More Than A Game

Just a reminder, the Lebron James documentary "More Than A Game" will be released October 2, 2009. Look for the soundtrack September 22, 2009 that features the new hit single "Forever" with Drake, Lil Wayne, Kanye West and Eminem.

Superbowl Prediction

Ok, so after watching a few preseason games, I've come to my decision for my Superbowl picks. Unfortunately, I don't like either one of these teams. If Chad ever posts again before the NFL season starts he will tell you that the Vikings will be in the Superbowl. As stacked as they seem, I just don't see Farve or Tavarvis Jackson in any future Superbowls. Sorry Colonel Sanders...

My picks for the big game are the Philadelphia Eagles (No, this has nothing to do with the Michael Vick signing) and the New England Patriots. If you know me at all, you know these are probably the last two teams I would want to see in the Superbowl, but I cant deny the talent that both teams have.

I haven't decided who my pick to win the Superbowl is yet, so stay tooned for that...

P.S. Donovan, if you do get another chance at a Superbowl, don't blow it.

Michael Vick to Eagles

As we all know, the big story this week is Rick Pitino. Haha just joking, obviously the big story is Michael Vick signing with the Eagles. But Mr. Pitino is probably thanking God that Vick stole the headlines and people aren’t talking about his adultery situation anymore.

I know everyone and their grandma have an opinion on Vick going to the Eagles. It’s great that we all have opinions, but since this is my blog, I’m going to give you mine. First, if you’re a closed-minded Vick hater you should stop reading right about…here.

Ok, so we all know Vick is an average quarterback, as far as QB stats, he’s super athletic, he’s around six feet, making him pretty short, he has a cannon of an arm and he’s probably faster than most receivers in the NFL. Oh yea, and he’s black, but we would like to think that doesn’t really matter in today’s world. So yea, Vick is all of those things… well at least he was back in 2006, the last time we saw him play.

All I’ve been hearing on sports television shows is what Vick will and will not do for whatever team that signs him. At this point, we know that team is the Eagles, but how can anyone, especially people that haven’t been in direct contact with Vick, say what he can and can not do for a team? Have we all forgotten the guy hasn’t played in two seasons? Yes, I know that people close to Vick have said he kept in good shape while in prison, but come on, I know he wasn’t doing NFL workouts. So while he was trying to prevent himself from getting fat and weak, the real question is how long will it take him to get back to the shape he was in two years ago?

Moving on to the Eagles—I know a lot of people are wondering why the Eagles wanted Vick. To me the answer is simple: he’s another weapon. Obviously, the Eagles aren’t looking for Vick to take Donovan McNabb’s starting QB spot, or even compete for the spot for that matter. At best he will become the number two QB on the depth chart, replacing Kevin Kolb. For whatever reason, some people feel that, since Vick is so fast an athletic, he can play receiver or maybe return kicks and punts. I don’t understand how you can assume that. If anything, every receiver should take it personal that people think just because your athletic or fast that you can be a good receiver. I’m not saying it’s impossible for Vick to fill these roles, but I don’t think it is something that should be assumed. Taking this back to the Eagles, with Brian Westbrook, LeSean McCoy, Jeremy Maclin, DeSean Jackson, Reggie Brown and Kevin Curtis on the roster, there doesn’t appear to be much space for Vick to fit in as a skill position player. This is where I ask everyone to please think a little deeper.

Vick will most likely become a situational player. This could mean he only comes in on special plays and the wildcat formation. That may mean that Vick sees five to ten plays a game. Who knows, obviously the Eagles have some plan or they wouldn’t have went after him. Regardless of what Vick’s role is on the team, the Eagles are the winners here. They managed to sign Michael Vick for two years, the first year for $1.6M and the second with a team option for $5.2M. If Vick sucks and the Eagles never use him, they only used $1.6M, and they can then let him go at the end of the season. If he happens to show signs of the old Vick and can be a playmaker, the Eagles get a steal that could possibly be the final piece to them winning a Super Bowl. If anything, the Eagles have prevented any other team from signing Vick and using him in a positive way.

The only real downside to signing Vick is all the animal rights activists who just aren’t ready to forgive Vick. Hopefully their worries will be eased if the Eagles’ plan works and Vick contributes to some wins. I guess the Eagles’ ownership is tired of being close to being a title contender every year, yet coming away with no rings. Hey, I can’t blame them.

