The Re-Definition of the Point Guard Position

Oscar Robertson was a freak of nature before the phrase was even coined. He was a 6'5", 205-pound monster who terrorized the NBA with a combination of size, skill, and will that was truly only rivaled by the giants of the game at the time, centers Bill Russell and Wilt Chamberlain, among others.

Alas, the Big O was a point guard. He was not a lumbering pile of limbs like the centers of those times, whose games revolved around being as close to the basket as possible upon receiving the ball, then using their towering height to gain an advantage in tossing the ball over the man guarding him and into the hoop. No, sir, Oscar's game did not resemble that one bit, though he did hold an advantage of his own. Oscar Robertson was the very first "jumbo point guard" (as I like to call it) in an era where the smallest person on the roster was a team's point guard, and the unfortunate receiver of Robertson as his matchup. Imagine the luxury Robertson had of going up against the likes of Bob Cousy (6'1", 175 lbs), Lenny Wilkens (6'1", 180 lbs), and Jerry West (6'2", 175 lbs) on a nightly basis, and those were the best PG's in the league, too. Against all the others, Robertson's dominance would only be that much easier to impose on his opponent.

This is not meant to take anything away from Oscar Robertson. Robertson is an all-timer no matter what the size of his peers were. Also, I am not suggesting that Robertson was the only big point guard in the league during the entire duration of his career. 6 years after Robertson's rookie year, the 6'4" Walt "Clyde" Frazier made his debut and proceeded to take the league by storm as the leader of the famous early-70's New York Knicks.

Simply put, Oscar Robertson was the first player to bring the ball up the court every possession and be his team's best option to score, shoot, and distribute, all while being bigger and taller than anyone else at his position. He was an anomaly, a once-in-a-generation force that took basketball as we knew it in the 1960's and changed it forever. Above all else, including his unfathomable triple-double season, a season which also featured Wilt's 100 point game, Oscar Robertson re-defined the point guard position and paved the way for the unconventional yet remarkable players we have playing the position today.

As any basketball fan knows, Magic Johnson came along in 1980 and took Oscar's game to an entirely different level. Standing 6'9" and possessing all the flair and dynamic ability of Maravich, Cousy, and other smaller guards, Magic was the ultimate showman. Different than the Big O in terms of playing style, but cut from the same cloth as point guards not defined by their size.

Magic, for the purpose of this exercise, was but a piece of the puzzle. He made a contribution toward the larger goal of the complete, modern-day point guard. Penny Hardaway, though only for a very limited amount of time, added on to that model in the 90's with his exceptional athleticism and ability to play multiple styles and blend well with the talent around him.

It wasn't until 2003, however, that the manifestation of all these traits were put together in one player. I think you can guess where I'm going here: LeBron James entered the NBA to fulfill his destiny as the ultimate ball-handler who can score just as easily as he can distribute. In other words, the most complete point guard in NBA history.

No, this isn't another LeBron dick-ride blog post that you can probably find anywhere on the Internet. That being said, he doesn't receive all the attention that he does for no reason. LeBron, standing 6'8" and 250+ lbs, while also possessing elite court vision, an innate feel for finding the open man, an improved jumper, and the best ability to finish around the rim that I have ever seen, is the embodiment of the perfect modern NBA point guard. He is not a small forward as 2K might tell you. Watch a Cavaliers game and it should be apparent by the end of the first quarter that the role LeBron plays in the Cavs' offense would check off every duty of your typical 6'2" point guard. Conversely, Kyrie Irving, who, when healthy and with more experience, is possibly the better Robin to LeBron's Batman than Dwyane Wade ever could be, may be listed as a point guard by any website or video game, but you watch his game and he plays awfully similar to some insane cross between Jamal Crawford, Monta Ellis, and a touch of Ray Allen. The commonality between the three players I just listed: they are all universally agreed upon as shooting guards. Kyrie Irving is a shooting guard. Just because he isn't 6'6" that doesn't make him anything else but a SHOOTING guard.

I suppose this dedication to labeling these players as a certain position may seem slightly pointless to some, especially Jalen Rose, who claims "positions were created so a novice can follow the game." This may be true, but since we do have positions, why not get them right?

Another example of a misidentified player is MVP runner-up James Harden, who is incorrectly referred to as a shooting guard. The Beard brings the ball up virtually every time for the Rockets (except for the always-entertaining Josh Smith trials at PG that we've seen lately) and is their leading assist man. Harden initiates all the Rockets' sets, and is the foul-drawing engine to the Rockets' 3-point driven offense. The Rockets may start the shorter Jason Terry (or Patrick Beverly when he's healthy) alongside Harden in the backcourt, but that does not change the fact that Harden is the primary, secondary, and tertiary ball handler and playmaker of the Houston Rockets.

Since I've already touched on the point guards of two of the four remaining teams in these playoffs, it's only right that next up in this discussion is none other than the man who beat out Harden for this season's MVP, the current phenomenon known as Steph Curry. A man of many nicknames, Chef Curry with the Pot is unlike LeBron and Harden in that mostly everyone considers him a point guard. So why even bring up this Brother of Splashes then? I'm glad you asked. I am prone to overstatements, so keep that in mind when I say that I believe Steph Curry is the greatest shooter in the history of the sport of basketball. Move aside Ray Allen, Reggie Miller, and Drazen Petrovic, Curry has chucked his way past all of them. Whether it's off-the-dribble, catch-and-shoot in the corner, or curling off a screen, Curry makes every single shot he takes look like he's taking wide-open jumpers in the gym. Even when he's forced to contort his perfectly sculpted shooting stroke because there's actual defense being played that he must account for, he still manages to find a way to put the ball through the hoop. No point guard in the history of the NBA has been as prolific a shooter as Curry in every facet of the art of the jump shot. Not Steve Nash, not Pete Maravich, not Chris Paul. Those legendary point guards do share a skill with Curry, though: the ability to drop a jaw-dropping dime whenever they feel like it. Curry only recently added this to his arsenal in-game, which likely contributed to his takeover as the sport's most popular player among the youngest generation of fans. Curry, like Maravich and Magic before him, is a showman who is always aware of what the fans want, and how to deliver (by the way, I highly recommend watching that video I linked to of Maravich if you're not familiar with his game. I find his highlight reels more entertaining than anyone else).

Finally, Jeff Teague deserves a mention as the point guard of the soon-to-be-runner-up Eastern Conference champion Atlanta Hawks, right? Well, kinda. You see, Teague represents the new age of point guards that have come up over the past couple of years and will continue to thrive in today's NBA. Teague's ultra-agressive attacking mentality combined with a decent shooting stroke (34% 3-pt) is what most teams are looking for in their floor generals, as opposed to the traditional, less athletic, pass-first point guards that formerly were found throughout the league. Guys like Damian Lillard, Ty Lawson, Mike Conley, and Kyle Lowry probably make up the bottom of any Top 10 Point Guard list you might have with your friends, as their skill sets are highly coveted by NBA GMs who are aware that finding the next Curry, Harden, or even Chris Paul or Russell Westbrook (who deserves his own category) is a fool's errand.

So the Teague-type point guard is just one that is taking over the league. The other? The freakishly-athletic, super-sized point guard that is also taking the NBA by storm. The value of these guys are absolutely skyrocketing league-wide. Why else do you think the Bucks were so comfortable with trading away Brandon Knight? Because they adore the length, athleticism, and raw ability that Michael Carter-Williams brings to the table, despite his clear inability to shoot with any proficiency and a troubling propensity to turn the ball over. Other examples of these kinds of point guards are John Wall, Elfrid Payton, Marcus Smart (kinda), and Emmanuel Mudiay, who will be a top 10 pick in the upcoming draft. Their games breed excitement above all else, with efficiency and selflessness occasionally taking a back seat. The best example of one of these players "putting it all together" is of course Wall, who was also a mega-prospect coming out of high school and college. He was always expected to be a star, though that doesn't make his progression over the past 2-3 years any less impressive.

