NFL Preview 2011-12

Well I am back and in 11 hours football will be back as well. I will be breaking down each division giving you my predictions for the division winners and wild cards as well as award winners. I will also give you all my playoff predictions including my super bowl predicition. NOTE:STANDINGS ARE NOT TIE BREAKER ACCURATE

AFC East

1. Patriots 12-4 (#2 seed)

2. Jets 10-6 (WC #6)

3. Dolphins 6-10

4. Bills 4-12

AFC North

1. Ravens 12-4 (#1 seed)

2. Steelers 11-5 (WC #5 seed)

3. Browns 6-10

4. Bengals 3-13

AFC South

1. Texans 11-5 (#3 seed)

2. Colts 7-9

3. Titans 5-11

4. Jags 5-11

AFC West

1. Chargers 10-6 (#4 seed)

2. KC 8-8

3. Oakland 7-9

4. Denver 5-11

NFC East

1. Philly 12-4 (#2 seed)

2. Cowboys 11-5 (#6 seed)

3. Giants 8-8

4. Redskins 3-13

NFC North

1. Packers 13-3 (#1 seed)

2. Bears 10-6

3. Lions 8-8

4. Vikings 6-10

NFC South

1. Saints 12-4 (#3 seed)

2. Falcons 11-5 (#5 seed)

3. Bucs 9-7

4. Panthers 4-12

NFC West

1. Rams 7-9 (#4 Seed)

2. Cardinals 7-9

3. Seahawks 7-9

4. Niners 7-9

AWARDS

NFL MVP: Aaron Rodgers (QB Packers)

OPOY: Rodgers

DPOY: Ed Reed (S Ravens)

OROY: Mark Ingram (RB Saints)

DROY: Patrick Peterson (CB Cardinals)

COY: Gary Kubiak Texans

CBPOY: Tony Romo (QB Cowboys)

PLAYOFFS

Wildcard round

Steelers over Chargers 24-20- Turnovers and Special teams lead steelers to win

Texans over Jets 31-20- Texans offense scores early takes Jets out of their game, playoffs

Falcons over Rams 20-10-Falcons have too much fire power for the Rams

Saints over Cowboys 27-20- Brees leads key drive to win game against Dallas

Divisional Round

Patriots over Steelers 27-17- Patriots and Brady continue to have Steelers number

Ravens over Texans 24-17-Flacco Comes of age in 1st home playoff game as Ravens beat Texans

Packers over Falcons 34-20- Same game, same round, different year Pack dominates Falcons

Saints over Eagles 27-24 (OT)- Saints' run game leads them to victory in Philly

CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP

Ravens over Patriots 24-17- Ed Reed and Ray Rice make big plays lead Ravens to super bowl

Packers over Saints 31-24: Rodgers and Packers go back to the Super Bowl with hard fought win

SUPER BOWL

Packers over Ravens 27-24- Classic Super Bowl comes down to Rodgers leading a game winning drive late. MVP Rodgers

I hate New York (Yankee fans)

It's been a while since I blogged but I have not found anything to blog about especially with not 1 but the 2 biggest sports leagues in the US going through a lockout currently. That was until the past week where an old feeling of mine was brought to the surface and that is my disdain for New York fans especially Yankee fans. The reason I can't stand Yankee fans is that they are like a horse with blinders on in that they ignore the 29 other teams and the accomplishments of players on those teams are meaningless. On the same token they act like every Yankee accomplishment is on the level of breaking the color barrier or going to the moon and this week is clear proof.

On sunday 4 Yankees were voted to the starting lineup when only 1 is deserving (Granderson) and the Yankee worship is so strong i expected more. This is no clearer then Derek Jeter being voted the starting shortstop over MVP candidate Indians Shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera or Detroit Tigers Shortstop Jhonny Peralta. While I respect their passion and support for their team in the fan voting last time I checked they are not leading their division, are not the defending World or AL champions yet their fans and local media act like baseball doesn't exist without them. There is a reason why the fans of the Cardinals, Red Sox, and Cubs are considered the best fans in baseball because they are extremly knowledgable and respectful and acknowledge the great feats of opponents something most Yankee fans are not known for.

Another example of this has been the pursuit of 3000 hits by Derek Jeter which he reached today. Don't get me wrong I respect Jeter and almost all Yankee players and coaches (except A-Roid) and am really impressed by this accomplishment. However, I feel like Yankee fans are acting like he is the founder of this club not it's 28th member. This week you see the Pirates continue to buck 19 years of futility and are now a game back as well as the debut of the best prospect in MLB in the Angel's Mike Trout yet Jeter remains the biggest story. Compare all the fanfare Jeter is getting to what Astros legend Craig Biggio got for the same accomplishment a few years ago. Biggio who saved the Astros franchise in the 4th biggest market in the US was never the top story on sportscenter. While the fans are not deserving of all the blame (the media should take a fair share of it as well) they are the a major part of it.

These are just the most recent issues I have with Yankee fans. From the obsession with every Yanks-Sox game (which is just 1 out of 162 games during the season) to their overrating of the new stadium (which like most other stadiums built recently is a rip off Baltimore's Camden Yards) to the fact that most of them are fair weather fans. I am friends with many Yankee fans (and am lucky to have them as friends) and know this may upset or anger some of them this is truly how I feel and is a major reason why the Yankees are one of my top 5 least favorite teams (not on the Steelers level but in the same group as the Penguins, Cubs, Blue Devils).

