The Inaugural Edition of: What AJ and Brad Learned This Week

Brad

So AJ, what did you learn this week?

AJ

1. The Patriots...offense. Through four games they made valid excuses that their fans and most of America sort of had to choke down, appreciating the capital they've built up through the Tom Brady era. The Cincy game exposed them on two levels: first, the illusion that Tom Brady can turn shit into pro bowlers is just flat out wrong, and the second is that Belichick is actually struggling to find answers. 

I could write at length on these two points. 

I’ll skip to the latter because it's more general: much like Brady, the coaching staff needs weapons on offense to make their wonder boy systems work right. Now that the offense has been scrubbed of efficient talent, we're seeing the tragic holes in McDaniels system that plagued him in Denver. Mainly, at times, a complete inability to move the ball. 

If you can't get 2 yards with Tom Brady, you can't get 2 yard period.

Belichick needs to clean it up.

I expect a scheme change (when don't you expect a scheme change though from this team?) by Sunday when they battle the Saints, and I think it'll be obvious from the first play.

I guess I’ll take a knee and ask you, Brad, what did you learn this week?

Brad

I learned (and continue to learn more about) just how good Peyton Manning is. Just a quick recap, he threw his first interception Sunday of the season

He has 20 touchdowns and one lonely interception

He is paying dividends for John Elway, who is riding off the coattails of likely the greatest man to play the position

He also is paying dividends for fantasy owners for his seemingly effortless play

Denver doesn't have the toughest schedule by any means, but there is no reason they shouldn't romp right through the playoffs to whatever lowly team the NFC has to offer a football god such as #18 himself.

Also, watch out Tom Brady, because Peyton is on pace for 64 touchdowns.

AJ, what else did you learn this week?

AJ

No. 2. In the NBA....the Sacramento Kings are actually alive and well.

As a Sonics fan who had my hopes of a NBA return ruthlessly shattered by David Stern intervention at the 11th hour, I was hoping the Kings would languish, the Sacramento community would turn away from their crazy arena profiting scheme, and the CA government (one of the most broken governments in America) would shut it down as soon as humanly possible

Then, as the league mandated, the Kings would have to endure a possible Seattle relocation again possibly as soon as 2015, but alas, their ownership group has made play after play, bringing in young but competent coaches, resigning their best talents, and reaching out to the community

The rat bastards even made Shaq a minority owner, mostly just for the press

CA assembly is ramming through bill after bill to ease not only the Kings arena plans

But to soften future arena plans as well! (looking at you, future LA NFL team)

So...compared to the Maloof era, the Kings are actually doing very well. Just no idea if it'll transfer to wins...

And as a sonic fan, I learned the world just keeps on kicking you while you're down.

Alright Brad, what else did you learn this week?

Brad

I learned that from the Head Coach down to the lowly Jack Husky, Washington Football is constituted of a bunch of whiners

Starting with Sark

He ripped into one of the (seemingly) nicest head coaches in the NCAA, David Shaw, about having his players take dives on plays to stop their new hurry-up

After being asked, he didn't really cite any specific play, he simply mentioned "I saw what I saw"

At least the Ducks had video showing where a Cal player took a dive a few years ago

Further, the 'Dawg Pound' (student superfan group) is plotting a way to make sure the Cougar flag doesn't fly on GameDay's set

Chris Fowler from ESPN told the representatives of the Dawg Pound that the flag would be protected from any sort of hooliganism, so now they are trying to find a way to obscure it from vision.

I'm really eager to see who wins, a multi-national sports enterprise or some annoying, self-entitled 18-22 year olds.

Should be a good one, fly the flag high Coug fans.

What else did you learn this week AJ?

AJ

3. West coast football...is even better than we think it is

For some reason, the west coast is never respected for football fandom

While all the rest of America is taking turns fellating Bama, or Florida, or Georgia, or whatever SEC "power house" has caught the twinkle in their eye, Pac 12 and west division teams are just winning fucking games

The only big games we seem to be losing these days are the ones we play against each other

3/4 AFC west teams won in nasty fashion

All the NFC west teams that played at home DEMOLISHED the opposition

And for the first time in forever

The coaches agree that the Pac 12 is currently a stronger conference than the SEC, no doubt thanks to resurgences in perennial bottom feeders WSU, Colorado, Arizona and UCLA

So I learned what we all should have known all along

The west coast is the best coast

Brad

I'm pretty sure that was on the back of the stone tablets that came down from Mt. Sinai

AJ

Yessir, did you learn anything else this week Brad?

Brad

Just one more thing

I learned that the Colts "down years" constituted really of just one year. And that Andrew Luck is certainly the real deal.

He certainly is no Peyton Manning yet, but he is fitting into the somewhat reformatted Colts.

Now that he has a new buddy, Trent Richardson, expect there to be more of an emphasis on 'in-the-box' defending when he is on the field.

We always knew Luck could make comebacks, but he outdid himself this last weekend. I honestly didn't expect the Colts to win after they spotted Seattle 12-0. But I honestly think that if the game were in CenturyLink, that the Hawks would have won.

