The NFL knows that the Pro Bowl is broken and they are trying to fix it. I personally like that the NFL is trying to do something about their annual all-star game, but this is not enough incentive for the players or for the owners to care about the game. Relying on the "camaraderie" between current and former players to ignite a competitive flame in the participants is not going to solve the issues regarding the game, but I do know what will... MONEY AND EGO!
Right now, the players are getting contract incentives for their appearances in the Pro Bowl and the owners are not making as much money on the venture as they could be. The television rights for the game are lumped into a pre-existing contract for other NFL programming. But wouldn't the NFL be able to charge even more for their television rights if they offered an all-star game that would guarantee a large audience? The easiest way to do this is for the owners to put up the initial investment into this game and create an egocentric spectacle by putting up their own money in a winner-takes-all football game.
Admittedly, I don't have exact figures, so the rest of this blog post will require an open mind to the hypothetical money being flaunted around. So, let's say that the NFL Owners agree to a AFC-NFC format for the Pro Bowl and each owner agrees to put up $10 Million to create a pool of $320 Million that will go to the winning side. The losing side will get nothing from this pool of money. Now that seems like a raw deal for the losing side, so why would the owners take that risk? Because ads for football games with large audiences will draw huge money! Granted, the article that I linked to is for the Super Bowl and it is a forecast as to what a 30-second ad could cost in the future, but don't you think that an all-star football game where the players are actually trying will garner a solid percentage of the total Super Bowl audience (35-40%)? Using that same hypothetical percentage, that would still bring in around $1.5 Million for a 30 second ad that could plausibly be charged for this game. Depending on the increase in the cost of television rights, the owners could pay for their bets with the increase in revenue.
We now see why the owners would consider this, but why would the players finally decide not to skip the game? Well, the contract incentives will not go away, but how about adding 20% of the Owners' winning share on top of those incentives? If you stick with the 43 players scenario that is being proposed for the 2014 Pro Bowl, then the winning side will pay out $1.488 Million to each player. That is a huge upgrade in Pro Bowl salary than that of 2010. The losing players will still get their contract incentives and a free trip to Hawaii, but they will not see a dime of the winners' share. If there is one thing that will cause the players to get very competitive on the field, it is money. If there is another thing that will get the players to play hard, it is their ego. By offering a chance at that large sum of money and throwing in the bragging rights that this game would provide, the quality of the Pro Bowl will prosper.
Pro Football is the ultimate display of ego and greed. It can be an ugly display at times, but it could also be beneficial in creating a better viewing experience for the fans when it comes to the Pro Bowl. All I know is that nobody cares about the Pro Bowl now and the NFL has nothing to lose... well, except for their hypothetical money.
Wednesday, July 31, 2013
Saturday, January 19, 2013
2013 Movie Marathon
I've been very busy recently and that has taken away my ability to go see some movies that I've been wanting to see. Also, the Oscars are upcoming and the Golden Globes recently occured, so I knew that I had to take advantage of a Friday night in which I had nothing to do.
After looking at movie times, I saw that Silver Linings Playbook, Lincoln, and Django Unchained lined up perfectly one after the other as far as start times were concerned. So once I clocked out of work, I headed to the movie theater to commence an event that would span 8 hours and 45 minutes, including 7 hours and 16 minutes of actual movie duration time.
The idea of this blog post is to describe my experience and highlight my opinions of the movies by breaking them down into smaller categories/bullet points which will be in bold letters. I don't see myself as a purveyor of a truly insightful opinion of what should be considered "Oscar-Worthy", so I won't delve too deep into my Oscar ideas, but I will describe how the movies affected me personally. So now, my recollection of my own 2013 Movie marathon.
(By the way: shout out to Grantland.com and Robert Mays for providing a blueprint on how to do the all day movie theater excursion)
These actors are great at acting: From Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper, to Daniel Day-Lewis and Tommy Lee Jones, to Leonardo DiCaprio and Cristoph Waltz... and Samuel L. Jackson, the performances that these specific actors presented were truly wonderful. I found myself smiling incredulously as I watched these artists fully envelop themselves into these worlds that had been created. Lawrence and Cooper had a chemistry that was palpable and thoroughly enjoyable. Day-Lewis and Jones obviously did their homework on their characters and the period that they found themselves in. DiCaprio, Jackson, and Waltz made incredible choices on their characters and were willing partners for each other to play off of.
Those performances were due to great directing: David O. Russell, Steven Spielberg, and Quentin Tarentino know what the hell they are doing. The willingness to let their players be great in the worlds that they helped create is what separates these men from other renowned directors. The actors can only go as far as the creative environment in which they play, and these directors provided an incredible environment on set and it showed through on screen. Each movie had a confidence and trust in every aspect that they presented and it allowed for the viewing experience to just be enjoyed and felt by the audience.
I love Northeastern Chicks: "Tiffany" in Silver Linings Playbook (played by Lawrence) is the third character that if they were real and I met them in real life, then I'd totally be in love. The other two: Elizabeth Banks' character in Invincible and Amy Adams' character in another Russell movie, The Fighter.
My Oscar vote: I said I wouldn't delve too deep and I won't. Here are my picks with little to no explanation: Best Picture - Lincoln, Best Director - Spielberg, Best Actor - Day-Lewis (Because he is and always will be amazing. He BECAME Lincoln... it was too incredible. Great job by Cooper in Silver Linings Playbook, though), Best Actress - Lawrence (She was in the moment, every moment in that movie. This girl is scary good for how young she is... I think I'm in love...), Best Supporting Actor - Waltz (I liked DiCaprio and Jackson better, but all three of them were wonderful), Best Supporting Actress - Sally Field (Screw Les Miserbles, Field was too good as Lincoln's wife... even if she overacts at times)
My favorite movie of the three: Silver Linings Playbook is a romantic comedy that has a slightly different build up than you would usually see in a RomCom. Plus, I'm a huge fan of stories that focus more on a character's journey toward a realization that relies more on actor performances to properly relay the plot. Overall, my "personal enjoyment" grades are A+ for Silver Linings Playbook, A for Lincoln, and B+ for Django Unchained.
This was really fun: As a society we have started to move toward a higher consumption of shows and movies in a smaller period of time. A lot of people now wait until a television show finishes a season before watching the season in its entirety on Netflix or DVD in the matter of a weekend. I think the same can be done with movies in the movie theater. After waiting for these films to be out for a few weeks and then catching them all in a single night, I feel as if I really enjoyed each movie more because I was more focused on the moment and the experience. I love going to the movie theater to watch a movie on the big screen, I love enjoying a movie for its performances by all involved, and sometimes that experience is greater when I do it alone (I think of the three, only Django Unchained would have been even more enjoyable with friends). Basically, I will do this again when the opportunity presents itself.
After looking at movie times, I saw that Silver Linings Playbook, Lincoln, and Django Unchained lined up perfectly one after the other as far as start times were concerned. So once I clocked out of work, I headed to the movie theater to commence an event that would span 8 hours and 45 minutes, including 7 hours and 16 minutes of actual movie duration time.
The idea of this blog post is to describe my experience and highlight my opinions of the movies by breaking them down into smaller categories/bullet points which will be in bold letters. I don't see myself as a purveyor of a truly insightful opinion of what should be considered "Oscar-Worthy", so I won't delve too deep into my Oscar ideas, but I will describe how the movies affected me personally. So now, my recollection of my own 2013 Movie marathon.
(By the way: shout out to Grantland.com and Robert Mays for providing a blueprint on how to do the all day movie theater excursion)
These actors are great at acting: From Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper, to Daniel Day-Lewis and Tommy Lee Jones, to Leonardo DiCaprio and Cristoph Waltz... and Samuel L. Jackson, the performances that these specific actors presented were truly wonderful. I found myself smiling incredulously as I watched these artists fully envelop themselves into these worlds that had been created. Lawrence and Cooper had a chemistry that was palpable and thoroughly enjoyable. Day-Lewis and Jones obviously did their homework on their characters and the period that they found themselves in. DiCaprio, Jackson, and Waltz made incredible choices on their characters and were willing partners for each other to play off of.
Those performances were due to great directing: David O. Russell, Steven Spielberg, and Quentin Tarentino know what the hell they are doing. The willingness to let their players be great in the worlds that they helped create is what separates these men from other renowned directors. The actors can only go as far as the creative environment in which they play, and these directors provided an incredible environment on set and it showed through on screen. Each movie had a confidence and trust in every aspect that they presented and it allowed for the viewing experience to just be enjoyed and felt by the audience.
I love Northeastern Chicks: "Tiffany" in Silver Linings Playbook (played by Lawrence) is the third character that if they were real and I met them in real life, then I'd totally be in love. The other two: Elizabeth Banks' character in Invincible and Amy Adams' character in another Russell movie, The Fighter.