NBA Finals Preview

After experience trumped youth in the conference finals we have a match up that we saw 5 years ago as the #3 seed and West Champion Dallas Mavericks take on the #2 seed East Champion Miami Heat (who have home court by 1 game but Dallas has only lost 1 road playoff game all postseason). This is a very different series then the 2006 series only 3 players remain from that series (Dirk, Wade, and Jason Terry) and both coaches are different. I will break down this series position by position and give my final prediction. On a side note there will never be more Dallas Mavericks fans in the US then there will be over the next 7 games.
POSITIONAL BREAKDOWN
PG: Jason Kidd vs. Mike Bibby- These two veteran point guards are both seeking their first ring but I see Kidd as being more of his former self and better at this point Edge- MAVS.
SG: Deshawn Stevenson vs. Dwayne Wade- Wade is clearly the better player here and his 2006 performance was so clutch he should be the go to the guy for Miami in this series EDGE-Heat
SF: Shawn Marion vs. Lebron James- Lebron is looking to erase the image of his failure in the 2007 NBA Finals where he and the Cavs were swept by the Spurs. Marion is a great defender and gives Lebron as many problems as any other defender in the NBA but the Edge goes to Miami
PF: Dirk Nowitzki vs. Chris Bosh- The run Dirk has been on in these playoffs is historic and Bosh can not matchup with him on the perimeter or he will get in foul trouble Edge- Mavs
C: Tyson Chandler vs. Joel Anthony- Chandler could be an X-factor in this series as he will likely be forced to defend bosh while Anthony has for the most part been a long for the ride Edge-Mavs
Bench: Jason Terry, JJ Barea, Brendan Haywood, Peja vs. Mike Miller, Udonis Haslem, James Jones and Mario Chalmers- Led by former NBA 6th man of the year Terry and sparkplug Barea the Mavs have one of the best benches in basketball Edge- Mavs
Coaching: Rick Carlisle vs. Erik Spolstra- Carlisle
has more playoff experience and was in the finals as a player with the 1980's Celtics he also has 2 former head coaches as assistants while Spolstra hasn't proven himself yet- Edge- Mavs
Intangibles- Wade is the only player in this matchup with a ring and the Heat do have home court while the Mavs have a lot of hungry vets and Dirk seeking redemption Push
Prediction- This just appears to be Dirk and the MAVS' year Dirk is the most unguardable player in this series and the Mavs are the deeper team MAVERICKS IN 6 MVP: DIRK NOWITZKI

Looking Back at My Junior Year (Spring)

f(Coming off an amazing fall semester and winter break I was ready to start a great spring semester. My spring semester got off to a hot start literally as the bar I was planning to go to for my 21st birthday celebration burned down 3 hours before my 21st. Yet my 21st was amazing as I got to spend time with my friends and family and see how many true friends I had. Then as February started I found out that in one of my classes I would be presenting a marketing plan to the Ravens, my favorite sports organization, a dream come true. Also, during that time I further cemented my place as the true leader of Hillel partially by treating everyone with respect and just showing up to events.
March was as they say complete madness. It became clear that my fraternity was not going to get any pledges which sucked. On the positive side I showed that I wa becoming a better public speaker, something I was struggling with. Then spring break came a long and it was weird not having a trip because every other break I had since sophomre of High school I have had a trip but it was good to relax and spend time with family. Also during spring break I found out I was going to have two jobs over the summer (JCC and Baltimore County Rec and Parks). During March I showed off my Improv skills and sometimes despite my inappropriate nature at times I was funny.
April was one of the most trying months I have had in recent years. Yet despite this there was a few highs most notably me and my brothers doing our first ever Greek Sing to songs by Beyonce and NSYNC (it made me so proud to be in AEPI). Also I nominated my friends for some student leadership awards. However April 2011 will be largely remembered for Hillel elections. In the beginning of the month I found out it wasn't just me and the current president running it was a member of the jewish sorority who had no executive board experience same went for my opponent at VP. As soon as I heard this I knew it was over because their sisters were heavily involved and controlled the vote. While I gave everything I had to this election I knew I lost. Ironically, It became official I lost hours after Greek Sing. This was incredibly difficult to swallow because I knew i lost both not because people saw the winners as the best candidate but because they were in the aforementioned sorority. This was proven to me by the fact that whenever two sorority sisters ran against each other they lost. In fact I still believe I was clearly the best candidate.
This did teach me a lot about myself. First of all I saw how much I grew because a year earlier when I lost I was furious and crying and while I was still angry I handled myself with dignity. Furthermore, I saw how many people I had impacted and connected to in a meaningful way after seeing how many people checked in on me and wanted me to stay involved. This is in comparison to the current president who just cried and people could careless about as he did not treat people with the same level of respect as I did. He later became president of AEPI which concerns me. I learned how true it is that adversity doesn't build character it reveals it. The month ended on a high as I was named Hillel Treasurer, becoming the first ever three time executive board member in the organization's history.
In May everything turned around for me beginning with my presentation for the Ravens which was absolutly amazing and went better then I expected. Also, I finished off the semester only missing two Hillel events despite being called untrustworthy and self-centered by the former Hillel President. I even won the Hillel Mensch award for this year and gave a show stealing tribute to my friend, roommate, and graduating senior. I also kept up my academic performance high. While I am saying good by to my many friends who are graduating I know they respect me and I hope they know how much I respect and admire them. All In All, this semester was fun despite my trials and tribulations I have experienced.

Looking back on my junior year

I am done my Junior year college, wow that sounds weird to say; I remember my first day of college and even my first day of high school and that feels like yesterday but now I may only have 1 year left of formal education. Looking back at my junior year at Towson University there have been many high points and even some low points sometimes highs and lows occured within hours of each other (Fall semester/Winter Break now and Spring Semester/conclusion later today).

The year began with a lot of unanswered questions and new situations. From having an apartment to being an upperclassmen to being Vice President of Hillel when I did not trust most of the other executive board members including the President. Not to mention truly getting into my major, so in order to handle all this I only took 12 credits in the fall. In addition I made a promise to myself that I would give 100% of myself to everything I do everyday (class, Hillel, and AEPI) while being respectful of everyone else and true to myself.

The year was going well as I started to notice that I was opening up more and creating friendships with new people and strengthening old friendships. Along with that I got a 2nd little in AEPI and am so thankful I did, he (Eric Blum) is an amazing person and brother. All the while I was maintaining my high academic performance and demonstrating my excellent leadership skills in Hillel, which earned me the respect of many of my peers.

One of the best aspects of first semester for me was participating in a class taught by a local Rabbi where we spent a shabbat at his house during the semester. This class allowed me to learn a lot about myself, my religion while meeting some awesome new people and becoming closer to my classmates I already knew. Spending shabbat at his houe gave me a new perspective on Judaism and how tied to technology I was because during this day we went to an ultra orthodox shul multiple times and couldn't use technology (the amazing food was just a bonus).

Unfortunatly a few rough patches were ahead as the tension between me and other Hillel Executive board members was starting to boil over and hurting our effectiveness. While I knew I was doing all I could do to make Hillel as strong possible and had the support of family, friends, role models and former Hillel leaders (who called me the true leader of Hillel) it was still tough. Then I experienced a loss in my family which put things in perspective. Unfortunatly me and my roommate/friend Sam were dealing with the biggest douchebag I have ever met as a roommate who was completly inconsiderate and disrespectful.