The state of the point guard position is undoubtedly the brightest of any other position in the league. Klay Thompson and Jimmy Butler are holding down the shooting guard fort as Kobe enters what could very well be his final season, while other SG's fail to take the next step like Klay and Butler have, for various reasons. Players such as Demar Derozan (poor shot selection and lack of a reliable 3-point shot), Wesley Matthews (a truly unfortunate injury), and Lance Stephenson (who the hell knows) will hopefully turn their fortunes around sooner than later.

Small forward is murky as well, especially with the league preferring complimentary, "3-and-D"-type SF's to ball-dominating ones. Guys like Demarre Carroll, Khris Middleton, and Trevor Ariza will never be known as stars, yet they are the exact kind of players that are attracting the most attention at the position from teams around the league. Obviously, Kevin Durant will never go away, Kawhi Leonard is the reigning Defensive Player of the Year, Carmelo Anthony is an elite scorer when healthy, and Paul George will likely regain his All-NBA form, but don't expect the small forward position to surpass the point in terms of star power any time soon.

Power forwards are an interesting bunch. Anthony Davis is the crown jewel PF right now, while Lamarcus Aldridge and Blake Griffin are right there as well. Davis is basically everything I said about LeBron as a ball-handler, but applied to every skill you want out of a big man. Aldridge is the ultimate stretch-4, while Griffin is the league's premier athlete at the position, along with other interesting, and improving, abilities. All the non-stars at the power forward position are expected to consistenly knock down a 15-17 foot jumper, rebound effectively, and provide steady defense. The best example of this is Serge Ibaka, who is the consummate third banana and complement to two scorers such as Westbrook and Durant. Ibaka is the model for all role-playing power forwards entering the league, though very few will possess the natural athleticism that Ibaka has been blessed with.

Finally we get to centers. The slower, bulkier, back-to-the-basket low post scoring center is as obsolete as ever, as only Brook Lopez and Al Jefferson really succeed in that role. Maybe it's not a surprise that their teams don't, though, as the league has clearly gone away from building a team around that kind of center. The big man model created by Tyson Chandler and perfected by Deandre Jordan is now ruling the NBA, as guys like Rudy Gobert, Andre Drummond, and others are much more agile and fit better in the pace-and-space offenses. Marc Gasol and Demarcus Cousins are likely the best centers in the game today, and that is mostly a result of their versatile, efficient styles of play. Unfortunately for all the old-school NBA fans, centers have lost more importance and influence in the game than any other position by a significant margin.

This brings us back to the point guard position, as most NBA discussions do. They lead their offenses, collect the best stats, and generally draw the most headlines. There are more stars playing point guard than at any other position, and this is not an accident either. Offenses in today's NBA revolve around the ball-handler's ability to be a threat to shoot from anywhere, drive to the hoop and score, or find the open man. These are essentially the three most important skills a basketball player can possess, so it's only natural that a team's featured player is going to be its point guard.

You won't see any complaints out of me about this, as guard-driven basketball is extremely entertaining, as evidenced by the NBA's ever-increasing popularity and league wide revenue. The NBA's new TV deal for 2016 is a clear indication that people love watching basketball in 2015, and the way the game is currently played is unsurprisingly a large reason why. It seems like the league will continue to grow as the point guard position grows, both in terms of talent and importance. If the past couple years are any indication, it's a safe bet that the NBA will continue to be a booming business for years to come.

Noah's Archetype

In the suburban swampland known as West Nyack, NY, a superstar-to-be graced a stage and spread his word to a congregation of people who flocked to this particular venue to assess the enigma for themselves. He emerged from the side of the stage, sporting a look that would make Cal Naughton Jr. proud, and a bright grin large enough to disarm even the most hostile audience member. He would open his mouth, and immediately the exotic South African accent he bears is evident to all in the theater. A South African flag is boldly elevated into the comedian's view off to my left. He notices, and responds to it how any native South African comedian who sees a bunch of likely Americans attention-whoring via national flag-waving: by jokingly chastising the assumed posers through the use of a friendly weirded-out routine. 

30 seconds into his set, Trevor Noah was already being put on the spot. His response had to be polite, funny, and politically correct all at the same time. Unfortunately for the dissenters, he was ready. Maybe not for this particular instance, but Noah seemed prepared for any challenge that could be thrown his way. After all, despite already being named to the position, the heir to the Daily Show throne had to go out on that stage, and all subsequent stages he'd be performing on until he takes his spot behind The Desk, and prove he deserves his job.

Social media has truly changed how opinions of people and events are formulated. I'm not disclosing anything revolutionary here, but it deserves to be reiterated. The insta-reaction world we live in discourages well-thought-out reactions to breaking news, whether it's a relatively trivial story, or if it's something that captures the attention of the nation, or the world for that matter. Ideas and opinions formed instantly don't contain the proper deliberation and context needed to properly address the latest media fodder.

As a result of the hot-take culture, the news of South African comedian Trevor Noah being named the successor to Jon Stewart as host of the satirical news program "The Daily Show" was met with wide-ranging, and mostly disapproving, fanfare. Off-hand remarks he made over 3 years ago on Twitter were instantly dissected and judged as sexist and anti-Semitic. Outrage over his selection only continued to build as negative reactions piled up. Before he even delivered his first punchline as anchor, Noah was somehow already a colossal failure as host of The Daily Show.

Those familiar with his work, like myself, were probably feeling a mix of elation that "our guy" has been rewarded for his relatively unnoticed talent, and surprise that he was actually chosen to deliver jokes about politicians, television personalities, and the other highfalutin figures of our society.

The reason I, for one, was fairly surprised that Noah was chosen was because the stand-up special of his that I watched, plus any other information I gathered on him, did not necessarily lead me to believe that he was a "Daily Show" kind of dude. He certainly was way off the radar of the various writers at different news outlets who were trying their respective hands at predicting Comedy Central's pick. SNL titans Tina Fey and Amy Poehler, while acknowledged by most to be unlikely choices, were quickly mentioned as logical fits. Others such as former Daily Show correspondent Jason Jones, as well as comedians Amy Schumer and Hannibal Burress, were also tossed around as possible selections. One-time stand-in host and unspoken host-in-waiting John Oliver is currently slaying the late-night satirical news game over at HBO on his show Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, so he wasn't going to be making any type of shocking return. Yet with all the names floating around the Internet, nowhere was there a writer putting in his 500 words to make the case for some light-skinned South African with the biblical name to be the next person making fun of everything Fox News says every Monday-Thursday.

Despite everything I just said, I eventually settled on a sense of excitement and satisfaction over Comedy Central's appointment of Noah. Unbeknownst to me at the time I first heard of the news, Noah actually had made 3 appearances as a correspondent on The Daily Show (my level of interest in the show has varied from casual to dedicated multiple times over the past couple years, but naturally the semi-shocking news of Stewart's retirement was going to get me fully invested again). 

Anyway, once I found out about this, I immediately went to watch them for myself, and the result was nothing but the reaffirmation of my previous thoughts. He was surprisingly, more so than his naming to the position, a natural. Albeit in a different role, Noah hit virtually every beat that veterans like the afore-mentioned Oliver and Jones, as well as others like Samantha Bee, Aasif Mandvi, and going way back, Stephen Colbert and Steve Carrell would hit. He was charming and hilarious in the same way he was in his stand-up act, yet he was able to transition it into more political material.

As I've been hinting at, his stand-up doesn't exactly lend itself to the brand of humor that The Daily Show typically employs. Noah's schtick early in his career as a comic was his desire to be black, as in "American black." This bit, along with his other muses on American society from his South African point of view, struck a chord with me immediately. I was enthralled by his ability to blend cultural critiques with smart, funny punchlines. Thinking back on it now, I'm not so sure why I was so blindsided by his promotion, as the previous sentence is a basic yet crucial skill in being a competent Daily Show host.

The announcement was made on March 30. Trevor Noah was performing at Levity Live comedy club in the Palisades Mall during the weekend of April 17-18. My dad, who happened to be a Noah fan despite me never recommending Noah to him, had the Saturday show marked as something he'd like to attend since it was released on the venue's website. He was able to secure tickets for the two of us prior to him being named host, so our excitement for the show was only heightened when we found out.

