Category Archives: sports

2012 MLB: National League Predictions

It was not a good off-season for the National League. A few stars start off the season on the DL (Ryan Howard, Chris Carpenter, & Tim Hudson) and they lost a few notable stars to the American League (Prince Field & Albert Pujols). This could be the year that the youth emerge and take over the league. The NL is loaded with young talent which makes this league pretty difficult to predict. You have teams that a few keys injuries could derail them (Cardinals, Brewers, & Phillies), but you have teams that could finally put it together and surprise everyone (Nationals & Pirates). Will the Cy Young go to a member of the Giants or Phillies? Can another NL Wild-Card team make it to the World Series? Here are my NL predictions for the 2012 Major League Baseball season.

NL Cy Young – Matt Cain

NL Rookie Of The Year – Devin Mesoraco

NL MVP – Justin Upton

NL East
Philadelphia Phillies – 95-67
Atlanta Braves – 91-71
Washington Nationals – 84-78
New York Mets – 75-87
Florida Marlins – 72-90

I could see three or four of these teams still in the race for the division in early August. The Phillies will miss Ryan Howard, the Braves will get more production from Jason Heyward, and the Nationals’ young talent will start to blossom. The Mets and Marlins have the best stadiums in the division, but not the best players on the field.

NL Central
Cincinnati Reds – 90-72
Milwaukee Brewers – 85-77
St. Louis Cardinals – 81-81
Pittsburgh Pirates – 81-81
Chicago Cubs – 65-97
Houston Astros – 50-112

The talent in the division really took a hit with the extraction of Fielder and Pujols. Milwaukee and St. Louis will miss their stars, but will still have decent years. The Reds have a talented line-up and I like their starting rotation more than in the past. The Cubs and Astros will fill basement, with Houston vying for the worst record in MLB history.

NL West
Arizona Diamondbacks – 98-64
San Francisco Giants – 90-72
Los Angels Dodgers – 79-82
San Diego Padres – 75-87
Colorado Rockies – 68-94

Arizona was a surprise team last year and I like them even more with Jason Kubel. The Giants have Buster Posey back and will be improved offensively. The Dodgers, Padres, and Rockies didn’t do enough to improve their rosters…plus the NL West plays the improved AL West this season.

NL Wildcard – Braves & Giants

NL Champions – San Francisco Giants

The NLCS will be an amazing pitching contest between the Giants vs. Phillies. I like both of their staffs, but I am looking for Madison Bumgarner to have a breakout season. If Posey can stay healthy, the Giants would win that series in seven games.

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2012 MLB: American League Predictions

The American League had a productive off-season, in which they added two of the best players in the game, Albert Pujols & Prince Fielder. If you rank the best teams in the Majors, most of the best teams are in the AL. You have the mainstays like the Yankees, Red Sox, and Rangers, but you have up-and-coming teams like the Royals and Blue Jays. This league has a nice combination of young talent and established veterans. The teams are deep and can pick guys out of their farm system to fill any holes, which is a huge luxury. The AL isn’t all great, since the Orioles and Twins expected to have bad seasons. Which teams will make the playoffs? Who will win the AL Cy Young and MVP awards? Will a mid-season call-up win the Rookie Of The Year?

AL Cy Young – Jared Weaver

AL Rookie Of The Year – Jacob Turner

AL MVP – Robinson Cano

AL East
New York Yankees – 97-65
Boston Red Sox – 95-67
Toronto Blue Jays – 85-77
Tampa Bay Rays – 84-81
Baltimore Orioles – 60-102

The biggest surprise here is that the Rays are in 4th place. I think the Blue Jays are a better team this year and will be able to win close games. This is not a knock on the Rays, it is more about how much I like Toronto. The Red Sox will bounce back and contend with the Yankees for the division crown.

AL Central
Detroit Tigers – 99-63
Kansas City Royals – 82-81
Chicago White Sox – 80-82
Cleveland Indians – 74-88
Minnesota Twins – 59-103

The Tigers are going to be a beast this year and they will run away with the division. There will be a crowded middle of the division, in which I like the Royals young roster to finally start to peak. The Indians will come back to life and fall down a few spots. The White Sox and Twins will end up about where they were at the end of 2011 season.

AL West
Texas Rangers – 94-68
L.A. Angels – 92-70
Oakland A’s – 76-86
Seattle Mariners – 70-92

The Rangers and Angels made some moves this off-season and this race will be cut-throat. Pujols and C.J. Wilson will help the Angels, but the Rangers return a great team that nearly won the World Series. Yoenis Cespedes will help Oakland, but they are still a work in progress. I expect the Mariners to sell off a few pieces at the trading deadline and keep adding young talent.