I predict at least one Super Bowl meeting between Luck and Russ in the next decade.

And as a footnote, their AFC South Champion chances don't seem to be in much question anymore after what Houston has done to themselves.

Did you learn anything else this week AJ?

AJ

Last thing for me: 

4. Nobody really cares about baseball.

I don't even have a reasoned analysis, the shit is obviously

I mean two huge markets in Boston and LA are slugging their way to baseball's equivalent of a ring, and I’ve barely seen highlights on ESPN

Maybe I’m not looking hard enough

But if baseball was that big of a deal, I wouldn't have to

Brad

Probably has something to do with ESPN not owning the rights to the playoffs

AJ

Let's just say I’ve seen more MLS and overseas futbol highlights than baseball and that paints a grim picture considering 70% of the teams can't fill a stadium

Still standing by it, baseball is officially America’s least favorite child

Brad

Well I certainly enjoy baseball more than basketball. But that might change now that Indiana has a team that isn't a majority of at-risk human beings.

AJ

Haha, exactly my point

Oh basketball is on drugs? I can't let him in my house. Guess I have to invite baseball

Oh shit basketball cleaned it up? Sorry baseball, maybe next time

Get that A-Rod zit looked at too

Brad

Let it be known that I only watch playoff basketball and the Christmas Day games

AJ

Lol your words

I watch regular season

Gonna be trying Boston, Sacramento (for the perverse thrill), and Houston this year

Brad

Do you have a bold prediction for this week?

AJ

What matchups

Brad

I think the OSU-WSU game this week will top 90 points total

AJ

Ooh, I wouldn't take that

I will take the under

We scored 44 against Cal

But only 17 against Stanford

Oregon State is averaging 40 but they won't put that up against our defense

Brad

Oregon State happens to lead the Pac 12 in passing, as well as being #2 in the nation

AJ

I think both teams are going to have a hard time moving the ball

But as the game is in Pullman, I think it's going to be around 38-31. Maybe a defensive score for the coughs and a special team score for the Beavs, most likely the kind of game we talk about next week and agree "that was ugly"

My pick last week was basically Cincy over NE but I couldn't bring myself to say it out loud 

I think the easy pick is panthers over Vikings

The "bold" pick is Thursday night's game when I take the giants over the bears in a big way. Time for Eli’s rumblers to get in the win column

Way Too Early NFL Playoff Predictions

We're two preseason games down the line and the Seahawks look excellent. They showcased the resilience and quality of their depth in a drubbing of the San Diego Chargers in preseason week 1, dominating virtually every 2s and 3s matchup worth rehashing (I won't rehash them). TJax is back in the fold and looks excellent spelling Russell Wilson. For what seems like the first time in a long time, the Seahawks QB situation is in a good place. In preseason week 2, the Hawks played most of their 1s against the Denver Broncos' 1s, and bested them in every phase of the game. Manning completed a lot of passes on the edges, but considering he's still Peyton Manning, I'm ok with that. The Broncos overall struggled with third down conversions, red zone efficiency, and untimely turnovers. Seattle won the psychological battle, and it showed early and often, culminating in a 40-10 victory where even the Hawks roster bubble players seemed to cruise against the Broncos' bench warmers.

At this point, we're sitting pretty. No significant injuries "besides" Percy Harvin. Both our lines look excellent. A healthy, improved Russell Wilson should win us quite a few of the toss up games too, particularly the clumsy road games we've always found a way to lose in the past. We play both the south divisions this year, and it is the opinion of this writer that we'll go as far as our home schedule is favorable. Winning the west division is crucial to getting a leg up in the competitive NFC, as our home field advantage is brutal. Our rival Niners, the rising Rams, the Packers, Bears, Vikings, Saints, Falcons, and Giants, are all legitimate threats to challenge for the NFC championship game.

Our home schedule opens with the Niners in week 2, a good litmus test. We also feature Jacksonville, Tennessee, Tampa Bay, the Vikings, and the Saints before closing our schedule with two divisional home games against the Cardinals and Rams. Those last two games should be intriguing and effective freebies, either letting us play catch up to the Niners, or giving us breathing room to rest for the playoffs. I would say our home schedule sets up nicely for another 8-0 record. The Saints are the most talented roster on that list, but we'll play them on a monday night following a bye week. Very favorable circumstances, considering they'll be coming off a high-stakes thursday night game against Atlanta. The most difficult match-up is arguably the Vikings game, which incidentally follows our own road game in Atlanta; a perfect trap considering how high emotions should be returning to the Georgia Dome, win or lose.

Speaking of the road schedule, it's a rough one. Fortunately, it's structured in a way that we bounce back between home and away a lot in doubles, which I believe is good for morale. We open against the Panthers in week 1, a perfect early test as it's a long travel and a tough defense. We have back to back games against the Texans and Colts in their parks in weeks 4 and 5, back to back divisional road games against the cards and rams in weeks 7 and 8, the aforementioned Falcons game, and finally back to back games against the Niners and Giants in weeks 14 and 15. The travel time will wear our boys down, but as long as we avoid serious injuries, the strength of our depth will shine through. I still think we're vulnerable against the back ends of those back to backs, particularly to the Colts, Rams, and Giants, but this team should end the season a game or half game above the Niners as long as we can seal the deal on most of the divisional contests. The schedule isn't loaded with gimmes, but a lot of our games are lined up great.

