Amazing dunk by Jordan Green, who is headed to Texas A&M next year. As you watch this video, keep in mind this kid is only 6'4.
For your on the job sanity. You're welcome. Justin Lovett-Blue Chad Sanders-White Greg D'Arco-Yellow Samson X-Grey
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Bad Hair Day
Minnesota's Michael Beasley having a bad hair day. Maybe he tried out for spot with The Lion King on Broadway.
Mascot Blunder
I don't even know what to say about this. I'm a little surprised there was no retaliation.
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Trade Deadline
Trade Madness:
Typically the NBA trade deadline comes around and there are a million rumors but ultimately little action. From a fans prospective this can be boring, especially if you’re like me and crave constant roster shuffle ups like it’s a 2k franchise.
This year has been a bit of a twist from what we have become accustomed to with the NBA. It all started with the “Free Agency of 2010.” There was lots of drama and hype building up to this past summer and it did not disappoint. Not only did we see franchises come up short and left forced to over pay role players, but we also saw All-Stars switch cities and even franchise players take their talents elsewhere. Once the smoke cleared and the roster movement settled, everyone couldn’t wait to see these teams play each other. David Stern predicted the NBA would have perhaps its best season ever. Thus far, I would say this has been a very entertaining year in the NBA. Outside of who is on who’s team, there has just been a very high level of basketball being played, specifically within the top half of the league. As the league storylines have played out (Miami Heat Big 3, emergence of Derrick Rose as an MVP candidate, Spurs with best record, ups and downs of the Lakers, Blake Griffin’s phenomenal rookie season, the fall of the Cleveland Cavaliers franchise, the consistency of Kevin Love’s game, career changing injuries to Yao Ming and Brandon Roy, attitude and immaturity as well as dominance of DeMarcus Cousins, lack of production by the 2nd and 3rd picks in the draft Derrick Favors and Evan Turner, the dominance by old and injury plagued Boston Celtics, and how could any of us forget…Melodrama) and the new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) has clouded over the league, there is one thing that has kept everyone intrigued…the trade deadline.
As previously mentioned one of the main storylines this season was the “Melodrama.” If you don’t know what that is, you must have completely shut sports and social networking out of your life for the past six months but if that is the case, I forgive you and will explain. The “Melodrama” is all the drama and media attention surrounding Carmelo Anthony’s potential expiring contract. Melo had another full season left on his contract but had the option to void that last year and test free agency if he wanted and also had the option of signing a 3-year contract extension worth up to $65 million on top of his salary for next year. Carmelo wanted a 3-year extension because it is believed that once the CBA issues are resolved he will not be able to make as much money as he would have if he signed a contract before the new CBA is in place. It became very clear early in the season that Carmelo had no intention of signing an extension with the Denver Nuggets so they were left with the option of keeping him for the rest of the season and then losing him for nothing in the offseason or trading him and trying to soak up as many assets and picks as they could. The catch in this is that Carmelo secretly told those close to him and Nuggets management that he would only sign an extension with the Knicks. This put Denver in an awkward situation because it limited who they could trade him to. There were very few teams if any that were willing to trade anything of value for Carmelo before he agreed to sign an extension. Ultimately, we were taking on a three team roller coaster ride that involved the New Jersey Nets and the New York Knicks pursuing Anthony. You have Melo secretly controlling his next destination, the Nuggets in need of assets to start over (quietly in denial that their superstar is leaving them), the Knicks in hot pursuit to get another star to pair with Amare Stoudemire, the Nets with a new owner (Mikhail Prokhorov—say that three times fast) and coach desperately looking for a franchise player, and throw in the media and you have “Melodrama.” As entertaining as this was at times, it got really old within the last few weeks. Not only was it holding up other teams from making deals because they wanted to see how the Melo deal worked out but it was also affecting the play of the players that heard their names in constant rumors all season. Thankfully, a deal was done late Monday night and became official on Tuesday that sent Carmelo to the Knicks in a 3-team 11 player trade (Knicks get Carmelo Anthony, Chauncey Billups, Renaldo Balkman, and Shelden Williams…Nuggets get Wilson Chandler, Raymond Felton, Danilo Gallinari, Timofey Mozgov, Kosta Koufos, three draft picks and cash…Timberwolves get Anthony Randolph, Eddy Curry ).