My Oscar vote: I said I wouldn't delve too deep and I won't. Here are my picks with little to no explanation: Best Picture - Lincoln, Best Director - Spielberg, Best Actor - Day-Lewis (Because he is and always will be amazing. He BECAME Lincoln... it was too incredible. Great job by Cooper in Silver Linings Playbook, though), Best Actress - Lawrence (She was in the moment, every moment in that movie. This girl is scary good for how young she is... I think I'm in love...), Best Supporting Actor - Waltz (I liked DiCaprio and Jackson better, but all three of them were wonderful), Best Supporting Actress - Sally Field (Screw Les Miserbles, Field was too good as Lincoln's wife... even if she overacts at times)
My favorite movie of the three: Silver Linings Playbook is a romantic comedy that has a slightly different build up than you would usually see in a RomCom. Plus, I'm a huge fan of stories that focus more on a character's journey toward a realization that relies more on actor performances to properly relay the plot. Overall, my "personal enjoyment" grades are A+ for Silver Linings Playbook, A for Lincoln, and B+ for Django Unchained.
This was really fun: As a society we have started to move toward a higher consumption of shows and movies in a smaller period of time. A lot of people now wait until a television show finishes a season before watching the season in its entirety on Netflix or DVD in the matter of a weekend. I think the same can be done with movies in the movie theater. After waiting for these films to be out for a few weeks and then catching them all in a single night, I feel as if I really enjoyed each movie more because I was more focused on the moment and the experience. I love going to the movie theater to watch a movie on the big screen, I love enjoying a movie for its performances by all involved, and sometimes that experience is greater when I do it alone (I think of the three, only Django Unchained would have been even more enjoyable with friends). Basically, I will do this again when the opportunity presents itself.
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
"True Or False": What To Believe After NFL Week 1
The NFL regular season has finally returned and so have my Lazy Sundays (Mr. Pibb + Red Vines = Crazy Delicious). After watching a majority of the games on Sunday (as well as Wednesday and Monday) there have been a lot of abandoned bandwagons and some that are more crowded than usual. This post is intended to decipher which teams and players are for real and which are not. Here are 3 things that are true and 3 things that are false:
True:
There Are 4 Teams That Won't Make the Playoffs in the AFC - How bad did the Buffalo Bills, Cleveland Browns, Kansas City Cheifs, and Miami Dolphins look on Sunday?! WOW! You need a competant Quarterback to succeed in this current version of the NFL and none of these teams have one. Sadly, each of these teams owe their QB's a significant amount of money, so these problems may not go away quickly.
The NFC West is the Best Defensive Division - It's a tight race between the AFC North and the NFC West to decide which has the best collection of defenses, but I believe that the St. Louis Rams' defense is better than the Cincinnati Bengals' defense, so right now the West holds this distinction. Each of those defenses just looked impressive at times, especially San Francisco's (although that shouldn't come as a surprise). NFC West games are going to look a lot like the Seattle Seahawks - Arizona Cardinals tilt this year where it will come down to which team reaches 20 points first will get the victory.
Brandon Marshall Will Lead the League in Receptions and Receiving Yards - It looks like Jay Cutler had no problem getting reacquainted with Marshall on Sunday and this will continue throughout the season. People most likely think that Calvin Johnson will lead the NFL in these categories, but I am a fervent believer in the "Madden Curse" and I think that sooner or later something will happen to Johnson's production (Like a Stafford injury?). Marshall will have the ball thrown to him an absurd amount of times this year.
False:
Alex Smith is Not That Good - The fact that Smith outperformed Aaron Rodgers is surprising to say the least. Smith is not a Super Bowl-winning Quarterback. He will not make "the big throw" that other Quarterbacks have that win games (Most Recent Example: Eli Manning's pass in Super Bowl XLVI to Smith's new teammate Mario Manningham on the Game-Winning Drive). Smith can manage a game, but you can't tell me a Super Bowl-Winning Quarterback from the last decade that is not elite and the true offensive weapon of their team. Good luck talking yourselves into Smith leading you to a Super Bowl, 49ers' fans.
The Falcons Will Win Less Than 10 Games This Year - Just read what I wrote about Alex Smith again and infer that about Matt Ryan. Julio Jones is a beast and Roddy White can make some plays, but when defenses stop worrying about a running game that is becoming non-existant in Atlanta, people will see Ryan make silly throw after silly throw. Also, the Falcons' defense allowed 24 points to Matt Cassell... That's bad.
The Lions Will Not Have a Winning Record by Year's End - What was seen from Matthew Stafford in Detroit on Sunday was just the tip of the iceberg. He can be a little erratic and he has already been injured once this year (it was preseason, but it still counts) so it is hard to count on stellar Quarterback play from him. Plus, Kevin Smith is not a quality Running Back and there has to be at least some semblance of a running game in order to free up the passing attack. The Lions just do not seem like a team that can be trusted this year and their close win on Sunday is an example of that.
I feel very confident in this 6 facts and I think that they will come to fruition, but if you disagree, then let me know in the comments or on twitter. My handle is @renesanchez77
True:
There Are 4 Teams That Won't Make the Playoffs in the AFC - How bad did the Buffalo Bills, Cleveland Browns, Kansas City Cheifs, and Miami Dolphins look on Sunday?! WOW! You need a competant Quarterback to succeed in this current version of the NFL and none of these teams have one. Sadly, each of these teams owe their QB's a significant amount of money, so these problems may not go away quickly.
The NFC West is the Best Defensive Division - It's a tight race between the AFC North and the NFC West to decide which has the best collection of defenses, but I believe that the St. Louis Rams' defense is better than the Cincinnati Bengals' defense, so right now the West holds this distinction. Each of those defenses just looked impressive at times, especially San Francisco's (although that shouldn't come as a surprise). NFC West games are going to look a lot like the Seattle Seahawks - Arizona Cardinals tilt this year where it will come down to which team reaches 20 points first will get the victory.
Brandon Marshall Will Lead the League in Receptions and Receiving Yards - It looks like Jay Cutler had no problem getting reacquainted with Marshall on Sunday and this will continue throughout the season. People most likely think that Calvin Johnson will lead the NFL in these categories, but I am a fervent believer in the "Madden Curse" and I think that sooner or later something will happen to Johnson's production (Like a Stafford injury?). Marshall will have the ball thrown to him an absurd amount of times this year.
False:
Alex Smith is Not That Good - The fact that Smith outperformed Aaron Rodgers is surprising to say the least. Smith is not a Super Bowl-winning Quarterback. He will not make "the big throw" that other Quarterbacks have that win games (Most Recent Example: Eli Manning's pass in Super Bowl XLVI to Smith's new teammate Mario Manningham on the Game-Winning Drive). Smith can manage a game, but you can't tell me a Super Bowl-Winning Quarterback from the last decade that is not elite and the true offensive weapon of their team. Good luck talking yourselves into Smith leading you to a Super Bowl, 49ers' fans.
The Falcons Will Win Less Than 10 Games This Year - Just read what I wrote about Alex Smith again and infer that about Matt Ryan. Julio Jones is a beast and Roddy White can make some plays, but when defenses stop worrying about a running game that is becoming non-existant in Atlanta, people will see Ryan make silly throw after silly throw. Also, the Falcons' defense allowed 24 points to Matt Cassell... That's bad.
The Lions Will Not Have a Winning Record by Year's End - What was seen from Matthew Stafford in Detroit on Sunday was just the tip of the iceberg. He can be a little erratic and he has already been injured once this year (it was preseason, but it still counts) so it is hard to count on stellar Quarterback play from him. Plus, Kevin Smith is not a quality Running Back and there has to be at least some semblance of a running game in order to free up the passing attack. The Lions just do not seem like a team that can be trusted this year and their close win on Sunday is an example of that.
I feel very confident in this 6 facts and I think that they will come to fruition, but if you disagree, then let me know in the comments or on twitter. My handle is @renesanchez77
Monday, September 3, 2012
Thoughts On Oregon's 57-34 Win Over Arkansas State
It was supposed to go this way in Duck fans' minds. This game was not supposed to be close, Marcus Mariota was supposed to make fans believe that they will be fine without Darron Thomas, and Autzen was supposed to sell out. This was the ultimate dream scenario for Duck fans heading into the first game and lo and behold, it appeared. This game was a true revelation for all those who root for The University of Oregon football team. There are so many things to point out in this game that I have decided to list them in bulletproof form. So my thoughts are as follows:
Mariota is For Real: Of course the detractors are going to bring up the fact that it was only one game and the opponent he faced was The Arkansas State Red Wolves (Did you know that their mascot was the Red Wolves? They changed their name from Indians to Red Wolves in Spring 2008). But can those same detractors see the throws that Mariota made in that game and honestly say that those throws aren't perfect? I never once saw Darron Thomas successfully throw a pass between three defenders which had to include loft and accuracy. The QB that looked more like Darron was Brian Bennett which is a good thing because he may be needed this year, but it also shows how advanced Mariota's game and demeanor is. This kid could be the best QB in the history of the program.