The predictions:

NFC:
1. Packers (13-3)
2. Seahawks (12-4: losses to the Colts, Rams, Niners, Giants)
3. Falcons (12-4)
4. Giants (10-6)
5. Niners (11-5)
6. Saints (11-5)

The last men standing should be the Seahawks and Niners, and we'd be home for the NFC championship.

AFC:
1. Patriots (12-4)
2. Broncos (11-5)
3. Colts (11-5)
4. Bengals (11-5)
5. Baltimore (10-6)
6. Houston (10-6)

The last men standing should be the Patriots and Broncos, making for another "best of the best" match up in Foxboro.

College Quarterbacks 2013: A Year of Youth

The quarterback position in college was incredibly strong this last year but you wouldn't know it from the result of the NFL Draft. Before the season, Matt Barkley was touted to be the #1 pick and Landry Jones was considered just as good as Bradford, but come draft day there weren't many quarterbacks who looked prospective for the draft. The bulk of the positional strength came from the underclassmen last year. Johnny Manziel won the Heisman, Teddy Bridgewater pulled the upset on Florida, Marcus Mariota led the Ducks to a decisive Fiesta Bowl win over Collin Klein's Wildcats, and so on. What is exciting about this youth revolution is that we are guaranteed to see them come back this upcoming year short of them screwing it up somehow by robbing a store or assaulting someone, which really is not out of the realm of possibility.

In no particular order: 

Johnny Manziel

Oh, Johnny...

Easily one of the most entertaining players on and off the field, Johnny "Football" Manziel is a household name in college football. He became the first freshman (albeit redshirted) to win the Heisman Memorial Trophy and did so in electrifying style. He has been making headlines both good and bad on and off the field, respectively. No one can doubt his talent and awareness as an athlete, but many people are questioning his integrity as a face of an organization. Players with his talent and his penchant for not-so-wholesome activities and actions force coaches to weight the risk versus reward of a player. Fortunately for Johnny, his reward is pretty high. 

To be fair, however, Johnny has not done anything really wrong, just kind of stupid. His pictures at parties and on spring break in Mexico are not uncommon when it comes to 20-year old college students. A look at any college kid's Facebook will affirm that claim. College athletes get caught with receiving improper benefits, drinking and driving, possession of marijuana, and a myriad of other illegal activities. To this point, the only thing that Johnny has done like that was get into a bar fight, and even that seemed overplayed. 

EDIT: It was brought to my attention that Johnny Manziel isn't of age to be participating in barfights. According to Deadpsin.com, he was using a fake ID.

Marcus Mariota

This will be a tad hard for me to write, because I'm pretty biased in my opinion on Mariota. Ted Miller makes a pretty good argument for my viewpoint though in his blog entry. I will do my best though in laying out the facts:

Chip Kelly is gone, yes. That is something Oregon is going to have to overcome if they are to continue their rampant success from the past five years. However, Kelly's departure does not signal a change in the tempo of their offense, just in the way they will score. It is expected that Mark Helfrich, the new head coach, will throw the ball more than his run-oriented predecessor. Last year, Mariota was the compliment to feature back Kenjon Barner. In doing so, he amassed ~2,600 yards and 32 touchdowns while only throwing six interceptions completing 68.5% of his passes. He also rushed for 751 yards with six touchdowns on 7.1 yards per carry. 

This next year, Mariota is sure to co-feature in Oregon's octane offense alongside De'Anthony Thomas. Mariota only attempted 336 passes on the year. By comparison, Manziel attempted 434 passes. With limited opportunity, Mariota made the most of every touch. Refer to Ted Miller's article if you want to hear the stats from a more legitimate source, but the argument remains the same: Mariota has a strong claim to win the Heisman trophy.

Teddy Bridgewater

Teddy Bridgewater had an exceptional season manning the helm at Louisville in 2012 garnering the Big East Offensive Player of the Year with nearly 3500 passing yards along with 25 passing touchdowns.The only issue was that he played for Louisville who happens to play in the Big East. The Big East is often the butt of many jokees in college football, and deservedly so. Bridgewater's achievements were thus downplayed because of the level of competition he was playing against. When Louisville got the draw to play heavy hitter and then BCS #3 Florida in the Sugar Bowl, many fans dismissed the game as a guaranteed blowout. 

Teddy Bridgewater and his band of merry men had a different idea for Louisville's first BCS bid since 2006. Louisville scored on the first offensive play of the game intercepting Jeff Driskel and taking it back for six points. Thirty minutes of regulation later, Louisville went into the locker rooms at halftime with a 24-10 lead over the vaunted Gators. Louisville came out from halftime with a similar fervor and ended up leading 33-10 with eight minutes left in the game. Florida responded to Louisville's last touchdown with a kick return touchdown and mustered one more touchdown before Louisville sealed the deal 33-23. Bridgewater was named the MVP of the game with 266 yards passing and a pair of touchdowns. 

