Sports October 1, 2012

A lot was made of the call the Monday Night Football last week between the Seahawks and Packers that awarded the Seahawks the game winning touchdown. One can easily argue that the Packers deserved that game, but I would beg to differ. An entire game cannot be decided on a single play. If it could, we might as well start football games in the last two minutes. There are several plays over the course of the entire game that decide its outcome. If the Packers really did deserve to win that game, they would not have left themselves vulnerable to replacement referees and last second hail maries. Instead, they would have made plays earlier in the game. Remember, the Packers offensive line was destroyed by that Seahawks and managed to sack Aaron Rodgers eight times in the first half. The Packers might easily have kept Rodgers upright and maybe he would have had a chance to tear apart the Seahawks secondary. Keep in mind, Aaron Rodgers is the reigning MVP, he can tear a defense apart and has done it with consistency. If the Packers really did deserve to win that game, they would have finished off the Seahawks. On a side note, the Seahawks did catch a break and did not play particularly well themselves.

So much for the vaunted passing attacks we saw last season. The five best quarterbacks in the league (who are in my opinion Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers, Drew Brees, Peyton Manning, and Ben Roethlisberger) are a combined 7-11. Who saw that coming? Last season now appears to be a bit of a fluke in the trend that defense wins championships. The Texans, Falcons, and Cardinals, while they have had a good amount of offense, have all played pretty well on defense. These teams are also undefeated this season. This just goes on to prove that defense does win championships, not offense.

A lot has been made of the AL MVP race, but in my opinion the reward should go to Mike Trout. This holds even if Miguel Cabrera wins the triple crown. Miguel Cabrera might be a great offensive player and winning a triple crown is nothing to scoff at (even if those three statistics are not the three most significant statistics, it has not been done in a long time). For his success at the plate, Cabrera should win a sliver slugger award, an award given to good hitters. However, baseball is not all about hitting; there are many more aspects that go into a good game and a good player. The MVP award is for the best player in the league, not the best hitter in the league. This can be observed in that last year, Justin Verlander, a pitcher, won the MVP. If that award was legitimate, then more than just hitting numbers should be accounted for. Trout and Cabrera's offensive statistics are comparable, but in all other aspects of the game, Trout is much better. Trout has played a gold glover center field, while Cabrera is an ordinary third baseman. Sure, Cabrera is out of position, but keep in mind Cabrera has had to change positions for the majority of his career because he has not been particularly amazing at any one position.   Trout is also an excellent baserunner, which should also not get overlooked. Because Trout is the best, or among the best, in the league at all of these phases of the game, he should win the AL MVP and not Miguel Cabrera.

September 3, 2012

These are my predictions for this NFL season:

AFC:

East:
1. Patriots
2. Jets
3. Bills
4. Dolphins

North:
1. Steelers
2. Ravens
3. Bengals
4. Browns

South:
1. Texans
2. Titans
3. Colts
4. Jaguars

West:
1. Broncos
2. Chiefs
3. Chargers
4. Raiders

Wildcards: Ravens, Chargers

NFC:

East:
1. Giants
2. Eagles
3. Cowboys
4. Redskins

North:
1. Packers
2. Bears
3. Lions
4. Vikings

South:
1. Falcons
2. Saints
3. Panthers
4. Buccaneers

West:
1. 49ers
2. Seahawks
3. Cardinals
4. Rams

Wildcards: Saints, Bears

MVP: Drew Brees

Offensive Player of the Year: Arian Foster

Defensive Player of the Year: Patrick Willis

Offensive Rookie of the Year: Andrew Luck

Defensive Rookie of the Year: Shea McClellan

Coach of the Year: Gary Kubiak

AFC Conference Champion: Texans

NFC Conference Champion: Giants

Super Bowl Winner: Giants

Starting with the AFC, I have the Patriots winning the east. I didn't put too much thought into this one, they are one of the best teams in the conference and I think they will be in contention for a first round bye. I put the Jets in second because I think they will have a horrible first part of the season under Mark Sanchez, name Tim Tebow the starter, then go on a winning streak and put themselves into the playoff picture. The Bills started out last season strong, but then finished it poorly. I envision a similar result this year. Despite good talent, many key players will likely go down again and they will struggle towards the end. I have the Dolphins in last because I do not believe they have much of anything. I think Tannehill will be a good player in the future, but at the moment he has few targets and I doubt Reggie Bush can repeat the production he had last year.

As usual, it was close between the Steelers and Ravens. I do think the Raven's offense will be much improved, but in the end it will come down to head- to- head games with these teams. The Ravens managed to sweep the Steelers last year to win the AFC North and a first round bye. However, the loss of Terrell Suggs, who always seems to be at his best against the Steelers, will hurt the Ravens and win the division for the Steelers. The Ravens are still one of the best teams in the AFC, will take the 5th seed, and will make some noise in the playoffs. I have the Bengals as 3rd in this division, though I do not think they will make it to the playoffs this year. They were a good team last year, but I think Andy Dalton will take a step back simply because there will be more pressure on him. While he might not be as good this year, he will be much improved in 2013 so watch out for him then. The Browns actually had a good defense last year, Weeden might not prove to be a bad quarterback, and Richardson (if healthy) has a bright future. However, I don't think this team will be able to compete in this division, which in my opinion is the best in the AFC.

