I've officially stepped off the ledge. For now at least. The Giants have won 3 games in a row, though the most recent against the 49ers was entirely too close for comfort. Nonetheless, a win is a win, and New York now sits atop the NFC East all by themselves. Who woulda' thunk it!? Granted it's only by 1 game, but there's suddenly a reason to be optimistic. Let's think about it. Washington still isn't very good, Philly has completely underwhelmed so far, and Dallas is challenging the Giants for most injured team in the NFL. Assuming the Eagles don't turn it around, and Tony Romo is out for a few more weeks, there's no reason to think the Giants can't come away with this division. Now, having said that, keep in mind that these are still the Giants we're talking about, so nothing is guaranteed.
This week's game against Philadelphia, while not critical, is still pretty important. With Dallas on a bye and Washington playing the Jets, a New York win could increase their division lead before heading into their rematch with the Cowboys. If the Giants had just taken care of business in that first game, and the Atlanta game for that matter, then they'd already have a cushy lead in the East. But no, why would that be the case? Heaven forbid! But I shouldn't complain. They could have crapped away the last 3 games as well.
While things have been looking up in the wins column, the injuries just keep mounting. As I've mentioned in previous posts, the Giants have been the most injured team in the NFL over the last few seasons, and this year has been no different. The most recent injuries are Jon Beason (concussion), Odell Beckham Jr. (hamstring), Rueben Randle (hamstring) and Prince Amukamara (pectoral). The first three guys are considered day-to-day, but Amukamara is believed to be out at least 3-4 weeks. This is unbelievably frustrating. Since he's come into the league in 2011, Amukamara's played in all 16 games once. Once. In fact, he's only hit double-digit-games-played twice. If I'm not mistaken, he'll become a free agent after this season, and boy I hope that the Giants don't re-sign him. He's pretty good when he's healthy, but the fact that I have to say "when he's healthy" is the whole problem here. Enough with Prince, we need a king. Wow that was lame.
So there you have it. The Giants are racking up wins and injuries. Hopefully the former keeps rising and the latter starts dwindling.
This blog is dedicated to sports talk. Sports talk makes me happy (hence, rhapsody). I'm a huge football fan (Giants are my main dish, with a side of Jets), moderate baseball (Yankees) and basketball (Knicks) fan. But I don't limit myself to just those teams, especially when it comes to football. So come along on my magical sports journey. What? Too much? Fine, then just read the damn blog, please!
Thursday, October 15, 2015
Tuesday, September 22, 2015
Giants Give Away Another Win
- Breaking news from the NFL:
Team records will still consist of "Wins" and "Losses", however playoff teams will now be determined by how many losses a team has, as opposed to wins. -
That's obviously not true, but if it were, the Giants would finally be the best team in the NFL, because so far this season, they're the best at losing.
After handing Dallas the first game, New York decided it best to do the same with the Falcons. I'm all for being a gracious host, but gimme a damn break. According to Elias Sports Bureau, the Giants are the first team in history to lose their first 2 games of the season while being ahead by 10 or more points in the 4th quarter.
That's a problem, people. Some might say it's not a big deal. "They could just as easily be 2-0 instead of 0-2". But you know what? They are 0-2. And I'll be the first to admit, they're not good enough to give away games. It was bad enough after the Cowboy's game, but blowing it again against Atlanta just might bury them.
Ok, maybe that's a bit dramatic considering we're only 2 games into the season, but I'm serious when I say this team is not built to overcome losses like that. Yes, their offense finally clicked a bit, but that was only for 2 quarters. Where was it in the first, and more importantly the fourth? It was nowhere to be found. And when are these freakin' injuries going to stop?! I don't know the extent of Ereck Flowers' ankle injury, but it was bad enough that he couldn't return to the game. On top of that, Dominic Rodgers-Cromartie left with a concussion. I'll tell you right now, if Flowers is out for any extended period of time, you can kiss what little bit of a running game they have goodbye. Not only are the Giants not built to overcome crappy losses, they're also not built to overcome big injuries.
That leads me to my next point: when is enough enough with Jerry Reese? As I always say, I'm not big on calling for a person's job, but Reese has been putting together mediocre teams since he's taken over. That first Super Bowl team? You can thank Ernie Accorsi for that. Since Reese took the reigns from Accorsi in 2008, the Giants have made the playoffs only twice (which includes that 12-4 team from the year after Accorsi left), and are currently working on a third straight losing season. That's really bad. How much more of this do Giants fans need to take? Please move on from Jerry Reese and bring someone in that can build a consistent winner.
Something that I'm fairly certain will happen (unless the team makes a miraculous turn-around), is the firing of Tom Coughlin. He's currently under contract through 2016, but if New York misses out on the playoffs again, there's no way he's coming back next season. And as much as I love Tom (which is quite a lot), I'd be ok with it. This team needs a change. I've been clamoring for it for a couple of years now. Not so much Tom, but definitely Reese. Will another losing season finally be enough to get it? We'll see, because I don't envision a lot of wins for this team. Speaking of wins, let's look at their schedule, shall we? I'm going to play a little game of "guess the wins and losses" for the rest of the games on the Giants schedule. Brace yourself.
Team records will still consist of "Wins" and "Losses", however playoff teams will now be determined by how many losses a team has, as opposed to wins. -
That's obviously not true, but if it were, the Giants would finally be the best team in the NFL, because so far this season, they're the best at losing.
After handing Dallas the first game, New York decided it best to do the same with the Falcons. I'm all for being a gracious host, but gimme a damn break. According to Elias Sports Bureau, the Giants are the first team in history to lose their first 2 games of the season while being ahead by 10 or more points in the 4th quarter.
That's a problem, people. Some might say it's not a big deal. "They could just as easily be 2-0 instead of 0-2". But you know what? They are 0-2. And I'll be the first to admit, they're not good enough to give away games. It was bad enough after the Cowboy's game, but blowing it again against Atlanta just might bury them.
Ok, maybe that's a bit dramatic considering we're only 2 games into the season, but I'm serious when I say this team is not built to overcome losses like that. Yes, their offense finally clicked a bit, but that was only for 2 quarters. Where was it in the first, and more importantly the fourth? It was nowhere to be found. And when are these freakin' injuries going to stop?! I don't know the extent of Ereck Flowers' ankle injury, but it was bad enough that he couldn't return to the game. On top of that, Dominic Rodgers-Cromartie left with a concussion. I'll tell you right now, if Flowers is out for any extended period of time, you can kiss what little bit of a running game they have goodbye. Not only are the Giants not built to overcome crappy losses, they're also not built to overcome big injuries.
That leads me to my next point: when is enough enough with Jerry Reese? As I always say, I'm not big on calling for a person's job, but Reese has been putting together mediocre teams since he's taken over. That first Super Bowl team? You can thank Ernie Accorsi for that. Since Reese took the reigns from Accorsi in 2008, the Giants have made the playoffs only twice (which includes that 12-4 team from the year after Accorsi left), and are currently working on a third straight losing season. That's really bad. How much more of this do Giants fans need to take? Please move on from Jerry Reese and bring someone in that can build a consistent winner.
Something that I'm fairly certain will happen (unless the team makes a miraculous turn-around), is the firing of Tom Coughlin. He's currently under contract through 2016, but if New York misses out on the playoffs again, there's no way he's coming back next season. And as much as I love Tom (which is quite a lot), I'd be ok with it. This team needs a change. I've been clamoring for it for a couple of years now. Not so much Tom, but definitely Reese. Will another losing season finally be enough to get it? We'll see, because I don't envision a lot of wins for this team. Speaking of wins, let's look at their schedule, shall we? I'm going to play a little game of "guess the wins and losses" for the rest of the games on the Giants schedule. Brace yourself.
Quick math tells me that I'm predicting the Giants to finish 5-11. Ouch. They'll find a couple of wins in the NFC South, but get swept by the AFC East. I'm sure you've also noticed that I have them losing to Dallas on October 25th. That's because they should beat the Cowboys with Brandon Weeden leading the way, but won't, because, well, that's how New York rolls. Though this year could be filled with a lot more "lose the games you should--and lose the games you shouldn't".
There's a lot of season left, but as you can tell, I'm not very optimistic.
Wednesday, September 9, 2015
2015 NFL Predictions - NFC and Super Bowl Edition
No funny intro's here. I've already done my AFC predictions, and now it's time for the NFC and Super Bowl. I'm diving in head first today, people, and I'm not wearing a helmet. Let's rock and ro... ow, my head!
NFC EAST
1) Philadelphia Eagles
As a Giants fan, I'm terrified of the Eagles this year. I know it was only the preseason, but they were dismantling people, and something tells me that's not going to stop come the regular season. Highest scoring team in the league by a wide margin, mark my words.
2) Dallas Cowboys
Losing DeMarco Murray hurts, but even I could rush for 1000 yards behind Dallas' offensive line, so the run game should be just fine. The defense is suspect to me, but barring any catastrophic injuries, Dallas should be playing into January again this season.
3) New York Giants
What to make of my Giants? Offensively, they should be solid. If they had a better offensive line I'd say great, but since they don't, solid is as good as it gets. Defensively, however, they could be a total mess. There's talent there (Jon Beason, Prince Amukamara, Dominic Rodgers-Cromartie, Devon Kennard and a few others), but not enough for me to project New York into the post-season. (Sniffle) Excuse me, there's something in my eye. (Sniffle)
4) Washington Redskins
What a mess. From the quarterback to the team name, Washington is the epitome of dysfunction. I'd say the team is better off with Kirk Cousins under center, but he didn't show a whole lot with his opportunity last year. Last place seems inevitable.
NFC NORTH
1) Green Bay
Much like the Colts, Green Bay has pretty much already clinched the division. The loss of Jordy Nelson is bad, but not bad enough to slow down the Packers. With Aaron Rodgers at the helm, they'll be fighting for the best record in the NFC.
2) Minnesota Vikings
I was going to go with Detroit here, but the return of Adrien Peterson puts Minnesota over the top. Teddy Bridgewater should only get better, as should the defense under Mike Zimmer. The Vikings could be competing for a Wild Card spot.
3) Detroit Lions
Detroit had a very good season last year, but I don't see them being quite that good this time around. They lost Ndamukong Suh, but did an admiral job of replacing him by trading for Haloti Ngata. If Calvin Johnson can stay healthy, and guys like Eric Ebron and Ameer Abdullah break out, the offense might be strong enough to carry the Lions into the playoffs.
4) Chicago Bears
.................
What? My parents always said, if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all. All kidding aside, the Bears don't have a lot going on. Jay Cutler has never lived up to his potential, almost all of the receivers are hurt and the defense is a disaster. Could we be looking at the worst team in the NFL?
NFC SOUTH
Before I get into this division, keep in mind, it was won last year by the 7-8-1 Carolina Panthers. It was all sorts of bad.
1) New Orleans Saints
I don't love any team in this division, but I think the Saints have the best shot at winning it. They traded Jimmy Graham, but upgraded their offensive line by getting Max Unger in return. I don't see a huge improvement defensively, so for them to win, the offense will have to carry the load.
2) Atlanta Falcons
As much as I like Matt Ryan and Julio Jones, I just don't see Atlanta having a winning record. The running game and offensive line aren't great. The defense won't be spectacular either, but should be improved with Dan Quinn now running the ship.
3) Carolina Panthers
The defense should be ok, but I'm not expecting a lot from the offense. Kelvin Benjamin is out for the season, pretty much leaving Greg Olsen as the only viable pass catcher. Plus, Cam Newton isn't the most accurate passer around, so him carrying the team by himself doesn't seem likely.
4) Tampa Bay Buccaneers
I'm not going to pretend that I know much about their defense, but they've definitely got some talent on the other side of the ball. Mike Evans, Vincent Jackson and a healthy Doug Martin could prove to be problematic for teams, but that will really hinge on rookie quarterback, Jameis Winston. I'm leaning toward him having the usual rookie ups-and-downs, thus the Bucs finishing in last place.
NFC WEST
1) Seattle Seahawks
Hey look, the Seahawks are gonna' be really good again! I know, not a surprise. The addition of Jimmy Graham should only improve an already solid offense. They did lose Max Unger in the Graham deal, but with Russell Wilson's rushing ability, defenses will still have to be on their toes. Speaking of defense, Seattle's should still be really, really good. Really.
2) Arizona Cardinals
This rank is completely predicated on Carson Palmer staying healthy. No guarantee, that's for sure. But if he does, then Arizona should be pretty tough. I don't know how, but their defense was really good last year, so I have no reason to think they won't be decent again. And with a healthy Palmer, the offense shouldn't have too hard a time putting points on the board.