Upon arriving at the comedy club, there was a palpable buzz among the other people waiting outside. Everyone knew that we were very fortunate to be able to see such a (future) influential comedy figure in a suburban mall. I have no idea how many people there purchased their tickets solely off the name recognition from the news headlines, but I'm sure every single person there, true fan or not, was chomping at the bit to decide for themselves whether or not his prestigious career jump was warranted.

Quick note: Noah's opening act, current Daily Show writer and contributor Hasan Minhaj, was pretty damn hilarious in his own right. Minhaj, an seemingly first or second-generation Indian-American, had some truly great bits about how he is perceived as a divine entity whenever he returns to his family's hometown in India, including one joke where he introduces a cousin of his, ignorant to the fine pleasures of American sweets and, as a result, longing only for Hershey's chocolate, to nougat. Minhaj's delivery of the cousin's reaction (nougat? nougat! NOUGAAAAAAAAATTTTTTT!!!!!!) incited an explosion of laughter from the crowd. Be on the lookout for him as a rising star on the "Best F#@king News Team Ever" (the moniker for the collection of Daily Show correspondents).

Returning to the subject of this post, Trevor Noah's act was absolutely nothing like the hour special that endeared me to his comedy originally. That's not to say it was bad; in fact, I thought he was exceptional. I was LOL-ing the whole time, and by the end, I was convinced I could've sat and watched him perform for at least another hour, if not more. 

The overall quality of his show isn't what stuck out to me however. Instead, it was the topics he touched upon in his jokes. The overarching theme of his content signaled, at least in my mind, a comedian who was hyper-aware of the precarious situation his recent career move has placed him in. Obviously, I don't know whether or not he altered his set at all following his promotion, but one would have to assume he did after watching him that night.

The most prominent jokes he told involved white cop/black man interactions, ebola, and the ever-present threat of terrorism, which branched out into two separate ideas: the practice of profiling Middle Eastern people on airplanes and the Charlie Hedbo shooting. In the order that I listed these topics is the order in which the crowd's comfortability level went, in descending fashion. 

Police/black male relations have never been a more pressing issue than it has been in the past year, or at least since the aftermath of the Rodney King beating. Noah's willingness to share his experiences as a black man who is not entirely proficient in how he is supposed to act when pulled over was not line-crossing whatsoever. Like virtually all his jokes that night, they killed. With him hailing from Africa, ebola jokes were bound to come, and those were very solid as well. No problem there, but the hint of "Look at how I am opining about prominent societal issues in America" was certainly getting stronger.

(By the way, I'm not even bothering to paraphrase any jokes simply because I know they won't come off very funny as just words and out of context. Sorry, but it's for your own good. I don't want to make him seem not funny when I'm attempting to preach the opposite).

As he transitioned into the Charlie stuff, I began wondering how he was going to pull it off. The crowd seemed to mirror my sentiments, as early jokes were receiving very cautious laughter. He eventually settled into a nice rhythm, and as a good comedian will do, Noah eased the crowd and assured them that it's OK to laugh at the slightly controversial things he's saying.

Finally, the Middle East/airplane bit was pure gold. Noah revealed his secret for maximum confidence in not being the victim of a terrorist attack on your particular flight: Fly on a Middle Eastern airlines, such as Fly Emirates or Etihad Airways. Actually a pretty sound strategy right? He then went into a hilarious demonstration of how a non-terrorist Middle Eastern man would berate a terrorist into disarming himself by asserting, "We already know how great Allah is, there's no reason for you to blow this plane up to prove that." Yes, I'm aware I just tried re-creating a joke he told, which I said I wasn't going to do. To that, I respond with this.

I'm digressing. Also, I'm dragging this post on longer than it has to be. I generally don't like constructing non-organic endings to my writing, but to conclude my observations from my experience watching Trevor Noah perform stand-up under the specter of living up to the title "next host of The Daily Show", I'd just like to say that I was fascinated by the deliberateness of the Daily Show-ness of his jokes, almost like he was auditioning for a job he already had. More than anything, I hope everyone else in the audience that night came away as convinced as I was that he is the right man for the position, and that others can come around on him as well. He is an immense talent, and his best work is yet to come.

Thank you for hopefully reading every word up to this point. I will reward you by ending this post with a personal favorite moment from Jon Stewart on The Daily Show, a genius triple-edged slamming of not only Brian Williams and his recent exaggeration scandal, but also of the media's coverage of the  situation as well as its decade-long coverage of the Iraqi War. Some have noted that Stewart's performance has slipped in recent months, but he sure did bring his A-game for this one. Enjoy

A Public Service Announcement to the Few 10 AM'ers Still Out There

I really had no idea what I was doing when I started this blog. No knowledge of HTML or web design. No clue how I was going to be able to produce interesting content (for me to write and for you to read) each week. No concrete plan for how I was going to make my little ol' blog different or better than the thousands of sports and pop culture blogs out there. I was scared I didn't possess the talent and creativity required to convince people to read my words. I still am.

It's truly an interesting concept upon further thought. With every post I publish on here, I'm really just  casting out my line, hoping a fish or two will look at my bait and decide "That's my kind of bait." Since I don't fish at all I probably mangled that analogy, but the point (hopefully) is clear: I'm tasked with stimulating your mind enough that your brain will seek to continue to attain the source of the stimulation. I may be making this all seem more complicated than it is, but that's my thing. I overthink, I exaggerate, I make every trivial subject out to be the Cuban Missile Crisis in my head. This level of over-introspection and extreme self-awareness constantly leads me to deter myself from acting off instinct.

I started this blog because I have a passion for writing about, well, what I'm passionate about. That would be sports, music, maybe some TV shows and movies, and anything else I'm oddly interested in, like how my friends' gridiron abilities would be quantified in terms of Madden ratings. My passion for putting my thoughts into words extends to songwriting, a hobby that, despite genuine compliments I receive from people, I consistently self-sabotage because I put in my head that I'm not writing anything close to the poetry I'm hearing in my headphones.

My other cherished hobby, poker, may soon fall victim to that very fate, if that's even possible. Lately I've been watching A LOT of professional poker, and who knows, perhaps soon I won't even want to play with my friends any more because I'm not making reads as proficiently as Daniel Negreanu or Phil Hellmuth, or because I don't have the stones to make a bold pre-flop raise out of position like Tom Dwan. I will never even begin to ever attempt to live up to the gold standards those guys set in the game of poker, but if the thought ever creeps into my head, it can invade and conquer like 16th century Spain in Latin America.

What I'm really getting at is that I'm fully aware that I haven't posted anything since Selection Sunday, about 5 weeks ago. I think about it every day. It weighs on me like a digital pile of cinderblocks.

I easily could've whipped up a post about Duke's incredible run to a championship, but Mark Titus of Grantland said everything that could've been said, and he did it way better than I could've.

I could've written a post about the NBA MVP race (which I finally settled on Curry as my pick after months of being on #TeamBeard), but that was everyone's favorite topic to discuss and analyze. I decided there was no fresh take I could've provided.

I even could've wrote up something on the McDonald's All-American game, the pinnacle of high school basketball All-star games. I mean, recruiting is my thing in the world of sports. None of my friends rival my knowledge in that area, and I rarely even see college basketball and NBA writers delve into recruiting past a one-sentence mention. Yet, I didn't even watch the damn thing. I barely even perused the highlights.

So, what's my problem? Why can't I simply write? Well, at every turn, I doubt myself. I doubt the words that I type into my laptop, and I doubt that more than maybe 10 people are actually reading all of them. That last part is likely true. I've finally come to a point where I've accepted that. I'd be crazy to expect each of my blog posts to garner triple-digit unique readers who read and appreciate everything I write in my first 9 months of the site's launch. That's just not realistic.

Why even post anything if I'm not receiving any type of recognition for it, even if I enjoy writing most of them? That was my mindset, a toxic one to say the least. I retreated into a self-imposed exile all over the pessimistic and cowardly thoughts that rattled around in my head. An uptick in school work also contributed to my extended hiatus, but in no way am I passing that off as an acceptable excuse.

Just today, I was reading Bill Simmons' latest column, a rarity in these days. Now that's a guy with legitimate excuses to slack off in his writing. He's got an entire multi-platform website to run, along with an award-winning documentary series to executive-produce. If it sounds like I'm being sarcastic, I am most certainly not. I have idolized Mr. Simmons, along with a couple of the talented writers that he has hired, for years now. His personable writing style and willingness to address less-publicized topics in an entertaining and relatable way has captivated me from the very first column of his that I read.