Teddy comes back next year to a likely Top 20 position in the preseason polls. With age and maturity comes development, and on the surface he seems to be doing well on that front. He is not exactly a Heisman favorite, but he will be an exceptional dark horse who could easily make a run.

Brett Hundley

Fight on...Bruins?

If you are not a Pac-12 fan, then you may not know who this youngster is. Hundley was a redshirt freshman this last year and was overshadowed by Mariota, Keith Price from Washington, and some guy named Barkley from USC. Despite the lack of face time he received, you cannot argue against his statistics and achievements. He threw for over 3500 yards and scored a total of 38 touchdowns with only 11 interceptions. His rap sheet includes wins over then #16 Nebraska and a win over USC to assert LA dominance for the next calendar year. He along with his team and new coach took UCLA to the Pac-12 championship for the second year in a row and won the South Division outright for the first time in school history. While they ended the season on a three game losing streak (losing twice in a row to Stanford on the last game of the regular season and in the P12 championship along with their bowl game against Baylor), UCLA showed amazing promise with the performance of the team no one expected to make waves. Maybe UCLA is the new Pac-12 dynasty that everyone overlooked?

Braxton Miller

I couldn't find a picture that showed what Miller could actually do, so this should suffice

Braxton Miller rounds out this list not because of his past accomplishments but because of his potential. There are all types of college quarterbacks that fall up and down the scale from pure pocket passing quarterback to quick-footed option quarterbacks. Braxton falls somewhere towards the latter. Last year, he rushed for 1200+ yards and 13 touchdowns while passing for 2000 yards and 15 touchdowns. The passing stats are incredibly lacking, but the rushing numbers are impressive for a quarterback. By comparison, Manziel rushed for only 200 more yards while notching seven more touchdowns.

Miller is a walking, well...running, highlight reel. He invokes memories of players like Michael Vick who are more likely to make impact plays with their feet rather than their arm. Miller has proven he is able to thrive in Urban Meyer's system that was recently brought to Ohio State. The same system that Tim Tebow excelled in. That is not to say that Miller is anywhere near Tebow's level, but their play style is somewhat similar. Deception, misdirection, and taking advantage of the defense that doesn't pay attention to his ability are just a few of the facets of his game. It wouldn't be out of the question for Braxton Miller to score 50 touchdowns in an excellent year using his arm and his legs. He does need to work on his throwing game and prove that he is a mobile quarterback rather than a speedster who can throw the ball.

---

There are quarterbacks I left off this list who are strong contenders for a Heisman run. Aaron Murray (UGA), Tajh Boyd (Clemson), and AJ McCarron (Bama) to name a few. I highlighted the players above because they have at least one extra year after this upcoming season. Some of them may try their hand at the Draft depending on how their respective years go, but we could potentially see the men above on the 2014 top quarterbacks list as well.

Get excited, we're just over a month away from the opening kickoff!

Seahawks Over Everything: Introducing Christine Michael

With the 62nd overall pick, their first of the 2013 NFL draft, our Seahawks selected Christine Michael (first name pronounced "Kris-Tin"), RB, Texas A&M.

A former Big 12 Offensive Freshman of the Year, despite some character problems, he's a huge pickup for the Hawks. He doesn't necessarily have the downhill running ability of Eddie Lacey but he does have a thick frame, strong legs, and sure hands. I can't emphasis the character question marks, and he is some time removed from a torn ACL, but as the fans in Seattle know, the Seahawks scouts are among the best of the best.

Michael is listed as a top positional performer in damn near every major drill at the combine. I'd say the most impressive figures are the 27 reps on the bench, and the 6.7 cone drill, meaning he's got the strength to provide excellent blocking, and has enough burst to tear through first level defenders. It will be seen if he is enough of a bruiser to develop into a full time back, but I feel good about his chances considering the foundation we've already got.

For our Hawks, he should be an underrated rotational contributor and a neat fit in the RB cycle. I think he'll excel in short yardage situations and in two back sets right away. Pete Carroll likes his guys, and he puts them in the best possible place to succeed. The pick didn't fill a need per se, but could pay huge dividends as injury insurance and builds on the Seahawk's established identity of featuring a run first offense.

All in all, solid pick up as a second round selection. Here's what appears to be the best youtube tape available (ignore the shitty background music but enjoy the sensational spin moves):

Concerning the Kings Acquisition Debacle: The NBA Bends Us Over Again

This thing has become quite the cluster, and I'm not just talking about the "relocation" committee's unanimous recommendation.

No matter what anybody in the media says, here in Seattle, in Sacramento, or wherever, Washingtonians don't give two fucks about Sacramento. We don't. They have their city, and their politics, and their fanbase, and that's all grits and gravy, but we (as in the Chris Hansen/Steve Ballmer group and fans) only care about getting professional basketball back in Seattle. Over five painful years, we've had to accept that Clay Bennett, despite his dishonest treachery, felt the same way for Oklahoma City. It is what it is. Back in 2008, the city of Seattle and King County, anticipating a crippling recession and significant furloughs, were not about to negotiate an arena deal that would put any more strain on the region's essential services. All things considered, they did the right thing: basketball is not as important as growth and stability. The city's current economic boom, corporate presence, and relatively low unemployment speaks for itself.