I think the Texans are one of the best teams in the AFC, and they are definitely the best team in this division going into the season. They can run the ball, play defense, and if Matt Schaub and Andre Johnson are healthy they have a passing game to be reckoned with. Even if Schaub does go down, the Texans have proved they can win a playoff game with a backup. I think the Titans will win second and Chris Johnson will have a bounce back year. Jake Locker may have his struggles, but he will keep the Titans in contention, though I think they will fall short like last season. Kenny Britt (if he stays healthy) is not a bad target either. I think the Colts will be somewhat revitalized under Andrew Luck, though there are way too many holes on that roster for them to compete. Finally, I have the Jaguars in last. The Jags had a decent defense last year, but the holdout and potentially limited play of Maurice Jones- Drew will hurt that team a lot. I think they might be in contention for the first pick in the draft (they play the Vikings in Week 1 in what might become the Barkley Bowl).

Just like last season, I see no significant difference between the teams in the AFC West and would not be at all surprised if the order of the teams is the complete reverse of what I have. I think the Broncos are now the best team in that division with the addition of Peyton Manning, who is still, in my opinion, one the best players in the NFL. I have the Chargers in second because I think Phillip Rivers will have a bounce back season and lead the drive to the playoffs. So what if he lost his favorite target. He has played well in the past without Vincent Jackson, and I think he will perform well again this season. The Chiefs do have a lot of talent and will regain a key player in Jamal Charles, but I have my concerns about Matt Cassel. They will compete, but will fall short. I think the Raiders are the worst team in that division simply because thy have a new head coach, an inconsistent quarterback, and a player with injury concerns in Darren McFadden. They have proved me wrong the last two years though, and this team will likely be in the hunt throughout the year.

Moving to the NFC, I think the Giants will win the east. I am a Giants fan, so that might influence my opinion. The Giants are also coming off a Super Bowl victory, and that confidence should lead them into the playoffs. They are also the most experienced team in this division in terms of big games won. The Eagles have talent, and I do think they will perform well this year, but not enough to make the playoffs. Another prediction I have on the Eagles, probably my guttiest one, is that Michael Vick will not finish the season as the Eagles starting quarterback. Instead, I think that role will fall to Nick Foles, who has played well in the preseason and is their quarterback of the future. I have the Cowboys in third. I think they will compete, but ultimately, they have a history of struggling down the stretch and will likely fall short again. After this season, Jerry Jones will clean the house and unjustly place blame on Tony Romo, who is one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL. I think the Redskins will finish last. RG3 will make them significantly better, but I doubt a rookie quarterback can compete in a division with as much talent as this one. The Redskins should play to win down the road.

I think the Packers will repeat atop the NFC North, simply because of that explosive offense and Aaron Rodgers. I think a first round bye is also likely with this team. However, this is a strong division so they may fall as well. The Packers defense is also suspect, though I think it will improve this season. I pick the Bears to win second because I think they will manage to keep Jay Cutler healthy. They also picked up a good backup if Matt Forte were to go down. I do have concerns about that teams offensive line, but the addition of a big play wide receiver, Brandon Marshall, should propel them into the playoffs. The Lions are good enough to make the playoffs, but with a stacked conference and offseason distractions, I have them finishing third in the division and missing the playoffs altogether. I think the Vikings are one of the worst teams in the NFC, and an injury to Adrian Peterson doesn't help. I do not think they have a chance against the better teams in the division, and will finish at the bottom of this division.

I am picking the Falcons over the Saints to win the NFC South. The Falcons were the one of only two teams last year to have a 4,000 (Matt Ryan) yard passer and a 1,000 year rusher (Michael Turner), shwing they have balance in what is becoming a passing league. (The Chargers were the other with Phillip Rivers and Ryan Matthews. Cam Newton did both for the Panthers but doesn't count for this category.) I also think the Falcons would have had a much better record if they had better play calling and did not go for it on several key fourth downs. I think they will shore that up this year and win a tight division. The Saints are one of the best teams in the NFL, but the huge offseason distraction and the loss of their head coach for the year will hurt them and put them in second in this division. However, Drew Brees is still good enough to put them into the playoffs. I have the Panthers finishing third who will have a solid season as Cam Newton has another amazing season. They are probably good enough to make the Playoffs in the NFC, but not this loaded NFC. They will have to finish for third and out of the playoffs. I do not think the Buccaneers are a bad team and Josh Freeman is a good quarterback. However, they are in a very good division and will likely end up with a top 10 pick.

The 49ers proved they are a very good team last season, and should continue that this season with their stellar defense. Alex Smith's play might be suspect, but all he has to do is hand the ball off to Frank Gore and throw it to Vernon Davis. I think the Seahawks are the next best team in this division, and may have the two best quarterbacks in this division in Russel Wilson and Matt Flynn (I know combined they have 1 NFL start, but both are talented and proven they can play). I do believe in Russel Wilson, and he will have the Seahawks in contention, if not the playoffs. I put the Cardinals ahead of the Rams solely for their defense, but that does not make them a good team especially given their quarterback situation. (And no more saying that if you have Larry Fitzgerald as a wide receiver, you will be a good quarterback. He might be a very good receiver, but he can't make a good quarterback out of nothing.) Finally, I have the Rams in last place. I know they had injuries last season, but that is no excuse for being as bad as they were. They have a lot of first round picks in the next few drafts, so look out for them in the future.

I think Drew Brees will win the MVP not because he will be the best statistically, but because he will lead the Saints from ruin into the playoffs. He will win the reward given the circumstances. I foresee Arian Foster having a monster season for the Texans, enough to land him the Offensive Player of the Year. I think the Defensive Player of the year will go to Patrick Willis, who lead the Niners back to the playoffs. I didn't put much thought into the Offensive Rookie of the Year because Andrew Luck is as hyped as he is. However, I do think Russel Wilson and RG3 will also be good. On the defensive side, I think Shea McClellan will win the award because he will have a good season playing opposite Julius Peppers. I think Gary Kubiak will win the Coach of the Year because the Texans will have an amazing season and he will be leading the troops.