3) St. Louis Rams
Not a big believer in Nick Foles at quarterback, but he's got some decent weapons on offense to work with. The defense, aside from the secondary, is terrific, and they should keep the Rams in a lot of games. If Foles can exhibit even half of what he showed a couple of years ago with Philly, then the Rams could push for a Wild Card spot. Not likely, but hey, you never know.
4) San Francisco 49ers
Oh, how the mighty have fallen. I believe 4,856 players have either retired or been arrested this off-season from the 49ers. It's crazy. I'm not seeing any positives here. Colin Kaepernick can't carry a team, and the defense won't be nearly as good as it was over the last few seasons. Soooo, yea. Sorry 49ers fans.
Wild Card
Philadelphia vs. Minnesota
I really want to pick with my heart and say the Vikings stomp out the Iggles, but I just can't. Philly takes this one, and also a piece of my soul.
New Orleans vs. Dallas
I really want to pick with my he...oops, nevermind. Unless the Saints can control the clock with a solid running game, I can't see them beating the Cowboys.
Divisional Round
Seattle vs. Dallas
I'm pretty much all-in on the Seahawks this year (Russell Wilson is on all of my fantasy teams). With no DeMarco Murray and a shaky defense, Seattle dispenses with Dallas, bringing much joy and exuberance to my household.
Green Bay vs. Philadelphia
Mercy help me. My two rivals in the playoffs. Unfortunately, I don't think the Packers can stop this Eagles juggernaut. My only hope is that the Philly defense gets worn down by being on the field too much due to their quick-scoring style under Chip Kelly.
Championship Round
Seattle vs. Philadelphia
Let's go Seattle!! Whoops. No bias here. I swear. As I said above, Seattle is it for me once again. I just can't find any glaring weakness with this team, hence my confidence in them.
Super Bowl
Pittsburgh vs. Seattle
If you remember, I had the Steelers beating the Colts in the AFC Championship game. They'll tangle with the Seahawks for the whole enchilada. While I think Pittsburgh's offense will be rather explosive, their lack of defense will finally do them in. Seattle will raise their second Lombardi trophy in the last three years.
There you have it. I'll come back to these picks at the end of the season to see how I did, unless of course I do terribly, in which case I'll deny having ever written this article.
NFC EAST
1) Philadelphia Eagles
As a Giants fan, I'm terrified of the Eagles this year. I know it was only the preseason, but they were dismantling people, and something tells me that's not going to stop come the regular season. Highest scoring team in the league by a wide margin, mark my words.
2) Dallas Cowboys
Losing DeMarco Murray hurts, but even I could rush for 1000 yards behind Dallas' offensive line, so the run game should be just fine. The defense is suspect to me, but barring any catastrophic injuries, Dallas should be playing into January again this season.
3) New York Giants
What to make of my Giants? Offensively, they should be solid. If they had a better offensive line I'd say great, but since they don't, solid is as good as it gets. Defensively, however, they could be a total mess. There's talent there (Jon Beason, Prince Amukamara, Dominic Rodgers-Cromartie, Devon Kennard and a few others), but not enough for me to project New York into the post-season. (Sniffle) Excuse me, there's something in my eye. (Sniffle)
4) Washington Redskins
What a mess. From the quarterback to the team name, Washington is the epitome of dysfunction. I'd say the team is better off with Kirk Cousins under center, but he didn't show a whole lot with his opportunity last year. Last place seems inevitable.
NFC NORTH
1) Green Bay
Much like the Colts, Green Bay has pretty much already clinched the division. The loss of Jordy Nelson is bad, but not bad enough to slow down the Packers. With Aaron Rodgers at the helm, they'll be fighting for the best record in the NFC.
2) Minnesota Vikings
I was going to go with Detroit here, but the return of Adrien Peterson puts Minnesota over the top. Teddy Bridgewater should only get better, as should the defense under Mike Zimmer. The Vikings could be competing for a Wild Card spot.
3) Detroit Lions
Detroit had a very good season last year, but I don't see them being quite that good this time around. They lost Ndamukong Suh, but did an admiral job of replacing him by trading for Haloti Ngata. If Calvin Johnson can stay healthy, and guys like Eric Ebron and Ameer Abdullah break out, the offense might be strong enough to carry the Lions into the playoffs.
4) Chicago Bears
.................
What? My parents always said, if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all. All kidding aside, the Bears don't have a lot going on. Jay Cutler has never lived up to his potential, almost all of the receivers are hurt and the defense is a disaster. Could we be looking at the worst team in the NFL?
NFC SOUTH
Before I get into this division, keep in mind, it was won last year by the 7-8-1 Carolina Panthers. It was all sorts of bad.
1) New Orleans Saints
I don't love any team in this division, but I think the Saints have the best shot at winning it. They traded Jimmy Graham, but upgraded their offensive line by getting Max Unger in return. I don't see a huge improvement defensively, so for them to win, the offense will have to carry the load.
2) Atlanta Falcons
As much as I like Matt Ryan and Julio Jones, I just don't see Atlanta having a winning record. The running game and offensive line aren't great. The defense won't be spectacular either, but should be improved with Dan Quinn now running the ship.
3) Carolina Panthers
The defense should be ok, but I'm not expecting a lot from the offense. Kelvin Benjamin is out for the season, pretty much leaving Greg Olsen as the only viable pass catcher. Plus, Cam Newton isn't the most accurate passer around, so him carrying the team by himself doesn't seem likely.
4) Tampa Bay Buccaneers
I'm not going to pretend that I know much about their defense, but they've definitely got some talent on the other side of the ball. Mike Evans, Vincent Jackson and a healthy Doug Martin could prove to be problematic for teams, but that will really hinge on rookie quarterback, Jameis Winston. I'm leaning toward him having the usual rookie ups-and-downs, thus the Bucs finishing in last place.
NFC WEST
1) Seattle Seahawks
Hey look, the Seahawks are gonna' be really good again! I know, not a surprise. The addition of Jimmy Graham should only improve an already solid offense. They did lose Max Unger in the Graham deal, but with Russell Wilson's rushing ability, defenses will still have to be on their toes. Speaking of defense, Seattle's should still be really, really good. Really.
2) Arizona Cardinals
This rank is completely predicated on Carson Palmer staying healthy. No guarantee, that's for sure. But if he does, then Arizona should be pretty tough. I don't know how, but their defense was really good last year, so I have no reason to think they won't be decent again. And with a healthy Palmer, the offense shouldn't have too hard a time putting points on the board.
3) St. Louis Rams
Not a big believer in Nick Foles at quarterback, but he's got some decent weapons on offense to work with. The defense, aside from the secondary, is terrific, and they should keep the Rams in a lot of games. If Foles can exhibit even half of what he showed a couple of years ago with Philly, then the Rams could push for a Wild Card spot. Not likely, but hey, you never know.
4) San Francisco 49ers
Oh, how the mighty have fallen. I believe 4,856 players have either retired or been arrested this off-season from the 49ers. It's crazy. I'm not seeing any positives here. Colin Kaepernick can't carry a team, and the defense won't be nearly as good as it was over the last few seasons. Soooo, yea. Sorry 49ers fans.
Wild Card
Philadelphia vs. Minnesota
I really want to pick with my heart and say the Vikings stomp out the Iggles, but I just can't. Philly takes this one, and also a piece of my soul.
New Orleans vs. Dallas
I really want to pick with my he...oops, nevermind. Unless the Saints can control the clock with a solid running game, I can't see them beating the Cowboys.
Divisional Round
Seattle vs. Dallas
I'm pretty much all-in on the Seahawks this year (Russell Wilson is on all of my fantasy teams). With no DeMarco Murray and a shaky defense, Seattle dispenses with Dallas, bringing much joy and exuberance to my household.
Green Bay vs. Philadelphia
Mercy help me. My two rivals in the playoffs. Unfortunately, I don't think the Packers can stop this Eagles juggernaut. My only hope is that the Philly defense gets worn down by being on the field too much due to their quick-scoring style under Chip Kelly.
Championship Round
Seattle vs. Philadelphia
Let's go Seattle!! Whoops. No bias here. I swear. As I said above, Seattle is it for me once again. I just can't find any glaring weakness with this team, hence my confidence in them.
Super Bowl
Pittsburgh vs. Seattle
If you remember, I had the Steelers beating the Colts in the AFC Championship game. They'll tangle with the Seahawks for the whole enchilada. While I think Pittsburgh's offense will be rather explosive, their lack of defense will finally do them in. Seattle will raise their second Lombardi trophy in the last three years.
There you have it. I'll come back to these picks at the end of the season to see how I did, unless of course I do terribly, in which case I'll deny having ever written this article.
2015 NFL Predictions - AFC Edition
(Big inhale) Ahhh, there's a different kinda' feel in the air. Actually, it's still really muggy. But football season is right around the corner, and that just makes everything better. Colors are brighter, foods taste better, and my jokes seem funnier. Yes folks, this is my favorite time of year -- football season. And with football comes my NFL predictions.
Much like football, my predictions are a time-honored tradition (in my house at least). So, without further ado (not that that was too much ado), here are:
(No actual records will be predicted. I don't have the time or math skills to predict the outcome of all 512 games)
AFC EAST
1) New England Patriots
Tom Brady's no longer suspended. Enough said. Who am I kidding? I was going to pick the Patriots even if he did miss games.
2) Miami Dolphins
I'm expecting a good year from Miami. Their offense is young and improving, and anytime you add Ndomukong Suh, your defense instantly gets better.
3) Buffalo Bills
Awesome defense, plus I have a funny feeling that Tyrod Taylor is going to be good. They should compete for a playoff spot.
4) New York Jets
I believe they'll improve on last year's 4 wins, but with the AFC East being so competitive, vaulting into a playoff spot seems unlikely.
AFC North
1) Pittsburgh Steelers
Talk about an identity change. The Steelers, once known for their stout defenses, have become a high-powered offensive team. High-powered enough to take the division.
2) Baltimore Ravens
They're always good, and this year the offense is being coached by Marc Tressman. Look for them to score a few more points than usual.
3) Cincinnati Bengals
Doesn't it seem like the Bengals win 9 or 10 games each season? That's because they've done just that each of the past 4 seasons. It never results in anything, though, except a Wild Card loss. Eight or nine wins seems about right, but no Wild Card this year.
4) Cleveland Browns
I declare every year as the year of the Browns. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me 15 times, shame on me.
AFC South
1) Indianapolis Colts
It's not even close. Andrew Luck is fantastic, and they've just added Frank Gore and Andre Johnson. If you look at the standings, I think the Colts have already clinched the division.
2) Houston Texans
If they had a better quarterback, I'd actually have them competing for the division. But they don't, and JJ Watt can only do so much.
3) Jacksonville Jaguars
This almost came down to a coin flip, but when looking at the Jags roster, they actually have some talent. Not sure how the defense will be, but they've got weapons offensively, and could score some points if Blake Bortles can make strides.
4) Tennessee Titans
Not sure how good of an NFL quarterback Marcus Mariota will be. Plus, I just don't think they're that good.
AFC West
1) Denver Broncos
I think this will be the last hoorah for Peyton Manning. He struggled mightily at the end of last season, and whether it was injuries or not, there was reason for concern. I'll give them the division because they're loaded with talent around Manning.
2) Kansas City Chiefs
Can Alex Smith actually throw a touchdown pass to a wide receiver this year? Because he didn't last year, and that still blows my mind. The Chiefs brought in Jeremy Maclin to try and rectify that. Defensively, I think they'll be quite disruptive. The playoffs look like a possibility for them.
3) San Diego Chargers
Should be pretty good again offensively. It's yet to be determined how good Melvin Gordon will be, but guys like Danny Woodhead will alleviate some of the pressure on him. Defense seems suspect. Don't see the Bolts coming out with a winning record this year.
4) Oakland Raiders
A part of me really wanted to put them 3rd, but I think they're a year off from that. I'm expecting a big improvement from this team both offensively and defensively. Derek Carr played very well as a rookie, and now has Latavius Murray as a starter, and gets to throw to Amari Cooper. On defense, Kalil Mack looks like an absolute beast. The building blocks are there, but I don't think there's enough surrounding pieces for them to compete just yet.
Wild Card Round
Broncos vs. Dolphins
Give me the Dolphins in an upset, and perhaps the last game for Peyton Manning.
Steelers vs. Ravens
This is quite possibly the best rivalry in the NFL. Every game is a slobber-knocker. The Steelers come out on top in this one.