And of course, the league didn't mind. The OKC move was hailed as best for all three parties. The NBA taps into a new market, the excited fans in OKC finally get a professional sports team, and Seattle doesn't have to worry about financing a new arena. Even after regional rich guys rammed lawsuits down Commissioner Stern's throat at the 11th hour to keep the Sonics in town, the writing was on the wall. Stern looked out for his butt buddy and guaranteed that any litigation would prevent the acquisition of any future franchise, leveraging Seattle into NBA dormancy. Fans rallied, then cried, then moped, then blamed Howard Schultz, then started pouring that hunger and devotion into the Sounders and Seahawks. Over the years documentaries have gotten made, the area has become exceedingly hostile towards Commissioner Stern, and the Schultz family are practically pariahs. Basketball fans so desperately want the NBA back, but they're exhausted with how the NBA does business.

So it was a breath of fresh air when Chris Hansen and Steve Ballmer started making huge crashing waves in 2012, determined to use their immense wealth and connections to construct a case for Seattle's NBA future that couldn't be denied. In theory, they had the financial power to fund literally every aspect of a Sonics return and they championed (as they continue to champion) a total commitment to that end. The problem is, the NBA's cartel structure and profit sharing makes expansion unfeasible and generally unattractive to the 30 team ownership groups. The only way Seattle will once again have an NBA team is if an ownership group advocating Seattle can poach one from a weaker market. If you're somehow a Sacramento fan who stumbles on irrelevant blogs, or you're a PNW resident who found this post, toss the naivete and appreciate that last statement. THE NBA WILL NOT RETURN TO THE CITY OF SEATTLE UNLESS ANOTHER CITY LOSES THEIR TEAM. Enter the Sacramento Kings.

I want to reiterate that I don't give a fuck about Sacramento. Just like I don't give a fuck about stoplights in Norway. I get nothing from bashing them except looking like a dick. They have passionate fans just like every other NBA city and every prospective NBA city. I don't know if there's a metric for passion, and this isn't a passion dickmeasuring contest, but I don't think their fans are any more passionate than say the Green Bay Packers faithful or the Boston Bruins faithful. I don't think Seattlites are any less passionate than the fans in Sacramento, and especially aren't any less deserving of an NBA franchise. Subsequently, I don't believe the city of Seattle is any less deserving of a NBA franchise than Sacramento. And yet, when the media spin turned this whole thing into Seattle vs. Sacramento, it became clear to Sonics faithful that nobody was really going to win.

The Hansen-Ballmer-Nordstrom group features a handful of billionaires. These bros know how to make a dollar and keep it. They know how to build a business from the ground up, and how to compete in today's cut throat America. They aren't perfect, but the status of being a billionaire is really all the convincing you need. They saw what we all see in Sacramento's long term growth and health when it comes to arena financing (an honestly dire picture), saw owners in the Maloofs trying to get out while the getting was good, and saw a ripe opportunity to bring the NBA back to their city. They saw exactly what Clay Bennett saw when he looked at Seattle and the Sonics back in 2006. So with land set up, shovels all but ready to break ground, and signatures on contracts, why is the association working so hard to deny Hansen/Ballmer? Not only did Stern intervene in the transaction, but he's provided any and every resource to the supposed Sacramento ownership group to keep the Kings in town.

You can't argue with facts. Keeping that team in Sacramento when it could move to Seattle will cost the association and its owners big money. Probably tens of millions. I understand that Kevin Johnson is a basketball guy and as mayor he can pull strings to keep Sacramento's political backrooms working favorably for the NBA, but there's only so much a sick city can do. That's why this is such an incredible clusterfuck, and an utter heartbreak for basketball fans in Seattle. Hansen's group was honest about their intentions, could not have provided more impetus for the association to justify allowing the Kings to move (an expedited arena deal that hinges on what is effectively 100% private monies aka the arena will definitely get built), and most importantly, have cold hard cash in hand for the Maloofs. Sacramento may eventually come up with the money at the expense of public schools, police officers, and firefighters, but the only sure way their arena plan becomes a reality is through a private industry miracle (they don't have the land purchased or the proper avenues for financing at the time of this writing) or if the association fronts big bills to get the process rolling.

The whole thing makes no sense. I want to say I'm glad the Sacramento fans don't have to go through the ordeal of losing their team, but it's highly unlikely their arena plan is economically viable. Having a plan and having a sure thing are not the same, and if their final draft turns out as untenable as we in Seattle (and a handful of neutral observers) believe it is, Stern's machinations in this process will prove doubly frustrating for fans in both cities.

It's a damn shame.

