Wednesday, February 2, 2011

The Greatest Thing the Browns Ever Did!!!


A letter the Cleveland Browns sent to a fan way back in the day.


The New York Mets


Madoff making off with the Mets money

2011 Positional Rankings -- QB

Draft season is just getting underway. This is my look at the 2011 quarterbacks.

1. Cameron Newton*, Auburn

In my opinion the highest upside quarterback to come out this year, Newton has Roethlisberger like size and athleticism, a powerful arm, but only average accuracy. His mechanics are surprisingly well formed, but coming out of a gimmick spread offense Newton will have an adjustment period. Teams will also have to take a long look at any potential character concerns, but Newton looks very much like Big Ben incarnate. He's not going to succeed right away, but if a team nurtures Newton's untapped natural ability they'll be very pleased with the results.

2. Ryan Mallet*, Arkansas

Mallett’s 6’7” frame and powerful arm scream franchise quarterback, but his middle of the road mechanics, poor release, and disappointing performances in the two minute drill scream of a guy who may lack the necessary killer instinct to play quarterback. Certainly Mallett loves pushing the ball downfield, but he struggles with judgment. Mallett’s throws are almost never spot on. Often times he puts too much velocity on the ball (Sugar Bowl vs. Ohio State) and at other times I find him too trusting of his receivers as he lofts cream puffs downfield (South Carolina game). Mallett will also be prone to taking some big hits. He’s a statue in the pocket with a slow release. Some coach will take the risk on this though and try and transform him into a franchise quarterback.

3. Colin Kaepernick, Nevada

As noted yesterday Kaepernick has first round talent and has great collegiate production, but a strange pistol offense and a long release lead the list of concerns about Kaepernick as an NFL quarterback. Still, after his great Senior Bowl practices it’s unlikely Kaepernick falls out of the first round.

4. Blaine Gabbert*, Missouri

One of the most overhyped prospects in 2011, Blaine Gabbert is likely to be one franchises really big mistake or incredibly mediocre disappointment. Gabbert has NFL size and an NFL arm, but struggled to produce in Missouri’s gimmick pass-happy offense that does not require the ability to read a defense–something Gabbert had better learn at the NFL and learn it quickly. Gabbert also has a tendency to turn into Captain Checkdown. Whether it’s because his downfield accuracy is so spotty or because he simply doesn’t like throwing downfield, Gabbert failed to push the ball downfield all season.

5. Jake Locker, Washington

Possibly the Jevan Snead of 2011, Locker’s inconsistency got him blasted at this year’s Senior Bowl. The natural talent is there, but he’s incredibly raw. Locker has the legs and the arm to go with the size. He also played under a very good quaterback tutor in Steve Sarkisian. But Locker’s mechanics are still a major work in progress and his footwork in particular needs some serious coaching. Locker’s stock has fallen well out of round one, but some coach is going to take him in the 2nd or 3rd and think they can coach him up.

6. Nathan Enderle, Idaho

A four year starter with superb size and a nice arm, Nathan Enderle looks the part of the franchise quarterback, and much like Jay Cutler at Vandy shouldered the load of a program that was too heavy to carry alone. They only had three wins in Enderle’s first two seasons, but Idaho went 14-9 with Enderle under center in 2009-10 and 2010-11. 60 interceptions in four years will create a lot of questions for this mid-round prospect, but Enderle played on a team with a very sporadic running game (at the best of times) and still put together a decent senior season. His size and arm and ability to play with lesser talent will definitely intrigue one NFL team.

7. Andy Dalton, TCU

Dalton possesses an above average arm and a nice set of wheels, but he’s another guy who played in an offense that limits quarterback development. Dalton possesses average size for a quarterback, and is likely nothing more than a long-term back-up.

8. Greg McElroy, Alabama

Much like Dalton, McElroy looks like a long-term back-up. He has everything you want from an NFL quarterback–except the physical talent to play the position. With arguably one of the weakest arms in this class, McElroy projects as nothing more than long-term backup.

