Seau death officially ruled a suicide, Mo go for the season?
With Wednesday came the devastating news of Junior Seau’s death. The death has been officially ruled as a suicide by the medical examiner.
Big hits are a part of football. You take away big hits, I guarantee people will stop watching it (with good reason). People watch for the big hits and the scampering running back, dashing across the field like a men among boys. We not only lost a great player in Seau’s death, but an amazing person as well.
It’s sad to think that football may have ultimately caused this death. We’ve never had these concussion problems before (pre 1990s), but now everyone’s anxious to tell their story of battered brains and hurt souls.
Thankfully, the Seau family will allow an examination of Junior’s brain. This will greatly help the NFL determine exactly how football affects the brain.
Thank you, Seau family. RIP Junior.
On to baseball:
Sad news comin’ out of New York: Mariano Rivera tore his ACL in pre-game on Thursday. He is ruled out for the rest of the young 2012 season. The question is: Have we seen him pitch his last innings in the majors? As a baseball fan, you’ve gotta feel bad for Mo.
Kung Fu Panda (Pablo Sandoval) has a hand injury that puts him back four to six weeks. This is a crushing blow to the Giants, who can’t possibly replace the production of big boy Panda. At least they’ll get him back by the middle of June.
Albert Pujols is still homer-less this season (yay).
Basketball time:
The Knicks are down 0-3 in their 1st Round series to the Miami Heat. This season has been one of highs and lows for the Knicks, and right now they can’t find the groove. Let me tell you, they were leading at halftime last night 40-36 and I was confident they could come at least withink 10. But no, LeFlop has to score eight straight points in the fourth quarter for the Miami Heat.
Go Knicks!
Weaver tosses no-hitter, Rangers up 2-1
Yesterday, we all learned of the death of former linebacker Junior Seau. Seau committed suicide in his San Diego home without leaving a note. We all remember Seau from his time with the Chargers, whom he spent 13 years of his 20 year career. Many sports analysts believe Seau’s suicide could have resulted from the head injuries caused by playing football. If this is true, look for the NFL to become the No Fun League, because at this rate the players will need bubble wrap pretty soon.
Gaborik’s goal in the 3rd OT puts Rangers over Caps 2-1, leading the series 2-1.
Jered Weaver pitched the 2nd no-hitter of the season last night against the Twins. Of course, it came against the worst team in the league. How can a team with Joe Mauer be the worst? Wouldn’t that guarantee you a top 25 spot?
What do you guys think of Bryce Harper? I think he’s very good for a 19-year-old.
Great time to be a sports fan
Without a doubt, this is one of my favorite months of sports. You’ve got the NBA Playoffs finally underway after a drama-filled regular season. The Stanley Cup Playoffs are always exciting, since the dynamic of a game can change in a flash. Between one moment and the next is a period of “What’s gonna happen next?” In basketball, you know after every score it takes about 10 seconds to bring the ball to half-court, which creates less drama then a 2-1 hockey game.
Plus, baseball is finding it’s groove around this time (too bad Albert Pujols hasn’t). By the way, Matt Kemp is a monster. If he even remotely produces like this for the rest of the season, he’ll be a frontrunner for the MVP race.
On to basketball:
The Knicks play Game 3 tomorrow night at the Garden against the Miami Heat. It would be an understatement to say this has been disappointing playoffs so far for the Knicks. First, they embarrass themselves by losing “Bobcats style” in Game 1. Next, they lose Game 2 by a frustrating 10 points.
This season’s had more drama then a bad soap opera for the Knicks! I’m not going to recap that (it would take thousands of words), but we did here an interesting story break yesterday morning. Amar’eStoudemire committed an act of violence against himself. Out of frustration, he punched the class casing surrounding a fire extinguisher. He’s “out for [tonight’s] game and is doubtful for Game 4” (wsj.com). If I were the Knicks, at the beginning of the season next year I would cut (pun) Amar’e. This is a disgusting act and does not help the team at all.
Or does it?
It’s been true all year: the Knicks actually play BETTER with Amar’e out of the lineup. So, will this help them out in Game’s 3 and 4? We’ll see.
When the Celtics lost Game 1, analysts were already taking them for granted and saying “Oh, they can’t win without Rondo in the lineup.” Of course, Rondo was suspended on Monday for Game 2. They said “A team without Rondo and Allen cannot beat the Hawks.” I thought the Hawks would see no Rondo or Allen and go, “We got this.” Of course, Pierce went off for 36 points. They ended up winning the game, evening up the series 1-1.