Kenjon Barner and De'Anthony Thomas Are Still Good: Those two players are truly transcendent in the Oregon Spread Offensive Attack. Their speed matched with their vision is a dangerous combination for any and all opponents that will face the Ducks this year. Whom do you stop? Whom do you focus on? It's the same dilemma that defenses face when trying to stop USC's two incredible WR's Robert Woods and Marqise Lee. Speaking of them...
Is it November 3rd Yet?: The Alabama-LSU and USC-Oregon games occur on this date. This is the de facto National Semifinals that will be officialy added in 2014. This weekend is going to be incredible and if there is any justice, the Alabama-LSU game will be on at 12:30 PST and the USC-Oregon game will be on at 5:00 PST. But since these two conferences are extremely shrewd and egotistical concerning their television rights, they'll probably compete at the 5:00 PST time slot and piss me and all football fans off.
The Defense is Good, But...: The one thing about the defense is that Nick Alliotti is still the coordinator. No matter how talented his players may be, he continues to stack the box and play a modified prevent defense that sometimes is able to create a turnover. Much has been made about how long the defense
stays out on the field during games. This problem wouldn't exist if they could get a three and out a little more often and if they didn't line up 15 yards off the line of scrimmage on the outside on a 3rd and 5. As Barner stated about the defense after the game: "We gave up a lot of points. Whether it was the starters or not, we have to do better than that."
This Team Needs to Win Three Games for a National Title: All the Ducks have to do is beat USC twice and whomever wins the Alabama-LSU game in the National Championship game to claim the title. That's it. Everything else should fall into place, especially after seeing so many Pac-12 teams falter over the weekend. The only other game that might provide a Duck Fan pause would be the Thursday Night game at Arizona State, but do they really have enough talent on defense to stop Oregon? I don't think so. Duck fans should be really stoked on this team and I totally am.
Mariota is For Real: Of course the detractors are going to bring up the fact that it was only one game and the opponent he faced was The Arkansas State Red Wolves (Did you know that their mascot was the Red Wolves? They changed their name from Indians to Red Wolves in Spring 2008). But can those same detractors see the throws that Mariota made in that game and honestly say that those throws aren't perfect? I never once saw Darron Thomas successfully throw a pass between three defenders which had to include loft and accuracy. The QB that looked more like Darron was Brian Bennett which is a good thing because he may be needed this year, but it also shows how advanced Mariota's game and demeanor is. This kid could be the best QB in the history of the program.
Kenjon Barner and De'Anthony Thomas Are Still Good: Those two players are truly transcendent in the Oregon Spread Offensive Attack. Their speed matched with their vision is a dangerous combination for any and all opponents that will face the Ducks this year. Whom do you stop? Whom do you focus on? It's the same dilemma that defenses face when trying to stop USC's two incredible WR's Robert Woods and Marqise Lee. Speaking of them...
Is it November 3rd Yet?: The Alabama-LSU and USC-Oregon games occur on this date. This is the de facto National Semifinals that will be officialy added in 2014. This weekend is going to be incredible and if there is any justice, the Alabama-LSU game will be on at 12:30 PST and the USC-Oregon game will be on at 5:00 PST. But since these two conferences are extremely shrewd and egotistical concerning their television rights, they'll probably compete at the 5:00 PST time slot and piss me and all football fans off.
The Defense is Good, But...: The one thing about the defense is that Nick Alliotti is still the coordinator. No matter how talented his players may be, he continues to stack the box and play a modified prevent defense that sometimes is able to create a turnover. Much has been made about how long the defense
stays out on the field during games. This problem wouldn't exist if they could get a three and out a little more often and if they didn't line up 15 yards off the line of scrimmage on the outside on a 3rd and 5. As Barner stated about the defense after the game: "We gave up a lot of points. Whether it was the starters or not, we have to do better than that."
This Team Needs to Win Three Games for a National Title: All the Ducks have to do is beat USC twice and whomever wins the Alabama-LSU game in the National Championship game to claim the title. That's it. Everything else should fall into place, especially after seeing so many Pac-12 teams falter over the weekend. The only other game that might provide a Duck Fan pause would be the Thursday Night game at Arizona State, but do they really have enough talent on defense to stop Oregon? I don't think so. Duck fans should be really stoked on this team and I totally am.
Friday, January 21, 2011
2011 NFL Championship Round Predictions
The last week of NFL football proved to be unpredictable for me as I went 1-3 in my picks. The only team that was able to make me look like I had some semblance of an idea about the landscape of the NFL were the Green Bay Packers who were also my pre-season pick to win the Super Bowl. Yet what intrigued me the most about the Divisional Round of the Playoffs was not the fact that I absolutely shat the bed on my picks, but rather it was the evident disparity of parity within the conferences.
Over in the NFC, there were two blowouts between teams that obviously were on opposite ends of the spectrum when it comes to talent and ability. The Packers have always been the most talented team in the NFC, and the Bears paid way too much money in the off-season to their free agent acquisitions to lose at home to the Seattle Seahawks (By the way, what a HORRIBLE time for the Seahawks to remember that they just don't have enough talent to compete with teams this season. Oh well, we'll always have the last two games in Seattle). The Packers and Bears have been proving to their entire conference throughout the season that they have the two largest collections of talent in the NFC and it is not close for third (which would have been shared by Atlanta and New Orleans who have great players, but not enough good players to survive with the Packers and Bears).
The AFC showcased two matchups of division rivals who knew each other well, but also showed that they were very evenly matched with one another. If you took these four teams and had them play each other in a round-robin format for 6 games, I think all the teams would end up with identical 3-3 records. The AFC has truly become an "Any Given Sunday" type of conference where any one of those top teams can beat the other and it showed in those two close games between the Ravens and Steelers, and the Patriots and Jets. Having to choose between Pittsburgh and New York is going to be such a tough task (that also goes for Green Bay and Chicago), so I've decided that the best thing to do is to list these four teams by position group and decide where the biggest deficiencies are so that an intelligent (and correct) decision can be reached. On to the picks!
NFC Championship: #2 Chicago Bears (12-5) vs. #6 Green Bay Packers (12-6)
QB's: Jay Cutler vs. Aaron Rodgers - I think the answer is obvious here, but let's go ahead and give it a little more explanation. In the two playoff games Rodgers has been in this year he has thrown for 6 TD's, run for 1, and thrown 0 INT's. He also has only thrown 14 incompletions in 63 attempts. Cutler, on the other hand, had a good game at home against the very bad Seahawks secondary. The jury is out on Cutler, but the verdict is in for Rodgers and it says Rodgers is really, really good.
Advantage: Green Bay
Running Game: Chicago has Matt Forte and a shaky O-Line that has come together in the second half of the season. Plus, Mike Martz has shown a willingness to run a bit more which has given the running game of the Bears much more confidence. The Packers counter with James Starks, a man that has come out of nowhere to provide two nice games in the playoffs and they also have Jon Kuhn and Brandon Jackson who provide a nice change of pace. Neither team's running attack scares me, so I'm going to go with a push.
Advantage: Neither
Receivers and TE's: The Bears receivers are lead by the speedy combo of Devin Hester and Johnnie Knox with Earl Bennett and Greg Olson providing the possession attack. They can stretch the field and also run the 8 yard curl route on 3rd and 6 that can beat you. The Packers counter with a who's who of receivers in Greg Jennings, James Jones, Donald Driver, and Jordy Nelson. The reason that Jones and Nelson are household names is because of Rodgers, but these men know how to run all the routes, deep and shallow, and they extend plays better than any group of receivers in the NFL.
Advantage: Green Bay
O-Line: Both O-lines have had good days and both have had bad ones. I've seen both teams allow multiple sack in a game and I have also seen those same linemen give the QB's 4 to 5 seconds in the pocket on any single play. It is a matter of which defense can challenge and confuse the O-Line to a greater extent.
Advantage: Neither
D-Line: I really like the duo of Cullen Jenkins and B.J. Raji on the Packers side, but Julius Peppers is an absolute beast and Israel Idonije (sorry, I sneezed) and
Tommie Harris clog the middle up as well as any other DT's in the league. This is an easy one because of the man in Navy Blue wearing #90.
Advantage: Julius Peppers... I mean, Chicago
Linebackers: This is the closest of the groupings for these two teams. The Bears have phenomenal athletes in Brian Urlacher and Lance Briggs who can make tackles on any portion of the field. The Packers have possibly the best defensive player in the NFL in Clay Matthews and a couple of stalwarts in the middle of the field with A.J. Hawk and Desmond Bishop. For both teams, this area is a strength, but I think the Packers' scheme and Clay Matthews make the difference.
Advantage: Green Bay
Secondary: This is the most obvious discrepency between these two teams. The Packers might have the most talented secondary in the league with Charles Woodson and Tramon Williams on either side of the field and Pro Bowler Nick Collins manning the middle of the field. The Bears counter with Charles Tillman, an above-average CB, and not much else.
Advantage: Green Bay
Special Teams: Devin Hester.