9. Tyrod Taylor, Virginia Tech

Taylor’s awesome senior season ended with a tough loss to Stanford, but Taylor proved that he could be a quarterback at the next level. I’d like to see some team give Taylor a shot. His improvements across the board in decision making, accuracy, and even his arm scream NFL to me, but if Taylor doesn’t play quarterback full-time, he’ll likely be a dangerous utility player in the mold of Brad Smith.

10. Pat Devlin, Delaware

A former Penn State recruit, Devlin failed to beat out Darryl Clark and transferred. He’s got the NFL arm strength and size, but questions about his pocket presence will make him a mid-round pick.

11. T.J. Yates, North Carolina

Yates has shown solid arm strength and really good pocket presence, but I don’t believe for a second he’s truly 6’3”. He looks 6’1” at the tallest and probably won’t be able to be a starter at the next level because of his size.

12. Mike Hartline, Kentucky

Playing out of a spread offense, Hartline had a really strong senior season. The 6’6” 210 pound quarterback took great care of the ball, showed solid arm strength, and overall solid grasp of the game. He needs to pack on some weight, but he’s another guy who may be worth a late-round flier.

13. Christian Ponder, Florida State

Ponder’s got the wheels, but his accuracy is largely overrated and his arm strength has been vastly reduced after multiple shoulder surgeries. He’s likely headed for a back-up role in the NFL.

14. Ricky Stanzi, Iowa

He’s your classic Big Ten quarterback. Okay arm strength, accurate, but won’t wow you in any one area. His improvement in 2010 was astounding as he cut his interceptions down from 15 to 6. He’s got the size to be an NFL quarterback, but likely his arm will be what holds him back.

15. Ryan Colburn, Fresno State

Colburn put together two decent seasons replacing Tom Brandstater, but with an average arm and already 24 years old his stock is going to stay low.

16. Jerrod Johnson, Texas A&M

Johnson looks the part at 6’5” 250 pounds and possessing an absolute cannon. Johnson also has a nice feel for pressure and when to move in the pocket, but his bad mechanics and trust in his arm lead to more interceptions then a team will want to deal with.

17. Kevin Riley, California

He has average size, an average arm, and was pretty average in Jeff Tedford’s system. There isn’t much about Riley that screams anything other than training camp body.

18. Adam Weber, Minnesota

Has a really nice arm and NFL size, but his leadership is lacking and his accuracy is pretty awful.

19. Ben Chappell, Indiana

An interesting prospect with nice size and a nice arm, Chappell played in a multi-look offense, but is sort of a poor man’s Blaine Gabbert.

20. Scott Tolzein, Wisconsin

All you need to know? Brooks Bollinger Part II.

21. Mitch Mustain, USC

Unlikely to be the next Matt Cassel. Mustain seemed to lack leadership from the get-go at Arkansas and spent his last three years failing to beat out underclassmen quarterbacks at USC.

22. Taylor Potts, Texas Tech

You know the book on Texas Tech QB’s already. Lots of accuracy and no arm strength and no ability to read defenses.

23. Carson Coffman, Kansas State

Showed nice accuracy and poise, but needs to tack on weight and probably doesn’t have the arm to make it in the NFL.

24. Zach Frazier, Connecticut

There are no real redeeming qualities about Frazier as an NFL prospect.

25. Josh Nesbitt, Georgia Tech

Unlikely to stay at this position after playing GT’s triple option.

