Monday, December 31, 2012

My New Year's Resolution(s)

     2012 is rolling to a close and I got to do some of the coolest shit this year! Hopefully, 2013 will be even better for me and I can climb closer to my goals. So I've devised a list of New Year's Resolutions that I hope that I can adhere to. I might not be able to achieve all of these resolutions, but I'm hoping to achieve at least one of my resolutions!

  1. Get a new iPhone
  2. Earn more money for my savings account
  3. Go to an Angels home game
  4. Get A's and B's in my classes
  5. Keep myself in great shape and looking young
  6. Be more outgoing
  7. Get my blog to 10,000 hits before June
  8. Get back to making sports vlogs
  9. Be more honest
  10. Start thinking about which place out of the state I want to move to in the future

     And if I can afford it, my extra resolution is to find myself a beautiful female!!


Saturday, December 29, 2012

Final NFL Pick 'Em of the Year!!!

     As the NFL season winds down, so do the pick 'ems. Here's my final pick 'em of the year:

  • Seahawks over Rams
  • 49ers over Cardinals
  • Packers over Vikings
  • Lions over Bears
  • Giants over Eagles
  • Redskins over Cowboys
  • Broncos blow out the Chiefs 
  • Falcons over Buccaneers
  • Bills over Jets
  • Ravens over Bengals
  • Texans over Colts
  • Titans over Jaguars
  • Saints over Panthers
  • Steelers over Browns
  • Patriots over Dolphins 
  • Chargers over Raiders
  • Redskins over Cowboys

Thursday, December 27, 2012

Geek Out Stat: Great Clips

     There's an NBA team right now that's from Los Angeles and is atop the Pacific Division. However, Kobe Bryant isn't a starter on that team. Instead, Blake Griffin and the Los Angeles Clippers are more than just sitting atop the Pacific Division or even the Western Conference. The Clippers (Yes, those Clippers) have the best record in the NBA at 22-6. They're currently on a 14-game winning streak and are 9-3 on the road this year, tops in the NBA. So what has caused L.A.'s other team to take the league by storm early this season?
     For one, the Clippers have done nothing but dunk the ball. Power forward Blake Griffin leads the NBA in dunks with 77. Griffin has done most of his dunking by way of alley oop from Chris Paul, thus the Clippers earning the nickname "Lob City". As a matter of fact, rapper Tyga has made an anthem for the Clippers using that same name: http://youtu.be/E1q6hUE-84Y. The Clippers are also the only NBA team this year with two players on in the top five in dunks. The other Clipper in the top five in dunks is center DeAndre Jordan with 59. No wonder they call the Clips "Lob City"!!
     Speaking of Chris Paul and passing, the ex-Hornet is second in the NBA in assists per game with 9.5 apg (Rajon Rondo of the Boston Celtics leads the league with 11.9 apg). Paul does lead the league in steals per game with 2.71 stpg. On Christmas Day, Paul and Griffin combined for 14 assists in a 112-100 win at home vs. the Denver Nuggets. As a team, Los Angeles is second in the league in assists per game with 23.5 apg (San Antonio leads the league in this category with 25.8 apg) and first in the league in steals per game with 10.8 stpg.
     L.A. stealing the ball has also been the reason for why the Clips have allowed the third-fewest points per game in the league with 91.9 ppg allowed. Before the Christmas game, Los Angeles held three of their previous four opponents to fewer than 80 points in a game. However, the Clippers has also allowed 100 points or more in five of their six losses (They're 3-5 this year when allowing 100 or more points in a game).
     The upcoming month of January won't be easy for Lob City. They'll play the NBA's biggest surprise of the 2012-2013 season in the Golden State Warriors (19-10) three times, Kevin Love and the also-surprising Minnesota Timberwolves twice (13-13; one game out of the eighth playoff spot in the Western Conference), Kobe and the resurgent Lakers, both the Houston Rockets' duo of James Harden and Jeremy Lin and the resurgent Memphis Grizzlies on the road (16-12 and 18-8, respectively), and a home game versus the Oklahoma City Thunder (Who are just a half game out of the best record spot at 21-6). It'll be interesting to see where Blake Griffin, Chris Paul, and the Clippers go from here on out. Heck, there might be a new number one seed in the Western Conference from Hollywood if they keep up their current level of play.



Sunday, December 23, 2012

Conference Call

     The Big East: When you hear the name as a sports fan, you automatically think of the basketball greatness that the Big East possesses. You also think of how lackluster many of the conference's football programs are (Connecticut playing in the 2010 Fiesta Bowl only to get pummeled by Oklahoma? C'mon now). But what you probably don't know is the implosion within the conference that rapidly taking place right now. Was it a need for some quality football programs in spite of the geographical locations? Was it about the money? Who knows what is causing this to happen.
     One major move was the "Catholic 7" schools announcing on December 15 that they would leave the Big East and make their own conference in basketball. Georgetown, Villanova, Marquette, St. Johns, Providence, DePaul, and Seton Hall had voted unanimously to leave the Big East and form their own conference. The new conference would include five more schools (Xavier, Creighton, and Butler, to name a few). The departure from the Big East was a response to the conference realignment that was going on, which mainly revolved around football. Their departure would be effective around the 2015-2016 school year.
     To make matters worse, the Big East is also losing schools to the ACC. Louisville, Pittsburgh, and Syracuse are departing the Big East to compete against the likes of Duke and Florida State as soon as next year. Notre Dame will be joining the ACC as well, competing in the ACC in all sports except football. Not only that, but Rutgers is leaving the Big East for the Big Ten around the 2014-2015 school year. The Big East has already lost West Virginia to the Big 12 this year and there might be more moves on the way.
     So who's replacing the migrating schools in the Big East? SMU, San Diego State, Boise State, Houston, Central Florida, Temple, Navy, Tulane, East Carolina, and Memphis are the schools replacing the previous departures. San Diego State, Boise State, Navy, and East Carolina would join as football-only members. The problem is that for football, only Boise State and San Diego State are respectable competitors. As for basketball, Memphis and Temple are the only schools that are really good. But even Boise State is having ongoing discussions with the Mountain West Conference to stay due to the Big East's instability. It's also possible that the Big East could lose its automatic BCS berth going into the new playoff format in 2014.
     Where did the Big East go wrong? For starters, the exit fees of the schools leaving to join the Big East is a problem. The schools are committing millions in exit fees to join the Big East, leaving some schools like Boise State to reconsider their move to the Big East. Most of these schools joining aren't even competitive in either football or basketball. Now Big East Commissioner Mike Aresco has reportedly contacted UNLV and Fresno State about joining the conference in an attempt to salvage the Big East. So for the "Big East", you'd likely have Fresno State, Boise State, San Diego State, UNLV, SMU, and Houston competing in the conference.
     That leads me to my next point, which is the amount of travel that the schools would have to undertake. I'm pretty sure that no one playing on San Diego State's football team is looking forward to losing three hours to traveling to Connecticut or to Tampa. Traveling also would be more costly, for you'd be spending a lot more on gas for whatever travel method you'd have going to opposite coasts (airline or by team bus; I don't know which one these schools use). The Big East has tried on many occasions to look past geographical locations of the schools and build a conference based on competitiveness. Take TCU, for example. TCU was supposed to join the Big East this year, but backed out and went to the Big 12. Boise State's reconsidering its move as well, which means that geographical locations is crucial in terms of fiscal matters. Location is also key in building up quality rivalries (i.e. Michigan and Ohio State). Another problem is that the Big East is looking for schools to join their conference that can compete in both football and basketball. The Big East has always been a basketball conference, producing champions such as Syracuse and Connecticut over the past decade or two. But they're replacing most of these schools with schools that despite having both football and basketball programs, aren't really competitive. A better solution would be to look to small private schools that are respectable basketball programs (Bucknell or Davidson, anyone?).
     Any way you look at it, the Big East is in serious trouble. The conference must find a way to secure long-time members who won't bolt for more money in other conferences such as the ACC and the Big Ten. They'll need to do whatever it takes to find a way to keep its conference afloat.