Advantage: Chicago
Prediction: This game will be a defensive struggle due to the fact that it is the third game between these two teams and the fact that these two teams have great defenses and bad weather to battle against, it will be the team who scores 20 or more points that wins this game. The Packers proved in Philadelphia that they can win close ones like these and I think they do it again. Packers win 20-10
AFC Championship: #2 Pittsburgh Steelers (13-4) vs. #6 New York Jets (13-5)
QB's: Big Ben vs. Mark Sanchez - All these two men do is win, no matter what. They've got titles on their mind, they can never get enough. And every time they step up on the field, everybody's hands go up... and they stay there Sorry, I had to quote the chorus of the song "All I Do Is Win" for these two men because that is really all they do. These men are leaders and they make a habit of showing up when it matters. The only difference, Big Ben has two Super Bowl titles under his belt.
Advantage: Pittsburgh
Running Game: The Jets have the healthier O-Line and a Hall of Famer in LaDainian Tomlinson. Add Shonn Greene, a man that only shows up in the playoffs, to that attack and that is a fearsome group. The Steelers counter with Rashard Mendenhall and an O-Line that is average when healthy. Mendenhall isn't bad, but his O-Line is.
Advantage: New York
Receivers and TE's: The Steelers have the most underrated Tight Ends in the NFL today because they are asked to block just as well if not better than they catch the ball. They are a huge part of the Steeler offense. Add the speedy abilities of Emmanuel Sanders and Mike Wallace and the reliability of veterans Antwaan Randle El and Hines Ward and it is tough to cover all of those weapons. But the Jets have three bonafide stars at reciver in Jerricho Cotchery, Braylon Edwards, and Santonio Holmes, plus their Tight End Dustin Keller is a reliable option as well. If I need a big play on third down with two minutes left, I'm relying on Holmes to catch the ball more often than Antonio Brown (the Steelers WR who caught the long ball on 3rd and 19 with two minutes left against the Ravens last week... I knew you had already forgotten).
Advantage: New York
O-Line: Last week, the Steelers had to play Dan Legursky, THEIR LAST AVAILABLE LINEMAN OFF OF THE BENCH! The Jets have Nick Mangold and D'Brickashaw Ferguson, two men that are soon-to-be perrenial Pro Bowlers (Mangold is the starter for the AFC this year).
Advantage: New York
D-Line: These two groups are carbon copies of each other. Playing with three down lineman, Casey Hampton, Zigi Hood, and Brett Keisel occupy blockers and bullrush effectively so that the Steeler Linebackers can make plays. The Jets D-Line has Shaun Ellis, Sione Pouha, and Mike DeVito and all three of those men work extremely hard to occupy blockers and bullrush effectively. Yes, I am aware that I described both D-Lines in the same manner.
Advantage: Neither
Linebackers: The Jets do not have slouches in their grouping with guys like Bart Scott, Calvin Pace, Jason Taylor, and David Harris. Yet the Steelers have the greatest collection of Linebackers in their franchise's history (Yes I said it. Have you seen them play? You can't run on them!). James Harrison, James Farrior, LaMarr Woodley, and Lawrence Timmons stuff anything and everything that comes their way. They are four beasts that can't be stopped and they have a fifth LB in Larry Foote that come off of the bench and provides no let down in talent when he is on the field.
Advantage: Steelers
Secondary: The Jets have Darrelle Revis and Antonio Cromartie and those two men are fantastic cornerbacks. The Steelers have Troy Polamalu, the best safety in the NFL. I personally think that's a wash.
Advantage: Neither
Special Teams: Brad Smith will play in this Sunday's game and that provides a huge boost to the return game of the Jets which already wasn't lacking with Antonio Cromartie returning kicks as well. I personally can't think of anyone of note on the Steeler Special Teams.
Advantage: New York
Prediction: These two teams met in Week 15 of the Regular Season with a lot on the line and the New York Jets won that game 22-17. Take into account that the Jets have a healthier O-Line and I have enough evidence in that Week 15 result to convince me that the Jets and Packers will be meeting in the Super Bowl. Jets win 24-19
So if you made it to the end of this long-winded blog post, I'd like to thank you for sticking it out to the end. Have a wonderful weekend!
Over in the NFC, there were two blowouts between teams that obviously were on opposite ends of the spectrum when it comes to talent and ability. The Packers have always been the most talented team in the NFC, and the Bears paid way too much money in the off-season to their free agent acquisitions to lose at home to the Seattle Seahawks (By the way, what a HORRIBLE time for the Seahawks to remember that they just don't have enough talent to compete with teams this season. Oh well, we'll always have the last two games in Seattle). The Packers and Bears have been proving to their entire conference throughout the season that they have the two largest collections of talent in the NFC and it is not close for third (which would have been shared by Atlanta and New Orleans who have great players, but not enough good players to survive with the Packers and Bears).
The AFC showcased two matchups of division rivals who knew each other well, but also showed that they were very evenly matched with one another. If you took these four teams and had them play each other in a round-robin format for 6 games, I think all the teams would end up with identical 3-3 records. The AFC has truly become an "Any Given Sunday" type of conference where any one of those top teams can beat the other and it showed in those two close games between the Ravens and Steelers, and the Patriots and Jets. Having to choose between Pittsburgh and New York is going to be such a tough task (that also goes for Green Bay and Chicago), so I've decided that the best thing to do is to list these four teams by position group and decide where the biggest deficiencies are so that an intelligent (and correct) decision can be reached. On to the picks!
NFC Championship: #2 Chicago Bears (12-5) vs. #6 Green Bay Packers (12-6)
QB's: Jay Cutler vs. Aaron Rodgers - I think the answer is obvious here, but let's go ahead and give it a little more explanation. In the two playoff games Rodgers has been in this year he has thrown for 6 TD's, run for 1, and thrown 0 INT's. He also has only thrown 14 incompletions in 63 attempts. Cutler, on the other hand, had a good game at home against the very bad Seahawks secondary. The jury is out on Cutler, but the verdict is in for Rodgers and it says Rodgers is really, really good.
Advantage: Green Bay
Running Game: Chicago has Matt Forte and a shaky O-Line that has come together in the second half of the season. Plus, Mike Martz has shown a willingness to run a bit more which has given the running game of the Bears much more confidence. The Packers counter with James Starks, a man that has come out of nowhere to provide two nice games in the playoffs and they also have Jon Kuhn and Brandon Jackson who provide a nice change of pace. Neither team's running attack scares me, so I'm going to go with a push.
Advantage: Neither
Receivers and TE's: The Bears receivers are lead by the speedy combo of Devin Hester and Johnnie Knox with Earl Bennett and Greg Olson providing the possession attack. They can stretch the field and also run the 8 yard curl route on 3rd and 6 that can beat you. The Packers counter with a who's who of receivers in Greg Jennings, James Jones, Donald Driver, and Jordy Nelson. The reason that Jones and Nelson are household names is because of Rodgers, but these men know how to run all the routes, deep and shallow, and they extend plays better than any group of receivers in the NFL.
Advantage: Green Bay
O-Line: Both O-lines have had good days and both have had bad ones. I've seen both teams allow multiple sack in a game and I have also seen those same linemen give the QB's 4 to 5 seconds in the pocket on any single play. It is a matter of which defense can challenge and confuse the O-Line to a greater extent.
Advantage: Neither
D-Line: I really like the duo of Cullen Jenkins and B.J. Raji on the Packers side, but Julius Peppers is an absolute beast and Israel Idonije (sorry, I sneezed) and
Tommie Harris clog the middle up as well as any other DT's in the league. This is an easy one because of the man in Navy Blue wearing #90.
Advantage: Julius Peppers... I mean, Chicago
Linebackers: This is the closest of the groupings for these two teams. The Bears have phenomenal athletes in Brian Urlacher and Lance Briggs who can make tackles on any portion of the field. The Packers have possibly the best defensive player in the NFL in Clay Matthews and a couple of stalwarts in the middle of the field with A.J. Hawk and Desmond Bishop. For both teams, this area is a strength, but I think the Packers' scheme and Clay Matthews make the difference.
Advantage: Green Bay
Secondary: This is the most obvious discrepency between these two teams. The Packers might have the most talented secondary in the league with Charles Woodson and Tramon Williams on either side of the field and Pro Bowler Nick Collins manning the middle of the field. The Bears counter with Charles Tillman, an above-average CB, and not much else.
Advantage: Green Bay
Special Teams: Devin Hester.
Advantage: Chicago
Prediction: This game will be a defensive struggle due to the fact that it is the third game between these two teams and the fact that these two teams have great defenses and bad weather to battle against, it will be the team who scores 20 or more points that wins this game. The Packers proved in Philadelphia that they can win close ones like these and I think they do it again. Packers win 20-10
AFC Championship: #2 Pittsburgh Steelers (13-4) vs. #6 New York Jets (13-5)
QB's: Big Ben vs. Mark Sanchez - All these two men do is win, no matter what. They've got titles on their mind, they can never get enough. And every time they step up on the field, everybody's hands go up... and they stay there Sorry, I had to quote the chorus of the song "All I Do Is Win" for these two men because that is really all they do. These men are leaders and they make a habit of showing up when it matters. The only difference, Big Ben has two Super Bowl titles under his belt.