Baseball:
As we all know, Albert Pujols is in a major slump. He hasn’t hit a home run, and is hitting sub-.250. He’s got 4 RBI’s…Nobody knows what’s wrong with him so far this season. To be honest, I’m glad he’s in this slump. I’m happy because he left, no, abandoned the Cardinals with such a money-first attitude. He wasn’t concerned with winning more rings and staying loyal to his team. Nope, everyone says it’s a business. Follow the money…
Football:
BREAKING NEWS: Junior Seau is dead
Four New Orleans Saints players were suspended today for their involvement in the bounty scandal. Most significantly, Jonathan Vilma has been suspended for the entire 2012 season, effective immediately.
For more on the story, visit ESPN: http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/7881761/nfl-bans-four-players-new-orleans-saints-bounty-roles
Third time’s the charm, right?
Why do I keep doing this? Every time I try to get back into sports blogging, schoolwork gets in the way and I completely forget about writing. Well, this time I decided that if I want to become a sports journalist in the future, I’ll need to improve my writing by….duh, WRITING. The writing we do in school is sooo boring. Plus, sports writing allows me to convey my thoughts about my favorite topic using the most widely-used medium in the world: the Internet. \
Enough of that, let’s get back to work!
Watching the Knicks/ Heat game, cannot believe they’re still in this 55-52 10 minutes to go in the 3rd. Game 1 was an embarrassment for Knicks fans everywhere. They got KILLED by 30 points. On a side note, Shumpert tore his ACL and is out for the rest of the season and half of next season.
Derrick Rose also tore his ACL in yesterday’s Game 1 win agains the Sixers. Everyone knows he. was in the game up 12 with a minute left. As a result, fans everywhere are blaming Tom Thibodeau and the compressed schedule for the injury. Come on dude, you’re gonna blame a coach for leaving his star in, who’s played half the season this year for various injuries??
Tebowmania!
Yesterday, Tim Tebow was (twice) traded to the New York Jets. After he was dealt the first time, ESPN reported that there was a complication in the trade. So, they nullified it. It was later announced that the Jaguars were discussing Tebow with the Jets. It seemed as though the Jaguars were really looking to get him, considering Florida is where he went to college. Plus, the fans there love him. But, there was a catch to these discussions. Both teams allowed Tebow to pick where he wanted to play football.
So, he chose to take his talents to New York. Is that a good thing for the Jets? I think so, considering he’s not costing you that much money. In addition, you didn’t give away much to get him (2 low-end draft picks). If Sanchez begins to struggle (we know he will), then you can bring in the *proven* winner, Timmy Tebow.
I feel bad for those people who just bought a Tebow jersey last year…
Peyton Manning has a new team
It was announced yesterday that free agent QB Peyton Manning had chosen his new team: the Denver Broncos. At first, I was in shock that he picked them. I thought he was planning on picking either the Dolphins, the Titans (who had a great selling pitch), or the Cardinals. Honestly, I don’t think Denver is the best fit for Peyton. If he wants to win now, that team will have to add some more pieces to the puzzle.
[Related: Manning picks Denver Broncos]
I believe the Cardinals would’ve been a better choice because:
1) They play in a dome (Manning has been playing in one his whole 14 year career)
2) They have a developed running game with a decent defense
I believe the Dolphins would’ve been a better choice because:
1) Peyton has a condo and family in Miami already
2) He would excite the fans because he would be the first great QB since Mr. Marino himself
I believe the Titans would’ve been a better choice because:
1) He has a connection with the State of Tennessee: he went to college there and the UT fans would love to go watch him play
2) They offered him a job in the front office after he retires from the game
3) Free pancakes for the length of his career
What does Denver really have to offer to Peyton? Sure, Elway is the GM, but great players always turn out to be crappy executives..See Michael Jordan, Steve Kerr. They play in really inconsistent weather, plus it’s a mile up so the air is thinner. Thus, it’s harder to breath when playing there. Why would anybody want that?
Denver doesn’t have the greatest team around Manning? Sure, they’ve got a good defense led by Von Miller, but their offense without Tim Tebow was extremely anemic. With Tebow, however, they were much more dynamic and able to gain chunks of yards using the wildcat offense.
Where does this lead Timmy Tebow? The Broncos have already stated that they will trade Tebow as soon as Manning is officially signed.
Where do you think he will land?