Then came one of the most interesting weeks of the year (late october-early november) which began with Hillel's Bar Mitzvah where I met and reconnected with people from Hillel's past and saw how much the organization meant to them. It was also at this event where I got to hear from people who at the time I didn't consider my friends that they saw what I saw (I was doing an amazing job despite the difficult situation I was in with a bad e-board) this inspired me to run for President in the spring. This also led to me openly bashing my fellow e-board members and getting me in trouble with the staff before the biggest event of the semester. From then on I focused on only what I could do but was not afraid to express my opinions of others if asked.

While this was going on AEPI was going through a interesting semester we started with 7 pledges but only 4 of them became brothers. Furthermore cliques were forming and sometimes took precedent over the fraternity. All of this took a back seat when we threw a 400 person party sponsored by AMP our most successful event and philanthropy ever, it was one of my proudest member as a brother just 2 years after we started.

Fortunatly the semester closed on a high as I maintained my high GPA, was able to move out of my room and along with Sam move in with another friend, realized that despite being just Vice President I was seen by most as the true leader of Hillel and was acting like it, and I was making new friends, strengthening old bonds, and making my family proud. On top of that, despite being told I had no shot of going, I got on a winter break trip to Amsterdam through Hillel.

Along with that during Winter Break I volunteered at an after school program further confirming that I want to work with kids. In addition I started the application process for summer internships. The best part of break was going on a trip to Amsterdam with Hillel (where I was the only single guy). From meeting so many nice dutch people to seeing sights like the Anne Frank House and Heineken brewery to sleeping in a lobby with cats to getting closer to peers on the trip it was an amazing experience (Full reflection can be seen in my blog post- Amsterdam/Ravens Review Part 1). I was really looking forward to an awesome spring semester.

Reflection on the day's events

If you have not heard the big news of the past 24 hours you have been living under a rock. Almost a decade after the unspeakable tragedy that was September 11th, 2001 the US Special forces have finally found and killed the man responsible, Osama Bin Laden. I will look back at how that event has changed my life and the lives of all Americans in the past 9+years as well as a strange connection to the date on which Osama was killed.

I will never forget where I was when the attacks began on that tragic Tuesday morning, I was a 6th grader at Sudbrook in Mr. Sakers Math and Science class. The principal comes on asking all teachers to turn on the news where I saw the footage of the World Trade Center in flames and heard that two planes hit the buildings. Not long after we heard and saw the damage done to the Pentagon and in the field in Western PA as well as the collapse of the Two Twin Towers which increased the death toll drastically. Another image burned into my memory is the faces of all the people on the streets of New York watching this horror unfold. Perhaps no image is more memorable for me then the New York Firefighters raising the American Flag at Ground Zero.

Lastly me and my family visited Ground Zero and I will never forget how emotional we all were.

Since that point I have grown and changed so much as I am now a 21 year old College Junior but that day forever altered my life. Besides the increased security and alert as well as the multiple wars that have resulted there are other ways 9-11 changed me and the nation as a whole. As many of you know sports is one of my biggest passions, and while I still say the classic 2001 World Series (D'Backs-Yankees) and the Super Bowl 36 (Pats-Rams) helped the country heal, that tragedy has helped me put the results of sporting events into perspective. Also, I (and many Americans) now don't view every setback or every fight with a friend or family member as a major ordeal or at least in my case I get over it quicker. Furthermore, that event has made me appreciate my friends, family, and amazing experiences that I have in my life as I now see I could lose it all at any moment. Lastly, 9-11 has made me, and many other Americans, a lot more patriotic and a lot more grateful for the work our Military puts in everyday defending our freedom.

Ironically, Osama's death came on the same day 66 years after Hitler was declared dead. Also, yesterday was Yom Hashoah, Holocaust Rememberance day, when we remember and honor the 6 million Jews who lost their life in that unthinkable tragedy. Like 9-11 this tragedy has greatly impacted my life in a number of ways. I am a first generation American on My Dad's side, in fact many of my dad's family members were killed in the Holocaust and he was born in a displaced persons camp after the war. Also even though both of his parents survived their lives were shortened and greatly hindered by the Holocaust so much so that I never really knew either one.

This tragedy has forever changed my life and my family's life in a number of ways. First of all, I truly appreciate my family that I do know everyday because I don't know much about my ancestry. Also, I am extremly proud to be a Jew and try to live my life in a way that honors my family and my religion. This involves carrying on traditions that my dad learned from his parents such as keeping some kosher laws even while living on a college campus. Along with that I have been to countless holocaust related museums in many nations (Netherlands, Argentina, and Israel) and everytime I get incredibly emotional and the visits are always tough. For instance, when I went to the Holocaust memorial in Amsterdam they had a list of names of Dutch people who were killed in the Holocaust and I saw people with my last name and was on the verge of tears. I then called my dad to find out if we had any Dutch ancestry and he could not tell me definitivly, showing me how little I know about my past. Thus despite the fact the Holocaust occured 45 years before I was born it has changed both my life and the lives of Jewish young adults everywhere.

In closing both 9-11 and the Holocaust have forever changed me as they made realize what is truly important in life: Family, friends, and my health. That being said to all my family and friends I care about each one of you and am so lucky to have you in my life.

Update on my life

After a crazy month I have not had the time to blog but now I am back. I will start by updating you on my life. First of all, I got a 2nd job for the summer at rec and parks to go along with my internship at JCC's Camp Milldale as assistant athletics specialist. Also, I am managing to keep my grades strong while balancing a big commitment to two organizations in AEPI and HIllel. Speaking of which my fraternity life has been great recently highlited by Greek Week specifically when I participated in our Greek Sing dance where we danced to NSYNC, Justin Timberlake, and Beyonce. I never felt closer to my brothers or more proud to be a member of AEPI.

