Tag Archives: sports

2015-16 College Basketball – All-Name Team

We have many new entries this season, but I’m sad great names like McWisdon Badejo and Nimrod Hilliard have graduated. We have plenty of fun names this year.

We picked through every Division-I college basketball roster and a few smaller schools for our list. This year’s class is solid and better than last year’s All-Name Team. We went through a rebuilding year and we are a better team.

My name is Bobby Roberts, so I am often jealous of people with unique names. The most unique thing about my name is that I was not born ‘Robert Roberts’, Bobby is my given name. I don’t know too many grown men named Bobby.

This list consists of names that we wished he had and ones we find humorous. Enjoy!

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Blue Jackets Hire John Tortorella

I’m a fan of the Columbus Blue Jackets. I don’t write much about them because they don’t give me a lot to say. They bounce between the worst team in the NHL and the 8th seed in the playoffs.

Columbus started out 0-7 to begin the 2015-16 NHL season. The team finally cut ties with head coach Todd Richards and hired the bulldozer John Tortorella.

The Blue Jackets are one of those NHL teams that if you’re not a fan of hockey, you may not realize they exist. They are still fairly new for pro team standards, but they should have more national name exposure by this point.

Tortorella has the playoff experience Columbus needs to push them in the right direction. How will they react to Tortorella’s hard-line demeanor?

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Roman Reigns Needs to Evolve

WWE is in the midst of a youth movement. Their farm system NXT has been seen as a huge success. Young wrestlers (WWE likes to use the term ‘superstars’) are now more prepared than ever to take the next step and be on the main roster.

Roman Reigns is a product of NXT and is a member of the famed Anoa’i family, which includes The Rock, Rikishi, Yokozuna and over a dozen other former and current wrestlers. WWE had every reason to strap a rocket to him and push him to the top.

They added him to a stable called ‘The Shield’ with two other wrestlers that had a lot of experience in the indies, Dean Ambrose and Seth Rollins. The group has long since been dismantled, yet Reigns still stuck in the same character.

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The Mystery of Jason Pierre-Paul’s Hand

We’ve all heard the story by now. New York Giants defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul rented a huge truck, filled it with fireworks and then preceded to blow off finger(s) on his right hand.

JPP since went MIA and didn’t report to the Giants for the entire training camp. He didn’t need to show up since he never signed the franchise tag contract. The contract is still on the table, but New York could basically refuse to pay him if they put him on the ‘Non-Football Injury” list. If he missed the entire season while on the list, they wouldn’t have to pay him a dime. Also, the time accrued while on the list doesn’t count towards the player’s pension plan.

There are still questions about the shape of JPP’s hand. Every report gets worse and worse. How many fingers does he have left?

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2015 NFL Team Preview: Washington Redskins

I’m sure Washington owner Dan Snyder would like a do-over and avoid mortgaging his future to trade up to draft quarterback Robert Griffin III. His tenure has been marred with injuries, fumbles and mediocrity. If there was ever a quarterback that needed a change of scenery, it would be RG3.

Washington officially starts the ‘Kirk Cousins era’ this year. Will it be as forgettable as the ‘Patrick Ramsey era’ or will he lead the team to a winning record?

The NFC East will be a beast again this season. The Giants, Eagles and Cowboys are all favored to contend for a playoff spot. It will be that much harder for the Redskins to be respectable.

Here is the 2015 NFL team preview for the Washington Redskins.

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2015 NFL Team Preview: Tennessee Titans

Remember the Titans? If you don’t live in the state of Tennessee, it’s easy to do. They haven’t been good in awhile and honestly haven’t been on national television much either. They did select former Heisman trophy-winning quarterback Marcus Mariota with the second overall pick in the 2015 NFL Draft. That’s the biggest news since they gave Jeff Fisher the boot.

The Titans are in the unenviable position of being in the same division as the Indianapolis Colts. It’s hard to get into the playoffs when you’re getting lit up by Andrew Luck twice a year. They can’t blame the division much, since they do get to play Jacksonville twice as well.

How will Mariota fare in his rookie year?

Here is the 2015 NFL team preview for the Tennessee Titans.