I figured the AFC champion would be one of four teams, the Patriots, Steelers, Ravens, and Texans, who are head and shoulders ahead of their competition. I'm kicking off the Patriots for their suspect defense and the Ravens for their inconsistent passing game. I do believe both of those aspects of these teams will be better, but that will not make them as complete as the Steelers or Texans. I think the Steelers and Texans will square off in the AFC title game with the Texans coming out on top. The Texan's ability to both run the ball and throw it will eventually get to the Steelers. Plus, I think the Steelers will be characteristically injured around that time of year, giving the Texans the edge.

Unlike the AFC, I think the NFC is more open. Take last year for example, when the conference was top heavy and a lower seeded team won the Conference and the Super Bowl. In fact, four of the last five teams to represent the NFC have been the 4th seed or lower (the Giants were 5th, the Cardinals 4th, the Saints were the exception as 1st, the Packers 6th, and the Giants were 4th). The conference is also stacked, and I think every team other than the Vikings has some shot at the playoffs. In the end, I have chosen the Giants because they have a big game quarterback in Eli Manning, though history has shown us that really doesn't matter. In reality, a team that I have out of the playoffs will probably come out of the blue to win the conference and the Super Bowl.

Let's say the Texans and Giants do face off in the Super Bowl like I have predicted. If that were the case, I think the Giants would win, simply because Eli Manning is more clutch than Matt Schaub. The Texans will put up a good fight and this should be a good contest. But ultimately, the Giants would win this game and their second straight Super Bowl. Of course Eli Manning would win the Super Bowl MVP if this were to happen. If Eli did win the MVP, he would be the first to do so, would stamp his place in Canton, and be forever known as the greatest Manning ever. Then again, its more likely than not that another team, likely from the loaded NFC, will make a run and win the Lombardy trophy. If I could accurately predict the winner of the Super Bowl before the season even started, there would be little point in playing the game. 

August 19, 2012

The Jets, as usual, are receiving a lot of hype this preseason, mainly because of how poorly they played. My only question is what were you expecting? It's not like this team light up defenses last year, and its more or less the same team. So throw in Tim Tebow, who, keep in mind, won most of his games with last minute comebacks. Tim Tebow is not the man to win a shootout. Nor for the matter is Mark Sanchez, another quarterback who is good, maybe not last season, in clutch situations. And its not like these guys have Calvin Johnson and Larry Fitzgerald at receiver either. Yes, Dustin Keller is a good tight end, and when he actually tries, so is Santonio Holmes. But outside of those two, the Jets have talent, but no truly proven players at this point. This could change over the course of the season, but as of right now, they are what they are. The Jets have also played quality opponents. The Bengals made the playoffs last year and the Giants won the Super Bowl. Who would expect a mediocre team from a year ago to beat two playoff caliber teams? In the end, I do not think the Jets are cut out to win a playoff spot, much less make a run at the Superbowl. Yet, they have proven doubters wrong in the past, so who knows. 

The Olympics are in the books, and many people are declaring Michael Phelps the greatest Olympian ever based on his medal count. While there are those who doubt Phelps's credentials based on his the number of events he participated him, I think he deserves the honor. Keep in mind, it is very difficult to compete in a single Olympic event, let alone 8 in one summer. The training might be similar, but there is a mental and physical toll in competing at such events. To have that repeated 8 times must be a nightmare. And to win every single time is something special. While he has competed in a lot of events, a lot more than maybe a track athlete like Usain Bolt, he does deserve credit for the volume of medals he has accumulated, and how he has consistently performed at a high level. One must be an amazing athlete, both physically talented and mentally tough. So shower Phelps with praise, and be proud to have seen him perform. But keep in mind, another athlete will surpass him soon (likely another swimmer), and celebrate him or her with the same thoughts in mind.  

July 29, 2012

The trade deadline is right around the corner but a lot of big deals have happened already. One of them is the Yankee's acquisition of Ichiro. I had actually thought the Yankees would be content with the roster they had and try to compete with it. After all, the Yankees can boast the best run differential (as of the end of today they are +84, tied with the Rangers), a sign of a well rounded team that can pitch and hit. However, the Yankees are the Yankees and had to make a big splash. While Ichiro is not the same hitter he was when he was younger, he is still a good addition. The Yankees can score runs the way they are, and do not need Ichiro to hit .400 for the remainder of the season to win the AL East. Instead, the Yankees can expect Ichiro to play well in the outfield. They can also expect a guy who can run the bases well and do damage when he gets on. Though many of the fans and the media will expect Ichiro to hit, as long as the other Yankees are hitting, it should not matter too much. If the Yankees hit a bad stretch, and Ichiro does struggle, questions will be raised. But if that happens, the Yankees can kiss their postseason hopes good bye anyway because they are in a tough division, even if they do have a massive lead. I would expect Ichiro not to return to the Yankees next season anyway, considering Brett Gardner will be coming back and Ichiro's age.

The Dodgers also made a big move by acquiring Hanley Ramirez from the Marlins. Remember the Dream Team the Marlin's tried to assemble last offseason? Well that has fallen apart quickly and now one of the Marlin's premier players has been traded away. (Note: I would not go so far as to call this a fire sale on the part of the Marlins. Look to the Marlins after the 2005 season and the 2008 Pirates for real fire sales. This is merely a sub par team trading away veterans for prospects.) While Hanley has struggled so far this season, I think his numbers will pick up with the Dodgers and he will be motivated by a chance to play in the postseason. He is also a valuable hitter to hit behind Kemp and Either and his presence there alone will help bolster that lineup. Defensively, I am not of the opinion he adds very much value to the Dodgers, though the move was made to get a major bat. While I do not think he will have the impact Manny Ramirez did when he was traded to the Dodgers, I do think he will be a solid player and improve upon what he was with the Marlins. Unlike Ichiro, I do expect the Dodgers to keep Hanley as he is still young. Over time, I expect Hanley to return to the player he was before. Where Hanley might hurt the Dodgers is with his off the field issues. Because of this question mark, I do not think this addition is as good as the Yankees acquiring Ichiro.