I've always wondered how he developed his style, and how he reached the enviable, and well-deserved, perch he now sits on. I never sought his life story, because any magazine feature or Wikipedia entry likely wouldn't given me the proper gratification. Imagine how pleasantly surprised I was when, while reading Simmons' mailbag today, came across a link in the middle of it to a B.S. Report podcast he held 3 weeks ago in which he takes 40 minutes to detail his journey from wide-eyed college graduate to rising star in the ESPN machine.

At first glance, more than anything, I was stunned that I didn't see this when it originally went up on Grantland. I keep a firm look-out for new Simmons content, and I don't know how this one got past me. Anyway, I immediately listened to it, of course, and honestly, it may end up changing my life. At least I truly, truly hope it does. Simmons painstakingly described each professional phase of his life post-graudation. From Boston Herald lackey to part-time bartender to AOL upstart to ESPN's "Page 2", Simmons opened himself up completely to his loyal listeners in a truly admirable gesture from him to aspiring sports writers, or any young person who is struggling over whether to continue the pursuit of his/her dream or "give up" and settle for a less fulfilling occupation.

I swear I'm not an impressionable person. I don't really get inspired unless I come into contact with something I undeniably connect with on a extraordinary level. The overwhelming optimism and hope for a purely love-and-passion-filled life of J. Cole's 2014 Forest Hills Drive probably only rates like a 7 out of 10 on the scale that I just created that determines how inspired I get by something. Childish Gambino's astounding world creation/critique on modern human interaction otherwise known as Because the Internet generated a comparable level of inspiration.

In terms of resonating with the specific struggles I am currently dealing with pertaining to my future career, Simmons' 40-minute reminiscing session had an unparalleled effect on my psyche. His detailing of how he came to acquire each job was compelling, sure, but his final advice is what stuck with me the most:

"There's really no way to help anybody. There's no magic sentence to tell somebody. Really it comes down to 'Are you willing to outwork everybody else? Are you willing to do whatever it takes to get a chance? And if you get that chance, how hard are you gonna work once you get it?'"

I've always known this to be true. It's a quite generic and oft-repeated set of rhetorical questions that can be applied to almost any field. Yet, I heard them coming from one of my largest writing influences, the man who brought my absolute favorite website/sports and pop culture content provider into existence. Something just kinda went off inside me. Something long repressed and nearly forgotten.

Drive. Ambition. Fire. True Fucking PASSION.

In my twisted logic, I generally assumed that with a really good GPA, a degree from Temple University, and the writing talent that I know I have but don't often showcase, I'll land a job writing for Grantland, or a similar publication, within a couple years of graduation.

"Yeah, I know I won't get it right out of college. But I'll get there soon enough. What could stop me?"

Myself, that's what. I never really possessed the right work ethic. I'm lazy, I'm a know-it-all, I'm apprehensive and prone to second-guessing. I may never overcome any of those deficiencies.

After hearing Simmons' advice, though, I realized that I can still make something of myself. Through all my difficulties, I've surprisingly never lost confidence in my ability to write. Sure, I'm not good enough at this very moment to start working for Grantland or a newspaper or anywhere really, but I have a knack for this that is readily apparent in the projects that I pour my heart into. I'm going to continue to improve and hone my skills, because that's what any other 18-year-old would do.

From now on, however, I'm going to work harder than any other 18-year-old, though. There's no way to quantify this (which is something I'm going to have to repeatedly remind myself), so basically it's all on me. I'm up for the challenge, because there's no one I'd rather bet on than myself.

This doesn't necessarily mean I'm going to start posting every day, or spend every hour of free time I have working on my blog. I'm still going to enjoy my hobbies, like songwriting and poker, as well as watch all the sports, TV shows, and movies I usually do. However, I believe that I'm finally ready and willing to put in the work necessary to reach the professional success I envision for myself.

Regular blog posts will resume starting tomorrow, with a post about my recent experience at a Trevor Noah (the next host of The Daily Show) stand-up show and how he used his act to retroactively audition for the job he already has. That may have sounded confusing, so be sure to read the post to gain clarification.

But for right now, I'm going to watch my Yankees hopefully end the Mets' 11-game winning streak, because I'm an 18-year-old kid who enjoys sports more than almost anything in this world. Just don't say I don't work hard enough from now on simply because I decided to watch sports rather than write about them.

To the few 10 AM'ers I may have, thanks for reading. You guys are the real MVP.

College Basketball Notebook: IT'S TOURNEY TIME MOTHERF*****S

You may think that March Madness derives its name from the frenetic first weekend of the NCAA Tournament, where 48 games are played in a 96-hour period. In other words, a game every 2 hours. That certainly qualifies as madness.

Perhaps the name comes from the actual intensity of the games, especially as teams get closer to the Final Four. Everyone elevates their game to a different level as they begin to feel a trip to the Final Four is within their grips. This makes for some incredible, even unpredictable, basketball. Certainly seems like a source of "madness" to me.

Well, those two theories would be wrong. The real reason we refer to the NCAA Tournament as "March Madness" is because this time of the year drives me absolutely insane. It's like my brain can't handle this much competitive basketball in such a short period of time. Throw in the fact that I'm wagering money on my ability to predict all these games, and I'm basically transported to another world from the middle of March to the end of the first week of April.

Conventional wisdom says that when you've got a whole bunch of crazy being shacked up inside of you, the best course is to tread lightly, er, I mean let it out. Sorry about that, I couldn't help myself. Anyway, I'm doing everyone reading this a favor by expunging myself of all my college basketball-related craziness. You're getting picks, sleepers, upsets, biased opinions, and maybe even some bad jokes if you're lucky. So basically, it's like any other post, just with less eloquent writing and more basketball jargon than you can keep up with. Sounds like a great time to me.

I'm beginning writing this about 30 minutes after the entirety of the bracket was unveiled, so the opinions and picks I have here could very possibly change by the time I lock them in as my official selections come Thursday. That being said, I consider myself as a gut-feeling type of guy, so my initial thoughts and reactions to each matchup are the ones I typically stick with. Also, I will only be breaking down the first round. After that, you're on your own. One more thing, for the most part, my opinions won't be supported by much stats. You're just going to have to take a leap of faith and believe me when I say that I watch a good deal of college basketball, and any decent game I'm not watching I'm still checking box scores and recaps. I know my stuff, even if I may not prove it with numbers and thorough research.

Without further ado, here is the most comprehensive, yet completely impromptu, NCAA Tournament guide you will be reading this week:

Midwest Region

1 Kentucky vs. 16 Manhattan/Hampton

Kentucky fans, or people who are simply on the fence about whether or not they should pick UK to win it all, will be disappointed to see that I won't go into detail about why I think Kentucky will win. This is a cakewalk for the Wildcats, and you're likely going to get this type of spiel for every 1-16 and 2-15 matchup.

The Pick: Kentucky

8 Cincinnati vs. 9 Purdue

Bearcats vs. Boilermakers - quick sidebar: anyone know what a Boilermaker is by the way? The Purdue logo shows a train, but that just seems misleading, like how the mascot of North Rockland High School (my alma mater) is a panther, yet they are called the "Red Raiders". Shout out to NoRock for being the best at confusing the shit out of everyone. Back to the matchup, Cincy is one of many offensively challenged yet defensively stout teams that are in the tourney, in fact that description can pretty much be applied to the majority of teams in college basketball today. Anyway, lone true big man Octavius Ellis should have his hands full with Purdue C A.J. Hammonds, a former top 100 recruit who is a load to handle on the block, as well as an extremely intimidating force on defense (averaged 3 blocks per game over the past two seasons). On the perimeter, both teams lack explosive scorers and knock-down shooters, so most likely this game will be won or lost at the free throw line, where Purdue holds a narrow edge in team percentage. This, along with my feeling that Hammonds outplays Ellis, is the reason I am currently leaning towards Purdue.