The Aftermath
We all figured that once Carmelo was traded the domino effect would be in place. As of right now, that ideology has stood firm because immediately teams got on the phones and started discussing potential trades before Thursdays deadline. I would assume most teams are picking through about 15-20 trade scenarios but it is not about scenarios or rumors, it’s about what is actually getting done. This morning the league was caught off guard by the announcement that the New Jersey Nets struck a deal with the Utah Jazz that included Deron Williams. The package sent Deron Willams to New Jersey for rookie Derrick Favors, Devin Harris and two first-round draft picks. There have been an enormous amount of rumors surfacing through the media but no one called this one. Two things happened in this trade. The Nets owner went from being the biggest loser, to possibly a genius in a matter of 48 hours. Not only did he stay competitive in the Melo trade, forcing to the Knicks to give up more players but then he landed a franchise player and gave up less than he offered for Carmelo. The only thing that stands between Prokhorov and his genius status is Deron Williams. He has Willaims on his team, now he has to sell him on sticking around long term. Next year, Williams will be in the same situation that Melo was in this year. If Williams agrees to an extension with the Nets, Prokhorov will have his franchise point guard to build around and he will prove he’s a lot more business savvy than many of anticipated.
What’s Next?
So in two days we have seen two franchise players switch cities and conferences. The East appears to be loaded for the future, but what really has changed…For now, not much. Carmelo joining the Knicks and Deron joining the Nets is fun and exciting to talk about but right now neither is a legit title contender. The Nets currently have just 17 wins and even with their new point guard they most likely won’t make the post season and the Knicks added another star and more offense but zero defense. As we have all learned, defense wins championships in this league. I can see the Knicks possibly giving a team like Orlando a run for their money if they were to meet in the playoffs but I don’t think they have a chance against the Celtics, Bulls or Miami. They aren’t at that level yet. Both The Knicks and Nets should be commended for the moves they have made, because regardless of whether they win a championship with their new stars, there is no question they are better than they were before the trade.
What About Everyone Else?
The biggest winners of the recent trades are the teams fighting to get the last two seeds in the west conference for the playoffs. Both Denver and Utah were guaranteed a playoff spot this year but now we are left with uncertainty. The rest of the league is scrambling to make last minute trades to bolster their team for now or gain assets for the future. Organizations that know their team isn’t going anywhere this season are most likely attempting to dump salary to contenders, while they gain cap space, young prospects and draft picks. Playoff teams realize that the playoffs will be extremely competitive this year and are trying to add missing links to perfect their rosters. At the end of the day there will only be two teams that make it to the championship and only one can be victorious. The real winner in all of this is the fans. The NBA has provided us with a season that hasn’t had a dull moment. People typically say (including myself) the NBA is a joke until the playoffs, because that is when the players really play but this year we have been fortunate to have an action packed regular season and a much anticipated postseason. So, kudos to the fans we are finally getting what we pay for.
Typically the NBA trade deadline comes around and there are a million rumors but ultimately little action. From a fans prospective this can be boring, especially if you’re like me and crave constant roster shuffle ups like it’s a 2k franchise.
This year has been a bit of a twist from what we have become accustomed to with the NBA. It all started with the “Free Agency of 2010.” There was lots of drama and hype building up to this past summer and it did not disappoint. Not only did we see franchises come up short and left forced to over pay role players, but we also saw All-Stars switch cities and even franchise players take their talents elsewhere. Once the smoke cleared and the roster movement settled, everyone couldn’t wait to see these teams play each other. David Stern predicted the NBA would have perhaps its best season ever. Thus far, I would say this has been a very entertaining year in the NBA. Outside of who is on who’s team, there has just been a very high level of basketball being played, specifically within the top half of the league. As the league storylines have played out (Miami Heat Big 3, emergence of Derrick Rose as an MVP candidate, Spurs with best record, ups and downs of the Lakers, Blake Griffin’s phenomenal rookie season, the fall of the Cleveland Cavaliers franchise, the consistency of Kevin Love’s game, career changing injuries to Yao Ming and Brandon Roy, attitude and immaturity as well as dominance of DeMarcus Cousins, lack of production by the 2nd and 3rd picks in the draft Derrick Favors and Evan Turner, the dominance by old and injury plagued Boston Celtics, and how could any of us forget…Melodrama) and the new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) has clouded over the league, there is one thing that has kept everyone intrigued…the trade deadline.