    

Friday, December 21, 2012

NFL Picks are in!! Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!!!

    The holiday NFL picks are in!! Here's what I got this week:

  • Falcons over Lions
  • 49ers over Seahawks
  • Cowboys over Saints 
  • Packers trounce the Titans
  • Colts over Chiefs
  • Dolphins over Bills
  • Steelers over Bengals
  • Bears over Cardinals
  • Redskins over Eagles
  • Chargers over Jets
  • Buccaneers over Rams
  • Patriots rout the Jaguars
  • Panthers over Raiders
  • Texans over Vikings
  • Broncos steamroll the Browns
  • Giants over Ravens

Thursday, December 20, 2012

Some Outrageous Sports Commentary

     Sports television and radio has a tendency of being entertaining. But there are times where the play-by-play announcers go a little too far with their material. Sure, they may seem excited about certain plays and events that happen in sports. But, there are also times where you have to wonder, "What did I just hear?" Here's some examples of some radio/television calls that were over the top:

Monday, December 17, 2012

Cool Runnings?

     Indianapolis (Or the state of Indiana, for that matter) is widely known for its high school and collegiate hoops programs for both men and women. In fact, the Indiana Hoosiers men's basketball team was ranked #1 in NCAA Division I basketball before getting upset by Butler on Saturday in overtime 88-86. However, last Tuesday saw one of the most lopsided final scores that you'll ever see in any sport. The final score was something that is only seen in video games. The Bloomington South girl's basketball team routed Arlington High School in Indianapolis by a score of 107-2. What's more is that Arlington's only points of the night came from free throws, one in the second quarter and one in the third. By the way, Indiana doesn't have a "no mercy" rule that ends a game when the score becomes a blowout.
     "The score is probably not what we would like to see," IHSAA spokesperson Chris Kaufman told RTV6 in Indianapolis.
     However, Bloomington South coach Larry Winters stated that they weren't trying to embarrass Arlington by running up the score and even told the Indianapolis Star that he used all nine of his players.
     "I didn't tell my girls because that would've been even more embarrassing (to Arlington)," Winters said.
     On the other side of the ball, Arlington coach Ebony Jackson expressed her disappointment in the way that Bloomington South handled the game.
     "It's not OK, but (Winters) will have to live with that." Jackson told the Star. "If that's how they want to carry themselves, that's fine."
     Jackson added that she's only focused on her squad and promised that her team will 'keep on going'. Bloomington South was 8-1 after Tuesday's game while Arlington was 0-6 after the blowout, having lost 23 straight games.
     This brings up an intriguing question concerning blowouts: When is enough really enough? Is it even enough?
     On one hand, you have a major concern for the integrity of the game. Can you imagine being the coach or even a player on the team that's at the bitter end of such a pasting? It would be humiliating for your school or your team to feel like you got manhandled in such fashion. Not only that, but blowouts generally put the effort of the players into question. It's like Herm Edwards once said:
     "You play to win the game!"
     People will look at your team and will most likely see that your team either put no effort in trying to compete or just completely suck as a team. Let's not forget that fans generally leave a sporting event early whenever a blowout ensues.
    But that's the thing about sports and athletics. You play to win the game. Take the Seattle Seahawks. The Seahawks have outscored their opponents 108-17 in their last two games, which is third most for a two-game span in NFL history. They're also the first NFL team to score fifty points in back-to-back games since 1950 (Los Angeles Rams and New York Giants). They're also competing for one of the two NFC wild card berths and a NFC West title at 9-5, showing potential playoff opponents how scary they can be. Their high level of play is proof of how some teams have the "will to win" and are able to crank it up at the right time. The Seahawks have done a majority of the their scoring through the likes of running back Marshawn "Skittles" Lynch (241 rushing yards and four touchdowns in the last two games) and rookie quarterback Russell Wilson. Wilson went 14 for 23 in yesterday's win against Buffalo, throwing for 205 yards and a touchdown. He also ran the ball nine times for 92 yards and three touchdowns. The NFL, along with all other professional sports leagues, don't have a "mercy rule".
     Another argument for a team that's blowing out an opponent is anything can happen. Yesterday's Sunday night game saw New England getting blown out by San Francisco 31-3 in the third quarter. The 49ers did win the game, but not before enduring a 28-point comeback at the hands of Tom Brady and the Patriots. The final score ended up being 41-34 with San Francisco barely winning on the road. Last season in week four, the Detroit Lions came back from a 24-point deficit in the third quarter to beat the Dallas Cowboys on the road 34-30.
     Either way, blowouts in sports may seem unethical and a blow to the integrity of a sport. However, anything can happen. So they're just another part of sports. Still, both sides give legitimate reasons as to why running up the score can either be unethical or just part of the game.

References:
107-2--Bloomington South girl's basketball team beats Arlington. Indianapolis: ESPN, 12 December, 2012. Web.
     17 December, 2012.
Seattle Seahawks vs. Buffalo Bills [12/16/12]. Toronto: Associated Press, 16 December, 2012. Web.
     <http://www.nfl.com>.  17 December, 2012.

Thursday, December 13, 2012

NFL Picks of the Week!!

     The road to the Super Bowl is narrowing and the playoff chase is heating up just before winter time!! Here's this week's picks!!

  • Bengals over Eagles
  • Giants over Falcons
  • Packers over Bears
  • Vikings over Rams
  • Redskins over Browns
  • Dolphins over Jaguars
  • Saints over Buccaneers
  • Texans over Colts
  • Broncos over Ravens
  • Seahawks over Bills
  • Lions over Cardinals
  • Chargers over Panthers
  • Cowboys over Steelers
  • Raiders over Chiefs
  • Patriots over 49ers
  • Jets over Titans

Tuesday, December 11, 2012

Watch This: Sports Blooper Reel

     Sometimes in sports, there are moments that make you laugh. So to celebrate those knee-jerkingly humorous memories in athletics, I've assembled some of the funniest clips in sports history. Enjoy!!