Advantage: Pittsburgh
Running Game: The Jets have the healthier O-Line and a Hall of Famer in LaDainian Tomlinson. Add Shonn Greene, a man that only shows up in the playoffs, to that attack and that is a fearsome group. The Steelers counter with Rashard Mendenhall and an O-Line that is average when healthy. Mendenhall isn't bad, but his O-Line is.
Advantage: New York
Receivers and TE's: The Steelers have the most underrated Tight Ends in the NFL today because they are asked to block just as well if not better than they catch the ball. They are a huge part of the Steeler offense. Add the speedy abilities of Emmanuel Sanders and Mike Wallace and the reliability of veterans Antwaan Randle El and Hines Ward and it is tough to cover all of those weapons. But the Jets have three bonafide stars at reciver in Jerricho Cotchery, Braylon Edwards, and Santonio Holmes, plus their Tight End Dustin Keller is a reliable option as well. If I need a big play on third down with two minutes left, I'm relying on Holmes to catch the ball more often than Antonio Brown (the Steelers WR who caught the long ball on 3rd and 19 with two minutes left against the Ravens last week... I knew you had already forgotten).
Advantage: New York
O-Line: Last week, the Steelers had to play Dan Legursky, THEIR LAST AVAILABLE LINEMAN OFF OF THE BENCH! The Jets have Nick Mangold and D'Brickashaw Ferguson, two men that are soon-to-be perrenial Pro Bowlers (Mangold is the starter for the AFC this year).
Advantage: New York
D-Line: These two groups are carbon copies of each other. Playing with three down lineman, Casey Hampton, Zigi Hood, and Brett Keisel occupy blockers and bullrush effectively so that the Steeler Linebackers can make plays. The Jets D-Line has Shaun Ellis, Sione Pouha, and Mike DeVito and all three of those men work extremely hard to occupy blockers and bullrush effectively. Yes, I am aware that I described both D-Lines in the same manner.
Advantage: Neither
Linebackers: The Jets do not have slouches in their grouping with guys like Bart Scott, Calvin Pace, Jason Taylor, and David Harris. Yet the Steelers have the greatest collection of Linebackers in their franchise's history (Yes I said it. Have you seen them play? You can't run on them!). James Harrison, James Farrior, LaMarr Woodley, and Lawrence Timmons stuff anything and everything that comes their way. They are four beasts that can't be stopped and they have a fifth LB in Larry Foote that come off of the bench and provides no let down in talent when he is on the field.
Advantage: Steelers
Secondary: The Jets have Darrelle Revis and Antonio Cromartie and those two men are fantastic cornerbacks. The Steelers have Troy Polamalu, the best safety in the NFL. I personally think that's a wash.
Advantage: Neither
Special Teams: Brad Smith will play in this Sunday's game and that provides a huge boost to the return game of the Jets which already wasn't lacking with Antonio Cromartie returning kicks as well. I personally can't think of anyone of note on the Steeler Special Teams.
Advantage: New York
Prediction: These two teams met in Week 15 of the Regular Season with a lot on the line and the New York Jets won that game 22-17. Take into account that the Jets have a healthier O-Line and I have enough evidence in that Week 15 result to convince me that the Jets and Packers will be meeting in the Super Bowl. Jets win 24-19
So if you made it to the end of this long-winded blog post, I'd like to thank you for sticking it out to the end. Have a wonderful weekend!
Friday, January 14, 2011
2011 NFL Divisional Round Predictions
"Beast Mode. Beast Mode! BEAST MODE! BEEEEAAASSSSSTTTT MOOOODDDDEEEEE!!!!! YEEEEEAAAAAHHHHH!" Marshawn Lynch is affectionately known as "Beast Mode" when he is running the football and last week during his game-clinching 67 yard touchdown run, Lynch earned that nickname. As a Seahawks fan, I've been yelling "Beast Mode" at the television everytime I see him run the ball for the Seahawks (Much like Patriots Fans yell out "Law Firm" everytime that Benjarvus Green-Ellis runs the football) and the beginning of this blog entry was a manuscript of how I reacted during that magnificent rumble. That run by Lynch brought out true joy from every football fan that doesn't hate the Seahawks or is a Saints' fan. It was truly what makes football great.
Last week I was a last second FG away from going 4-0 on Wild Card Weekend. I also got the point differential correct for the Seahawks-Saints game and I got the Chiefs' score exactly right (and was three points off of the Ravens' final score in the same game). I like to think that is a good omen for this next round of predictions. Without further ado:
AFC Divisional Playoff #1: #2 Pittsburgh Steelers (12-4) vs. #5 Baltimore Ravens (13-4) Location: Pittsburgh, PA
Everyone knows that these two teams love to beat up on each other and that neither team will come out of this game unscathed. Regardless of who scores more points in this football game, the real winner will be the victor's opponent next week. They will receive a team that is beat up and will most likely be missing one to two starters which is a lot in the playoffs. But back to this game, it is Big Ben vs. Flacco, Harrison and Polomalu vs. Lewis and Reed, and one underrated D-Line against another. This game is truly a pick 'em and I don't think home-field advantage is going to matter. When in doubt, go with your gut, and my gut is telling me to stick with the team I predicted to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl during the pre-season.
Final Score: Ravens 16 - Steelers 12
NFC Divisional Playoff #1: #1 Atlanta Falcons (13-3) vs. #6 Green Bay Packers (11-6) Location: Atlanta, GA
I watched their regular season match-up from the opening kickoff to the final play and I remember thinking to myself "These two teams are bound to meet again in the playoffs". I also thought that the match-up would occur during the Conference Championship, but it looks like I was a round off. During that regular season game I noticed that the Falcons had trouble moving the ball on the Packers and had to rely on field position to earn all of their 20 points while the Packers left at least 7 points on the field that day if not more. There were a couple of red zone turnovers that were committed by the Packers, but mostly the lasting impression was that the Packers stopped themselves that day and Atlanta was lucky to get a win. I feel like if these two teams played ten times, the Packers would win nine of them and since the Falcons already won once, I'm picking Aaron Rodgers and the Packers.
Final Score: Packers 24 - Falcons 13
NFC Divisional Playoff #2: #2 Chicago Bears (11-5) vs. #4 Seattle Seahawks (8-9)
Location: Chicago, IL
So here is where the ride ends, right? The Seahawks can't beat a team as tough on defense as the Bears twice, especially at Soldier Field, right? It defies logic to think that a team could be 9-9 in the Conference Championship, right? I mean, look at the 2004 St. Louis Rams and the 2008 San Diego Chargers, the other two teams with non-winning records that won a game in the playoffs, but they both lost in the Divisional Playoffs, just like the Seahawks will, right? Honestly, I think the Bears are a good enough team to make the playoffs, and a bad enough team to get upset at home in the playoffs by a team with a losing record. The Seahawks have a QB with 5 postseason victories, a running game that has earned over 100 yards in each of their last two games, and some stability on the O-Line for the first time all year. I'm taking the Seahawks and everyone will have their eyes on Seattle, WA for the NFC Championship!
Final Score: Seahawks 27 - Bears 19
AFC Divisional Playoff #2: #1 New England Patriots (14-2) vs. #6 New York Jets (12-5)
Location: Foxborough, MA
The main event of the weekend is the rubber match between the Jets and the Patriots. I think it is evident which team has been preparing for this match-up strategically and which team believes that talking crap and puffing out their chest will somehow create an advantage on the football field. I'm supposed to believe in Mark Sanchez because he "called his own play" at the end of the Colts-Jets game last week? A game in which the Jets scored only 17 points and won by one?! The Colts were a subpar team with a great QB and the Jets are an average team with a very shaky demeanor. Plus, the Patriots don't lose Divisional Round games at home. If anything, they lose these games on the road. I'm choosing Brady, Belichick, and the smart-asses from Massachusettes to cruise to the AFC Championship.
Final Score: Patriots 38 - Jets 10
So if it all goes the way I see it, we're looking at Patriots-Ravens in the AFC Championship (early game most likely) and then the Seahawks-Packers in the NFC Championship. I'd watch both of those games while on the edge of my seat. I hope my picks pan out.
Last week I was a last second FG away from going 4-0 on Wild Card Weekend. I also got the point differential correct for the Seahawks-Saints game and I got the Chiefs' score exactly right (and was three points off of the Ravens' final score in the same game). I like to think that is a good omen for this next round of predictions. Without further ado:
AFC Divisional Playoff #1: #2 Pittsburgh Steelers (12-4) vs. #5 Baltimore Ravens (13-4) Location: Pittsburgh, PA
Everyone knows that these two teams love to beat up on each other and that neither team will come out of this game unscathed. Regardless of who scores more points in this football game, the real winner will be the victor's opponent next week. They will receive a team that is beat up and will most likely be missing one to two starters which is a lot in the playoffs. But back to this game, it is Big Ben vs. Flacco, Harrison and Polomalu vs. Lewis and Reed, and one underrated D-Line against another. This game is truly a pick 'em and I don't think home-field advantage is going to matter. When in doubt, go with your gut, and my gut is telling me to stick with the team I predicted to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl during the pre-season.