The Pick: Purdue

5 West Virgina vs. 12 Buffalo

One member of the CBS crew (I forget if it was Seth Davis or Doug Gottlieb) was showing some major Buffalo love as they were reviewing this region. As much as I do respect both those gentlemen's opinions, West Virginia's full court press will be too much for Buffalo to handle. In addition, Juwan Staten should be healthy enough to penetrate and get into the lane at will, while Devin Williams controls the glass down low. The Bisons, coached by Duke legend Bobby Hurley, do boast a very solid big man in Justin Moss, but I just don't see him being able to "get his" against a rough-and-tumble Mountaineer front line.

The Pick: WVU

4 Maryland vs. 13 Valparaiso

In their first year in the Big Ten, the Terrapins had their most successful season since the days of Greivis Vasquez, and its due in large part to the fact that this team doesn't rely on one player like the Vasquez squads did. The trio of Dez Wells, Melo Trimble, and Jake Layman, in addition to Evan Smotrcyz off the bench, leads a balanced Maryland attack where anyone one of those first three names can lead the team in scoring in any given game. Trimble, a true freshman, has been exceptional this season, just a notch below fellow superstar Big 10 freshman, D'Angelo Russell. This type of talent will be just too overwhelming for the Valpo Crusaders.

The Pick: Maryland

6 Butler vs. 11 Texas

Uh-oh. All those who know me or have read my previous college basketball post know that I am a Texas Longhorns fan, so there's a slight possibility of some bias coming up. However, I like to think that I'm a detached, objective college bask-...who am I kidding? I'm going Texas here because I still believe in my Horns. As recently as about a week ago (WEEK AGO), I likely would have automatically picked against Texas based on how badly they were playing throughout the Big 12 schedule. Funny thing happened though, they looked really good their last 3 games, even in the horror that was the Iowa State collapse. Texas still possesses the talent to make a legitimate run, so I'm going to stick with my boys. Butler is no easy matchup however. Kellen Dunham easily makes the 2014-2015 NCAA White Guy All-Star team, and Roosevelt Jones is a tough, versatile guard/forward type who makes plays in a variety of ways. Dunham's shooting is certainly going to give Texas trouble, but the Bulldogs simply can't match up with the plethora of Horns' big men. Hook 'em

The Pick: Texas \m/

3 Notre Dame vs. 14 Northeastern

Much to my father's chagrin, the Irish might hang 100 on Northeastern, as ND is most likely the best shooting team in the nation. Pat Connaughton, Demetrius Jackson, and, most importantly, Jerian Grant are high-impact players who put the ball in the basket at a high clip. Grant is the centerpiece of the team though. If he catches fire a la Shabazz Napier last year, the Irish could be looking at a deep tourney run despite their complete lack of any real big men not named Zach Auguste.

The Pick: Notre Dame

7 Wichita State vs. 10 Indiana

An extremely intriguing matchup. Wichita lost its crown as top mid-major this season to the same team that dethroned the Shockers in their own conference, Northern Iowa (more on them later). Minus Garbage-time King of New York Cleanthony Early, Wichita carries over much of the same major contributors that led the team to the Final Four just two years ago. Fred Van Vleet, Ron Baker, and Tekele Cotton are an extremely formidable backcourt, and they certainly carry the load for the Shockers. The Hoosiers are back in the tourney after a one-year hiatus, and 3rd-best-freshman-guard-in-the-Big-10 James Blackmon Jr. has teamed with incumbent point guard Yogi Ferrell to make up a feisty tandem. Both shoot the ball well as well as get to the line. Ferrell is the X-factor here, if he can play a complete game with limited turnovers, Indiana stands a good chance. Personally, I'm not banking on this, which is why I'm going with the Shockers.

The Pick: Wichita State

2 Kansas vs. 15 New Mexico State

Even if the NCAA allowed former NMSU Aggie Sim Bhullar to suit up, Kansas would still roll over them. Despite being bounced early last year even with Andrew Wiggins, Kansas is a good bet to win a couple games this time around.

The Pick: Kansas

West Region

1 Wisconsin vs. 16 Coastal Carolina

National Player of the Year co-favorite Frank Kaminsky could probably sit this one out and the Badgers would still win by 20+. Wisconsin looks even scarier than they did last year. Watch out.

The Pick: Wisconsin

8 Oregon vs. 9 Oklahoma State

This just feels like the annual 8-9 matchup that look so easy to pick yet I always pick wrong. Oregon is the better team, led by Joseph Young, a highly efficient scorer/shooter, while Ok. St. seems to be over seeded as a 9, plus they haven't looked so great leading into the tournament. Yet I have this terrible feeling that the Cowboys will somehow get the W. Not enough for me to actually pick them, but enough for me to be completely unsurprised if the Ducks lay an egg come game time.

The Pick: Oregon

5 Arkansas vs. 12 Wofford

Wofford is likely to garner some attention as a possible upset here, and I do see the angle for that argument. That being said, I'm taking the Razorbacks. Bobby Portis is a future NBA power forward, and at the college game, he dominates the low post against any non-Kentucky big man he faces. Wofford has essentially no size, and the extra bodies they're going to be forced to throw at Portis will open up the floor for guys like Michael Qualls and Anthlon Bell to create shots for themselves. This ain't the Southern conference, Wofford. They just don't make 'em like Bobby Portis where you come from.

The Pick: Arkansas

4 North Carolina vs. 13 Harvard

Harvard lives for this. Last year, the Ivy League champs knocked off the 5-seed Cincinnati. The year before that they upset a New Mexico squad that, if I remember correctly, had slated to make it to the Elite Eight. If UNC hadn't impressed me as much as they have during the ACC tournament, I very well might have taken Harvard. But I am not, because Marcus Paige is one of those classic guards who carries his team during the tournament. Plus, complimentary guys such as Kennedy Meeks, Brice Johnson, and J.P. Tokoto seem to be finding their rhythm as well. Go Heels

The Pick: UNC

6 Xavier vs. 11 BYU/Ole Miss

Barring both BYU and Ole Miss looking terrible in their play-in game, I'm leaning toward taking the winner to top Xavier. In my opinion, Xavier is an overrated team that could possibly greatly struggle containing either BYU's Tyler Haws or the Ole Miss combo of Jarvis Summers and Stefan Moody. I'm hoping BYU beats Ole Miss so I'll feel more confident in this pick, but I could still see Ole Miss beating Xavier. I recommend waiting until after it is decided who Xavier's opponent will be to pick this matchup, but my feeling is that Xavier will not be able to defeat either prospective challenger.

The Pick: BYU (hopefully)/Ole Miss (begrudgingly)

3 Baylor vs. 14 Georgia State

Oh man I wish Georgia State could have been a 13 seed matched up with a weaker 4 seed like Louisville or Georgetown. I fully believe I would have pulled the trigger on the upset. R.J. Hunter and Ryan Harrow are the best backcourt you've never heard of, and they lead a high-scoring Georgia State offense that would give a lot of teams trouble. Alas, GSU got stuck with Baylor, so I'm stuck with picking the Bears. I can't lie, Baylor is playing some of its best ball right now despite losing in the semifinals of the Big 12 Tournament. Baylor has multiple wing players who can shoot the 3, a rock solid point guard in Kenny Chery, and the best rebounder in the country in Rico Gathers.

The Pick: Baylor

7 VCU vs. 10 Ohio State

The VCU Rams simply have not been the same since point guard/leader of the Havoc defense Briante Weber went down with a torn ACL. The team still has a bevy of talent, including Treveon Graham and Melvin Johnson, but without Weber their a lost team. Don't get me wrong, their wins over Davidson and Dayton en route to an A10 Championship made me reconsider writing them off, but I'm right back to thinking this is a one-and-done team solely because of the team they got matched up against. That's right, it's D'Angelo Russell time! OSU's do-it-all guard is perhaps the best scorer in the nation, is a willing passer, and possess the size, length, and quickness to guard multiple positions. He's a top 5 pick in the 2015 NBA Draft, but before that, I expect him to lead the Buckeyes to at least one NCAA Tournament win.

The Pick: Ohio State

2 Arizona vs. 15 Texas Southern

Texas Southern should consider it a win if they hit 50 points. Arizona, along with Kentucky and Virginia, fields perhaps the stingiest defense in the nation.