Friday, December 7, 2012

List of Some of the Most Notorious Pariahs in All of Sports

     In sports, there's always that one athlete in a sport that entertains the fans with their athleticism. Then there's that particular athlete that entertains the fans with their sense of humor rather than their athleticism. Then there's that one athlete that everybody hates. The one athlete that every fan just doesn't want to see take part in their sport ever again. The one athlete that fans cheer for when they mess up. Here's a list of some of the most infamous jerks in all of sports.

  1. Sean Avery, NHL: The enforcer is a key person in the NHL. They're the guys that always agitate the opposing team's best player, even taking them out of the game. Sean Avery made it more than an art. He made a circus out of being an enforcer. The former L.A. King and New York Ranger only scored 90 goals in 580 NHL games, but amassed 1,533 penalty minutes throughout his ten-year NHL career. If you want to know how perversely humorous Avery was, watch him talk about his former flames Rachel Hunter and Elisha Cuthbert: http://youtu.be/lR8aQCCf60o. As a matter of fact, the NHL created the Sean Avery Rule after his infamous screening of Martin Brodeur in a playoff series against New Jersey: http://youtu.be/Bb4WaZMVtyE.
  2. Terrell Owens, NFL: Although T.O. wasn't really an athlete that fans could necessarily hate, he was a poisonous figure amongst his teammates and anyone else in the NFL. From mocking Ray Lewis's pregame dance while with the Eagles in 2004 to his raunchy Monday Night Football skit with Desperate Housewives actress Nicollette Sheridan, Owens has always been known to stir up trouble in the NFL. His other antics include calling Jeff Garcia a 'homosexual', doing crunches in front of a bunch of reporters at his home, and having his agent Drew Rosenhaus field questions from the media (Next question!). But every NFL fan will remember the time when T.O. tried to disrespect the "Star" at the 50-yard line of old Texas Stadium and got laid out for it in 2000: http://youtu.be/0gPJPmPsKLg.
  3. Mario Balotelli, English Premier League: Perhaps well known in Europe as, "Soccer's version of Terrell Owens". The Manchester City striker has done some questionable things in his young career from posing with two noted Mafia mobsters for a photograph to firing air pistols in the open at Milan's Piazza della Repubblica. His on-field antics appear to be no different, as demonstrated by his failed backheel in a friendly against the L.A. Galaxy: http://youtu.be/YsN6svBWYg0.
  4. Dennis Rodman, NBA: One of the most outlandish characters in the NBA. Carmen Electra's ex-husband had many tattoos and piercings and was known for clashing with opponents and referees during NBA games. The five-time NBA champion with the Chicago Bulls was also infamous for dying his hair green and wearing a wedding dress in 1996 to promote his autobiography Bad As I Wanna Be. Rodman also wrestled in WCW when he was suspended from the NBA for the rest of the 1996-1997 season, feuding with Macho Man Randy Savage.
  5. Kurt Busch, NASCAR: The 2004 Nextel Cup Series Champion and brother of Kyle Busch has a notorious history of verbally abusing other drivers, his team, and the media. He's also been suspended for drunk and reckless driving in 2005 in Arizona. Some other controversies that Busch caused during his NASCAR career include going on a profanity-laced rant during the Crown Royal 400 in 2011 and causing a wreck with six laps remaining in the Bojangles' Southern 500 in 2012. After the wreck, Busch got into an argument with his gas man, Andrew Rueger, and knocked him over in the process. Busch was fined $50,000 and placed on probation until July 25, 2012 as a result of the two altercations.
  6. John Rocker, MLB: When John Rocker pitched for the Atlanta Braves from 1998 to 2003, he would often spout out very provocative comments. Rocker called his black teammate Randall Simon "A fat monkey", spat on a Georgia 400 toll machine, and mocked Asian women during an interview with Sports Illustrated in 1999. But those aren't the nastiest things that he said in that interview. When asked about whether he'd like to play for either the New York Yankees or the New York Mets, he stated the following:
     "I'd retire first. It's the most hectic, nerve-racking city. Imagine having to take the 7 Train to the ballpark looking like you're riding through Beirut next to some kid with purple hair, next to some queer with AIDS, right next to some dude who just got out of jail for the fourth time, right next to some 20-year old mom with four kids. It's depressing... The biggest thing I don't like about New York are the foreigners. You can walk an entire block in Times Sqaure and not hear anybody speaking English. Asians and Koreans and Vietnamese and Indians and Russians and Spanish people and everything up there. How the hell did they get in this country?" (Illustrated 1999)

     Rocker also made national headlines for his views in 2002 when he directed slurs towards patrons of an uptown Dallas restaurant. The neighborhood was Oak Lawn, a neighborhood with a heavy LGBT population. He's also a former steroid user.








Thursday, December 6, 2012

Bowl Season Special Pick 'Em!!

     The college football bowl season is just around the corner and the bowl games are set in stone (sans Louisiana Tech, much to Karl Malone's chagrin). Anyways, I highly doubt that I'll get every bowl game right. But it'll certainly be a load of fun taking a crack at picking the games!! So here we go!!