AL Wild Card – Red Sox & Angels

AL Champions – Los Angeles Angels

They don’t have the best rotation 1 thru 5, but I really like a short 3-man rotation in the playoffs. This is one of the many cases where a wild-card winner will make the World Series.

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Will Social Media Ruin Wrestlemania 28?

Over the last six months, WWE Entertainment has saturated their television programming with Twitter & Facebook announcements. It has gotten to a point that, as they come to the ring, each wrestler’s Twitter account name is listed under their names. They stop the flow of the match to announce when a WWE wrestler, event, or even catch-phrase start to trend. Will these announcement ruin the Wrestlemania experience and date the event in later years?

Before I go on an “anti-social media” rant, I like to admit that I regularly use my own Twitter and Facebook accounts. I think that they are extremely useful and can give anyone a platform. Saying all of that, there is a limit to one’s announcements and a saturation level has been met at WWE. I have had my Twitter account for nearly four years, but you would think that it is a fresh and new invention.

WWE first started to mention social media when The Rock launched Facebook and Twitter accounts. His accounts exploded and got hundred of thousands of followers with days and now currently stands at a few million. WWE started to become obsessed with social media, especially when a low-card wrestler named Zack Ryder started to get people chanting his name during WWE Raw. He gained an underground following by releasing “Z! True Long Island Story,” an hilarious YouTube series of videos. He went from not being on television to wrestling in a match at Wrestlemania 28. He proof that social media can change and make the writers add him into main storylines.

Wrestlemania 28 is this Sunday and will be up against programs like AMC’s “Mad Men,” but not much else. They will occupy most of the “trending topics” on Twitter and I’m hoping that they will not announce each one. If WWE hopes that this Wrestlemania, which features the highly-publicize match of The Rock vs. John Cena, they will limit the announcements. Twitter will not be the last social media platform to be popular on the internet. If WWE embraced Myspace during their programming back during Wrestlemania 22, it would be unwatchable. You would watch it and start laughing, because no one uses Myspace anymore. It would instantly make that Wrestlemania extremely dated. These matches have the chance to some of the best in recent memory. The Rock vs. John Cena, Triple H vs. The Undertaker, and CM Punk vs. Chris Jericho will all be under an unfortunate cloud of hopping on a current fad.

I hope someone from the WWE understands all of the points that I have made and throws themselves in front of the Twitter bus this weekend. We all know their Twitter handles by now and that WWE has a Twitter account. Let’s just focus on what people paid their money for, not for a “self-promoting, sports entertainment machine,” but the drama and pageantry of Wrestlemania.

#WWWYKI

A Sports & Entertainment blog that focuses on absurdity in sports, snarky banter, updates on Tim Tebow’s virginity, and decent sports gambling advice.

Skip Bayless Is "The Glenn Beck Of ESPN"

I was unfortunate this morning and flipped the channel to ESPN’s “First Take.” I was lucky enough to only deal with a few moments of Skip Bayless trolling America. He is one of the reasons why ESPN programming is no longer viewed as being elite. Bayless drains an ounce of what’s left of their journalist integrity every day that he is on the air. Can a write-in campaign stop his madness? Here’s some of what I witnessed today and why ESPN needs to get rid of Skip Bayless.

The few moments that I witnessed of today’s show blew my mind. It wasn’t the kind of mind-blowing television that I enjoy, it blew my mind that someone can make such stupid uninformative opinions on a mainstream outlet. The single thing that he said was that “the best place for Tim Tebow is Cleveland. Bayless added, “he would flourish there because they don’t have any decent quarterbacks on their roster.” Lets analyze this insane comment and dissect it.

First, he believes that Tebow has a shot in Cleveland. If you look at the Browns roster, they lack a running game and have been adding parts in their receiving corps for the last few season. Greg Little has a shot at being an elite wide receiver, but not with Tebow at quarterback. I understand that Colt McCoy isn’t the long-term answer there, but Tebow would be taking a step backward. Also, the Browns have two first-rounds picks this year, their early pick won’t likely be a QB, but there will a few nice options with their later pick. Ryan Tennehill may still be available or they could trade down, gain some other picks, and pick either Brandon Weeden, Brock Osweiler, or Kirk Cousins.

Secondly, he’s assuming that Tim Tebow is more than a system quarterback. John Fox helped design a system that fit Tebow’s strengths. They relied on their defense to generate favorable field position, which the Browns currently lack. The Broncos would be asking for a high draft pick for Tebow, which I don’t see that happening.

I know that Skip Bayless says nothing but contrarian statements in hopes of drawing ratings. From all accounts from people who have met him, they have nothing but positive things to say about his personality. It sounds like the exact same thing that you hear about Glenn Beck. They both go on television & radio and say things to cause a stir. Once the microphone is off, they put their characters away and become sane people.