Another major acquisition was the Angels acquiring yet another starter: Zack Greinke. The Angels already had a formidable rotation with Jered Weaver and C.J. Wilson. Dan Haren is also a good starter, though he has had his struggles. Adding Greinke to the mix really makes it strong and might make it the best rotation on paper in the AL. However, I do not think the Angels will be able to catch the Rangers in the AL West. The Rangers have shown they can both pitch and hit with the best teams in the American League, and though their pitching staff might be thinning out, they still have good starters and an offense to more than make up for it, especially if Josh Hamilton gets out of the horrendous slump he is in. The Angels, on the other hand, have had a good pitching staff but have been mediocre in terms of offense this season. While their pitching staff might be good enough to carry them to the playoffs, I do not believe it will be good enough to win a division. But that might not matter. The Angels now have the pitching to be formidable in a short series and recent years have proved good pitching and timely hitting is more than good enough to win a World Series.

July 22, 2012

I know there is exciting talk of Dwight Howard coming to the Lakers and creating an elite team in the West, but I do not think the trade would be a good idea for the Lakers. The Lakers already have a good center in Andrew Bynum, and while he does have a track record of getting injured, he is still an all star. While Dwight Howard might be a better player, the difference between Bynum and Howard is not significant enough to make a blockbuster trade. When do two all stars who play the same position ever get traded for each other? The only scenario in which I can see this working out is if both players are disgruntled with their current teams. Howard is definitely not happy with the Magic, but as far as any of us know, Bynum is quite content to be a Laker. To get Howard, the Lakers would likely have to give up Bynum and more. I don't think this is worth it for the Lakers because Howard is not that much better than Bynum.

About the Lakers wanting to acquire Howard, why is everyone so obsessed with creating a juggernaut team on paper? Real sports is no video game. Time and time again it has been proven that team made through trades and free agency do not always win championships, and often perform poorly. Athletes are humans, not robots. Factors other than talent determine whether a team wins. Take Lamar Odom, who had a horrible season because he simply did not want play for Dallas. The Philadelphia Eagles created a dream team in free agency, and they failed to make the playoffs for a number of reasons. There are a few exceptions to this idea, but they are often special cases. The 2009 Yankees won the World Series and made a number of major offseason acquisitions including Mark Teixeira, CC Sabathia, Nick Swisher, and AJ Burnett. However, the Yankees already had the core of their roster in place, and these players filled subsidiary roles. The exception would be CC Sabathia, but he is just the case of an innings eater and a good player on a team that scores a lot of runs. The Miami Heat did win it all this year with their hallowed Big 3, but LeBron, Wade, and Bosh had already been together for a year. The first season they were together, while they did have much success, ended horrifically in the finals. Teams are better built through the draft and developing young talent. Bill Belichick's Patriots are always in contention because they know how to draft. The New York Giants were able to have repeated success the Patriots because they could do the same. The San Francisco Giants have developed a solid group of young pitchers who have been able to make a winner out of little offensive aid. These teams are more consistent because their organizations have helped them create winners out of talent as opposed to buying talent.

The AL Wild Card race is wild enough to be noteworthy. As of today, there are 8 teams within 4 games of the two wild card spots. To make the race even more wild, the AL Central is up for grabs, and the loser is by no means guaranteed a Wild Card spot. Even the teams that have big leads, the Yankees and Rangers, have stumbled recently. That would put 11 of the 14 teams in the AL within striking distance of a playoff spot. Yet, I do not think this will last for very long. Teams like the Orioles and the Indians who are younger and might normally try to go after a veteran starter to boost their rotations or another bat might not get that opportunity given that so many teams are in contention and are not willing to part with those players. A guy like Doug Fister, who last year catapulted the Tigers into the playoff last year will not likely not be available. For this reason, I think the teams with the advantage are the ones with more complete clubs and injured players who will return in the coming months. Teams Yankees and Rangers have complete relatively rosters, and they should have the advantage going forward in that they likely will not have to add anyone. The Rays are also in an advantageous position because they have good starting depth and should get Evan Longoria back who will make all the difference both offensively and defensively. Those teams are my favorites to make the playoffs going forward. In the end, I think the Yankees will hold the AL East, the Rangers will win the AL West, the Tigers will win a tight race in the AL Central, and the Rays and Angels will nab the Wild Card spots. Then again, a team that gets on fire near the end might very well make the playoffs and win everything.

July 8, 2012

I am excited to watch the Home Run Derby. In my opinion, it's the best event in professional sports. The Home Run Derby is a fun event because it is simple, exciting, and objective. The simplicity aspect of it is important as the players in the Home Run Derby tend to be loose, whereas in playoff games and the Super Bowl they are more tense. While those games are thick in excitement, other than the Super Bowl, championship series are less predictable. How many times has there been a seven game series in the championship round of an MLB, NBA, or NHL championship recently? It hardly ever happens. Even when it does, like the World Series last year, game 6, a back and forth affar, was a better game than game 7, in which a Cardinal victory was hardly ever in question. All star games, while the players are relaxed, are not exciting because the players tend not to care about the outcome. The other event that comes close to the Home Run Derby is the Dunk Contest. However, the Dunk Contest is objective. While this might not matter a lot, it does when players like Blake Griffin dunk. Griffin is talented, but if his dunk is as good as another player's, Griffin will get the advantage because he is Blake Griffin. The Homerun Derby, on the other hand, has none of those biases and is therefore my favorite event to watch.