The Pick: Arizona

East Region

1 Villanova vs. 16 Lafayette

'Nova has 6 guys who can go off for 20 any game, and they all play very well together. Unselfish, efficient, and dominant. Wildcats look primed for a Final Four run.

The Pick: Villanova

8 NC State vs. 9 LSU

The alma mater of Nyquillus Dillwad, LSU, trots out two big men in Jordan Mickey and Jarrell Martin that are a hell of a duo to defend for any front court. NC State seems ill-prepared to handle these two, as BeeJay Anya, Abdul Malik-Abu, and Lennard Freeman lack the length and athleticism to corral the shot-swatting Mickey and the versatile Martin. Add in guards Tim Quarterman and Keith Hornsby, and you got an LSU squad that looks, to me, like an overqualified 9 seed. Anthony "Cat" Barber will keep it close for NC State, but he won't be enough to topple the Tigers.

The Pick: LSU

5 Northern Iowa vs. 12 Wyoming

You know how every year there seems to be that highly-seeded mid-major team that isn't as good as their record and hype? Well, Northern Iowa is not one of those teams. Of course, now that I framed UNI's introduction like that, Wyoming is going to upset them, but I'm going to try not to get too superstitious. Seth Tuttle should finish top 5 in National Player of the Year voting, as he is a punishing, yet skilled, forward who gets buckets whenever he wants. Wyoming needs a miracle to keep Tuttle from running rampant over their frontcourt.

The Pick: Northern Iowa

4 Louisville vs. 13 UC Irvine

UC Irvine has a 7'6" player on its roster named Mamadou N'diaye. He averages over 10 PPG, 5 RPG, and 1.7 BPG. Not mind-blowing numbers by any means, but...7'6" though. Just this fact should make you at least consider the Anteaters for the upset. Louisville is not as good as they usually are, and a better 13 seed probably could have pushed me to send the Cardinals home. Rick Pitino can still coax enough out of his team to pull out a W. I don't mess around with the ferocity of Montrezl Harrell, even if there is a 7'6" behemoth standing between him and the hoop.

The Pick: Louisville

6 Providence vs. 11 Boise State/Dayton

It doesn't matter who wins the play-in game, Providence is taking the "dub". Kris Dunn and LaDontae Henton are top-top-flight players who can ball against anyone. Boise has Derrick Marks, who is a very talented scorer in his own right, and Dayton's Jordan Sibert fills it up, as we saw last year when the Flyers made an Elite Eight run. Despite this, Providence is a team I like a lot and, frankly, you should too.

The Pick: Providence

3 Oklahoma vs. 14 Albany

Sorry, Albany. You got a great story about how you got into the tournament, and the guy who sent you there, but Oklahoma can Flat. Out. Ball. My pick for the Big 12's 3rd best team (a bigger honor than you may think) is led by Big 12 leading scorer Buddy Hield, who scared me more when Texas played him than any other player in the conference. Flanked by Jordan Woodard, Isaiah Cousins, Ryan Spangler, and Tashawn Thomas, the Sooners' starting 5 is stacked. This will be enough to roll over Albany. Oklahoma's lack of depth may hurt them in their next game, but that's for you to decide...

The Pick: Oklahoma

7 Michigan State vs. 10 Georgia

This matchup requires very little analysis, much less than the other 7-10's. Tom Izzo doesn't play around in March, and any team that can take Wisconsin to OT (even though they lost) is going to beat Georgia, who doesn't overly impress me in any one facet of the game. Sparty FTW

The Pick: Michigan State

2 Virginia vs. 15 Belmont

The Cavaliers (no, not those Cavaliers), coached by Tony Bennett (no, not that Tony Bennett), has the best scoring defense in Division I at 50.7 PPG against. Belmont has no chance.

The Pick: Virginia

South Region

1 Duke vs. 16 Robert Morris/North Florida

Duke will put up 100 on either team. Jahlil Okafor will be laughing at the opposing team's big men all the way to 25 points and 10 rebounds.

The Pick: Duke

8 San Diego State vs. 9 St. John's

Tough draw for the Red Storm. SDSU might prove to be just too damn tough on defense, and without Chris Obekpa holding down the paint for the Johnnies, I think San Diego State will be able to find easy looks around the rim, or at least easier looks than if Obekpa was there patrolling the middle. Winston Shepard is an athletic slasher that should lead the Aztecs to a win over St. John's, despite the Red Storm's two talented scoring guards, D'Angelo Harrison and Rysheed Jordan.

The Pick: SDSU

5 Utah vs. 12 Stephen F. Austin

My love for the Utes will likely be my bracket's downfall. I've yet to truly look at who Utah will be matched up against in the later rounds, but I like this team to go FAR. So obviously I have them beating SFA, though it might not be an easy win. The Lumberjacks went 29-4 this season while averaging 79.5 PPG, good for 9th in the nation. This is a talented team that will goad a decent percentage of people to pick them for the upset. Just not me.

The Pick: Utah

4 Georgetown vs. 13 Eastern Washington

Full disclosure, I have no idea about anything related to Eastern Washington. I didn't even know they won their conference. I'm hearing a couple "experts" on ESPN or CBS picking EWU over Georgetown, but more based off Georgetown's recent history of getting upset than EWU's ability to really beat them. For now, I'm going to side with the D'Vauntes Smith-Rivera and the Hoyas, but possibly, upon further research, this could be a pick that I change.

The Pick: Georgetown

6 SMU vs. 11 UCLA

The Bruins seem to have taken the title for "Most Controversial Team that made it into the Tournament", yet I can't help but think they got a real shot at defeating HOF coach Larry Brown and the Mustangs. Bryce Alford is a very good point guard, Kevon Looney is a future lottery pick, and upperclassmen like Norman Powell and Tony Parker are major contributors as well. They even have a Hamilton brother! That's gotta count for something. However, SMU is so defensively sound that at least half of the guys I just mentioned for UCLA are going to have off games. This all makes for a very difficult choice. With much hesitation, I'm going with SMU here, though, like the Ok. St.-Oregon game, I wouldn't be surprised if the team I did not pick ends up advancing.

3 Iowa State vs. 14 UAB

The Cyclones are going to rain 3's on UAB with precision that the Blazers are just not used to. Plus, Jameel McKay has been a true bruiser down low for Iowa State, which is something that they have lacked in previous years.

The Pick: Iowa State

7 Iowa vs. 10 Davidson

This looks to shape up as a highly entertaining game. Davidson's offense, led by Tyler Kalinoski, is very pleasant to watch, and Iowa's Aaron White can put the ball in the basket all over the floor, whether it's at the rim, from the outside, or at the free throw line. The difference may be in the big men, where White, Adam Woodbury, and Gabriel Olaseni form an imposing front line. Add in Jarred Uthoff, an sweet-shooting forward, and I'm just not sure if Davidson's big men will be able to hold their own. Likely high-scoring and close, but Iowa edges Davidson.

The Pick: Iowa

2 Gonzaga vs. 15 North Dakota State

The final game of the Round of 64. Gonzaga should have absolutely no problem in disposing of the Bison. Kyle Wiltjer, Kevin Pangos, Gary Bell Jr., Domantas Sabonis...the list goes on. The Zags are loaded with talented offensive players and are seeking to finally shed the label of "Most Disappointing Tourney Team".

The Pick: Gonzaga

If you're dying to find out who my Final Four/champion is, I'll tweet it out after I officially fill out my bracket. Twitter handle is @AMednick10, so be on the lookout for my picks. Thanks for reading, and good luck with your brackets!

An Exercise in Subjective Athletic Quantification

Every group of football-loving friends does it.

100% of the time it's highly divisive, never results in any consensus decisions, and can even lead to some semi-heated arguments that cause two people to have some beef for like 42 minutes. Each person is convinced that they're getting screwed over. Each person thinks that whenever someone proposes a number for themselves, it's way too high. It's entirely subjective, holds no tangible weight, and has no impact on each person's actual performance on the field.

I am, of course, talking about the remarkable process of a group of people attempting to assign football ratings to themselves, yes, just like the Madden video game, based on their performances during pickup football games. It's inevitable for a squad that plays football together frequently, also plays Madden, and enjoys arguing with one another over who's better at which aspect of the game.