On the other hand, I lost election for Hillel President and Vice President (continuing my streak of having never won a contested election EVER). While I feel I was the best candidate for the both position I knew going in that elections are about popularity not who is the best candidate. This election has taught me a few things: I now see how true the statement is that adversity doesn't build character, it reveals it. Perhaps more importantly I got to see how great an impact I have had on others and how lucky I am to have the great friends that I do. I was shown this by the huge amount of people who wanted to make sure I was ok and telling me how great of a job I did this year. Now my focus turns to my academics, finishing the year strong, and hopefully getting on Hillel Board as treasurer. Overall the year so far has been great and I am incredibly fortunate to have such a great group of friends and family

Southwest Regional review and preview

The last region I will look at has been by far the craziest and that is the Southwest. While #1 seed has held serve by pulling away from their two opponents in the 2nd half to make it to the Sweet sixteen the other three teams have shocked the world to get here. Richmond the 12 seed beat Vandy and Morehead State to get here for the first time in three decades. VCU, a team who many experts said should not have been selected, have beaten USC, Georgetown, and Purdue comfortably to get here and give Richmond, VA as many sweet sixteen teams as the Big East. Lastly, you have Florida State who has gone through Texas A&M and Notre Dame to get this far. I will look back at the first weekend in this region and look ahead in order to tell you who will represent this region in the final four.
First weekend review
As previously mentioned this region has been filled with upsets (Morehead St over Louisville, Richmond over Vandy, VCU over Purdue, and Florida State over Notre Dame). This region is historic in that it is the first time that one regional has 3 double digit seeds in its last four teams.

Sweet Sixteen
Kansas vs. Richmond
Kansas, led by the Morris Twins- Marcus and Markieff and a solid supporting cast, has struggled in the tournament against mid majors (See last year against Northern Iowa) and is now the clear favorite to come out of this region so it has a lot of pressure. Richmond is led by Justin Harper and Kevin Anderson. The key to this game is if Kansas can get out to a big lead early and not let the Spiders hang around which I see happening, Kansas wins 75-63.

Florida State vs. VCU
Two teams no one expected to be here meet with a spot in the elite 8 on the line. This game should be low scoring which plays right into the hands of the Seminoles, one of the nation's best defensive teams. VCU has gotten hot recently and are led by Jamie Skeen and Joey Rodriguez. Florida State has taken the next step this year thanks in large part to Chris Singleton, Derwin Kitchen and their coach Leonard Hamilton. I see the Seminoles winning this game 58-52.

Elite 8
Kansas vs. Florida State
I will keep this short and sweet Florida State needs to keep this game slow and low scoring and do what Villanova did to the Hoyas in 1985. In other words they will need to be perfect or near perfect to win this game as Kansas has just too much fire power for the Seminoles and will win 65-50 advancing to their 2nd final four in 4 years.
So the Final Four in my opinion will be UCONN vs. Ohio State and Kansas vs. BYU.

East Regional Review and Preview

The next region I am going to take a look at is the East regional where you have two of the most historic schools in UNC and Kentucky, the team that is playing the best basketball in the country right now in Ohio State, and a suprise in Marquette. Before looking ahead I will look back at the first two rounds in this region. I will tell you how the sweet sixteen and elite eight will play out and who is going to Houston for the Final Four out of this region.

First weekend review

Like the rest of the regions there have been a lot of great games (Princeton-Kentucky, Washington-North Carolina, and Syracuse-Marquette) and some controversy especially in the Washington-North Carolina game. The story of this region has been the absolute dominance of the Overall #1 seed Ohio State who has crushed UTSA and George Mason.



Sweet Sixteen

Kentucky vs. Ohio State

This game matches two major conference tournament champions led by coaches with final four experience. Both teams have superstar freshmen in Jared Sullinger for Ohio State and Brandon Knight and Terrence Jones for the Wildcats. Ohio State also has experience in David Lighty and lights out shooting in Jon Diebler leading a great supporting cast. Kentucky's supporting cast include Josh Harrellson and DeAndre Liggins. In the end I see the Buckeyes having too much fire power and winning 75-67.



UNC vs. Marquette

If you look at the history of these two schools it is David vs. Goliath and it may be the same way on the court Friday. North Carolina is led by Freshman superstar Harrison Barnes, Tyler Zeller, and John Henson while Marquette is led by Darius Johnson Odom, Jimmy Butler, and Joe Crowder. The coaching matchup is also a mismatch as Roy Williams, who was won two national titles, faces Buzz Williams and the stands will be covered in Carolina Blue. When the buzzer sounds I see Carolina winning comfortably 70-56.



Elite 8

North Carolina vs. Ohio State

There are a lot of great matchups here with Barnes vs. Diebler and Zeller vs Sullinger. Both teams have been playing well as of late and are very well coached. Like the sweet sixteen the crowd will be mostly in Carolina Blue. The key to this matchup is will Carolina's supporting cast step up and matchup what guys like Lighty, Craft, and Dallas Lauderdale can do for Ohio State. I see Ohio State winning a great game 75-71 and advancing to their 2nd final four in four years.

West Regional Preview

Now, I will look at the other regional that will take place on Thursday, the West Regional. The final four in this region are Duke, Arizona, San Diego St., and UCONN. However before taking a look ahead I will look back at the first two rounds in this region. I will tell you who I see making the elite 8 and the final 4 out of this region.
First weekend recap:
This region has seen some great games (Duke-Michigan, Arizona-Texas, and SDST-Temple) as well as some controversy in those great games specifically Arizona-Texas. Duke has gotten here with the help of a returning Kyree Irving and great inside play. Arizona has been led to this point by Derrick Williams and UCONN's player of the year candidate Kemba Walker has gotten his team two wins away from the final 4. San Diego State's team first mentality and great play by Kawhi Leonard has resulted in their 1st sweet sixteen appearance ever two hours from their campus.
Sweet Sixteen Preview
Duke vs. Arizona
The team that was happiest to see Texas' final shot fail was Duke as Arizona is a much better matchup for them, setting up a rematch of the 2001 title game won by Duke. Duke loves to run ball screens and Arizona is no where near as good as Texas when it comes to defending ball screens. Duke has many players who can beat you including the Plumlee brothers, Nolan Smith, Irving, and Kyle Singler as well as a great coach in Coach K. In order for Arizona to win other players besides Lamont Jones and Derrick Williams to step up and play great as Duke and Coach K are great at taking what you do the best away. I just don't see Arizona overcoming a talent deficit and the coaching mismatch, Duke wins 75-66.
UCONN vs. San Diego State
This could be the best game of the entire sweet 16 round as you get two great teams led by two national championship winning head coaches in San Diego State's Steve Fisher and Jim Calhoun of UCONN. The key to this game is can the Aztecs contain The Huskies player of the year candidate Kemba Walker and can players like Jeff Lamb and Alex Oriaki step up and help Kemba out. The aztecs are led by Malcom Thomas, Kawhi Leonard, and DJ Gay all of whom must have a great game for the aztecs to advance. In the end I see there being too muh Kemba and UCONN winning 65-60.
ELITE EIGHT
UCONN vs. Duke
A rematch of the 1999 National title game and 2003 National semifinal game both won by UCONN. That is a key story as Calhoun dominates Coach K in their prior matchups. Just like in the Sweet 16 players like Lamb and Oriaki need to step up and help Kemba carry the load. If I were Duke I let Kemba get his and shut everyone else down as you won't be able to stop Kemba you can only hope to limit his scoring. While Duke has their own player of the year candidate in Nolan Smith, more experience, and a better supporting cast I see Kemba and Calhoun leading UCONN to the final 4 74-70 as Calhoun continues his dominance over Coach K.