I don’t agree with ESPN changing their “First Take” format. I don’t enjoy hearing Stephen A. Smith yell over Skip Bayless for a few hours. ESPN needs more programming like “Outside The Lines,” “E:60,” & “The Sports Reporters.” I understand that those shows aren’t exactly ratings monsters, but they need more of those shows to bolster their image. I’m saying that ESPN should feature a guy like Bob Ley over Colin Cowherd (no offense Michelle Beadle, you’re still my girl).

I don’t want “First Take” very often, because it just raises my blood pressure. More sports radio shows are getting their own morning/afternoon television shows, so there are more options to watch. I’m a big fan of “The Dan Patrick Show” and have been a listener since before they took the show to DirecTV. I would rather hear a guy be honest, who tells both sides of the story, and have guests on who are knowledgeable about specific topics (Chris Mannix, Bruce Feldman, Tony Dungy, etc). Don’t even get me started on “Mike & Mike In the Morning,” that is an entirely different post.

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Dolphins Trade Brandon Marshall To Bears

The Chicago Bears finally have an elite wide-receiver. Jay Cutler should be happy, because it is a player that he knows very well. The Miami Dolphins traded WR Brandon Marshall to the Chicago Bears for two 3rd-round draft picks. Even though he is coming off his best season with the Dolphins (81 receptions for 1,215 yards with six touchdowns), the price went down for Marshall’s services. The Dolphins gave the Denver Broncos two 2nd-round picks in 2010.

Cutler and Marshall put up some impressive numbers together in Denver. The last three seasons that they were in Denver, Marshall eclipsed 100 receptions each year. The Bears have lacked a prototypical wide-receiver for many years. The last receiver that put up consistent numbers was Bernard Berrian. I’m not saying that Devin Hester and Johnny Knox are bad receivers, but neither of them are a #1 receiving option on a championship contending team.

The Bears still need help on the offensive line and they look to add a few pieces in the upcoming NFL Draft. They should have a chance to add depth to a line has given up a lot of sacks over the past two seasons. They have other needs, but using the draft to pick up a few young offensive linemen is in their best interest.

Marshall is under contract through the 2014 season and has a contract around $9 million dollars per season. This signing could end all of the Mario Williams rumors that have been floating around. Williams is projected to receive a contract that averages at least $15 million per season. A pass rush combo of Julius Peppers and Williams would rival the Giants for the best pass rush in the NFL. Even if they aren’t able to sign Williams, the Bears took a step in the right direction by trading with Marshall.

A Sports & Entertainment blog that focuses on absurdity in sports, snarky banter, updates on Tim Tebow’s virginity, and decent sports gambling advice.

Would Peyton Help Groom Tim Tebow?

As Peyton Manning is in Denver talking with the Broncos, we all wonder how this will affect Tim Tebow. It isn’t a guarantee that Manning will sign with them, since he will most likely visit a few more teams. Would Manning be afraid of the backlash that comes with blocking Tim Tebow from starting? Would he accept the role of mentor? What can Tebow learn from one of the games best quarterbacks? A lot of questions are still in the air, but one thing is known, they are both fierce competitors.

Manning has never been on a team with another quarterback that could start in the NFL. I think he has helped groom some of his back-ups in Indianapolis, but it wasn’t his job. When the Colts were winning 12 games a year, Jim Sorgi or Curtis Painer would play a lot in the last few games of the year. Manning would have a headset on and he would be calling plays. He was able to do that because he had no threat at losing his job. I’m guessing that he enjoyed watching someone that he helped mold and call plays for him. Saying all of that, the situation in Denver would be quite different.

Drafting Tim Tebow in the first-round and having the ground-swell of support from Denver’s fans, has been a problem for the Broncos front-office. John Elway has since taken over the operations and he wasn’t in charge when Tebow was drafted. Football bloggers and mainstream journalists were waiting to see if Elway would him a shot. After a watching the first few games last year, Elway thought that they had nothing to lose and unleashed Tebow. Was Elway hoping that he would fall on his face? Elway’s in a position that he has to leave Tebow alone or the fanbase will turn on him. The only way out of this would be if he signed Peyton Manning.

Denver’s defense was very solid last year and rookie Von Miller was exceptional. In a weak AFC West, the Broncos are built to win now. They have the cap space to sign Manning and maybe a few of his old teammates (Reggie Wayne, Pierre Garcon, and/or Dallas Clark). The fanbase would realize that Manning would be the best choice to lead this team…right now.