I’ve never been an Eagles fan or a Falcons fan. But I do appreciate what Vick can do on the football field. Although I will not be rooting for the Eagles, I hope the whole situation with Vick works out. I think it is time to forgive, but not forget, what Michael Vick has done, if you haven’t done so already. The guy has committed a crime, been humbled and served his time in prison.

Good Luck Mike.

UFC 101

UFC made its debut in Philadelphia this past weekend with its highly anticipated pay-per-view UFC 101: Declaration. Fortunately, I was able to be in attendance. This was my first live UFC show and I was more than satisfied. First off, for a live pay-per-view, the event starts at 7:00 pm. Any UFC follower knows if you order a UFC event it starts at 10:00pm. So, basically the live audience gets an extra three hours of action…Can’t really beat that.

On to the fights…

The card headlined two big fights: Anderson “Spider” Silva vs. Forest Griffin and BJ “Prodigy” Penn vs. Kenny “Kenflo” Florian. One fight humbled an over confident fighter and the other sent a fighter running out of the octagon after a loss. These fights were hyped as much as possible, but in the end both were one sided. Don’t get me wrong, both fights were worth the price of admission. You can’t really complain when you get to see BJ Penn and Anderson Silva fight in the same night.

The majority of the fights on the card went the distance, leaving the Philly crowd satisfied. We were able to see George Sotiropoulos submit George Roop with a kimora. Also, I happened to be sitting in a section that was full of Dan Cramer’s friends and family. You can imagine how pissed they were to see him get beat up by Matthew Riddle for 15 minutes. I found it hilarious…Angry drunk people are always good for a laugh.

Another intriguing undercard matchup was the 6’4, 170 lb Tamdan McCrory vs. the 5’7, 170 lb John Howard. From the start, this fight was full of laughs. McCrory looked like a scrawny lab scientist and Howard had a haircut that was a design of flames. Initially we all thought the flames were a very bad tattoo. But we were eventually relieved to find out that it was just a bad haircut. Regardless of the flame-head, the fight actually ended up being one of the more entertaining of the night. Both men were pretty athletic and didn’t mind standing or taking it to the ground. It was pretty cool to see the 5’7 Howard throw his much taller opponent on his shoulders and then slam him to the ground. In the end, Howard was named the victor by split decision.

In addition to the six hours of live UFC matches, we were granted an unexpected additional fight. Apparently, a few people had too much to drink and the ending result was a woman beating up a man in front of 17,400 people. The fight in the stands that lasted about 45 seconds completely overshadowed Shane Nelson and Aaron Reiley’s 15 minute big yawn of a match.

UFC also has a most-hated referee now…well at least in Philly. Referee Dan Miragliotta was showered with boos after it appeared he stopped the Amir Sadollah vs. Johny Hendricks fight prematurely. After about 30 seconds of action the fight was stopped, even though Sadollah was about to get up. Also, Philly fans don’t have short memories. Miragliotta refereed a later fight and was showered with “boo’s” again for his stoppage earlier…Poor guy.

Ok, back to the two fights everyone cared about. First I’ll talk about the BJ Penn vs. Kenny Florian fight. This fight, while action packed, was all BJ Penn. He pretty much put on a clinic. I found this interesting considering all the trash Florian talked before the bout. It appeared that all the confidence Florian built up prior to the fight disappeared with Forest Griffin just minutes before the fight.

BJ, on the other hand, had all the confidence in the world. He appeared to be well prepared and back to his old self. It was very clear that he had intentions of knocking Florian out. Luckily for Florian, BJ never landed one of his heavy haymakers. The majority of the fight was spent against the cage, which was the only thing Florian had control of. I assume that his intentions were to wear Penn down and sneak in a few lethal elbows. Unfortunately for him, it seemed like for every elbow he landed, Penn landed two or three punches of his own. By the time the fourth round came, it was obvious that Florian was the one that was worn down.

The fight ended up on the ground, where BJ was able to land a few punishing elbows to the left side of Florian’s face. Soon after, Florian gave his back up and BJ finished him with a rear naked choke. I think it is safe to say, the prodigy is back!