Divisional Round
Colts vs. Dolphins
Andrew Luck and the Colts make it back-to-back AFC Championship appearances.
Patriots vs. Steelers
Two good offenses, two mediocre defenses. Give me the Steelers in an upset.
Championship Round
Colts vs. Steelers
If this game can be anything like last year's matchup, we're in for a treat. Luck and Roethlisberger combined for over 900 passing yards and 9 touchdowns. Awesome. Just awesome. After the fireworks, though, the Steelers will be the team playing for the Lombardi trophy.
Be on the lookout for my NFC and Super Bowl predictions.
Much like football, my predictions are a time-honored tradition (in my house at least). So, without further ado (not that that was too much ado), here are:
(No actual records will be predicted. I don't have the time or math skills to predict the outcome of all 512 games)
AFC EAST
1) New England Patriots
Tom Brady's no longer suspended. Enough said. Who am I kidding? I was going to pick the Patriots even if he did miss games.
2) Miami Dolphins
I'm expecting a good year from Miami. Their offense is young and improving, and anytime you add Ndomukong Suh, your defense instantly gets better.
3) Buffalo Bills
Awesome defense, plus I have a funny feeling that Tyrod Taylor is going to be good. They should compete for a playoff spot.
4) New York Jets
I believe they'll improve on last year's 4 wins, but with the AFC East being so competitive, vaulting into a playoff spot seems unlikely.
AFC North
1) Pittsburgh Steelers
Talk about an identity change. The Steelers, once known for their stout defenses, have become a high-powered offensive team. High-powered enough to take the division.
2) Baltimore Ravens
They're always good, and this year the offense is being coached by Marc Tressman. Look for them to score a few more points than usual.
3) Cincinnati Bengals
Doesn't it seem like the Bengals win 9 or 10 games each season? That's because they've done just that each of the past 4 seasons. It never results in anything, though, except a Wild Card loss. Eight or nine wins seems about right, but no Wild Card this year.
4) Cleveland Browns
I declare every year as the year of the Browns. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me 15 times, shame on me.
AFC South
1) Indianapolis Colts
It's not even close. Andrew Luck is fantastic, and they've just added Frank Gore and Andre Johnson. If you look at the standings, I think the Colts have already clinched the division.
2) Houston Texans
If they had a better quarterback, I'd actually have them competing for the division. But they don't, and JJ Watt can only do so much.
3) Jacksonville Jaguars
This almost came down to a coin flip, but when looking at the Jags roster, they actually have some talent. Not sure how the defense will be, but they've got weapons offensively, and could score some points if Blake Bortles can make strides.
4) Tennessee Titans
Not sure how good of an NFL quarterback Marcus Mariota will be. Plus, I just don't think they're that good.
AFC West
1) Denver Broncos
I think this will be the last hoorah for Peyton Manning. He struggled mightily at the end of last season, and whether it was injuries or not, there was reason for concern. I'll give them the division because they're loaded with talent around Manning.
2) Kansas City Chiefs
Can Alex Smith actually throw a touchdown pass to a wide receiver this year? Because he didn't last year, and that still blows my mind. The Chiefs brought in Jeremy Maclin to try and rectify that. Defensively, I think they'll be quite disruptive. The playoffs look like a possibility for them.
3) San Diego Chargers
Should be pretty good again offensively. It's yet to be determined how good Melvin Gordon will be, but guys like Danny Woodhead will alleviate some of the pressure on him. Defense seems suspect. Don't see the Bolts coming out with a winning record this year.
4) Oakland Raiders
A part of me really wanted to put them 3rd, but I think they're a year off from that. I'm expecting a big improvement from this team both offensively and defensively. Derek Carr played very well as a rookie, and now has Latavius Murray as a starter, and gets to throw to Amari Cooper. On defense, Kalil Mack looks like an absolute beast. The building blocks are there, but I don't think there's enough surrounding pieces for them to compete just yet.
Wild Card Round
Broncos vs. Dolphins
Give me the Dolphins in an upset, and perhaps the last game for Peyton Manning.
Steelers vs. Ravens
This is quite possibly the best rivalry in the NFL. Every game is a slobber-knocker. The Steelers come out on top in this one.
Divisional Round
Colts vs. Dolphins
Andrew Luck and the Colts make it back-to-back AFC Championship appearances.
Patriots vs. Steelers
Two good offenses, two mediocre defenses. Give me the Steelers in an upset.
Championship Round
Colts vs. Steelers
If this game can be anything like last year's matchup, we're in for a treat. Luck and Roethlisberger combined for over 900 passing yards and 9 touchdowns. Awesome. Just awesome. After the fireworks, though, the Steelers will be the team playing for the Lombardi trophy.
Be on the lookout for my NFC and Super Bowl predictions.
Friday, July 3, 2015
MLB All Star game still proving to be a joke
I've been putting up with the MLB All Star game for several years now, but this might be the straw that broke the camel's back. The "this" I'm referring to, is that there are currently 5 Kansas City Royals in the starting lineup, and a couple more in contention to crack it for the American League. That's absurd, especially since one guy in particular (Omar Infante) shouldn't even be mentioned in the same breath as "all-star". I'll get into that more in a second.
Let me first complain about the all-star game itself. Back in 2003 (I believe), major league baseball attempted to give some significant meaning to the game by rewarding the winning league with home-field advantage in the World Series. Gosh, it even pisses me off just typing that out. So, for example, let's say in a particular year the National League team wins the All Star game. A team from the American League wins 105 games that season and gets to the World Series. Wow, great season. A National League team wins 85 games and sneaks into the championship. Despite being 20 games worse record-wise, the National League team will get home-field advantage just because of the All Star game. Is that not the stupidest thing ever? Why would you penalize a team that had a great season, and reward another that was mediocre? I'm all for making the game more meaningful to attract viewers, but come up with something else.
So that dumb rule is here to stay. Ok, I'll have to get over it. But then at least make sure that the best possible players, or at least most deserving, are playing in the game. NOPE. Couldn't even get that. MLB is still letting the fans vote for the all-star starters. And as we all know, anytime there's a vote, it's usually just a popularity contest. Well, this year takes the cake. As I mentioned above, there are currently 5 Royals starting in the game. Thankfully that's down, because if I'm not mistaken, at least 7 Kansas City starters were slated to start the All Star game not too long ago. Here's what the voting looks like as of just a couple of days ago:
TAKE THE VOTE AWAY FROM THE STUPID FANS! Come on, Anthony, stay focused.
There's one Royal that deserves to start the game, and that's Lorenzo Cain. Not one of the other guys should be in there. Not one. Let's do a little stat comparing, shall we? We'll start in the outfield where Alex Gordon currently sits 3rd.
Alex Gordon - BA: .265 - HR: 9 - RBI: 32 - RUNS: 29 - SB: 1
Here are some fellas that should be starting over him.
Brett Gardner - BA: .304 - HR: 9 - RBI: 39 - RUNS: 58 - SB: 15
Yoenis Cespedes - BA: .289 - HR: 10 - RBI: 43 - RUNS: 44 - SB: 3
J.D. Martinez - BA: .281 - HR: 21 - RBI: 51 - RUNS: 46 - SB: 2
See the difference? And that doesn't include Adam Jones, Kevin Pillar, Michael Brantley, Josh Reddick, Torri Hunter or Hanley Ramirez who all deserve to be in there over Gordon, too.
How about catcher?
Starter:
Salvador Perez - BA: .263 - HR: 13 - RBI: 34 - RUNS: 26 - SB: 1
Should be:
Stephen Vogt - BA: .290 - HR: 13 - RBI: 53 - RUNS: 58 - SB: 0
Clearly the Royals fans knew that speed would help win the game, so Perez's 1 stolen base really came into play. (Getting angrier)
Shortstop:
Starter:
Alcides Escobar - BA: .273 - HR: 2 - RBI: 28 - RUNS: 37 - SB: 5
Should be:
Xander Bogaerts - BA: .297 - HR: 3 - RBI: 35 - RUNS: 34 - SB: 4
Finally a little closer, but the 24 point higher batting average is the clincher for me.
Now onto the creme de la creme, second base. Get ready to laugh. Or throw up. I did both when I saw this.
Omar Infante - BA: .231 - HR: 0 - RBI: 23 - RUNS: 23 - SB: 1
That's the funny part. Now get the waste basket in position, because here comes the boom.
Jason Kipnis - BA: .347 - HR: 6 - RBI: 35 - RUNS: 55 - SB: 10
Jose Altuve - BA: .298 - HR: 7 - RBI: 33 - RUNS: 38 - SB: 23
Dustin Pedroia - BA: .306 - HR: 9 - RBI: 33 - RUNS: 34 - SB: 1
Like the outfield, this doesn't include guys like Brian Dozier, Ian Kinsler or Logan Forsythe. Nauseating. Major league baseball should be mortified just from this position alone.
The crazy thing is, as much as I want fan voting banned, the National League lineup is almost perfect.
There's only 2 problems with this lineup and 1 questionable call. It must be a mid-west thing, though, because these problems revolve around the St. Louis Cardinals.
Third base starter:
Matt Carpenter - BA: .278 - HR: 8 - RBI: 38 - RUNS: 45 - SB: 1
Should be:
Todd Frazier - BA: .283 - HR: 25 - RBI: 54 - RUNS: 54 - SB: 8
or:
Nolan Arenado - BA: .287 - HR: 24 - RBI: 68 - RUNS: 49 - SB: 0
Come on Cards fans. This one isn't even close.
Outfield:
I'm not even going to give the statistics for this position. Matt Holliday (3rd outfielder) has been out for just about a month now, and from the sound of it, won't be ready to play in the All Star game anyway. It looks like Nori Aoki is next in line, and that is incredibly wrong, too. There's way too many guys to list by name who are more worthy of starting, but let's just say the number exceeds 10.
The questionable call is at short stop, but it's not dramatic enough to get into.
So what should happen when one league's fans get it right, and the other's don't? I still vote to take the vote away from the fans (see what I did there?). If this game has to decide home-field advantage in the freakin' World Series, can we at least make sure the very best players are representing their leagues? Because as a Yankee fan, I sure as hell don't want Omar Infante up in the bottom of the 9th with the game on the line.
I hope the National League wins the All Star game 451-0, and then Kansas City makes it to the World Series again and loses in game 7 on the road. Take that Royals fans. :)
Let me first complain about the all-star game itself. Back in 2003 (I believe), major league baseball attempted to give some significant meaning to the game by rewarding the winning league with home-field advantage in the World Series. Gosh, it even pisses me off just typing that out. So, for example, let's say in a particular year the National League team wins the All Star game. A team from the American League wins 105 games that season and gets to the World Series. Wow, great season. A National League team wins 85 games and sneaks into the championship. Despite being 20 games worse record-wise, the National League team will get home-field advantage just because of the All Star game. Is that not the stupidest thing ever? Why would you penalize a team that had a great season, and reward another that was mediocre? I'm all for making the game more meaningful to attract viewers, but come up with something else.
So that dumb rule is here to stay. Ok, I'll have to get over it. But then at least make sure that the best possible players, or at least most deserving, are playing in the game. NOPE. Couldn't even get that. MLB is still letting the fans vote for the all-star starters. And as we all know, anytime there's a vote, it's usually just a popularity contest. Well, this year takes the cake. As I mentioned above, there are currently 5 Royals starting in the game. Thankfully that's down, because if I'm not mistaken, at least 7 Kansas City starters were slated to start the All Star game not too long ago. Here's what the voting looks like as of just a couple of days ago:
 |
| Tweeted by MLB Communications (@MLB_PR) |
There's one Royal that deserves to start the game, and that's Lorenzo Cain. Not one of the other guys should be in there. Not one. Let's do a little stat comparing, shall we? We'll start in the outfield where Alex Gordon currently sits 3rd.
Alex Gordon - BA: .265 - HR: 9 - RBI: 32 - RUNS: 29 - SB: 1
Here are some fellas that should be starting over him.
Brett Gardner - BA: .304 - HR: 9 - RBI: 39 - RUNS: 58 - SB: 15
Yoenis Cespedes - BA: .289 - HR: 10 - RBI: 43 - RUNS: 44 - SB: 3
J.D. Martinez - BA: .281 - HR: 21 - RBI: 51 - RUNS: 46 - SB: 2
See the difference? And that doesn't include Adam Jones, Kevin Pillar, Michael Brantley, Josh Reddick, Torri Hunter or Hanley Ramirez who all deserve to be in there over Gordon, too.
How about catcher?