As previously mentioned one of the main storylines this season was the “Melodrama.” If you don’t know what that is, you must have completely shut sports and social networking out of your life for the past six months but if that is the case, I forgive you and will explain. The “Melodrama” is all the drama and media attention surrounding Carmelo Anthony’s potential expiring contract. Melo had another full season left on his contract but had the option to void that last year and test free agency if he wanted and also had the option of signing a 3-year contract extension worth up to $65 million on top of his salary for next year. Carmelo wanted a 3-year extension because it is believed that once the CBA issues are resolved he will not be able to make as much money as he would have if he signed a contract before the new CBA is in place. It became very clear early in the season that Carmelo had no intention of signing an extension with the Denver Nuggets so they were left with the option of keeping him for the rest of the season and then losing him for nothing in the offseason or trading him and trying to soak up as many assets and picks as they could. The catch in this is that Carmelo secretly told those close to him and Nuggets management that he would only sign an extension with the Knicks. This put Denver in an awkward situation because it limited who they could trade him to. There were very few teams if any that were willing to trade anything of value for Carmelo before he agreed to sign an extension. Ultimately, we were taking on a three team roller coaster ride that involved the New Jersey Nets and the New York Knicks pursuing Anthony. You have Melo secretly controlling his next destination, the Nuggets in need of assets to start over (quietly in denial that their superstar is leaving them), the Knicks in hot pursuit to get another star to pair with Amare Stoudemire, the Nets with a new owner (Mikhail Prokhorov—say that three times fast) and coach desperately looking for a franchise player, and throw in the media and you have “Melodrama.” As entertaining as this was at times, it got really old within the last few weeks. Not only was it holding up other teams from making deals because they wanted to see how the Melo deal worked out but it was also affecting the play of the players that heard their names in constant rumors all season. Thankfully, a deal was done late Monday night and became official on Tuesday that sent Carmelo to the Knicks in a 3-team 11 player trade (Knicks get Carmelo Anthony, Chauncey Billups, Renaldo Balkman, and Shelden Williams…Nuggets get Wilson Chandler, Raymond Felton, Danilo Gallinari, Timofey Mozgov, Kosta Koufos, three draft picks and cash…Timberwolves get Anthony Randolph, Eddy Curry ).
The Aftermath
We all figured that once Carmelo was traded the domino effect would be in place. As of right now, that ideology has stood firm because immediately teams got on the phones and started discussing potential trades before Thursdays deadline. I would assume most teams are picking through about 15-20 trade scenarios but it is not about scenarios or rumors, it’s about what is actually getting done. This morning the league was caught off guard by the announcement that the New Jersey Nets struck a deal with the Utah Jazz that included Deron Williams. The package sent Deron Willams to New Jersey for rookie Derrick Favors, Devin Harris and two first-round draft picks. There have been an enormous amount of rumors surfacing through the media but no one called this one. Two things happened in this trade. The Nets owner went from being the biggest loser, to possibly a genius in a matter of 48 hours. Not only did he stay competitive in the Melo trade, forcing to the Knicks to give up more players but then he landed a franchise player and gave up less than he offered for Carmelo. The only thing that stands between Prokhorov and his genius status is Deron Williams. He has Willaims on his team, now he has to sell him on sticking around long term. Next year, Williams will be in the same situation that Melo was in this year. If Williams agrees to an extension with the Nets, Prokhorov will have his franchise point guard to build around and he will prove he’s a lot more business savvy than many of anticipated.
What’s Next?
So in two days we have seen two franchise players switch cities and conferences. The East appears to be loaded for the future, but what really has changed…For now, not much. Carmelo joining the Knicks and Deron joining the Nets is fun and exciting to talk about but right now neither is a legit title contender. The Nets currently have just 17 wins and even with their new point guard they most likely won’t make the post season and the Knicks added another star and more offense but zero defense. As we have all learned, defense wins championships in this league. I can see the Knicks possibly giving a team like Orlando a run for their money if they were to meet in the playoffs but I don’t think they have a chance against the Celtics, Bulls or Miami. They aren’t at that level yet. Both The Knicks and Nets should be commended for the moves they have made, because regardless of whether they win a championship with their new stars, there is no question they are better than they were before the trade.