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2015 NFL Team Preview: Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Bucs come into the season after selecting the best quarterback in the 2015 NFL Draft. Former Heisman Trophy winner Jameis Winston gets to stay in the warm Florida weather. His job will be a lot harder in the pros. He’s no longer surrounded with five-star recruits, although Tampa Bay does have some blue chippers at wide receiver.

The NFC South was an embarrassment last season. Carolina won the division and made the playoffs with a 7-8-1 record. It didn’t help that Tampa Bay went 2-14 either. The Bucs wouldn’t need to improve much to contend within the division.

Winston goes into the season as the starting quarterback. Rookie quarterbacks haven’t fared well historically, but a few have done very well. Can Winston be an outlier?

Here is the 2015 NFL team preview for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

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2015 NFL Team Preview: St. Louis Rams

The Rams offense got a face-lift this offseason. They literally traded the face of the franchise (Sam Bradford) for what possibly could become the new face (Nick Foles). It was a trade that left many scratching their heads on both sides of the trade. People are still wondering what is wrong with Foles, that we don’t already know, that Philly would trade for the often-injured Bradford.

The NFC West has been one of the best divisions in the NFL. Seattle, San Francisco and Arizona have all made the postseason at least once (if not all three years) in the last three seasons. The Rams have been stuck in the basement. After selecting high in the last few drafts, are they ready to take it to the next level?

How will Foles fare in his first season with the Rams?

Here is the 2015 NFL team preview for the St. Louis Rams.

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2015 NFL Team Preview: Seattle Seahawks

I wouldn’t blame Seattle Seahawks fans if they spent the offseason locked in their bedrooms, dehydrated from crying for the last six months. The goal line interception during the final minute of Super Bowl 49 will sting for their rest of their lives.

The Seahawks bring back nearly everyone of importance from last year’s Super Bowl appearance. They also added Pro Bowl tight end Jimmy Graham. Seattle looks like one of the favorites in the NFC.

Can Seattle keep up their home dominance?

How much will the addition of Graham help Seattle’s passing game?

Here is the 2015 NFL team preview for the Seattle Seahawks.

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2015 NFL Team Preview: San Francisco 49ers

The rivalry between the San Francisco 49ers and Seattle Seahawks was fun to watch. They would build their teams to beat the other. They would even claim each others players that were waived. Well, I guess we can put that rivalry to bed for awhile. The Niners are not the same team…in many, many ways.

The Niners are without head coach Jim Harbaugh who left to coach his alma mater. They also lost many faces on defense to retirement and off the field issues. Long-time running back Frank Gore even left town.

How will Colin Kaepernick fare without an elite defense?

Here is the 2015 NFL team preview for the San Francisco 49ers.

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2015 NFL Team Preview: San Diego Chargers

The San Diego Chargers have been playing second and third fiddle in the AFC West to Denver and Kansas City. They can’t seem to get over the hump.

Many have pointed the finger at quarterback Philip Rivers, but I don’t see him being the reason. Tight end Antonio Gates hasn’t been able to stay healthy and the rest of their receivers haven’t been up to the task. Also, Rivers misses a LaDanian Tomlinson-like running back. Ryan Matthews was not a fit there. They have yet to find the right running back.

The Chargers selected running back Melvin Gordon early in the 2015 NFL Draft. Could he be the answer in San Diego?

Here is the 2015 NFL team preview for the San Diego Chargers.

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NFL Divisional Sleepers to Watch and Wager

The NFL preseason is giving handicappers their first glimpse of the league’s landscape in 2015. And while exhibition results should be taken with a grain of salt, it’s never too early to start thinking ahead to divisional races – especially when considering NFL division futures. Here are three sleepers to keep in mind when sports betting handicapping who could shock their way to the top this season:

Minnesota Vikings (+700 to win NFC North)

Adrian Peterson’s return instantly makes the Vikings offense a threat, something that just wasn’t there in 2014. Quarterback Teddy Bridgewater looked good at the end of the year and the franchise rewarded him with a brand new toy in WR Mike Wallace. This is Year 2 under head coach Mike Zimmer, who injected his intensity into a defense that limited opponents to 21.4 points per game – 11th best in the NFL. The road to the NFC North crown goes through Green Bay, but don’t count out the resurgent Vikings.

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