Starter:
Salvador Perez - BA: .263 - HR: 13 - RBI: 34 - RUNS: 26 - SB: 1
Should be:
Stephen Vogt - BA: .290 - HR: 13 - RBI: 53 - RUNS: 58 - SB: 0
Clearly the Royals fans knew that speed would help win the game, so Perez's 1 stolen base really came into play. (Getting angrier)
Shortstop:
Starter:
Alcides Escobar - BA: .273 - HR: 2 - RBI: 28 - RUNS: 37 - SB: 5
Should be:
Xander Bogaerts - BA: .297 - HR: 3 - RBI: 35 - RUNS: 34 - SB: 4
Finally a little closer, but the 24 point higher batting average is the clincher for me.
Now onto the creme de la creme, second base. Get ready to laugh. Or throw up. I did both when I saw this.
Omar Infante - BA: .231 - HR: 0 - RBI: 23 - RUNS: 23 - SB: 1
That's the funny part. Now get the waste basket in position, because here comes the boom.
Jason Kipnis - BA: .347 - HR: 6 - RBI: 35 - RUNS: 55 - SB: 10
Jose Altuve - BA: .298 - HR: 7 - RBI: 33 - RUNS: 38 - SB: 23
Dustin Pedroia - BA: .306 - HR: 9 - RBI: 33 - RUNS: 34 - SB: 1
Like the outfield, this doesn't include guys like Brian Dozier, Ian Kinsler or Logan Forsythe. Nauseating. Major league baseball should be mortified just from this position alone.
The crazy thing is, as much as I want fan voting banned, the National League lineup is almost perfect.
 | ||||
| Tweeted by MLB Communications (@MLB_PR) |
Third base starter:
Matt Carpenter - BA: .278 - HR: 8 - RBI: 38 - RUNS: 45 - SB: 1
Should be:
Todd Frazier - BA: .283 - HR: 25 - RBI: 54 - RUNS: 54 - SB: 8
or:
Nolan Arenado - BA: .287 - HR: 24 - RBI: 68 - RUNS: 49 - SB: 0
Come on Cards fans. This one isn't even close.
Outfield:
I'm not even going to give the statistics for this position. Matt Holliday (3rd outfielder) has been out for just about a month now, and from the sound of it, won't be ready to play in the All Star game anyway. It looks like Nori Aoki is next in line, and that is incredibly wrong, too. There's way too many guys to list by name who are more worthy of starting, but let's just say the number exceeds 10.
The questionable call is at short stop, but it's not dramatic enough to get into.
So what should happen when one league's fans get it right, and the other's don't? I still vote to take the vote away from the fans (see what I did there?). If this game has to decide home-field advantage in the freakin' World Series, can we at least make sure the very best players are representing their leagues? Because as a Yankee fan, I sure as hell don't want Omar Infante up in the bottom of the 9th with the game on the line.
I hope the National League wins the All Star game 451-0, and then Kansas City makes it to the World Series again and loses in game 7 on the road. Take that Royals fans. :)
Thursday, June 25, 2015
NBA Draft: What's your move, Knicks?
After literally the worst season in Knicks history, I still find myself feeling optimistic. How's that possible? Am I drunk or delusional? Well, I'm not a big drinker, so I'm certainly not drunk. Delusional, however, is a real possibility considering I just took a Benadryl. All kidding aside, the reason I'm feeling hopeful for a bounce back year is because the NBA Draft is tonight, and the Knicks are selecting at number 4. With some of New York's draft picks in the last few years, you'd think I'd be more scared than excited (Iman Shumpert, Renaldo Balkman, Andy Rautins, Landry Fields). But that was a different regime, and I'm really hoping that Phil Jackson and co. can bring someone in with a lot of upside and talent. I'm going to take a look at some of the guys that might be available at 4, if the Knicks don't make a trade (also a good possibility).
Let's get a couple of names out of the way immediately. Karl-Anthony Towns and Jahlil Okafor will almost certainly be chosen 1 and 2, leaving a handful of players that have the potential to be chosen by the Knicks.
1.) D'Angelo Russell
Russell is actually still a hair of a long shot because the 76ers are picking at 3. Last year Philadelphia traded away their point guard, Michael Carter-Williams, leaving a vacancy at the 1 spot. Believed to be the best point guard in the class, there's probably a 99% chance that they take him. If for some reason they don't, I think New York would be all over Russell. While he's lacking on defense (and who isn't in today's NBA), he makes up for it with his ability to score and his great floor vision. He's got a really good jumper, can penetrate the lane, but can just as easily find an open man. He apparently isn't quite as athletic as some of the guys in the league now (Russell Westbrook, John Wall, etc.), but I doubt that will hurt his draft stock.
2.) Emmanuel Mudiay
Someone who is super athletic, is Mudiay. He's a point guard too, but isn't quite the scorer or shooter that Russell is. He can, however, see the floor just as well and is a much better defender. I'm hearing that Jackson and Derek Fisher are adamant on keeping the triangle-offense intact, so Mudiay might not be the pick due to his lack of offense. If they weren't, though, I'd have no problem with them taking him and helping him develop his jump shot, because with a little more offense, he could become a great player.
3.) Kristaps Porzingis
I've been hearing a ton about Porzingis over the last few days, and it's all positive. When all of the draft coverage first started, player analysis, scouting reports, what have you, people made this kid sound like Andrea Bargnani. A really tall player that can shoot and spread the floor, but not play a lick of defense. Well, all of that has changed. Now I'm hearing how he can shoot and spread the floor, but also protect the rim. So which is it? Is he soft or can he bang down low with NBA players? Considering his lanky frame, it might be a couple of seasons before he packs on some meat, but it sounds like there's more upside than risk, making him a real possibility for New York at 4.
4.) Justise Winslow
Winslow really made a name for himself in the NCAA tournament last year, and that could be the very reason he projects in the top 10 and maybe the top 5. He doesn't appear to have any weaknesses, but the only thing I could find is that his jump shot needs improvement. Considering he's 19, I think that's the best problem to have. He's got a great motor, he's quick and is a good defender. He doesn't really have a set position, though. Could be a small forward or a shooting guard, but with all of those positive traits, who cares, right?
There are a few other players that have been linked to New York, such as Willie Cauley-Stein, Frank Kaminsky and Trey Lyles. If the Knicks want one of those 3 guys, they should, and hopefully will, trade down. If any of them get selected at 4, you can be sure that the boo's will rain down.
Russell, Mudiay, Porzingis and Winslow are the guys that I think have the best shot of becoming a Knick tonight. However, it wouldn't be a Knicks article without mentioning the possibility of a trade. There was a rumor this week that the Phoenix Suns offered Eric Bledsoe and their 13th pick for New York's 1st rounder. I just read that that trade is already off the table, but something like that would make sense for New York. Getting a proven player and still netting a 1st rounder is the best case scenario. Not only could you hit a homerun with the draft pick, but having Carmelo Anthony plus another good player might help attract some free agents this summer.
If I had to guess, I'll say the Knicks end up trading the pick, whether it be for a player or for more picks. The beauty of it is nothing is set in stone, so there's a ton of scenarios that can play out. Should make for a very entertaining night.
Let's get a couple of names out of the way immediately. Karl-Anthony Towns and Jahlil Okafor will almost certainly be chosen 1 and 2, leaving a handful of players that have the potential to be chosen by the Knicks.
1.) D'Angelo Russell
Russell is actually still a hair of a long shot because the 76ers are picking at 3. Last year Philadelphia traded away their point guard, Michael Carter-Williams, leaving a vacancy at the 1 spot. Believed to be the best point guard in the class, there's probably a 99% chance that they take him. If for some reason they don't, I think New York would be all over Russell. While he's lacking on defense (and who isn't in today's NBA), he makes up for it with his ability to score and his great floor vision. He's got a really good jumper, can penetrate the lane, but can just as easily find an open man. He apparently isn't quite as athletic as some of the guys in the league now (Russell Westbrook, John Wall, etc.), but I doubt that will hurt his draft stock.
2.) Emmanuel Mudiay
Someone who is super athletic, is Mudiay. He's a point guard too, but isn't quite the scorer or shooter that Russell is. He can, however, see the floor just as well and is a much better defender. I'm hearing that Jackson and Derek Fisher are adamant on keeping the triangle-offense intact, so Mudiay might not be the pick due to his lack of offense. If they weren't, though, I'd have no problem with them taking him and helping him develop his jump shot, because with a little more offense, he could become a great player.
3.) Kristaps Porzingis
I've been hearing a ton about Porzingis over the last few days, and it's all positive. When all of the draft coverage first started, player analysis, scouting reports, what have you, people made this kid sound like Andrea Bargnani. A really tall player that can shoot and spread the floor, but not play a lick of defense. Well, all of that has changed. Now I'm hearing how he can shoot and spread the floor, but also protect the rim. So which is it? Is he soft or can he bang down low with NBA players? Considering his lanky frame, it might be a couple of seasons before he packs on some meat, but it sounds like there's more upside than risk, making him a real possibility for New York at 4.
4.) Justise Winslow
Winslow really made a name for himself in the NCAA tournament last year, and that could be the very reason he projects in the top 10 and maybe the top 5. He doesn't appear to have any weaknesses, but the only thing I could find is that his jump shot needs improvement. Considering he's 19, I think that's the best problem to have. He's got a great motor, he's quick and is a good defender. He doesn't really have a set position, though. Could be a small forward or a shooting guard, but with all of those positive traits, who cares, right?
There are a few other players that have been linked to New York, such as Willie Cauley-Stein, Frank Kaminsky and Trey Lyles. If the Knicks want one of those 3 guys, they should, and hopefully will, trade down. If any of them get selected at 4, you can be sure that the boo's will rain down.
Russell, Mudiay, Porzingis and Winslow are the guys that I think have the best shot of becoming a Knick tonight. However, it wouldn't be a Knicks article without mentioning the possibility of a trade. There was a rumor this week that the Phoenix Suns offered Eric Bledsoe and their 13th pick for New York's 1st rounder. I just read that that trade is already off the table, but something like that would make sense for New York. Getting a proven player and still netting a 1st rounder is the best case scenario. Not only could you hit a homerun with the draft pick, but having Carmelo Anthony plus another good player might help attract some free agents this summer.
If I had to guess, I'll say the Knicks end up trading the pick, whether it be for a player or for more picks. The beauty of it is nothing is set in stone, so there's a ton of scenarios that can play out. Should make for a very entertaining night.
Thursday, June 11, 2015
Highs and lows of the baseball season, so far
With a little more than a quarter of the season already gone by, I thought it would be fun to touch on some things that have happened so far this year, both good and bad.
Let's first get into some disappointments. The first thing I think of when talking disappointments are teams that aren't living up to expectations. So far this season, those teams are Oakland, Detroit, Baltimore and Boston. The Red Sox finished with a 71-91 record last year, but were expected to have at least somewhat of a turnaround. Oakland and Baltimore both finished with winning records and made the playoffs last year. Neither of them is above .500 thus far. As for Detroit, yes, they currently have a winning record, but they're only 30-28 and are sitting in 3rd place in their division. Who are they trailing? Kansas City, which is no surprise, but the other team isn't so obvious. You'll read about them in the "surprise" section.
As far as some players that have disappointed, look no further than 2nd base. Stephen Drew of the Yankees is batting a whopping .175. That's horrendous. Actually, to call that horrendous is an insult to all the horrendous players out there. Drew's never been a .300 hitter, but he's been abnormally putrid these last couple of seasons, and this one takes the cake. The other guy not coming close to meeting expectations is Robinson Cano. Since joining Seattle last season, he's had a complete power outage (which I correctly predicted here). But this year his batting average has taken a nose-dive as well. He's currently hitting .242. That's a 65 point drop-off from his .307 career average. I've heard that Cano doesn't like it in Seattle. Who told you to go there, dude? Jay-Z? The $300 million dollar contract? It must be the weather he doesn't like, because last year he had a winning team (despite not making the playoffs), and this year he's hitting in front of a guy (Nelson Cruz) who's hitting .326 with 18 home runs and 39 RBI. If Cano could get on base once in a while, Seattle would probably be right in the thick of things. The power numbers I knew would come down, but the batting average is definitely shocking.