What can Tebow learn from being Manning’s back-up? First, he would probably be in less pictorials with his shirt off. I’ve seen Tim Tebow shirtless more times than I have seen myself nude. After that is addressed, he can learn to become a better passer. Manning helped build an offense around his strengths. Tom Moore was a huge help in doing that, but he started to learn defenses and call audibles at the line. This what Tebow needs to learn the most from Manning. If he can recognize defenses, he can go in the huddle and call one passing play and one QB option play. He can see what the defense gives him and then signal to his teammates which play he’s calling. If he perfected that, Tebow would be more of a threat than Michael Vick…assuming that Tebow learns how to throw more accurately.

Will Manning groom Tim Tebow if he signs with Denver? I’m assuming that it would be a condition in his contract. What if Manning finishes his career there, in three or four years, and hands the keys to Tebow and he stinks? It wouldn’t completely tarnish his reputation, but it wouldn’t look good. Brett Favre never had that problem with Aaron Rodgers, even though he had nothing to do with Rodgers’ success.

The apprenticeship that Tebow would receive from Manning would be priceless. They are both fierce competitors, Tebow just needs someone to mold him. He will not be fixed over night, so Manning would be the perfect stopgap.

Seriously bro, put on a shirt!

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A Sports & Entertainment blog that focuses on absurdity in sports, snarky banter, updates on Tim Tebow’s virginity, and decent sports gambling advice.

2012 NCAA Tourney: 13 Possible Underdogs

After Kentucky and Syracuse, the rest of Top 25 have been interchangeable. If Notre Dame can win the Big East regular season title, it is a red flag that this tournament will be filled with underdogs. Butler will not be in the tournament this year, but who will be this year’s Butler? I breakdown the possibility of some of the mid-majors & overlooked power conference teams, who have strong RPI Rankings so far this season.

For those who are unaware of what the RPI Rankings measure, it factors in the team’s strength of schedule and how a team does against their schedule. It was created in 1981 and it is used by the NCAA Selection Committee to pick the field of 68.

Temple 24-6 (RPI: 13) – Temple has cracked the Top 25, but they have a chance at possibly knocking off a few higher seeds. Temple have quality wins against Duke & Wichita State on their resumé. They won’t be sneaking up on anyone in the tournament. The back-court trio of Ramone Moore, Khalif Wyatt, & Juan Fernandez will cause havoc against teams that have weak perimeter defense. All three of these guards at at least 6’4, so they will also have the advantage against smaller guards. Temple has some size with Michael Eric, but they lack depth at center and power forward. If they face a team with a lot of size, like North Carolina, they will be exposed.

Witchita State 27-5 (RPI: 14) – They lost early in the Missouri Valley conference tournament, but the AP #16 team should get an at-large bid. Their quality wins are against UNLV and they split the series with Creighton. They played Temple and Alabama close, but couldn’t pull out wins against those teams. Garrett Stutz is the star on this team, the 7-foot center leads the team in points and rebounds. He has decent range for a big man and will pull a team’s defense away from the paint. This will help guards, Joe Ragland & Touré Murry, drive the lane. The Shockers are one of my favorite candidates to be this year’s Butler.

Southern Miss 24-7 (RPI: 15) – The Golden Eagles aren’t known for having an elite basketball program. They ended the season with the second best record in Conference USA. They lack a marquee signature wins, since their best wins came against Memphis, New Mexico State, & South Florida. They had some bad losses at the end of the year with losses coming against UAB, Houston & UTEP. Overall, they had a very tough schedule and played Murray State & Denver (both should get NCAA Tournament bids). Southern Miss lacks size and will need their guards to be hot from behind the arc. If they are cold, they could be done early.

Murray State 30-1 (RPI: 20) – The Murray State Racers have been in the Top 15 for most of the season. Their only loss came against Tennessee State, but bounced back and won their “Bracket Buster” game against St. Mary’s. Murray State also knocked off Memphis, Dayton, & Southern Miss during the season. They have used their talented back-court to win games. Isaiah Canaan has been lights-out from behind the arc, he’s shooting 47.3% and hit over 90 3-pointers this year. Donte Poole is also a threat from the perimeter, so double-teaming isn’t an option. Just like Southern Miss, this team lacks size. They don’t have a guy on the team that has averaged more than 6 rebounds per game and has only one player who is over 6’9 that plays regularly.

Colorado State 20-10 (RPI: 21) – The Mountain West conference has been a very talented mid-major conference this season. The Rams will need to beat San Diego State tonight to cement a spot in the NCAA Tournament. Their signature wins come inside their own conference, against San Diego State, UNLV, & New Mexico, those wins coming at home. Wes Elkmeier & Dorian Green are the best scoring options for the Rams. Pierce Horning is a good rebounder and is a good defender. A lot of things would have to line up perfectly, but the Mountain West could secure four bids this year.