Southeast Regionals Review and Preview

Well After three days of the NCAA Tournament we have half the Sweet Sixteen set. Now over the next four days I will break down every regional by giving a review of what has happened and a preview of the sweet sixteen round and elite eight. I will begin with the only region that is set and that is the southeast.
REVIEW:
The first two rounds have been filled with close games (WISC-KSU, MSU-UCLA) but there have been two stories to dominate this region Jimmer and Butler. Jimmer has dominated Wofford and Gonzaga in leading BYU to their first sweet sixteen in 30 years without Brandon Davies. The other story is last year's darling Butler winning two games (against ODU and #1 seed Pitt) with late Matt Howard points. From a frantic tip in win against ODU to the craziest 1.4 seconds in tournament history against Pitt where the refs did everything correctly (a foul is a foul no matter when it occurs). However Pitt made a mistake in fouling Howard after the rebound but if Brown makes the 2nd foul shot they are advancing and Howard doesnt get the chance to win it at the line.

Preview:
The final four teams in the Southeast regional are Butler-Wisconsin, BYU-Florida.
Butler vs. Wisconsin:
This game is going to be a physical war with two teams that don't play a pretty game. Wisconsin is led by Jordan Taylor and Jon Leuer while Matt Howard and Sheldon Mack lead the Butler Bulldogs. Both teams are well coached by Bo Ryan (Wisconsin) and Brad Stevens (Butler) and have tons of tourney experience. The key to this game is going to be the inside play and can Matt Howard stay out of foul trouble. I see Butler somehow pulling out a victory against a Wisconsin team that can get suddenly cold for long periods of time (see their 33 point output in the Big 10 tournament against Penn State). Butler 69 Wisconsin 64

BYU vs. Florida
This game comes down to one question can Florida do what not many teams have done this year and stop Jimmer. The Gators, a team that many people felt were overseeded as a two seed, are led by Chandler Parsons, Kenny Boynton, and Erving Walker. Aside from Jimmer Freddette (the nations leading scorer) also have Jackson Emery and Noah Hartsock but are missing Brandon Davies who was suspended by the school earlier in the year for violating the honor code. Florida clearly has the coaching edge as two time national champion coach Billy Donovan (Florida) faces BYU's Dave Rose who is in his first sweet sixteen. However I think there is too much Jimmer and BYU will advance 73-69.

ELITE 8 BYU vs. Butler
Two non power conference teams will meet for a spot in the final four as Butler attempts to make it back to back years while Jimmer attempts to establish himself as a legend in college basketball. I think while BYU will miss Davies and Howard could dominate inside but Butler will have no answer for Jimmer and BYU will make their 1st ever final four by a score of 70-62.

NCAA Tournament Day 1 Recap

After the tournament really got started (Play in games not round 1 were on Tuesday and Wednesday) and got started with a bang. Upsets (Morehead st, Richmond) and Buzzer Beaters (Butler, Temple) and great games (UCLA-Michigan St) we are ready for the next two days of tournament action. I will look ahead today and tomorrow's games
Today's games:
While teams like Ohio State, Kansas, Duke, Notre Dame and UNC are expected to roll through their opponents today there are many games that will be a lot closer. From Nova-Mason, Tennessee-Michigan, Marquette-Xavier, and Florida State-A&M among others there are going to be many great games on the slate. We also have some interesting storylines with Memphis's Josh Pastner facing the team he was a long time assistant for in Arizona and UNLV's Lon Kruger facing the team he coached for a while in Illinois. But the matchup Im looking the most at is Oakland vs. Texas as Texas is a former #1 team in the nation that has slipped but many see going on a long run. They are facing Oakland led by 6-11 pro prospect Keith Benson so if they can play like a #1 team this month they can win it all but if they play like they have been in the past month they could get knocked off like Louisville.
Tomorrow's games:
Tomorrow's slate of games include two cinderellas meeting (richmond and morehead st), a national title rematch (UCLA-Florida), an interconference battle (Cincy-UCONN), and two matchups featuring non BCS-conference teams (San Diego St-Temple and BYU-Gonzaga). We also get to see BYU's Jimmer Freddette and UCONN's Kemba Walker display their mastery once again. The teams I see advancing are Kentucky, Florida, Richmond, San Diego St, Pittsburgh, BYU, Kansas State, and UCONN.

So there is a lockout...now what?

As of 5 pm yesterday the NFLPA has decertified and the owners have locked them out. I will look at what is going to happen next and what are the chances that the 2011-2012 season will be impacted by the lockout (in terms of lost games). I will also examine how my life and the lives of NFL fans would change if the seasons was impacted.
Now that the NFLPA has decertified they will sue the NFL and the owners for violating anti-trust laws. It is important to note that the lawsuit will take place in the same court room where two weeks ago the players won a huge legal victory when it was ruled the huge TV warchest the owners had in the case of a lockout was illegal and couldn't be built up. That being the case I expect the NFLPA to win this lawsuit and the owners to appeal. A final victory by the NFLPA would make a new CBA a foregone conclusion as the owners will lose their ability to bargain/negotiate effectivly. The key is how long the legal preceedings take if it goes into July or August then the season (at least the pre-season) could be shortened.