Call me biased, but no other group of goons and sports junkies gets their blood pumping, their hearts racing, their fists ready, than my group of friends when it comes to a subject such as this one. We live for this. Half our conversations are pointless arguments that there is no correct answer to, yet everyone thinks their opinion is the only one that should exist. Throw in our abilities to run, throw, catch, tackle, etc. while we battle against each other each fall on the mystical fields of Stony Point Elementary School, and we're ready to Royal Rumble (By the way, the picture in that link is less of an exaggeration than you might think. On multiple occasions, members of our group have executed/have been the victim of an RKO).

Now, it's obviously only me behind the keyboard, therefore I hold all the power in deciding all my friends' attributes, right? Well, yeah mostly. Full disclosure, I was inspired to pen this post after seeing FiveThirtyEight's fascinating and thorough feature titled "How Madden Ratings Are Made". Contained in the article is EA Sports' systematic formula that they use to determine each virtual player's Overall rating. For a game that incorporates an endless amount of complex code and next-gen technology, the method of creating a player's OVR (Overall rating is now abbreviated OVR for the rest of the post) is relatively simple.

Short answer: the OVR is a weighted average of all the player's individual attributes. Naturally, players at different positions have different ratings weighted more than others. For example, a quarterback's Throw Power and Awareness will make up a total of 40% of his OVR just between those two ratings. Short, Mid, and Deep Accuracy (all relatively new ratings; Accuracy used to just be one attribute) then make up another 40%. The remaining 20% is determined by the player's Play Action ability, Speed, Agility, Throw On the Run, and Acceleration in descending numerical order.

As I mentioned earlier, my rankings will be "mostly" subjective. Every individual attribute assigned to each person will be determined solely by my observations from the football games we play. However, each person's OVR will be determined using EA's weighted average system...with a few differences. For one, I am not going to assign 47 attributes like Madden does. Secondly, we don't necessarily have positions in pickup football. There's a QB on each team, sure, but the rest of the offense is simply "receivers", and the defense is all "corners" or perhaps a safety.

As a result, I will weight the ratings that best exemplify the style that each person plays with. In other words, if a member of my group is known to be someone who relies on brute strength and power, ratings like Strength, Break Tackle (which I prefer to Trucking), Stiff Arm and Hit Power will be valued slightly more than other ratings. Conversely, a finesse player will see his Agility and Juke Move (No Spin Move; not a lot of those are actually executed in-game) abilities carry more weight. More technical players will have higher percentages for skills like Route Running and Release. Last but certainly not least, members of my group who primarily play off their athleticism will carry more weight from their Acceleration and Jumping.

Notice how I didn't include Speed anywhere. That's because Speed will weight equally for everyone since it is equally important to each person's game regardless of how they play. Other categories that will weight equally are Coverage (we only play man), Catching, Tackle, Awareness, and Stamina. These 5 categories, along with Speed, won't all have the same numerical value, but the weight each one carries will not change from person-to-person. A bit confusing? Perhaps, but hopefully you're following along.

A couple of notes before I finally get to assigning the ratings:

• All ratings are relative. For example, if someone has a 97 catching rating, that means that they likely have the best hands out of the people here. It does not mean that I think one of my friends is as good at catching footballs as, say, Larry Fitzgerald.
• You won't find any blocking ratings here. We have played maybe a total of 5 games involving offensive lines ever, and each person's ability to block is fairly irrelevant in usual games. On a similar token, defensive lineman skills like Power and Finesse Moves (pass-rushing ability) won't factor in either. Ditto for kicking ratings.
• Since we almost always play with no true running backs, Ball Carrier Vision will not be factored in. The field is pretty wide open in a standard 6-on-6, so if you can't see where you want to go with the ball, then I don't know if football is your sport. Carrying also won't be include simply because no one really fumbles often enough that they're especially known for carelessness with the ball.
• A Spectacular Catch rating will also not be included, as there really isn't too many "spectacular" catches made in all, much less by any one person, that would warrant any weight toward each person's OVR . Well, except for the legendary Matt Walsh, who was almost exclusively known for his crazy catches. Sadly, Walsh will not be included as a player in this post.
• I likely value Awareness more than others. Awareness in our brand of football is probably less expansive than in the NFL, though. Just to fully clarify, Awareness will be determined by a person's propensity to: read the QB's eyes in coverage, anticipate a pick or a double move, cut upfield instead of trying to turn the corner, etc.
• Vinny Greco exclusively plays QB in our games, therefore he will be graded out slightly different than everyone else, as throwing ratings will be incorporated. 2 others, Mike Santini and Kevin Hylas, play QB either some or most of the time, so they will be assigned an OVR for when they play QB, as well as a second OVR for when they play WR.
• Finally, to the subjects of this post: I will do my best to accurately reflect our respective athleticism/football acumen. That being said, I will "get some things wrong" in each of your eyes. It's just going to happen. I like to think that I actually do pay enough attention to how each person plays and what their strengths and weaknesses are to be able to construct these ratings. You will probably disagree, and that's OK.

At last, we have arrived at the point in the post that most people have likely skipped down to anyway. Here are my Madden ratings for each warrior that enters the gridiron alongside me each autumn Saturday:

Key:
AWR = Awareness, SPD = Speed, ACC = Acceleration, AGI = Agility, STR = Strength, STA = Stamina, JKM = Juke Move, SFA = Stiff Arm, BTK = Break Tackle, CTH = Catching, RTE = Route Running, RLS = Release, JMP = Jumping, TAK = Tackle, BSH = Block Shedding, POW = Hit Power, CVR = Coverage

Chris "Sauce" Apicella

Height/Weight:
6'1", 210 lbs

Play Style:
Power

Ratings:
AWR 80, SPD 81, ACC 84, AGI 82, STR 93, STA 84, JKM 75, SFA 85, BTK 82, CTH 88, RTE 84, RLS 84, JMP 85, TAK 87, BSH 89, POW 82, CVR 82, OVR 84

Bio:

Apicella's game revolves around his ability to outmuscle his opponent and use his height to gain an advantage. He may not flash any major wheels, but his long strides can allow him to get over the top of the defense, which, combined with his size, makes him a solid deep threat. Defensively, "Sauce" doesn't make many mistakes and is one of the more consistent tacklers in the group. Perhaps a better safety than pure corner, though his coverage skills should not be considered a liability.

Brandon Curtis

Height/Weight:
5'10", 165 lbs

Play Style:
Athletic

Ratings:

AWR 77, SPD 96, ACC 97, AGI 92, STR 83, STA 99, JKM 84, SFA 80, BTK 80, CTH 80, RTE 73, RLS 91, JMP 80, TAK 84, BSH 81, POW 78, CVR 86, OVR 83

Bio:
The owner of the highest speed rating of the group, Curtis utilizes his great speed by working the fly routes and burning his man deep. Despite not possessing ideal size, Curtis can be difficult to bring down when he gets his legs moving. A Division I soccer player, simply getting a piece of Curtis can be a challenge as a result of his plus agility. Unrelenting in forcing his defender to continually run all over the field with him, Curtis' biggest asset is being fresh while everyone else is tiring.

Dom Greco

Height/Weight:

5'7", 130 lbs

Play Style:

Finesse

Ratings:

AWR 68, SPD 79, ACC 84, AGI 84, STR 63, STA 78, JKM 82, SFA 68, BTK 76, CTH 82, RTE 88, RLS 80, JMP 68, TAK 72, BSH 66, POW 58, CVR 74, OVR 77

Bio:
Perhaps a bit undervalued by my formula, Dom is a very useful player on the field in the mold of the classic small, quick receiver who can get you some easy catches to move the ball. Obviously, that doesn't show up in the numbers. Dom's stature does provide some limitations which hurt his overall slightly. An inability to tackle the bigger players consistently is certainly a weakness, though he will always try to at least make some contact and allow his teammates to make their way over for the gang tackle.