NFL Draft 2013: Around The NFCW Through Day Two

Notes from NFCW draft moves:
- The SF Niners had a ton of picks and have maneuvered up and down the board through the first few days but they've definitely improved their roster. When I look at the Niners objectively (admittedly, I would like them to lose all their games), I see a team that needed more lateral speed and tackling ability on the edges to slow down so called factor backs like A.Peterson, R.Rice, and M.Lynch, but also needed a bruising safety to punish versatile downfield threats like the bigger pass catching tight-ends and the thicker WRs you see out of Green Bay and the NYGiants. They got those guys in the form of 2 DEs and one of the better safety prospects in this draft. They also added a small school pass catching Tight End to help offset the loss of Delanie Walker. The rich get richer, but this team still isn't invincible in the NFCW.

- The St. Louis Rams were an underrated squad in 2012. By season's end I was convinced they were just suffering from execution problems and already had in place a pretty solid core of talent on both lines and up the middle of the defense. What they were missing was surehanded playmakers, so they went out and got two of the highest rated WRs in the this draft. It helps that huge holes were left by the departures of Danny Amendola and Brandon Gibson to the AFCE; I usually think skill position players that aren't 100% locks are luxury picks, but the Rams honestly had a need. I would say this makes their offense much improved, but considering the secondaries and linebacking cores the Niners and Seahawks already have in place, the Rams are still looking up in the division from a match-up perspective. At the very least, by the end of the 2013 season, Coach Fisher will know exactly what he has in Sam Bradford.

- The Arizona Cardinals had a lot of talent on defense, and a lot of talent on offense, but desperately needed a quarterback and quality depth on the back end. I guess they've addressed that. They took a run stopping LB in the second and shocked the world taking honey badger Tyrann Matheiu in the 3rd. He can slide right into a safety role and return punts and should pair nicely with LSU BFF Patrick Peterson. Honestly, that early win streak notwithstanding, this team was so jarringly bad week in and week out in 2012 I can't even rightly evaluate their picks. Bruce Arians and Carson Palmer can't take them anywhere but up.


I'll be doing a profile on every seahawks draft pick over the next few days, and a more general outlook on the draft's bigger storylines.

NFL Draft 2013: Day One Winners and Losers

Football is finally back, folks. And after watching the commish stumble on stage for a few hours making announcements, day one is wrapped up and in the books. We saw some strong picks from start to finish, a few head-scratchers in the middle, and a moving speech by Joe Andruzzi. I'm of the opinion that you can't really analyze how well a draft went until opening day rosters are compiled, but here's a dirty take on my day one winners and losers:

First, the winners.

1. The Minnesota Vikings clobbered day one. They were barely a playoff team, riding the legs of Adrian Peterson past the final weekend. I still believe with all my heart that the Packers threw that last game to avoid having to play the Bears, but that's neither here nor there. They started the day with 2 first round picks and a ton of needs, and beginning with pick 23, improved substantially on both sides of the ball with three selections. I thought Sharrif Floyd out of Florida was the best DT in the draft and he fell to them; next they moved on Xavier Rhodes out of FSU who I had rated as the third best DB behind Dee Milliner and the Honey Badger; finally, they traded a king's ransom of probable bit players to New England to fill the glaring gap at WR with the Volunteer Cordarelle Patterson. I still think Christian Ponder is at his absolute best a second tier NFL QB but the Vikings addressed three huge needs at critical positions with total locks in this draft class. If they can get a competent LB, a two down DE, and a nickel corner on day two, they shouldn't need another impossible season from Mr. Peterson to make the playoffs in 2013. Just a decent season.

2. EJ Manuel did everything he could and was rewarded for it. I don't think the Bills reached on him. Florida State is quickly developing a pedigree for QBs, even if Christian Ponder has been underwhelming at times. The Bills definitely need some sure talent under center after the Harvard guy disappointed, and with the read-option in vogue, their ownership did the right thing here. The Bills still have huge holes all over the OL and at CB, and they could stand to get quality depth at the skill positions, but much like Ponder before him, EJ Manuel has to feel pretty good about the opportunity he's been given to really establish himself with a new coaching staff. I'm happy for him.

3. Bill Belichick found some spare picks to pick up some spare parts. There's not much to explain here. Belichick knows how to play the draft and fleece other franchises and turn their perceived strengths into weaknesses. He knows when to pounce. The Patriots started this weekend with a relative shortage of picks and when the opportunity came for Billy Boy to acquire a few more, he traded 1 possible starter for least 3 probable contributors. It stands out as a good move.

And now, the losers.

1. The New York Jets continue to confuse. That team has been in full blown rebuilding mode for a while now. They have holes all over both lines, the state of the locker room is in shambles, they just traded their best player, Coach Ryan is probably a lame duck, and QB Mark Sanchez is out of chances. I usually give free points to teams who can find a way to pick twice in the first round because that's double the ammunition to get potentially big-time contributors, but I feel like the Jets "missed" on both. They took the consensus best CB Dee Milliner in the draft at 9, and while it would have been a great pick for say the Panthers, or Chargers, the Jets really should have addressed their offensive line here with either the best rated OG in Chance Warmack or the next best rated OT in DJ Fluker, and it's no surprise both of those players immediately went after the Jets made their first pick. At 13, they took Richard Sheldon while both Star Lotulelei and Sharrif Floyd were available. I want to say I'm shocked but I'm not really shocked because this is just same old-same old from the Jets the last couple years. The picks aren't terrible bad, but how does this day one help that offense throw or run the ball any better? Their futility on offense is what's put them in this hole.