San Diego State 25-6 (RPI: 27) – The regular season winner of the Mountain West conference, they played a very difficult early season schedule. They faced Baylor, Arizona, Creighton, & California…and came out of that gauntlet with wins at Arizona & against California. All of their losses have came against teams that should make the NCAA Tournament, except a close loss against Air Force. This team isn’t as talented as last year’s team, but they have an impressive resumé. They take a lot of 3-point shots, but if they are on, they could slay a few giants. Jamaal Franklin & Chas Tapley are both legit back-court scoring threats. Don’t sleep on the Aztecs this year, they could sneak out a few wins in the NCAA Tournament.

Saint Louis 24-6 (RPI: 30) – Rick Majerus has done it again. He has rejuvenated another program and has the Billikens playing at an elite level. I honestly haven’t even thought about their basketball program since Larry Hughes was lighting up the nets. They had an advantageous early season schedule with Washington, Boston College, Villanova, & Oklahoma on their schedule. Unfortunately, only Washington had a good year and it was down years for the other programs. They lack big marquee wins, but they did the best with the schedule that they were given. They can match-up with some different teams. They can score in the low-post and are a threat to hit from the perimeter with Kwamain Mitchell & Code Ellis.

Iowa State 22-10 (RPI: 33) – I love what Fred Hoiberg has done for his alma mater. He brought in Royce White, a troubled transfer and has turned into an elite low-post player. He has been the difference in a lot of their wins and he’s so good that he can match-up against any elite big man. The Big 12 is one of the best basketball conferences this year and the Cyclones get lost in the mix. They have played elite-level competition and have beaten Baylor, Kansas, & swept Kansas State. All of their late-season losses came against teams in the Top 10. They should get a seed in the middle of the pack, but I look for them to win a few games.

Harvard 26-4 (RPI: 36) – Can an Ivy League team advance passed the first-round? It has been over a half-century since they have made the Tournament. They have some inside-outside talent on this team with Kyle Casey & Keith Wright, but they might need more. They will be getting a high seed, probably a 14 or 15, so they will be playing against elite teams. It would take a nearly-perfect game for them to advance, but any team in this tournament can have an off-game. If you fill out your bracket and pick Harvard advancing in the round of 32, it would be a very courageous pick.

Long Beach State 23-8 (RPI: 38) – The Big West Conference isn’t even considered a “mid-major”, but they played like a powerhouse this season. They played Pitt, Louisville, Kansas, North Carolina, Xavier, Kansas State, & Creighton this season, they played all of them close and even registered wins against Xavier & Pitt. They wanted to prove their worth to the committee, since all of those games were on the road. They are deep team with some size, but usually only go with a seven or eight-man rotation. Watch out for Casper Ware, he takes a lot of 3-point shots (7.4 per game) and if he catches fire, they could knock off any team.

Iona 25-7 (RPI: 40) – The Gaels have the top talent in the Metro Atlantic, but lost to Fairfield in the conference tournament. Mike Glover, Lamont Jones, Scott Machado, & Sean Armond are high-percentage shooters, with Glover being the stand-out in the group. Their possible at-large bid could be hurt by the lack of quality wins. Their record against teams with an RPI in the Top 50 was 1-1. Only playing two teams with a high RPI isn’t impressing the committee. If they make it in, watch out for Glover to impress a lot of people.

Nevada 26-5 (RPI: 48) – The Western Athletic Conference regular season champions need to win their conference tournament to assure their bid. They are in the same situation as Iona, they lack marquee wins and lost to all three teams that they played in the RPI Top 50. They have a balance offensive attack with Deonte Burton, Malik Story, Olek Czyz, & Dario Hunt all averaging over 10 points per game. Story is their lone perimeter scoring threat, since the Wolf Pack do most of their scoring in the paint. They get a lot of second-chance points with Hunt averaging nearly four offensive rebounds per game. If they make the tournament, they’ll give their first-round opponent a struggle.

Drexel 27-6 (RPI:65) – They lost to VCU in the Colonel Athletic Conference Tournament, in what was a very entertaining game to watch. Drexel was the regular season champions and have some decent wins against VCU, Cleveland State, & George Mason. The Colonel got a few bids last year and Drexel is definitely on the bubble, but I think that they sneak in this year. They have a talented back-court with Frantz Massenat & Damion Lee and have Samme Givens giving the Dragons low-post defense. If they sneak in, they’ll probably be a #12 seed, which are always dangerous in the NCAA Tournament.

I think these are some of the possible underdogs in the 2012 NCAA Tournament. You can refer to this article when filling out your bracket. I hope I have better informed the public about some of the teams that have flown under-the-radar this season.