Final Score: Ravens 16 - Steelers 12
NFC Divisional Playoff #1: #1 Atlanta Falcons (13-3) vs. #6 Green Bay Packers (11-6) Location: Atlanta, GA
I watched their regular season match-up from the opening kickoff to the final play and I remember thinking to myself "These two teams are bound to meet again in the playoffs". I also thought that the match-up would occur during the Conference Championship, but it looks like I was a round off. During that regular season game I noticed that the Falcons had trouble moving the ball on the Packers and had to rely on field position to earn all of their 20 points while the Packers left at least 7 points on the field that day if not more. There were a couple of red zone turnovers that were committed by the Packers, but mostly the lasting impression was that the Packers stopped themselves that day and Atlanta was lucky to get a win. I feel like if these two teams played ten times, the Packers would win nine of them and since the Falcons already won once, I'm picking Aaron Rodgers and the Packers.
Final Score: Packers 24 - Falcons 13
NFC Divisional Playoff #2: #2 Chicago Bears (11-5) vs. #4 Seattle Seahawks (8-9)
Location: Chicago, IL
So here is where the ride ends, right? The Seahawks can't beat a team as tough on defense as the Bears twice, especially at Soldier Field, right? It defies logic to think that a team could be 9-9 in the Conference Championship, right? I mean, look at the 2004 St. Louis Rams and the 2008 San Diego Chargers, the other two teams with non-winning records that won a game in the playoffs, but they both lost in the Divisional Playoffs, just like the Seahawks will, right? Honestly, I think the Bears are a good enough team to make the playoffs, and a bad enough team to get upset at home in the playoffs by a team with a losing record. The Seahawks have a QB with 5 postseason victories, a running game that has earned over 100 yards in each of their last two games, and some stability on the O-Line for the first time all year. I'm taking the Seahawks and everyone will have their eyes on Seattle, WA for the NFC Championship!
Final Score: Seahawks 27 - Bears 19
AFC Divisional Playoff #2: #1 New England Patriots (14-2) vs. #6 New York Jets (12-5)
Location: Foxborough, MA
The main event of the weekend is the rubber match between the Jets and the Patriots. I think it is evident which team has been preparing for this match-up strategically and which team believes that talking crap and puffing out their chest will somehow create an advantage on the football field. I'm supposed to believe in Mark Sanchez because he "called his own play" at the end of the Colts-Jets game last week? A game in which the Jets scored only 17 points and won by one?! The Colts were a subpar team with a great QB and the Jets are an average team with a very shaky demeanor. Plus, the Patriots don't lose Divisional Round games at home. If anything, they lose these games on the road. I'm choosing Brady, Belichick, and the smart-asses from Massachusettes to cruise to the AFC Championship.
Final Score: Patriots 38 - Jets 10
So if it all goes the way I see it, we're looking at Patriots-Ravens in the AFC Championship (early game most likely) and then the Seahawks-Packers in the NFC Championship. I'd watch both of those games while on the edge of my seat. I hope my picks pan out.
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
A Disturbing Trend
In June of 2010, I graduated from the University of Oregon. Before graduating from that place of higher education, I considered myself a big fan of their athletic program, and after my time there, I became an even larger fanatic of Ducks Sports. Last night I watched the Oregon Ducks lose in the BCS National Championship game to the Auburn Tigers 22-19. It was a sad sight to see, but one that I was not totally shocked by after watching the entire game. The Oregon Duck Football Team has achieved unbridled success over the past two years, but they have also suffered painful setbacks in two of the biggest games that they have participated in. In those two games (2010 Rose Bowl and 2011 BCS National Championship) I noticed a disturbing trend in how the Ducks played in each game that can be stated in three simple words: They Got Scared.
It seemed in both the Rose Bowl and the BCS Title Game that the brevity of the moment got in the heads of the team and the coaching staff. In a way that is unique to the Oregon Ducks, they have calmly bullied lesser teams into submission with their pace of play and overall talent as a team. Yet in the bowl games, the inherent talent disparity is closed because both Ohio State and Auburn have the same quality of talent that Oregon does if not more (as far as depth is concerned) and the pace of play is less of a surprise to their opponents because those teams had almost a month to five weeks to condition and learn how to play quickly. With those advantages now negated, it comes down to who wants it more and who plays mistake-free football and that is something that Oregon does not do well.
Something that I have mentioned about the New York Jets in the NFL this year is that they are the biggest bullies in the league, but if you punch them in the mouth and prove you are not scared, then the bully begins to cower away and stray from their strength. This is what has happened to the Ducks, they have been punched in the mouth and instead of sticking to their guns and fighting back, they have cowered and try to beat their opponents with deception. A perfect example of this comes from last night's game when the kick return and punt return teams of Oregon were absolutely stuffed by Auburn. Oregon even twice tried to run kick return reverses, which are slow-developing plays that only work if the opposing team is deceived, which almost never happens anymore. The return teams for Oregon were one of the biggest strengths on the entire team and multiple kickoffs were returned for touchdowns throughout the year when the returner caught the ball and just found a hole and ran. Then in the biggest game of the year the Ducks decide to try and run kick return reverses? Why?
The Oregon coaching staff had a tendency to make certain decisions in certain situations, like go for it on fourth down when the ball is too far to kick a field goal and too short to kick an effective punt. Yet those decisions to be aggresive and earn the name of "Big Balls Chip" (which the students of UO graciously call the head coach Chip Kelly) were suddenly gone. On more than one occasion in both the Rose Bowl and the BCS Title Game, Chip and the Ducks coaching staff decided not to go for it on fourth down on the opponent's side of the 50-yard-line and punted. Granted, the Ducks made a couple of aggresive calls, one that worked and one that did not (the fake punt that resulted in a first down which was followed on the same possession with a fourth down run on the one yard line that was stuffed) but there were multiple opportunities for the Ducks to be aggresive and put the pressure on Auburn and Ohio State and the coaching staff got conservative. Along those lines, it seemed that the coaching staff was a little tight, a little scared, and the players always play in the image of the coaching staff, so if the coaches are playing tight and not to lose, then the players will play tight and not to lose. If you play that way, you end up losing.
I think the Ducks could actually win the National Title next year, but there has to be a change in attitude within the coaching staff and with the players. These men have to believe they can beat any team they play when the Ducks play their game. If you don't believe that you can beat any team when you play your game, then you have already lost. It seems to me that when the Ducks score 36 points in the last two bowl games combined (which is 13 points fewer than what they averaged per game in the 2010 season) that the Ducks didn't play their best. At some point, the finger has to be pointed at the Ducks themselves.
It seemed in both the Rose Bowl and the BCS Title Game that the brevity of the moment got in the heads of the team and the coaching staff. In a way that is unique to the Oregon Ducks, they have calmly bullied lesser teams into submission with their pace of play and overall talent as a team. Yet in the bowl games, the inherent talent disparity is closed because both Ohio State and Auburn have the same quality of talent that Oregon does if not more (as far as depth is concerned) and the pace of play is less of a surprise to their opponents because those teams had almost a month to five weeks to condition and learn how to play quickly. With those advantages now negated, it comes down to who wants it more and who plays mistake-free football and that is something that Oregon does not do well.
Something that I have mentioned about the New York Jets in the NFL this year is that they are the biggest bullies in the league, but if you punch them in the mouth and prove you are not scared, then the bully begins to cower away and stray from their strength. This is what has happened to the Ducks, they have been punched in the mouth and instead of sticking to their guns and fighting back, they have cowered and try to beat their opponents with deception. A perfect example of this comes from last night's game when the kick return and punt return teams of Oregon were absolutely stuffed by Auburn. Oregon even twice tried to run kick return reverses, which are slow-developing plays that only work if the opposing team is deceived, which almost never happens anymore. The return teams for Oregon were one of the biggest strengths on the entire team and multiple kickoffs were returned for touchdowns throughout the year when the returner caught the ball and just found a hole and ran. Then in the biggest game of the year the Ducks decide to try and run kick return reverses? Why?