2. The Miami Dolphins are just trolling us at this point. It's pretty obvious they bit the Eagles' feint on Dion Jordan and moved up to beat Philly to him, but it was totally unnecessary. Jordan is a great talent and all, but I'd put money down that even had Jordan been there at 4, Chip Kelly was sure as shit taking Lane Johnson. He addresses a way bigger need for Kelly and the offense he's trying to install. Considering the Dolphins gave up a pick to "steal" draft position on a player that was more hype down the stretch than solid established talent, I have to say Miami just looks silly. And after this offseason, with all the goofy contracts they've handed out, it's just more of the same.

3. The 2013 QB class is paying the price for GMs unwillingness to deal out of value. I've been saying it for years: just because you don't have a great QB right now doesn't mean you need to "waste" a first round pick on one. I think the league is finally getting it. I feel bad for Geno Smith, who was effectively embarrassed on national television by 30 NFL franchises, but the truth is, it's not surprising. 6 or 7 franchises have question marks at QB but not definite holes. 1 or 2 could have afforded to draft a QB in the first round but only one of them did. I mean, I'm more surprised that Eddie Lacy (or ANY runningback for that matter) didn't go in the first than I am Geno Smith still doesn't have a team. But considering how hot QBs are and have been since forever, it is a little telling that Geno and Barkley and Landry Jones and their outfit have been pushed back til day two or beyond. Again, good for you EJ Manuel.


I'll do another writeup after day two, tomorrow. I'm anticipating strong moves from the Raiders, Patriots, and Niners.

Screw Iginla, Bruins Pick Up Jagr

Jagr is a beast. He is a sniper. He is a man with a singular goal. That goal is playing hockey in its purest form. Simply put, Jaromir Jagr is the hockey equivalent of a mercenary.

Yeah, mercenary is the word. He has bounced between teams, selling himself to the highest bidder with no regard to league or loyalty. He left the NHL for the KHL and came back again. He spit in the face of his old Pittsburgh Penguins and joined the rival Philadelphia Flyers. The mulleted mercenary had a stint in New York, then bolted for the Dallas Stars when they gave him a one-year, $4.5 million deal. However, at this moment, he will wear Bostons Black and Yellow.

Some people are still crying about the Iginla trade. Those people need to go shut their head in a door. The Bruins don't need a franchise player that spent his best years at another team. The Bruins need a man that is there for a singular job. A Mercenary. Jagr is a pro. He cares only about hockey and obviously knows how to adjust to new surroundings. He simply gives no fucks about team politics, he is an in and out guy with points and another cup on the brain. One of the best. No, he is not as gritty as other players. But the real question here is "do the Bruins necessarily need another power forward or more toughness?" If Milan THE GOOCH Lucic quits playing his worst and weakest hockey, they will have power and grit locked up.

What they need is someone to address their terrible, and I do mean terrible, power play. It ranks 24th in the NHL, converting at only 15.2 percent.That is garbage, but that is where Jagr can be the most effective. In this short season, Jagr has 6 power play goals and 26 points. He has as many goals in total as Bruins’ goal-scoring leader, the NOSE FACE KILLER Brad Marchand. That’s three more power-play goals than any current Bruin. Jagr and Krejci on a line will absolutely crush. Great day to be a Bruins fan.

This man's highlight reel speaks for itself, and if he wants to stop in at TD Gardens on his way to the hall of fame, we will be glad to have him.

P.S. #2 in this video is seriously one of the best examples of a pure goal scorer you will see on the ice.

P.P.S. If you find a pro sports mullet better than Jagr-meisters, I challenge you to post one.

Hockey at the Half!

Welp, this season is going far from expected at its late start. Trades all over the place, teams still undefeated HALF WAY THROUGH THE SEASON, upsets all over the place. No biggie.

Lets take a look at the Western Conference at this point in the game. The Blackhawks are still on an absolute tear. Up to this point in the season there are 46 points available to a perfect team. The Blackhawks have taken an unbelievable 43 of those points. Kane, Toews and Hossa still cannot, and will not be stopped. Detroit came so close to derailing this train, but you are gonna have to put something huge in the tracks. The next closest team in the West is Anaheim with only 33 points.The Canucks have lost another 2 in a row, and 4 out of their last 7. But who cares? That is what they get for being entitled, lazy, dirty playing Canadians.
 

Unlike the West, the East is far from locked up. With Montreal diving all over the place and getting 5 power plays to every other teams one, they have managed to dive and fraud their way to the number one spot in the East. Canadians....what else is there to say. However, Boston is only one point behind, which should not be the case but is the case because they choked on a three goal lead to lose to the Washington Capitals (who are terrible) Only 5 points separate 1 from 6 in the East...wide open.

There is also talk that both Calgary and Ottawa are going to trade away their captains Daniel Alfredsson and Jarome Iginla (who happen to also be the franchise players)  before the April 3rd trade deadline. Keep an eye out for a surging team to pay huge bucks for these beasts to try and lock up a playoff spot.