What About Everyone Else?
The biggest winners of the recent trades are the teams fighting to get the last two seeds in the west conference for the playoffs. Both Denver and Utah were guaranteed a playoff spot this year but now we are left with uncertainty. The rest of the league is scrambling to make last minute trades to bolster their team for now or gain assets for the future. Organizations that know their team isn’t going anywhere this season are most likely attempting to dump salary to contenders, while they gain cap space, young prospects and draft picks. Playoff teams realize that the playoffs will be extremely competitive this year and are trying to add missing links to perfect their rosters. At the end of the day there will only be two teams that make it to the championship and only one can be victorious. The real winner in all of this is the fans. The NBA has provided us with a season that hasn’t had a dull moment. People typically say (including myself) the NBA is a joke until the playoffs, because that is when the players really play but this year we have been fortunate to have an action packed regular season and a much anticipated postseason. So, kudos to the fans we are finally getting what we pay for.
Monday, February 21, 2011
2011 NBA Dunk Contest
In case you missed it, here is the 2011 NBA Dunk Contest compiled into just a few minutes. I strongly recommend the video to anyone that did not see the event.
Saturday, February 12, 2011
Homecoming
Soccer legend Ronaldinho made his return back to Brazilian soccer last week. The Brazilian native has spent the last 10 years in Europe playing for various teams but at the age of 30, he decided it was time to come home. His debut game for Flemengo was no ordinary homecoming. He received a standing ovation from the sold out stadium packed with 40,000 supporters. Every time he touched the ball, the crowd went crazy. He helped lead the team to a 1-0 victory over Nova Iguacu. Although, he didn't play his best game but looked very impressive for a player making a comeback after time off.
Ronaldinho is looking forward to competing for a roster spot on the 2014 Brazilian World Cup soccer team. He helped lead the Brazilian team to a 2002 World Cup and played on the 2006 team but was not selected for the 2010 team. Ronaldinho will be 34-years old by the time the 2014 World Cup rolls around but his experience could prove to be invaluable.
If you have never had a chance to see Ronaldinho play, here are some of his highlights...
Ronaldinho is looking forward to competing for a roster spot on the 2014 Brazilian World Cup soccer team. He helped lead the Brazilian team to a 2002 World Cup and played on the 2006 team but was not selected for the 2010 team. Ronaldinho will be 34-years old by the time the 2014 World Cup rolls around but his experience could prove to be invaluable.
If you have never had a chance to see Ronaldinho play, here are some of his highlights...
Thursday, February 10, 2011
He has handle
ESPN recently had Youtube sensation Jordan McCabe on it's morning show First Take. McCabe put on an impressive dribbling exhibition that will sure to leave you amazed. As you watch the video, keep in mind this kid is only 12. Imagine what kind of damage he does in middle school games.
Without further ado, here is Jordan McCabe...
Without further ado, here is Jordan McCabe...
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Super Bowl XLV
As we all know tonight is Super Bowl XLV, which features the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Green Bay Packers. Many believe this game will be one for the ages and I am a part of that group. I've asked a lot of people who they predict will win the game and the answers I've received have been about 50-50 for both teams. Most people base their opinions off of their own personal interests or emotions but considering the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are not in the big game, I'll look at the numbers to make my prediction. So here it is...
Green Bay Packers
In the regular season the Packers boasted a 10-6 record. That was a little surprising because many people picked the Packers to be in the Super Bowl before the season started and to see that they had to win the last game of the season just to make the playoffs was a little startling. Mind you, the team suffered many injuries throughout the course of the season, mainly on the offensive side of the ball. Anyway, back to the numbers. Looking at the regular season the Packers struggled against elite defenses and division rivals. They split with the Chicago Bears, winning 10-3 and losing 20-17. They split with the Detroit Lions, winning 28-26 and losing 7-3. They beat the New York Jets 9-0 and lost to the Dolphins 23-30.
Continuing with the regular season stats and rankings...The Packers had the 5th ranked defense and while they were 5th in passing yards given up, they were only ranked 18th in rushing yards given up per game. The Packers were second in the league in sacks which is outstanding and a very important statistic but what should noted is that the Steelers ranked 1st in that category. Finally, the Packers defense was second in the league in interceptions with 24. These are all very important rankings to remember, especially for this game.
Moving on to the offensive side of the ball. The Packers offense has had its ups and downs this season while they dealt with injuries but managed to remain effective. Aaron Rodgers ranked 7th in the league in passing with 3,970 total yards. He was tied for 6th with 28 touchdowns and ranked 14th with 11 interceptions. Additionally he was sacked 31 times. Enough about Aaron, lets move on to the offense as a whole. The Packers ranked 10th in points per game (24.2), 9th in total yards (358.1), 5th in passing yards (257.8) and 24th in rushing yards (100.4).
Now to the Steelers...
In the regular season the Steelers dominated with a 12-4 record. Keep in mind one of those losses came when Ben Roethlisberger was suspended. Looking at the four losses (Baltimore, New Orleans, Patriots and Jets) they suffered, they seemed a bit random. The only thing that can be said is if they are going to lose, it will be to an elite team (Good news for the Packers). The Steelers defense has been phenomenal all season. They are not quite the Steel Curtain from the 70's but they were the number two ranked defense this season. They gave up just 276.8 yards per game, ranking 12th in passing yards given up and dominating in run defense ranking 1st, only giving up 62.8 yards per game (2nd place was the Bears giving up 90.1). The Steelers ranked 1st in sacks and was tied for 5th with interceptions. Additionally, they ranked 3rd in forced fumbles, where the Packers were tied for 12th. No matter what defensive statistic you look at, the Steelers will be ranked in the top half of the league and top five in most.
On to the offense...The Steelers offense is not as impressive as their defense but still very productive. They ranked 12th in points per game (23.4), 14th in yards per game (345.3), 14th in passing yards (225.1) and 11th in rushing yards (120.2). Those numbers aren't totally reliable because Big Ben missed the first four games. So, lets analyze Big Ben's numbers this season. He ranked 18th in the league in total passing yards with 3,200. He averaged 266.7 yards per game, so if you multiply that by four (the number of games he missed from suspension) and add it to his 3,200, his total would be 4,266 for the season, which would place him 5th on the passing leaders list this year. I'm aware we cannot assume he would have continued to average 266.7 yards per game during the four games he missed but this gives us a ball park figure of where he would have been if he played all 16 games.
These are all statistics to be proud of but as people say, you are only as good as your last game, so it is important to analyze how these teams have fared in the playoffs.
In three games Aaron Rodgers is leading all quarterbacks with 790 yards, throwing for 263.3 yards per game, with six touchdowns and two interceptions. He is completing a ridiculous 71% of his passing attempts and is posting the highest playoff quarterback rating ever with 109.2. Right now if your going to go with a quarterback for the playoffs, Rodgers should be your guy. With that being said, we should remember the type of game Aaron had last week. Needless to say, it was less than stellar. He threw for 244 yards but had two interceptions and zero touchdowns. His quarterback rating was a measly 55.4. So, while Rodgers has been the star of the playoffs, the Bears put a chink in his armor and exposed him a little bit.
On the other hand, Ben Roethlisberger has been a little more human-like in comparison to Aaron Rodgers. In two games Big Ben has posted 359 total yards passing, throwing for 179.5 yards per game, with two touchdowns and two interceptions. His quarterback rating is 75.5 but he has beaten the Ravens and the Jets which were the number 10 and three defenses respectively.
Moving on to the defenses...The Steelers defense has dominated in the playoffs. They are first in total yards, second in passing yards given up and and first in rushing yards given up. The Packers are third in total yards, seventh in passing yards given up and second in rushing yards given up. Both are playing well but the Steelers are absolutely dominating.
Key players:
Greg Jennings
Greg Jennings is leading all receivers in receiving yards this post season (239). He only has one touchdown and will need to not only make big plays on third down and in the red zone but he will also need to get in the end zone. I contemplated saying Green Packers running back James Starks would be the key player but the Steelers don't allow anyone to run the ball on them and I don't see Starks changing that.
Troy Polamalu
Polamalu is a game changer. There is no stat in the world that accurately reflects his impact on a game. He occasionally gets interceptions and forces fumbles but what he really does is change how opposing offenses game plan. Similar to how quarterbacks don't throw on New York Jets Darelle Revis, teams don't throw on the same side as Troy Polamalu. He doesn't make every play possible, but always seems to make a big play when it counts. I anticipate Aaron Rodgers will not try his luck on Polamalu tonight.
Final Decision:
After analyzing the Steelers and Packers regular and post season statistics I have made my decision. I am going with the Steelers. The Packers have the edge in the passing game but that is it. I believe both defenses will control the game and it will not be as high scoring as most people predict. Ultimately, I believe the Steelers defense will be the deciding factor because they will shut down the Packers running game early and make them one dimensional. Once the Packers are forced to pass on almost every down the game will be placed in Aaron Rodgers hands and I believe that is asking too much of him.
The only thing that scares me is that I haven't picked the Steelers to win during the playoffs and they have proven me wrong twice. I could have just shattered their Super Bowl hopes by jinxing the game and picking them to win. If that is the case, I apologize to Steelers Nation in advance.
Green Bay Packers
In the regular season the Packers boasted a 10-6 record. That was a little surprising because many people picked the Packers to be in the Super Bowl before the season started and to see that they had to win the last game of the season just to make the playoffs was a little startling. Mind you, the team suffered many injuries throughout the course of the season, mainly on the offensive side of the ball. Anyway, back to the numbers. Looking at the regular season the Packers struggled against elite defenses and division rivals. They split with the Chicago Bears, winning 10-3 and losing 20-17. They split with the Detroit Lions, winning 28-26 and losing 7-3. They beat the New York Jets 9-0 and lost to the Dolphins 23-30.
Continuing with the regular season stats and rankings...The Packers had the 5th ranked defense and while they were 5th in passing yards given up, they were only ranked 18th in rushing yards given up per game. The Packers were second in the league in sacks which is outstanding and a very important statistic but what should noted is that the Steelers ranked 1st in that category. Finally, the Packers defense was second in the league in interceptions with 24. These are all very important rankings to remember, especially for this game.
Moving on to the offensive side of the ball. The Packers offense has had its ups and downs this season while they dealt with injuries but managed to remain effective. Aaron Rodgers ranked 7th in the league in passing with 3,970 total yards. He was tied for 6th with 28 touchdowns and ranked 14th with 11 interceptions. Additionally he was sacked 31 times. Enough about Aaron, lets move on to the offense as a whole. The Packers ranked 10th in points per game (24.2), 9th in total yards (358.1), 5th in passing yards (257.8) and 24th in rushing yards (100.4).
Now to the Steelers...
In the regular season the Steelers dominated with a 12-4 record. Keep in mind one of those losses came when Ben Roethlisberger was suspended. Looking at the four losses (Baltimore, New Orleans, Patriots and Jets) they suffered, they seemed a bit random. The only thing that can be said is if they are going to lose, it will be to an elite team (Good news for the Packers). The Steelers defense has been phenomenal all season. They are not quite the Steel Curtain from the 70's but they were the number two ranked defense this season. They gave up just 276.8 yards per game, ranking 12th in passing yards given up and dominating in run defense ranking 1st, only giving up 62.8 yards per game (2nd place was the Bears giving up 90.1). The Steelers ranked 1st in sacks and was tied for 5th with interceptions. Additionally, they ranked 3rd in forced fumbles, where the Packers were tied for 12th. No matter what defensive statistic you look at, the Steelers will be ranked in the top half of the league and top five in most.
On to the offense...The Steelers offense is not as impressive as their defense but still very productive. They ranked 12th in points per game (23.4), 14th in yards per game (345.3), 14th in passing yards (225.1) and 11th in rushing yards (120.2). Those numbers aren't totally reliable because Big Ben missed the first four games. So, lets analyze Big Ben's numbers this season. He ranked 18th in the league in total passing yards with 3,200. He averaged 266.7 yards per game, so if you multiply that by four (the number of games he missed from suspension) and add it to his 3,200, his total would be 4,266 for the season, which would place him 5th on the passing leaders list this year. I'm aware we cannot assume he would have continued to average 266.7 yards per game during the four games he missed but this gives us a ball park figure of where he would have been if he played all 16 games.
These are all statistics to be proud of but as people say, you are only as good as your last game, so it is important to analyze how these teams have fared in the playoffs.
In three games Aaron Rodgers is leading all quarterbacks with 790 yards, throwing for 263.3 yards per game, with six touchdowns and two interceptions. He is completing a ridiculous 71% of his passing attempts and is posting the highest playoff quarterback rating ever with 109.2. Right now if your going to go with a quarterback for the playoffs, Rodgers should be your guy. With that being said, we should remember the type of game Aaron had last week. Needless to say, it was less than stellar. He threw for 244 yards but had two interceptions and zero touchdowns. His quarterback rating was a measly 55.4. So, while Rodgers has been the star of the playoffs, the Bears put a chink in his armor and exposed him a little bit.
On the other hand, Ben Roethlisberger has been a little more human-like in comparison to Aaron Rodgers. In two games Big Ben has posted 359 total yards passing, throwing for 179.5 yards per game, with two touchdowns and two interceptions. His quarterback rating is 75.5 but he has beaten the Ravens and the Jets which were the number 10 and three defenses respectively.
Moving on to the defenses...The Steelers defense has dominated in the playoffs. They are first in total yards, second in passing yards given up and and first in rushing yards given up. The Packers are third in total yards, seventh in passing yards given up and second in rushing yards given up. Both are playing well but the Steelers are absolutely dominating.
Key players:
Greg Jennings
Greg Jennings is leading all receivers in receiving yards this post season (239). He only has one touchdown and will need to not only make big plays on third down and in the red zone but he will also need to get in the end zone. I contemplated saying Green Packers running back James Starks would be the key player but the Steelers don't allow anyone to run the ball on them and I don't see Starks changing that.
Troy Polamalu
Polamalu is a game changer. There is no stat in the world that accurately reflects his impact on a game. He occasionally gets interceptions and forces fumbles but what he really does is change how opposing offenses game plan. Similar to how quarterbacks don't throw on New York Jets Darelle Revis, teams don't throw on the same side as Troy Polamalu. He doesn't make every play possible, but always seems to make a big play when it counts. I anticipate Aaron Rodgers will not try his luck on Polamalu tonight.
Final Decision:
After analyzing the Steelers and Packers regular and post season statistics I have made my decision. I am going with the Steelers. The Packers have the edge in the passing game but that is it. I believe both defenses will control the game and it will not be as high scoring as most people predict. Ultimately, I believe the Steelers defense will be the deciding factor because they will shut down the Packers running game early and make them one dimensional. Once the Packers are forced to pass on almost every down the game will be placed in Aaron Rodgers hands and I believe that is asking too much of him.
The only thing that scares me is that I haven't picked the Steelers to win during the playoffs and they have proven me wrong twice. I could have just shattered their Super Bowl hopes by jinxing the game and picking them to win. If that is the case, I apologize to Steelers Nation in advance.
Super Bowl Predection
This is a tough one. I would call myself a Pittsburgh fan. I like them. Its hard not to be a fan after living there.
First things first, we will see both teams boasting an above average running game, that will be tested. As mentioned prior to the last game, Green Bay has been able to remain consistent with their running game regardless of the fact that they have lost starter Ryan Grant. Pittsburgh's "Rush"ard Mendenhall has been able to really get it going during the playoffs.
Both Green Bay and Pittsburgh have respectable and solid defenses. I think both D-Lines have playmakers, and they both possess linebacking corps that are devastating. Overall, I like Green Bay's defense better, for one reason: the secondary. Pittsburgh has big, strong and physical corners, but I wouldn't pick either one of those fellows to start on my team. With the talented veteran receivers that the Green Bay has, I expect these sub-par corners and the sub-par secondary to to be exploited and become victims of the Lambeau Leap on at least a couple of occasions... (I know they are playing in Arlington) True enough, Defensive Player of the Year, Troy Polamalu anchors the Steeler secondary and is a major part in the Steel Curtain, but he is a gambler. He knows you have to play big to win big, I have seen him bet big and come up empty handed many of times; on the other hand, I have also seen him make game-changing plays... Its either hit or miss with this guy, and he does miss... A LOT. Green Bay has a veteran in Charles Woodson, who came up short in his last Super Bowl outing. I expect him to have the "honor" of going against Hinds Ward for the majority of the game. Should be fun to watch.
Finally we get to the most important position in the game, Quarterback
Advantage----> Green Bay
What? Yes, GB... Big Ben has two Super Bowl rings compared to Aaron Rodgers' zero. However, I believe Aaron Rodgers will serve as an "X-Factor" This just really seems to be his year. He showed in the NFC championship game, his determination and will to stay alive. When teams cover his receivers well, he has the ability to scamper out of the pocket and outrun linebackers for the first down. Furthermore, after throwing an interception in the NFC finale, he ran down Brian Urlacher to prevent a pick-6. This guy wants to win.
In short, Pittsburgh fan, or not, I think Green Bay will get it done.
You guys have fun, be smart, be safe and remember:
Go Pack, Go!!!
Samson X
First things first, we will see both teams boasting an above average running game, that will be tested. As mentioned prior to the last game, Green Bay has been able to remain consistent with their running game regardless of the fact that they have lost starter Ryan Grant. Pittsburgh's "Rush"ard Mendenhall has been able to really get it going during the playoffs.
Both Green Bay and Pittsburgh have respectable and solid defenses. I think both D-Lines have playmakers, and they both possess linebacking corps that are devastating. Overall, I like Green Bay's defense better, for one reason: the secondary. Pittsburgh has big, strong and physical corners, but I wouldn't pick either one of those fellows to start on my team. With the talented veteran receivers that the Green Bay has, I expect these sub-par corners and the sub-par secondary to to be exploited and become victims of the Lambeau Leap on at least a couple of occasions... (I know they are playing in Arlington) True enough, Defensive Player of the Year, Troy Polamalu anchors the Steeler secondary and is a major part in the Steel Curtain, but he is a gambler. He knows you have to play big to win big, I have seen him bet big and come up empty handed many of times; on the other hand, I have also seen him make game-changing plays... Its either hit or miss with this guy, and he does miss... A LOT. Green Bay has a veteran in Charles Woodson, who came up short in his last Super Bowl outing. I expect him to have the "honor" of going against Hinds Ward for the majority of the game. Should be fun to watch.
Finally we get to the most important position in the game, Quarterback
Advantage----> Green Bay
What? Yes, GB... Big Ben has two Super Bowl rings compared to Aaron Rodgers' zero. However, I believe Aaron Rodgers will serve as an "X-Factor" This just really seems to be his year. He showed in the NFC championship game, his determination and will to stay alive. When teams cover his receivers well, he has the ability to scamper out of the pocket and outrun linebackers for the first down. Furthermore, after throwing an interception in the NFC finale, he ran down Brian Urlacher to prevent a pick-6. This guy wants to win.
In short, Pittsburgh fan, or not, I think Green Bay will get it done.
You guys have fun, be smart, be safe and remember:
Go Pack, Go!!!
Samson X
Friday, February 4, 2011
Lil Wayne Back On ESPN
Here is a clip from Lil Wayne on ESPN First and 10 this morning. Wayne explains why he created the song "Green and Yellow." In my opinion this was a classic cheese head move. It wasn't a bad remix but I prefer the original "Black and Yellow" version by Wiz Khalifa.
One for the books
It is not often that I post wrestling content on the blog but there was no way I could resist sharing this with the world. I grew up watching WWE (then known as WWF) and WCW, so I know my fair share of wrestling. I've pretty much seen it all from moves to strange gimmicks and acts. Well, that's what I thought until I saw this video.
By the way, there is no more entertaining announcing or play-by-play than there is wrestling.
By the way, there is no more entertaining announcing or play-by-play than there is wrestling.
Don't Mess With The King
Orlando Magic All-Star Dwight Howard is seen here mocking Lebron James pregame ritual. Next time Dwight wants to mock someone he should make sure his team doesn't let that person score 51 points, with 11 rebounds and eight assists on Orlando's home floor...When will people learn to leave Lebron alone???
Watch your back
As I have previously mentioned before, Blake Griffin is having a historical rookie season and in route he has become arguably the most exciting player in the NBA and embarrassed a lot of individuals in the process. Here is an interesting clip from a Clippers and Blazers game, showing Blake Griffin attempting to bully a much small Andre Miller. Andre being the veteran that he is refuses to back down to a rookie...Hilarious video
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