Coming off their bye week in week 7 the Philadelphia Eagles could still manage to make the playoffs, however with there lopsided loss to the New England Patriots 38-20, it is time to put the seal on the Eagles 2011 season. After a condensed off-season that saw them spend big money on some “big-time” players, the self-proclaimed “Dream Team” are now 4-7 with five games to play.
They started with the last second signing of highly coveted Corner back Nnamdi Asomugah and then signed: Defensive End Jason Babin, Defensive Tackle Cullen Jenkins, backup Quarterback Vince Young and traded Kevin Kolb for Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie. Add these signings to a fast and young core of receivers, the resurgence of Michael Vick and being guided under the tootilage of Andy Ried, the Eagles were not just NFC East favourites but Superbowl favourites as well. After opening up the season with a road win against the lowly St.Louis Rams, the Eagles proceeded to fall apart losing four winnable games, in which they had a lead in the 4th quarter in 3 of them.
Despite a few other off-the-field issues, the knock on Vick has always been he cannot play an injury free season. He has managed only once in his career to go injury free. After breaking two ribs in a loss against the Arizona Cardinals,(something Tony Romo was able to play through) coach Andy Ried made the decision to go with Vince Young against both the Giants and the Patriots. Despite throwing three interceptions against the Giants, Young still managed to win, but against arguably the best Quarterback of the decade he was no match for Brady and company. They jumped out to a 10-0 lead, but the Patriots quickly reeled off 21 straight points. Simply, they were just over matched giving up 361 yards to Tom Brady on 24 of 34 passing.
First it was the Philadelphia Flyers losing in the Stanley Cup, then it was the Phillies and there pitching staff losing in the 1st round and now the Eagles are the latest team to add to Philadelphia’s disappointments. Ried may not admit it but the season started off rocky as soon as he made last year’s offensive line coach Juan Castillo the new defensive co-ordinater. There is no certainty, whether or not coach Reid will keep his job, but for a team with all the talent in the world they came up way short, and this writers opinion believes to be his performance is worthy of a pink slip.
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
The Student has become the Master
Oct.17.2011
According to Websters dictionary the phrase “underdog” is defined as a person who is expected to lose in a contest or conflict. If sports gives us anything beside excitement it's great stories. Aaron Rodgers is known for his Super Bowl win last year in Dallas against the Pittsburgh Steelers and his pin-point accuracy. What people may not know is how he got to the NFL.
Initially a projected No.1 selection in the 2005 draft, Rodgers slid down to the 24th selection where the Green Bay Packers took him to replace Brett Favre at some point. Two years later Favre "had" claimed he had retired and when he tried to return, and the Packers said no! While the fans demanded for Favre's return, Rodgers who had learned under Favre for two years did not waste anytime making his mark. Rodgers became the only player in NFL history to throw for over 4,000 yards in each of his first two seasons as a starting QB.
Aaron Rodgers was born in Chico in Butte County, California playing primarily Baseball. In High School he attended Pleasant Valley High School where he started as Quarterback for two years passing for 4,421 yards. Despite his record-setting statistics, he garnered little interest from Division 1 programs, with his only offer coming as a walk-on from Illinois. Rodgers declined the invitation, and considered quitting football, to work towards become a lawyer. Before he made any rash decisions he was recruited to play football at Butte Community College in Oroville, a local junior college 15 miles from where he grew up. In his freshman season Rodgers threw 28 touchdowns, leading his team to a 10-1 record, the NorCal Conference Championship and a number 2 national ranking. A year later Rodgers was recruited by Cal State and head coach Jeff Tedford. It only took five games for Rodgers to be named the starting quarterback, coincidentally his first start came against Illinois. Tedford really helped polish Rodgers, turning him from an under-regarded passer into a star quarterback.
Despite his success in college, Rodgers was passed by 23 teams including his boyhood favorite San Francisco 49ers who had the 1st overall selection and went with Quarterback Alex Smith out of Utah. Rodgers struggled during the combine, which he believes might have been the reason that he fell so low, but what does not get accounted for during the combine is a person's character, and their will to win, and Rodgers is high on both of those. In 2010 Rodgers broke the record for most sacks in a season with 50, a stat that he probably would like to have back. That year he led the Packers to the playoffs and nearly pulled off one of the greatest playoff comebacks against the Arizona Cardinals, before losing in overtime 51-45. A year later Rodgers literally put his team taking an injury filled Packers squad all the way to the Super Bowl, where he dominated the formidable Pittsburgh Steelers defense and took home the MVP honours.
Rodgers is entering his seventh NFL season, fourth as a starter, and is quickly becoming a name that is getting mentioned with the likes of Tom Brady, Drew Brees and Peyton Manning. His ability to be mobile outside the pocket and deliver a perfect throw to any one of his receivers, has allowed him to put up stats that a fantasy owner could only dream for. It took Rodgers only three years to win a Super Bowl four less then his predecessor needed. Favre had a “gun-slinger” mentality, but Rodgers perfected that mentality. With the ability to throw in the pocket, on the run, avoiding pass blockers, and throwing a lot less interceptions, Rodgers has made himself into a better quarterback then Favre could ever dream for. At age 27 Rodgers is only going to get better, and by the end of his career Green Bay will be known not as the land of Brett Favre but as the home of Aaron Rodgers.
According to Websters dictionary the phrase “underdog” is defined as a person who is expected to lose in a contest or conflict. If sports gives us anything beside excitement it's great stories. Aaron Rodgers is known for his Super Bowl win last year in Dallas against the Pittsburgh Steelers and his pin-point accuracy. What people may not know is how he got to the NFL.
Initially a projected No.1 selection in the 2005 draft, Rodgers slid down to the 24th selection where the Green Bay Packers took him to replace Brett Favre at some point. Two years later Favre "had" claimed he had retired and when he tried to return, and the Packers said no! While the fans demanded for Favre's return, Rodgers who had learned under Favre for two years did not waste anytime making his mark. Rodgers became the only player in NFL history to throw for over 4,000 yards in each of his first two seasons as a starting QB.
Aaron Rodgers was born in Chico in Butte County, California playing primarily Baseball. In High School he attended Pleasant Valley High School where he started as Quarterback for two years passing for 4,421 yards. Despite his record-setting statistics, he garnered little interest from Division 1 programs, with his only offer coming as a walk-on from Illinois. Rodgers declined the invitation, and considered quitting football, to work towards become a lawyer. Before he made any rash decisions he was recruited to play football at Butte Community College in Oroville, a local junior college 15 miles from where he grew up. In his freshman season Rodgers threw 28 touchdowns, leading his team to a 10-1 record, the NorCal Conference Championship and a number 2 national ranking. A year later Rodgers was recruited by Cal State and head coach Jeff Tedford. It only took five games for Rodgers to be named the starting quarterback, coincidentally his first start came against Illinois. Tedford really helped polish Rodgers, turning him from an under-regarded passer into a star quarterback.
Despite his success in college, Rodgers was passed by 23 teams including his boyhood favorite San Francisco 49ers who had the 1st overall selection and went with Quarterback Alex Smith out of Utah. Rodgers struggled during the combine, which he believes might have been the reason that he fell so low, but what does not get accounted for during the combine is a person's character, and their will to win, and Rodgers is high on both of those. In 2010 Rodgers broke the record for most sacks in a season with 50, a stat that he probably would like to have back. That year he led the Packers to the playoffs and nearly pulled off one of the greatest playoff comebacks against the Arizona Cardinals, before losing in overtime 51-45. A year later Rodgers literally put his team taking an injury filled Packers squad all the way to the Super Bowl, where he dominated the formidable Pittsburgh Steelers defense and took home the MVP honours.
Rodgers is entering his seventh NFL season, fourth as a starter, and is quickly becoming a name that is getting mentioned with the likes of Tom Brady, Drew Brees and Peyton Manning. His ability to be mobile outside the pocket and deliver a perfect throw to any one of his receivers, has allowed him to put up stats that a fantasy owner could only dream for. It took Rodgers only three years to win a Super Bowl four less then his predecessor needed. Favre had a “gun-slinger” mentality, but Rodgers perfected that mentality. With the ability to throw in the pocket, on the run, avoiding pass blockers, and throwing a lot less interceptions, Rodgers has made himself into a better quarterback then Favre could ever dream for. At age 27 Rodgers is only going to get better, and by the end of his career Green Bay will be known not as the land of Brett Favre but as the home of Aaron Rodgers.
Monday, August 22, 2011
Football Is Back
After a long and turbulent summer, months of preparation was skimmed down to less then two weeks of off-season moves. Once the lockout was removed on July.22.2011 energy was revitalized back into the NFL, and pundits could now begin to ponder, who would hoist the Lombardi Trophy in Indianapolis at the end of this year? While the question of who will win the Superbowl is the main plot of this year, there are many sub-plots that are intriguing to take a look at. The following are the TOP 5 1) Can Peyton Manning return from injury and come back to form? 2) How will the “Cam-Affect” work in Carolina? 3) Are the Philadelphia Eagles the “Dream-Team?” 4) Who is this year’s sleeper? 5) How will injured quarterbacks respond to the time-off?
(Answers at the bottom of the Article)
AFC/NFC Breakdowns
AFC East Skinny: There is a saying that when you add fuel to the fire, the fire grows. This is the case in what may have become the most intriguing division in all of football. This division is filled with personalities and egos that Vince McMahon and the WWE cant even compare too; Rex Ryan and his loud mouth vs. the articulate and calculated Bill Belichick. The Pats have not one a playoff game in 3 years, which can’t sit well with “Cat and Jerry” (Bill and Tom Brady). In an effort to change the tides they went out and brought in Albert Haynesworth and Chad Johnson (OchoCinco) during the off-season. The Jets lost out on Nnamdi Asomugha (more to come later), and saw veteran wide-outs Braylon Edwards (SF), Brad Smith (BUF) and Jericho Cotchery (PIT) leave to different teams, but did manage to re-sign Santonio Holmes. This division is a two-horse race and the Dolphins and the Bills are just too far behind. Fins traded for Reggie Bush but have no one at Quarterback. For the Bills it’s simple, they just don’t have the talent to compare with other teams, losing Lee Evans not only hurts the team on the field but off it as well.
2011 Predictions (*denotes Wild-Card Berth)
1. New England (13-3)
2. NY Jets (11-5) *
3. Buffalo (7-9)
4. Miami (2-14)
AFC North Skinny: Similar to the East this too is also a two-horse division race. The Steelers and the Ravens are not only powerhouses in this division but in the entire league. Ray Lewis returns in what may be his final year, so you know he will want to go out with a bang. As for the Steelers there are coming off a heartbreak loss in Dallas to the Packers, in what has felt like a century ago. The Browns lose the energy of Rob Ryan on defense, but it will be interesting to see how Colt McCoy matures. The Bengals are the circus of the league with Andy Dalton replacing Palmer and rookie wide receiver A.J. Green replacing Johnson, the Bengals will try once again to right the ship.