  • New Mexico Bowl: Arizona over Nevada
  • Famous Idaho Potato Bowl: No. 22 Utah State over Toledo
  • Poinsettia Bowl: San Diego State over BYU
  • Beef O' Brady's Bowl St. Petersburg: Central Florida over Ball State
  • New Orleans Bowl: Louisiana-Lafayette over East Carolina
  • Las Vegas Bowl: No. 19 Boise State over Washington
  • Hawaii Bowl: Fresno State over SMU(!)
  • 1Little Caesar's Bowl: Western Kentucky over Central Michigan
  • Military Bowl: No. 24 San Jose State over Bowling Green
  • Belk Bowl: Cincinnati over Duke
  • Holiday Bowl: No. 17 UCLA over Baylor
  • Independence Bowl: Louisiana-Monroe over Ohio
  • Russell Athletic Bowl: Rutgers over Virginia Tech
  • Meineke Car Care Bowl: Texas Tech over Minnesota
  • Armed Forces Bowl: Air Force over Rice
  • Pinstripe Bowl: West Virginia over Syracuse
  • Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl: Arizona State over Navy
  • Alamo Bowl: No. 23 Texas over No. 13 Oregon State
  • 2Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl: TCU over Michigan State
  • Music City Bowl: Vanderbilt over NC State
  • Sun Bowl: USC over Georgia Tech
  • Liberty Bowl: Tulsa over Iowa State
  • 3Chick-Fil-A Bowl: No. 8 LSU over No. 14 Clemson
  • Gator Bowl: No. 20 Northwestern over Mississippi State   
  • Heart of Dallas Bowl: Oklahoma State over Purdue
  • Capital One Bowl: No. 7 Georgia over No. 16 Nebraska
  • Outback Bowl: No. 10 South Carolina over No. 18 Michigan
  • Rose Bowl: No. 6 Stanford over Wisconsin
  • Orange Bowl: No. 12 Florida State over No. 15 Northern Illinois
  • Sugar Bowl: No. 3 Florida over No. 21 Louisville
  • 4Tostitos Fiesta Bowl: No. 4 Oregon over No. 5 Kansas State
  • Cotton Bowl: No. 9 Texas A&M over No. 11 Oklahoma
  • Compass Bowl: Pittsburgh over Ole Miss
  • Godaddy.com Bowl: No. 25 Kent State over Arkansas State
  • BCS Championship Game: No. 1 Notre Dame over No. 2 Alabama
NFL Picks:
  • Broncos over Raiders
  • Bengals over Cowboys 
  • Rams over Bills
  • Browns over Chiefs
  • Colts over Titans
  • Vikings over Bears
  • Steelers over Chargers
  • Buccaneers over Eagles 
  • Redskins over Ravens
  • Falcons over Panthers
  • Jaguars over Jets
  • Niners over Dolphins
  • Giants over Saints
  • Seahawks over Cardinals
  • Packers rout the Lions
  • Texans over Patriots
1I could use a $5 Hot 'n Ready pizza from Little Caesar's right now!
2I could also use a 24-piece traditional wings with mild sauce from Buffalo Wild Wings!!
3I'm hungry for some Chick-Fil-A as well!!
4Heck, pass me the bowl of Tostitos!! I could use a snack for this game!! 

Tuesday, December 4, 2012

Rookies of the Year(?)

     The 2012 NFL Draft was one of the most hyped drafts in NFL history. It featured great collegiate quarterbacks going one and two in the draft that year. The Indianapolis Colts used their No. 1 overall pick on Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck, whereas the Washington Redskins quarterback used their No. 2 overall pick on Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin III. Both have given their respective franchises a complete 180 degree turnaround this season. The Colts currently hold one of the wild card spots in the AFC while the Redskins stand at 6-6 and are fighting for a playoff spot of their own. But what was it like for both Indy and D.C. before these two rookie phenoms righted the ships this season?
     For the past four seasons, the Washington Redskins have been stuck in the NFC East basement. And who could blame them? You had the Dallas Cowboys who were always in the playoff hunt, the "Dream Team" Philadelphia Eagles who were loaded with talent, and you had the two-time Super Bowl champion New York Giants. But Washington has gone through starting quarterbacks for much longer than that. The Redskins' list of starting quarterbacks since 1993 (excluding Griffin III) is a long one:
  • Heath Shuler
  • Gus Frerotte
  • Jason Campbell
  • Mark Brunell
  • John Friesz
  • Brad Johnson
  • Rich Gannon
  • Mark Rypien
  • Cary Conklin
  • Todd Collins
  • Patrick Ramsey
  • Trent Green
  • Jeff George
  • Donovan McNabb
  • Tony Banks
  • Shane Matthews
  • Danny Wuerffel
  • John Beck
  • Tim Hasselbeck
  • Rex Grossman
     Out of the 20 starting quarterbacks for Washington since 1993, only Gus Frerotte (1996) and Brad Johnson (1999) have even made it to the Pro Bowl representing the Redskins in that timespan. There hasn't been a quarterback in recent years who's instilled hope in the nation's capital. But RGIII seems like a possibility to make it to Hawaii in his rookie season and restore playoff aspirations for Washington D.C. His Thanksgiving victory over division rival Dallas is a perfect example of how he's been the catalyst for the Redskins' success this year. The former Heisman-trophy winner from Baylor went 19 for 27, throwing for 304 yards, four touchdowns, and an interception. He also had a solid Monday Night performance yesterday against last year's Super Bowl champions, the New York Giants. He went 13 for 21, throwing for 163 yards and a touchdown. Griffin III also ran the ball five times for 72 yards, including a 46-yard gain in the third quarter.
     Unlike Washington, the Indianapolis Colts have been competitive in the AFC in recent years. From 1999 to 2010, the only time that the Colts didn't finish the season with ten wins or more and miss the playoffs was in 2001. That was the year that head coach Jim Mora went on this infamous rant: http://youtu.be/-oSFYxDGKy8. As a matter of fact, the Colts made it to two Super Bowls during that timespan. They beat the Chicago Bears 29-17 in the 2006 season and lost to the New Orleans Saints 31-17 in the 2009 season. Back then, Indianapolis was headed by quarterback, four-time NFL MVP, and Super Bowl MVP Peyton Manning. Manning put up monster numbers thanks to the likes of his wide receivers/tight ends, which included Marvin Harrison, Dallas Clark, and Reggie Wayne (Who's still on the Colts). The Colts also had great players on defense such as OLB Dwight Freeney (Who was the 2005 AFC Defensive Player of the Year), linebacker Gary Brackett, and safety Bob Sanders (Who was the 2007 Associated Press AFC Defensive Player of the Year).
     But last year was a different story compared to Indy's previous years of success. The Colts placed the franchise tag on Peyton Manning before the 2011 season, but he sat out the entire season with a neck injury. With Kerry Collins replacing Manning (Collins was replaced by Curtis Painter later in the season), Indianapolis finished the 2011 season in the AFC South cellar at 2-14. One of the losses included a 62-7 walloping at the hands of the New Orleans Saints on Sunday Night in week seven. It was the first time in a decade that the Colts had missed the playoffs. This led to offseason drama, which involved Colts owner Jim Irsay firing vice chairman Bill Polian and head coach Jim Caldwell. Luckily for Indianapolis, they won the rights to the first overall pick in the 2012 NFL draft by a tiebreaker (The St. Louis Rams finished 2-14 in 2011 as well).
     Enter Andrew Luck, a six-foot four quarterback from Stanford University (John Elway's alma mater). A winner of the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm award in 2011, Luck had a lot of pressure on him to achieve as much success as his predecessor Peyton Manning (Who's now the starting quarterback for the Denver Broncos) and he will for quite some time. However, he's given Colts fans a reason to believe. He broke the NFL record for the most passing yards in a single game by a rookie in Week 9 (He threw for 433 yards in 23-20 win over the Dolphins). Then he led a fourth-quarter comeback last week against the Lions, throwing a game-winning 14-yard touchdown to Donnie Avery as the Colts upended Detroit 35-33. He's thrown for 300 yards or more in six games this season and was the AFC Offensive Player of the Week in Week 8.
     Statistically, Luck might not be impressive overall. He's completed 55.5% of his passes for 3,596 yards, 17 touchdowns, and 16 interceptions. He also has a passer rating of 76.1 and has fumbled the ball nine times this year. But those stats are great for a rookie, especially when your rookie quarterback has your team at 8-4 through Week 12 and within grasp of a playoff spot. Indianapolis has taken their level of play to another level as they've also been inspired by head coach Chuck Pagano's battle with leukemia. As for Luck, he appears to be a favorite for AFC Rookie of the Year this season.
     Comparatively, Robert Griffin III might've not thrown for more yards while fumbling the ball more than Luck (Griffin III has thrown for 2,660 yards and has fumbled the football ten times this year). But RGIII has done just as good, if not better, than Andrew Luck in other statistics. The Redskins starting quarterback has a passer rating of 104 this year and thrown for 17 touchdowns and four interceptions. RGIII has also completed 67% of his passes this year and has also rushed for 714 yards and six touchdowns. Like Luck, Griffin III looks to be the favorite for his conference's respective Rookie of the Year award this year.
     Overall, both quarterbacks have put up impressive rookie campaigns this season. They've also restored the hopes of their once-disenchanted fanbases who witnessed their teams play horrifically in 2011. There's a possibility that both the Colts and the Redskins will make the postseason this year and for years to come. Who knows? This year's draft class might be known as the best draft class in the near future.