I’m hoping to see a lot of this during the NCAA Tournament, it would make me very happy. The guys at the end of the bench need some camera time!

White Boy’s 2012 NCAA Tournament Coverage
2012 NCAA Tournament: West Region Picks
2012 NCAA Tournament: South Region Picks
2012 NCAA Tournament: East Region Picks
2012 NCAA Tournament: Midwest Region Picks

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A Sports & Entertainment blog that focuses on absurdity in sports, snarky banter, updates on Tim Tebow’s virginity, and decent sports gambling advice.

Farewell, Peyton Manning : A Fan’s Goodbye

After 8 months of “will they or won’t they”, the Colts and Peyton Manning finally parted ways. I’m here to try to give a logical outlook from a fan’s perspective, since I’ve heard “talking heads” speak about how Colts fans are mad…this couldn’t be more false. I hope I can shine a new perspective on the dilemma the Colts are facing and why most Colts fans wish the best for Peyton Manning.

First, let me make it clear that ever since it was clear that the Indianapolis Colts were going to get the #1 pick in the NFL Draft, I knew that Manning would be gone. If anyone paid attention to Manning’s contract extension talks that happened last summer, you knew that owner, Jim Irsay, wanted to make him happy. Irsay wanted to make Manning the highest paid quarterback in the NFL and was offering him more money than Manning even thought was necessary. He took less than what Irsay was offering him, because he wanted money left to get other players and maybe this was a hint that he knew that his neck wasn’t healthy enough to play. This situation could have been much worse, especially if Manning agreed to the amount of money that Irsay was first offering him. I wanted to make that clear before I start to explain what the average Colts fan is thinking about this whole ordeal.

Since the end of the regular season, the Colts organization has made it clear that they are going into full-blown rebuilding mode. They fired the President, GM, Coach, and a lot of the other team personnel. The team offered a long-term deal to wide receiver Pierre Garcon, who turned down the deal. Garcon is an average 3rd receiver on a .500 team, so this was a big red flag. The Colts also re-signed defensive end, Robert Mathis, to a long-term deal. This was the final nail in the coffin in the Peyton Manning saga. They wouldn’t have had the money to keep Manning after re-signing Mathis. A knowledgeable Colts fan already knew the answer before the owner announced that they would release Manning.

I was listening to Colin Cowherd’s radio show this morning and his idea of what the average Colts fan is thinking was infinitely wrong. I shouldn’t have expected that he would be a good judge, since I disagree with most of his views, in which most are said to be the antagonist. He said, “Colts fans shouldn’t be mad, they are the luckiest franchise in the league. You didn’t earn the #1 pick when they drafted Peyton Manning and they didn’t earn the #1 pick this year.” First off, how does one “earn” the #1 pick in the NFL Draft? The #1 pick goes to the team who ends with the worst record in the league. Does a team have to intentionally throw games to “earn” the #1 pick? After saying that, Cowherd rattled off Manning’s career accomplishments, which were mostly incorrect. Cowherd was only correct about the fact that the Colts have been the luckiest team in the NFL, because as fans, we had the chance to root for a great quarterback and a stand-up guy for over a decade.

Growing up in Northern Indiana in the late 80’s & early 90’s, I didn’t know many other Colts fans. One of the earliest seasons that I remember, the starting quarterbacks were Jack Trudeau & Gary Hogeboom. The team went 3-13 and it didn’t get any better after that. They acquired Eric Dickerson and had a few 8-8 & 9-7 teams, but the carousel of starting quarterbacks still occurred. As fans, we had to endure Chris Chandler, Jeff George, Paul Justin, Craig Erickson, Don Majkowski, and finally, “Captain Comeback”, Jim Harbaugh. The Colts were up & down through these years, but never had a franchise quarterback. They had some talented guys at other skill positions, but they couldn’t get over the hump. They would get high draft picks year after year, but with picks like Steve Emtman & Trev Alberts being busts, they couldn’t catch a break. When the Colts went 3-13 in 1997 and received the 1998 #1 overall pick, I’d say that they “earned” Peyton Manning.

Colts fans have endured bad seasons and teams that overachieved with lackluster talent. We aren’t the New York Yankees, Detroit Red Wings, or Dallas Cowboys, if they don’t make the playoffs, their fans turn into an angry mob. We have won the most games over the last decade and we are blessed fans. We will have a few down years, but it will make the next winning season that much better. We are a group of optimist fans and will continue to support the team.