1. Baltimore (12-4)
2. Pittsburgh (10-6) *
3. Cincinnati (6-10)
4. Cleveland (3-13)
AFC South Skinny: For the last decade this division has been revolved around Peyton Manning, but coming off an injury there are a lot of people who doubt his capabilities. I for one believe that he remains one of the best to ever play and still has a Superbowl still left in him. The rest of the division has been trying to play catch-up and it seems that there are closer then ever. The Houston Texans have all the right pieces in place it’s just a matter of putting it all together. The Jaguars went defense in the off-season, no shocker under head coach Jack Del Rio, bolstering the line-backing core with additions of Clint Session and Paul Posluszny and bringing in Strong Safety Dawan Landry. The Jags drafted Quarterback Blaine Gabbert with the 10th overall pick to compete with long-time starter David Garrard. The Titans with the 8th overall pick drafted a QB of their own, taking Jack Lockear out of the University of Washington. The Titans had one of the toughest off-season’s losing beloved coach Jeff Fisher, star QB Vince Young (PHI) and unable to sign Chris Johnson long-term. However, they did bring in veteran QB Matt Hasselback.
1. Houston (10-6)
2. Tennessee (8-8)
3. Jacksonville (5-11)
4. Indianoopolis (2-14)
AFC West Skinny: Last year the San Diego Chargers finished with the top Offense as well as the top Defense but didn’t manage to make it to the playoffs. According to ESPN it was the first time a team that is tops in both categories did not make the playoffs. The Chargers look to rebound, as QB Phillip Rivers is primed for a long-playoff run. Expectations have always been high on the Chargers, but this year there is reason for optimism. They will have Vincent Jackson for an entire year, which is big, because he has the ability to be a top-3 wide receiver in the game, and Antonio Gates returns from injury. The Chiefs are hurt with the loss of Offensive Co-Ordinater Charlie Weis leaving to Florida. Matt Cassel hopes that the chemistry between him and Dwayne Bowe that resulted in 13 touchdowns over the last seven-weeks of the season can continue. In addition Jamal Charles will look to build on his 2009-2010 campaign. The Raiders and Broncos have QB problems. The Broncos did a few things right in bringing John Elway and John Fox for Management and Coach respectively and drafting Von Miller out of Texas A&M. If Tim Tebow is indeed the Quarterback of the future there is no need to rush him.
1. San Diego (11-5)
2. Oakland (9-7)
3. Kansas City (7-9)
4. Denver (5-11)
NFC East Skinny: The NFC East used to be the division not to mess around with, now there is just a mess in the division. The Philadelphia Eagles are the perennial powerhouse team in the NFC. The additions of Cullen Jenkins, Nnamdi Asomugha, Steve Smith, Vince Young, Jason Babin and acquiring Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie in a trade, let’s just say that Eagles management wasted no time during the off season. The Dallas Cowboys will look for a bounce back year. The Cowboys go as far as Tony Romo goes, he has the tools, the question is; Can it produce to wins? Rob Ryan impacts the defensively and Jason Garrett begins his first full tenure as a coach. The Giants seem to have not been able to buy a break since winning the Super Bowl. Eli Manning is a reliable Quarterback but he threw a league leading 23 interceptions last year, which is concerning. Losing Steve Smith and mistreating Osi Umeniyora, is not a good step for the team, add in the fact that 1st Round pick Cornerback Prince Awakamura is injured for the first few months of the season. Mike Shannhan was supposed to revitalize football in Washington instead the drama has only intensified. The Redskins were once again big spenders during the off-season, even though they did not bring in any marquee player. John Beck or Rex Grossman as Quarterback smells trouble, and some are questioning the play calling of Shannahan’s kid as the Offensive Co-Ordinater.
1. Philadelphia (13-3)
2. Dallas (10-6) *
3. NY Giants (8-8)
4. Washington (5-11)
NFC North Skinny: The most important thing during this off-season for the Green Bay Packers was continuity. The defending champions lose the likes of Nick Burnett (BUF) and Jenkins (PHI) but the returns of Running Back Ryan Grant and Tight End Jermichael Finley add more weapons to the most potent offense in the league. The Chicago Bears will try to return on top of the division, but the O-Line is one of the worst in the NFL and I’m not sure how many more sacks Jay Cutler can take. Roy Williams and Marion Barber will not have the impact Bears fans hope for. One of the teams to look for this season is the Detroit Lions. Since they’re abysmal (0-16)season, the Lions are beginning to put things together. Calvin Johnson is among the best at the Wide Receiver position , but it all flows through the health of Matt Stafford. Ndamukong Suh and Nick Fairly will do a strong job shutting down oppositions running game. The Minnesota Vikings have not publicly said they are in a “rebuilding year,” however most fans know they are. They lose Sidney Rice who may or may not have been made from the cloth of Brett Favre. Donovan McNabb is an interesting story line to see if he has anything left in the tank. Expect to see Christian Ponder sit on the sidelines unless things get way out of hand.
1. Green Bay (12-4)
2. Detroit (9-7)
3. Chicago (7-9)
4. Minnesota (5-11)
NFC South Skinny: The South has become a hot and tough place to play in. All four of the teams are on the upside and three of them are playoff possibilities. The New Orleans Saints lose playmaker Reggie Bush, but plug in Darren Sproles and rookie Mark Ingram. Ingram will add another component to a lethal offense that has lacked a running game in the past. The Atlanta Falcons traded up high in the draft for Julio Jones who is a nice compliment to Roddy White. There are many questions surrounding the Falcons. Can Matt Ryan rebound from last year’s horrendous playoff game and how many more good years are we going to see out of Tony Gonzalez and Michael Turner? The Buccaneers stunned everyone with strong play last year, the question is can they build on it? Cam Newton wanted to be in the NFL and now he is and will be under the microscope on every play.
1. New Orleans Saints (12-4)
2. Atlanta (10-6) *
3. Tampa Bay (9-7)
4. Carolina (4-12)
NFC West Skinny: When you look around the league at Quarterbacks you most certainly do NOT look at this division. Alex Smith in San Francisco, Kevin Kolb in Arizona, Tavaris Jackson coming from Minnesota to Seattle and the most comforting choice Sam Bradford in St.Louis. The Rams were a game away from winning the division and have the most promise to make it to the playoffs. Head coach Steve Spagnuolo is a bolt of energy and runs a strong and tight nit group on defense and the addition of Offensive Co-Ordinater Josh McDaniels, who despite not having the best head-coaching career in Denver is still a good offensive minded coach. If Jim Harbaugh is anything like his brother John in Baltimore then the 49ers could be looking up, however Daunte Caulpepper coming in for a try-out does not. The Seahawks are this division reigning champs but with the losses of Lofa Tatupu, Matt Hasselback and the decline of 2nd year Russell Okung there is a cloud of uncertainty around this team. The Cardinals went big or went home with the trade of Kevin Kolb, Ken Wisenhunt and the Cardinals management obviously saw enough in him to trade away Rodgers-Cromartie.
1. St.Louis (8-8)
2. Arizona (7-9)
3. Seattle (6-10)
4. San Francisco (6-10)
1) Can Peyton Manning return from injury and come back to form?
I wonder what the Indianapolis Colts will do when Peyton Manning retires? I mean I’ve never seen a guy more important to a franchise then Manning is for the Colts. The long off-season didn’t help Manning who was suffering from his second neck injury in over a year but is expected to be ready for the season. Without any reps in Pre-season it will be tough out of the gates, I presume he will struggle throwing more interceptions then touchdowns in the first few weeks but we will once again see him regain form.
2) How will the “Cam-Affect” work in Carolina?
When the Panthers selected Newton with the 1st overall pick out of Auburn, it was a statement from management that there are going in a different direction. With Clausen not panning out the prior year the Panthers did not want to make the same mistake twice. Early on we are seeing the dividends of the so-called “Cam-Affect.” Re-signing key players in Deangelo Williams and Charles Johnson, trading for Tight End Greg Olsen and Steve Smith stating he wants to remain with the organization. Although Ron Rivera comes in for John Fox, I believe that the Panthers will be more exciting this year . My Cam predication is that he throws for 1,650 yards 16-14 touchdown to interception ratio and 14 rushing touchdowns
3) Are the Philadelphia Eagles the “Dream-Team”?
On paper what the Eagles were able to accomplish during this off-season, and going into camp for the 1st time with Mike Vick at the helm leads to very high expectations. Vegas has their odds at winning the Superbowl at 5-1. With the East being a toss-up I see the Eagles cruising to a division win. I predict they finish with the best record in the NFC, but I’m not quite sure if I like the Eagles to come out of the NFC. The Eagles like the Miami Heat they will have a good run but as far as a “Dream Team” to win the Super bowl I don’t believe they will win it this year.
4) Who is this year’s sleeper?
It all depends if Matt Stafford stays healthy, I like the Detroit Lions as a wild-card team. I still think they are a year off but if they make a run and could manage to stay healthy they will be a tough out. The Houston Texans are another team to look at as a sleeper. While they are playing better ball over the last few years, this is a still a team who in their entire franchise’s history has never made the playoffs. The reason why no one knew of Texans Quarterback Matt Schaub was because he was Mike Vick’s backup in Atlanta. Schaub is a great QB and with last years breakout performer Arian Foster and stud Wide-Out Andre Johnson they will defiantly be in the mix.
5) How does injured quarterbacks respond to the time-off?
Matt Stafford and Tony Romo both sat out most of the 2009/2010 season and both are looking for strong years. Stafford is looking to get through his first full season in the NFL, with injuries being a problem in the past. In Romo’s case the time off plus getting married has changed his attitude. Many people say a big issue is that the Cowboys have no leaders but I think that things will change and Romo will put on great numbers en route to a playoff berth.
Super Bowl Prediction:
From the AFC I think the San Diego Chargers finally live up to expectations and win this year’s Super bowl.
From the NFC the easy pick would be the Eagles but I think the Saints return to the Super bowl.
