Texas A&M defeats (21) Missouri

Feb 9th:
Wisconsin defeats (3) Michigan
Oklahoma defeats (5) Kansas
UNLV defeats (15) New Mexico
Illinois St defeats (16) Creighton
(23) Pittsburgh defeats (17) Cincinnati

Feb 10th:
California defeats (7) Arizona
Illinois defeats (18) Minnesota

AP Top 5 (Feb 11)

1. Indiana
2. Duke
3. Miami
4. Michigan
5. Gonzaga

Feb 11th:
(14) Kansas defeats (10) Kansas St

Feb 12th:
(8) Michigan St. defeats (4) Michigan

Feb 13th:
UCONN defeats (6) Syracuse

Feb 14th:
Colorado defeats (9) Arizona
Minnesota defeats (20) Wisconsin

Feb 16th:
Maryland defeats (2) Duke
(18) Marquette defeats (16) Pittsburgh

Feb 17:
(20) Wisconsin defeats (13) Ohio State

AP Top 5 (Feb 18)

1. Indiana
2. Miami
3. Gonzaga
4. Michigan St
5. Florida

Feb 18:
(25) Notre Dame defeats (20) Pittsburgh

Feb 19:
Missouri defeats (5) Florida
St. Louis defeats (24) VCU

Feb 20:
UNLV defeats (22) Colorado St

Feb 21:
California defeats (23) Oregon

Feb 22:
St. Louis defeats (15) Butler

Feb 23:
Wake Forest defeats (2) Miami
(11) Georgetown defeats (8) Syracuse
Villanova defeats (17) Marquette

Feb 24:
(18) Ohio State defeats (4) Michigan St


AP Top 5 (Feb 25)

1. Indiana
2. Gonzaga
3. Duke
4. Michigan
5. Miami

Feb 25:
(22) Marquette defeats (12) Syracuse

Feb 26:
Minnesota defeats (1) Indiana
Tennessee defeats (8) Florida
Xavier defeats (19) Memphis

Feb 27:
Penn St defeats (4) Michigan
USC defeats (11) Arizona

Feb 28:
Virginia defeats (3) Duke

February By the Numbers

44: Number of ranked teams that lost to unranked team or lower ranked team
12: Top 5 teams defeated by unranked opponents
13: Consecutive days from Feb 16 - Feb 28 in which at least one ranked team was upset
3:   Number of days that a ranked team did not lose
5:   Total games played in those 3 days
8:   Number of teams to appear in Top 5 rankings this month
5:   Number of teams to receive 1st place votes in rankings this month