Subscribers: Thank you!
I would like to give a shout out to all the great people that subscribed to my blog. I know I just switched back from my old URL, but you guys stuck with me.
Thank you.
NCAA Tournament
Which NCAA Tournament matchup are you most excited to watch today? Personally, I’m excited to see the Harvard/ Vanderbilt game. The former hasn’t been in the Big Dance since 1946. Vanderbilt is the higher seed (5), but we know that 12 seeds upset their 5 seed counterparts many a times. In my bracket, I chose Harvard to upset Vanderbilt and advance to the Round of 32, who we already know will face Wisconsin.
Who do you think will win the Harvard/Vandy matchup?
Who’s your upset pick (s) in the round of 64?
[Related: Preview of Vandy/Harvard]
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Does the drama ever stop in New York?
I don’t know where to start with this. At the beginning of the season, Knicks fans had really high hopes for this team. They were ready to send this team to the Eastern Conference Finals with players like Carmelo, Stoudemire, and Chandler. I guess teamwork is more important than individual talent, because the Knicks struggled mightily at times. Most recently, they’ve gone on a 2-8 losing streak. Just one month ago, we were stunned with Linsanity and the energy he brought to the team. That was back when Carmelo was out with the injury. In that span, I believe the Knicks won 6 games in a row. With Carmelo on the floor, the Knicks aren’t nearly as efficient than without ‘Melo.
So why is D’Antoni to blame here? Isn’t ‘Melo the guy who’s jackin up stupid 3 pointers and expecting to get foul calls (see Derrick Rose)? To be honest, the Knicks have too many guys who want huge minutes: Melo, Chandler, Amare, JR Smith, and Lin all demand a ton of minutes. I always rant about LeBron, but you never hear him complaining about minutes right? That’s because he’s on a team where HE and Dwayne Wade are the go-to guys.
A couple of years ago, a fan would say the Knicks didn’t have enough talent. Well, know it looks like they have too much talent. It’s impossible to spread minutes out correctly when you have a team like the Knicks have.
And that, folks, is why D’Antoni resigned yesterday.
I know you guys are still gonna say ” His system didn’t fit the team he had” and I understand that. It’s a valid argument. However, regardless of the system you have in place, the minutes crunch couldn’t be resolved at all.
Let’s see what interim coach Mike Woodson has in store for us in the final quarter of the season.
Dwight Howard, make up your mind already!
The NBA season started out with a bunch of questions such as “Will there be a season at all?” and “How are they going to fit all the games into a compressed schedule?” Obviouslym the NBA was able to get a deal signed by the players. But, we started off the season with one huge question:
“Will Dwight Howard be in Orlando by season’s end?”
We still don’t know the answer to that question. Last week, Howard said that he didn’t want to be on the team anymore. Now, after the Magic beat the Heat in OT, Howard wants to stay in Orlando for the rest of the season.
In fact, Howard has an opt-out option for the 2012-2013 season. It was reported that he will not take this opt-out option. This means that he will be in Orlando for at least the rest of this year and all of next year. What he essentially doing is buying the Magic time to find a star to pair with Dwight.
[Related: Dwight will not take opt-out option]
Dwight’s first choice of team? The Miami Heat.
How can you go from being the superstar in a great city to Miami? Could you imagine how terrible it would be to have LeBron, Wade, and Dwight on the same team? There’s something that makes this league run, and it’s not money. It’s competition!!
If Dwight were to hit the free agency market this coming offseason, he would look into the Heat, Clippers, and the Nets.
The Nets have been reported as a popular pick for the Orlando superstar, but it doesn’t look like it will happen (this year) with Howard’s latest announcement.
My take: I think it’s alright that he’s looking for a winner to sign with, but the Miami Heat? I hate when these basketball players try to alter the fate of the league by teaming up to create these unfair matchups.
I think many people would be upset if Dwight went to Miami, because he’s been with the Magic for so long. He’s also been very loyal to them (much like LeBron was in Cleveland). You need competition in any sports league in order for it to be successfull.
Question: how come you only see this type of “Dream Teams” in basketball, not in football or baseball?
Ball-hog Rose fined $25K for whining
Monday night’s game against the Knicks showed us that it’s Derrick Rose or bust for the Chicago Bulls. Rose scored 32 points on 12 of 29 shooting to lead the Bulls to a 5 point win over the slumping Knicks.