We wish Peyton Manning and thank him for all that he has done for the city of Indianapolis and the state of Indiana. If it wasn’t for him, Lucas Oil Stadium would have just been an unused blueprint and Indianapolis would have never hosted a Super Bowl. Saying all of that, we just hope that he doesn’t go to a team that will destroy us in the near future. If he comes into Lucas Oil Stadium on the visiting team, he will be cheered. After he retires, he jersey will be retired and will most likely get a statue in front of the stadium. Until then, we wish you the best, Mr. Manning.

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A Sports & Entertainment blog that focuses on absurdity in sports, snarky banter, updates on Tim Tebow’s virginity, and decent sports gambling advice.

Can Kentucky Win 2012 NCAA Tournament?

Since George Mason’s Cinderella run in the NCAA Tournament, it has been a crap shoot. A lot of upsets and senior-laden mid-majors making long runs. A lot of this can be blamed on the NBA’s age requirement for the draft. Can Kentucky win with a team with a group of freshmen leading the way?

Anthony Davis, and his unibrow, is a monster in the paint. He is leading all of college basketball in blocks and is already setting career records at Kentucky. They are the most complete team that Kentucky has had since Antoine Walker, Ron Mercer, Walter McCarty, & Tony Delk were college students. Their only loss came against Indiana and with a buzzer-beater.

Syracuse has a shot at holding their own against Kentucky. I’ve watched many of their games, but both teams could definitely have one bad game…and that is all you need to have to get booted from the tournament.

The Wildcats are the teams with a bull’s eye on their backs. It will take a nearly perfect tournament for them to win, since most of their rotation will have careers in the NBA.

Want to see the action in person? AT&T is hosting a sweepstakes right now to go to the Final Four AND the Championship game! That’s right, you get to go to both. To enter go to http://bit.ly/ATTSweeps for details. What are you waiting for? Get in the game!

I’m sharing the Sweepstakes on behalf of AT&T but all thought and opinions are mine.

A Sports & Entertainment blog that focuses on absurdity in sports, snarky banter, updates on Tim Tebow’s virginity, and decent sports gambling advice.

White Boy Of The Week: Peyton Hillis

Peyton Hillis did something that I’ve been waiting 24 years for, he wiped Craig James off the record books. In 1986, James, “The Great White Hope,” ran for 1,227 yards and was the last white running back to surpass 1,000 yards in a season. This weekend, in a loss, Hillis crossed that plateau and currently has 1,070 on the season. He has been a beast this season and exciting to watch. I’m glad to name Peyton Hillis as my “White Boy of The Week.”

I have watched nearly every Cleveland Browns game this year, mostly because they show most of them here in Columbus, Ohio. I was doing some research on Hillis for this post and ran across an amazing nickname for him. “The Albino Rhino” has been thrown out there and I hope it sticks. His running style is violent and he tries to leap or run over his opponent. He is prone to fumbling, which he did last week, but he will get that fixed this off-season.

Hillis has 11 touchdowns this season and to go along with his rushing yards, he has 57 receptions, 446 receiving yards, and two additional receiving touchdowns. He is a dual threat and someone that a cornerback or safety wouldn’t want to try to tackle in the open-field.

He was acquired by the Browns from the Denver Broncos for Brady Quinn. He was lost in the depth chart in Denver, but did shine when he was given an opportunity. He played his college ball at Arkansas, where he played fullback in front of first-round picks, Darren McFadden and Felix Jones. There has been a few weeks this season that Hillis had more total yards in a week than both McFadden and Jones combined.

Congratulations goes out to Peyton Hillis, he is having a fantastic season and should get a hefty contract this summer for his achievements on the field. He is currently making near the minimum, the Browns have him at a discount. The Browns are an improved team with Hillis and next season with a healthy Colt McCoy and possibly an addition of a wide-receiving playmaker, the Browns will keep getting better.

A Sports & Entertainment blog that focuses on absurdity in sports, snarky banter, updates on Tim Tebow’s virginity, and decent sports gambling advice.

Uh Oh…I Agree With Buzz Bissinger

Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, Buzz Bissinger, is now the new sports columnist for The Daily Beast. He wrote the books “Friday Night Lights” and “Three Nights In August,” the man knows his stuff. He is often very controversial with his take on current events and very opinionated on his Twitter account. He made a splash a few years ago when he went after Deadspin founder Will Leitch and all sports bloggers on Bob Costas’s HBO show. Bloggers are supposed to hate him, but I kind of love him now. His latest take on the Cam Newton situation is a must-read, here’s my take.

I could lose my “blogger card” for writing a pro-Bissinger post, but the man hit his article out of the park. He has a fresh take on the “biggest non-story story” to his college football this season.