Enough disappointments, I'm getting depressed. Let's talk about some surprises. Being a Yankee fan, I have to start off with my boys. I couldn't be more amazed that they have a winning record, let alone the fact that they're in 1st place in the East. As a matter of fact, they're only 1 game shy of having the best record in the American League. Who do they trail? Well that would be my second surprise, the Houston Astros. At 34-26, they have the 3rd best record in all of baseball. Who saw this coming!? Oh wait, I did! They've already got a lot of young talent, and now they've called up top-prospect Carlos Correa. They may not end up winning the division, but I'll be stunned if they're not fighting for it til the very end. A team that is stunning me is the Minnesota Twins. They're in second place in the AL Central, and if the season ended today, would be a playoff team. I'm sure some of you didn't even remember Minnesota had a baseball team. All kidding aside, I have no idea how they're winning and will be floored if they continue to put up W's. Unless the universe is completely out of whack, look for the Twinkies to fall back to earth.
I'd be remiss if I didn't give a little "surprise" love to the Mets. They're only 3 games above .500, but so far that's good enough for 1st place in the NL East. Their pitching staff is the real deal. Harvey, deGrom, Syndergaard and next year they'll get Zach Wheeler back. Wow. Thus far, they've allowed the 6th fewest runs in all of baseball (219). The problem is they've also scored the 6th fewest runs in all of baseball (219). They've scored 2 or fewer runs in 17 of their 28 losses. If they could just put a few more runs on the board, their record would look a whole lot different.
As far as surprising players go, there were several guys to choose from. Dee Gordon (.362 batting average, best in baseball), Mark Teixeira (17 jacks, 45 RBI), Dallas Keuchel and Sonny Gray (1.90 and 1.74 ERA respectively). But I'm going to pick a guy who's been a household name before he even got to the Bigs: Bryce Harper. This guy has been hyped up since he was a kid. Before this year, he had a career average of .272, with 55 home runs and 149 RBI. Considering those seasons came during ages 19-21, and he battled a couple of injuries, those are some damn good numbers. But this year it all seems to be coming together in a big way. He's hitting .330 with 20 bombs and 47 RBI so far this season. He'll probably have career-best numbers by the All-Star break. Considering he's only 22 years old, if this is a sign of his future, then we could be watching one of the best players ever. Hopefully I didn't just jinx him.
I'd be remiss if I didn't give a little "surprise" love to the Mets. They're only 3 games above .500, but so far that's good enough for 1st place in the NL East. Their pitching staff is the real deal. Harvey, deGrom, Syndergaard and next year they'll get Zach Wheeler back. Wow. Thus far, they've allowed the 6th fewest runs in all of baseball (219). The problem is they've also scored the 6th fewest runs in all of baseball (219). They've scored 2 or fewer runs in 17 of their 28 losses. If they could just put a few more runs on the board, their record would look a whole lot different.
As far as surprising players go, there were several guys to choose from. Dee Gordon (.362 batting average, best in baseball), Mark Teixeira (17 jacks, 45 RBI), Dallas Keuchel and Sonny Gray (1.90 and 1.74 ERA respectively). But I'm going to pick a guy who's been a household name before he even got to the Bigs: Bryce Harper. This guy has been hyped up since he was a kid. Before this year, he had a career average of .272, with 55 home runs and 149 RBI. Considering those seasons came during ages 19-21, and he battled a couple of injuries, those are some damn good numbers. But this year it all seems to be coming together in a big way. He's hitting .330 with 20 bombs and 47 RBI so far this season. He'll probably have career-best numbers by the All-Star break. Considering he's only 22 years old, if this is a sign of his future, then we could be watching one of the best players ever. Hopefully I didn't just jinx him.
I'm sure some of the things I've talked about will change, but the fun part will be to see which ones. Will the Yankees and Mets continue to win? Will some players cool down (Harper), and will some heat up (Cano)? Only time will tell. In the mean time, enjoy some baseball.
Thursday, June 4, 2015
NBA Playoffs 3rd Round Recap/Finals Predictions
Well that wasn't very exciting. That was quite possibly the most uncompetitive Conference Finals I've ever seen. And on top of that, I completely botched one of my predictions. Let's take a look.
WESTERN CONFERENCE
Golden State vs. Houston
My prediction - Golden State 4-0
Actual results - Golden State 4-1
Almost got it perfect. A couple of close games, but for the most part Golden State never really seemed to be in any danger. I don't really know what else to say about this team. I've underestimated them all year, but I'm really coming around on them. Dare I say I'm a believer?
EASTERN CONFERENCE
Cleveland vs. Atlanta
My prediction - Atlanta 4-3
Actual results - Cleveland 4-0
That's sort of embarrassing. All year everyone said that Atlanta was playing way over its head, but they kept finding ways to win. They had a very quality starting lineup, and in the Conference Finals, were facing a Cleveland team missing Kevin Love and only had Kyrie Irving for two games. Yet they got swept. I guess the regular season was a fluke after all.
NBA FINALS
Golden State vs. Cleveland
Season series tied 1-1
As I said earlier, I've really come around on Golden State. They're a much better team than I thought, and they've rolled through the playoffs thus far. For that to continue, they'd better hope that Klay Thompson is completely over his concussion symptoms. He's been cleared for tonight's game 1, so we have to assume he is. Aside from that, they're coming into this series healthy (as healthy as you can be this time of year) and somewhat rested.
Cleveland is rested, too. That's the benefit of finishing off your opponent quickly. They, however, are not healthy. Love, of course, will not be playing, and while Irving will play, he won't be at 100%. He can definitely still be effective, just not dominant. That means the Cavs will once again be relying on JR Smith for offense. He's capable of putting up good numbers. Just take game 1 versus Atlanta for example (28 pts with 8 3-pointers). Don't expect him to shoot like that again, though. Golden State will make certain that doesn't happen. So if Irving is limited, and Smith is being held in check, who does that leave? Iman Shumpert? Don't think so. Timofey Mozgov? Umm, no. And sorry Cleveland fans, but LeBron can't do this on his own.
So where does that leave me? Well, there are just too many unknowns with the Cavaliers for my liking. I've been picking against Cleveland since round 2, and I won't stop now. Before I pick, though, I'd like to say that this will be a different series if Kyrie Irving has any sort of explosiveness. And yes, that's me covering my ass.
Golden State 4-2
Before I go, I just want to touch on New York fans bitching and moaning that JR Smith and Iman Shumpert are on the verge of winning a championship, and how New York wishes they had them back or should have gotten more for them. Can we stop!? These guys were not getting it done in New York. Yes, Smith was the 6th man of the year not long ago, but he wasn't that guy anymore. And as for Shumpert, is everyone kidding me? How many chances did the Knicks give this guy? He's a role player at best. He has career averages of 7.7 points per game, 2.1 assists per game and 3.6 rebounds per game. That's the guy Knicks fans want back? Get your heads out of your butts. These guys are on the verge of a championship because of LeBron James, and LeBron James alone. Despite the occasional good game here or there, don't for one minute think that Smith or Shumpert had any major influence on how far Cleveland has gone, or will go, in the playoffs.
Phew, I've been holding that in for awhile. Enjoy the finals!
WESTERN CONFERENCE
Golden State vs. Houston
My prediction - Golden State 4-0
Actual results - Golden State 4-1
Almost got it perfect. A couple of close games, but for the most part Golden State never really seemed to be in any danger. I don't really know what else to say about this team. I've underestimated them all year, but I'm really coming around on them. Dare I say I'm a believer?
EASTERN CONFERENCE
Cleveland vs. Atlanta
My prediction - Atlanta 4-3
Actual results - Cleveland 4-0
That's sort of embarrassing. All year everyone said that Atlanta was playing way over its head, but they kept finding ways to win. They had a very quality starting lineup, and in the Conference Finals, were facing a Cleveland team missing Kevin Love and only had Kyrie Irving for two games. Yet they got swept. I guess the regular season was a fluke after all.
NBA FINALS
Golden State vs. Cleveland
Season series tied 1-1
As I said earlier, I've really come around on Golden State. They're a much better team than I thought, and they've rolled through the playoffs thus far. For that to continue, they'd better hope that Klay Thompson is completely over his concussion symptoms. He's been cleared for tonight's game 1, so we have to assume he is. Aside from that, they're coming into this series healthy (as healthy as you can be this time of year) and somewhat rested.
Cleveland is rested, too. That's the benefit of finishing off your opponent quickly. They, however, are not healthy. Love, of course, will not be playing, and while Irving will play, he won't be at 100%. He can definitely still be effective, just not dominant. That means the Cavs will once again be relying on JR Smith for offense. He's capable of putting up good numbers. Just take game 1 versus Atlanta for example (28 pts with 8 3-pointers). Don't expect him to shoot like that again, though. Golden State will make certain that doesn't happen. So if Irving is limited, and Smith is being held in check, who does that leave? Iman Shumpert? Don't think so. Timofey Mozgov? Umm, no. And sorry Cleveland fans, but LeBron can't do this on his own.
So where does that leave me? Well, there are just too many unknowns with the Cavaliers for my liking. I've been picking against Cleveland since round 2, and I won't stop now. Before I pick, though, I'd like to say that this will be a different series if Kyrie Irving has any sort of explosiveness. And yes, that's me covering my ass.
Golden State 4-2
Before I go, I just want to touch on New York fans bitching and moaning that JR Smith and Iman Shumpert are on the verge of winning a championship, and how New York wishes they had them back or should have gotten more for them. Can we stop!? These guys were not getting it done in New York. Yes, Smith was the 6th man of the year not long ago, but he wasn't that guy anymore. And as for Shumpert, is everyone kidding me? How many chances did the Knicks give this guy? He's a role player at best. He has career averages of 7.7 points per game, 2.1 assists per game and 3.6 rebounds per game. That's the guy Knicks fans want back? Get your heads out of your butts. These guys are on the verge of a championship because of LeBron James, and LeBron James alone. Despite the occasional good game here or there, don't for one minute think that Smith or Shumpert had any major influence on how far Cleveland has gone, or will go, in the playoffs.
Phew, I've been holding that in for awhile. Enjoy the finals!
Thursday, May 21, 2015
Giants suffer another injury, Knicks suffer another loss (sort of)
Another year, another injury for the Giants. This time it's left tackle Will Beatty. He apparently tore his pec while lifting weights. Unfortunately this kind of news is becoming expected for New York. They were the most injured team in the NFL the last two years. And when they get injuries, they get em' big. Last year, for example, they lost Victor Cruz, Jon Beason, Geoff Schwartz, Prince Amukamara....ok, that's enough, I'm getting aggravated. The question everyone should be asking is--why? Why are they sustaining 50 million injuries a year, and to their starters nonetheless? The Giants front office needs to take a long hard look at the strength and conditioning coaches. I understand injuries happen, and no, I'm not asking for anyone's head, but given that it's not even June and already they're down a major starter screams "problem" to me.
Could it be they're drafting/signing injury prone players? Certainly a possibility (Beason, Amukamara). But there's just way too many injuries every season for that to be the major reason. So what gets done? Probably nothing. Just pray there's no more devastating losses, because they'll never be able to compete if they keep losing starters.
Speaking of losing, the Knicks just can't help themselves. Yes, yes, I know. They had no control over which ping-pong balls were going to be pulled on Tuesday night. They certainly could have helped themselves by not winning a couple of late games, especially against the Hawks. But they did win, and their odds of the 1st pick went down because of it. They still had the second best chance of getting the 1st pick, but instead ended up with the 4th. Is that terrible? No, it might not be, but we won't know right away. Unless the player they draft comes out and plays lights-out, we'll probably have to wait a couple of seasons before assessing whether or not he was a good pick.
So who will still be there at number four for New York? To me it's a guarantee that Jahlil Okafor and Karl-Anthony Towns will not be there. So that leaves two point guards: Emmanuel Mudiay and D'Angelo Russell. However, the Knicks will probably just have to take whomever the Sixers don't, because they're in the market for a point guard as well. I think I'd be ok with either Mudiay or Russell. Mudiay is more of a mystery since he played in China this past season, but the reports say that he's an explosive athlete in the mold of Russell Westbrook. Well, if he can be half the player Westbrook is, then that would be a home run. D'Angelo Russell gets high praise as well for being a play-maker who can read the court extremely well. I think either guy would be a great addition to a depleted Knicks roster. If they can draft one of those fellas, while bringing in some solid free agents like Greg Monroe, Tobias Harris, Wesley Matthews, etc., (sorry, no big name free agents will be coming to New York) to help out Carmelo Anthony, then there's no reason why this team can't be a playoff team next year. Whether or not any of this happens is yet to be seen, of course, but it at least gives us Knicks fans a reason to be hopeful.
Could it be they're drafting/signing injury prone players? Certainly a possibility (Beason, Amukamara). But there's just way too many injuries every season for that to be the major reason. So what gets done? Probably nothing. Just pray there's no more devastating losses, because they'll never be able to compete if they keep losing starters.