After the game, Rose felt that the referees weren’t giving him enough calls to send him to the stripe, and he displayed that when talking to the press. In a post-game interview, Rose said: ” I’ve gotta be the only superstar in the league that’s going through what I’m going through right now, but I can’t say too much about it (espn.com)” For proclaiming his anger towards the refs, the reigning MVP was fined $25K by the league. This is Rose’s first fine since coming into the league in 2008.
[Related: Derrick Rose fined for criticizing officiating]
Rose did just enough in this game to push the Bulls past the Knicks. Before this loss, they had a streak of 5 losses in a row.
Here is what I don’t like about Derrick Rose: He is a shoot-first PG. That is enough for me to say I like Rajon Rondo and Chris Paul’s game better, regardless of how little they score. Rajon and Chris both can definitely score the basketball, but their passing ability is extremely coveted in this league.
I mean, the Bulls do great with Rose, but could you imagine if Rose learned to pass the ball more? Granted, he doesn’t have Blake Griffin or 3 future HOF’s on his team, but he’s got players like Noah, Boozer, Korver, and Deng who can score the ball if given a good look. If you’ve ever watched D-Rose play, his gameplan is to attack the basket. However, the difference between him and Rondo is: Rondo will pass the ball off to an open player off the penetration, while Rose just takes the layup and expects a foul to be called.
Also, if you watch closely, you’ll notice that Rose is initiating the contact with the defensive player (most of the time), which should be called a charge as opposed to a blocking foul.
I’m not trying to rant and “hate” on the MVP here, but if he can find a way to make plays for his team, THEN they have a good shot at beating Miami.
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Fab Melo deemed ineligible for NCAA Tourney
Since the end of their season, Syracuse was projected to have a number 1 seed in the Big Dance. They achieved that goal, and now they’re looking to run all the way to New Orléans. However, they’ve just had a major setback. Fabricio Melo, the sophomore center hailing from Brazil, has been deemed ineligible for the NCAA Tournament. Yahoo! Sports initially broke the story. Melo was deemed ineligible by the university, not by the NCAA.
When I first saw the headline, I was shocked. How is Syracuse going to fight through this? Many bracketeers have them getting to the Final Four. Despite their high seed and 31-2 overall record, I don’t think they will get farther than the Elite Eight. When you add this “Melo drama” to the mix, it becomes a cloud over the university.
Syracuse has fought off adversity with no problems this year. The Bernie Fine allegations, the Jim Boehiem suit, and now this. They have the talent to get through this tournament, but can they do it without their spark? Melo is the guy on that team that provides the energy, thus with him out they will need to find replacement energy either off their bench or in their starters.
Do you think the Orange can go far in this tournament without Melo?
Check back tomorrow at 9 a.m for a post on reigning MVP D-Rose.
March Madness is here!
On Sunday, the NCAA Selection Committee announced the field of 68 for this year’s Division 1 tournament. The bubble teams that made the tourney include BYU, USF and NC State.
Every year, there are some bubble teams rejected by the Committee, usually based on their weak SOS (strength of schedule) This year, Drexel is a perfect example of that. Although they went 27-6, they failed to get in the tournament because of their SOS (213). While Drexel did not make it in, Iona College did…Who would’ve guess Iona would be in the tourney? 90% of analysts didn’t even have them as their First 4 Out. Iona did just as good as Drexel (25-7) but with a SOS of 144. I guess now I can see why they were chosen over Drexel.
The Gaels will look to make a run in this year's NCAA Tournament (1.bp.blogspot.com)
To be honest, the Committee did a great job this year with the bubble teams. The biggest snubs were Drexel and Washington, and you can make a case for them being in or out of the tourney. Usually, the Committee completely misses a team that truly deserves a spot.
I think the field this year has some great teams, ut the real strength lies in the bubble teams. Iona, Ohio, Vermont, and NC State all have great chances to knock a top seed out f the tournament. Can they get all the way to the Final 4 like VCU did last year? I’d love to see that happen.
What do you think of the field? Any huge surprises?
Happy March Madness!
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Wrap-up: Rubio has ACL tear, Redskins nab No.2 pick
NBA
- Ricky Rubio sustained an ACL tear last week against the Los Angeles Lakers. He is out for the rest of the season. Minnesota’s playoff hopes now look distant.
Rubio won't playing again till next year (businessinsider.com).