Now this is Baseball!

Now here is the thing. I am not a baseball guy, nor do I pretend to be. In fact, in our site's quest to locate a baseball guy, we have come to the unfortunate realization that there are no funny baseball people. They simply do not exist. I speculate that there is a reason for this. Maybe it is because nobody but baseball fans give a shit about stats such as a players slugging percentage against left handed pitchers in evening games with ambient air temps at 72 degrees. Ridiculous. But someone please prove me wrong.

With that said, let me get to the point of this post. This is the kind of play that shows me that baseball players do not just sleepwalk their way through a nine inning ritual, but actually want to win. And in wanting to win they will do things in the heat of the moment. Dudebro just making baseball relevant one tackle at a time! Wait, tackle? Just Queue the vid!

 

P.S. Seeing as how roids flow like water in baseball, I'm surprised this kind of thing is not common place.

SUPER WEDNESDAY

North America (NA) started week 4 of the LoL Championship Series (LCS) with an action packed Wednesday. The results can be found here, however the predictability of the outcomes understates the excitement of the matches. I can honestly say that today has revitalized my love for, and interest in, the LCS. So much so that I've attached today's footage to the end of this post, and insist you watch as much of it as possible if you missed seeing it live. Briefly, here's some takeaways from today's matches. 

Early 3v1 Tower Push Meta

Reminiscent of the Korean proclivity to prioritize global objectives, the trend of pressing 2v1 lanes with early tower kills has streamlined into a predictable time table (around 3:45-4min). It's natural in one sense, given that the timing of minion waves and jungle clear allows for a timely 3v1 gank. Previously, it was instinctual to defend the tower at all costs by calling for your mid or jungle and likely dying to save it; often in vain. Now the current meta is to let the tower fall and simply execute the same play on the other side of the map. On one hand, it's a great play that creates a lot of potential for roaming and ends the laning phase early. On the other, there are the benefits of actually defending the tower and keeping the lane phase going. 

What's ideal for stopping a 3v1 tower push so early in the game? Jungler assistance in lane to keep the lane from being pressured so hard, or having your mid take teleport to allow for either a 3v3 or a 2v3 with the jungler free to cover mid or attempt the same play. Granted, you'd want champs that actually scale well from laning in a 2v1--Cho'gath comes to mind. 

Regardless of this trend fanning the flames of a supposed "NA Sheep" mentality, I'm happy to see a meta that enforces such early game aggression and roaming. At best, it better conditions NA teams for Asian early games. At worst, it's fun to watch until teams develop better strategies to counter it. 

The Rise of Vulcun

After Vulcun Command's (VUL) success last week, they've managed to get their record to 4-7. Whether it's Zuna's yelling or adapting to the pressure of competitive play, I consider them the most formidable of the newer teams. Despite being ranked below MRN (currently ranked 5th at 3-4), I feel their momentum and attitude will continue to propel them forward--for the time being, anyway. Time will tell if they're special, or merely finding their footing after playing so many games. 

I still expect them to lose to TSM in their next match, but hopefully it's a good match. 

AP Tryndamere

For those of unfamiliar with the idea of AP Tryndamere or why he's OP, here's why: 1.5:1 ap scaling heal, 1:1 ap ratio for his E (spinning slash). Maxing CDR and stacking AP makes him a godlike split-pusher and duelist. Despite the impending nerf to his heal that's currently on PBE, I'd expect AP Tryn to become even more popular as the NA sheeple begin to insta-lock him as much as possible. Luckily, there is a slight skill curve that will allow decent players to capitalize on band-wagon noobs. Not to mention he can be countered with either hard cc + focus, or having a team that is extremely hard to 4v5 against (thus nullifying the advantages of a split-pusher). 

As much as I love abusing AP Tryn, I'm not looking forward to seeing people try to play my guilty pleasure. At least the next patch has Quinn to look forward to. After playing her on PBE, I'll probably spend the RP for the skin bundle. 

Gagne Flying the Orange and Black Again!

Flyer fans get noisy! Gagne is back...

The Los Angeles Kings dealt Simon Gagne back to the Philadelphia Flyers for a conditional fourth-round draft pick. In the heading I said get noisy, but really this is only decent news for the Flyers at best. He might only be a serviceable second liner anymore, but if he gets back to form under the orange and black, Philly can get pretty excited about their team.  Gagne was a one-time 47-goal scorer in Philadelphia, and he scored 30 or more goals four times.

However, Gagne has yet to score a goal this season for the Kings, and his two seasons in Los Angeles have been marked by injury and disappointment. He has played 45 games, registering 22 points. Pretty shitty for such a versatile and hard working player. He did return from a concussion to play four games for the Kings in last spring’s playoffs, earning the right to have his name etched on Lord Stanley's Cup

But is his lack of production a systems problem in LA, or is old man Gagne (32) just too old to produce in this new fast paced game. In this short season, production is a necessity to survive. If he doesn't get his ass in gear real quick with the Flyers, they will continue to hopelessly pray that Bryzgalov starts actually do something between the pipes.