Speaking of losing, the Knicks just can't help themselves. Yes, yes, I know. They had no control over which ping-pong balls were going to be pulled on Tuesday night. They certainly could have helped themselves by not winning a couple of late games, especially against the Hawks. But they did win, and their odds of the 1st pick went down because of it. They still had the second best chance of getting the 1st pick, but instead ended up with the 4th. Is that terrible? No, it might not be, but we won't know right away. Unless the player they draft comes out and plays lights-out, we'll probably have to wait a couple of seasons before assessing whether or not he was a good pick.
So who will still be there at number four for New York? To me it's a guarantee that Jahlil Okafor and Karl-Anthony Towns will not be there. So that leaves two point guards: Emmanuel Mudiay and D'Angelo Russell. However, the Knicks will probably just have to take whomever the Sixers don't, because they're in the market for a point guard as well. I think I'd be ok with either Mudiay or Russell. Mudiay is more of a mystery since he played in China this past season, but the reports say that he's an explosive athlete in the mold of Russell Westbrook. Well, if he can be half the player Westbrook is, then that would be a home run. D'Angelo Russell gets high praise as well for being a play-maker who can read the court extremely well. I think either guy would be a great addition to a depleted Knicks roster. If they can draft one of those fellas, while bringing in some solid free agents like Greg Monroe, Tobias Harris, Wesley Matthews, etc., (sorry, no big name free agents will be coming to New York) to help out Carmelo Anthony, then there's no reason why this team can't be a playoff team next year. Whether or not any of this happens is yet to be seen, of course, but it at least gives us Knicks fans a reason to be hopeful.
Tuesday, May 19, 2015
NBA Playoffs Round 2 Recap/Conference Finals Predictions
That was a quality round of basketball! Every single series went at least six games. My predictions, however, were stink-a-reeno. Let's recap the last round.
Clippers vs. Rockets
My prediction - Clippers 4-3
Actual results - Rockets 4-3
Got the games right, but not the winner. The Clippers had a 3-1 series lead, yet found a way to lose. I can appreciate that any team, in any sport, can win on any given night. But Los Angeles won games three and four by 25 and 33 points, then proceeded to lose the next three games by 21, 12 and 13. I'll never understand that. Oh, the inconsistency.
Warriors vs. Grizzles
My prediction - Warriors 4-2
Actual results - Warriors 4-2
Well, would you look at that? Nailed it! This series was funny too, in that the Grizzles had a 2-1 series lead before getting their asses beat in the next three games. I'm not sure if that was a testament to poor play by Memphis, or great play from Golden State. Either way you slice it, the Warriors look legit.
Cavaliers vs. Bulls
My prediction - Bulls 4-2
Actual results - Cavs 4-2
Oops. I really thought the loss of Kevin Love would hamper the Cavs, and it may have if Pau Gasol didn't miss a couple of games himself. I really think that swung the series in Cleveland's favor. In keeping with the other series, the Bulls had a 2-1 lead but lost the next three games. Why does that keep happening?
Atlanta vs. Washington
My prediction - Washington 4-2
Actual results - Atlanta 4-2
Oops again. Atlanta came off a tough series against Brooklyn while Washington took care of Toronto with ease, hence my prediction of Washington in six. This was by far the most competitive series of the second round. Only one game ended with a double digit final score. The rest were 6, 2, 5, 1 and 3 points. Now, that's playoff basketball (cough, Rockets and Clippers, cough).
1-3 in my picks. Yuck. Big drop off from the first round (7-1). Let's see if I can turn things around in the Conference Finals.
EASTERN CONFERENCE
Atlanta vs. Cleveland
Atlanta won season series 3-1
Cleveland is coming off an impressive series win against Chicago. However, they'll still be without Kevin Love, and now Kyrie Irving is banged up. I can't see him not playing, but it could be really detrimental to the Cavs if he's not 100%. Atlanta, on the other hand, is healthy and just keeps plugging along. I don't think Atlanta is a great team, but they're very well balanced. And with no Love, maybe more balanced than Cleveland. It's really hard to bet against LeBron James, but...
Atlanta 4-3
WESTERN CONFERENCE
Golden State vs. Houston
Golden State won season series 4-0
For some reason I have a soft spot for the Clippers, so I really wanted to see them go against the Warriors. Not only that, but I thought it'd make for a competitive series. Instead it'll be Houston taking them on. As I mentioned above, both teams had to overcome series deficits to advance, and they both did so fairly convincingly. Despite having the best record in the NBA, I never bought into the Warriors, but I have to admit that I am now. All four Golden State wins against Memphis came by double digits. That's impressive. Speaking of impressive, Houston can score! They averaged a hair under 110 points per game against LA. That'll make for a great matchup against Golden State's high quality defense (94.2 ppg - 3rd in NBA). Having said all that, I just don't think the Rockets can hang with the Warriors. The season series ended with a sweep, and I think this one will too.
Golden State 4-0
Let's hope for some more good games in this round.
Clippers vs. Rockets
My prediction - Clippers 4-3
Actual results - Rockets 4-3
Got the games right, but not the winner. The Clippers had a 3-1 series lead, yet found a way to lose. I can appreciate that any team, in any sport, can win on any given night. But Los Angeles won games three and four by 25 and 33 points, then proceeded to lose the next three games by 21, 12 and 13. I'll never understand that. Oh, the inconsistency.
Warriors vs. Grizzles
My prediction - Warriors 4-2
Actual results - Warriors 4-2
Well, would you look at that? Nailed it! This series was funny too, in that the Grizzles had a 2-1 series lead before getting their asses beat in the next three games. I'm not sure if that was a testament to poor play by Memphis, or great play from Golden State. Either way you slice it, the Warriors look legit.
Cavaliers vs. Bulls
My prediction - Bulls 4-2
Actual results - Cavs 4-2
Oops. I really thought the loss of Kevin Love would hamper the Cavs, and it may have if Pau Gasol didn't miss a couple of games himself. I really think that swung the series in Cleveland's favor. In keeping with the other series, the Bulls had a 2-1 lead but lost the next three games. Why does that keep happening?
Atlanta vs. Washington
My prediction - Washington 4-2
Actual results - Atlanta 4-2
Oops again. Atlanta came off a tough series against Brooklyn while Washington took care of Toronto with ease, hence my prediction of Washington in six. This was by far the most competitive series of the second round. Only one game ended with a double digit final score. The rest were 6, 2, 5, 1 and 3 points. Now, that's playoff basketball (cough, Rockets and Clippers, cough).
1-3 in my picks. Yuck. Big drop off from the first round (7-1). Let's see if I can turn things around in the Conference Finals.
EASTERN CONFERENCE
Atlanta vs. Cleveland
Atlanta won season series 3-1
Cleveland is coming off an impressive series win against Chicago. However, they'll still be without Kevin Love, and now Kyrie Irving is banged up. I can't see him not playing, but it could be really detrimental to the Cavs if he's not 100%. Atlanta, on the other hand, is healthy and just keeps plugging along. I don't think Atlanta is a great team, but they're very well balanced. And with no Love, maybe more balanced than Cleveland. It's really hard to bet against LeBron James, but...
Atlanta 4-3
WESTERN CONFERENCE
Golden State vs. Houston
Golden State won season series 4-0
For some reason I have a soft spot for the Clippers, so I really wanted to see them go against the Warriors. Not only that, but I thought it'd make for a competitive series. Instead it'll be Houston taking them on. As I mentioned above, both teams had to overcome series deficits to advance, and they both did so fairly convincingly. Despite having the best record in the NBA, I never bought into the Warriors, but I have to admit that I am now. All four Golden State wins against Memphis came by double digits. That's impressive. Speaking of impressive, Houston can score! They averaged a hair under 110 points per game against LA. That'll make for a great matchup against Golden State's high quality defense (94.2 ppg - 3rd in NBA). Having said all that, I just don't think the Rockets can hang with the Warriors. The season series ended with a sweep, and I think this one will too.
Golden State 4-0
Let's hope for some more good games in this round.
Tuesday, May 5, 2015
Jets/Giants Draft Recap
This was a weird draft for me. This was the first time since 1997 that both the Jets and Giants had picks in the top 10. Usually I have to watch for awhile before they both make their selections, but this year I could have stopped watching after about an hour. I didn't of course, because I'm a psycho, but I could have. I already wrote about the 1st round picks for both teams, but in case you missed it, here it is. Now onto the rest.
JETS
2nd Round - Devin Smith (WR)
Despite the fact that he's from (ugh) Ohio State (don't forget, I root for all things Michigan), this was a great pickup for Gang Green. Smith is a guy that can take the top off a defense. He was quite possibly the best deep threat in all of college football last season, with a catch average of 28.2 yards. That means every time he caught the ball it was for roughly 28 yards. That's ridiculous. I don't, however, think he'll be a one-trick pony in the NFL. He appears to be working very hard to learn all the routes, which would make him a superb slot receiver and compliment to Brandon Marshall and Eric Decker.
3rd Round - Lorenzo Mauldin (OLB)
This guy had to overcome a pretty rough childhood, but apparently did a lot of maturing in college. He played defensive end at Louisville, but it appears the Jets signed him to be an edge rusher (OLB) for their 3-4 defense. Scouting reports say he has good upper body strength, but lacks top-end speed. With guys like Sheldon Richardson, Muhammad Wilkerson and now Leonard Williams, he probably doesn't need blazing speed to help rush the passer.
4th Round - Bryce Petty (QB)
Loooooooove this pick. I can't believe he fell to the 4th round, but I'm glad he did. I think the Jets got their future starting quarterback in Petty. He has good size and a good arm. He's accurate with the football and for the most part makes good decisions on the field (and off, which is always good). He'll have a fairly steep learning curve, though, coming from Baylor's fast paced style of play, but I have no doubt that he'll work hard and eventually succeed. Homerun pick.
5th Round - Jarvis Harrison (OL)
A tackle in college, Harrison projects as a guard in the NFL. According to reports, he's a good overall blocker who slipped because of effort concerns and some durability questions. A big positive, though, is that he played at Texas A&M in the SEC, which means he went up against NFL caliber players on a regular basis. That'll go a long way in easing the transition from college to the pros.
7th Round - Deon Simon (DL)
Sounds like Deon had some issues in college. He was ineligible his first two years due to poor academics, then battled weight issues and ended up with a severe knee injury forcing him to miss the last five games of the 2014 season. All that being said, the Jets took a flyer on him because of his size (if he can manage it) and strength. Hey, that's what the 7th round is for, guys with potential upside.
GIANTS
2nd Round - Landon Collins (S)
This was huge for the Giants. A lot of mock drafts had Collins going in the 1st round, so for New York to grab him in the 2nd is a steal. Most of the experts are saying that he's a more "in the box" type of safety, meaning he's better at stopping the run than in coverage. And even if that's the case, it's still ok, because the Giants were terrible at stopping the run last year. However, I'm sure he'll improve at covering receivers with some coaching. No matter how you slice it, this was a great pick.
3rd Round - Owa Odighizuwa (DE)
A guy with a tough name to pronounce, but an even tougher demeanor. Reports say he's raw, but has a high-motor, good burst and violent hands. So even though he may lack experience, there's a ton of room to grow, especially as a pass rusher. I'm sure Steve Spagnuolo will be able to get the most out of him.
5th Round - Mykkele Thompson (S)
Thompson sounds a lot like Landon Collins. A player that's above average at stopping the run, but somewhat inadequate in coverage. I have to assume the Giants drafted him for depth purposes.
6th Round - Geremy Davis (WR)
Davis has good size and appears to be a decent athlete, but wasn't ultra productive in college. Perhaps the Giants can coach him up to become a red-zone threat, but at the very least he should be able to contribute on special teams right away.
7th Round - Bobby Hart (OL)
All reports indicate that he's a fairly average player. Like most guys, there's areas that he needs improvement in (agility, quickness), but I like the fact that he was a two year starter at Florida State, because that means he played in some pretty big games, including the 2014 National Championship game.
All in all, I think both teams did pretty well in the draft, each selecting at least three players that could have huge impacts down the road, if not this season.
JETS
2nd Round - Devin Smith (WR)
Despite the fact that he's from (ugh) Ohio State (don't forget, I root for all things Michigan), this was a great pickup for Gang Green. Smith is a guy that can take the top off a defense. He was quite possibly the best deep threat in all of college football last season, with a catch average of 28.2 yards. That means every time he caught the ball it was for roughly 28 yards. That's ridiculous. I don't, however, think he'll be a one-trick pony in the NFL. He appears to be working very hard to learn all the routes, which would make him a superb slot receiver and compliment to Brandon Marshall and Eric Decker.