The first half of the baseball season is over and so far, Josh Hamilton is probably deserving of the American League MVP. I believe this because of the impact he has on his team. While the Rangers have good bats without Hamilton, Hamilton can carry that team for weeks at a time. While Cano has been good in recent weeks, he was not as good at the beginning of the season. Trout only came up recently, but he has come on strong. In the NL, I think RA Dickey has been the best player, considering the way he has led the Mets to so many wins and the unique way he has done it (as a knuckleballer). There are other good hitters in the NL who would probably make good candidates, but RA Dickey has the better story, having come from nowhere. That, in my opinion, makes him the better candidate.

June 21, 2012

LeBron James has finally won a championship and his critics will finally shut up. One only has to look at the example of Alex Rodriguez. Before Arod won his World Series ring in 2009, everyone was badgering him, second guessing him, and doubting his credibility after he admitted he took steroids. Now, no one even mentions the steroids anymore. Even when A- rod goes cold in the post season, like he has done since 2009, no one seems to bother or care. Part of it might have to do with that he plays a stellar third base these days, unlike the poor play he has had at that position in the past. Another example would be Eli Manning. When Eli won his first ring, many of his critics faded away. While they came back when he had a down year (I doubt this will happen to LeBron so this second bit might not apply to him), the critics left after Eli won another Super Bowl. However, LeBron's case might be slightly different. After all, he is oft compared to Michael Jordan, who won 6 NBA finals. But at least LeBron is over the hump and has shown he is clutch, having a triple double in the final game of the season. That should get the monkey off his shoulder.

Thinking of LeBron got me thinking of the best NFL player to not have a ring. I decided it would have to be a quarterback, and the best quarterback, in my opinion, who does not have a championship is Tony Romo. This somehow seems to fit because Romo is also the NFL player who is criticized the most for his lack of a championship, and now that LeBron has one, Romo and the Cowboys might be the most criticized player and team left in sports. However, I do not think this criticism is deserved. Tony Romo, in my opinion, is a franchise quarterback and a very good player. He also has guts, as observed in the game against the 49ers this season when he broke a rib and still stood in to make plays against one of the leagues most ferocious defenses. In the end, Tony Romo is a player who receives criticism he does not deserve.

June 10, 2012

The NBA finals are right around the corner, and as much as I dislike certain aspects of the NBA, I do enjoy watching the playoffs and the finals in particular. I think this series, between the Thunder and the Heat, will be more contested than last year (ironically, neither of these teams' names ends in an "s"). I think the Thunder will win it in 6 games, all of them relatively close. Call this guess more of a hunch, but the Heat are cursed and doomed to lose more than 4 consecutive championships and become the new Buffalo Bills. While I do feel slightly bad for LeBron and how he has yet to win, this curse is by far more amusing. I also think the Thunder are not as top heavy as the Heat, which might give them an advantage. Ultimately, I think the Thunder will pull out a close one.

Every time I see a ticker that indicates which league has won more interleague games, a small part of me dies on the inside. What I mean is, this will be the last year of interleague play and the sacred format of baseball divisions as we know it. While it might be more fair that the divisions and leagues are evening out, it will take getting used to. I dislike the idea of the Astros moving to the AL. I would be okay with it if there ended up being an even number of teams in both leagues, but there won't be. This would mean interleague play everyday. This means not stretch of interleague games in June to help spice it up. It also means special series like the Subway Series and the Bay Series that stand out as some of the few interleague series played every single year. I really hope the MLB expands soon, so the league can return to normal.

It's about time I donated my opinion on Peyton Manning. I think he will be fine. I say this because Manning's two greatest strengths as a quarterback still exist. Manning has always been known for his amazing arm and his decision making. The neck injury he suffered has no impact on either of those two. Yes, a  hit might jar him more than normal, but realistically, the refs will give him preferential treatment, just like they gave Tom Brady after he went down. This will make opposing defenses back off. If this were a Michael Vick or a Cam Newton or another quarterback noted for their ability to make plays on the run, I would be worried. However, Peyton Manning makes his plays inside the pocket. Manning will never put his head down and try to run over a guy. He will keep his head up, look downfield, and make a pass. For this reason, a neck injury should be little to worry about.

Sports April 1, 2012

These are my predictions for the upcoming MLB season. I know its after 2 games have been played, but I think the A's and Mariners are about as good as each other anyway, so it was appropriate for them to split.