- J.R Smith was fined $25,000 by the NBA for a photo posted on Twitter. The photo showed the @$$ of Tahiry Jose, Smith’s girlfriend. Smith later said that he regretted tweeting the photo
NFL
- Peyton Manning was released by the Colts last Wednesday. Today, he is meeting with the Arizona Cardinals
- The Redskins traded a couple 1st Round picks for this year’s No.2 selection. Specifically, they traded their 1st Rounders for ’12, ’13, and ’14. Also, they traded a 2nd Rounder for 2012.
Rams Trade No. 2 Pick to Redskins
Yesterday, it was reported that the Rams had traded their No.2 overall pick to the Redskins. The news came out around 8 o’Clock last night. In exchange for the No 2 pick in the 2012 Draft, the Redskins are sending their 1st rRounders for 2012, 2013, and 2014. In addition, the Rams get the 2nd Round pick currently held by the Redskins (39th) in this year’s draft.
[Related: Redskins get No.2 pick]
This trade will draw different opinions from around the league. Personally, I think the Rams cashed-in on their chance with this No.2 pick.
Rams
- They’ve already got a future QB in Sam Bradford
- There was no point in selecting RGIII or Andrew Luck
- If you pick one of those two^^ and trade them, you’ll get much less value
- So, they cashed in by getting a 1st Rounder every year for the next 3
Redskins
- Desperately need a QB right now, it’s their main weak spot
- Haven’t had many good QBs recently, maybe with RGIII they have a chance?
- RGIII will bring the fans to the stadium, we all know that
- They can build around RGIII, just like you build around a PG in basketball
- However, they had to give up a lot in order to get this pick; in fact, I think they gave up more than they needed to
So, what’s your take on this deal?
ESPN Streak for the Cash
For those of you who don’t know, ESPN Streak for the Cash is a fantasy game created by ESPN. Basically, you pick teams to win their games on a certain day. The goal is to rack up enough correct picks (predictions) in a row so you can win lots of $$. This game is incredibly fun, and although I’m pretty sure I won’t win the money, it’s a lot funner than risking your money on the lotto. Go check it out if you like to make predictions for games already!
Should the star take the last shot?
For years, Kobe Bryant has demanded the ball at the end of close games. He’s one of the greatest players of all time, but does that mean he should take every “clutch” shot? Many fans (and coaches) think that the star player on their team should take the potential game tying/winning shot. However, an article written by Henry Abbott on ESPN states why the star should not be taking the final shots all the time.
Honestly, I don’t like to see isolation plays during crunch time. These plays have a very poor efficiency in clutch situations (the article goes into great detail about that efficiency for different plays). I like to see good team basketball, with the ball moving around like it would for any other moment in the game. I think pick n’ rolls and basic spot-up plays are the best for crunch time-situations.
But go ahead: read the article and decide for yourself==>http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/7649571/nba-kobe-bryant-not-money-think-espn-magazine
Question: Should your star take every crunch time shot?
Peyton Manning is now a free agent
Yesterday, the Indianapolis Colts announced that they planned to release their QB of 14 years on this day. In his 14 year career with the Colts, he has brought home one Super Bowl trophy and multiple MVP’s. The Colts seem to have the game plan many predicted going into the off season: trade Manning, draft Luck. With this strategy, you save yourself $28 M you were about to use on a player who hasn’t seen the field since 2010. In addition, you gain on of the most anticipated players of this generation in Andrew Luck.
Now, will they end up drafting Luck? Or will they go with Heisman winner Robert Griffin III? He is slated by many to be selected with the 2nd pick, currently held by the St. Louis Rams. However, St. Louis believes they’ve got their QB of the future in Sam Bradford. This clearly raises more questions: will the Rams trade their 1st round pick? If the colts draft RG III, will the 2nd selection be Andrew Luck?
I think the biggest question is this: Is Luck/RGIII ready to 1) take over a legend’s role on the team and 2) bring this team back from a bottom-feeder to a title contender?
Which team will sign Peyton?
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Here is what I think will happen: Luck will get picked by the Colts. The St. Louis Rams will trade their No. 2 pick to another team for an abundance of other picks to build around Bradford. RGIII will be selected with that pick.
Personally, I think Luck will have the better career, and the Rams will trade their pick to the Seahawks.
Question: Who do you guys think will have the better career: RGIII, or Andrew Luck?
Question: Who will the Rams trade their No. 2 pick to?
Also, any other comments would be greatly appreciated
Personally, I think Luck will have the better career, and the Rams will trade their pick to the Seahawks.
The Sportz Guru 