If the season is shortened or lost the lives of myself and many NFL fans would not be the same. First of all, sundays in the fall would lose a lot of their importance as their would be no more games. Also, Madden and Fantasy football which are major social activities for people would be gone. Furthermore, fans in cities like Green Bay and Jacksonville would have no pro teams to root for while fans in cities like DC, Baltimore, Indianapolis, and New Orleans would lose the number one team in their respective cities. The ratings for CBS, Fox, NBC, and ESPN would take a huge hit as a major ratings draw (NFL sunday) would not be available to them. College football would gain importance and if the NBA can get their CBA issues worked out they as well as the MLB can take advantage of the biggest sport in the nation being on hiatus. In general if the NFL season is shortened or lost then society and culture in this country would be completly different.

NFL Labor Discourse

Right now representatives from the NFL and the NFL players association are meeting to hammer out a new collective bargaining agreement by the new deadline of Friday at 5. There are a lot of issues that will be discussed and I will give you a basic overview of the main issues at hand. Later this week I will discuss what I think needs to be done for a deal to be completed and the disaster scenario of no 2010-2011 season occuring or a shortened season
The first issue is the proposed 18 game schedule. The owners and commissioner Goodell really want the 18 game regular season which would also mean the preseason would now only be 2 games.
The players have a few problems with this and a few things they want for this to occur.
First of all, they are concerned that an extended regular season will shorten the players careers and increase the frequency of major injuries occuring. Also, they want some financial compensation for this increase in the number of regular season games. Going along with that they want expanded roster size as the increase in injuries will necessitate it.
Another issue is the desire for a rookie wage scale as currently top picks get around 50 million dollars up front (more then superstars like Big Ben, Brady, Chris Johnson, Clay Matthews) without ever playing a down. Not only does this cause cap issues and make it real difficult for teams with top picks to find a trading partner if they so desire. It also is slap in the face to 10 year vets who see rookies fresh out of college making more then them.
Then there is the compensation for retired players who made the NFL what it is today. A lot of retired players are suffering from crippling injuries and mental health problems that ruin their quality of life once they retire. This issue has come to the forefront after the recent focus on concussion and the concussion related suicides of former players. The players want this increased while owners are somewhat reluctant to do so.
Last but most certaintly not least is the division of the 9 billion dollars in revenue between the players and owners. This is one place that the owners were not happy with when it came to the last CBA and is a major reason why they opted out a few years ago and we are in this current situation. While I don't know how this problem will be resolved I do know that if the owners are not happy with the solution to this issue then no deal will be done.

NBA 2nd Half Preview

It has been a while but I am back to look at the Melo to New York deal and the rest of the goings on in the NBA. I will give you my predictions for the rest of the season and the postseason.

This Melo trade is so overrated and the only reason it is so hyped is because it involves the Knicks. This trade doesn't not change the Knicks destiny as they still are not one of the four best teams in the east (Celtics, Heat, Bulls, Magic) so they will still be a 1st round casulty. Can someone tell me how many NBA finals have Dantoni, Melo, or Amare been in combined ZERO. Dantoni's run and gun system can't win a title. Also, with the looming CBA troubles and the expectation of a hard cap being implemented the likelihood of a third superstar (CP3, Deron Williams, Dwight Howard) is financially unfeasible.

Final Regular Season Standings
East:
1. Celtics
2. Bulls
3. Heat
4. Magic
5. Hawks
6. Knicks
7.Philadelphia
8. Indiana
West:
1. Spurs (#1 overall seed)
2. Mavs
3. Lakers
4.OKC
5.Hornets
6. Blazers
7.Utah
8. Memphis
AWARDS
MVP: Derrick Rose PG Bulls
ROY: Blake Griffin F Clippers
COY: Gregg Popovich Spurs
DPOY: Kevin Garnett F Celtics
6th Man: Jason Terry Mavs
MIP: Kevin Love F TWolves
Playoff predictions
1st round:
Spurs over Griz in 5
Mavs over Jazz in 6
Lakers over Blazers in 7
OKC over Hornets in 7
Celtics over Pacers in 5
Bulls over Sixers in 5
Heat over Knicks in 6
Magic over Hawks in 6
2nd round:
Spurs over OKC in 6
Mavs over Lakers in 7
Celtics over Magic in 6
Bulls over Heat in 7
Conference Finals
Spurs over Mavs in 6
Celtics over Bulls in 7
NBA FINALS
Spurs over Celtics in 7 MVP: Manu (Tim ties Kobe, becomes first NBA player to start on a championship team in 3 different decades)

Who is better: the All time Steelers or the All time Packers?

While the meeting between the 2010 versions of the Packers and Steelers has the potential to be a classic, one aspect of this matchup that is incredibly intriguing is the histories of these 2 storied franchises with a combined 18 championships, 49 hall of famers (not counting soon to be hall of famers like Favre, Troy, Ward, Woodson). I decided to look at what would happen if the best players from these two franchises met and break it down position by position.

Before I get to that I wanted to make one point that has been getting on my nerves for the past two years: Steelers fans bragging (and other people bringing up the fact) about winning the most super bowls (6) and when you bring up the fact that the Bears (9) and the Packers (12) have won more championships they act like anything pre super bowl doesnt count. Stop with that BS the Packers have the most championships all time, who really cares about most super bowls. That is like Bulls fans bragging that they have won the most NBA titles since 1990 (6) when the Celtics (17) have the most all time. The argument that only super bowls count is stupid. If Bud Selig came out and said the World Series is now called the MLB championship and for the sake of argument the Rangers win the 2011 MLB championship can they go up to Yankee fans and brag that they have won the most MLB championships while the Yanks have 26 world titles NO. This is another example of today's in the moment nothing pre 1965/1970 matters world of sports. Now back to the all Packers vs. All Steelers positional breakdown.