AL East AL Central AL West

1. Yankees 1. Tigers 1. Rangers

2. Rays 2. Twins 2. Angels

3. Red Sox 3. Indians 3. Mariners

4. Blue Jays 4. Royals 4. A's

5. Orioles 5. White Sox

NL East NL Central NL West

1. Phillies 1. Reds 1. Dbacks

2. Braves 2. Brewers 2. Giants

3. Marlins 3. Cardinals 3. Dodgers

4. Nationals 4. Pirates 4. Rockies

5. Mets 5. Cubs 5. Padres

6. Astros

AL Wild Cards: Rays, Red Sox

NL Wild Cards: Brewers, Giants

AL MVP: Evan Longoria

NL MVP: Justin Upton

AL Cy Young: Jered Weaver

NL Cy Young: Josh Johnson

AL Penant Winner : Yankees

NL Penant Winner: Dbacks

World Series Winner: Yankees

Starting with the AL East, I like the Yankees because I am a Yankees fan. The more objective reasons are that the Yankees have a tendency to win and, in my opinion, are the most balanced team in that division. The Yankees have one of the deepest lineups in baseball and have several hitters who can drive the ball. Recently, the Yankees have also added speed with players like Brett Gardner and were near the top of the AL in stolen bases last year. Before any of you start ranting about how CC is overpaid and how the Yankees have no starting pitching behind him (which is especially true with the injury to Pineda), keep in mind the Yankees had one of the best bullpens in the American League last year and at times it was the Yankee's pen that carried them. The Yankees' defense, although mediocre last year, had the highest fielding percentage in the league in 2010. Keep in mind that the only different starter between 2010 and 2011 was catcher Russell Martin, so the Yankees have the potential to return to the top. I have the Rays behind the Yankees because I think the Yankee's offense is better, though I will openly admit the Rays have a better starting rotation. I have the Yankees ahead of the Rays because of experience and balance, but I would not be surprised if the Rays beat the Yankees. I have the Rays as a Wild Card because they always seem to be good and have a solid rotation and a very competent manager in Joe Maddon. I have placed the Red Sox third because of their suspect pitching at the back end of their rotation. However, their offense is good enough to carry them and they will find a way to sort out the pitching mess and make the postseason with the second wild card spot. The Red Sox also have the potential to win the division. The Blue Jays are ahead of the Orioles because they are by far the more consistent team while I believe the Orioles are going to have one of the lowest win totals in the league; not necessarily through any fault of their own, but because they are the worst team in the best division and will likely have to contend with three teams in contention for it all.

I have the Tigers winning the AL Central because they dominated it last year and all of the other teams seem to lack consistency (with the exception of the Royals who have been consistently bad). However, I do think the loss of Victor Martinez, who led the league last year in batting average with runners in scoring position, will hurt the Tigers even with the addition of Prince Fielder. Even though Martinez did not play defense, he was a quality bat in that lineup. I do believe the Tigers will still have a good offense. Its the Tigers rotation I am more concerned about. Yes they have Justin Verlander, but after him, they lack consistency. In the end, the Tigers will win a bulk of their games out slugging other teams, which can be inconsistent. While this is enough to win them a relatively weak division, I do not believe it can carry them to the World Series. The Twins coming in second might be surprising given they lost close to 100 games last year , but keep in mind they were a quality team before that and suffered many injuries last season. Getting Mauer and Morneau back will really help them, and they will surprise people this year. The Indians are next because of their solid rotation, and while they are probably good enough to beat out the Twins, I do not think they will be able to do so if Grady Sizemore continues to be injured. I have the Royals ahead of the White Sox because the Royals took great strides last year and have developed a solid offense. The acquisition of Jonathan Sanchez also gives them a pretty good, if inconsistent, pitcher. The White Sox on the other hand have lost their manager and their ace and I do not think they will perform well.

I have the Rangers beating the Angels because I believe the Rangers offense is better than the Angels. The Angels might have acquired Albert Pujols, but one hitter does not make an offense. They might also have good hitters in Mike Trombo and Tori Hunter and Kendry Morales might be coming back strong, but the Rangers still have much more depth in their lineup. The Angels do have better starting pitching and might have taken the Ranger's ace away, but the Rangers will still find enough pitching to win the division. I would not be surprised if the Angels won the division or a wild card and if they do make the playoffs, no one would want to face them with that rotation. I have the Mariners ahead of the A's for the sole reason that the Mariners have Felix Hernandez, one of the best pitchers in the league, while the A's just traded away their three best pitchers. Leave it to the A's to develop pitching prospects, but they will have a tough time bringing up someone as good as Hernandez. I would not be shocked if the A's did beat out the Mariners, but frankly, neither team is very good and I do not think either will be in contention very long.

I have the Phillies winning the NL East again. I know they have their injuries and are getting older, but their starting pitching is scary good. Keep in mind they won their 102 games last year primarily through pitching as their offense was not very good and suffered several key injuries. I have the Braves coming in ahead of the Marlins because I believe the Braves are more consistent. The Marlins will also have the attention of the media, something they might not be used to and something that might prove a distraction. I also tend not to believe in teams built through free agency, especially after the season the Philadelphia Eagles turned in. I also think the Braves and Marlins are good enough to compete for the wild card spots, but will not win them. I think the Nationals will finish far ahead of the Mets because the Nationals have an insurgence of young talent in players like Bryce Harper and Stephen Strasburg. I think the Mets will also be in contention for the worst record in the league.

I think the Reds will win the NL Central. Call it a gut feeling, but with the players and manager the Cards and Brewers have lost along with the distractions to Ryan Braun, I think the Reds are the best team in the division. The addition of Matt Latos will help their staff a lot. I also believe they have the best collective group of position players in the league. I think the Pirates will finish fourth because they made great improvement last year and played better than a team that lost 90 games. While I think they can build off last season, I do not think it will be enough to get them in the top half of the division. While Theo Epstein may prove to be the Cub's savior, I do not think they will be very good this year and they will have to suffer another year without a championship. I do not think the Astro's final season in the NL will be very eventful, unless you think a last place finish is worth much.

The Dbacks are young and talented and I think they will repeat by virtue of the Giant's inability to produce runs. The Dbacks also have a good offense themselves and their pitching should get better. The Giants, as previously mentioned, will have their struggles on offense even if Buster Posey is healthy. With that being said, the Giants have a very good pitching staff and will gain a playoff staff with their pitching depth. I think the Dodgers will finish ahead of the Rockies because the Dodgers have, in my opinion, the two best players in this division in Matt Kemp and Clayton Kershaw. This is also a bit of a gut feeling, because the Rockies have much more depth than the Dodgers and everything should indicate their beating out the Dodgers for third. The Padres, in my opinion, are the worst team in this division because for a second straight offseason, they traded away their best player. But three different teams have won this division over the last three seasons, and over the last decade this has been a wacky division and it is the only division in which every team has made the playoffs in the last ten years.