The Anderson Silva vs. Forest Griffin fight was one of the best UFC matches I’ve ever seen. The funniest part about that is it only lasted for about three minutes. From the very minute Forest Griffin’s entrance music came on and the lights went dim, the crowd erupted. I knew that Forest was a huge fan-favorite, but sheesh, seeing the crowd’s reaction to him and hearing people sitting in my section praise him was unbelievable. What was even more unbelievable was the crowd’s reaction to Anderson during his entrance. You would have thought the New York Giants were in the house. So many “boos,” it was crazy. I know Silva doesn’t speak English and may not be the most lovable (pause) fighter UFC has, but you have to respect him at least. The “boos” didn’t seem to bother Silva. I recall him looking around at the crowd with a smile, then taking a huge calm breath as if he were inhaling the Philly atmosphere.

Anyway, on to the fight…This fight distinguished the difference in skill from the good and the best in the UFC. The men circled around each other in the beginning as they built up the anticipation of the first strike. Finally, Griffin attacked, just as we all expected him to. This attack only led to a right hook that dropped Griffin. He quickly recovered, but then found himself on the defensive and back peddling. Each back step built more and more confidence in Silva. At one point, Silva stopped and padded his chest as if to say “Fight Me!”

After that, the fight was pretty much over, as I’m not sure if Forest landed another punch. Silva toyed with him, putting on a vintage Muhammad Ali-like show with his bob and weave. He dropped Griffin two more times before the fight was stopped. In the final seconds, Silva landed a right punch that sent the charging Griffin to the canvas. I was told this punch dislocated Forest’s jaw…Ouch! The fight was called when Griffin put his hand up while lying on the ground, giving up. Seconds later Griffin ran out of the arena and backstage somewhere, before they formally announced the winner. The tides turned that fast. The fans “booed” Forest and praised Silva for the show he put on.

After that fight, I had to rethink if I thought GSP was still the best pound-for-pound fighter in the UFC. I’m still not sure. I’d pay serious money to see GSP and Silva settle who the best is in the near future.

So, that’s my coverage of UFC 101. It was quite an experience. I can’t wait until the next time I get to see UFC live. I’ll be posting my photos up from the event very soon.

If you have not seen the Anderson silva vs. Forest Griffin fight, please click this link. Enjoy!

http://www.mmaroot.com/anderson-silva-vs-forrest-griffin-fight-video-ufc-101/

Vince Young...

Last night, in the NFL Preseason Opening Game, Vince Young humored us by saying that he would be the next African American QB to win a Superbowl. He also said that he'd be a future Hall of Famer. Based on last night's performance against the Bills, it is not looking good for African American QB's...especially if Vince is the next one to win a Superbowl. I'm a Vince Young fan, and want him to succeed, but for now I'd like to see him focus on reading coverages better before he guarantees anything.

Poor Stackhouse...

Just weeks after Lebron was caught on tape getting dunked on by a college player, Jerry Stackhouse seems to have found himself under the rim for a John Wall highlight. Please take a look:



From another angle:

NFL Fantasy Preview: Who's Hot and Who's Not

It's that time of year again. Everyone is getting ready to put together their legendary fantasy team that will bring home the title of being number one. For some, fantasy means more interaction with close friends as you discuss football players and decide who really knows football the best—well at least for that year. For others, fantasy means a possible pay day, lots of trash talk, and paying a lot of attention to useless statistics about your favorite NFL stars. Whatever fantasy may mean to you, I'm sure you are looking for any kind of insight to ensure you have the upper hand come draft day. Here are some suggestions if you are having a little trouble deciding who should make your roster.

Can't Miss Players:

Adrian Peterson - Please don't be the guy that passes on A Pete. You will regret it.
Matt Forte – If you thought Forte was effective with no passing games, he will be even better with Cutler at QB.
Tom Brady – If you let the season-ending injury steer you away from Brady, you’re a fool.
Larry Fitzgerald – This guy is carrying a lot of momentum. He went from being a top-tier receiver at the beginning of the season, to arguably the best receiver in football by the end of the season. Expect him to keep dominating.
Michael Turner – Last year was no fluke. Turner is legit.
Steelers Defense – You all saw what the Steelers defense did last year. I shouldn’t need to explain.
Redskins Defense – With the addition of Albert Haynesworth and Brian Orakopo, look for the Skins to dominate on the defensive end of the ball.