Cam Newton and his father, Cecil Newton, have been charged and convicted in the court of public opinion. Bissinger throws the spotlight back onto the NCAA, even comparing them to the mafia. His stance is that the NCAA are making millions of dollars on these kids and there are no guarantees that they will earn a dollar from the sport, especially if the player gets injured. He thinks that Cecil Newton allegedly low-balled Mississippi State and should have asked for more than $180,000 dollars. Bissinger thinks every player should receive the dollar value for how much his scholarship is worth. He calls it a “annuity,” which is exactly what should happen. Bissinger even uses the comparison that “the school is pimp and the player is a high-priced whore.” He isn’t trying to defame the players by calling them “whores”, he is just pointing out that is the role they play in the system that is in place. The school’s pimp hand is strong, but you can’t hate the player, just hate the game (NCAA).

It’s no secret that college football is the biggest money maker for nearly every school. It helps fund other sports that lose money and Title IX sports that have to be offered. I am not against Title IX, but it is always brought up when people suggest that colleges pay their players.

I have an idea that isn’t a new one, but should be thrown back into the discussion. Colleges and universities sell jerseys with numbers that correspond with players currently playing. That money goes straight to the institution and no dime goes to the players. I live in Columbus, Ohio and #2 jerseys (Terrelle Pryor) sell for a higher price than other numbered jerseys. Also, when Beanie Wells went pro, #28 jerseys (the number he wore at Ohio State) sold for a reduced price. Fans want to wear the jersey number of their favorite player. The players should get a cut of profits from their merchandise. You could either give them their share every year or the university could invest that money into a mutual fund and given to them after their eligibility runs out. Georgia player, A.J. Green, was suspended at the start of this season for selling his jersey, even though a fan could buy a similar jersey on the school’s website or all over Athens, Georgia. He received less than $1,000 dollars for it, but was suspended for four games.

I don’t know if I can go all out by comparing NCAA to the mafia or a pimp, but we should all agree that the system is broken. The rules that make up what define an “amateur,” were written before college sports programs turned into Fortune 500 companies. If the system isn’t fixed or definitions re-written, we could end up with another SMU scandal and the NCAA would have to basically dismantle an entire program to prove their point. Wait, I guess if a “high-priced whore” gets out of line, a pimp gotta go what a pimp gotta do, right?

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A Sports & Entertainment blog that focuses on absurdity in sports, snarky banter, updates on Tim Tebow’s virginity, and decent sports gambling advice.

2010 Men’s College Basketball – All-Name Team

Not everyone can have the last name ‘Jordan’ or ‘Chamberlain’, some of us have to go through life with a pretty ridiculous name. Most of these names are pretty rough to grow up with, but some are names you wish you may have, especially if you are named something bland like Joe Smith or Bobby Roberts. We had a few players graduate and are not on this year’s All-Name Team, but we do have many new faces, which we will enjoy for the next few years.

Once again the smaller schools have stepped up their game and are well-represented on the team. The bigger conferences really need to step it up and start recruiting some soon-to-be household names. The Syracuse Orange did have three players make the list, Jim Boeheim knows how to recruit!

Jimmer Fredette – G – BYU Cougars
Blondy Baruti – F – Tulsa Golden Hurricane
Deverin Muff – F – Eastern Kentucky Colonels
A.J. Yawn – G – Florida State Seminoles
Andrew Dick – G – Texas Longhorns
Bak Bak – F – California Golden Bears
Robo Kreps – G – Illinois-Chicago Flames
Ryan Bacon – F – St. Peter’s Peacocks
Ted Wang – C – Texas A&M-CC
Beloved Rogers – G – Prairie View A&M Panthers
Brendan Bald – G – Vermont Catamounts
Hippolyte Tsafack – F – Memphis Tigers
Scootie Randall – F – Temple Owls
Jihad Ali – G – Georgia State Panthers
Dinko Marshavelski – F – Northeastern Huskies
Papa Lo – F – Bryant University
Drake U’u – G – Cal Poly Mustangs
Casper ware – G – Long Beach State 49ers
Tripp Grooms – C – Citadel Bulldogs
Onochie Ochie – G – Southeastern Louisiana Lions
Pooh Williams – G – Utah State Aggies
Scoop Jardine – G – Syracuse Orange
Mookie Jones – F – Syracuse Orange
Fab Melo – C – Syracuse Orange
Storm Stanley – C – St. Francis (PA) Red Flash
Pawal Kielbasa – C – Chicago State Cougars
Zimmy Nwogbo – F – Charleston Southern Buccaneers
Gorkem Sonmez – G – Radford Highlanders
Billy Kidd – F – Delaware Fightin Blue Hens

Let me know if you have any other additions to this list.

A Sports & Entertainment blog that focuses on absurdity in sports, snarky banter, updates on Tim Tebow’s virginity, and decent sports gambling advice.