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Super Bowl XLV; History In The Making


With Super Bowl XLV upon us very soon, I feel it is necessary to put this matchup and the teams involved in the proper historical perspective. The Pittsburgh Steelers and Green Bay Packers will square off in one of the most anticipated encounters in recent memory. Over the last decade, several franchises have reached the big game for the first time in their history, Tampa Bay in XXXVII, Carolina in XXXVIII, Seattle in XL, Arizona in Super Bowl XLIII, and of course the Saints last season as the most note worthy. Neither of this seasons representatives will be added to this list. The Steelers and Packers have some of the richest histories in all of professional sports. These two franchises combined for 13 appearances and already 9 Super Bowl titles soon to be 10 regardless of this years winner. That does not even take into account Green Bay’s NFL titles, the Packer franchise has alone captured 12 total NFL titles. These two great franchises go well beyond championships. 


First, the Steelers. Pittsburgh has been playing football since the leather strap days of 1933. Unlike Green Bay, it was not immediate roses for the Steeler franchise. Prior to the Super Bowl era, Pittsburgh only accumulated one post-season victory in about 40 years of play. This was during a time that even saw the franchise combined with Philadelphia to form the Steagles, a laughing stock of a squad. The Rooney's rhode the ship until the 70's decade hit. Once the decade turned so did the fortunes of this once miserable organization. Mean Joe Green was drafted, Chuck Noll was hired, and the Steelers were officially on the NFL map. The 70's saw a slew of Hall of Famers and key moments. The first coming in 1972, the immaculate reception game did not take place in a championship season (the Steelers lost the AFC title game to Miami) but is perhaps still the biggest moment in Steelers history. This game winning catch by Franco Harris capped off a victory over another marque franchise, the hated Oakland Raiders. Once this happened and the ball finally "bounced" the Steelers way the trend was set. Just two years later one draft class put this team over the hump. In 1974, Lynn Swaynn, Jack Lambert, John Stalworth, and center, Mike Webster. These players went on make a major impact and deliver the first Super Bowl birth and title right away. Pittsburgh repeated as champions the following season and then remained as a top contender until the decade closed. All in all, the Steelers captured 4 crowns in only a 6 year period defeating arguably the other great teams of the era, the Minnesota Vikings, Los Angeles Rams, and twice beating the Dallas Cowboys, Dallas actually appeared in more Super Bowls in the 70's (the Cowboys won 2 out of 5) but lost the team of the decade honor to Pittsburgh due to the head to head victories in the big game. 

The success of the 70's was next to impossible to match in the 80's and the Steelers failed to make many deep playoff runs. Pittsburgh only other long season came in 1984 reaching the AFC Championship game before falling to a young Dan Marino and the Dolphins. By this time legends like Bradshaw, Mel Blunt, and Jack Lambert were gone and finishing their careers elsewhere. It was time to pass the torch. The Steelers torch went from Noll to an up and coming Crafton boy, Bill Cowher. He took over this proud franchise with very high hopes and expectations. Despite the fans still in a 70's dream state, it took major rebuilding for Cowher to be on the path to greatness. Cowher made the most of the talent Noll left and sprinkled his own touch becoming the second head coach to ever lead his team to the playoffs in each of his first 6 seasons under the helm. This streak included AFC Championship game appearances in 94, 95, and 1997. Always a contender Cowher was still ringless and having a tough time living up the bling Noll rocked. Super Bowl XXX saw Pittsburgh suffer a devastating loss to their big game rival, the Dallas Cowboys. By the end of Bill's tenure, Pittsburgh would reach 3 more AFC title games and finally award him with jewelry after winning Super Bowl XL. The torch then was passed again, this time to another young defensive coordinator, Mike Tomlin. Tomlin came to town with an impressive resume including already having been a member of a championship staff, he was an assistant on the 2002 Buccaneers. Gone was Jerome Bettis but main stays like Hines Ward and Ben Rothlisberger were there to stay. Going into this Sunday, Tomlin has already set a record, he is the only head coach to ever reach 2 Super Bowls prior to his 40th birthday, Tomlin is also already the youngest man to ever hoist the Lambardi trophy. The success and winning tradition of this franchise single handily catapulted Bradshaw into the Hall of Fame (only 27,989 career passing yards) and may do the same for Big Ben someday. As of now Canton holds 20 primary Steeler players and coaches and will be opening its doors to several more from this current era (Bettis, Ben, Ward, and Tomlin just to name a few all stand a great shot). 