Vinny Greco

Height/Weight:

6'0", 155 lbs

Play Style:

Quarterback

Ratings:

AWR 85, SPD 81, ACC 84, AGI 80, STR 72, STA 82, JKM 79, SFA 77, BTK 72, CTH 75, RTE 69, RLS 73, JMP 74, TAK 76, BSH 69, POW 64, CVR 80, THP 92, SAC 91, MAC 88, DAC 85, OVR 83

Bio:
As mentioned above, Vinny almost exclusively plays QB, so he received 4 throwing ratings that were factored into his overall. His catching, route running, and release ratings were not. Vinny is certainly an above-average quarterback, even though he doesn't possess the biggest arm around. Still, he can sling it all around the field, including deep, with adequate velocity. Vinny reads blitzes well and is known for his pump-and-run move when pressured. He loves looking for the deep ball, as evidenced by his affinity for calling curl-and-go routes for his receivers.

George Green

Height/Weight:

6'2", 200 lbs

Play Style:

Athletic

Ratings:

AWR 91, SPD 91, ACC 93, AGI 92, STR 90, STA 96, JKM 92, SFA 88, BTK 89, CTH 95, RTE 94, RLS 95, JMP 90, TAK 89, BSH 90, POW 92, CVR 92, OVR 93

Bio:
The fact that Green's lowest rating is an 88 perfectly illustrates the type of player he is: high-level across the board. Green does everything well on the pickup football field, and he plays hard on every down. Used often in the screen game, Green excels at picking up yards after the catch using his larger frame and good agility. As a cover corner, Green shadows his matchup, almost always the opposing team's #1, and does not usually allow more catches than he breaks up. A fine tackler as well, Green's all-around play certainly justifies his high OVR.

Kevin "K-Hy" Hylas

Height/Weight:

5'11", 180 lbs

Play Style:

QB/Athletic

Ratings:

AWR 91, SPD 94, ACC 92, AGI 96, STR 86, STA 91, JKM 95, SFA 93, BTK 96, CTH 95, RTE 94, RLS 97, JMP 97, TAK 93, BSH 92, POW 88, CVR 93, THP 96, SAC 92, MAC 91, DAC 88, (QB) OVR 92, (WR) OVR 93

Bio:
Most often the QB of the team that Vinny isn't on, Hylas displays great touch on all his throws. Accuracy to every level of the field is well above-average, and velocity is always there. As a receiver, Hylas is an elite talent who, along with his usual matchup George, has the ability to take over a game. Leaping ability on jump balls is exceptional, as well as his ability to separate from his man out of his breaks. Defensively, Hylas is stout in coverage and is certainly an able tackler. The only downside to Hylas' game is a nagging shoulder injury that occasionally limits his effectiveness and overall ability to play.

Alex Mednick

Height/Weight:

5'11", 175 lbs

Play Style:

Technical

Ratings:

AWR 89, SPD 79, ACC 81, AGI 81, STR 81, STA 88, JKM 83, SFA 77, BTK 82, CTH 81, RTE 92, RLS 88, JMP 77, TAK 83, BSH 80, POW 71, CVR 84, OVR 82

Bio:

Though my friends will likely disagree, I felt like I did a solid job of not favoring myself too much. I play a fundamentally sound game that includes fairly sharp and diverse routes, as well as being highly successful in my releases against press coverage. My game certainly does not rely on my speed, but instead on my knowledge of how to get open and work my leverage. I may be sounding like a pompous, know-it-all football nerd, but this is how I see the game while I play and it is the only way I'm able to make an impact.

Dylan Mednick

Height/Weight:
5'9", 185 lbs

Play Style:
Power

Ratings:
AWR 76, SPD 68, ACC 70, AGI 74, STR 86, STA 78, JKM 72, SFA 84, BTK 80, CTH 78, RTE 81, RLS 76, JMP 66, TAK 77, BSH 75, POW 80, CVR 65, OVR 75

Bio:
My brother Dylan gives it his all out there, I have to credit him there. That being said, he takes the title of lowest OVR. His biggest deficiency has to be his lack of speed. His man is usually able to beat him in a straight line or off a cut, though Dylan refuses to ever give up on a play despite losing his assignment. With the ball, Dylan can make some plays happen by using his bulk and decent athleticism for his build to catch opponents off guard. Love the kid, but he ranks at the bottom in this exercise.

Blaise Panepinto

Height/Weight:
5'8", 145 lbs

Play Style:
Finesse

Ratings:
AWR 74, SPD 90, ACC 93, AGI 94, STR 85, STA 99, JKM 83, SFA 71, BTK 83, CTH 82, RTE 77, RLS 83, JMP 78, TAK 80, BSH 74, POW 70, CVR 78, OVR 83

Bio:
The favorite to be the most likely debated OVR (especially by Curtis), Panepinto is another Division I soccer player who can run his man right off the field due to his ability to seemingly never get tired. Blaise possesses great quickness, and is a tough tackle due to his exceptional balance and shiftiness. Average player defensively, his speed helps him to recover from any lapses.

Mark Riello

Height/Weight:
6'1", 160 lbs

Play Style:
Finesse

Ratings:
AWR 81, SPD 79, ACC 80, AGI 81, STR 79, STA 74, JKM 81, SFA 80, BTK 80, CTH 83, RTE 78, RLS 84, JMP 84, TAK 82, BSH 77, POW 75, CVR 82,  OVR 80

Bio:
My rival is about as competitive as they come, but I couldn't help but give myself the edge in terms of OVR (after all, I did win our last two matchups). Riello is very good at using his height advantage on me, and other players, to high point the ball and secure it before his defender can get a hand on it. Riello is a very feisty defender who prides himself on constant contact throughout a route. He's got that whole "looks slower than he actually is" thing going on, and that type of deceptive quickness helps him when making plays with the ball.

Michael "Slim" Santini

Height/Weight:
6'1", 215 lbs

Play Style:
Quarterback/Power

Ratings:
AWR 85, SPD 85, ACC 88, AGI 87, STR 97, STA 80, JKM 84, SFA 97, BTK 94, CTH 88, RTE 84, RLS 86, JMP 91, TAK 94, BSH 96, POW 95, CVR 89, THP 93, SAC 88, MAC 83, DAC 81, (QB) OVR 87, (WR) OVR 93

Bio:
Santini arguably possess the best size-speed combo among the group. This, combined with his bruising brand of football, makes him quite the formidable force on both sides of the ball. On the not-too-often occasion where Santini takes snaps at QB, he flashes above-average to very good qualities as a passer. His accuracy can sometimes break down, but usually Santini hits his target on most passes. Otherwise on the field, Santini's great movement abilities for his size possibly inflated his overall a bit, though, when being fed the ball, Santini can dominate. On defense, he is a hard hitter, a menace to block, and he holds up reasonably well in coverage. High level player all around.

Logan Vasquez

Height/Weight:
5'10", 195 lbs

Play Style:
Power

Ratings:
AWR 83, SPD 87, ACC 88, AGI 84, STR 97, STA 92, JKM 75, SFA 92, BTK 90, CTH 78, RTE 76, RLS 80, JMP 89, TAK 96, BSH 97, POW 98, CVR 85, OVR 87

Bio:
Vasquez plays the least out of everyone mentioned here, so his ratings more than anyone should be considered the least accurate. He does get props for playing LB in college, and for having a reputation as a hard hitter and very good overall player from high school, where my other friends played alongside him. In the limited amount of knowledge I have on Vasquez's pickup game, he has proven to certainly be a force defensively. Aggressive and surprisingly nimble, Vasquez can be a terror for ball carriers. Offensively, Vasquez's size helps him to shed tacklers, though the other facets of his game lack refinement.

Kevin "KayWhy" Young

Height/Weight:
5'9", 160 lbs

Play Style:
Technical

Ratings:
AWR 83, SPD 83, ACC 82, AGI 81, STR 85, STA 89, JKM 71, SFA 83, BTK 77, CTH 87, RTE 86, RLS 81, JMP 80, TAK 81, BSH 78, POW 72, CVR 81, OVR 82

Bio:
"KayWhy" prides himself on his heart and dedicated approach to the game. He doesn't possess any outstanding physical qualities, except possibly solid strength for his size, but that does not prevent him from making an impact, especially at receiver. Young excels at making precise cuts and creating separation from his man. While not a negative on defense, Young can occasionally find himself overwhelmed by some of the larger players in the group. Consistency is his game, and he shows it every time he steps on the field.