SAN DIEGO 35 NEW ORLEANS 32
(Answers at the bottom of the Article)
AFC/NFC Breakdowns
AFC East Skinny: There is a saying that when you add fuel to the fire, the fire grows. This is the case in what may have become the most intriguing division in all of football. This division is filled with personalities and egos that Vince McMahon and the WWE cant even compare too; Rex Ryan and his loud mouth vs. the articulate and calculated Bill Belichick. The Pats have not one a playoff game in 3 years, which can’t sit well with “Cat and Jerry” (Bill and Tom Brady). In an effort to change the tides they went out and brought in Albert Haynesworth and Chad Johnson (OchoCinco) during the off-season. The Jets lost out on Nnamdi Asomugha (more to come later), and saw veteran wide-outs Braylon Edwards (SF), Brad Smith (BUF) and Jericho Cotchery (PIT) leave to different teams, but did manage to re-sign Santonio Holmes. This division is a two-horse race and the Dolphins and the Bills are just too far behind. Fins traded for Reggie Bush but have no one at Quarterback. For the Bills it’s simple, they just don’t have the talent to compare with other teams, losing Lee Evans not only hurts the team on the field but off it as well.
2011 Predictions (*denotes Wild-Card Berth)
1. New England (13-3)
2. NY Jets (11-5) *
3. Buffalo (7-9)
4. Miami (2-14)
AFC North Skinny: Similar to the East this too is also a two-horse division race. The Steelers and the Ravens are not only powerhouses in this division but in the entire league. Ray Lewis returns in what may be his final year, so you know he will want to go out with a bang. As for the Steelers there are coming off a heartbreak loss in Dallas to the Packers, in what has felt like a century ago. The Browns lose the energy of Rob Ryan on defense, but it will be interesting to see how Colt McCoy matures. The Bengals are the circus of the league with Andy Dalton replacing Palmer and rookie wide receiver A.J. Green replacing Johnson, the Bengals will try once again to right the ship.
1. Baltimore (12-4)
2. Pittsburgh (10-6) *
3. Cincinnati (6-10)
4. Cleveland (3-13)
AFC South Skinny: For the last decade this division has been revolved around Peyton Manning, but coming off an injury there are a lot of people who doubt his capabilities. I for one believe that he remains one of the best to ever play and still has a Superbowl still left in him. The rest of the division has been trying to play catch-up and it seems that there are closer then ever. The Houston Texans have all the right pieces in place it’s just a matter of putting it all together. The Jaguars went defense in the off-season, no shocker under head coach Jack Del Rio, bolstering the line-backing core with additions of Clint Session and Paul Posluszny and bringing in Strong Safety Dawan Landry. The Jags drafted Quarterback Blaine Gabbert with the 10th overall pick to compete with long-time starter David Garrard. The Titans with the 8th overall pick drafted a QB of their own, taking Jack Lockear out of the University of Washington. The Titans had one of the toughest off-season’s losing beloved coach Jeff Fisher, star QB Vince Young (PHI) and unable to sign Chris Johnson long-term. However, they did bring in veteran QB Matt Hasselback.
1. Houston (10-6)
2. Tennessee (8-8)
3. Jacksonville (5-11)
4. Indianoopolis (2-14)
AFC West Skinny: Last year the San Diego Chargers finished with the top Offense as well as the top Defense but didn’t manage to make it to the playoffs. According to ESPN it was the first time a team that is tops in both categories did not make the playoffs. The Chargers look to rebound, as QB Phillip Rivers is primed for a long-playoff run. Expectations have always been high on the Chargers, but this year there is reason for optimism. They will have Vincent Jackson for an entire year, which is big, because he has the ability to be a top-3 wide receiver in the game, and Antonio Gates returns from injury. The Chiefs are hurt with the loss of Offensive Co-Ordinater Charlie Weis leaving to Florida. Matt Cassel hopes that the chemistry between him and Dwayne Bowe that resulted in 13 touchdowns over the last seven-weeks of the season can continue. In addition Jamal Charles will look to build on his 2009-2010 campaign. The Raiders and Broncos have QB problems. The Broncos did a few things right in bringing John Elway and John Fox for Management and Coach respectively and drafting Von Miller out of Texas A&M. If Tim Tebow is indeed the Quarterback of the future there is no need to rush him.
1. San Diego (11-5)
2. Oakland (9-7)
3. Kansas City (7-9)
4. Denver (5-11)
NFC East Skinny: The NFC East used to be the division not to mess around with, now there is just a mess in the division. The Philadelphia Eagles are the perennial powerhouse team in the NFC. The additions of Cullen Jenkins, Nnamdi Asomugha, Steve Smith, Vince Young, Jason Babin and acquiring Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie in a trade, let’s just say that Eagles management wasted no time during the off season. The Dallas Cowboys will look for a bounce back year. The Cowboys go as far as Tony Romo goes, he has the tools, the question is; Can it produce to wins? Rob Ryan impacts the defensively and Jason Garrett begins his first full tenure as a coach. The Giants seem to have not been able to buy a break since winning the Super Bowl. Eli Manning is a reliable Quarterback but he threw a league leading 23 interceptions last year, which is concerning. Losing Steve Smith and mistreating Osi Umeniyora, is not a good step for the team, add in the fact that 1st Round pick Cornerback Prince Awakamura is injured for the first few months of the season. Mike Shannhan was supposed to revitalize football in Washington instead the drama has only intensified. The Redskins were once again big spenders during the off-season, even though they did not bring in any marquee player. John Beck or Rex Grossman as Quarterback smells trouble, and some are questioning the play calling of Shannahan’s kid as the Offensive Co-Ordinater.
1. Philadelphia (13-3)
2. Dallas (10-6) *
3. NY Giants (8-8)
4. Washington (5-11)
NFC North Skinny: The most important thing during this off-season for the Green Bay Packers was continuity. The defending champions lose the likes of Nick Burnett (BUF) and Jenkins (PHI) but the returns of Running Back Ryan Grant and Tight End Jermichael Finley add more weapons to the most potent offense in the league. The Chicago Bears will try to return on top of the division, but the O-Line is one of the worst in the NFL and I’m not sure how many more sacks Jay Cutler can take. Roy Williams and Marion Barber will not have the impact Bears fans hope for. One of the teams to look for this season is the Detroit Lions. Since they’re abysmal (0-16)season, the Lions are beginning to put things together. Calvin Johnson is among the best at the Wide Receiver position , but it all flows through the health of Matt Stafford. Ndamukong Suh and Nick Fairly will do a strong job shutting down oppositions running game. The Minnesota Vikings have not publicly said they are in a “rebuilding year,” however most fans know they are. They lose Sidney Rice who may or may not have been made from the cloth of Brett Favre. Donovan McNabb is an interesting story line to see if he has anything left in the tank. Expect to see Christian Ponder sit on the sidelines unless things get way out of hand.
1. Green Bay (12-4)
2. Detroit (9-7)
3. Chicago (7-9)
4. Minnesota (5-11)
NFC South Skinny: The South has become a hot and tough place to play in. All four of the teams are on the upside and three of them are playoff possibilities. The New Orleans Saints lose playmaker Reggie Bush, but plug in Darren Sproles and rookie Mark Ingram. Ingram will add another component to a lethal offense that has lacked a running game in the past. The Atlanta Falcons traded up high in the draft for Julio Jones who is a nice compliment to Roddy White. There are many questions surrounding the Falcons. Can Matt Ryan rebound from last year’s horrendous playoff game and how many more good years are we going to see out of Tony Gonzalez and Michael Turner? The Buccaneers stunned everyone with strong play last year, the question is can they build on it? Cam Newton wanted to be in the NFL and now he is and will be under the microscope on every play.
1. New Orleans Saints (12-4)
2. Atlanta (10-6) *
3. Tampa Bay (9-7)
4. Carolina (4-12)
NFC West Skinny: When you look around the league at Quarterbacks you most certainly do NOT look at this division. Alex Smith in San Francisco, Kevin Kolb in Arizona, Tavaris Jackson coming from Minnesota to Seattle and the most comforting choice Sam Bradford in St.Louis. The Rams were a game away from winning the division and have the most promise to make it to the playoffs. Head coach Steve Spagnuolo is a bolt of energy and runs a strong and tight nit group on defense and the addition of Offensive Co-Ordinater Josh McDaniels, who despite not having the best head-coaching career in Denver is still a good offensive minded coach. If Jim Harbaugh is anything like his brother John in Baltimore then the 49ers could be looking up, however Daunte Caulpepper coming in for a try-out does not. The Seahawks are this division reigning champs but with the losses of Lofa Tatupu, Matt Hasselback and the decline of 2nd year Russell Okung there is a cloud of uncertainty around this team. The Cardinals went big or went home with the trade of Kevin Kolb, Ken Wisenhunt and the Cardinals management obviously saw enough in him to trade away Rodgers-Cromartie.
1. St.Louis (8-8)
2. Arizona (7-9)
3. Seattle (6-10)
4. San Francisco (6-10)
1) Can Peyton Manning return from injury and come back to form?
I wonder what the Indianapolis Colts will do when Peyton Manning retires? I mean I’ve never seen a guy more important to a franchise then Manning is for the Colts. The long off-season didn’t help Manning who was suffering from his second neck injury in over a year but is expected to be ready for the season. Without any reps in Pre-season it will be tough out of the gates, I presume he will struggle throwing more interceptions then touchdowns in the first few weeks but we will once again see him regain form.
2) How will the “Cam-Affect” work in Carolina?
When the Panthers selected Newton with the 1st overall pick out of Auburn, it was a statement from management that there are going in a different direction. With Clausen not panning out the prior year the Panthers did not want to make the same mistake twice. Early on we are seeing the dividends of the so-called “Cam-Affect.” Re-signing key players in Deangelo Williams and Charles Johnson, trading for Tight End Greg Olsen and Steve Smith stating he wants to remain with the organization. Although Ron Rivera comes in for John Fox, I believe that the Panthers will be more exciting this year . My Cam predication is that he throws for 1,650 yards 16-14 touchdown to interception ratio and 14 rushing touchdowns
3) Are the Philadelphia Eagles the “Dream-Team”?
On paper what the Eagles were able to accomplish during this off-season, and going into camp for the 1st time with Mike Vick at the helm leads to very high expectations. Vegas has their odds at winning the Superbowl at 5-1. With the East being a toss-up I see the Eagles cruising to a division win. I predict they finish with the best record in the NFC, but I’m not quite sure if I like the Eagles to come out of the NFC. The Eagles like the Miami Heat they will have a good run but as far as a “Dream Team” to win the Super bowl I don’t believe they will win it this year.
4) Who is this year’s sleeper?
It all depends if Matt Stafford stays healthy, I like the Detroit Lions as a wild-card team. I still think they are a year off but if they make a run and could manage to stay healthy they will be a tough out. The Houston Texans are another team to look at as a sleeper. While they are playing better ball over the last few years, this is a still a team who in their entire franchise’s history has never made the playoffs. The reason why no one knew of Texans Quarterback Matt Schaub was because he was Mike Vick’s backup in Atlanta. Schaub is a great QB and with last years breakout performer Arian Foster and stud Wide-Out Andre Johnson they will defiantly be in the mix.
5) How does injured quarterbacks respond to the time-off?