The Oregon coaching staff had a tendency to make certain decisions in certain situations, like go for it on fourth down when the ball is too far to kick a field goal and too short to kick an effective punt. Yet those decisions to be aggresive and earn the name of "Big Balls Chip" (which the students of UO graciously call the head coach Chip Kelly) were suddenly gone. On more than one occasion in both the Rose Bowl and the BCS Title Game, Chip and the Ducks coaching staff decided not to go for it on fourth down on the opponent's side of the 50-yard-line and punted. Granted, the Ducks made a couple of aggresive calls, one that worked and one that did not (the fake punt that resulted in a first down which was followed on the same possession with a fourth down run on the one yard line that was stuffed) but there were multiple opportunities for the Ducks to be aggresive and put the pressure on Auburn and Ohio State and the coaching staff got conservative. Along those lines, it seemed that the coaching staff was a little tight, a little scared, and the players always play in the image of the coaching staff, so if the coaches are playing tight and not to lose, then the players will play tight and not to lose. If you play that way, you end up losing.
I think the Ducks could actually win the National Title next year, but there has to be a change in attitude within the coaching staff and with the players. These men have to believe they can beat any team they play when the Ducks play their game. If you don't believe that you can beat any team when you play your game, then you have already lost. It seems to me that when the Ducks score 36 points in the last two bowl games combined (which is 13 points fewer than what they averaged per game in the 2010 season) that the Ducks didn't play their best. At some point, the finger has to be pointed at the Ducks themselves.
Saturday, January 8, 2011
The 2011 NFL Wild Card Round: Predictions and Thoughts
It has been 8 months since I last littered this space with my thoughts and opinions about the wonderful worlds of sports and pop culture and so I felt like the 2011 NFL Wild Card Round would be a fantastic place to start the year and get back on the horse, of sorts. What follows are my predictions for the winners of the game, and not who I think will win involving the spread. If the spread was involved, these picks would be different. By the way, I love gambling.
NFC Wild Card #1, Saturday, January 8, 4:30 P.M. ET - #4 Seattle Seahawks (7-9) vs. #5 New Orleans Saints (11-5), Seattle, WA
By all means, this should be a blowout. The Seahawks should not even be in the playoffs. The Saints are the defending World Champions of American Football and they still have Drew Brees under center. There are a multitude of reasons why this game is going to go the Saints way and I am going to ignore them all. Granted, I am a lifelong Seahawks fan and I am bias when it comes to Seattle's Professional Football Team, but I can offer some plausible reasons for why the Seahawks can pull this off.
1) The game is being played in Seattle at the loudest stadium in the NFL, Qwest Field (Random tangent, how horrible is it that one of the most intimidating stadiums in the NFL is called Qwest Field? I wish it was named in someone's honor, or that there was a cool nickname for it). According to Aaron Schatz of Footballoutsider.com (via The B.S. Report podcast on ESPN.com), there was an actual study done that stated that the only stadium in the NFL where the noise can actually cause false starts is Qwest Field. Take into account that a banged up Saints team will be travelling to the opposite side of the country on a short week, and that stadium becomes much more prevelent.
2) Drew Brees is quietly having a slightly less than stellar year. His yards, TD's, and completion percentage are basically on par with his previous totals, but have you seen his INT total? 22!! YEAH, 22 INT's!!! You can't tell me that the Madden Curse doesn't have anything to do with that, and I think Brees plays horribly in Seattle due to the Madden Curse and the fact that with Reggie Bush and Julius Jones carrying the ball, the passing lanes are that much smaller. Brees will throw at least 2 INT's in this game. With these two main reasons and the fact that the Saints and everybody else believes they should walkover the Seahawks, I think New Orleans gets caught sleeping and can't come back.
Final Score: Seattle 22 - New Orleans 17
AFC Wild Card #1, Saturday, January 8, 8:00 P.M. ET - #3 Indianapolis Colts (10-6) vs. #6 New York Jets (10-6), Indianapolis, IN
Rex Ryan has gone from entertaining to a blowhard. The Jets are the biggest bullies in the NFL (they won that title when they beat the Steelers in Pittsburgh a few weeks ago) but bullies never prosper in the long run. Indianapolis is a cerebral team with the one of the most prepared QB's in the league in Peyton Manning, and Manning is not scared of the Jets. The way you stop a bully is exactly how the New England Patriots beat them in Foxboro on a Monday Night, you stare at them straight in the eye, prove you're not scared, then outsmart them and exploit their strength as a weakness. In this case, the Pats used short passes behind the blitzes of the Jets to exploit the lack of quality safeties in the Jets secondary. The Jets can't tackle, so they try to force the offense into bad plays quickly, because if you extend a play, then the Jets lack of technique in all facets rears its ugly head. That all comes back to the coach, Ryan, who believes that if you talk a big game, then you start believing you're that good. What Ryan does not realize is that no one is scared of him or his team. Ryan could be beaten in a foot race or a fight and so could the Jets.
Final Score: Colts 31 - Jets 9
AFC Wild Card #2, Sunday, January 9, 1:00 P.M. ET - #4 Kansas City Chiefs (10-6) vs. #5 Baltimore Ravens (11-5), Kansas City, MO
At the beginning of the year I chose the Ravens to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl. I actually thought about choosing them to win the Lombardi Trophy, but I thought that Flacco is not a good enough QB to win a Lombardi Trophy... yet. The Ravens are a team that still does not have an identity on either side of the ball and that scares me. But you could have said that about either Steelers team that won the Super Bowl in the 2000's, or even the 2006 Colts. Sometimes it comes down to talent getting hot at the right time and I feel like the Ravens could make a run to the Super Bowl and be the surprise AFC participant in the Super Bowl and it all starts with this game. Can the Chiefs exploit the Ravens' weakness in the secondary? I don't think so because wherever Dwayne Bowe is, Ed Reed will be on that side of the field. With Haloti Ngata up front and Ray Lewis in the middle, the defense still has some ability to shut a team down and this Chiefs team is eerily similar to last year's Bengals team that got shut down in the 4-5 matchup by the Jets. The Ravens are the monkey wrench in the AFC playoffs and they are going to shock some people by going far into the playoffs.
Final Score: Ravens 27 - Chiefs 7
NFC Wild Card #2, Sunday, January 9, 4:30 P.M. ET - #3 Philadelphia Eagles (11-5) vs. #6 Green Bay Packers (10-6), Philadelphia, PA
This is the matchup that will present the most entertaining game of the Wild Card Round. Aaron Rodgers and Clay Matthews vs. Michael Vick and... wait a second, who plays defense for the Eagles? Isn't that a huge issue that no one can think of a single difference maker on the Eagles defense? You might be able to present Asante Samuel, but his health is iffy and he can't cover every receiver on every play or rush the QB every down. The Packer defense has been hot ever since their bye week and they have only gotten healthier as the season has progressed. Meanwhile, Vick has only gotten worse as the season has gone along and he may have hit his peak in the Monday Night Redskins game and the fourth quarter of the Giants game at the Meadowlands. Don't get me wrong, I think the Eagles can score on the Packers Defense early, but that second half will be the half of reckoning for the Eagles and the Packers will pull away. I picked the Packers to win the Super Bowl in the Pre-Season and I am not relenting on that pick. I'm picking Rodgers, Matthews, and the Packers as long as they are playing.
Final Score: Packers 35 - Eagles 23
So they are my Wild Card Picks, I'll be back to write down my Divisional Picks next week for sure. Hopefully I'll keep writing in a much more timely and often manner. Until then, bitches and hoes.
NFC Wild Card #1, Saturday, January 8, 4:30 P.M. ET - #4 Seattle Seahawks (7-9) vs. #5 New Orleans Saints (11-5), Seattle, WA
By all means, this should be a blowout. The Seahawks should not even be in the playoffs. The Saints are the defending World Champions of American Football and they still have Drew Brees under center. There are a multitude of reasons why this game is going to go the Saints way and I am going to ignore them all. Granted, I am a lifelong Seahawks fan and I am bias when it comes to Seattle's Professional Football Team, but I can offer some plausible reasons for why the Seahawks can pull this off.
1) The game is being played in Seattle at the loudest stadium in the NFL, Qwest Field (Random tangent, how horrible is it that one of the most intimidating stadiums in the NFL is called Qwest Field? I wish it was named in someone's honor, or that there was a cool nickname for it). According to Aaron Schatz of Footballoutsider.com (via The B.S. Report podcast on ESPN.com), there was an actual study done that stated that the only stadium in the NFL where the noise can actually cause false starts is Qwest Field. Take into account that a banged up Saints team will be travelling to the opposite side of the country on a short week, and that stadium becomes much more prevelent.
2) Drew Brees is quietly having a slightly less than stellar year. His yards, TD's, and completion percentage are basically on par with his previous totals, but have you seen his INT total? 22!! YEAH, 22 INT's!!! You can't tell me that the Madden Curse doesn't have anything to do with that, and I think Brees plays horribly in Seattle due to the Madden Curse and the fact that with Reggie Bush and Julius Jones carrying the ball, the passing lanes are that much smaller. Brees will throw at least 2 INT's in this game. With these two main reasons and the fact that the Saints and everybody else believes they should walkover the Seahawks, I think New Orleans gets caught sleeping and can't come back.