Sources:
  • ESPN.com/nfl


Saturday, December 1, 2012

Why I Hate the Midwest

     I come from a region that is simply known as "America's Heartland". I'm from the epitome of a blue collar attitude and a gritty work mentality. I come from a place where families are bound together by the sanctity of religion. I come from a region otherwise known as the Midwest.
     But I'm not particularly proud to say that I'm from this region. As a matter of fact, I hate the Midwest with a passion. I want out of the region so badly and just wish that nothing could stop me from moving out. Unfortunately, I can't move out and I'm stuck in this rut for a few more years. So I guess I'll just sit here and vent out a few reasons for why I hate being from the Midwest.

  1. The Weather: I absolutely hate the weather in the Midwest. It snows way too much and when it rains, it pours (Literally). All of this makes for bad driving conditions and frigid temperatures in the wintertime. Trust me when I say that the weather here would make you want to move to the Southern climates, too.
  2. The Number of Obese People: The state that I come from, Michigan, is the fifth-most obese state in America (31.3%). Indiana, another state in the "Great Midwest", is the eighth-most obese state with an obese population of 30.8%. Both of these states have larger obese populations than the state of Texas. In fact, Michigan has more obese people than the state of Oklahoma. Not a single state in the Midwest is in the ten least-obese states in the United States (California, the state where I want to move to, is the sixth-least obese state). But you wouldn't be surprised if you saw the number of Wal-Mart Wolverines/Big Lots Buckeyes and googled "Midwestern Girl Blog" and found that they mostly posted recipes (Not trying to be a jerk, but I'm just saying), which leads me to my next point...
  3. The Women: If you're a female and you still consider yourself a "Midwestern girl" or refer to me as a "boy" in a cute way, then either I will not date you or I will dump you on the spot because I will not be arrested for child sexual abuse. I only date women, thank you very much.
  4. The Need to "Represent Where You're From": Another thing that I can't stand about the Midwest is that every person from the Midwest has to tell everybody else where they're from, whether they're from Wisconsin, Ohio, etc. As The Rock would say, "IT DOESN'T MATTER WHERE YOU'RE FROM!!!" Nobody cares about which small town you came from (particularly because they won't be able to find the town on a map) and nobody has the time to hear about what it was like in your hometown. So keep it to yourselves!!
  5. The Need to "Stay Close to Home": Speaking of hometowns, I feel that everyone should be able to explore the world and discover new places as much as possible. Unfortunately, many Midwestern families want their kids to stay close to home and often limit their boundaries. This is something that I strongly disagree with these families on.


References:
http://health.usnews.com/health-news/articles/2012/08/16/most-and-least-obese-us-states 

Thursday, November 29, 2012

Pick ME!!!!

     This week's picks are in!! Last week's picks looked very good (First time in awhile) and hopefully the trend will continue this week. Here they are!!

College Football:
  • No. 8 Stanford over No. 16 UCLA (Pac-12 Championship Game)
  • No. 21 Northern Illinois over No. 17 Kent State (MAC Championship Game)
  • No. 2 Alabama over No. 3 Georgia (SEC Championship Game)
  • No. 12 Nebraska over Wisconsin (Big Ten Championship Game)
  • No. 13 Florida State over Georgia Tech (ACC Championship Game)
  • Nevada over No. 20 Boise State
  • No. 11 Oklahoma over TCU
  • Baylor over No. 23 Oklahoma State
  • No. 6 Kansas State over No. 18 Texas
  • Rutgers over Louisville
  • Tulsa over UCF (Conference USA Championship Game)
NFL Picks:
  • Falcons over Saints in a squeaker
  • Daaaaa Bears over Seahawks
  • Bills over Jaguars
  • Lions over Colts
  • Packers rout the Vikings
  • Texans roast the Titans
  • Panthers over Chiefs
  • 49ers over Rams
  • Patriots over Dolphins
  • Jets over Cardinals
  • Broncos over Buccaneers
  • Browns over Raiders
  • Chargers over Bengals
  • Ravens over Steelers
  • Cowboys over Eagles
  • Giants over Redskins