Matt Stafford and Tony Romo both sat out most of the 2009/2010 season and both are looking for strong years. Stafford is looking to get through his first full season in the NFL, with injuries being a problem in the past. In Romo’s case the time off plus getting married has changed his attitude. Many people say a big issue is that the Cowboys have no leaders but I think that things will change and Romo will put on great numbers en route to a playoff berth.
Super Bowl Prediction:
From the AFC I think the San Diego Chargers finally live up to expectations and win this year’s Super bowl.
From the NFC the easy pick would be the Eagles but I think the Saints return to the Super bowl.
SAN DIEGO 35 NEW ORLEANS 32
Friday, July 8, 2011
What is the DEAL with Lockouts?
In 1999 when reports surfaced about the end of the world coming in 2000 (Y2K), most people feared for it.
No, the world did not end but certain events have transpired that to this writer and many sports fans, feels like the end of the world.
In 2004 when the National Hockey League (NHL) declared a Lock-Out,everyone in Canada was losing their minds. Sport television shows, and radio shows in Toronto did not have much to discuss as both the Leafs and the NHL became irrelevant.
It was the first time the Stanley Cup was not awarded since 1919, and the first time a major professional sports league in North America canceled a complete season because of a labor dispute. The lockout lasted 310 days starting September 16, 2004, the day after the collective bargaining agreement (CBA) between the NHL and the NHL Players Association (NHLPA)expired. To July 13,2005 when both sides reached an agreement and officially ended it nine days later on July 22. But those 310 days felt like an eternity. No Hockey Night In Canada, no watching my beloved Montreal Canadiens on RDS, and no Playoff Hockey which is undeniably the most exciting Hockey there is.
Without the Players there are no teams, without Owners and General Managers there is no League, but without fans there is Nothing. Fans pay the big bucks to go the games, buy the merchandise, watch on television passionately and without fans, it would just be two teams playing in an empty arena. This does not just apply to just the NHL, but to all sports.
In the year 2011 A.K.A The Year of the Lockouts, both Basketball and Football are locked-out and are in serious jeopardy of losing their seasons.
Just like for Football the reason why the lockout is in place for Basketball, is because its players and owners can’t agree on how to divide league revenue. The players that are hurt the most are the likes of Kobe Bryant and Kevin Garnett who only have a few years left to win a championship. A possible alternative would be playing overseas, but its no where near the same kind of talent level that the NBA produces.
For many players; playing at a professional level gives them structure,support and focus and leaves very little time for them to stray into the sordid world of drugs, alcohol, and gang-fighting. Since declaring a lockout the NFL has seen a rise in players getting in trouble with the law such as Adam “Pacman” Jones (No surprise there) and Hines Ward.
But as tough as it is for the players who are multi-millionaires, what about the Die-Hard Fans who plan weekend getaways to go on Football trips, or go to bars for Sunday Night Football. The Fans life is put on hold because a group of millionaires cant decide how to split more money. Please, how narcissistic do you have to be that you can't put aside differences for the greater good, because some times there are things just bigger then a few million dollars. In my household, as in many others across North America, Football has become a religion. On any given Sunday it is quite normal to find the avid football fan in front of his/her Television from kickoff at the 1pm games to 1am when the late game ends( This writer included). Its not like Baseball where there are 162 games, there are only 17 Sunday's in the Football season, not including the 4 rounds of playoffs. Between Fantasy Football Leagues, and Pick'em league, myself like so many other fans like to stay on top of every detail in the NFL, and not having a season will leave a massive gap in our lives. There are reports that the lockout may end on July.21,2011 but I for one will not believe it until I hear that it is finalized. No Football is a crime, punishable by the Fans who suffer the most, and with training camp around the corner the time to make a deal is NOW! I don't think the owners and players want to see a 9 Billion dollar industry suffer, but sometimes you just have to look at the downside, such is the case for Basketball. I am pleading with both sides to get it done not just for the League, but for the millions of fans who watch passionately.
No, the world did not end but certain events have transpired that to this writer and many sports fans, feels like the end of the world.
In 2004 when the National Hockey League (NHL) declared a Lock-Out,everyone in Canada was losing their minds. Sport television shows, and radio shows in Toronto did not have much to discuss as both the Leafs and the NHL became irrelevant.
It was the first time the Stanley Cup was not awarded since 1919, and the first time a major professional sports league in North America canceled a complete season because of a labor dispute. The lockout lasted 310 days starting September 16, 2004, the day after the collective bargaining agreement (CBA) between the NHL and the NHL Players Association (NHLPA)expired. To July 13,2005 when both sides reached an agreement and officially ended it nine days later on July 22. But those 310 days felt like an eternity. No Hockey Night In Canada, no watching my beloved Montreal Canadiens on RDS, and no Playoff Hockey which is undeniably the most exciting Hockey there is.
Without the Players there are no teams, without Owners and General Managers there is no League, but without fans there is Nothing. Fans pay the big bucks to go the games, buy the merchandise, watch on television passionately and without fans, it would just be two teams playing in an empty arena. This does not just apply to just the NHL, but to all sports.
In the year 2011 A.K.A The Year of the Lockouts, both Basketball and Football are locked-out and are in serious jeopardy of losing their seasons.
Just like for Football the reason why the lockout is in place for Basketball, is because its players and owners can’t agree on how to divide league revenue. The players that are hurt the most are the likes of Kobe Bryant and Kevin Garnett who only have a few years left to win a championship. A possible alternative would be playing overseas, but its no where near the same kind of talent level that the NBA produces.
For many players; playing at a professional level gives them structure,support and focus and leaves very little time for them to stray into the sordid world of drugs, alcohol, and gang-fighting. Since declaring a lockout the NFL has seen a rise in players getting in trouble with the law such as Adam “Pacman” Jones (No surprise there) and Hines Ward.
But as tough as it is for the players who are multi-millionaires, what about the Die-Hard Fans who plan weekend getaways to go on Football trips, or go to bars for Sunday Night Football. The Fans life is put on hold because a group of millionaires cant decide how to split more money. Please, how narcissistic do you have to be that you can't put aside differences for the greater good, because some times there are things just bigger then a few million dollars. In my household, as in many others across North America, Football has become a religion. On any given Sunday it is quite normal to find the avid football fan in front of his/her Television from kickoff at the 1pm games to 1am when the late game ends( This writer included). Its not like Baseball where there are 162 games, there are only 17 Sunday's in the Football season, not including the 4 rounds of playoffs. Between Fantasy Football Leagues, and Pick'em league, myself like so many other fans like to stay on top of every detail in the NFL, and not having a season will leave a massive gap in our lives. There are reports that the lockout may end on July.21,2011 but I for one will not believe it until I hear that it is finalized. No Football is a crime, punishable by the Fans who suffer the most, and with training camp around the corner the time to make a deal is NOW! I don't think the owners and players want to see a 9 Billion dollar industry suffer, but sometimes you just have to look at the downside, such is the case for Basketball. I am pleading with both sides to get it done not just for the League, but for the millions of fans who watch passionately.
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Show Your Colours
This past weekend saw the Rogers Centre jam-packed with fans. The main reason, the prodigal son Roy “Doc” Halladay returned home.. After a G20 Summit last year prolonged the much anticipated return, it was nice to see an old friend. Except in Baseball there are no old friends!
In sports it is extremely rare to see Fans cheer for a player on the opposing team, but Roy Halladay is different. During Game 1 of the Series Charlie Manual made a classy move by allowing Halladay to handout the line-up card at the beginning of the game. To no surprise the sold out crowd of 50,000 fans (Most of which came to see 'Doc')cheered. It would be 24 hours later when Doc took the mound that the real homecoming began. A standing ovation, as he jogged out of the dugout onto the mound,only this time it was from the Visitors Dugout.
J.P. Riccardi's inability to build a successful team around Halladay led to him being traded to the Phillies. The 1 time CY Young Award Winner with the Jays could have had a few more trophies on his shelf as a member of the Jays, but was never able to crack the Playoffs. Since being traded to Philly, Halladay has been a man on a mission. The mission simple. Win a World Series Ring.
Halladay epitomizes what is needed to pitch and compete at a professional level.It is for this reason that so many fans not just in Toronto but around North America cheered on Halladay and the Phillies last year in the playoffs. To no surprise Halladay went onto the stage that he spent his whole career waiting for, wondering what it would be like to pitch in the playoffs,and pitched a No-Hitter.
This past Saturday Roy once again went about his business and pitched the 64th Complete Game of his career, 14 more then second place Livan Hernandez.
BUT there is reason for Optimism with the Jays now more then ever. With attendance ratings being low (discounting the Phillies series)NOW is the time to rally around them.
With a young and up and coming team, General Manager Alex Anthopolous has taken a Farm Team ranked near the bottom of the League, to a Top-5 Farm System. With the likes of: Drabek, Thames, Snider and Gose to name a few, the Jays have a decent chance of being a good team in years to come.
There is no questioning Halladay’s brilliance, but he pitched once every five days, and there is a player on the current roster by the name of Jose Bautista who plays every day, and is someone worth coming out to the ballpark for. A Sensation a year ago, Bautista has proven that it was no fluke. Once again heading into the All-Star Break with the Home-run lead with 28 (as of now), he is on pace to pass the 53 he set one year ago. Joining Bautista are Adam Lind, Ricky Romero, J.P. Arencibia and young-gun Eric Thames as a solid core,able to compete with any team. While the Toronto Maple Leafs have not made the playoffs since before the lockout, every single home game remains sold out. The excuse that Toronto is only a Hockey Market is completely bogus. Toronto fans have been craving for a successful team, one with a star that we can rally around. It used to be Halladay,Vince Carter and Mats Sundin but none of those guys were ever able to take their team to the next-level. With Bautista's record breaking 7.5 million All-Star votes, obliterating the record set by Ken Griffey Jr. by more then a million, fans should realize that he and the team are the Real Deal.
Most fans had hoped for a playoff berth this year, however as we reach the halfway mark of the season and 10+ games out of first it may have to wait another year. But for the first time since 92 there is a light at the end of the tunnel. The future looks bright for the Jays the question you need to ask yourself is; Do you want to be apart of it or not?
In sports it is extremely rare to see Fans cheer for a player on the opposing team, but Roy Halladay is different. During Game 1 of the Series Charlie Manual made a classy move by allowing Halladay to handout the line-up card at the beginning of the game. To no surprise the sold out crowd of 50,000 fans (Most of which came to see 'Doc')cheered. It would be 24 hours later when Doc took the mound that the real homecoming began. A standing ovation, as he jogged out of the dugout onto the mound,only this time it was from the Visitors Dugout.