Sleepers:

Devin Hester - Hester officially made the transition to number one wideout last year. His statistics were far from spectacular, but after an offseason of getting prepared, and a new QB in town, expect Hester to become a game-breaker again.
Derrick Ward - Ward is coming off a 1,000 yard season as a backup in New York. He has found a new home in Tampa, which has an interesting situation a QB. I'm predicting that Tampa will focus on running the ball a lot this year. Ward should excel.
LenDale White - White has lost 30 pounds this offseason. He said he is in the best shape of his life and clearly he’s dedicated to getting better. Even with a lot of focus on Chris Johnson, White is still the goaline and short yardage back. After producing 15 touchdowns last season, LenDale should pick up where he left off—in the end zone.
Dwayne Bowe – Bowe had a solid season last year with 86 receptions, 1022 yards and 7 TD’s. Expect even better with Matt Cassell at QB.
Donovan McNabb – On paper this could be the Eagles’ year. They have a strong defense as usual, and a lot more weapons than Donovan is used to on offense. I expect a big year from McNabb.
Chad Ochocinco – After an off year, I think Chad is ready to return as a premier wide receiver. Look for Chad to be back to his old self.

Players to Stay Away From:

Tony Romo – I don’t have faith in Romo. T.O. is gone, Roy Williams has become Romo’s new best friend. I wouldn’t trust him.
Brian Westbrook – Without a doubt, Westbrook is one of the top talents in the NFL…when healthy. Unfortunately, Westbrook is also one of the most injury-prone players in the NFL. I don’t suggest using one of your top picks on him.
Brandon Marshall – Marshall is full of talent but he is also unhappy in Denver. Not to mention, Kyle Orton will be throwing him the ball. That doesn’t exactly sound like a huge season in the making.
Braylon Edwards - This is truly a sad situation. It appears Edwards is ready to move on and rejuvenate his career, but unfortunately, it doesn’t look like that’s going to happen. Maybe Eric “Mangenius” will be able to get Braylon focused, so he can produce the big season we are expecting from him. All this sounds good, but I don’t see it happening.

There you have it. Can’t say I didn’t warn you…

Fedor Emelianenko...

Its official, Fedor Emelianenko has let down all of the real MMA fans by signing with Strikeforce. As we recently learned, Fedor was set to fight Josh Barnett in Affliction’s “Trilogy,” but that all came to a halt when Josh Barnett tested positive for steroids. Not that this was a super huge fight or anything, but it was a chance to see Fedor in action nonetheless.

In case you are unfamiliar with the MMA superstar, he is the consensus number one-ranked MMA heavyweight fighter in the world. He holds a record of 30-1 and is probably more feared than Brock Lesnar. Outside of having one-hit knockout power, Fedor is a submission specialist. To sum him up, the guy is the real deal.

With Affliction struggling financially, once Fedor was no longer able to fight Barnett, the company called it quits and folded. At the time, this appeared to be great news. This meant the whole Affliction roster became free agents. After the punishment Brock Lesnar dealt to Frank Mir at UFC 101, everyone immediately started chattering about a must-see fight between Fedor and Lesnar.

UFC’s president, Dana White, has been known to cater to the fans, and through recent interviews sounded very open to getting Fedor a deal in the UFC. Dana White is also a very good businessman. From what I’m hearing, a three fight offer was made to Fedor and the amount of money was somewhere close to $2 million a fight. If you are not familiar with UFC salaries, here are some of the figures from UFC 100:
• Brock Lesnar ($400,000 to show) vs. Frank Mir ($45,000 to show, $45,000 to win)
• Georges St-Pierre ($200,000 to show, $200,000 to win) vs. Thiago Alves ($60,000 to show, $60,000 to win)
• Michael Bisping ($150,000 to show, $100,000 to win) vs. Dan Henderson ($100,000 to show, $150,000 to win)

Mind you, these numbers do not include sponsorships or pay-per-view money that fighters receive, but it is clear that no one is making a salary close to $2 million per fight.
Fedor and M-1 Global decided to decline Dana White’s offer. Apparently Fedor and friends want to go to a company that will break the bank. Dana White is not that kind of person. After he received the news that Fedor signed with Strikeforce, he said, “Fedor is a f*cking joke…he turns down a huge deal and the opportunity to face the best in the world to fight nobodies for money…I feel sorry for the real fans I wanted to make the deal, but it takes two and it is very obvious Fedor doesn't want to fight the best, and doesn't give a sh*t about the fans!”

As a fan, it is very disappointing to know that Fedor was unwilling to join UFC and truly prove that he is the best heavyweight in the world.