From 6Burgh to a place called Title Town USA, Green Bay Wisconsin. The Packers may not have the most Super Bowls, however, certainly are deserving of Title Town label. Green Bay an organization that has been around from the beginning, 1919. Despite tons of success in the post Super Bowl era, nothing compares to the first 50 years of this franchise. Green Bay won 9 NFL titles during this time and was led by arguably two of the best coaches in league history, Curly Lambeau and Vince Lombardi. The Pack is still the only team ever to win 3 straight NFL titles, this was done twice and once each by Lambeau (29-31) and Lambardi (65-67). Some of the NFL's top legends such as Carl Hubbard, Bart Starr, Paul Hornig, and Ray Nitschke wore the green and yellow. Key games like the ice bowl were made even more famous due to the Packers being apart of them. The Packers represented the NFL in Super Bowls 1 and 2, winning both. Following those victories the Lombardi era came to a close and a dark period began. 

Much like Pittsburgh, the 80's were not friendly to Green Bay. Not only did 1992 begin the Bill Cowher tenure in the Steel City but it was the same season that saw the NFL's iron man take over in Title Town. Cowher will forever be linked to the greatest Packer of them all, Brett Favre, as his precious steak started against Cowher's Steelers. Favre came over in one of the worst trades in sports history, at least from a Falcon stand point. From then on Favre and Bill Walsh disciple, Mike Holmgren brought this franchise back to glory. The two led Green Bay to 3 NFC title games and 2 Super Bowls, winning Super Bowl XXXI together along with defensive icon, Reggie White. Favre won 3 MVP's and put up stats that would eventually result in almost every positive and negative quarterback record possible. Holmgren would leave for greener pastures, or so he thought, and even though it was never the same Favre's legend grew year after year. 


The franchise and Favre would divorce and the next Packer torch would be regrettable passed to Mike McCarthy (West PA native) and Aaron Rodgers. McCarthy has mirrored Holmgren's early success, both men share identical win percentages and playoff success to this point in their Packer coaching careers. Rodgers, after waiting behind Favre for 3 years, is now embarking on a career that could re-write the record books from a yards and rating stand point. The NFL Hall of Fame currently houses 26 primary Packers. This number will soon grow in 5 years with Favre and who knows from there. 

These two franchises are measured by championships and one of these organizations will add another trophy to the case after the Super Bowl. Regardless of who holds the trophy named after the former Green Bay head coach, there is a good chance we may never again see another match up with squads who can both claim to be the greatest the NFL has ever offered. With that said, lets hope for a good game, and soak up the memories....

Raplisberger is at it again!!!!


Is anyone truly surprised that Ben likes being the hunter? I mean really if you need anymore proof than just look at him when he "hunts"!!!

Just for the hell of it why not a little more proof. 



Monday, January 31, 2011

The NBA Finals are in June, not January.



Last night the Celtics came into the Staples Center and defeated L.A. 109-96. Despite Kobe Bryant's best efforts the Celtics played excellent team basketball as they pulled away in the 4th quarter. You would swear that it was a title clinching victory the way Celtics fans were celebrating and talking shit. I got calls, Facebook messages, and texts from obnoxious New Englanders. It's 1 game out of an 82 game season, who gives a fuck? This is a generic status buy a casual Celtics fan after a big regular season win "Celtics baby! gonna win it all this year." No, you cannot know that in January. All you can do is guess.


Trust me, I am not writing this because I am a Lakers fan. I have nothing against the Celtics. I was happy they won in 2008. I have a Ray Allen, Paul Pierce, and Kevin Garnett jersey. One of my favorite sports movies is He Got Game. This is not a case of angry fan hating on their favorite team's arch-rival. I will admit it. As of right now, the Boston Celtics are the best team in basketball. There are still 35 games left. A lot can happen in 35 games, Celtics fans. Who is to say old age wont catch up to your team in the spring? They have still yet to face the improved, more cohesive Miami Heat and the Chicago Bulls are a far younger, more athletic and almost equally as talented team as The C's. So you should probably worry about getting out of the East before you start talking about winning the Finals.