J.P. Riccardi's inability to build a successful team around Halladay led to him being traded to the Phillies. The 1 time CY Young Award Winner with the Jays could have had a few more trophies on his shelf as a member of the Jays, but was never able to crack the Playoffs. Since being traded to Philly, Halladay has been a man on a mission. The mission simple. Win a World Series Ring.
Halladay epitomizes what is needed to pitch and compete at a professional level.It is for this reason that so many fans not just in Toronto but around North America cheered on Halladay and the Phillies last year in the playoffs. To no surprise Halladay went onto the stage that he spent his whole career waiting for, wondering what it would be like to pitch in the playoffs,and pitched a No-Hitter.
This past Saturday Roy once again went about his business and pitched the 64th Complete Game of his career, 14 more then second place Livan Hernandez.
BUT there is reason for Optimism with the Jays now more then ever. With attendance ratings being low (discounting the Phillies series)NOW is the time to rally around them.
With a young and up and coming team, General Manager Alex Anthopolous has taken a Farm Team ranked near the bottom of the League, to a Top-5 Farm System. With the likes of: Drabek, Thames, Snider and Gose to name a few, the Jays have a decent chance of being a good team in years to come.
There is no questioning Halladay’s brilliance, but he pitched once every five days, and there is a player on the current roster by the name of Jose Bautista who plays every day, and is someone worth coming out to the ballpark for. A Sensation a year ago, Bautista has proven that it was no fluke. Once again heading into the All-Star Break with the Home-run lead with 28 (as of now), he is on pace to pass the 53 he set one year ago. Joining Bautista are Adam Lind, Ricky Romero, J.P. Arencibia and young-gun Eric Thames as a solid core,able to compete with any team. While the Toronto Maple Leafs have not made the playoffs since before the lockout, every single home game remains sold out. The excuse that Toronto is only a Hockey Market is completely bogus. Toronto fans have been craving for a successful team, one with a star that we can rally around. It used to be Halladay,Vince Carter and Mats Sundin but none of those guys were ever able to take their team to the next-level. With Bautista's record breaking 7.5 million All-Star votes, obliterating the record set by Ken Griffey Jr. by more then a million, fans should realize that he and the team are the Real Deal.
Most fans had hoped for a playoff berth this year, however as we reach the halfway mark of the season and 10+ games out of first it may have to wait another year. But for the first time since 92 there is a light at the end of the tunnel. The future looks bright for the Jays the question you need to ask yourself is; Do you want to be apart of it or not?
Friday, June 24, 2011
What is Colangelo's love affair with Europe.
Once again the Raps blew another draft.
Those were the cries of Toronto Raptor fans all over Twitter and Sports Links last night. Although experts say it takes up to three years to evaluate a draft, I don't think Bryan Colangelo and the Raptors have any time to wait.
Brandon Roy, Danny Granger, Andre Iguodala, David Lee, Rajon Rondo and Lamarcus Aldridge.
I know what you are thinking I played NBA 11 and got this team through Fantasy Draft. But on the contrary they all have something in common. They all COULD HAVE BEEN RAPTORS!
Between 2004 and 2006 the Raptors picked in the TOP-10. And of those 3 times they chose Rafael Araujo(04) Charlie Villuaneva and Joey Graham (05) and Andrea Bargnani 1st overall pick in (06) passing up on players including the ones above. A franchise that let prize possession Vince Carter get frustrated and leave on terrible terms. And then to not be able to build a good enough team around Chris Bosh, leading to his depart, you would think that they would have learned better.
Come full-circle to the 2011 NBA Draft that took place from the Prudential Centre yesterday. The Raptors sitting pretty at 5Th spot had just seen the top-4 go as predicted. Leaving Brandon Knight of Kentucky and Kemba Walker of Connecticut. A team that was last in about every category last year, has the ability to give a pulse back to a city that has gone through its share of turbulence. Instead they through the franchise into the water with 50lb rocks tied to it, watching him sink lower.... and lower.... and lower.... until you can't see it anymore.
Let me Preface by saying I recently did an assignment on a Raptors Post-Game after they had been blown out by the Atlanta Hawks on the road. Their sixth straight road loss and seventh in a row. I watched a team without a leader, crumble in front of my eyes as I began to edit. I realized this is a team without identity... I understood that, but in basketball above all sports Body Language is key. How a player does or doesn't act is extremely crucial to not only the game but his team and teammates. I watched Barganani speaking less then 4 words of English, sit and try to explain why he can't rebound. To any observer he looked as if a 6 year-old kid who didn't get what he wanted, pouting.
Back to the Draft. With Walker and Knight ripe for the taking, Colangelo pulled a quick one even on new coach Dwayne Casey who says he was 'Shocked' with the selection of Jonas Valanciunas 6'11 Centre from Lithuania.
Not only does he speak no English but he has problems with getting into North America and may not be able to play next years, assuming there is one. Kemba Walker or Brandon Knight may have not been the solution here( but i'm also not saying they couldn't have been) but to give hope into fans, gives hope into the team. When Colangelo sees the damage he did with the pick such as in lesser attendance ratings and in my opinion hearing 'Get Rid of Colagnelo' chants might be force him to leave. This player in Valanciunas could be good later down the road, but when a team and a city needed hope, it was reluctantly shut down and showed the front door.
Those were the cries of Toronto Raptor fans all over Twitter and Sports Links last night. Although experts say it takes up to three years to evaluate a draft, I don't think Bryan Colangelo and the Raptors have any time to wait.
Brandon Roy, Danny Granger, Andre Iguodala, David Lee, Rajon Rondo and Lamarcus Aldridge.
I know what you are thinking I played NBA 11 and got this team through Fantasy Draft. But on the contrary they all have something in common. They all COULD HAVE BEEN RAPTORS!
Between 2004 and 2006 the Raptors picked in the TOP-10. And of those 3 times they chose Rafael Araujo(04) Charlie Villuaneva and Joey Graham (05) and Andrea Bargnani 1st overall pick in (06) passing up on players including the ones above. A franchise that let prize possession Vince Carter get frustrated and leave on terrible terms. And then to not be able to build a good enough team around Chris Bosh, leading to his depart, you would think that they would have learned better.
Come full-circle to the 2011 NBA Draft that took place from the Prudential Centre yesterday. The Raptors sitting pretty at 5Th spot had just seen the top-4 go as predicted. Leaving Brandon Knight of Kentucky and Kemba Walker of Connecticut. A team that was last in about every category last year, has the ability to give a pulse back to a city that has gone through its share of turbulence. Instead they through the franchise into the water with 50lb rocks tied to it, watching him sink lower.... and lower.... and lower.... until you can't see it anymore.
Let me Preface by saying I recently did an assignment on a Raptors Post-Game after they had been blown out by the Atlanta Hawks on the road. Their sixth straight road loss and seventh in a row. I watched a team without a leader, crumble in front of my eyes as I began to edit. I realized this is a team without identity... I understood that, but in basketball above all sports Body Language is key. How a player does or doesn't act is extremely crucial to not only the game but his team and teammates. I watched Barganani speaking less then 4 words of English, sit and try to explain why he can't rebound. To any observer he looked as if a 6 year-old kid who didn't get what he wanted, pouting.
Back to the Draft. With Walker and Knight ripe for the taking, Colangelo pulled a quick one even on new coach Dwayne Casey who says he was 'Shocked' with the selection of Jonas Valanciunas 6'11 Centre from Lithuania.
Not only does he speak no English but he has problems with getting into North America and may not be able to play next years, assuming there is one. Kemba Walker or Brandon Knight may have not been the solution here( but i'm also not saying they couldn't have been) but to give hope into fans, gives hope into the team. When Colangelo sees the damage he did with the pick such as in lesser attendance ratings and in my opinion hearing 'Get Rid of Colagnelo' chants might be force him to leave. This player in Valanciunas could be good later down the road, but when a team and a city needed hope, it was reluctantly shut down and showed the front door.
Sunday, June 12, 2011
Luongo... Meh!
I wanted to get my 1st post out to you guys and I couldn't wait until Monday perhaps even Wednesday if the series goes 7.
It's tough to argue with a President Trophy Winning team and a win away from the Franchise's 1st Stanley Cup. But looking back at the last four Stanley Cup winners,Roberto Luongo does not compare to them, despite a Gold Medal on his Shelf.
Goalie Roberto Luongo.
After game 4 of these Stanley Cup Finals the jokes were coming out of Boston's ass like Jack Black's character in Tropic Thunder.
"12 Past Luongo"
"Cant Bury Burrows" etc.
I played Goalie. Not at a very High Level, but its suffice to that if you have a backup goalie (which at times I didn't) and your getting beat down you get Pulled.
The fact that Alain Vignault asked Luongo if he like to be pulled right after letting in the 5th goal on th night is Ludicrous. The next question could be of Vignault's leadership qualities (but will save that for another time), A player will never tell you he wants off; you TAKE HIM OFF.. . He stayed in, and gave up 3 more goals losing 8-1 in Game 3. He responded back losing 4-0 in game 4.
I think in any sport it is the players that can forget about the past quickly that are most successful. You cant worry about a strikeout, bad tee-shot, getting dinged up or letting in an easy goal, it is how you comeback that will be remembered.
Luongo won game 5 at home 1-0 shutting out the Bruins for a 2nd time in the Finals, but went back to Boston and could not make it out of the 1st period.
Despite being a very enthused Habs fan even I can admit that without Jaroslav Halak between the Pipes in the 2010 playoffs they wold have never reached the Eastern Conference Finals(ECF).
Goaltending in the Playoffs is to Starting Pitching in the Playoffs. If the player shines his team can win 1-0, 2-1 type-games on the other hand if your starter gets yanked your most likely not going to win.
The Canucks are 3-4 when they've tried to put teams away. 3 of those losses came against the Blackhawks,after being down 3-0. One of which was started by Cory Schnider because the play in the crease was very unsettling
In the Losses Luongo was .888 SV percentage and above 3.22 G.A.A.
Against Nashville he blew it in game 5 and barely won it in game 6. Pekka Rinne outduled him by a mile, but Nashville needless to say are not a very good team even with Shea Weber on Defense.
Against the Sharks it was the Sedins and the Sedin Line that dominated the series. Sharks got to Luongo despite a game 5 for the ages. In the deciding game Luongo played his best game of his career with 50+saves in a 3-2 O.T. Win. In fairness I think that was probably the best series I have seen from him.
As a Canadian I also refer back to the Gold Medal Game in 2010. Had Sidney Crosby not scored that goal, and someone in the Blue & White had, I personally don't think that the Canucks would be in the Cup. Goaltending is all about confidence and Luongo had none.
Fortunately for him the Gold Medal Winning Canadian Team was a Historic Team with 11 Captain and had a player by the name of Sidney Crosby on it.