POSITIONAL BREAKDOWN
QB: Brett Favre (over Bart Starr) vs. Terry Bradshaw: While Favre might not be that popular in Green Bay and has 3 less Super Bowl wins then Bradshaw he is the greatest QB, statistically, of all time EDGE-Packers
RB: Jim Taylor, Paul Hornung, Tony Canadeo vs. Franco Harris, Jerome Bettis, Rocky Blier- These teams currently have 11 People in the Hall of Fame who were running backs for them (not including Canton Bound Jerome Bettis) but the Packers depth and the fact that most of the Steelers hall of fame backs played most of their career with other teams gives Green Bay the Edge- Packers
WR: Don Hutson, James Lofton, Donald Driver vs. Lynn Swann, John Stallworth, Hines Ward- Two great "corps" while the Pack has the most dominant receiver in his era of all time in Hutson the trio of Swann, Stallworth, and Ward gives them the nod Edge-Steelers
OLine: Gregg, Ringo, Kramer vs. Dawson, Webster, Faneca- This is not even close the Packers line is clearly better Edge-Packers
DLine: Green, Greenwood, Stautner (Steelers) vs. White, Davis, Jordan (Packers)- A close matchup but Mean Joe Green's dominance gives Pittsburgh the slight edge: Edge- Steelers
Linebackers: Nitschke, Hendricks, Robinson vs. Ham, Lambert, Lloyd,etc- While Nitschke and Lambert are two of the most intimidating players in NFL History the Steelers depth at this spot gives them the leg up Edge- Steelers
Secondary: Charles Woodson, Adderley, Wood vs. Rod Woodson, Blount, Polamalu- Probably the closest matchup of any so close that I can't see a clear edge. Edge- Push
Special Teams: Special teams especially returnmen have not played that big a role in the history of the NFL so I see this as Even.
Coaching: Lombardi, Lambeau, Holmgren vs. Knoll, Cowher, Lebeau- Two great coaching staffs but the super bowl trophy is called the VINCE LOMBARDI Trophy Edge-Packers
Overall: While this would be a great matchup i think the Packers would have the slight advantage.

Super Bowl 45 Preview

Well after two close conference title game we have a match up of the most historic and successful franchise in the AFC (Pittsburgh) and in the NFC (Packers) with a combined 18 titles. I will break this game down position by position and give you my X-factor for each team.
Interesting Note: The Packers are the 10th different NFC champion in the last year while in the same time frame only 4 teams represented the AFC in the Super Bowl (only the Pats, Colts, and Steelers have won the AFC in the last 9 years).
Positional Breakdown:
QB- Aaron Rodgers vs. Big Ben Roethlisberger: This is a great matchup as the hottest QB in the NFL Rodgers faces the most clutch QB in the NFL in Big Ben that is why see this as a push
RB- James Starks vs. Rashard Mendenhall: While Starks has been a pleasent suprise for the Packers over the past 3 weeks the clear edge in this matchup goes to the Steelers
WR/TE- Jennings, Driver, Nelson, Lee, Jones, etc vs. Ward, Wallace, Brown, Sanders, Miller- Both very deep receiving cores led by wiley veterans I think the difference is the sheer depth of the Packers core Edge- Packers
O-line: Colledge, Sitton, Spitz, Clifton vs. Adams, Scott, Kemoatu, Pouncey?- The Packers are healthy and gelling while the Steelers are injured and struggling Edge-Packers
D-Line: Pickett, Raji, Jenkins vs. Hood, Hampton, Keisel- Two very good Defensive lines but the emergence of BJ Raji and Cullen Jenkins gives Green Bay the slight edge. Edge- Packers
Linebackers: Matthews, Hawk, Bishop, Walden, Zambo vs. Harrison, Foote, Timmons, Farrior, Woodley- Two great cores that are extremly evenly match Edge- Push
Secondary- Woodson, Williams, Collins, Shields, Peprah vs. McFadden, Clark, Troy, Taylor. Gay: Two good secondary but the Packers depth especially at corner is the difference: Edge- Packers
Special teams- Crosby, Masthay, Bush, Williams vs. Fox, Suisham, Kapinos, Brown A key to this game but the Packers coverage teams led by Jarrod Bush puts them over the top: Edge-Packers
Coaching: Mccarthy, Phillbin, Capers vs. Tomlin, Arians, Lebeau: Two great staffs the super bowl experience gives Pittsburgh the nod. Edge-Steelers
Intangibles: The Steelers were in the super bowl 2 years ago the Pack has 2 guys on the whole team with Super Bowl experience Edge- Steelers
X-factors- For the Packers: James Starks (rushing and returning), For the Steelers: Their offensive line
Prediction: PACKERS 24 STEELERS 17 MVP: Aaron Rodgers

Ravens Review (pt 2)

In terms of Personnel moves the Ravens have a few things they must do if they want to be in Indy in February 2012 for Super Bowl 46 (assuming there is a Super Bowl 46 pending the labor situation which I will discuss later after the season). First and foremost they must must must resign Haloti Ngata by whatever means necessary. Resigning Cundiff, Koch, TJ, Carr, Wilson, Leron, and Donte are also important in that order.

However there are some places we must improve especially in the trenches. Either Oher must get better at the Left Tackle spot or we need to find someone to play the Left tackle spot so he can go back to the Right side where he excelled as a rookie. Also while Suggs returned to form we need to get a pass rusher to play the other side. It can be a guy like Sergio Kindle who's head injury that put him on IR this year put's his career in doubt or if it comes via the draft for a guy like Cameron Jordan of Cal or Cameron Heyward of Ohio State. They also need a speed WR to stretch the field possibly Torrey Smith from Maryland. While I know you say CB is a need I think with Dominique Foxworth returning from injury our corner situation is pretty solid. I am not saying they shouldnt try to add a corner in the middle to late rounds of the draft I am just saying it is not a pressing need.

Also I would like to apologize to Chuck Pagano the new d-coordinator because not only do the players love him but he is returning to the old way of wreaking havoc with the defense that Lewis, Nolan, and Ryan used. I guess I will just have to wait and see.

If they make some or all of these changes the Ravens could deliver some poetic justice and win the super bowl in Indianapolis where the old Baltimore team plays nearly 20 years after they moved out of Baltimore.

For those of you that are interested here is the Ravens 2011 opponents. Their strength of schedule for next year (based on 2010 records) is the 2nd easiest in the NFL:

Home: Cincy, Browns, Pittsburgh, Colts, Texans, Jets, Cardinals, Niners
Away: Cincy, Browns, Pittsburgh, Titans, Jags, Chargers, Rams, Seahawks

Amsterdam/Ravens Review (pt 1)

I am back from an amazing trip to Amsterdam. While the set up of the trip may sound like a great idea for documentary: The only single guy, and a frat boy at that, going to Amsterdam and all other guys are going with their significant others. Yet my trip was amazing for reasons that you may not expect I got to know the people on my trip a lot better and gained a new perspective on some of them as well as a new nickname.
This trip showed me how beautiful people are all over the world. From the people at the hostel who tried to help me and my roommates get into our locked rooms and set up a bed for us at 1 Am to a random drunk Irish guy at a bar there were so many people who were willing to help us. Also, I got to learn about myself and see that what makes me happy is my friends and my family no matter what the sorroundings. I also saw that I can truly get along with almost anyone regardless of personality. Lastly, I was able to watch the first half of the Ravens game and get updates from my parents about the disappointing 2nd half. While I was disappointed in the result I realized tha I was in Amsterdam and have so many other things going for me which allowed me to put that loss in perspective.