Monday, November 26, 2012

FireFighter: The Story of Edwin Anzalone

     "J-E-T-S!!! JETS JETS JETS!!!"
     Every New York Jets fan is familiar with that pregame chant. Every Jets fan also knows the man that made this chant famous. Edwin Anzalone of East Rutherford, a.k.a. "Fireman Ed", has been an enthusiastic superfan of the New York Jets since 1975. Unfortunately for Anzalone, he hung up his helmet during a Thanksgiving blowout at the hands of the New England Patriots, stating that he'll no longer lead the J-E-T-S cheer at Jets games.
     The Jets' unofficial mascot wasn't always an uberfan of the Jets. Born on September 19, 1959 in College Point, New York, Anzalone rooted for the Miami Dolphins until the age of 10. Anzalone is an actual firefighter for New York City, but was injured on the job in 2007. He always wore Bruce Harper's jersey to Jets games up until this season. This year, he showed up wearing Mark Sanchez's jersey to show support for the Jets' starting quarterback. Fireman Ed rose to prominence in the New York area by appearing on many local radio shows, showing his diehard support for Gang Green. Jets fans also remember Anzalone shoving a Giants fan who interrupted the pregame chant during a preseason Monday Night game on August 16, 2010. Ironically, the Giants fan was removed from the game. But that's what happens when you mess with an New York firefighter.
     As for the "J-E-T-S" chant, Fireman Ed's led the pregame chant since 1986. However, he wasn't the originator of the chant. The chant was originally led by two retired NYPD Jet fans. The chant alternates from one end zone to the opposite end zone and the chant only happens in the upper deck of Metlife Stadium.
     The reason why Fireman Ed called it quits on Thanksgiving (What a quiet Thanksgiving it must've been at the Anzalone household, I say) was due to the "boorish behavior" of Jets fans regarding Mark Sanchez and his performance this season.
     1"Listen, I've been through the Rich Kotite era--we were 4-28 in that era." Anzalone said. "Any Jets fan knows this isn't the worst of times; it isn't even close. It's been about the nastiness. I just think society in general-you're out in your car and there's no respect at all. I don't want to put up with that from people taking it out on me anymore."
    Fireman Ed has stated that fans have gotten confrontational with him, thinking that Anzalone wasn't a season-long ticket holder, but rather a member of the New York Jets organization. Anzalone has countered by saying that he's "never received a dime from this team."
     2"I decided to leave Thursday because the confrontations with other Jets fans have become more common, even though most Jets fans are fantastic.This is an indication of how society has lost and is continuing to lose respect for one another. The stadium has become divided because of the quarterback controversy as well. The fact that I chose to wear a Mark Sanchez jersey this year and that fans think I am on the payroll--which is an outright lie--have made these confrontations more frequent. Whether it's in the stands, the bathroom or the parking lot, these confrontations are happening on a consistent basis. Although I can 'hold my own', I do not want to lose my temper and make a stupid mistake. I have a responsibility to the families and kids that enjoy the game and Fireman Ed."
     Fireman Ed did conclude that "he'll always love the Jets because they're in my heart", and that "he'll attend games as usual, just not as Fireman Ed. God bless and, as always, let's go Jets!"
     Spoken like a true http://youtu.be/seVkkimXh08 fan.


  1. (Dyer, Kristina New York Metro)
  2. (Anzalone, Edwin New York Metro) 
Other References:
  • New York Times; 2012, November 26 web. 2012, November 26

Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Turkey Picks Are Here!!

     Happy Thanksgiving to everybody!! Here are this week's pick-ems!!

College Football

  • #1 Notre Dame over USC
  • #4 Florida over #10 Florida State
  • Ohio State over #19 Michigan
  • #16 Texas over TCU
  • #24 Arizona over Arizona State
  • #3 Georgia over Georgia Tech
  • #15 Oregon State over #5 Oregon
  • #8 Stanford over #17 UCLA
  • #11 Clemson over #12 South Carolina
  • #13 Oklahoma over #21 Oklahoma State
NFL Picks

  • Texans over Lions
  • Cowboys over Redskins
  • Patriots over Jets
  • Bears over Vikings
  • Bengals over Raiders
  • Steelers over Browns
  • Broncos over Chiefs
  • Colts over Bills
  • Seahawks over Dolphins
  • Jaguars over Titans
  • Buccaneers over Falcons
  • Ravens over Chargers
  • Saints over 49ers 
  • Rams over Cardinals
  • Giants over Packers
  • Panthers over Eagles

Tuesday, November 20, 2012

The Playoff Machine is Finally Here!!

     Like Punxsutawney Phil on Groundhog's Day, the NFL playoff machine comes out once a year to give NFL fans an array of dream playoff scenarios. The ESPN app has made its long-awaited return. Here's the link to the site, so have fun playing out your scenarios!!

http://espn.go.com/nfl/playoffs/machine

Thursday, November 15, 2012

Pick 'Em Style

     Boy, a lot has changed in a week!! We have a new BCS #1 and we got some big matchups this week! Last week I got slaughtered in the NFL picks, but let's hope things can turn around this week.

College Football:



  • #1 Kansas State over Baylor
  • #2 Oregon over #13 Stanford 
  • #3 Notre Dame over Wake Forest
  • #21 Michigan over Iowa
  • North Carolina over Virginia
  • Central Florida over Tulsa
  • Cincinnati over #22 Rutgers
  • #17 UCLA over #18 USC
  • #14 Nebraska over Minnesota
  • #7 LSU over Ole Miss
  • #24 Oklahoma State over #23 Texas Tech
  • Ohio State over Wisconsin
  • #11 Clemson over North Carolina State
  • #20 Louisiana Tech over Utah State
  • #12 Oklahoma over West Virginia
NFL Picks
  • Bills over Dolphins
  • Cowboys over Browns
  • Falcons over Cardinals
  • Packers over Lions
  • Bengals over Chiefs
  • Rams over Jets
  • Redskins over Eagles
  • Panthers over Buccaneers
  • Texans romp the Jaguars
  • Saints over Raiders
  • Broncos over Chargers
  • Patriots over Colts
  • Ravens over Steelers
  • 49ers over Bears 

Wednesday, November 14, 2012

What to Watch For: 2012-2013 College Basketball Season

     College basketball is back in session, so you know what that means. The march to March Madness is also underway. In order to whet your appetite for the upcoming season, I've comprised a list of some of the must-see college basketball games to kick off the year. Small note: I did not include conference games for my list.