As for the L.A. the ongoing mantra for the 2011 season is "Now is not the time to start panicking." I'm certainly not panicking, so the Lakers will enter the play-offs without the 1 seed for the first time since acquiring Pau, b.f.d! The only team that is going to have homecourt over them in the West is San Antonio and as history shows the Lakers own the Spurs. They still have the deepest, tallest and most talented front court, the best player since M.J., and the greatest coach of all time. With all of that not having homecourt advantage throughout is pretty manageable. 

When Joakim Noah Ruled the World

Joakim Noah on draft day
After winning two National Championship at Florida and taking the program to heights it may never see again Joakim Noah entered the draft. The 6-11 Center was taken 9th overall by the Chicago Bulls and I can say that I truly thought he would be a bust.

Coming into the league their was question marks about Noah's maturity, his offensive abilities and if he could ever develop into a serviceable Center and carry a team. Now mid way through his fourth NBA season Noah has elevated his game to the point where he is the second best Center in the NBA.

Its safe to say that Noah's first two seasons in the league were pedestrian at best. In his rookie season he averaged 7 points and 6 rebounds and in year two he averaged 7 points 8 rebounds. Year three is where we saw his scoring  rise from 7 points to 11. I understand 11 points is far from great but improvement had been made. This year however is the year Joakim Coming Out Party. In his JCOP, he is averaging 14 points and 12 rebounds while also blocking 2 shots a game.

Noah's 11.7 rebounds have him tied for second with Andrew Bogut for rebounds by a center. So its understandable why all 6 of Andrew Bogut's fans think he is as good as Noah, after all the mighty aussy averages just as many boards as Noah and this is JCOP.

I totally forgot Andrew Bogut is greater than Joakim Noah in every facet of the game...NOT!!! Just because Bougt has the same amount of rebounds does not mean he could hold Noah's tennis racket. Bogut is a solid center, slightly above average due to the fact that there is a lack of good centers in today's NBA. So lets dive deeper in the debate of the Center. And fyi we have already agreed that Dwight Howard is the best, this is just for who can hold his jock when he needs a breather.

Record: The teams record is very important when debating these two. The Bulls are currently in second place in the East with a record of 33-14, while the Bucks are 9th with a record of 19-26. Now yes Noah has only played in 24 games due to an injury, but in those 24 games the Bulls were 17-7. Also in those 24 games with Noah the Bulls held their opponents to under 93 points 12 times.

Cast: There is no question that Noah has the better supporting cast. Rose is walking away with the MVP at this point and Carlos Boozer is a 20-10 guy. So figuring that into the equation i would expect Bogut to be scoring more than Noah due to the fact that the Bucks have no real weapons besides Brandon Jennings, who has been hurt all year. But wait NOPE, Bogut averages 13.3 points to Noah's 14. Yea I know that's basically identical but nonetheless Noah is averaging .7 more on a team with more weapons. Rebounds, yea what about them? They both average 11.7, so how can I say that Noah is better? Well look at who Bogut has to contend with for rebounds, Drew Gooden (6.5), Ersan Illyasova (5.9) and thats it. It's real EASY grabbing 12 rebounds a game when no one else on your team is doing much. I mean Bougt is basically playing with post-mortum Heath Ledger's for christ sake.

At the end of the day I understand that the numbers between Noah and Bogut are similar. But when you watch Noah play he brings a fire to the Bulls that Bougt doesn't bring to the Bucks. The intangibles certainly do make a difference when statistics are similar. In this case I say turn on a Bulls game and then turn on a Bucks game and you tell me who is the better player.