Now that being said I am disappointed in this loss by a team that many , including myself picked to win it all in the preseason. While there were some highs like the reemergence of Todd Heap and the growth of players like Jarrett Johnson and Flacco as well as a spectacular performance by Koch and Cundiff. There were also many lows like the blown fourth quarter leads and the god awlful play calling through out the year as well as the handcuffing of Flacco by Cameron

Those developments all come back to one man Cam Cameron, the Offensive Coordinator, who needs to be fired or the ravens will not break through to the next level. One play come to mind when I think about the poor playing calling: December 5th Ravens leading the Steelers 10-6 2nd and 5 late in the 4th (3:30-4 minutes left)from around their own 40 after Ray Rice broke some of his biggest runs of the night and without our best blocking Tight End (Heap) and Back (Leron Mcclain). This situation screams run two straight times at best you get a first down and can practically run the clock out at worst you don't get the first and either the steelers are out of timeouts or save their timeouts but have to drive 80+ yards in 2 minutes to win with a hobbled Big Ben. Instead we have a pass play and Troy strips Flacco leading the Steelers to a victory which gave them the division, the bye, and homefield for the playoff game. In a similar situation the next week 3rd and 2 a pass play is called incomplete Houston drove 90 yards for a game tying TD against a tired defense.

Another issue I have with Cameron is his refusal to lean on the running game throughout the year and refusal to let Flacco to audible out of plays. The one game he did both of these things was arguably our best game of the year a huge December win over the red hot Saints. This is not a new thing for Cameron he was known to Handcuff both Drew Brees and Philip Rivers in San Diego and both of their careers have taken off since being seperated from Cameron.

Look at the playoff loss last saturday the Steelers face a key 3rd and 19 and Big Ben AUDIBLES out of a short pass play and hits a 50+ yard pass play to set up the game winning score something Flacco is not allowed to do. Also Cameron struggles on Red zone play calling he loves running on 1st and 2nd down and then making Flacco throw for a TD in a known passing situation instead of taking a shot on 1st down and keeping their defense on their heels.

A perfect candidate to replace Cameron is Brad Childress, while he is a horrible Head coach, he was a great offensive coordinator with the Eagles when they went to 4 Conference title games in a row including Super Bowl 39. During this time he worked with Harbaugh the special teams coach for the Eagles at that time. Also the Ravens made a rare coaching mistake when they replaced Greg Mattison with Defensive Backs coach Chuck Pagano who led the weak link of our defense th DB's. We should have looked at guys Like Dean Pees who was the Pats D coordinator during their perfect season or outside the organization for current Defensive Assistants.

I will look at personnel moves the Ravens must make tomorrow.

2010 NFL Playoff preview

Well after 17 weeks of games 12 teams remain in the hunt for the Lombardi trophy. I will not only give you my picks and analysis for each game but I will also compare all 12 teams to a recent super bowl participant or winner. I will start off my picks for the post season awards.

AWARDS

MVP: Tom Brady, QB Patriots

OPOY: Arian Foster, RB Texans

DPOY: Clay Matthews, LB Packers

OROY: Sam Bradford QB Rams

DROY: Ndomukong Suh DT Lions

Coach: Todd Hayley Chiefs

Comeback Player: Mike Vick, QB Eagles

Playoff team comparison

AFC
1. Patriots- 2004 Patriots: Tom Brady with a bunch of no names as a 14-2 team

2. Steelers- 2008 Steelers: A lot of the same players (Mike Wallace=Santonio Holmes)

3. Colts- 2006 Colts: Peyton Manning leads an under the radar group of players and a fast Defense

4. Chiefs- 2003 Panthers: Both teams had an unsung hero at QB and a 2 headed monster at RB

5. Ravens- 2002 Bucs: A good defense, great special teams, and a QB who doesnt make many mistakes (This D is no where close to 2000 Ravens D no D this year is)

6. Jets- 2000 Giants An overrated team from New York that could catch fire but doubtful

NFC

1. Falcons- 2001 Patriots: A young QB and a solid supporting cast

2. Bears- 2006 Bears: A good D good running game and inconsistent QB

3. Eagles- 2002 Rams: A super fast team with a comeback story at QB and an average D

4.Seahwaks- 2008 Cardinals: A bad team from outwest with a great homefield

5. Saints (shocker) 2009 Saints- a lot of the same players

6. Packers 2003 Patriots- An up and coming QB leads a great D and no running game

Playoff predictions: Reminder- There are New OT rules for the playoffs if the team who wins the toss and receives the kick kicks a FG the other team gets the chance to tie or win the game but if the first team scores a TD or the defense scores the game is over.

Wild card

Saints 31 Seahawks 20- Brees and Saints Outclass seattle team after close 1st half

Packers 27 Eagles 17- Packers' D and Rodgers stay hot, beat Vick and Eagles rather easily

Colts 24 Jets 13- Manning picks apart overrated Jets D in comfortable home win

Ravens 20 Chiefs 10- Ravens D shuts down Chiefs running game Flacco makes enough plays

Divisional Round

Bears 27 Saints 20- Bears D, Hester end Saints run at repeat

Packers 20 Falcons 17- Packers edge out win against young, inexperienced Falcons

Steelers 24 Colts 17- Steelers D forces key turnover leads Pittsburgh back to AFC title game

Patriots 27 Ravens 24 (OT)- 2nd OT game in as many meetings Tom Brady just too clutch (Game of the Playoffs)

Conference championships

Patriots 31 Steelers 17- Tom Brady continues dominance of Steelers

Packers 20 Bears 13- Rodgers makes big play, Cutler makes big mistake Pack back to SB 45

SUPER BOWL

Packers 31 Patriots 27- Rodgers announces himself by beating Brady, Pats in Super Bowl MVP: AARON RODGERS (don't the niners wish they drafted him over Alex Smith)