At first I had Robinson Cano winning the AL MVP, but I do not think he will because there will be other Yankees to consider and when it comes time to vote, teammates tend to hurt each other's chances. The honor will then fall to Evan Longoria, who will have a bounce back year and help carry the Rays to the playoffs. The NL MVP will be Justin Upton, who will be an instrumental part of the Dbacks winning the NL West and is a potential 30- 30 threat. I have him over Matt Kemp because Kemp will likely play for a team that is out of contention early. Jered Weaver, the ace of the best rotation in the AL, deserves to be the Cy Young and will have similar numbers to what he put up last year. Josh Johnson will rebound from last year's injury to take home this year's Cy Young. Keep in mind that when he has pitched in recent years, he has been dominant.

I think the Dbacks will win the NL Penant. This is somewhat of a gut feeling, but they good balance and a solid rotation that can shut down NL offenses that frankly are not as good as AL offenses. I think the Yankees will the AL Penant. This might be slightly biased, but the Yankees have as good a chance as any team in the AL. What has killed the Yankees in recent years has not been their pitching but actually their offense's inability to hit with runners in scoring position. In fact, the team that wins the World Series tends to have breakouts with runners in scoring position. This problem has nothing to do with any personnel or any other factor that can be predicted at the present and the Yankees have as good a chance as any other team in the AL to win the penant. For these reasons, I think the Yankees will beat out the Dbacks and take revenge for 2001.

Sports March 11, 2012

A massive trade occurred in the NFL, as the Washington Redskins acquired the 2nd pick in the draft from the St. Louis Rams in exchange for 3 1st round picks and a 2nd round selection. In my opinion, the Rams got the better end of this deal. Sure, the Redskins are going to get RG3, but will he really take the Redskins to the playoffs? Everyone will say Cam Newton's season was a success and compare Newton and RG3 all you want, but in the end, the Panthers missed the playoffs and were never really in contention. Historically, the Redskins have traded picks for veterans, and while they are now trading picks of a pick, the volume of talent they are receiving from the draft is small. Super Bowls are not necessarily won with immediate high draft picks or signing big name veterans. Instead, Super Bowls are won through drafting and developing players. Look no further than the other teams in the NFC East. The Giants have won two Super Bowls in recent years in which their important players (Eli Manning wasn't technically drafted by the Giants but he might as well have been, Ahmad Bradshaw, Hakeem Nicks, Victor Cruz (an undrafted free agent but the Giants should get credit for scouting and developing him), Mario Manningham, Justin Tuck, Jason Pierre- Paul, Corey Webster etc) were all taken by the Giants and have spent their entire careers with one team. Even the Cowboys and Eagles, in their more successful recent seasons, developed contending teams through the draft. In fact, last year when the Eagles deviated from this strategy and went after big name free agents, they struggled. In effect, while RG3 may end up being a great player, the Redskins would have been better off if they had kept the picks and acquired more talent through the draft. For this same reason, I think this trade is good for the Rams because now they have 2 first round picks in each of the next 3 drafts and if recent history tells us anything, those picks will be relatively high.

Another team that got effected by this trade was the Cleveland Browns. The Browns also want RG3, but will likely not get him at this point. With the 4th pick, if no trade had taken place, the Browns would have been in prime position to take RG3 (the Colts would take Luck, the Rams don't need a QB, and the Vikings would take Matt Kalil). Giving up picks to move up would not make sense. However, the Browns would have made a trade to prevent the Redskins from making the move. Therefore, the logical course of action for the Browns would have been to engage the Rams in discussion for the pick to keep them interested and to prevent the Redskins from making a trade, and then make no trade in the end. The other alternative, one that I find particularly risky, would be to give up quite a bit to get the pick from the Rams and then "resell" it to the Redskins for even more picks. However, this might backfire if the Redskins don't agree to the trade, but the reward is an immense amount of talent and the consolation is one of the best quarterback prospects in a long time. But, none of these alternatives played out, and the Browns must either stick with McCoy or go after a free agent like Campbell or Flynn.

The big name free agent quarterback this year is Peyton Manning (I didn't mention him with the Browns because I see no reason for him to go to Cleveland). The landing spots for him look decent. If he were to go to Arizona, he would be able to hook up with Larry Fitzgerald, and think of all the monster numbers those two would put up. If he were to go to Miami, he would be able to play Brady twice a year. The Chiefs have an immense amount of talent to put around him. But the place where I think he will do the most damage is Denver. I say this for several reasons. The most prominent of these reasons are simply the environmental factors: the air is thin a mile above sea level. Because of this, he will be able to get addition zip on his balls. The Bronco receivers also have talent. Eddie Royal had good years with Cutler as his quarterback though not so good recently, Dontarious Thomas was a high draft pick who torched a top ranked Steelers pass defense in the playoffs, and Eric Decker just had a breakout season. The downside to this, for both Denver and football, would be that Tim Tebow would likely end up on the short end of this stick. While Denver might be the best spot for Manning, lets hope he choses not to go there.