  • Wake Forest vs. Connecticut; November 16, 2012. The game's one part of the Paradise Jam at Saint Thomas, which takes place in the Virgin Islands (Birthplace of current Spurs center/forward and Wake Forest Alum Tim Duncan). Having stunned #6 Michigan State in the opening game of the 2012 season 66-62, the Huskies are hoping to return to their status as a basketball powerhouse with Jr. guard Shabazz Napier. Meanwhile, the Demon Deacons look to prove that they're another March Madness team from Tobacco Road.
  • UCLA vs. Georgetown; November 19, 2012. The Bruins boast one of the strongest classes of 2012 with players such as five-star small forward Kyle Anderson (From St. Anthony High in Jersey City, #5 in ESPN150; 97 overall), four-star center Tony Parker (From Miller Grove High in Lithonia, Georgia; #26 in ESPN150; 96 overall), and four-star small forward Jordan Adams (From Oak Hill Academy in Lawrenceville, Georgia; #41 in ESPN150; 95 overall). They'll get their first major test in the Progressive Legends Classic in Brooklyn against Georgetown, who boasts a 2012 four-star player of their own: Oak Hill Academy's (Indianapolis, Indiana) own D'Vauntes Smith-Rivera. Smith-Rivera's ranked #58 in the ESPN150 with a overall score of 94. He's a versatile player and can also play any position on the perimeter.
  • Creighton vs. Wisconsin; November 23, 2012. This game's a part of the Continental Tire Las Vegas Classic. It's also a potential preview of a March Madness matchup. How will the Jays fare against Bo Ryan and his defensive squad?
  • North Carolina State vs. Michigan; November 27, 2012. A battle of two teams with lofty expectations this season. All eyes will be on Michigan guards Tim Hardaway Jr. and Trey Burke and NC State forward Scott Wood. The Wolverines must not get burned by Wood's catch-and-shoot three balls all night.
  • North Carolina vs. Indiana; November 27, 2012. Two of last year's more explosive offenses go at it in Bloomington. The Tar Heels will have their hands full trying to contain both Hoosier forward Cody Zeller and Hoosier guard Jordan Hulls. It is advised not to miss this game as it could be a prelude to a potential NCAA championship matchup. This game's also a part of the annual Big 10/ACC Challenge.
  • Ohio State vs. Duke; November 28, 2012. Another possibility for the NCAA Championship game or a Final Four matchup, this game pits Thad Matta's Buckeye squad against Mike Krzyzewski's Blue Devils. How will Deshaun Thomas and Ohio State do in an environment chock full of Cameron Crazies?
  • Kentucky vs. Notre Dame; November 29, 2012. The defending champs will head down to South Bend against Jack Cooley and the up-and-coming Fighting Irish. Note that No.1 Syracuse lost here last season, so John Calipari's crew better be careful.
  • Detroit vs. Pittsburgh; December 1, 2012. Will the Pittsburgh Panthers be able to hold off the upstart Titans, who are led by Jr. guard and former McDonald's All-American Ray McCallum (15.4 ppg last season)?
  • Louisville vs. Memphis; December 15, 2012. A great battle of forwards, pitting Louisville's Chane Behanan vs. the Tigers' 6'9" forward Tarik Black. This is also a perfect opportunity for Memphis to pad their resume with an upset over Rick Pitino's squad. Keep an eye out for Cardinals guard Russ Smith, who's Louisville's top returning scorer (11.5 ppg).
  • Kansas vs. Ohio State; December 22, 2012. A Final Four rematch from last season that could provide for more fireworks. Great coaching battle between Thad Matta and Bill Self, too.
     Other games to watch for this season:
  • Michigan State vs. Miami (FL); November 28, 2012.
  • Vanderbilt vs. Xavier; December 6, 2012.
  • Harvard vs. Connecticut; December 7, 2012.
  • Colorado vs. Kansas; December 8, 2012.
  • Florida vs. Arizona; December 15, 2012.
  • Indiana vs. Butler; December 15, 2012.
  • Baylor vs. Gonzaga; December 28, 2012.
  • Missouri vs. UCLA; December 28, 2012.
  • Kentucky vs. Louisville; December 29, 2012.

Sunday, November 11, 2012

House of the Rising Sun Belt

     Normally when you think of a "BCS Buster", you think of a school from the Western Athletic Conference (Hawaii or Boise State) or from the Mountain West Conference (Utah or TCU). But who would've thought that the Sun Belt Conference would be giving college football's BCS conferences, more notably the SEC, a good scare?
     It all started in the opening weeks of the college football season when Louisiana-Monroe upset #8 Arkansas on the road in overtime 34-31 on September 8th. Quarterback Kolton Browning was the catalyst for the upset, throwing for 412 yards and three touchdowns while running for one touchdown. The next two weeks, the Warhawks played Auburn and Baylor close, losing both games by a combined eight points. But Louisiana-Monroe isn't the only Sun Belt team that's giving the big boys a big scare.
     It took a blocked punt return for a touchdown with two seconds left to play for #6 Florida to avoid being upset at home by the Ragin' Cajuns of Louisiana-Lafayette. Middle Tennessee, who's 6-3 this year and is second in the Sun Belt, beat Georgia Tech on the road on September 29 by a score of 49-28. Blue Raiders running back Benny Cunningham ran for 217 yards on 27 carries and five touchdowns in that game. A week before, the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers narrowly beat Kentucky, an SEC team, on the road by a score of 32-31. The Hilltoppers won on a trick play in which quarterback Kawaun Jakes threw a lateral to running back Antonio Andrews, who threw it back to Jakes to successfully convert a two-point conversion in overtime. The Troy Trojans nearly upended Mississippi State the week before, losing at home 30-24. The Trojans also took Tennessee to the wire on November 3rd, losing on the road in a shootout 55-48.
     Even the lower rung of the Sun Belt has gotten in on the action. On September 22, Florida International almost pulled off an upset on No. 20 Louisville at home. They lost 28-21, losing the game on a call of roughing the kicker in the fourth quarter when they tried to block a Louisville punt. Louisville quarterback and Heisman candidate Teddy Bridgewater had a rough game, completing 19 of 36 passes and throwing for 194 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions.
     Once the laughingstock conference of college football, the Sun Belt conference is quietly becoming a force to be reckoned with. They only have two tie-ins to bowl games: The New Orleans Bowl and the GoDaddy.com Bowl. But don't be surprised if the Sun Belt gets more bowl bids in the future.


Thursday, November 8, 2012

Weekly Picks Are Here!! They Are...

College Football:
  • No. 10 Florida State over Virginia Tech
  • No. 2 Kansas State over TCU
  • No. 1 Alabama over No. 15 Texas A&M
  • No. 7 LSU over No. 21 Mississippi State
  • No. 16 Nebraska over Penn State
  • Michigan over No. 24 Northwestern
  • No. 14 Stanford over No. 11 Oregon State
  • Nevada over Fresno State
  • Oklahoma State over West Virginia 
  • No. 19 USC over Arizona State in a tight game
NFL Picks:
  • Colts over Jaguars
  • Lions over Vikings in a squeaker
  • Bears over Texans
  • Seahawks over Jets
  • Steelers romp the Chiefs
  • Giants over Bengals
  • Dolphins over Titans
  • Patriots r-r-r-romp the Bills 
  • Falcons over the Saints in a tight contest
  • Buccaneers over Chargers
  • Broncos over Panthers
  • Ravens over Raiders
  • Eagles over Cowboys
  • 49ers plow through the Rams

Monday, November 5, 2012

The Election Day Blog: A Look at the Finest Moments in DC Sports

     Election Day is tomorrow and like every other preceding Election Day, it has massive implications. Will we vote for Obamacare or will we repeal by electing a new president in Mitt Romney? Tomorrow has everything on the line for everyone. Either Obama or Romney will be making their residence next January and someone is not going to be satisfied with the end result. Anyways, here's some of the best sports moments in the history of D.C. sports:


Thursday, November 1, 2012

You Be Pickin' 'Em

     What's this?! We got a BCS Championship rematch? We got Pac-12 Championship and BCS implications on the line with USC and Oregon? No. 2 Kansas State against No. 24 Oklahoma State?? My oh my, what a big week!! My picks for this week are in!!