3rd Round - Lorenzo Mauldin (OLB)
This guy had to overcome a pretty rough childhood, but apparently did a lot of maturing in college. He played defensive end at Louisville, but it appears the Jets signed him to be an edge rusher (OLB) for their 3-4 defense. Scouting reports say he has good upper body strength, but lacks top-end speed. With guys like Sheldon Richardson, Muhammad Wilkerson and now Leonard Williams, he probably doesn't need blazing speed to help rush the passer.
4th Round - Bryce Petty (QB)
Loooooooove this pick. I can't believe he fell to the 4th round, but I'm glad he did. I think the Jets got their future starting quarterback in Petty. He has good size and a good arm. He's accurate with the football and for the most part makes good decisions on the field (and off, which is always good). He'll have a fairly steep learning curve, though, coming from Baylor's fast paced style of play, but I have no doubt that he'll work hard and eventually succeed. Homerun pick.
5th Round - Jarvis Harrison (OL)
A tackle in college, Harrison projects as a guard in the NFL. According to reports, he's a good overall blocker who slipped because of effort concerns and some durability questions. A big positive, though, is that he played at Texas A&M in the SEC, which means he went up against NFL caliber players on a regular basis. That'll go a long way in easing the transition from college to the pros.
7th Round - Deon Simon (DL)
Sounds like Deon had some issues in college. He was ineligible his first two years due to poor academics, then battled weight issues and ended up with a severe knee injury forcing him to miss the last five games of the 2014 season. All that being said, the Jets took a flyer on him because of his size (if he can manage it) and strength. Hey, that's what the 7th round is for, guys with potential upside.
GIANTS
2nd Round - Landon Collins (S)
This was huge for the Giants. A lot of mock drafts had Collins going in the 1st round, so for New York to grab him in the 2nd is a steal. Most of the experts are saying that he's a more "in the box" type of safety, meaning he's better at stopping the run than in coverage. And even if that's the case, it's still ok, because the Giants were terrible at stopping the run last year. However, I'm sure he'll improve at covering receivers with some coaching. No matter how you slice it, this was a great pick.
3rd Round - Owa Odighizuwa (DE)
A guy with a tough name to pronounce, but an even tougher demeanor. Reports say he's raw, but has a high-motor, good burst and violent hands. So even though he may lack experience, there's a ton of room to grow, especially as a pass rusher. I'm sure Steve Spagnuolo will be able to get the most out of him.
5th Round - Mykkele Thompson (S)
Thompson sounds a lot like Landon Collins. A player that's above average at stopping the run, but somewhat inadequate in coverage. I have to assume the Giants drafted him for depth purposes.
6th Round - Geremy Davis (WR)
Davis has good size and appears to be a decent athlete, but wasn't ultra productive in college. Perhaps the Giants can coach him up to become a red-zone threat, but at the very least he should be able to contribute on special teams right away.
7th Round - Bobby Hart (OL)
All reports indicate that he's a fairly average player. Like most guys, there's areas that he needs improvement in (agility, quickness), but I like the fact that he was a two year starter at Florida State, because that means he played in some pretty big games, including the 2014 National Championship game.
All in all, I think both teams did pretty well in the draft, each selecting at least three players that could have huge impacts down the road, if not this season.
Monday, May 4, 2015
NBA Playoffs - Round 1 Recap/Round 2 Predictions
Well, I didn't get all of the series right in my first post, but I did go 7 out of 8, and for me that's amazing. Let's recap the 1st round.
EASTERN CONFERENCE
Atlanta vs Brooklyn
My prediction - Atlanta 4-0
Actual result - Atlanta 4-2
Got the winner right, but was off on the number of games. Brooklyn played them pretty well until the series-clinching 6th game. I'm not sure if I should give more credit to the Nets, or be worried about the Hawks for the rest of the playoffs.
Cleveland vs Boston
My prediction - Cleveland 4-0
Actual result - Cleveland 4-0
Bango! Got the winner and games right. Not much to say here, but I'd like to tip my cap to Boston for never really getting blown out in any of the games. They played much tougher than I thought they would. That being said, they were still swept. :)
Chicago vs Milwaukee
My prediction - Chicago 4-1
Actual result - Chicago 4-2
Pretty darn close. But much like Boston and Brooklyn, Milwaukee played some good basketball. Until that last game and all, when they lost by 54 points. Yeah, you read that right.
Toronto vs Washington
My prediction - Toronto 4-2
Actual result - Washington 4-0
(cue the sad music)
Holy smokes did I botch this series. Not only did Toronto lose, but they got swept. I think Washington is a decent team, but I'd be lying if I said I saw this coming. Well, obviously that would be a lie since I just told you my original prediction.
WESTERN CONFERENCE
Golden State vs New Orleans
My prediction - Golden State 4-3
Actual result - Golden State 4-0
Before any of you start laughing at me, hear me out. There were two games that New Orleans absolutely should have won. The Warriors had to overcome deficits of 20 and 13 points. Had the Pelicans played actual basketball in the 4th quarter of those games, this would have been a totally different series and made my 4-3 prediction quite respectable. Quite!
Houston vs Dallas
My prediction - Houston 4-1
Actual result - Houston 4-1
What, what, whaaaaatttt! Yessir, nailed two series perfectly. Props to the Mavericks for playing hard, but the Rockets were too much for them to handle.
Los Angeles vs San Antonio
My prediction - Los Angeles 4-3
Actual result - Los Angeles 4-3
Get the fudge outta' here! I'm on fire with these predictions! This series was insane for the 1st round. It had the look and feel of a conference finals matchup. Tons of people were complaining that these two teams had to play each other so early, but that's the way the cookie crumbles, folks. The NBA had better hope the rest of the playoffs pan out like this series did.
Memphis vs Portland
My prediction - Memphis 4-0
Actual result - Memphis 4-1
Portland played better basketball in the last three games, even pulling out a win, but this series was never in question.
My picks weren't too shabby, huh? Now let's get some round 2 predictions.
EASTERN CONFERENCE
Atlanta vs Washington
I'm a day late on a couple of series, and this is one of them. Washington has already taken game 1 from Atlanta. Had Brooklyn not won two games against the Hawks, I would have most certainly picked Atlanta, but they were completely underwhelming in that series. While I think the Wizards played a little above their heads in the sweep of Toronto, they just seem to be clicking right now.
Washington 4-2
Cleveland vs Chicago
This would have been a great series had Kevin Love not gotten hurt and JR Smith not been suspended two games. The Bulls are finally at 100%, which they haven't been for a couple of years now. When it's all said and done, though, I really think the Love injury will prove to be too much for Cleveland to overcome.
Chicago 4-2
WESTERN CONFERENCE
Golden State vs Memphis
This is the other series that already played its first game. Shockingly, Golden State won. Let's just cut to the chase. Golden State is going to win, it's just a question of by how much. To me it depends on the health of Mike Conley. He already missed the first game, and if he misses more time, this could very well end up being a sweep. For the sake of my predictions, I'll assume Conley ends up playing.
Golden State 4-2
Houston vs Los Angeles
This should be a great series. James Harden, Dwight Howard, Chris Paul, Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan. It's packed with all-stars, but will all of them play? Chris Paul hurt his hamstring in the last game of the Spurs series. Though the MRI came back clean, a hamstring injury is still hard to bounce back from. Despite that, Paul shouldn't have a problem scoring on the likes of Jason Terry. This should be a fun, high scoring and entertaining series.
Los Angeles 4-3
This 2nd round should be a good one. Enjoy the games and let's see if I can keep my good predictions rolling.
EASTERN CONFERENCE
Atlanta vs Brooklyn
My prediction - Atlanta 4-0
Actual result - Atlanta 4-2
Got the winner right, but was off on the number of games. Brooklyn played them pretty well until the series-clinching 6th game. I'm not sure if I should give more credit to the Nets, or be worried about the Hawks for the rest of the playoffs.
Cleveland vs Boston
My prediction - Cleveland 4-0
Actual result - Cleveland 4-0
Bango! Got the winner and games right. Not much to say here, but I'd like to tip my cap to Boston for never really getting blown out in any of the games. They played much tougher than I thought they would. That being said, they were still swept. :)
Chicago vs Milwaukee
My prediction - Chicago 4-1
Actual result - Chicago 4-2
Pretty darn close. But much like Boston and Brooklyn, Milwaukee played some good basketball. Until that last game and all, when they lost by 54 points. Yeah, you read that right.
Toronto vs Washington
My prediction - Toronto 4-2
Actual result - Washington 4-0
(cue the sad music)
Holy smokes did I botch this series. Not only did Toronto lose, but they got swept. I think Washington is a decent team, but I'd be lying if I said I saw this coming. Well, obviously that would be a lie since I just told you my original prediction.
WESTERN CONFERENCE
Golden State vs New Orleans
My prediction - Golden State 4-3
Actual result - Golden State 4-0
Before any of you start laughing at me, hear me out. There were two games that New Orleans absolutely should have won. The Warriors had to overcome deficits of 20 and 13 points. Had the Pelicans played actual basketball in the 4th quarter of those games, this would have been a totally different series and made my 4-3 prediction quite respectable. Quite!
Houston vs Dallas
My prediction - Houston 4-1
Actual result - Houston 4-1
What, what, whaaaaatttt! Yessir, nailed two series perfectly. Props to the Mavericks for playing hard, but the Rockets were too much for them to handle.
Los Angeles vs San Antonio
My prediction - Los Angeles 4-3
Actual result - Los Angeles 4-3
Get the fudge outta' here! I'm on fire with these predictions! This series was insane for the 1st round. It had the look and feel of a conference finals matchup. Tons of people were complaining that these two teams had to play each other so early, but that's the way the cookie crumbles, folks. The NBA had better hope the rest of the playoffs pan out like this series did.
Memphis vs Portland
My prediction - Memphis 4-0
Actual result - Memphis 4-1
Portland played better basketball in the last three games, even pulling out a win, but this series was never in question.
My picks weren't too shabby, huh? Now let's get some round 2 predictions.
EASTERN CONFERENCE
Atlanta vs Washington
I'm a day late on a couple of series, and this is one of them. Washington has already taken game 1 from Atlanta. Had Brooklyn not won two games against the Hawks, I would have most certainly picked Atlanta, but they were completely underwhelming in that series. While I think the Wizards played a little above their heads in the sweep of Toronto, they just seem to be clicking right now.
Washington 4-2
Cleveland vs Chicago
This would have been a great series had Kevin Love not gotten hurt and JR Smith not been suspended two games. The Bulls are finally at 100%, which they haven't been for a couple of years now. When it's all said and done, though, I really think the Love injury will prove to be too much for Cleveland to overcome.
Chicago 4-2
WESTERN CONFERENCE
Golden State vs Memphis
This is the other series that already played its first game. Shockingly, Golden State won. Let's just cut to the chase. Golden State is going to win, it's just a question of by how much. To me it depends on the health of Mike Conley. He already missed the first game, and if he misses more time, this could very well end up being a sweep. For the sake of my predictions, I'll assume Conley ends up playing.
Golden State 4-2
Houston vs Los Angeles
This should be a great series. James Harden, Dwight Howard, Chris Paul, Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan. It's packed with all-stars, but will all of them play? Chris Paul hurt his hamstring in the last game of the Spurs series. Though the MRI came back clean, a hamstring injury is still hard to bounce back from. Despite that, Paul shouldn't have a problem scoring on the likes of Jason Terry. This should be a fun, high scoring and entertaining series.
Los Angeles 4-3
This 2nd round should be a good one. Enjoy the games and let's see if I can keep my good predictions rolling.
Friday, May 1, 2015
Jets and Giants 1st Round Recap
Well, round 1 of the NFL draft is in the books, and for the most part it was fairly straight forward. No monster trades like a lot of people predicted. As usual, most of the talk revolved around the two quarterbacks, which has been the case for all of the shows leading up to the draft. I'm sure they'll still somehow be the topic of conversation tonight. But before I go off on a tangent, let me get to the reason for this article: the Jets and Giants picks from last night.