I was even considering putting in Marc Andre Fleury in, but they stuck with Luongo in front of the home crowd. And when Zack Parise scored with 24 seconds remaining I lost all the confidence in the world, knowing Lue was the last thing between us and Gold. But as History goes Canada won it and Luongo got some of the monkey off his back.
Had Crosby not scored and Canada were to have lost A) I don't think the Canucks even make it to the finals but B) They bow out in 7 against the Blackhawks in Round 1. I'll give Luongo some credit as it's extremely hard to make it to the Cup Finals but when he had the choice of being a hero or a goat.. He chose the heard (if you catch my drift)
In the words of the NBC Hockey Play-By-Play Announcer said "Without goaltending in the playoffs you don't STAND A CHANCE" and I don't think the Canucks have goaltending.
And the better goalie won the Finals. Tim Thomas and the Bruins etched the name into the history books while the Canucks watched in tears.
The Question now is how much longer before Luongo gets ran out of Vancouver.. My estimation one more playoff run.
It's tough to argue with a President Trophy Winning team and a win away from the Franchise's 1st Stanley Cup. But looking back at the last four Stanley Cup winners,Roberto Luongo does not compare to them, despite a Gold Medal on his Shelf.
Goalie Roberto Luongo.
After game 4 of these Stanley Cup Finals the jokes were coming out of Boston's ass like Jack Black's character in Tropic Thunder.
"12 Past Luongo"
"Cant Bury Burrows" etc.
I played Goalie. Not at a very High Level, but its suffice to that if you have a backup goalie (which at times I didn't) and your getting beat down you get Pulled.
The fact that Alain Vignault asked Luongo if he like to be pulled right after letting in the 5th goal on th night is Ludicrous. The next question could be of Vignault's leadership qualities (but will save that for another time), A player will never tell you he wants off; you TAKE HIM OFF.. . He stayed in, and gave up 3 more goals losing 8-1 in Game 3. He responded back losing 4-0 in game 4.
I think in any sport it is the players that can forget about the past quickly that are most successful. You cant worry about a strikeout, bad tee-shot, getting dinged up or letting in an easy goal, it is how you comeback that will be remembered.
Luongo won game 5 at home 1-0 shutting out the Bruins for a 2nd time in the Finals, but went back to Boston and could not make it out of the 1st period.
Despite being a very enthused Habs fan even I can admit that without Jaroslav Halak between the Pipes in the 2010 playoffs they wold have never reached the Eastern Conference Finals(ECF).
Goaltending in the Playoffs is to Starting Pitching in the Playoffs. If the player shines his team can win 1-0, 2-1 type-games on the other hand if your starter gets yanked your most likely not going to win.
The Canucks are 3-4 when they've tried to put teams away. 3 of those losses came against the Blackhawks,after being down 3-0. One of which was started by Cory Schnider because the play in the crease was very unsettling
In the Losses Luongo was .888 SV percentage and above 3.22 G.A.A.
Against Nashville he blew it in game 5 and barely won it in game 6. Pekka Rinne outduled him by a mile, but Nashville needless to say are not a very good team even with Shea Weber on Defense.
Against the Sharks it was the Sedins and the Sedin Line that dominated the series. Sharks got to Luongo despite a game 5 for the ages. In the deciding game Luongo played his best game of his career with 50+saves in a 3-2 O.T. Win. In fairness I think that was probably the best series I have seen from him.
As a Canadian I also refer back to the Gold Medal Game in 2010. Had Sidney Crosby not scored that goal, and someone in the Blue & White had, I personally don't think that the Canucks would be in the Cup. Goaltending is all about confidence and Luongo had none.
Fortunately for him the Gold Medal Winning Canadian Team was a Historic Team with 11 Captain and had a player by the name of Sidney Crosby on it.
I was even considering putting in Marc Andre Fleury in, but they stuck with Luongo in front of the home crowd. And when Zack Parise scored with 24 seconds remaining I lost all the confidence in the world, knowing Lue was the last thing between us and Gold. But as History goes Canada won it and Luongo got some of the monkey off his back.
Had Crosby not scored and Canada were to have lost A) I don't think the Canucks even make it to the finals but B) They bow out in 7 against the Blackhawks in Round 1. I'll give Luongo some credit as it's extremely hard to make it to the Cup Finals but when he had the choice of being a hero or a goat.. He chose the heard (if you catch my drift)
In the words of the NBC Hockey Play-By-Play Announcer said "Without goaltending in the playoffs you don't STAND A CHANCE" and I don't think the Canucks have goaltending.
And the better goalie won the Finals. Tim Thomas and the Bruins etched the name into the history books while the Canucks watched in tears.
The Question now is how much longer before Luongo gets ran out of Vancouver.. My estimation one more playoff run.
Come Join
Hello World,
Mendelsohn Island is now upon us. It is a in-depth, concrete look on the most trending stories going on in the sports world. The reason you should come and check what I have to say is because at the College of Sports Media where I attend I spent the last years with colleagues of mine doing in depth round tables on the radio and all during the common halls talk amongst us is about what is on in sports. I have had a huge passion for sports since I can remember. I believe that my well-rounded knowledge on the big 4: Hockey, Baseball,Basketball and Football and to an average degree in Golf and Tennis could give you some insightful things to think of it. I plan on giving you readers both sides to the stories and still come out with a decisive conclusion.
Coming up:
1. Canucks one game away from cup. Why I think Roberto Luongo is mediocre!
2. What's with these Lebron Haters? They aren't the real villeins?
3. Do we expect the Jays to be better then they already are?
@Bailey Blitz is also a student at CSM with a great blog of its own check out his comments on what's trending in sports. We will be doing Podcasts from CSM during the summer so stay tuned
Mendelsohn Island is now upon us. It is a in-depth, concrete look on the most trending stories going on in the sports world. The reason you should come and check what I have to say is because at the College of Sports Media where I attend I spent the last years with colleagues of mine doing in depth round tables on the radio and all during the common halls talk amongst us is about what is on in sports. I have had a huge passion for sports since I can remember. I believe that my well-rounded knowledge on the big 4: Hockey, Baseball,Basketball and Football and to an average degree in Golf and Tennis could give you some insightful things to think of it. I plan on giving you readers both sides to the stories and still come out with a decisive conclusion.
Coming up:
1. Canucks one game away from cup. Why I think Roberto Luongo is mediocre!
2. What's with these Lebron Haters? They aren't the real villeins?
3. Do we expect the Jays to be better then they already are?
@Bailey Blitz is also a student at CSM with a great blog of its own check out his comments on what's trending in sports. We will be doing Podcasts from CSM during the summer so stay tuned
A Dream Fit for a Doctor
Satdown with Doctor Aubery Green 04/05/11.
Many kids that grew up in the GTA in Toronto wanted to wear the Blue and White and play for the Toronto Maple Leafs. The Naivety part is that there is also a tremendous amount of talent you must possess to play at such a high level, that not many people have. I sat down with Dr. Aubrey Green to discuss being in the front lines of the other side of sports ‘the medical side.’
“I think I’d be lying if I didn’t sit in class at Chiropractic school thinking I didn’t want to work with professional athletes”
Aubrey Green began pursuing a career that would allow him to be with World-Class athletes on a constant basis. He went to the University of Western where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts but that was only step one to the plan. From there he went onto receive the Doctor of Chiropractic from the Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College. Aiming to extend his qualifications, he completed the Contemporary Medical Acupuncture course for heath practitioners and the Sports Medicine Acupuncture course at McMaster University.
Sports have many ways of being interpreted into life. In sports you sometimes need lucky bounces to upstart your career. Green got that during the NHL lockout season in 2004-2005, where he bumped into then Dallas Starts Forward Jason Arnott. Arnott was looking for a new sports therapist to help him keep in shape during the offseason. Green had never worked with a type- A athlete like Arnott but still managed to used his tools to help Arnott.
“ I give a lot of credit and take a lot of pride with my relationship with Arny. He came to me, he had faith in me. I didn’t have the resume, experience or credentials at the time. He put his health in your hands and there is nothing greater then that. Their body and health are their biggest asset, its what puts food on their table.”
Six years later, Green remains Arnott’s personal trainer and has established not only a business but a personal relationship as well.
Another example of Sports being compared to life is like in High- School where word travels fast. Green does not mind that at all, in fact he embraced it how else was he to get his name out. Arnott told other players in the league about Green and his abilities, opening many doors by landing him a more star-studded cliental. Some of his cliental includes: Cortland Finnergan, Matt Stafford and Kyle Vanden Bosche of the Tennessee Titans. Henrik Zetterberg and Kris Draper of the Detroit Red Wings, Jarome Iginla and newly added Alex Ovechkin.
“ I Think at 1st it was the element of Kids in a Candy Store, I would like to have played Sports but the cards weren’t there for me, so the next best thing would be to work with them on that level and have an impact on their on-field performance. You feel like you’re in the fire.”
The part that college could not prepare him for was the emotion that goes into each player. When I sat down with Green, four of his major clients (Zetterberg, Draper, Arnott, Ovechkin) were at risk of being eliminated for the playoffs.
“I feel like im in the heat of the battle. Washington and Detroit are both down in their series and especially in the playoffs there are so many Highs and Lows. I also have the Highs and Lows, I’m not on the ice but I have the same emotion into it”
Considering the amount of time and work that goes into each of the four players on a daily basis it begins to become a lot of pressure. Hockey players don’t worry as much when they go on the ice, they have been doing it their entire life its natural for them. For Green though its not the same feeling, if a player looks out of sync on the ice or is running out of breath constantly, that is on him. It’s a huge load to take on, someone else’s health and life in your hands. If you do things wrong it could potentially end with the player getting severely injured. When George Clooney goes up to receive an Oscar he thanks the people that got him there and the people that helped him. When an Athlete receives his award he thanks his team and owner and walks off stage. They forgot about the people behind the scenes. The people that day-in and day-out keep everything held together and working. The truth is that players need more then just talent to become the best they also need resources. Those resources are the people that keep you at your strongest, competing with the best athletes in the world.
“They way you approach everything you do is important to longevity. To an athlete your body is your asset you better learn everything you can about to maximize it.”
Athletes are not like guys at work who go to the local bar for happy hour. They always have to be cautious of what is being sent into their bodies. The occasional piece of cake is allowed because of how hard they are working but only in moderation.
“ I Work with top tier athletes there is a reason there at that level there look for every edge. Everyone in the NHL is great to reach that level they are not hack. It’s what separates them that will make them great. It’s their approach, mentality, commitment…. But most importantly their HEALTH”
Green deals with Athletes’ on a 1-on-1 basis to look at process, and see’s what needs tweaking, but with the commitment so high the risks of further injuries not only to the body but the brain is high. Players don’t think in the future, how can you? You cannot predict the unexpected, but with every risk there is a repercussion. For football players who statistically have three to five years in the league, they happen sooner then later.