Sports March 4, 2012

Everyone has their two cents on Greg Williams, and I am no different. It has recently been revealed that Williams, not too long ago considered one of the premier defensive coordinators in the league, set up a bounty system in which his players got bonuses for injuring key players on the other team. This most recently happened when Williams was with the New Orleans Saints in a tenure that included a Super Bowl victory. In my opinion, there is nothing wrong with rewarding players for good play. A bounty system in which statistics such as sacks and interceptions are rewarded are innocent and improve camaraderie among teammates. However, a line has to be drawn when it comes to injuring other players. I do agree football is a violent sport and should be treated as such. Yet, there is a difference between making a big hit and making a big hit with the intent to injure a player. The latter should be discouraged as many football players are having health issues later in life. While bounty systems are fine to implement, injuring players for money should not be taken lightly.

January 29, 2012

Being a Yankee fan, I just realized I've said nothing about the acquisition of Michael Pineda. I think its a great pickup. Pineda has a live arm and actually had quite a few wins in the first half of last season on a bad team. He's a good pickup to put in a rotation with CC and Nova. It also gives the Yankees the option of putting Burnett in the pen or as a 6th starter, somethings the Yankees did down the stretch of last season. Because its almost a guarantee a starter will go down at some point, having depth at that position is key. It also gives the Yankees another arm to compete with the staff the Rays always seem to put together. True, the Yankees lost a good prospect in Jesus Montero, but it shouldn't matter as the Yankees are loaded in catching prospects and have a pretty good one right now in Russell Martin. Also, Pineda is very young, so the future is not sacrificed in this situation.

I also think Bernard Pollard added to his reputation in a big way last Sunday by knocking out Rob Gronkowski. I really think Pollard has become something of a legend. Every time he plays the Patriots, he lays a big hit on some important player that not only affects the impact of that particular game, but the entire season. From knocking Brady out of the season, to forcing Welker to miss a playoff game the Pats were routed in, and then to potentially make Gronkowski miss the Super Bowl is a bit of a legend. Potentially costing the Patriots 3 Super Bowl victories is probably enough to get Pollard in the Hall of Fame (in my opinion). If I'm the New York Jets, forget acquiring Peyton Manning, I need Pollard to knock out some Patriots.

There has to be some kind of conspiracy in the AFC. Starting with Super Bowl XXXVIII, only three different teams have represented the AFC in the Super Bowl, the Patriots, Steelers, and Colts. No other team has gotten that opportunity. Over the same period of time, 8 NFC teams, the Eagles, Panthers, Seahawks, Bears, Giants, Cardinals. Packers, and Saints (half the conference and 2 teams from each division) have gone to the Super Bowl and counting this year, only the Giants have gone twice. In that same stretch of time, the only "other" AFC team to have a home field advantage has been the Chargers, while there have been 8 NFC teams, the Eagles, Seahawks, Bears, Cowboys, Giants, Saints, Falcons, and Packers, to get te 1 seed. In fact, 14 of the 16 NFC teams since Super Bowl XXXVII have won playoff games (the Buccaneers and Lions haven't) and one of those teams won Super Bowl XXXVII (the Buccaneers). Either the NFC is more evenly matched or there is some sort of conspiracy in the AFC. I vote for the latter. NFC teams seem to fit the mold of free agency more, going from worst to first and putting teams that didn't have the best record in the Super Bowl. In the AFC, however, there have been teams like the Browns and Bills who seem to be downright terrible every single year (I will admit those teams occasionally have good stretches, but most often they finish last and get high draft picks). The only reason I can think of for these streaks of success are dominance on one side of ball, whether it be the Steeler and Patriot defenses of the dynasty years or the great Colt and Patriot offenses in recent years, and just enough of the other phase to be decently rounded. These teams have also had dominant quarterback play. Or maybe, they just have more clutch players than other teams. Whatever the case, the AFC has been dominated by a handfull of teams, something the modern free agency and salary cap systems are supposed to prevent.

January 22, 2012

Before any of you Niners fans decide you want to kill Kyle Williams for destroying your Super Bowl aspirations, remember the good things he did in that game. True, he had three fumbles (a dropped toss, a muffed punt, and a fumble on a punt return), but he also performed quite well as a kick/ punt returner. After the muffed punt, he managed to break a long kick return. Over the course of the game, he also had quite a few decent punt returns. Had Kyle Williams not played as well as he had, the Niners might not even have forced overtime. In fact, looking at post game statistics, how did they force an extra quarter. 1- 13 on 3rd down is downright pathetic, and only 1 catch by a wide receiver the entire game is terrible. True, they had great success running the ball, but how they played that well will always be a mystery to me. Then again, what do I care, I'm a Giants fan.

It is now official, great defense and just enough offense does not win championships. Exhibit A, the San Francisco 49ers. The entire season, the 9ers had one of the best defenses in the league, especially versus the run. In doing so, they managed to compile 13 wins. Yet, they lost a playoff game to a team who spent the entire season with the opposite: great offense and just enough (or just as often not enough) defense. When they played the Giants, they managed to clamp down and force punts. The 49ers had little success on offense except for a handful of big plays. They managed to stay close and force overtime, but in overtime, they couldn't move the football at all. They still managed to halt the Giants, but the Giant offense wasn't completely static. When the 9ers special team coughed it up, the Giants managed to capitalize and win. The 9ers played great defense all game, but it wasn't enough to get them to the Super Bowl. Know the Giants, a team that got by with their offense will play another team with a similar philosophy. Maybe if the 49ers and Ravens won defense would prevail once more, but that is not the case. Offense has now become more important than defense.

Speaking of the Super Bowl, I think its going to be a great game. I predict a shootout and a game similar to Super Bowl XXXVIII; a back and forth battle with lots of big plays. I'm going to go as far as to say it will become the highest scoring game in Super Bowl history, even more than that memorable one between the Patriots and Panthers. Of course, as a Giants fan, I believe Eli will pull out a victory in the end like he always seems to do against Brady and the Giants will prevent the Hoodie from getting redemption.