First the Jets. They were able to snag, who some believe to be the best prospect in the entire draft in Leonard Williams. Even though the Jets didn't need another defensive lineman, his value and upside were too good to pass up. I'm sure New York was just as surprised as I was when Williams fell into their laps at pick #6. This could be fate, though, because Muhammad Wilkerson is looking for a new contract, and a hefty one at that. There was talk even before last night about the Jets possibly trading him. I think that would be a mistake, but since he's already choosing not to show up for voluntary workouts, this could prove to be a viable option if he continues to be difficult. Assuming he doesn't get traded, the Jets, who already had one of the best d-lines in the NFL, just got even stronger. Wilkerson, Sheldon Richardson, Damon Harrison and now Leonard Williams. Wow. They're going to be nightmares for offensive linemen.
I'm extremely curious to know who the Jets would've selected had Williams not been there. Maybe WR Kevin White or OLB Vic Beasley? We'll most likely never know. In today's 2nd and 3rd rounds, the Jets can still grab a WR or OLB or even both. Someone I wrote about in my Jets draft preview, OLB Randy Gregory, is still available. Yes, he had the marijuana incident, but in round 2 he could be a steal. Gregory could be the pure pass rusher the Jets have been desperate for. Or if it's a receiver they're after, guys like Jaelen Strong and Devin Smith are still around. Plenty of talent to be had.
As for my New York Giants, they went with the very unsexy pick of Ereck Flowers. It felt like crickets were chirping when the selection was announced. Maybe that's just me. The first thing I'll say is that this felt like a big reach. They could have easily moved back 5 spots and still grabbed him. Then again, maybe they couldn't find a trade partner. Who knows. I read every article I could find on Flowers when they drafted him, and have to say that most of it was positive. He sounds like a mammoth of a human being, who has a passion for the game, and a mean streak to finish off defenders. The only knock on him is that he's still a bit raw. His technique and footwork can be sloppy at times. That seems fixable, though, with a little NFL coaching. It sounds like the Giants drafted him to be their left tackle, but I doubt that will happen right away. What I'm hoping will happen, is he can step in at right tackle immediately, moving Justin Pugh inside to guard. If that's the case, this line has the potential to be dramatically improved in a matter of a year.
As for today, there's still a guy available that I think the Giants must get, and that's safety Landon Collins. He was a guy linked to New York in the 1st round in some mock drafts, so to get him in the 2nd would be a huge coup. Safety is a big position of need for the G-men, so grabbing Collins would be a need and value pick. Another name out there that's been mentioned with the Giants is DL Eddie Goldman. He seems to be a staunch run defender who would pair up with Jonathan Hankins and help lower the 4.9 yards per rush New York allowed last season (worst in franchise history).
Can't wait for tonight. Let's see which players end up in New York.
First the Jets. They were able to snag, who some believe to be the best prospect in the entire draft in Leonard Williams. Even though the Jets didn't need another defensive lineman, his value and upside were too good to pass up. I'm sure New York was just as surprised as I was when Williams fell into their laps at pick #6. This could be fate, though, because Muhammad Wilkerson is looking for a new contract, and a hefty one at that. There was talk even before last night about the Jets possibly trading him. I think that would be a mistake, but since he's already choosing not to show up for voluntary workouts, this could prove to be a viable option if he continues to be difficult. Assuming he doesn't get traded, the Jets, who already had one of the best d-lines in the NFL, just got even stronger. Wilkerson, Sheldon Richardson, Damon Harrison and now Leonard Williams. Wow. They're going to be nightmares for offensive linemen.
I'm extremely curious to know who the Jets would've selected had Williams not been there. Maybe WR Kevin White or OLB Vic Beasley? We'll most likely never know. In today's 2nd and 3rd rounds, the Jets can still grab a WR or OLB or even both. Someone I wrote about in my Jets draft preview, OLB Randy Gregory, is still available. Yes, he had the marijuana incident, but in round 2 he could be a steal. Gregory could be the pure pass rusher the Jets have been desperate for. Or if it's a receiver they're after, guys like Jaelen Strong and Devin Smith are still around. Plenty of talent to be had.
As for my New York Giants, they went with the very unsexy pick of Ereck Flowers. It felt like crickets were chirping when the selection was announced. Maybe that's just me. The first thing I'll say is that this felt like a big reach. They could have easily moved back 5 spots and still grabbed him. Then again, maybe they couldn't find a trade partner. Who knows. I read every article I could find on Flowers when they drafted him, and have to say that most of it was positive. He sounds like a mammoth of a human being, who has a passion for the game, and a mean streak to finish off defenders. The only knock on him is that he's still a bit raw. His technique and footwork can be sloppy at times. That seems fixable, though, with a little NFL coaching. It sounds like the Giants drafted him to be their left tackle, but I doubt that will happen right away. What I'm hoping will happen, is he can step in at right tackle immediately, moving Justin Pugh inside to guard. If that's the case, this line has the potential to be dramatically improved in a matter of a year.
As for today, there's still a guy available that I think the Giants must get, and that's safety Landon Collins. He was a guy linked to New York in the 1st round in some mock drafts, so to get him in the 2nd would be a huge coup. Safety is a big position of need for the G-men, so grabbing Collins would be a need and value pick. Another name out there that's been mentioned with the Giants is DL Eddie Goldman. He seems to be a staunch run defender who would pair up with Jonathan Hankins and help lower the 4.9 yards per rush New York allowed last season (worst in franchise history).
Can't wait for tonight. Let's see which players end up in New York.
Thursday, April 30, 2015
New York Giants Draft Preview
I can't wait anymore! I need the draft! The funny thing is, much like Christmas or other holidays or events, sometimes the lead-up is better than the actual thing itself. I love hearing, watching and reading stuff about the draft. All the analysis and speculation, I could eat it with a spoon. Yum-yum. I'm going to miss all of it when the draft is over.
Last week I talked about what the Jets could do, and what I think they should do, in the upcoming draft. Now it's time for my New York "football" Giants.
Much like the Jets, there are several names being linked to the Giants. And also like the Jets, the Giants brass isn't giving much indication as to whom they might pick. Oy vey. Let's go over what the experts are saying.
Before I get to that, let me first vent. I'm sure I'm not the only fan who thinks this, but it seems the Giants never get talked about. Unless it's local radio or local writers, New York is never a blip on the NFL radar. That makes me mad, especially since they've won 2 super bowls in the last 8 years. Hell, even when they won those super bowls, it went like this: "And the Giants have won the super bowl! Now on to anything else." So with that being the case, it's hard to find any in-depth details about what New York might be thinking or wanting to do in the draft.
The majority of experts have OL Brandon Scherff linked to the Giants. Offensive line is obviously a huge need, so this should be a good pick. I say "should" because most people believe he projects as a guard instead of a tackle, which is what New York needs most. A couple of years ago they drafted Justin Pugh. Pugh was also a college tackle who projected as an NFL guard, but the Giants played him at tackle anyway. Seeing as how he hasn't played very well in his first two seasons, maybe he really should have been moved to guard . Why in the world would New York draft a similar player, and possibly have similar headaches? They shouldn't. I don't care how much of a "mauler" Scherff might be. They need a true tackle who can eventually (sooner rather than later) supplant Will Beatty as the left tackle. I don't know if the 9th pick is too early to take a guy like Andrus Peat or Ereck Flowers, but they seem like better options to me.
Another name that's mentioned more often than not is DL Danny Shelton. He's a big boy (almost 340lbs) that could be a great run stopper at the next level. However, lately I've heard people saying that they fear his conditioning could be an issue. Sounds kind of funny talking about conditioning with a 340lb man, but it could really be a problem. I've also heard that he doesn't give his all on every play, sometimes disappearing when facing top quality linemen. Another problem. I don't love guys that can't get self-motivated. We'll see what happens with him. Some mock drafts have him in the top 10, while others have him slipping into the 20's.
It doesn't appear to be the case, but I wonder if the Giants have any interest in some of this year's pass rushers. There's a chance Vic Beasley or Shane Ray could be available at #9, but I don't think they'd fit New York's scheme. I wouldn't mind seeing a blitzing outside linebacker wearing blue again (we need another Lawrence Taylor), but I don't think any of these guys fit that mold. Beasley intrigues me, but apparently his run defense is on the poor side, and in a 4-3 defense, your linebackers have to be able to give run support.
I'm also curious where the Giants have the wide receivers ranked on their big boards. If by some crazy chance Amari Cooper were to slip to them, would they pull the trigger? I don't see how they wouldn't. What about Kevin White? He only had one really productive year, but has good size and speed. Would he be worth the pick? And what about the running backs? I really like Melvin Gordon and moderately like Todd Gurley, but think the 9th pick is too high for a running back. If they really want one of them, I'd hope they would trade back. I'm sure that won't happen, though, because Jerry Reese isn't very active during the draft, or really ever for that matter.
If I were the Giants, I would put in several phone calls to find out what it would cost to get into the top 3 or 4 picks in an attempt to land DE/LB Dante Fowler Jr. I think he's going to be a beast. Like I said, though, Reese doesn't usually make any moves, so I can just about guarantee that won't happen. What most likely will happen is New York grabs an offensive lineman. Which one? No idea. As I mentioned before, it'll hopefully be one of the true tackles like Peat or Flowers.
All I know is that I can't wait for tomorrow night. Bring it on!
Check back next week for my Jets and Giants draft recaps.
Last week I talked about what the Jets could do, and what I think they should do, in the upcoming draft. Now it's time for my New York "football" Giants.
Much like the Jets, there are several names being linked to the Giants. And also like the Jets, the Giants brass isn't giving much indication as to whom they might pick. Oy vey. Let's go over what the experts are saying.
Before I get to that, let me first vent. I'm sure I'm not the only fan who thinks this, but it seems the Giants never get talked about. Unless it's local radio or local writers, New York is never a blip on the NFL radar. That makes me mad, especially since they've won 2 super bowls in the last 8 years. Hell, even when they won those super bowls, it went like this: "And the Giants have won the super bowl! Now on to anything else." So with that being the case, it's hard to find any in-depth details about what New York might be thinking or wanting to do in the draft.
The majority of experts have OL Brandon Scherff linked to the Giants. Offensive line is obviously a huge need, so this should be a good pick. I say "should" because most people believe he projects as a guard instead of a tackle, which is what New York needs most. A couple of years ago they drafted Justin Pugh. Pugh was also a college tackle who projected as an NFL guard, but the Giants played him at tackle anyway. Seeing as how he hasn't played very well in his first two seasons, maybe he really should have been moved to guard . Why in the world would New York draft a similar player, and possibly have similar headaches? They shouldn't. I don't care how much of a "mauler" Scherff might be. They need a true tackle who can eventually (sooner rather than later) supplant Will Beatty as the left tackle. I don't know if the 9th pick is too early to take a guy like Andrus Peat or Ereck Flowers, but they seem like better options to me.
Another name that's mentioned more often than not is DL Danny Shelton. He's a big boy (almost 340lbs) that could be a great run stopper at the next level. However, lately I've heard people saying that they fear his conditioning could be an issue. Sounds kind of funny talking about conditioning with a 340lb man, but it could really be a problem. I've also heard that he doesn't give his all on every play, sometimes disappearing when facing top quality linemen. Another problem. I don't love guys that can't get self-motivated. We'll see what happens with him. Some mock drafts have him in the top 10, while others have him slipping into the 20's.
It doesn't appear to be the case, but I wonder if the Giants have any interest in some of this year's pass rushers. There's a chance Vic Beasley or Shane Ray could be available at #9, but I don't think they'd fit New York's scheme. I wouldn't mind seeing a blitzing outside linebacker wearing blue again (we need another Lawrence Taylor), but I don't think any of these guys fit that mold. Beasley intrigues me, but apparently his run defense is on the poor side, and in a 4-3 defense, your linebackers have to be able to give run support.
I'm also curious where the Giants have the wide receivers ranked on their big boards. If by some crazy chance Amari Cooper were to slip to them, would they pull the trigger? I don't see how they wouldn't. What about Kevin White? He only had one really productive year, but has good size and speed. Would he be worth the pick? And what about the running backs? I really like Melvin Gordon and moderately like Todd Gurley, but think the 9th pick is too high for a running back. If they really want one of them, I'd hope they would trade back. I'm sure that won't happen, though, because Jerry Reese isn't very active during the draft, or really ever for that matter.
If I were the Giants, I would put in several phone calls to find out what it would cost to get into the top 3 or 4 picks in an attempt to land DE/LB Dante Fowler Jr. I think he's going to be a beast. Like I said, though, Reese doesn't usually make any moves, so I can just about guarantee that won't happen. What most likely will happen is New York grabs an offensive lineman. Which one? No idea. As I mentioned before, it'll hopefully be one of the true tackles like Peat or Flowers.
All I know is that I can't wait for tomorrow night. Bring it on!
Check back next week for my Jets and Giants draft recaps.
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