College Football:
  • No. 5 LSU over No. 1 Alabama
  • No. 2 Kansas State over No. 24 Oklahoma State
  • No. 4 Oregon over No. 17 USC
  • No. 6 Georgia over Ole Miss
  • No. 11 Oregon State over Arizona State
  • Duke over No. 13 Clemson
  • No. 12 Oklahoma over Iowa State
  • No. 7 Florida over Missouri
  • No. 16 Texas A&M over No. 15 Mississippi State
  • No. 18 Texas Tech over No. 23 Texas
  • No. 20 Nebraska over Michigan State
  • No. 21 West Virginia over TCU
  • No. 19 Boise State over San Diego State
  • UCLA over No. 22 Arizona
  • No. 25 Louisiana Tech over UTSA
  • Miami (FL) over Virginia Tech
  • No. 3 Notre Dame over Pittsburgh
NFL Picks:
  • Chargers over Chiefs
  • Lions over Jaguars
  • Broncos over Bengals
  • Packers romp the Cardinals
  • Bears over Titans
  • Ravens over Browns
  • Redskins over Panthers
  • Texans blow out the Bills
  • Colts over Dolphins
  • Buccaneers over Raiders
  • Seahawks over Vikings
  • Giants over Steelers
  • Falcons over Cowboys
  • Eagles over Saints 

Thursday, October 25, 2012

Here's My Ghoulish Picks!!

     Halloween's just around the corner, so let's just hope that my picks don't scare me too much this week!! I went 11-0 in my college picks last week, and went 11-2 in my NFL picks last week. So here goes my haunted picks for this week!! I've gone mad and made a bunch of college picks!!

College Football:

  • No. 18 Clemson over Wake Forest
  • No. 16 Louisville over Cincinnati
  • North Carolina over North Carolina State
  • Arizona State over UCLA
  • No. 2 Florida over No. 10 Georgia
  • No. 12 Florida State over Duke
  • No. 8 Notre Dame over No. 8 Oklahoma
  • No. 1 Alabama over No. 11 Mississippi State
  • No. 15 Rutgers over Kent State
  • No. 3 Kansas State over No. 14 Texas Tech
  • No. 24 Ohio over Miami (Ohio)
  • No. 25 Wisconsin over Michigan State
  • Ohio State over Penn State
  • Nebraska over No. 22 Michigan
  • No. 7 Oregon State over Washington
NFL Picks:

  • Vikings over Buccaneers
  • Seahawks over Lions
  • Daaaaaaaaa Bears over Daaaaaaaaaa Panthers in Daaaaaaaaa rout
  • Chargers over Browns
  • Packers skewer Jaguars
  • Patriots over Rams
  • Titans over Colts
  • Falcons over Eagles
  • Jets over Dolphins
  • Redskins over Steelers
  • Raiders over Chiefs
  • Giants over Cowboys 
  • Broncos over Saints
  • 49ers over Cardinals

Saturday, October 20, 2012

Geek Out Stat: Matty Icing 'Em

     Before the NFL season began, I had the Atlanta Falcons as a shoo-in for the playoffs. I expected Julio Jones to step up immensely as a receiver and I expected Asante Samuel to help improve Atlanta's secondary. As a matter of fact, a good majority of NFL fans considered the Falcons to be playoff contenders. But there weren't many football fans that expected a 6-0 start from the Falcons, let alone have their quarterback Matt Ryan as the main reason for the fast start.
     The Boston College alum's numbers for 2012 have been very impressive so far. His completion percentage this season is 67.8%, six points higher than his career average. He's thrown for 1,756 yards and 14 touchdowns through six games and is on pace to throw for 4,683 yards and 37 touchdowns for the year. His current rating is 98.8, currently a career high for Ryan. Indeed, this is turning out to be a monstrous season for Atlanta's franchise quarterback.
     Atlanta's offensive attack has always been anchored by a strong running game, i.e. Warrick Dunn or currently Michael Turner. But Turner only has one 100-yard rushing game this year (Week 4 against Carolina; ran the ball 13 times for 103 yards). Instead, head coach Mike Smith is making the most of Matt Ryan's receivers. Tight end Tony Gonzalez (430 receiving yards, including a 123-yard game against Washington in which he caught a touchdown) and wideouts Roddy White (553 yards) and Julio Jones (376 yards) are all projected to produced at least 1,000 yards receiving this year. All three have been equally targeted as well with each receiver thrown to 53-54 times so far and catching four touchdowns each. If there's one thing about Mike Smith's passing strategy, it's that spreading the production amongst the receivers will make it harder for opposing secondaries to effectively cover all three Falcons targets.
     Ironically, Matt Ryan only has two 300-yard passing games in his six starts this season. As a matter of fact, last Sunday's game vs. Oakland was one of his worst for the year. He went 24 for 37 for 249 yards (with a completion rate of 64.9), but had a rating of 59.4 and threw three picks. Atlanta still won the game 23-20 on a last-second 55-yard field goal from Matt Bryant. But Atlanta still has a few tests to pass this year if they want to end the regular season undefeated.
     Luckily for Atlanta, there's only a few of these tests this season. One of them is in the City of Brotherly Love, where they'll take on Nhamdi Asomugha and the Philadelphia Eagles. Another tough test will come at home against the defending Super Bowl champion New York Giants in week 15. The next week, Atlanta will go on the road to the Motor City for a Saturday Night matinee against the Lions. Matt Ryan might have to become "Mighty Matt Ryan" in these games. But if Ryan goes on playing the way he has so far, then that might not be a problem.



Thursday, October 18, 2012

The Pick 'Em For This Week

     The good news: Last week's college football pick 'em saw me go 6-3. Something that absolutely shocked me. The bad news: I finished an even .500 for my NFL picks last week. Hopefully, this week will be a little bit nicer of a week for me in terms of NFL picks. So here are my picks for the week!!

College Football:
  • No. 3 Oregon over Arizona State in a tightly contested game
  • No. 2 Florida over No. 7 South Carolina
  • No. 4 Kansas State over No. 13 West Virginia 
  • No. 6 LSU over No. 18 Texas A&M in a close game
  • No. 1 Alabama over Tennessee
  • No. 17 Texas Tech over No. 23 TCU
  • No. 14 Florida State over Miami (FL) (Don't be surprised if the 'Canes upset the Seminoles here)
  • No. 19 Clemson over Virginia Tech
  • No. 25 Texas over Baylor
  • Michigan over Michigan State in a close game
  • Ohio State over Purdue
NFL Picks:
  • 49ers over Seahawks
  • Colts over Browns
  • Bills over Titans
  • Vikings over Cardinals 
  • Packers over Rams
  • Giants over Redskins
  • Saints over Buccaneers
  • Panthers over Cowboys
  • Texans over Ravens, despite Terrell Suggs being expected to play this week
  • Raiders over Jaguars
  • Patriots over Jets
  • Steelers over Bengals
  • Bears over Lions

Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Funny (And Eye-Catchingly Interesting) Pics in Sports


     I've taken the time to search and seek the funniest (and coolest) photos taken during a sporting event or just some of the most obscure sports pics in all of mankind. I just want to let you know that this wasn't easy by any stretch of the imagination. A few of these pics are in this post in order to capture the true emotion of a sport and the moment. Here's what I've dug up: