Ah, college football. Free from all the domestic violence issues of its big brother, the NFL, my beloved college game will never be overrun by the shameful crimes of certain, unnamed "professionals".
What's that? There's college football players who are punching women out? Damn it, come on guys! You're supposed to be better than that! After all, you are a bunch of 18-22 year old males at major universities making most of your decisions while downing bottles of Ciroc paid for by boosters.
And here I was thinking the only thing the NCAA had to deal with was Heisman winners yelling extremely funny phrases around campus. My bad.
With the obligatory Jameis mention out of the way, I have to spend just a little bit of time on the Auburn-Kansas State game that preceded this post. Usually, Thursday night games in college are reserved for a random top 25 team playing some middle-of-the-pack conference opponent, but this past Thursday brought us an extremely intriguing ranked matchup as the defending SEC champion Auburn Tigers traveled to the Little Apple to face off against the perennially underrated Wildcats, led by their soon-to-be Hall of Fame coach Bill Snyder. Nick Marshall is at the helm of another dynamic Auburn rushing attack, while Kansas State's Jake Waters and Tyler Lockett are one of the best QB-WR tandems in the country. Uncharacteristically of him, however, Lockett let a ball go right through his hands in the end zone and into the arms of an Auburn defender. Although it's not like this play decided the game (it happened in the first quarter), mistakes like that just can't happen if you wish to beat Auburn. Especially when said Auburn team has WR D'haquille "Duke" Williams, who is drawing comparisons to Cordarrelle Patterson due to his JUCO roots and undeniable awesomeness. Standing 6-2 and 217 pounds, Williams is your classic tall, strong, explosive #1 WR that should be hearing his name called in the 1st round of either the 2015 or 2016 NFL Draft. Anyway, Auburn escaped Manhattan with a W, and that's all that really matters. Good win for the Tigers, good effort by the Wildcats.
3:30 PM ET - 6 Texas A&M (-35) at SMU
Why in the world am I even discussing a game that is giving a home underdog 35 points? 2 reasons really. First of all, Kenny Trill and A&M are involved, and, as much as I hate to admit it, these guys are absolutely must-see TV right now. Freshmen phenoms are all over the place for the Aggies, as 3 former 5-star recruits (Ricky Seals-Jones, Speedy Noil, and Myles Garrett) are making huge impacts on both sides of the ball. Seals-Jones and Noil have become a scary combo, with Noil's game-breaking speed serving as the perfect compliment to Seals-Jones' monster 6-5, 230 pound frame. Meanwhile, all Garrett has done is tied A&M's freshman sack record of 5.5 through only 3 games. Calling him a beast just seems like the understatement of the year (besides "Roger Goodell is a bad commissioner"). The second reason this game is noteworthy is because it will be the Mustangs' first game since coach June Jones resigned. Jones, who was the subject of an exceptional column by Chris B. Brown of Grantland.com, was highly respected throughout college football for leading the resurgence of both the Hawaii and SMU football programs. At Hawaii, he helped Colt Brennan become the holder of several NCAA records. Jones also led SMU to its first winning season in 2 decades in just his second season there. After a nightmarish start to the 2014 season (SMU has been outscored 88-6 in its first 2 games), Jones stepped down, citing "personal issues". Can SMU pull of an upset for the ages in honor of its departed coach? No, not a chance in hell. In fact, just covering the spread would be a huge moral victory for the Mustangs. Sorry, but A&M just doesn't give a shit about sentimental stuff like that, Mr. Trill throws for 300 yards and 4 touchdowns with more ease than the Falcons beating the Buccaneers on Thursday night. Expect more gaudy numbers from all the guys I talked about above, as well as others like Malcome Kennedy and Trey Williams.
3:30 PM ET - Florida at 3 Alabama (-15)
5 years ago, this is like the biggest matchup of the entire year. Now it's just another talented but overmatched SEC team that Bama will run through. Or is it? Eh, the best answer is "probably". Make no mistake about it, Florida fields a team that, based on ability, is easily top-15. Things just haven't quite come together for Will Muschamp's squad the past 2 years. Speaking of Muschamp, what's up with all the anger? Not even Frank Martin ever frowned that intensely, and he invented the hilariously terrifying tirade. Nevermind about that, back to football. 9th-year QB Jeff Driskel has been solid for Florida, who, of course, has leaned on their rushing game thus far in 2014. Matt Jones and Kelvin Taylor are a very productive 1-2 punch in the backfield, combining for 353 yards on 60 carries in the Gator's first 2 games. The Gators' biggest offensive weapon, though, has to be WR Demarcus Robinson. The #53 overall recruit in the Class of 2013, Robinson has emerged as Florida's top playmaker on the outside, putting up 21 catches for 339 yards and 3 TD's. All of this Florida hype adds up to the Gators...still losing to the Tide by double-digits. You know it's true. Despite Florida seeming to have improved from last year (although it was hard not to), Alabama has Amari Cooper, so they will win the football game. Cooper is simply the most dominant wide receiver in the country right now, and defenses still have to deal with RB's T.J. Yeldon and Derrick Henry. I just don't see Florida's unproven defense stopping that, or even slowing it down much. Bama will roll...tide.
7:00 PM ET - Mississippi St. at 8 LSU (-8)
Dak Prescott will most likely have to turn in the best game of his career to take down the Tigers in Death Valley, but you know what? What's stopping him from doing just that? Prescott is off to a great start to the season, throwing for 9 touchdowns and adding 2 more on the ground, along with nearly 1,000 total yards. On the other side of the ball, the Bulldog defense must be the Bulldog defense that stifled Southern Miss and South Alabama, and not the one that allowed UAB to drop 34 points on them. If both phases can come together for head coach Dan Mullen, LSU should be on upset watch. The only problem is, it's going to be VERY difficult for the Bulldogs to truly achieve the type of success needed to beat LSU at home. Although Mississippi State's run defense has been very good this year, Leonard Fournette still has not had his breakout game yet. You know it's coming any week now. Add that to LSU's defense giving up a paltry 8.0 points per game on the year, and all the optimism I just instilled to all you Bulldog fans out there might end up being for naught. I expect LSU's secondary, led by CB Jalen Mills, to force some turnovers, while big-play specialist Travin Dural notches himself another long score. This one should be competitive, but I don't see the Mad Hatter dropping an important home game as he eyes a playoff appearance.
8:00 PM ET - Miami at 24 Nebraska (-8)
If only the U didn't fall to Louisville week 1, this could have really been a matchup of great importance. Instead, we get Nebraska simply looking to stay undefeated for 2 more weeks until they likely get trounced by Sparty in Lansing. I'm going to say Miami needs this win more, as going into ACC play with 2 losses just doesn't carry the type of momentum the Hurricanes want. To accomplish this, true freshman signal-caller Brad Kaaya just can't lose the game for Miami, and instead hope that the sensational Duke Johnson can finally return to his pre-injury form and carry the Hurricanes on his diminutive back. Johnson does have help on the offense, though, in the form of fellow RB Joseph Yearby, another true freshman. Yearby, the #23 overall recruit of this past class, is another undersized but dynamic weapon that, when teamed with Duke, form a tantalizing duo of speed and home-run ability. Phillip Dorsett, who reportedly has an average 40 yard dash time of 4.21, leads the receiving corps with 284 yards and 4 TD's, while also sporting an other-worldy 35.5 yards per reception. Obviously, he won't be able to sustain an average like that, but it sure does demonstrate his status as yet another Miami player who is capable of turning any play into 6 points. All these offensive playmakers won't really make a difference, though, if the Hurricane defense isn't able to corral the frightening Nebraksa ground game led by QB Tommy Armstrong Jr. and tailback Ameer Abdullah. The Huskers currently are 8th in the nation in rushing yards per game, as Armstrong and Abdullah have pretty much run wild over everyone they have faced so far. My gut feeling tells me their effectiveness running the football does not stop against Miami, and the Nebraska defense doesn't let Duke take over the game for Miami. Nebraska takes it, although Miami keeps it a one-possession game.
8:00 PM ET - 22 Clemson at 1 Florida State (-14)
What, you thought we were done talking about him? Come on, you must not know me well enough then. As you are probably well aware of, Winston is suspended for this first half of FSU's annual monumental clash against the Clemson Tigers. Usually the game that decides which team represents the ACC Atlantic in the conference championship game, there is an extra level of intensity that is exhibited by the young men on each team in this game every year. In 2013, Jameis and the Seminoles flat out steamrolled the Tigers 51-14 as the redshirt freshman's simply couldn't be stopped on his way to the Heisman trophy. This time around, Sean Maguire will be making his first career start and, for 30 minutes, will have to avoid soiling himself as he runs for his life from star pass rusher Vic Beasley. Fortunately for Maguire, he has plenty of talent around him to take the take the pressure off his shoulders. The Seminoles' embarrassment of riches at the running back position is almost laughable, as they can trot out Karlos Williams, Mario Pender, Ryan Green, or highly touted true freshman Dalvin Cook and have an above-average runner carrying the football no matter what. Make no mistake about it, though, this game will be decided when Jameis makes his return to the game in the second half. Even if they aren't holding a lead at halftime, FSU should only be trailing by one possession, which is basically like a lead when Jameis is at the helm of the Seminole offense. Clemson has a good chance of keeping pace with FSU offensively, as redshirt freshman Deshaun Watson, as I predicted prior to the season, will receive the keys from Dabo Swinney and should proceed to strike some fear Jalen Ramsey, P.J. Williams, and the rest of that athletic secondary that Cole Stoudt would not have. Personally, I am beyond excited to watch this game unfold. It is certainly set up for Jameis to lead some type of miraculous 2nd half comeback as Watson struggles to pull of his best Winston impression, but this scenario is far from guaranteed. Clemson running backs Wayne Gallman and Adam Choice are no slouches and should put some pressure on FSU's front seven. No matter how much I look at Clemson and see a team capable of knocking the Seminoles off the perch they've held for almost an entire calendar year now, I just can't bring myself to picking against my man Jaboo. #GoNoles
(12:35 A.M. Saturday) Update: Jameis Winston is now suspended for the entire game against Clemson. This certainly makes things a lot more interesting, and could possibly tilt the game in Clemson's favor. Of course, it's not like Sean Maguire, Winston's replacement, is guaranteed to struggle. You still have to have plenty of talent to be the backup QB on Florida State. That being said, I don't think we should be expecting any type of Seth Russell-type shit in Tallahassee Saturday night. If the Seminoles wish to still claim victory despite the absence of their leader, the running game and defense must bring their A-game. Expect Vic Beasley and the Clemson front seven to be ultra-aggressive as they try to fluster Maguire and force him into committing mistakes/turnovers.
Friday, September 19, 2014
Tuesday, September 16, 2014
NFL/Fantasy Week 2 Recap
You know how sometimes you will just have a great week where everything sort of goes right for you? Your hair always seems to be in place, you win every game of FIFA you play, girls seem to be smiling at you more often than usual. Sounds like the ideal week, right?
The reason I bring this all up is to tell you that I wish to cheer everyone up by handing out some stars and stripes to commemorate what we saw strictly on the field in week 2. Sometimes, you just gotta put the negative news to the side and focus on the good for a little bit.
Well, the NFL had basically the exact opposite of that in week 2. A "week" in the NFL is Tuesday-Monday, therefore Tuesday, September 9 was the beginning of week 2 in the NFL. That day was dominated by heated discussions over Ray Rice and the now-infamous video, which was released to the public by TMZ the day before, of him punching then-fiancee Janay Palmer in the face. Various news outlets covered this story profusely, and prominent figures from across genres called for the heads of Rice, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, and anyone who is involved in making the NFL's domestic violence policy. The media shitstorm forced the NFL to suspend Ray Rice indefinitely, and led to his contract being immediately terminated by the Ravens.
Sounds like a bad week for the NFL, right? Well, it wasn't even close to being over. Next thing you know, reports begin surfacing about star running back Adrian Peterson beating his son with a switch, causing brutal-looking welts and lacerations. ADRIAN PETERSON! The same man who won MVP honors for his bionic 2012 season that saw him return from an ACL injury only to rush for the 2nd most yards ever! Before week 2, he, along with Peyton Manning, was essentially the poster boy for the NFL. And while all this is happening, Carolina Panthers DE Greg Hardy is barely getting talked about after he "threw her into a bathtub, tossed her on a futon covered with rifles, put his hands around her throat and threatened to kill her." That quote was from a report by the Charlotte Observer, but really this story was available and around for weeks now. That's how bad the situation was: a story involving choking, beds of rifles, and bathtubs not being used for cleansing went completely unnoticed.
5 Stars
All 6 Stripes
Awesome comebacks - Week 2 gave us some exciting come-from-behind wins, most notably by the Packers, Bears, and Eagles. Green Bay's game plan going into their matchup against the Jets was expected to be to exploit the Jets' uninspiring pass defense, stay the hell away from running the ball into that defensive line, and hope the defense doesn't implode. Safe to say they stuck to the script. The Rodgers-Nelson connection was about as good as its ever been on Sunday, with Jordy accounting for 209 of Rodgers 346 yards. Randall Cobb pitched in 2 TD's as well. The defense, meanwhile, was at least able to come away with a key interception at a point in the game where it sustained the Packer's momentum and allowed Rodgers to put up more points.
I still don't think anyone quite knows how the Bears came away with their W on Sunday night. Marshall went superhuman and caught 3 TD's despite not being penciled into the lineup until hours before kickoff, and the defense, led by rookie Kyle Fuller, picked off Kaepernick 3 times and generally made him uncomfortable and ineffective. Those seem like the likely reasons, but really the Bears just found themselves on the winning side of a pretty wacky game, at least from a viewers' perspective.
The Eagles's comeback win was probably the most unlikely and impressive of the three. Chip Kelly's squad went into Indy, home of Andrew the Giant, and took them down despite a rather poor showing by Nick Foles. Luckily, Darren Sproles is 5'6" and half the Colts' defense was unable to see him whenever he shuffled across the field like a loose rat. That's the only way to explain what he did to Indy Monday night, right? Sproles (an incredible 34.30 SP) has clearly become an integral part of the Eagles offense, and his skill set is perfect to help Foles as he has overthrown more open receivers through two games than he did all last season. McCoy and Sproles easily form the most dynamic RB duo in the league, and if/when Foles gets his issues worked out, the Eagles offense might reach a whole new level of Holy Shit.
4 Stars
3 Stripes
The City of Buffalo - Gotta be the happiest storyline from a week that will be otherwise known as among the most grim in NFL history. The past 7 days were about as joyous as it gets for the people of Buffalo. It all started with news that Buffalo Sabres owner Terry Pegula's bid to purchase the Bills was approved, meaning Buffalo will get to keep their beloved Bills. Then, word spread that Hall of Fame QB and Buffalo hero Jim Kelly was officially cancer-free and scheduled to be in attendance to the Bills home opener . And top that off with a dominant 29-10 smacking of the Dolphins on Sunday in front of an emotional, raucous crowd. From a purely football standpoint, the Bills looked excellent in all facets of the game on Sunday. The defense was its usual aggressive and stifling self, QB E.J. Manuel had no turnovers, the O-Line gave up 0 sacks to a Miami pass rush that I was raving about just last week, 1st-round pick Sammy Watkins had his coming out party with 8 catches for 117 yards (21.70 SP...on my bench), and even Buffalo's special teams made a huge contribution by way of C.J. Spiller's 102-yard kickoff return TD and a recovered fumble by the Bills after the Dolphins' punt returner muffed the ball. So to recap, the Bills are 2-0, first in the AFC East, staying in Buffalo, and will be playing this entire season in honor of recently deceased owner Ralph Wilson. Yeah, good week for Buffalo.
2 Stripes
Demarco Murray - I can't say I'm surprised that Murray is dominating the way he is, but I am slightly surprised that the Cowboys finally realized their best course is to tread lightly, I mean feed him the rock as much as possible (sorry about that, couldn't resist). Through two weeks, Murray is leading the NFL in yards, is 2nd in carries, and 8th in YPC. The dude simply can't be stopped right now, and the Cowboys have to be hoping he never will be as Romo and the defense don't seem to be capable of winning games by themselves right now. I'll give credit to the Big D's D against the Titans on Sunday, but I doubt giving up 10 points will become a trend for this team. Back to Murray though, it's not even like he's just ripped off a huge run or two in both games. He's consistently churning out 8-11 yard rushes and causing multiple defenders to miss every series. With Peterson questionable to play every game the rest of the year, and Jamaal Charles banged up, I wouldn't be surprised to see Demarco lead the league in rushing by the end of the season.
1 Stripe
Austin Davis - I can't even tell you the last time an undrafted, third-string quarterback led his team to a win via a 4th-quarter, game-winning drive before Davis did this very thing on Sunday. On the other hand, the Buccaneers had to have become the first team in a while to lose their first two games at home to backup quarterbacks. Although no one is confusing Austin Davis with Tom Brady, the guy showed some major poise for someone passed up by literally every team in the NFL for 3 straight days in April. Davis posted an efficient 76% completion percentage, committed zero turnovers, and, most importantly, didn't lose the game for the Rams, in simplest terms. The Rams' defense was back to its ferocious self after an uncharacteristically bad week 1, and the ground game led the way with 119 yards and a touchdown. Davis may not be getting picked up by many fantasy teams as a result of his performance on Sunday, but I'm guessing he will take real-life winning, and a starting gig, over flashy stats any day.
3 Stars
3 Stripes
Mohamed Sanu - Sanu was forced to step up when A.J. Green left the game with an injury, and he certainly did, finishing with 84 yards and a score, with 76 of those coming on one long TD catch-and-sprint to the end zone. If you take a closer look at the Bengals box score, though, you'll notice that Sanu also attempted and completed one pass for 50 yards, becoming the first player since 2001 to throw a 50 yard pass and have a 75+ yard catch in the same game. Sanu is now 3 for 3 for 148 passing yards and a TD in his career. Makes you wonder who head coach Marvin Lewis would bring in to replace Dalton if he ever got injured...
2 Stripes
The San Diego Chargers - Some of you (probably located in Southern California) may be thinking this is not enough stars or stripes for the Chargers, who knocked the Seattle Seahawks off their lofty perch by beating them 30-21. Well, you do indeed have a solid case for thinking I'm an idiot, but the reason I have them at this slot is because the Chargers are a really good football team, and the Seahawks are just "really good" when they are away from Century Link Field. San Diego played that game exactly how they wanted to play it, converting 3rd downs at will and possessing the ball for a ridiculous 40:45 compared to Seattle's 16:11. Gates and Rivers's performances made it seem like 2009, and the defense prevented Beast Mode from running rampant on them. You combine all those elements I mentioned, and the Seahawks become pretty beatable. I do not at all mean to take away from the magnitude of the Chargers' win; it was still extremely impressive. However, it's not like it shocked me either.
1 Stripe
Kirk Cousins and Niles Paul - Any preseason hype that surrounded the Washington professional football team most likely centered around RG3 and his multitude of weapons, especially dynamic tight end Jordan Reed, who was expected to have a breakout year as Griffin's security blanket, in the same way Jason Witten has always been to Tony Romo and Antonio Gates has always been to Phillip Rivers. Well, that plan didn't work out so well, now did it? Reed checked out early into their first game after he pulled his hamstring attempting a hurdle, and I think by now everyone knows about the non-contact-dislocated-ankle-heard-'round-the-world. So in steps backups Kirk Cousins and Niles Paul, and suddenly, the fireworks begin. Some have attributed the pair's success on Sunday to their chemistry from working with each other on the second-team all the time in practice, but there's no way anyone expected that. Cousins went 22-33 with 250 yards and 2 touchdowns, while Paul exploded for 8 catches, 99 yards, and a TD. Both will certainly become prime waiver-wire pick-ups this week, and, frankly, deservedly so.
2 Stars
3 Stripes
The Detroit Lions' offense - This unit probably performed badly enough to deserve less stripes, or even only 1 star. I give them a small pass, however, because the main culprit for their subpar outing was the truly phenomenal defense of the Carolina Panthers. That being said, I am disappointed in the effort that the Lions put forth on Sunday. Even the biggest Stafford critics were applauding his developed mechanics and improve decision-making last week after he tore apart the Giants (I will get to the G-Men in a little bit). Come week 2, however, and Stafford is back to his 50-something completion percentages, head-slapping heaves, and unnecessary sack-taking. His alien friend Megatron can't really shoulder much of the blame because, well, he never had less than 2 Panthers in his grill at any moment in the game. The running game was putrid, as neither Joique Bell nor Reggie Bush could provide Detroit with any type of spark carrying the football. Bell also coughed the ball up once, something you just absolutely can't do against a defense of Carolina's caliber. Underwhelming performance all-around.
2 Stripes
Tennessee Titans' pregame music selection - My vote for the most unintentionally offensive story from week 2 has to go to the Tennessee Titans' decision to play "Fight Night Remix" in the stadium about 35 minutes before kickoff, RIGHT IN THE MIDST OF A LEAGUE-WIDE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE EPIDEMIC. The song just isn't appropriate to be played at NFL games right now, with lyrics that sound a little too much like an endorsement for assault against females. Here are said lyrics: "Hit it with the left, hit it with the right, I'm a knock the pussy out like fight night. Beat it with the left, beat it with the right, I'm a knock the pussy out like fight night." See what I'm saying. Poor judgment by the Titans' in-stadium sound crew. Get that fixed like ASAP Rocky before you get the National Organization for Women on your asses. That's my suggestion anyway.
1 Stripe
The Vikings' Offense without AP - It's just brutal. I almost feel like the Vikings should receive the ball at midfield every drive. Give them a chance to at least get into field goal range. I know Peterson can't be out there, but it's a disservice to Vikings fans to make them watch whatever the hell that was that got obliterated by the Patriots on Sunday. On the bright side, "Teddy" chants have officially begun!
TEDDY!
TEDDY!
TEDDY!
Makes me feel better just typing it. You'll be OK, Vikings. Just hang in there.
1 Star
3 Stripes
The New Orleans Saints outside of the friendly confines of the Mercedes-Benz Superdome - How can it be possible that they are still this bad on the road? Week 1 they got their annual extra dome game, and they still somehow made Steven Jackson look like a functioning running back. So week 2 comes along, and the Saints go outdoors and face the Browns in Cleveland, and I think you can guess what happened. They looked like a shell of the unstoppable offense we see 8 times a year in New Orleans! Try practicing outside or something! Is Sean Payton oblivious to his team's one glaring weakness or is he just the most stubborn man of all time? Either way, the Saints are 0-2, and that is unacceptable. No team with Drew Brees playing QB should ever have 2 less wins than losses. Lucky for the Saints that not only are they finally making their home debut week 3, but it's against the Vikings, which will probably end up being a 52-14 game or something like that. Also working in the Saints favor is the incredibly fortunate schedule quirk that has the Saints not playing outdoors again until week 9, and then only 3 more times after that for the rest of the season. So the coaches and players got 7 weeks to figure out how to play football in actual weather. Really doesn't seem like too tall of a task to me.
2 Stripes
The New York Football Giants - Drew Stanton? Really Giants? You couldn't beat a team led by Drew Stanton. I wouldn't even know where to go from here if I were Tom Coughlin. He and his immortal cherry red nose must pull off a miracle to get this ship righted. Manning doesn't look any more comfortable in Bob McAdoo's new offense than he did in week 1, Victor Cruz is leading the league in drops with 4, the running game has averaged 2 and 3 yards per carry in their first and second games respectively, and although the defense fared slightly better against the Cardinals then it did against the Lions, it was against Drew freaking Stanton, who didn't even give the ball over to the Giants once. Either Eli has to start firing up some Eli faces that we've never seen before, or Antrel Rolle needs to stumble upon some ancient magic spell that makes his irrationally large nose-ears combo cause everyone around him to drastically get worse at football with just its presence. It's one or the other Giants, your decision.
1 Stripe
Injuries - I am fully aware that they are "part of the game", but they really do blow. I gotta run through them all right now just to give you an understanding of the merciless nature of week 2 on our fantasy teams. A.J. Green, Jamaal Charles, Knowshon Moreno, Ryan Mathews, and Mark Ingram were just a couple prominent skill position players who went down with various injuries and will be out for at least one week each (with Green the likeliest to only miss one game, and Moreno, Mathews and Ingram all expected to miss at least one month). Defensive standouts like All-Pro DT Gerald McCoy, S Eric Berry and CB Charles Tillman will miss significant stretches of time. Tillman actually is likely out for the season, while McCoy (broken hand) and Berry's (sprained ankle) absences are currently unknown. Vernon Davis and Desean Jackson both got banged up pretty badly, but could possibly still suit up next week. Finally, Robert Griffin the Third went down with a dislocated ankle, thus possibly ending his chances at being a franchise quarterback that an owner and GM feel comfortable building around. Also, there's a decent possibility that Kirk Cousins may run Griffin's spot while he's out, leading some to wonder if a trip to the trade block might follow his time on the Inactive list. No matter what his NFL future holds, I will always remember how dynamic he was for two calendar years from his Heisman-winnning senior season at Baylor to his Rookie of the Year campaign in his debut NFL season. A talent like Griffin most likely won't come again for a while, as not even Marcus Mariota can match Griffin's track-star-speed-and-cannon-for-an-arm abilities. Get well soon, Robert, hope that you will be able to light up defenses on an NFL field again when your healthy. The league is simply better with you out there being a superstar.
Week 2 SP Football Standings
Week 2 SP Football Standings
- What are the chances - 2-0
- Krazy Kevs - 1-1
- Notorious M.A.F.I.A. - 1-1
- 10 AM in Philly - 1-1
- Marks Marauders - 1-1
- Scooby Doos - 1-1
- #SantiniCrimeFamily - 1-1
- TuckerRightInThePusy - 1-1
- The Uncle Ricos - 1-1
- The Dominators - 0-2
Find week-to-week results from our fantasy league on Twitter @SPFanFootball
You can also follow most of our teams on Twitter. Their handles are their team names.
Sunday, September 14, 2014
Week 3 College Football Shoutouts
Right off the bat, I'd like to apologize to the approximately 0 people who had their Friday nights ruined by checking my blog and seeing a conspicuous absence of a Week 3 College Football Preview post. I sincerely apologize and hope I never let you down again. Now, Week 3 certainly wasn't anything spectacular, but it was still regular season college football, which means there's still shoutouts to be, well, shouted-out.
Before I begin lauding the most impressive performances of this week's games, I must take a second to give a belated shoutout from Week 2 to whoever was fortunate enough to watch Week 2's Eastern Washington-Washington matchup. With a final score of 59-52, the Eagles and Huskies gained enough yards to cover the entire state of Washington (not really). The University of Washington did end up with the victory, but to a neutral college football fan, offense won. Eastern Washington QB Vernon Adams Jr. put up numbers that make Baylor's passing attack look like Army's. Adams Jr. completed 31 passes on 46 attempts for 475 YARDS AND 7 TOUCHDOWNS! How is there even enough time in the game for those types of stats to be compiled? Almost equally impressive was a Washington running game that saw 57 carries for 356 yards and 7 touchdowns (in case you haven't noticed by now, a lot of touchdowns going on in this one). True, competitive-'til-the-end shootouts like that don't happen as often as you may think, and from the absolutely non-existent amount of time I was personally watching it, an offensive display of that magnitude won't come around again for a while.
Now, onto Week 3!
Shoutout to Ohio State QB J.T. Barrett for bouncing back strongly from a pretty abysmal passing game in the Buckeyes' embarrassing upset at the hands of Virginia Tech last week (which looks even worse now that Va Tech lost to East Carolina on Saturday). Although Barrett can't quite seem to put together a productive game through the air and on the ground in the same game yet, Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer has to be pleased about his young QB's performance, albeit against Kent State. 312 yards and 6 touchdowns against anyone is pretty difficult to do, and even the biggest Barrett skeptics have to admit this game should be a good confidence booster for him. His development over the course of this season will go a long way in determining whether or not Ohio State can still compete for the Big Ten title despite the loss of Braxton Miller.
Shoutout to West Virginia for a quietly enormous win. With a score of 40-37, the Mountaineers pulled out a close game against a competitive squad in Maryland. QB Clint Trickett had without a doubt the best game of his career, hanging 511 and 4 touchdowns on the Terrapins defense. 216 of those yards went to WR Kevin White, who has been tearing up secondaries all year. Pint-sized dynamo Mario Alford also pitched in 11 catches for 131 yards and 2 TD's. Even talented Pitt transfer RB Rushel Shell contributed 98 yards on the ground plus a rushing score. Bottom line is West Virginia, now 2-1, looks to be sending a message to Big 12 powerhouses like Baylor, Oklahoma, and even Kansas State that they are gunning for the conference title despite less love from the AP prior to the season. If the Mountaineers can bring this level of play into the upcoming conference schedule, than there truly could be another team that you can add in the mix for the Big 12 crown.
(Have to give a mini-shoutout to Maryland junior WR Stefon Diggs, who had 7 catches for 127 yards, with 77 of those coming on a long, Stefon Diggs-like touchdown. Diggs' sophomore season was unfortunately limited to six games after he suffered a broken leg against Wake Forest last year, ending his season. Now healthy, Diggs is back to terrifying defensive backs with his game-breaking speed. Expect big things from this guy in the future)
Shoutout to Boston College, who pulled off a stunning upset of USC on Saturday night. USC, whose bandwagon I hopped on after Week 1, allowed Boston College to run rampant on them, as the Eagles piled up 452 rushing yards on 52 carries and 5 touchdowns. QB Tyler Murphy, who only threw the ball 13 times, completing 5 of them for 54 yards, was the leading rusher in the game with 191 yards and a TD. The USC offense played well on the surface, committing no turnovers and scoring 31 points. However, the ground game was somehow worse than the Raiders' rushing "attack" against the Jets, leading to the Trojans becoming one-dimensional and leaning on the pass. QB Cody Kessler continued his outstanding production, throwing for 317 yards and 4 TD's, but that just wasn't enough as the defense could not keep Boston College's offense from the end zone. If I'm making it seem like USC lost more than Boston College won, that is not my intention. Boston College deserved to win this game, and should definitely look to carry the momentum from this win into ACC play where, besides Florida State, there doesn't seem to be an unbeatable opponent for any of the middle-of-the-pack ACC teams.
Shoutout to Arkansas QB Brandon Allen for having to do the least amount of work for any quarterback in the country yesterday while still getting a win. Allen went 6-12 for 61 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions, although he did have a rushing score, so props to him on that I guess. Still, with such a meager stat line, how did the Razorbacks manage to obliterate Texas Tech 49-28? Simple, Arkansas RB's Alex Collins and Jonathan Williams went absolutely ape shit running the ball against the Texas Tech defense. Collins, a sophomore and former highly regarded recruit, has been an extremely productive back since the moment he stepped on campus for Arkansas, and Williams was also quite impressive last year as the 1B to Collins' 1A. This season, based on yesterday's box score and highlights, it looks like they are both 1A, and as frightening a dynamic duo as we have in the nation. Collins had 27 carries for 212 yards and 2 touchdowns, while Williams received 22 handoffs for 145 yards and 4 TD's! That's straight up insane! The pair combined for 357 and 6 touchdowns on only 49 carries, good for a YPC of 7.3! Why am I using so many exclamation points?!?! Probably because these two running backs look primed to take the SEC by storm in the upcoming weeks, and I will certainly be on notice to see if they can sustain this type of rushing dominance against the tougher front seven's of the Alabama's and LSU's of the world.
Final shoutout goes to Oregon point guard-turned-wide receiver Jonathan Loyd. From 2010-2014, Loyd served as the diminutive show runner of Oregon's basketball team. Loyd, standing only 5-8, turned in season after season of consistent performances and efficient assist-to-turnover ratios. Loyd's basketball, and athletic, career seemed to have concluded after he exhausted his eligibility on the hardwood. Obviously, this wasn't the case as I hinted at above. Loyd decided to join the Ducks' football program as a wide receiver, having played the position in high school. Being a 5-8 receiver really doesn't get any easier than when you are catching passes from Marcus Mariota. Not expected to be a major contributor anyway, Loyd caught only one pass for one yard through the team's first two games. I wouldn't be awarding him a shoutout if he went another game without a catch, so as you might have guessed by now, in the third quarter of Oregon's rout of Wyoming, Loyd hauled in a 5 yard TD catch from Mariota. It was his only catch of the game, but I'm sure Loyd was more than pleased to put 6 points on the board for his team, and not by banging two 3-pointers. I will be monitoring Oregon box scores very closely for the rest of the year, but unlike plenty of others who do so just to fawn over Mariota's numbers, I will be scanning the receiving stats in the hopes that Loyd can continue to make an impact, large or small, in what is basically an extra year being a major Division I athlete. I love that Loyd realized the opportunity he had in front of him, and simply decided to enjoy and challenge himself at the same time. Good luck to you Jonathan over the course of the season, you know I will be rooting for you.
Before I begin lauding the most impressive performances of this week's games, I must take a second to give a belated shoutout from Week 2 to whoever was fortunate enough to watch Week 2's Eastern Washington-Washington matchup. With a final score of 59-52, the Eagles and Huskies gained enough yards to cover the entire state of Washington (not really). The University of Washington did end up with the victory, but to a neutral college football fan, offense won. Eastern Washington QB Vernon Adams Jr. put up numbers that make Baylor's passing attack look like Army's. Adams Jr. completed 31 passes on 46 attempts for 475 YARDS AND 7 TOUCHDOWNS! How is there even enough time in the game for those types of stats to be compiled? Almost equally impressive was a Washington running game that saw 57 carries for 356 yards and 7 touchdowns (in case you haven't noticed by now, a lot of touchdowns going on in this one). True, competitive-'til-the-end shootouts like that don't happen as often as you may think, and from the absolutely non-existent amount of time I was personally watching it, an offensive display of that magnitude won't come around again for a while.
Now, onto Week 3!
Shoutout to Ohio State QB J.T. Barrett for bouncing back strongly from a pretty abysmal passing game in the Buckeyes' embarrassing upset at the hands of Virginia Tech last week (which looks even worse now that Va Tech lost to East Carolina on Saturday). Although Barrett can't quite seem to put together a productive game through the air and on the ground in the same game yet, Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer has to be pleased about his young QB's performance, albeit against Kent State. 312 yards and 6 touchdowns against anyone is pretty difficult to do, and even the biggest Barrett skeptics have to admit this game should be a good confidence booster for him. His development over the course of this season will go a long way in determining whether or not Ohio State can still compete for the Big Ten title despite the loss of Braxton Miller.
Shoutout to West Virginia for a quietly enormous win. With a score of 40-37, the Mountaineers pulled out a close game against a competitive squad in Maryland. QB Clint Trickett had without a doubt the best game of his career, hanging 511 and 4 touchdowns on the Terrapins defense. 216 of those yards went to WR Kevin White, who has been tearing up secondaries all year. Pint-sized dynamo Mario Alford also pitched in 11 catches for 131 yards and 2 TD's. Even talented Pitt transfer RB Rushel Shell contributed 98 yards on the ground plus a rushing score. Bottom line is West Virginia, now 2-1, looks to be sending a message to Big 12 powerhouses like Baylor, Oklahoma, and even Kansas State that they are gunning for the conference title despite less love from the AP prior to the season. If the Mountaineers can bring this level of play into the upcoming conference schedule, than there truly could be another team that you can add in the mix for the Big 12 crown.
(Have to give a mini-shoutout to Maryland junior WR Stefon Diggs, who had 7 catches for 127 yards, with 77 of those coming on a long, Stefon Diggs-like touchdown. Diggs' sophomore season was unfortunately limited to six games after he suffered a broken leg against Wake Forest last year, ending his season. Now healthy, Diggs is back to terrifying defensive backs with his game-breaking speed. Expect big things from this guy in the future)
Shoutout to Boston College, who pulled off a stunning upset of USC on Saturday night. USC, whose bandwagon I hopped on after Week 1, allowed Boston College to run rampant on them, as the Eagles piled up 452 rushing yards on 52 carries and 5 touchdowns. QB Tyler Murphy, who only threw the ball 13 times, completing 5 of them for 54 yards, was the leading rusher in the game with 191 yards and a TD. The USC offense played well on the surface, committing no turnovers and scoring 31 points. However, the ground game was somehow worse than the Raiders' rushing "attack" against the Jets, leading to the Trojans becoming one-dimensional and leaning on the pass. QB Cody Kessler continued his outstanding production, throwing for 317 yards and 4 TD's, but that just wasn't enough as the defense could not keep Boston College's offense from the end zone. If I'm making it seem like USC lost more than Boston College won, that is not my intention. Boston College deserved to win this game, and should definitely look to carry the momentum from this win into ACC play where, besides Florida State, there doesn't seem to be an unbeatable opponent for any of the middle-of-the-pack ACC teams.
Shoutout to Arkansas QB Brandon Allen for having to do the least amount of work for any quarterback in the country yesterday while still getting a win. Allen went 6-12 for 61 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions, although he did have a rushing score, so props to him on that I guess. Still, with such a meager stat line, how did the Razorbacks manage to obliterate Texas Tech 49-28? Simple, Arkansas RB's Alex Collins and Jonathan Williams went absolutely ape shit running the ball against the Texas Tech defense. Collins, a sophomore and former highly regarded recruit, has been an extremely productive back since the moment he stepped on campus for Arkansas, and Williams was also quite impressive last year as the 1B to Collins' 1A. This season, based on yesterday's box score and highlights, it looks like they are both 1A, and as frightening a dynamic duo as we have in the nation. Collins had 27 carries for 212 yards and 2 touchdowns, while Williams received 22 handoffs for 145 yards and 4 TD's! That's straight up insane! The pair combined for 357 and 6 touchdowns on only 49 carries, good for a YPC of 7.3! Why am I using so many exclamation points?!?! Probably because these two running backs look primed to take the SEC by storm in the upcoming weeks, and I will certainly be on notice to see if they can sustain this type of rushing dominance against the tougher front seven's of the Alabama's and LSU's of the world.
Final shoutout goes to Oregon point guard-turned-wide receiver Jonathan Loyd. From 2010-2014, Loyd served as the diminutive show runner of Oregon's basketball team. Loyd, standing only 5-8, turned in season after season of consistent performances and efficient assist-to-turnover ratios. Loyd's basketball, and athletic, career seemed to have concluded after he exhausted his eligibility on the hardwood. Obviously, this wasn't the case as I hinted at above. Loyd decided to join the Ducks' football program as a wide receiver, having played the position in high school. Being a 5-8 receiver really doesn't get any easier than when you are catching passes from Marcus Mariota. Not expected to be a major contributor anyway, Loyd caught only one pass for one yard through the team's first two games. I wouldn't be awarding him a shoutout if he went another game without a catch, so as you might have guessed by now, in the third quarter of Oregon's rout of Wyoming, Loyd hauled in a 5 yard TD catch from Mariota. It was his only catch of the game, but I'm sure Loyd was more than pleased to put 6 points on the board for his team, and not by banging two 3-pointers. I will be monitoring Oregon box scores very closely for the rest of the year, but unlike plenty of others who do so just to fawn over Mariota's numbers, I will be scanning the receiving stats in the hopes that Loyd can continue to make an impact, large or small, in what is basically an extra year being a major Division I athlete. I love that Loyd realized the opportunity he had in front of him, and simply decided to enjoy and challenge himself at the same time. Good luck to you Jonathan over the course of the season, you know I will be rooting for you.
Wednesday, September 10, 2014
NFL/Fantasy Week 1 Recap
Welcome to the official start of the 10 AM in Philly NFL and Fantasy Football coverage! This is the reason you've been painfully enduring all those posts about FIBA and convocation, right?! This is the topic we've all been waiting for, right?!?! I'm not sure if you're as excited to read this as I am to write about it, but I'd like to think our excitement levels are close enough, so let's proceed. To the average football fan, Week 1 was the greatest thing to happen to your life, because it's week 1 of the NFL season and you've been waiting for it to start since the first Monday of February.
In these weekly football recaps, I will be unleashing a brand new format for celebrating the winners and losers from each week. This highly anticipated method is known as the Stars and Stripes system. As the patriotic name suggests, I will be grading players/teams/events on a scale of 1 star - 5 stars, and within each tier of stars, there will be a varying number of stripes handed out to further rank the performances of the week. I'm not sure if that sounded confusing, but it should be extremely simple once I get started. Also, as I briefly mentioned, I will not just be evaluating players and teams' performances. Things that can also be given stars and stripes will be a specific play, a coach/coaching decision perhaps, or any type of occurrence that was seen in an NFL game that had any type of impact on the result of the contest.
In addition to me praising/ripping all your favorite NFL stars, I will be dropping fantasy tidbits like I'm the Enola Gay(sorry to all my Japanese readers, enough time should have passed by now, right? I mean, theres jokes about Ray Rice floating around already). There will be plenty of mentions of how an individual player's game affected the results of the match ups in my fantasy league, SP Football. Therefore, if you see a fantasy score with an "SP" next to it, that represents the amount of points that player scored under my league's scoring settings.
Once again, I'm so excited to unveil this, you pretty much can call me Tim Tebow. On that note, let's begin!
5 Stars
3 Stripes
Matt Ryan and the Falcons offense - Matty Ice was flat out sensational, putting up a Falcons-record 448 yards and 3 TD's (48.90 SP) against a New Orleans defense that was top-12 in the league in basically any metric you can find. Obviously, it wasn't all him, as the weapons surrounding him are truly top-notch. Both Julio Jones and Roddy White look 100% healthy this year, as showcased by their combined stat lines of 12 catches for 188 yards and a touchdown. Harry Douglas and Devin Hester are about as good of #3 and 4 receivers in the league, and TE/human skyscraper Levine Toilolo should be an absolute terror in the red zone all year. The running backs group, led by veteran Steven Jackson, is also deep and talented. Most importantly, Ryan made me look a genius in starting him Week 1, as he basically won my matchup for me. So thank you Matt Ryan, I appreciate your brilliance greatly.
2 Stripes
Megatron - Is there even a reason to call him Calvin Johnson anymore? Such a human-sounding name just doesn't suit him. He only deserves to be referred to as the most feared cyborg in the entire Transformers universe. Calvin finished with an unreal 39.90 SP (half a point per reception by the way), and even that seems low for how dominant he looked on Monday night. I'm fully aware that his performance against the Giants wasn't even close to his most dominant outing, but it just seemed like he was going to catch every ball thrown in his direction, which he did for the most part. Dude is just on a different level, and he made sure no one forgot that over the offseason.
1 stripe
Julius Thomas - Thomas went ape shit on a clearly overwhelmed Colts LB/S unit, as anyone who took their turn "covering" Thomas was promptly burned for six. Easily leading all TE's in an fantasy league this past week, Thomas' 31.90 led George Green's What are the chances squad to the 2nd highest point total for any team in my league for the week (behind only, of course, the team featuring Megatron). Thomas has a legitimate chance to be the #1 fantasy TE this year for sure. As I typed that though, Drew Brees and Jimmy Graham probably just finished a 4-hour film session, so don't hold me to anything.
4 Stars
3 Stripes
Norv Turner - The man really knows how to get the most out of talented wide receivers, doesn't he? Last year, all he did was help Josh Gordon become the NFL's leading receiver while only playing 14 games, and it seems like big Norv is once again working his magic on the dynamic and versatile Cordarrelle Patterson. Patterson's receiving numbers look very modest (3 catches for 29 yards), but he still dropped an impressive 26.90 SP. How is this possible? Well, Patterson is very wisely utilized in the Vikings running game (as if they needed help in that department). Add 102 rushing yards, including a bonus-triggering 67 yard touchdown, and that is how we arrive at his beastly fantasy game. Norv may never be given a warm reception in the city of San Diego for as long as he lives, but give the man credit. He sure can coordinate an offense that trots out at least one receiver who possesses other-worldy talent.
2 Stripes
Antonio Brown and Antonio Brown's Sparta Kick - Really, the combination of those two pillars of greatness should be worth 5 stars. Brown had a predictably explosive game as Big Ben's favorite target (22.10 SP), and well, did you see that kick? The take-off, the form, the follow-through, all straight from the football drop-kicking textbook (yes, that textbook is written by Ndamukong Suh). But then the thought of what it must have been like for Browns punter Sean Lanning to see nothing but a black-and-yellow blur coming at you, and suddenly that blur's cleat is eye-level with you, and the next thing you know, you're looking up at the sky wondering what the hell just happened. Also, in all honesty that was a pretty dirty play. Think of it this way: what football move was Brown attempting there? I've never seen a hurdle that involved a player spring boarding off another player's facemask. Nevertheless, Brown's stat line was great for all his fantasy owners out there, and that kick will live on in GIF infamy.
1 Stripe
Allen Hurns - I'm sure there have been plenty of 4 catch, 110 yard, 2 TD performances in a Week 1 game before. I'm not sure, however, how many undrafted rookies turned in that kind of game before. Hurns was scintillating in the first half of the Jaguars-Eagles game, a first half that saw the Jaguars take an out-of-nowhere 17-0 lead over the Eagles (the Jaguars ended up losing 34-17, but still. Gotta take moral victories where you can get 'em, Jags). At 6-3, 195, Hurns has legitimate NFL WR size, and, with Cecil Shorts already dealing with his annual ailment, a prime opportunity to receive targets along side fellow rookie Marqise Lee. Hurns is just one of those guys you want to root for, especially on a Jacksonville team that struggles to give you anything to root for usually.
3 Stars
3 Stripes
The Blossoming Jake Locker-Ken Whisenhunt Tandem - Frankly, picking guys for the "3 Stars" section is harder than you might think. I'm basically saying these guys were, what, adequate? I think I'm just going to devote this category to the under-the-radar storylines that deserve a little more attention. No better place to start than the most mediocre NFL team that isn't the constant topic of discussion among ESPN's 437 NFL analysts (yeah, I'm talking about your Cowboys, Jerry). Now in his 4th year in the league, Jake Locker is definitely at the make-or-break point in his pursuit to be considered a starting quarterback. Enter respected QB developer Ken Whisenhunt as the Titans' new head coach, and suddenly Locker is looking very, very...competent. It's a start! Locker wasn't dominant by any stretch of the imagination, but he still played an instrumental role in Tennessee's 26-10 rout of Kansas City. We shall see how Locker progresses throughout the season and if he can consistently produce at a winning level, but all early signs point to this QB-coach marriage being the opposite of the Kris Humpries-Kim Kardashian union.
2 Stripes
Miami's pass rush - Cameron Wake is a straight-up monster. This is an established fact around the NFL, and has been for years. Nothing has changed the validity of that statement in 2014 either, as Wake basically won the game for the Dolphins against the Patriots with 2 strip sacks of Tom Brady. The development of the other defensive linemen and linebackers on Miami is what can take their front seven to a Carolina-Buffalo-St. Louis-Seattle level, though. Olivier Vernon, only 24 years old, had 8.5 sacks last season. He had a sack on Sunday. Last year's #3 overall pick Dion Jordan should further add to the pass rush when he returns from a 4-game suspension. Even guys like Jared Odrick and Randy Starks typically contribute a combined 8-10 sacks per year to the overall total. If everyone mentioned here does there part, the Dolphins could pose a serious threat to the AFC playoff race.
1 Stripe
Matt Bryant - I really hope it doesn't seem like I'm diminishing Bryant's monumental part in the Falcons OT win by placing him in this slot. Let me rephrase that: Matt Bryant is the hero of Atlanta right now. Here's the proof. The 39-year-old kicker nailed three field goals in the game from distances of 40, 51, and 52. The 51-yarder sent the game into OT, and the 52-harder won it for the Falcons. The word "clutch" doesn't really fully encompass what Bryant did on Sunday. Following a nightmarish 4-12 season in 2013, the Falcons NEEDED a win against their sworn enemies. The Falcons fan base was desperate for a bounce-back season to convince them that they can still compete for the Lombadi trophy, and Bryant delivered them the most important regular season win the Falcons play for every year in Week 1. So, final thought on this: Are we sure Matt Bryant shouldn't be called Matty Ice?
2 Stars
3 Stripes
Jay Cutler - Now we arrive at the point in the post that would result in me getting hate mail if more than like 10 people read this. In some ways the most enigmatic QB in the NFL, Jay Cutler Could. Not. Lose. That. Game. Especially in the manner that he did lose it. The 2 interceptions he threw were the typical Jay Cutler head-scratchers, the type that make Bears fans angrily throw all the darts they're weirdly holding in their hand at the print-out of Cutler's face hanging up on the wall. One was a mistimed seem route that Bills CB Corey Graham stepped in front of, while the other pick was a classic Cutler back-foot dart rifled into the chest of Kyle Williams...who is a DEFENSIVE TACKLE employed by the Buffalo Bills. Sure, the 349 yards and 2 TD passes look decent and could have probably made for a nice fantasy game (26.45 SP), but the 0-1 record that the Bears are currently looking at negates all of that. Long season ahead of Cutler and the Bears, one that will most likely see the Monsters of the Midway in contention for a playoff spot in a stacked NFC, but that game was on Cutler more than anything else (except maybe Chris Conte if you ask Bears fans).
2 Stripes
That Chargers-Cardinals game - I'm just going to let my brother do this one for me. Here are some quotes from him regarding the quality of the final game of Week 1 (in chronological order): "This is such a boring game. You know how much I hate watching the Chargers lol", "Whatever (the Cardinals') game plan is right now is sucking", "This game is agonizing", "The Cardinals run the stupidest plays", "This game is so bad. Cannot believe it", "I hate repeating myself, but is it me or are the Chargers the worst team to watch ever?", "This is laughable", "Can't handle this", and "Awful"
1 Stripe
Gary Kubiak calling 62 passing plays for Joe Flacco - Inexcusable. I don't even care that Bernard Pierce mailed this one in (-0.60 SP) and the only option left to turn to in the ground game was Justin Forsett. Justin Forsett? Exactly. That being said, did first-year Ravens offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak really expect to win this game with that kind of play calling? Did he think that Joe Flacco really does have some type of switch that allows him to just magically start playing like he did in the 2013 playoffs, and that he was going to just say "You know what Gar-Bear, why don't I win this game for us"? I'm not sure whether or not I hope this was Kubiak's thought process, because either way, he's got some mental issues. You can't simply abandon running the ball to the extent that the Ravens did, and they witnessed first-hand the consequences of that decision. If they really want Pierce to play better, the coaches should give him an earpiece that plays "The Farmer in the Dell" on loop and I have no doubt he will run faster than he ever has before...
1 Star
3 Stripes
Whatever the hell you call what the Rams did on Sunday - First off, I can't empathize any more with the Rams for the quarterback tragedy that has befallen them. As a Bills fan, I too experienced a 3 QB season last year. No doubt about it, it absolutely cripples your entire team. However, 34-6? To the Vikings? The Rams defense was supposed to be incredible this year, talented and ferocious enough to keep them in any game they play. I understand the defense likely tired from being on the field so often, but I'm not sure I can actually buy that as an excuse for giving up that many points. The quarterback situation is what prevented them from falling to the "1 stripe" slot, but that performance was simply not acceptable. HC Jeff Fisher and OC Brian Schottenheimer have to figure out a way to allow the running game to carry the offense with the passing game playing off of that, or else it's going to be a LONG season in St. Louis.
2 Stripes
The Kansas City Offensive Line - There is absolutely no reason that Jamaal Charles should finish any game with a stat line of 7 rushes for 19 yards. There's really no words for how ridiculous that is. I refuse to put basically any of that on Charles because, well, of this. Charles is a game-breaking player, but he can't do anything if there's 4 guys surrounding him at all times wearing jerseys that don't look identical to his own. Part of the blame for this pathetic collection of 300+ pound men falls on Chiefs GM John Dorsey after he allowed starting linemen Branden Albert, Geoff Schwartz, and Jon Asamoah to all walk in free agency. Former #1 pick Eric Fisher, now the starting LT, is struggling mightily, and RT Donald Stephenson still has 3 games left to serve of a PED suspension. 7 carries for 19 yards should never happen again, it's a disservice to the world to have the walking highlight-reel that is Jamaal Charles be wasted like that.
1 Stripe
The Oakland Raiders running game - Finally we arrive at the worst of the worst. The dreadful Oakland Raiders RB duo of Maurice Jones-Drew's grandfather and Darren McFadden's great-grandfather went out onto the green grass of MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, and gave us one of the most unbelievably bad rushing performance we've seen in a long time. The Raiders amassed just 25 total rushing yards on 15 carries, good for a YPC of 1.5. Even Tom Brady has a higher career YPC, and I'm pretty sure he's never had a carry that wasn't one of those 1-yard plunges into the end zone. I don't even have a suggestion for how this can get better honestly. Facing a different front seven than the Jets' might help considering the Jets' ranked third in the NFL against the run last year. Only problem with that is that Oakland plays Houston week 2, and there's no one in the league who can demoralize an entire offense like J.J. Watt. All I can really say then is good luck Dennis Allen, it would actually be a pretty massive accomplishment if you're still the head coach of the Raiders by the end of the year.
Week 1 SP Football Standings
In these weekly football recaps, I will be unleashing a brand new format for celebrating the winners and losers from each week. This highly anticipated method is known as the Stars and Stripes system. As the patriotic name suggests, I will be grading players/teams/events on a scale of 1 star - 5 stars, and within each tier of stars, there will be a varying number of stripes handed out to further rank the performances of the week. I'm not sure if that sounded confusing, but it should be extremely simple once I get started. Also, as I briefly mentioned, I will not just be evaluating players and teams' performances. Things that can also be given stars and stripes will be a specific play, a coach/coaching decision perhaps, or any type of occurrence that was seen in an NFL game that had any type of impact on the result of the contest.
In addition to me praising/ripping all your favorite NFL stars, I will be dropping fantasy tidbits like I'm the Enola Gay(sorry to all my Japanese readers, enough time should have passed by now, right? I mean, theres jokes about Ray Rice floating around already). There will be plenty of mentions of how an individual player's game affected the results of the match ups in my fantasy league, SP Football. Therefore, if you see a fantasy score with an "SP" next to it, that represents the amount of points that player scored under my league's scoring settings.
Once again, I'm so excited to unveil this, you pretty much can call me Tim Tebow. On that note, let's begin!
5 Stars
3 Stripes
Matt Ryan and the Falcons offense - Matty Ice was flat out sensational, putting up a Falcons-record 448 yards and 3 TD's (48.90 SP) against a New Orleans defense that was top-12 in the league in basically any metric you can find. Obviously, it wasn't all him, as the weapons surrounding him are truly top-notch. Both Julio Jones and Roddy White look 100% healthy this year, as showcased by their combined stat lines of 12 catches for 188 yards and a touchdown. Harry Douglas and Devin Hester are about as good of #3 and 4 receivers in the league, and TE/human skyscraper Levine Toilolo should be an absolute terror in the red zone all year. The running backs group, led by veteran Steven Jackson, is also deep and talented. Most importantly, Ryan made me look a genius in starting him Week 1, as he basically won my matchup for me. So thank you Matt Ryan, I appreciate your brilliance greatly.
2 Stripes
Megatron - Is there even a reason to call him Calvin Johnson anymore? Such a human-sounding name just doesn't suit him. He only deserves to be referred to as the most feared cyborg in the entire Transformers universe. Calvin finished with an unreal 39.90 SP (half a point per reception by the way), and even that seems low for how dominant he looked on Monday night. I'm fully aware that his performance against the Giants wasn't even close to his most dominant outing, but it just seemed like he was going to catch every ball thrown in his direction, which he did for the most part. Dude is just on a different level, and he made sure no one forgot that over the offseason.
1 stripe
Julius Thomas - Thomas went ape shit on a clearly overwhelmed Colts LB/S unit, as anyone who took their turn "covering" Thomas was promptly burned for six. Easily leading all TE's in an fantasy league this past week, Thomas' 31.90 led George Green's What are the chances squad to the 2nd highest point total for any team in my league for the week (behind only, of course, the team featuring Megatron). Thomas has a legitimate chance to be the #1 fantasy TE this year for sure. As I typed that though, Drew Brees and Jimmy Graham probably just finished a 4-hour film session, so don't hold me to anything.
4 Stars
3 Stripes
Norv Turner - The man really knows how to get the most out of talented wide receivers, doesn't he? Last year, all he did was help Josh Gordon become the NFL's leading receiver while only playing 14 games, and it seems like big Norv is once again working his magic on the dynamic and versatile Cordarrelle Patterson. Patterson's receiving numbers look very modest (3 catches for 29 yards), but he still dropped an impressive 26.90 SP. How is this possible? Well, Patterson is very wisely utilized in the Vikings running game (as if they needed help in that department). Add 102 rushing yards, including a bonus-triggering 67 yard touchdown, and that is how we arrive at his beastly fantasy game. Norv may never be given a warm reception in the city of San Diego for as long as he lives, but give the man credit. He sure can coordinate an offense that trots out at least one receiver who possesses other-worldy talent.
2 Stripes
Antonio Brown and Antonio Brown's Sparta Kick - Really, the combination of those two pillars of greatness should be worth 5 stars. Brown had a predictably explosive game as Big Ben's favorite target (22.10 SP), and well, did you see that kick? The take-off, the form, the follow-through, all straight from the football drop-kicking textbook (yes, that textbook is written by Ndamukong Suh). But then the thought of what it must have been like for Browns punter Sean Lanning to see nothing but a black-and-yellow blur coming at you, and suddenly that blur's cleat is eye-level with you, and the next thing you know, you're looking up at the sky wondering what the hell just happened. Also, in all honesty that was a pretty dirty play. Think of it this way: what football move was Brown attempting there? I've never seen a hurdle that involved a player spring boarding off another player's facemask. Nevertheless, Brown's stat line was great for all his fantasy owners out there, and that kick will live on in GIF infamy.
1 Stripe
Allen Hurns - I'm sure there have been plenty of 4 catch, 110 yard, 2 TD performances in a Week 1 game before. I'm not sure, however, how many undrafted rookies turned in that kind of game before. Hurns was scintillating in the first half of the Jaguars-Eagles game, a first half that saw the Jaguars take an out-of-nowhere 17-0 lead over the Eagles (the Jaguars ended up losing 34-17, but still. Gotta take moral victories where you can get 'em, Jags). At 6-3, 195, Hurns has legitimate NFL WR size, and, with Cecil Shorts already dealing with his annual ailment, a prime opportunity to receive targets along side fellow rookie Marqise Lee. Hurns is just one of those guys you want to root for, especially on a Jacksonville team that struggles to give you anything to root for usually.
3 Stars
3 Stripes
The Blossoming Jake Locker-Ken Whisenhunt Tandem - Frankly, picking guys for the "3 Stars" section is harder than you might think. I'm basically saying these guys were, what, adequate? I think I'm just going to devote this category to the under-the-radar storylines that deserve a little more attention. No better place to start than the most mediocre NFL team that isn't the constant topic of discussion among ESPN's 437 NFL analysts (yeah, I'm talking about your Cowboys, Jerry). Now in his 4th year in the league, Jake Locker is definitely at the make-or-break point in his pursuit to be considered a starting quarterback. Enter respected QB developer Ken Whisenhunt as the Titans' new head coach, and suddenly Locker is looking very, very...competent. It's a start! Locker wasn't dominant by any stretch of the imagination, but he still played an instrumental role in Tennessee's 26-10 rout of Kansas City. We shall see how Locker progresses throughout the season and if he can consistently produce at a winning level, but all early signs point to this QB-coach marriage being the opposite of the Kris Humpries-Kim Kardashian union.
2 Stripes
Miami's pass rush - Cameron Wake is a straight-up monster. This is an established fact around the NFL, and has been for years. Nothing has changed the validity of that statement in 2014 either, as Wake basically won the game for the Dolphins against the Patriots with 2 strip sacks of Tom Brady. The development of the other defensive linemen and linebackers on Miami is what can take their front seven to a Carolina-Buffalo-St. Louis-Seattle level, though. Olivier Vernon, only 24 years old, had 8.5 sacks last season. He had a sack on Sunday. Last year's #3 overall pick Dion Jordan should further add to the pass rush when he returns from a 4-game suspension. Even guys like Jared Odrick and Randy Starks typically contribute a combined 8-10 sacks per year to the overall total. If everyone mentioned here does there part, the Dolphins could pose a serious threat to the AFC playoff race.
1 Stripe
Matt Bryant - I really hope it doesn't seem like I'm diminishing Bryant's monumental part in the Falcons OT win by placing him in this slot. Let me rephrase that: Matt Bryant is the hero of Atlanta right now. Here's the proof. The 39-year-old kicker nailed three field goals in the game from distances of 40, 51, and 52. The 51-yarder sent the game into OT, and the 52-harder won it for the Falcons. The word "clutch" doesn't really fully encompass what Bryant did on Sunday. Following a nightmarish 4-12 season in 2013, the Falcons NEEDED a win against their sworn enemies. The Falcons fan base was desperate for a bounce-back season to convince them that they can still compete for the Lombadi trophy, and Bryant delivered them the most important regular season win the Falcons play for every year in Week 1. So, final thought on this: Are we sure Matt Bryant shouldn't be called Matty Ice?
2 Stars
3 Stripes
Jay Cutler - Now we arrive at the point in the post that would result in me getting hate mail if more than like 10 people read this. In some ways the most enigmatic QB in the NFL, Jay Cutler Could. Not. Lose. That. Game. Especially in the manner that he did lose it. The 2 interceptions he threw were the typical Jay Cutler head-scratchers, the type that make Bears fans angrily throw all the darts they're weirdly holding in their hand at the print-out of Cutler's face hanging up on the wall. One was a mistimed seem route that Bills CB Corey Graham stepped in front of, while the other pick was a classic Cutler back-foot dart rifled into the chest of Kyle Williams...who is a DEFENSIVE TACKLE employed by the Buffalo Bills. Sure, the 349 yards and 2 TD passes look decent and could have probably made for a nice fantasy game (26.45 SP), but the 0-1 record that the Bears are currently looking at negates all of that. Long season ahead of Cutler and the Bears, one that will most likely see the Monsters of the Midway in contention for a playoff spot in a stacked NFC, but that game was on Cutler more than anything else (except maybe Chris Conte if you ask Bears fans).
2 Stripes
That Chargers-Cardinals game - I'm just going to let my brother do this one for me. Here are some quotes from him regarding the quality of the final game of Week 1 (in chronological order): "This is such a boring game. You know how much I hate watching the Chargers lol", "Whatever (the Cardinals') game plan is right now is sucking", "This game is agonizing", "The Cardinals run the stupidest plays", "This game is so bad. Cannot believe it", "I hate repeating myself, but is it me or are the Chargers the worst team to watch ever?", "This is laughable", "Can't handle this", and "Awful"
1 Stripe
Gary Kubiak calling 62 passing plays for Joe Flacco - Inexcusable. I don't even care that Bernard Pierce mailed this one in (-0.60 SP) and the only option left to turn to in the ground game was Justin Forsett. Justin Forsett? Exactly. That being said, did first-year Ravens offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak really expect to win this game with that kind of play calling? Did he think that Joe Flacco really does have some type of switch that allows him to just magically start playing like he did in the 2013 playoffs, and that he was going to just say "You know what Gar-Bear, why don't I win this game for us"? I'm not sure whether or not I hope this was Kubiak's thought process, because either way, he's got some mental issues. You can't simply abandon running the ball to the extent that the Ravens did, and they witnessed first-hand the consequences of that decision. If they really want Pierce to play better, the coaches should give him an earpiece that plays "The Farmer in the Dell" on loop and I have no doubt he will run faster than he ever has before...
1 Star
3 Stripes
Whatever the hell you call what the Rams did on Sunday - First off, I can't empathize any more with the Rams for the quarterback tragedy that has befallen them. As a Bills fan, I too experienced a 3 QB season last year. No doubt about it, it absolutely cripples your entire team. However, 34-6? To the Vikings? The Rams defense was supposed to be incredible this year, talented and ferocious enough to keep them in any game they play. I understand the defense likely tired from being on the field so often, but I'm not sure I can actually buy that as an excuse for giving up that many points. The quarterback situation is what prevented them from falling to the "1 stripe" slot, but that performance was simply not acceptable. HC Jeff Fisher and OC Brian Schottenheimer have to figure out a way to allow the running game to carry the offense with the passing game playing off of that, or else it's going to be a LONG season in St. Louis.
2 Stripes
The Kansas City Offensive Line - There is absolutely no reason that Jamaal Charles should finish any game with a stat line of 7 rushes for 19 yards. There's really no words for how ridiculous that is. I refuse to put basically any of that on Charles because, well, of this. Charles is a game-breaking player, but he can't do anything if there's 4 guys surrounding him at all times wearing jerseys that don't look identical to his own. Part of the blame for this pathetic collection of 300+ pound men falls on Chiefs GM John Dorsey after he allowed starting linemen Branden Albert, Geoff Schwartz, and Jon Asamoah to all walk in free agency. Former #1 pick Eric Fisher, now the starting LT, is struggling mightily, and RT Donald Stephenson still has 3 games left to serve of a PED suspension. 7 carries for 19 yards should never happen again, it's a disservice to the world to have the walking highlight-reel that is Jamaal Charles be wasted like that.
1 Stripe
The Oakland Raiders running game - Finally we arrive at the worst of the worst. The dreadful Oakland Raiders RB duo of Maurice Jones-Drew's grandfather and Darren McFadden's great-grandfather went out onto the green grass of MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, and gave us one of the most unbelievably bad rushing performance we've seen in a long time. The Raiders amassed just 25 total rushing yards on 15 carries, good for a YPC of 1.5. Even Tom Brady has a higher career YPC, and I'm pretty sure he's never had a carry that wasn't one of those 1-yard plunges into the end zone. I don't even have a suggestion for how this can get better honestly. Facing a different front seven than the Jets' might help considering the Jets' ranked third in the NFL against the run last year. Only problem with that is that Oakland plays Houston week 2, and there's no one in the league who can demoralize an entire offense like J.J. Watt. All I can really say then is good luck Dennis Allen, it would actually be a pretty massive accomplishment if you're still the head coach of the Raiders by the end of the year.
Week 1 SP Football Standings
- #SantiniCrimeFamily - 1-0 (Michael Santini)
- What are the Chances - 1-0 (George Green)
- 10 AM in Philly - 1-0 (Who do you think?)
- Scooby Doos - 1-0 (Vinny Greco)
- TuckerRightInThePusy - 1-0 (Christopher Apicella)
- Krazy Kevs - 0-1 (Kevin Young)
- Marks Marauders - 0-1 (Mark Riello)
- Notorious M.A.F.I.A. - 0-1 (Dylan Mednick)
- The Uncle Ricos - 0-1 (Kevin Hylas)
- The Dominators - 0-1 (Dom Greco)
Sunday, September 7, 2014
Week 2 College Football Shoutouts
Got an hour until 1:00 kickoff so I'm just going to skip a clever intro and get right to the shoutouts, cool? (I'm sure you probably would have just skipped whatever corny joke/link that is usually placed here anyway)
Shoutout to Marcus Mariota for just being, in the words of Stephen A. Smith when referring to Aaron Rodgers, a "bad, bad man". Facing the stingiest defense in the country, Mariota and the Ducks had no reason to do anything but run their blitzkrieg offense as usual, but the Spartans, to their credit, forced their hand. At halftime, Oregon had 14 rushes for 13 yards! I was ready to proclaim the MSU defense as the second coming of the '85 bears...and then the second half happened. You see, as the ground game was being stifled, Mariota was quietly having yet another efficient game through the air. This passing success most likely opened up more holes for guys like Byron Marshall and Royce Freeman in the second half as Michigan State coach Mark Dantonio likely tried making some adjustments. The result? 26 rushes for 160 yards and 2 touchdowns in the second half, which guided the Ducks out of a 27-18 deficit en route to a 46-27 victory. And it's not like Mariota just let his RB's do all the heavy lifting the rest of the game either. He pitched in 42 rushing yards on his own while tossing 17 passes for 318 yards and 3 TD's. Simply put, the dude is unbreakable. Sparty came out and hit the Oregon offense right in the beak, and it's like they barely flinched. I don't know if it's just me, but 2015 just seems like the year of the Duck. After what he did to possibly the most feared D in the nation, I would be shocked to find a defensive coordinator who wasn't terrified of Marcus Mariota.
Shoutout to Art Briles for being the best college football coach I've ever seen, at least from an offensive standpoint. I imagine this is the conversation he had with the team doctor early Saturday morning:
Doctor: "Hey, coach, Bryce (Petty) won't be able to play today."
Briles: "Oh, that's unfortunate."
Doctor (concerned about Briles' lack of concern): "Coach, how do you plan on replacing him? He's pretty much the focal point of the offense."
Briles: "Tell me doctor: Am I going to be on those sidelines come game time?"
Doctor: "Well. yes coach, you will be."
Briles: "Then hop on my fucking back and whatever no-name QB we throw out there will look like Peyton-fucking-Manning."
Yeah, whatever, the version of Art Briles that I have in my head is a snarky narcissist who loves to use profanity, but isn't that the best possible Art Briles? Anyway, backup quarterback Seth Russell received the keys to the juggernaut that is the Baylor offense and went for a joy ride, throwing for 438 yards and 5 touchdowns. Extremely impressive right? In case your jaw hasn't dropped yet, how about this? 438 of the 438 yards, as well as 5 of those 5 touchdowns, came in the FIRST HALF!!! I really don't even care that this was against Northwestern State, those numbers are astronomical for a Heisman favorite. Meanwhile, some sophomore from Garland, Texas can just make his first ever collegiate start and look like he's playing Madden on Rookie. Congratulations Seth, but the credit here goes to Briles for creating the greatest system in college football history.
Shoutout to Amari Cooper for making millions of dollars by proving beyond any doubt that he is worthy of a top-15 pick after exploding for 13 catches, 189 yards, a touchdown, and considerable Heisman recognition. This dude is just going to straight up carry this 'Bama passing game this season, and the bandwagon is still vacant and accepting applications. Not your usual stud #1 WR at only 6-1, Cooper uses his exceptional route running, plus speed, and sure hands to reel in any ball coming his way. Injuries forced him to not make as big of an impact last season as he would have liked, but now that he's healthy, defenses have been put on notice. I feel pretty confident in saying that I would take Cooper over any WR in the country right now (sorry Rashad Greene). QB Blake Sims appears to have seized the starting job after looking very comfortable these first two games, and it's no stretch to say a lot of that comfort results from knowing you got Cooper out there to haul in anything you throw near him.
Shoutout to the Notre Dame defense for making Michigan look like a high school team, and not even one of those powerhouse ones. Michigan brought an NCAA record 365 consecutive games without being shut-out into this contest, and Notre Dame stomped all over that stat like it was a pesky ant. Also the first time the Wolverines were blanked by the Irish since 1984, this game was controlled from start to finish by Notre Dame as the defense not only stumped talented Michigan running backs Derrick Green and De'Veon Smith (20 combined rushes for 55 yards), but also forced QB Devin Gardner to throw 3 picks. Notre Dame is stacked on D as a result of great recruiting in recent years, and blue-chippers like LB Jaylon Smith and S Max Redfield stood out in this game for sure. Smith, in particular, is developing into a bonafide superstar. Irish quarterback Everett Golson had himself another effective game throwing the ball, but it's a lot easier to find holes in the opposing defense when they are all gassed from being on the field all game (a point I am about to bring back up in the next shoutout). All in all, dominant performance by Notre Dame, and one that should catch the attention of the playoff selection committee.
Final shoutout is one I am not happy to make, but nonetheless one I am forced to make. BYU QB Taysom Hill took another dump on the Texas defense last night en route to a 41-7 demolition of the Longhorns. Hill's stat-line wasn't all-world like the other guys I usually give special mention to (like Kenny Trill, who turned in another monster performance), but he did finish with 280 total yards, 3 touchdowns (all on the ground), and the grudging respect of every Longhorn fan. Hill ran like a man possessed all night, and as the Texas defense became more and more worn out (I mean, the Texas offense managed -1 yards in the entire 3rd quarter. No, I'm serious.), the running lanes only became bigger and bigger. This run right here pretty much sums up Hill's game last night. Yeah, it should be SportsCenter Top 10, random guy in the background providing commentary on his own video. Hill was a true leader, and those BYU players just seem to respond to his toughness and moxie. It also doesn't hurt that the dude possess insane talent. Absolutely no hyperbole here, but Taysom Hill's running ability is on par with that of Mariota, Hundley, Tebow, Newton and any other star mobile QB we've seen in college football the last decade. He's also no slouch throwing the football either. The Texas secondary, led by Quandre Diggs, actually played decent all night, so Hill didn't have his best game passing against the Longhorns, but just last week Hill threw for 308 yards and 3 touchdowns against UConn. Hill and Arizona St. RB D.J. Foster (had to give him a small shoutout) are two guys who are going to put up obscene numbers all year, and probably still won't receive much national attention. Well, Taysom, you are forever my most hated college football player, and honestly, I mean that with the most admiration attached to it as possible.
Final shoutout is one I am not happy to make, but nonetheless one I am forced to make. BYU QB Taysom Hill took another dump on the Texas defense last night en route to a 41-7 demolition of the Longhorns. Hill's stat-line wasn't all-world like the other guys I usually give special mention to (like Kenny Trill, who turned in another monster performance), but he did finish with 280 total yards, 3 touchdowns (all on the ground), and the grudging respect of every Longhorn fan. Hill ran like a man possessed all night, and as the Texas defense became more and more worn out (I mean, the Texas offense managed -1 yards in the entire 3rd quarter. No, I'm serious.), the running lanes only became bigger and bigger. This run right here pretty much sums up Hill's game last night. Yeah, it should be SportsCenter Top 10, random guy in the background providing commentary on his own video. Hill was a true leader, and those BYU players just seem to respond to his toughness and moxie. It also doesn't hurt that the dude possess insane talent. Absolutely no hyperbole here, but Taysom Hill's running ability is on par with that of Mariota, Hundley, Tebow, Newton and any other star mobile QB we've seen in college football the last decade. He's also no slouch throwing the football either. The Texas secondary, led by Quandre Diggs, actually played decent all night, so Hill didn't have his best game passing against the Longhorns, but just last week Hill threw for 308 yards and 3 touchdowns against UConn. Hill and Arizona St. RB D.J. Foster (had to give him a small shoutout) are two guys who are going to put up obscene numbers all year, and probably still won't receive much national attention. Well, Taysom, you are forever my most hated college football player, and honestly, I mean that with the most admiration attached to it as possible.
Friday, September 5, 2014
Week 2 College Football Preview
Have we all caught our collective breaths after a high-powered, star-studded, and head-spinning week 1? Yes? Good, because we are right back at it for week 2, and the fun just keeps coming. Unfortunately for the entire human race, "The Toddfather" Todd Gurley and the Georgia Bulldogs get a break from destroying the middle of defenses everywhere (shoutout to my brother Dylan Mednick for that nickname). Regardless, this weekend's lineup of games has enough juicy match-ups to satisfy any college football fan. Taking center stage Saturday are Spartans, Trojans, and, well, a tree. Then you got Wolverines (Grrr!), Ducks (Quack!?), and...an angry little leprechaun inexplicably trying to pick fights with anyone he sees. Sounds incredible, right? Alright, I'll move on. Here are the top games of week 2 and my picks for each:
3:30 PM ET - 14 USC at 15 Stanford (-3)
Larry Scott and the Pac-12 scheduling committee sure gave us a treat by placing the annual USC-Stanford contest so early in the season. Both teams should be feeling quite confident entering this game after each turned in blowout wins last week. I already detailed the insanity that was the USC offense against Fresno State, as well as the mountains of potential that they possess to even improve further. Coach Sark, Cody Kessler and the Trojans are going to have plenty of trouble replicating that level of offensive dominance against the historically smash-mouth, unrelenting Cardinal defense. Even though it was against UC Davis, Stanford's defense pitched a shutout last week, holding the Aggies to just 115 total yards. The surprisingly adept Stanford passing game is a new aspect of their offense that has to be worrying USC defensive coordinator Justin Wilcox as he is likely already preparing to receive a heavy dose of their signature power running game, led by Barry Sanders Jr. (the world is better when there is a Barry Sanders piling up yards on a football field). Star DL Leonard Williams will have to quickly overcome an ankle injury suffered a week ago an combine with talented hybrid linebacker/safety Su'a Cravens to slow down do-it-all WR Ty Montgomery and a suddenly potent Stanford offense. I think they will, and that's why USC escapes Palo Alto with a W.
6:30 PM ET - 7 Michigan State at 3 Oregon (-12)
First thought on this game: Wow, Vegas is really feeling Oregon. 12 points seems like a lot to lay down against that ferocious Spartan defense, possibly the best in the country. Second thought on this game: Fuck that, Oregon's offense is borderline illegal. QB Marcus Mariota, obvious Heisman contender and favorite to be the #1 pick in next year's NFL draft, leads the scariest, fastest attack in the nation, and is flanked by some top-notch talent at the skill positions. Thomas Tyner and Royce Freeman lead the RB group as their size-speed combo coming out of the backfield translates excellently into that spread scheme of theirs. Byron Marshall, or De'anthony Thomas 2.0, can take the ball from any position on the field and instantly produce a big play. Last week, Marshall torched South Dakota for 228 total yards and 2 touchdowns on only 16 touches!!! That adds up to a mind-bending 14.25 yards per touch. Simply put, the guy can't be contained. However, if there ever were a team to corral him at least a little, it would be this Michigan State team. Led by probable future first-round pick Shaquille Calhoun, the Sparty defense is as feared as ever. Like Stanford, who they narrowly edged out in the Rose Bowl last year, the passing game has seen an increase in efficiency and usage. QB Connor Cook looked extremely sharp week 1, and, as expected, RB Jeremy Langford should be turned loose against a stout Oregon defense, especially up the middle with DT Arik Armstead. In the end, Mariota will be too much to handle, and Oregon claims victory by a touchdown, possibly more.
7:00 PM ET - East Carolina at 21 South Carolina (-16)
Taking a break from the highly-anticipated showdowns of traditional powerhouses, I'd like to take a look at this potential upset in the making. If you haven't heard by now, South Carolina didn't look so good last week. The Gamecocks' no-show could easily be attributed to the fact that Kevin Sumlin is taking over the world, but to my eyes, and plenty of college football experts, the 'Ol Ball Coach's squad looks to have some glaring weaknesses. Those shortcomings clearly include stopping the other team from racking up yards and points. You know who can rack up yards and point with the best of them? Shane Carden and the ECU Pirates! In their effortless rout of NC Central last week, ECU put up 582 total yards of offense, with Carden pitching in 282 of those and 3 TD's. Squarely on the radar of many NFL GM's, Carden is no stranger to lighting up a stat sheet. His 2012 campaign saw him score 43 total touchdowns, over 4100 yards, and a 71% completion percentage. Justin Hardy and Isaiah Jones are emerging as a frightening 1-2 WR tandem, and a running game that features many different rushers even managed an impressive 7.4 yards per carry last week. South Carolina likely will come out and overpower ECU, but Carden has it in him to turn in a special performance against the Gamecocks. One thing is for sure, if South Carolina falls to 0-2, Spurrier's seat might get just that much warmer.
7:30 PM ET - Michigan at 16 Notre Dame (-4)
The Irish and Wolverines under the lights, nothing quite like it. Whenever I see these two teams squaring off, the first thing that comes to mind is Denard Robinson magically pulling out a win against the Irish in 2011, despite a pretty brutal night throwing the ball. Do yourself a favor and watch the video under "Recap" on the page that the link sends you to if you wish to relive that phenomenal game. That was the past, though, and these teams look a lot different than the ones that squared off 3 years ago. Everett Golson claimed, relinquished, and re-claimed the Notre Dame quarterback job in the years since, and I think it's safe to say he is back with a vengeance. A five touchdown performance last week against Rice put the country on notice that Golson has improved mightily since struggling against Alabama in the 2013 National Championship game, and he's ready to guide the Irish to the college football playoffs in its first year of existence. On the other side of the field, Michigan QB Devin Gardner seemed to be fully in control of the Wolverine offense, even though their attack isn't focused around him making all the plays. Instead, former blue-chip RB Derrick Green and the physically imposing Devin Funchess have become the stars on offense. Green shares carries with De'veon Smith, who should not be overlooked after a 115-yard and 2 TD performance last week on only 8 carries. Green and Funchess should be crossing the goal line the majority of times for the Wolverines on Saturday, and throughout the season, despite extra attention from the Irish defense. Linebacker Jaylon Smith, along with the rest of the young, talented Notre Dame defense, has a bright future ahead of him, and he should be counted upon to make some difference-making plays in the open field. This should truly be another classic game between these two rivals, as I expect multiple highlight-reel moments to occur and end up being talked about all next week. The immense talent and playmaking ability of #2 overall recruit Jabrill Peppers could be an X-factor in this game, but Golson, along with RB's Greg Bryant and Tarean Folston, may be too much for the Wolverines to overcome, especially in front of a raucous Notre Dame crowd.
I'm just going to get my weekly Texas mention out of the way right here. Tyrone Swoopes, the eyes of Austin are on you, don't let the moment overwhelm you. Really, the 5 large men in front of you, whichever 5 it will be, will decide whether or not the Longhorns can exact revenge on BYU for the embarrassment they caused the entire Texas program just a season ago.
And I will also commence my weekly Heisman watch that I will stick at the end of each of these posts. Numbers 1 and 2 are no-brainers, but 3-5 were more interesting than I originally thought. Enjoy:
1. Todd Gurley
Season stats: 15 carries, 198 rushing yards, 3 TD's, 13.2 YPC, KO return TD
2. Marcus Mariota
Season stats: 267 passing yards, 70% comp. pct., 43 rushing yards, 4 total TD's, 0 INT
3. Kenny Hill (from now on, will be known as Kenny Trill)
Season stats: 511 passing yards, 73% comp. pct., 3 TD's, 0 INT
4. Cody Kessler
Season stats: 394 passing yards, 68% comp. pct., 5 total TD's, 0 INT
5. Ameer Abdullah
Season stats: 21 carries, 232 rushing yards, 1 TD, 11.0 YPC
3:30 PM ET - 14 USC at 15 Stanford (-3)
Larry Scott and the Pac-12 scheduling committee sure gave us a treat by placing the annual USC-Stanford contest so early in the season. Both teams should be feeling quite confident entering this game after each turned in blowout wins last week. I already detailed the insanity that was the USC offense against Fresno State, as well as the mountains of potential that they possess to even improve further. Coach Sark, Cody Kessler and the Trojans are going to have plenty of trouble replicating that level of offensive dominance against the historically smash-mouth, unrelenting Cardinal defense. Even though it was against UC Davis, Stanford's defense pitched a shutout last week, holding the Aggies to just 115 total yards. The surprisingly adept Stanford passing game is a new aspect of their offense that has to be worrying USC defensive coordinator Justin Wilcox as he is likely already preparing to receive a heavy dose of their signature power running game, led by Barry Sanders Jr. (the world is better when there is a Barry Sanders piling up yards on a football field). Star DL Leonard Williams will have to quickly overcome an ankle injury suffered a week ago an combine with talented hybrid linebacker/safety Su'a Cravens to slow down do-it-all WR Ty Montgomery and a suddenly potent Stanford offense. I think they will, and that's why USC escapes Palo Alto with a W.
6:30 PM ET - 7 Michigan State at 3 Oregon (-12)
First thought on this game: Wow, Vegas is really feeling Oregon. 12 points seems like a lot to lay down against that ferocious Spartan defense, possibly the best in the country. Second thought on this game: Fuck that, Oregon's offense is borderline illegal. QB Marcus Mariota, obvious Heisman contender and favorite to be the #1 pick in next year's NFL draft, leads the scariest, fastest attack in the nation, and is flanked by some top-notch talent at the skill positions. Thomas Tyner and Royce Freeman lead the RB group as their size-speed combo coming out of the backfield translates excellently into that spread scheme of theirs. Byron Marshall, or De'anthony Thomas 2.0, can take the ball from any position on the field and instantly produce a big play. Last week, Marshall torched South Dakota for 228 total yards and 2 touchdowns on only 16 touches!!! That adds up to a mind-bending 14.25 yards per touch. Simply put, the guy can't be contained. However, if there ever were a team to corral him at least a little, it would be this Michigan State team. Led by probable future first-round pick Shaquille Calhoun, the Sparty defense is as feared as ever. Like Stanford, who they narrowly edged out in the Rose Bowl last year, the passing game has seen an increase in efficiency and usage. QB Connor Cook looked extremely sharp week 1, and, as expected, RB Jeremy Langford should be turned loose against a stout Oregon defense, especially up the middle with DT Arik Armstead. In the end, Mariota will be too much to handle, and Oregon claims victory by a touchdown, possibly more.
7:00 PM ET - East Carolina at 21 South Carolina (-16)
Taking a break from the highly-anticipated showdowns of traditional powerhouses, I'd like to take a look at this potential upset in the making. If you haven't heard by now, South Carolina didn't look so good last week. The Gamecocks' no-show could easily be attributed to the fact that Kevin Sumlin is taking over the world, but to my eyes, and plenty of college football experts, the 'Ol Ball Coach's squad looks to have some glaring weaknesses. Those shortcomings clearly include stopping the other team from racking up yards and points. You know who can rack up yards and point with the best of them? Shane Carden and the ECU Pirates! In their effortless rout of NC Central last week, ECU put up 582 total yards of offense, with Carden pitching in 282 of those and 3 TD's. Squarely on the radar of many NFL GM's, Carden is no stranger to lighting up a stat sheet. His 2012 campaign saw him score 43 total touchdowns, over 4100 yards, and a 71% completion percentage. Justin Hardy and Isaiah Jones are emerging as a frightening 1-2 WR tandem, and a running game that features many different rushers even managed an impressive 7.4 yards per carry last week. South Carolina likely will come out and overpower ECU, but Carden has it in him to turn in a special performance against the Gamecocks. One thing is for sure, if South Carolina falls to 0-2, Spurrier's seat might get just that much warmer.
7:30 PM ET - Michigan at 16 Notre Dame (-4)
The Irish and Wolverines under the lights, nothing quite like it. Whenever I see these two teams squaring off, the first thing that comes to mind is Denard Robinson magically pulling out a win against the Irish in 2011, despite a pretty brutal night throwing the ball. Do yourself a favor and watch the video under "Recap" on the page that the link sends you to if you wish to relive that phenomenal game. That was the past, though, and these teams look a lot different than the ones that squared off 3 years ago. Everett Golson claimed, relinquished, and re-claimed the Notre Dame quarterback job in the years since, and I think it's safe to say he is back with a vengeance. A five touchdown performance last week against Rice put the country on notice that Golson has improved mightily since struggling against Alabama in the 2013 National Championship game, and he's ready to guide the Irish to the college football playoffs in its first year of existence. On the other side of the field, Michigan QB Devin Gardner seemed to be fully in control of the Wolverine offense, even though their attack isn't focused around him making all the plays. Instead, former blue-chip RB Derrick Green and the physically imposing Devin Funchess have become the stars on offense. Green shares carries with De'veon Smith, who should not be overlooked after a 115-yard and 2 TD performance last week on only 8 carries. Green and Funchess should be crossing the goal line the majority of times for the Wolverines on Saturday, and throughout the season, despite extra attention from the Irish defense. Linebacker Jaylon Smith, along with the rest of the young, talented Notre Dame defense, has a bright future ahead of him, and he should be counted upon to make some difference-making plays in the open field. This should truly be another classic game between these two rivals, as I expect multiple highlight-reel moments to occur and end up being talked about all next week. The immense talent and playmaking ability of #2 overall recruit Jabrill Peppers could be an X-factor in this game, but Golson, along with RB's Greg Bryant and Tarean Folston, may be too much for the Wolverines to overcome, especially in front of a raucous Notre Dame crowd.
I'm just going to get my weekly Texas mention out of the way right here. Tyrone Swoopes, the eyes of Austin are on you, don't let the moment overwhelm you. Really, the 5 large men in front of you, whichever 5 it will be, will decide whether or not the Longhorns can exact revenge on BYU for the embarrassment they caused the entire Texas program just a season ago.
And I will also commence my weekly Heisman watch that I will stick at the end of each of these posts. Numbers 1 and 2 are no-brainers, but 3-5 were more interesting than I originally thought. Enjoy:
1. Todd Gurley
Season stats: 15 carries, 198 rushing yards, 3 TD's, 13.2 YPC, KO return TD
2. Marcus Mariota
Season stats: 267 passing yards, 70% comp. pct., 43 rushing yards, 4 total TD's, 0 INT
3. Kenny Hill (from now on, will be known as Kenny Trill)
Season stats: 511 passing yards, 73% comp. pct., 3 TD's, 0 INT
4. Cody Kessler
Season stats: 394 passing yards, 68% comp. pct., 5 total TD's, 0 INT
5. Ameer Abdullah
Season stats: 21 carries, 232 rushing yards, 1 TD, 11.0 YPC
Thursday, September 4, 2014
If NBA Players Were Not Allowed To Play Internationally
Honestly, the primary reason I wrote this post was just to bridge the 2-and-a-half-hour gap between the exact time it is as I'm typing this and the start of the Packers-Seahawks game. The secondary reason is that it is I've been thinking about this ever since the gruesome Paul George injury.
Along with other outcomes in the aftermath of stanchion-gate, debates began sprouting up across all sports platforms over the whether or not NBA owners should be allowing their star players to compete in international play. Many argued that this could have happened anywhere, and that if George wasn't playing in that particular competitive basketball game, he would have just been playing another competitive basketball game somewhere else because, you know, that's what basketball players do in the offseason.
My take on this topic is that owners or the NBA should have absolutely no input on these players' decisions to represent their country in overseas tournaments. With that being said, the sight of PG's leg exploding had to have at least spooked the other players on the USA team. Although he denies it, Kevin Durant is apparently terrified (still gotta give a quick shoutout to my man KD Trey 5 to cashing in on that Nike mega-deal. As Jalen Rose would say, "Keep getting 'dem checks!").
So what if a rule was somehow passed prohibiting all NBA players from participation in the Olympics and FIBA? Well, then it would be 1984 all over again. And by that I don't mean that suddenly Ghostbusters will re-appear on the movie screen (What's that? It will? Oh, my bad). What I'm trying to say is that would mean that athletically gifted young men age 17-22 would once again proudly wear the red, white, and blue as they represent the USA against the world's best. Roster construction on this team would be not only extremely difficult to nail down, but also very entertaining to predict. It's now time to say, "Yes, you have guessed correctly! I am definitely about to undergo this very task."
The rules/guidelines I created for myself were fairly simple:
Along with other outcomes in the aftermath of stanchion-gate, debates began sprouting up across all sports platforms over the whether or not NBA owners should be allowing their star players to compete in international play. Many argued that this could have happened anywhere, and that if George wasn't playing in that particular competitive basketball game, he would have just been playing another competitive basketball game somewhere else because, you know, that's what basketball players do in the offseason.
My take on this topic is that owners or the NBA should have absolutely no input on these players' decisions to represent their country in overseas tournaments. With that being said, the sight of PG's leg exploding had to have at least spooked the other players on the USA team. Although he denies it, Kevin Durant is apparently terrified (still gotta give a quick shoutout to my man KD Trey 5 to cashing in on that Nike mega-deal. As Jalen Rose would say, "Keep getting 'dem checks!").
So what if a rule was somehow passed prohibiting all NBA players from participation in the Olympics and FIBA? Well, then it would be 1984 all over again. And by that I don't mean that suddenly Ghostbusters will re-appear on the movie screen (What's that? It will? Oh, my bad). What I'm trying to say is that would mean that athletically gifted young men age 17-22 would once again proudly wear the red, white, and blue as they represent the USA against the world's best. Roster construction on this team would be not only extremely difficult to nail down, but also very entertaining to predict. It's now time to say, "Yes, you have guessed correctly! I am definitely about to undergo this very task."
The rules/guidelines I created for myself were fairly simple:
- 12-man roster balanced with big men, wings, and guards
- Put together the best TEAM; don't just gather the 12 highest scoring college players and call it a squad worthy of winning the gold
- Seniority matters only in close decisions. An elite freshman talent will be chosen over a proven, but marginally talented, college player. Sorry, it's just the world we live in.
- Try to include two white guys
- Don't let my Texas bias lead to the inclusion of any undeserving Longhorns
- Establish clearly defined roles that each player on the roster fills. Players can possess the requisite skills to hold multiple roles. Titles of roles include:
- Floor-Stretcher
- Ball Distributor
- Pure Scorer
- Athletic Rim Protector
- Low Post Technician
- Lockdown Perimeter Defender
- Highly Hyped Freshmen
- Token White Guy
- Effort and Hustle
Pretty straightforward, right? Great, let's proceed then. Here is the starting five:
C - Jahlil Okafor, Duke
Role: Low Post Technician/Highly Hyped Freshman
Analysis: Okafor, the consensus #1 recruit in the 2014 class, will sensibly be the focal point of the Blue Devil offense this upcoming season as a result of his back-to-the-basket prowess. He is 6-11, possesses great hands, nimble feet, and a strong lower body, all attributes that combine to form the ideal scoring big man. Okafor would likely also be the source of "easy buckets" for this squad, despite the inclusion of many other scoring threats as you will see. While not an elite shot-blocker, Okafor understands how to use his frame to patrol the paint and provide solid interior defense, especially after spending the past two years drastically improving his conditioning. No-brainer pick, really.
PF - Montrezl Harrell, Louisville
Role: Effort and Hustle, Athletic Rim Protector
Analysis: Harrell probably shouldn't even be on this list. Many had him pegged as a mid-first round pick following the 2013-14 season, but he decided to hold off on jumping to the NBA and returned to Louisville to improve his game. Better for us, right? Harrell will be counted on to rebound the hell out of the ball (not because Okafor isn't capable of grabbing boards, it's just that if Harrell is cleaning the glass, Okafor can concentrate his energy more on getting buckets) and give our offense extra possessions. Hopefully, Montrezl (awesome name) has been working on that mid-range jumper that the NBA covets in their undersized power forwards, as that would give the offense some much needed spacing inside the 3-point arc. Overall, Harrell is a consistent performer that knows his role and excels at it.
SF - Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, Arizona
Role: Lockdown Perimeter Defender, Effort and Hustle
Analysis: Some may call for his teammate, freshman Stanley Johnson, to occupy this spot, but I almost feel as if their games/body types are too similar to include both on the roster. Johnson is probably a better scorer, but we will have plenty of guys who can put the ball in the rim. That's why I opted for RHJ, who is an athletic freak with long arms, insane hops, and great strength for his position. Few wings in college basketball can run the floor with such ferocity and throw it down like Hollis-Jefferson. Rondae will also be given the other team's most talented wing scorer as his defensive assignment each game, and will rarely disappoint.
SG - Marcus Paige, North Carolina
Role: Floor-Stretcher, Ball Distributor
Analysis: As long as we don't come across a team that rolls out a 6-6 beast at shooting guard, I like the placement of Paige, a point guard, as a second ball-handler at the off-ball guard spot. Being able to run Paige off screens to get him open looks from 3 is ideal, and he wouldn't be able to do that if he was tasked with setting up the offense at point guard. Paige gets bonus points as a guy who has proven to possess the "clutch gene" and being willing to step up in any close, end-of-game situation. Defensively, as I mentioned, he may struggle against bigger shooting guards, but if afforded a matchup with a similarly sized 2-guard, he should be just fine.
PG - Tyus Jones, Duke
Role: BALL DISTRIBUTOR, Highly Hyped Freshman
Analysis: The reason Jones' first title is in all caps is because he is as elite an unselfish playmaker as we have seen in college basketball since perhaps the days of CP3 at Wake Forest. No one can run an offense quite like Tyus, who is equally adept at delivering a dime than he is simply taking the layup when it's there. Bottom line, he almost always makes the best basketball decision. There really isn't more you can ask out of your point guard. I know some people prefer the bigger, Andrew Harrison/Emmanuel Mudiay (who unfortunately became disqualified for this list when he decided to play this season professionally in China) type point guard, but Jones is really the quintessential point guard you want leading your team.
Bench:
C - Karl Towns Jr., Kentucky
Role: Highly Hyped Freshman, Low Post Technician, Floor-Stretcher
Analysis: You might be wondering why the first guy to get 3 roles isn't starting. In fact, I'm wondering the same thing. Fact is, though, Towns might be just as skilled as Okafor, and probably more athletic. Towns is the first one off the bench instead of the one taking the tip, however, because Okafor is a more consistent scorer. Towns is still an incredibly skilled in his own right. With an arsenal that includes drop-steps, up-and-unders, jump hooks, and an outside shot, Towns is perhaps the most versatile big man in the country, and will likely be utilized as such by Coach Cal this upcoming season. For our purposes, Towns will come into the game and stabilize the bench unit's low post scoring as well as establish an inside-out game plan that should overmatch most opponents.
PF - Cliff Alexander, Kansas
Role: Athletic Rim Protector, Highly Hyped Freshman
Analysis: Cliff Alexander is a beast. That is the most concise way to describe him. Alexander is a physical specimen capable of out-beasting virtually any big man he goes up against. As a result of his incredible strength and tenacity, Alexander is an impressive rebounder and low-post defender. At 6-8 and 240+ pounds, he has a frame that allows for him to carve out space to operate around the basket. He finishes well on put-backs and layups, and throws down dunks in traffic with apparent ease. Alexander will be able to seamlessly spell Harrell if the latter ever finds himself in foul trouble. A future of 8-figure NBA contracts and comments including the phrase "he will do all the dirty work" are definitely in store for big Cliff.
SF - Sam Dekker, Wisconsin
Role: Floor-Stretcher, Token White Guy
Analysis: What a surprise! Our first white guy is a Badger! Dekker has a spot on this roster for his basketball ability, plain and simple. I expect Dekker to take a big leap this season offensively and finally realize the potential people (ESPN.com) saw in him when he was ranked as the #17 recruit coming out of high school. Sam has good range on his jump shot, as well as an underrated ability to put the ball on the floor and create scoring opportunities for himself and others with dribble drive penetration. Highly skilled and experienced translates to a valued spot on our USA squad.
SG - Aaron Harrison, Kentucky
Role: Floor Stretcher, Pure Scorer
Analysis: The two roles I have assigned to Harrison may seem redundant, but there is a purpose for my including both of them. Aaron can take on different roles from game-to-game. Sometimes the flow of a game may dictate him to spot up along the arc and drain triples, while other times he can be called upon to dominate the ball and simply put points on the board. Also, Aaron gets the nod over his twin brother, Andrew, for his dramatic, late-game heroics last season. When the time comes for someone on this team to take and make a big-time shot, Harrison should receive the ball and subsequently get mobbed by his ecstatic teammates. Can't measure clutch, kids.
PG - Delon Wright, Utah
Role: Ball Distributor, Lockdown Perimeter Defender
Analysis: I actually didn't even know anything about Dorell Wright's younger brother until earlier this summer, but once I caught a glimpse of his per-game averages last season (15.5 PPG, 6.8 RPG, 5.3 APG), his tantalizing size at the position (6-5), and his length (very long), I was hooked. I then proceeded to watch as many highlight reels of him that I could find, and I gotta say, I was impressed. Wright displays an incredible ability to get to the rim at will and finish through contact. He reminds me of Elfrid Payton, the #10 pick in this year's NBA draft to the Orlando Magic. Wright's combination of slashing excellence and lead-guard traits give him the backup point guard spot on my USA roster.
Reserves:
C - Frank Kaminksy, Wisconsin
Role: Low Post Technician, Floor-Stretcher, Token White Guy
Analysis: After Kaminksy's obliteration of Arizona in the Elite Eight of this past season's NCAA Tournament, I may have fallen in basketball-love with him. What can I say, I'm a sucker for a 7 footer with a wide array of post moves, range extending past the 3-point line, and a quiet intensity that a team can truly rally around. Though he may not get much playing time, I fully expect Kaminsky to develop into this hypothetical squad's version of the Peter Dill-Kent Bazemore-Robert Sacre type, the unquestioned leader of the bench mob.
G - Malik Newman, HS Senior
Role: Pure Scorer, (Future) Highly Hyped Freshman
Analysis: Had to throw a high school phenom in there. Newman is as good a choice as any from the high school ranks, as he can score from anywhere on the court despite being the focus of every defense he faces. At 6-3, 180 pounds, Newman is more of a combo guard than anything else, but he does flash some characteristics of a lead guard. He has progressively developed a willingness to set up his teammates and get them involved. Defensively, Newman needs to stay engaged when his man doesn't have the ball, but he is still young enough to correct those shortcomings. Make no mistake, you should be hearing Newman's name down the road, and his stint on this imaginary college-all star team should be a great learning experience for him.
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