“ Risk. These guys understand the risk at this level, but there passion really shows through and it’s worth the risk.”
People look at a movie as a production, not many people think of what goes into the production. Same thing applies with athletes. People admire the Crosby’s and Ovechkin’s because of their pure talent but it’s the therapists and medical staff that keep them on their feet. Setting routines and plans that the player follows to manage their health properly. World Class Athletes use their bodies as means of pay. We have seen the likes of Joe Theisman and Dennis Byrd whose careers suddenly came to a Halt. All the time they worked to get to this spot, crushed in one instant. No other means for a job therefore no steady income. It is the reason that athletes must take every means to ensure they always stay healthy, and that is why the athletes go to Dr. Aubrey Green.
Many kids that grew up in the GTA in Toronto wanted to wear the Blue and White and play for the Toronto Maple Leafs. The Naivety part is that there is also a tremendous amount of talent you must possess to play at such a high level, that not many people have. I sat down with Dr. Aubrey Green to discuss being in the front lines of the other side of sports ‘the medical side.’
“I think I’d be lying if I didn’t sit in class at Chiropractic school thinking I didn’t want to work with professional athletes”
Aubrey Green began pursuing a career that would allow him to be with World-Class athletes on a constant basis. He went to the University of Western where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts but that was only step one to the plan. From there he went onto receive the Doctor of Chiropractic from the Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College. Aiming to extend his qualifications, he completed the Contemporary Medical Acupuncture course for heath practitioners and the Sports Medicine Acupuncture course at McMaster University.
Sports have many ways of being interpreted into life. In sports you sometimes need lucky bounces to upstart your career. Green got that during the NHL lockout season in 2004-2005, where he bumped into then Dallas Starts Forward Jason Arnott. Arnott was looking for a new sports therapist to help him keep in shape during the offseason. Green had never worked with a type- A athlete like Arnott but still managed to used his tools to help Arnott.
“ I give a lot of credit and take a lot of pride with my relationship with Arny. He came to me, he had faith in me. I didn’t have the resume, experience or credentials at the time. He put his health in your hands and there is nothing greater then that. Their body and health are their biggest asset, its what puts food on their table.”
Six years later, Green remains Arnott’s personal trainer and has established not only a business but a personal relationship as well.
Another example of Sports being compared to life is like in High- School where word travels fast. Green does not mind that at all, in fact he embraced it how else was he to get his name out. Arnott told other players in the league about Green and his abilities, opening many doors by landing him a more star-studded cliental. Some of his cliental includes: Cortland Finnergan, Matt Stafford and Kyle Vanden Bosche of the Tennessee Titans. Henrik Zetterberg and Kris Draper of the Detroit Red Wings, Jarome Iginla and newly added Alex Ovechkin.
“ I Think at 1st it was the element of Kids in a Candy Store, I would like to have played Sports but the cards weren’t there for me, so the next best thing would be to work with them on that level and have an impact on their on-field performance. You feel like you’re in the fire.”
The part that college could not prepare him for was the emotion that goes into each player. When I sat down with Green, four of his major clients (Zetterberg, Draper, Arnott, Ovechkin) were at risk of being eliminated for the playoffs.
“I feel like im in the heat of the battle. Washington and Detroit are both down in their series and especially in the playoffs there are so many Highs and Lows. I also have the Highs and Lows, I’m not on the ice but I have the same emotion into it”
Considering the amount of time and work that goes into each of the four players on a daily basis it begins to become a lot of pressure. Hockey players don’t worry as much when they go on the ice, they have been doing it their entire life its natural for them. For Green though its not the same feeling, if a player looks out of sync on the ice or is running out of breath constantly, that is on him. It’s a huge load to take on, someone else’s health and life in your hands. If you do things wrong it could potentially end with the player getting severely injured. When George Clooney goes up to receive an Oscar he thanks the people that got him there and the people that helped him. When an Athlete receives his award he thanks his team and owner and walks off stage. They forgot about the people behind the scenes. The people that day-in and day-out keep everything held together and working. The truth is that players need more then just talent to become the best they also need resources. Those resources are the people that keep you at your strongest, competing with the best athletes in the world.
“They way you approach everything you do is important to longevity. To an athlete your body is your asset you better learn everything you can about to maximize it.”
Athletes are not like guys at work who go to the local bar for happy hour. They always have to be cautious of what is being sent into their bodies. The occasional piece of cake is allowed because of how hard they are working but only in moderation.
“ I Work with top tier athletes there is a reason there at that level there look for every edge. Everyone in the NHL is great to reach that level they are not hack. It’s what separates them that will make them great. It’s their approach, mentality, commitment…. But most importantly their HEALTH”
Green deals with Athletes’ on a 1-on-1 basis to look at process, and see’s what needs tweaking, but with the commitment so high the risks of further injuries not only to the body but the brain is high. Players don’t think in the future, how can you? You cannot predict the unexpected, but with every risk there is a repercussion. For football players who statistically have three to five years in the league, they happen sooner then later.
“ Risk. These guys understand the risk at this level, but there passion really shows through and it’s worth the risk.”
People look at a movie as a production, not many people think of what goes into the production. Same thing applies with athletes. People admire the Crosby’s and Ovechkin’s because of their pure talent but it’s the therapists and medical staff that keep them on their feet. Setting routines and plans that the player follows to manage their health properly. World Class Athletes use their bodies as means of pay. We have seen the likes of Joe Theisman and Dennis Byrd whose careers suddenly came to a Halt. All the time they worked to get to this spot, crushed in one instant. No other means for a job therefore no steady income. It is the reason that athletes must take every means to ensure they always stay healthy, and that is why the athletes go to Dr. Aubrey Green.
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
#31 Carey Price
Last year Martin Brodeur and Mikka Kippursoff led the league in games played by a starting goalie. Brodeur appeared in seventy-seven games while Kippursoff was behind him appearing in seventy-three games. After twenty-five games Montreal Canadiens goalie Carey Price has appeared in twenty- three of them, most by a starting goalie. In today’s NHL, starting goalie are asked to play the majority if not all the games. No goalie can, so the role of the backup goalie is heightened.
A typical backup goaltender gets in around fifteen to twenty games depending on the goalie, to ensure that the starter stays fresh and healthy. The problem is when playoffs role around and goaltending is the most important, the goalies who play more get tired and cannot endure long playoff runs.
Martin Brodeur has played seventy-game plus in twelve of his seventeen seasons and signs of fatigue have shown. When he was in his prime Brodeur was able to play long seasons and go into the playoffs last at his best. The last 5 seasons that he played over seventy games the Devils have not made it pass the first round and Brodeur at times, looked bad.
The way this season goes, baring no injuries Carey Price will appear in seventy -seven of eighty-two games. Until the Canadiens replace current backup Alex Auld for a backup goalie they can trust, Price will take on a lot more. It is not just Price playing a lot of games. Most of the starting goalies in the league play sixty to sixty-five games.
Coaches play their best lineup in order to win, and without a doubt Price is the goaltender in that lineup. Price leads the league in: wins, goals against, shutouts and save percentage. Starting Goalies need to play a lesser amount of games in order to stay healthier, fresher and in the end, play when it matters the most.
A typical backup goaltender gets in around fifteen to twenty games depending on the goalie, to ensure that the starter stays fresh and healthy. The problem is when playoffs role around and goaltending is the most important, the goalies who play more get tired and cannot endure long playoff runs.
Martin Brodeur has played seventy-game plus in twelve of his seventeen seasons and signs of fatigue have shown. When he was in his prime Brodeur was able to play long seasons and go into the playoffs last at his best. The last 5 seasons that he played over seventy games the Devils have not made it pass the first round and Brodeur at times, looked bad.
The way this season goes, baring no injuries Carey Price will appear in seventy -seven of eighty-two games. Until the Canadiens replace current backup Alex Auld for a backup goalie they can trust, Price will take on a lot more. It is not just Price playing a lot of games. Most of the starting goalies in the league play sixty to sixty-five games.
Coaches play their best lineup in order to win, and without a doubt Price is the goaltender in that lineup. Price leads the league in: wins, goals against, shutouts and save percentage. Starting Goalies need to play a lesser amount of games in order to stay healthier, fresher and in the end, play when it matters the most.
I remember when..
I remember a story that my mother keeps reminding me of when I was three years old. I was waiting at the doctor’s office, and I was playing with hockey cards when an old man approached me. I was only three at the time, but I was trying to memorize all the statistics and who plays on what team, so if anybody asked me a question, I could be “Jonny on the spot.” The man noticed my hockey cards so he asked if I knew anything about the NHL. I told him to test me. He then asked who my favourite team was? I told him thanks to my Montréal-bread father, who lives and dies by the blue, blanc et rouge that I was a huge Habs fan, knowing all the players and their positions. So he asked me a few questions about the Habs, Who is the captain? Who is the goalie? Who my favourite player was? And with relative ease I responded with the appropriate answer for all of them. So he decided to try a bit harder how many goals has this person score? Whose on this line? Who did they just acquire? And once again with ease I responded with the correct answers. The man was stunned, looking at my mother whose smirk was as big as the sun, says to her “Your son knows a lot at such a young age.” She replied, “ Only problem is he’s not a leaf fan.” My whole life I knew I wanted to be in sports but I just did not know how. I could not play it, when I realized that I could do what a Jay Onrait or a Steve Cybulski were doing, I wanted to give it a shot. I first started doing play-by-play for the North York Grizzlies three years ago, to get the feel of being behind the microphone. As I kept doing it, I realized how much I loved it. My whole life my father told me if I knew sports like I knew Math or Science I would be a genius. Now I tell him that if I know sports like I know sports then I am a genius.
3 Reasons for Why the Jays may Falter
1. Starting Rotation. Baseball is weird in the way where your top pitcher goes once maybe twice during a span of a week of games. Like the other major sports, depth on teams are huge barring injuries and players with off-years. The Jays shutdown Brandon Morrow last year in his 1st year as a starter, trying to limit his innings. Morrow returns healthy and strong but joins a small list of Ricky Romero and Brett Cecil as penciled-in starters. Since trading away Shaun Marcum, the 4 and 5 spots in the rotation are up in the air. If everything goes to plan, young phenom Kyle Drabek will take either the 4 of 5 spot but after him their is a large list of questions. The 3 best possible candidates are all question marks, coming off injuries; Scott Richmond, Jesse Litsch and Dustin McGowan. John Farrell will improve the rotation, but he can only improve with he currently is working with.
2. Blue Collar Bullpen. Out: Scott Downs, Kevin Gregg, Jeremy Accardo and Brian Tallet. In: A pluthera of arms in Jon Rauch, Ocatvio Dotel, Frank Francisco, Chad Cordero and Carols Villaneuva add in the likes of Jesse Carlson, Shaun Camp, Jason Frasor and Casey Janssen and you got yourself a crowded bullpen. It's not a matter of depth here but it may be come a question off quantity overmatching quality. 9 players in a bullpen without a solid closer and a strong set-up man. The Jays haven't had a great closer since B.J. Ryan's recorded 38 saves in 2006. It should be an interesting battle for the Closing spot but until someone comes out, this remains a major question mark.
3. Consistency. Until the Jays start competing late into September, one word will keep getting thrown out; Consistency .No doubt this team has the talent to compete its just a matter of how they go about doing their thing on a day-to-day basis. Consistency is a very broad word and in this case it revolves around a lot of things. Consistently getting quality starts from both the Rotation and the Bullpen.Consistently learn to finish games and most importantly Consistently win. The one thing they did do consistently was hit home runs, a Major league leading 257 of them. Lacked consistent base runners, that would have made some of those solo home runs, 2 run shots. 162 games in a year and at one point or another the Jays hit a dry spell. History shows that it happens between the months of July and Early-to-mid August. Great teams find a way out of the dry spells, some don't even let that happen. The Jays need to bring a WIN attitude to the field each and every day, and its something new Manager John Farrell is trying to implement.
2. Blue Collar Bullpen. Out: Scott Downs, Kevin Gregg, Jeremy Accardo and Brian Tallet. In: A pluthera of arms in Jon Rauch, Ocatvio Dotel, Frank Francisco, Chad Cordero and Carols Villaneuva add in the likes of Jesse Carlson, Shaun Camp, Jason Frasor and Casey Janssen and you got yourself a crowded bullpen. It's not a matter of depth here but it may be come a question off quantity overmatching quality. 9 players in a bullpen without a solid closer and a strong set-up man. The Jays haven't had a great closer since B.J. Ryan's recorded 38 saves in 2006. It should be an interesting battle for the Closing spot but until someone comes out, this remains a major question mark.
3. Consistency. Until the Jays start competing late into September, one word will keep getting thrown out; Consistency .No doubt this team has the talent to compete its just a matter of how they go about doing their thing on a day-to-day basis. Consistency is a very broad word and in this case it revolves around a lot of things. Consistently getting quality starts from both the Rotation and the Bullpen.Consistently learn to finish games and most importantly Consistently win. The one thing they did do consistently was hit home runs, a Major league leading 257 of them. Lacked consistent base runners, that would have made some of those solo home runs, 2 run shots. 162 games in a year and at one point or another the Jays hit a dry spell. History shows that it happens between the months of July and Early-to-mid August. Great teams find a way out of the dry spells, some don't even let that happen. The Jays need to bring a WIN attitude to the field each and every day, and its something new Manager John Farrell is trying to implement.
3 Reasons for Why Jays Will Succed in 2011
1.Build with Youth: The Toronto Blue Jays have had problems maintaining with the Yankees and Red Sox cap restrictions, that they have gone the more structured and less expensive way to rebuild a team. To build a core through the farm has worked for teams recently. I.E. Tampa Bay, Texas and World Series Champions SanFrancisco last year had their entire Starting Rotation come up through the system and a rookie named Buster Posey. The Jays have gone young parting way with vets Scott Downs, Brian Tallet, Kevin Gregg along with used-to-be cornerstones Roy Halladay, Vernon Wells and Alex Rios for this kind of makeover. It's clear with TOP 50 prospects Kyle Drabek, Anthony Gose, J.P Arencibeia and Brett Lawrie that it's not who will be here to help the Jays it's just a matter of when. With one of the youngest Starting Rotations in baseball it is up to the 4 of: Romero, Cecil, Morrow and Drabek to help the Jays do something they haven’t been able to, and that is compete for a playoff spot.
2. Coaching+ Manager: Whether it be the late great George Steinbraineur and Joe Torre, the young Theo Epstein and Terry Francona or the most recent duo to have success; San Francisco Bruce Bochy and GM Brian Sabean, teams cannot win without the partnership of a good coach and GM.The intangibles of a good coaching staff and Manager are far more important then any one players ability. The Coaching staff spend every day during an 8-9 month period, working on fielding, hitting and ultimately watching them grow into professional players. Alex Anthopoulous has done a marvelous job of surrounding himself and his team with not just great coaches but great people. Bringing in former Boston Red Sox pitching coach John Farrell to manage the team and to solidify the young rotation. Farrell joins a list of names that include Bruce Walton, Don Wakamatsu, Dwayne Murphy and Pat Hentgen. All have either coached, played or been at a high level of baseball for some time.
3. Talent: Teams need talent on their team to win, plain and simple. Fortunately for the Jays, the quality of talent is on such an up rise that the club felt it was time to part ways with Gold Glove Winner Vernon Wells. With quality seasons from Ricky Romero, Brandon Morrow and Brett Cecil and a superb season from Jose Bautista the Jays have paved a way for success. Add in double play partners Aaron Hill and Yunel Escobar, and the potential for players like Travis Snider, Kyle Drabek and J.P. Arencebia has left a feeling in the Jays locker room that has not been their for some time. A drive to not only win but compete with the best. To say the Jays lack talent on their team would be an understatement. They led the majors last year in Homeruns with 257, fifty-four of them coming from reigning homerun king Jose Bautista. 1-9 in the lineup the Jays show pop, its just a matter of getting more people on base for the homeruns.
2. Coaching+ Manager: Whether it be the late great George Steinbraineur and Joe Torre, the young Theo Epstein and Terry Francona or the most recent duo to have success; San Francisco Bruce Bochy and GM Brian Sabean, teams cannot win without the partnership of a good coach and GM.The intangibles of a good coaching staff and Manager are far more important then any one players ability. The Coaching staff spend every day during an 8-9 month period, working on fielding, hitting and ultimately watching them grow into professional players. Alex Anthopoulous has done a marvelous job of surrounding himself and his team with not just great coaches but great people. Bringing in former Boston Red Sox pitching coach John Farrell to manage the team and to solidify the young rotation. Farrell joins a list of names that include Bruce Walton, Don Wakamatsu, Dwayne Murphy and Pat Hentgen. All have either coached, played or been at a high level of baseball for some time.
3. Talent: Teams need talent on their team to win, plain and simple. Fortunately for the Jays, the quality of talent is on such an up rise that the club felt it was time to part ways with Gold Glove Winner Vernon Wells. With quality seasons from Ricky Romero, Brandon Morrow and Brett Cecil and a superb season from Jose Bautista the Jays have paved a way for success. Add in double play partners Aaron Hill and Yunel Escobar, and the potential for players like Travis Snider, Kyle Drabek and J.P. Arencebia has left a feeling in the Jays locker room that has not been their for some time. A drive to not only win but compete with the best. To say the Jays lack talent on their team would be an understatement. They led the majors last year in Homeruns with 257, fifty-four of them coming from reigning homerun king Jose Bautista. 1-9 in the lineup the Jays show pop, its just a matter of getting more people on base for the homeruns.
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Baseball Preview: American League East (2/15/11)
NY Yankees- C+. Any time you add talent like Rafael Soriano you instantly become a better team. Pettite retires, Jeter in turmoil, No 4th and 5th starters. Yanks are heading backwards.
Additions: Rafael Soriano, Russell Martin
Boston- A+. The Red Sox added two of the top players in the game and it only cost them a few hundred million. Have solid 1-9 Lineup. Great Depth, Strong Bullpen and Solid 5 starters
Additions: Carl Crawford, Adrian Gonzalez, Bobby Jenks, Dan Wheeler
Toronto. A. The A is for effort but ultimately the Jays are a B+ at best. Trading the immovable contract of Vernon Wells, giving away aging vets: Gregg, Downs, Tallet, and 28 year old Shaun Marcum shows Jays are going young. Love the idea of Kyle Drabek to what is a good young core of pitchers. Bullpen is the early question, who emerges as closer?
Additions: Octavio Dotel, Jon Rauch, Frank Francisco, Juan Rivera, Rajai Davis
Tampa Bay-D. Bullpen torn to shreds, adding aging vets, have young core but overmatched. Price, Longoria, Upton have to hold the load. Pitching Staff is above average, besides that nothing to be note worthy.
Additions: Manny Ramierez, Jonny Damon, Karl Farnsworth
Baltimore- A. Good thing for Oriole Fans is after many years of being at the bottom, they are starting to put pieces together. Bring in powers in Derek Lee, Mark Reynolds and Vlad,a Plus. Questionable pitching core+ bullpen. Catcher Matt Wieters breaks out
Additions: Derek Lee, Mark Reynolds, Kevin Gregg, Mike Gonzalez, Vladimir Gurrero.
Skinny: It’s ultimately going to be Boston who dictates the division. Toronto contends for wild card. Baltimore does not finish last. Yanks and Rays take a step backwards.
1st: Boston
2nd: Toronto
3rd New York
4th: Baltimore
5th: Tampa Bay
Additions: Rafael Soriano, Russell Martin
Boston- A+. The Red Sox added two of the top players in the game and it only cost them a few hundred million. Have solid 1-9 Lineup. Great Depth, Strong Bullpen and Solid 5 starters
Additions: Carl Crawford, Adrian Gonzalez, Bobby Jenks, Dan Wheeler
Toronto. A. The A is for effort but ultimately the Jays are a B+ at best. Trading the immovable contract of Vernon Wells, giving away aging vets: Gregg, Downs, Tallet, and 28 year old Shaun Marcum shows Jays are going young. Love the idea of Kyle Drabek to what is a good young core of pitchers. Bullpen is the early question, who emerges as closer?
Additions: Octavio Dotel, Jon Rauch, Frank Francisco, Juan Rivera, Rajai Davis
Tampa Bay-D. Bullpen torn to shreds, adding aging vets, have young core but overmatched. Price, Longoria, Upton have to hold the load. Pitching Staff is above average, besides that nothing to be note worthy.
Additions: Manny Ramierez, Jonny Damon, Karl Farnsworth
Baltimore- A. Good thing for Oriole Fans is after many years of being at the bottom, they are starting to put pieces together. Bring in powers in Derek Lee, Mark Reynolds and Vlad,a Plus. Questionable pitching core+ bullpen. Catcher Matt Wieters breaks out
Additions: Derek Lee, Mark Reynolds, Kevin Gregg, Mike Gonzalez, Vladimir Gurrero.
Skinny: It’s ultimately going to be Boston who dictates the division. Toronto contends for wild card. Baltimore does not finish last. Yanks and Rays take a step backwards.
1st: Boston
2nd: Toronto
3rd New York
4th: Baltimore
5th: Tampa Bay
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