Final Score: Seattle 22 - New Orleans 17
AFC Wild Card #1, Saturday, January 8, 8:00 P.M. ET - #3 Indianapolis Colts (10-6) vs. #6 New York Jets (10-6), Indianapolis, IN
Rex Ryan has gone from entertaining to a blowhard. The Jets are the biggest bullies in the NFL (they won that title when they beat the Steelers in Pittsburgh a few weeks ago) but bullies never prosper in the long run. Indianapolis is a cerebral team with the one of the most prepared QB's in the league in Peyton Manning, and Manning is not scared of the Jets. The way you stop a bully is exactly how the New England Patriots beat them in Foxboro on a Monday Night, you stare at them straight in the eye, prove you're not scared, then outsmart them and exploit their strength as a weakness. In this case, the Pats used short passes behind the blitzes of the Jets to exploit the lack of quality safeties in the Jets secondary. The Jets can't tackle, so they try to force the offense into bad plays quickly, because if you extend a play, then the Jets lack of technique in all facets rears its ugly head. That all comes back to the coach, Ryan, who believes that if you talk a big game, then you start believing you're that good. What Ryan does not realize is that no one is scared of him or his team. Ryan could be beaten in a foot race or a fight and so could the Jets.
Final Score: Colts 31 - Jets 9
AFC Wild Card #2, Sunday, January 9, 1:00 P.M. ET - #4 Kansas City Chiefs (10-6) vs. #5 Baltimore Ravens (11-5), Kansas City, MO
At the beginning of the year I chose the Ravens to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl. I actually thought about choosing them to win the Lombardi Trophy, but I thought that Flacco is not a good enough QB to win a Lombardi Trophy... yet. The Ravens are a team that still does not have an identity on either side of the ball and that scares me. But you could have said that about either Steelers team that won the Super Bowl in the 2000's, or even the 2006 Colts. Sometimes it comes down to talent getting hot at the right time and I feel like the Ravens could make a run to the Super Bowl and be the surprise AFC participant in the Super Bowl and it all starts with this game. Can the Chiefs exploit the Ravens' weakness in the secondary? I don't think so because wherever Dwayne Bowe is, Ed Reed will be on that side of the field. With Haloti Ngata up front and Ray Lewis in the middle, the defense still has some ability to shut a team down and this Chiefs team is eerily similar to last year's Bengals team that got shut down in the 4-5 matchup by the Jets. The Ravens are the monkey wrench in the AFC playoffs and they are going to shock some people by going far into the playoffs.
Final Score: Ravens 27 - Chiefs 7
NFC Wild Card #2, Sunday, January 9, 4:30 P.M. ET - #3 Philadelphia Eagles (11-5) vs. #6 Green Bay Packers (10-6), Philadelphia, PA
This is the matchup that will present the most entertaining game of the Wild Card Round. Aaron Rodgers and Clay Matthews vs. Michael Vick and... wait a second, who plays defense for the Eagles? Isn't that a huge issue that no one can think of a single difference maker on the Eagles defense? You might be able to present Asante Samuel, but his health is iffy and he can't cover every receiver on every play or rush the QB every down. The Packer defense has been hot ever since their bye week and they have only gotten healthier as the season has progressed. Meanwhile, Vick has only gotten worse as the season has gone along and he may have hit his peak in the Monday Night Redskins game and the fourth quarter of the Giants game at the Meadowlands. Don't get me wrong, I think the Eagles can score on the Packers Defense early, but that second half will be the half of reckoning for the Eagles and the Packers will pull away. I picked the Packers to win the Super Bowl in the Pre-Season and I am not relenting on that pick. I'm picking Rodgers, Matthews, and the Packers as long as they are playing.
Final Score: Packers 35 - Eagles 23
So they are my Wild Card Picks, I'll be back to write down my Divisional Picks next week for sure. Hopefully I'll keep writing in a much more timely and often manner. Until then, bitches and hoes.
Saturday, May 8, 2010
UFC 113 Preview
Tonight is yet another UFC PPV with the Main Event featuring a rematch for the Light Heavyweight Championship between Mauricio "Shogun" Rua and Champion Lyoto "The Dragon" Machida. I'm going to provide yet another preview/prediction post for tonight's UFC card.
Lightweights: Sam Stout vs. Jeremy Stephens - I think Stephens was in one of the Ultimate Fighter seasons which is the only excuse I could give for this fight making it to the televised portion of this PPV. Sam Stout has taken one good stand up battle with Spencer Fisher and turned it into about three or four televised bouts which I don't understand. This fight will end in the first and both guys will stand up with one another and I won't give a damn about it regardless.
Winner: Stout by 1st Round TKO (Strikes)
Middleweights: Alan Belcher vs. Patrick Cote - Belcher is known for thinking that he is a lot better at MMA than he actually is and using his Muay Thai to annihilate his opponent's legs during fights. He also wears traditional Muay Thai shorts which have a slit on both sides and thus shows off WAY TOO MUCH of Belcher's upper thighs during fights. These facts usually take away from the fact that he really does have talent and is one very controversial decision at UFC 100 away from entering this fight with a four fight win streak. Cote, on the other hand, has taken his Ultimate Fighter Finals appearance and cashed it in for a Championship shot that he underwhelmed in. His October 2008 fight with Anderson Silva was boring and the only interesting thing in the fight was that Cote tore his ACL on a kick in the fight which is why he hasn't fought since. I think Cote shows some cage rust and Belcher puts his name in the discussion for a possible title shot after another win.
Winner: Belcher by 2nd Round TKO (Strikes)
Heavyweights: Matt Mitrione vs. Kimbo Slice - These 2 men don't like each other. These 2 men were prominent characters in The Ultimate Fighter Season 10. These 2 men totally want to hurt each other. These details are supposed to make me believe as a fan that this fight is PPV viable. I don't buy it. The beauty of Slice is that if you put him on free TV then the Ad dollars come in and people will watch the fight without a doubt. But if you throw Slice in a grudge match with some reality show villain in Mitrione on PPV, then you're asking too much of the people and they will save their money. This is not a PPV caliber match and these men will not engage in a toe to toe battle, but rather there will be a lot of sloppy scrambles and lack of conditioning. In the end, the popular fighter will win a controversial decision, whether or not he deserves it.
Winner: Slice by Split Decision
Welterweights: Josh Koscheck vs. Paul Daley - This fight is a believable grudge match that I can not wait to see. Koscheck has great wrestling ability, but he has an even greater chip on his shoulder. Koscheck understands what the fans want and he is constantly trying to prove that his stand up game is elite. Koscheck will not take this fight to the ground more than once or twice but he will be throwing bombs the entire time. Daley understands how to sell a fight and how to use the immortal skill of shit-talking to get under his opponent's skin. Through his outlandish statements, Daley has riled Koscheck up to the point where I believe that Koscheck wants to legitimately hurt Daley and vice versa. There will be blood in this fight and if Koscheck fights an intelligent fight, then he can possibly garner a future championship rematch with Georges St. Pierre.
Winner: Koscheck by Unanimous Decision (29-28)
Light Heavyweight Championship: Challenger Mauricio "Shogun" Rua vs. Champion Lyoto "The Dragon" Machida - The first fight was marred in controversy and a lack of action. Machida was legitimately taken out of his game by Rua who used an effective and slightly yawn-inducing leg and body kick strategy. Machida suffered enough damage that his conditioning was taken away from him due to the fact that his ribs had suffered such a vicious attack from Rua's shins. Rua really did win their first fight, and he will not win the second. When a challenger comes up with a great plan to defeat a champion, they face the conundrum of whether to try the same strategy in the rematch or do they go a different way and risk what has already worked before? I don't know if Rua is going to handle this conundrum well and Machida has more than enough talent and inspiration to dominate this fight. I feel like "The Dragon" will be unleashed and a career-defining performance is coming tonight.
Winner: Machida by dominant 3rd Round TKO (Strikes)
Lightweights: Sam Stout vs. Jeremy Stephens - I think Stephens was in one of the Ultimate Fighter seasons which is the only excuse I could give for this fight making it to the televised portion of this PPV. Sam Stout has taken one good stand up battle with Spencer Fisher and turned it into about three or four televised bouts which I don't understand. This fight will end in the first and both guys will stand up with one another and I won't give a damn about it regardless.
Winner: Stout by 1st Round TKO (Strikes)
Middleweights: Alan Belcher vs. Patrick Cote - Belcher is known for thinking that he is a lot better at MMA than he actually is and using his Muay Thai to annihilate his opponent's legs during fights. He also wears traditional Muay Thai shorts which have a slit on both sides and thus shows off WAY TOO MUCH of Belcher's upper thighs during fights. These facts usually take away from the fact that he really does have talent and is one very controversial decision at UFC 100 away from entering this fight with a four fight win streak. Cote, on the other hand, has taken his Ultimate Fighter Finals appearance and cashed it in for a Championship shot that he underwhelmed in. His October 2008 fight with Anderson Silva was boring and the only interesting thing in the fight was that Cote tore his ACL on a kick in the fight which is why he hasn't fought since. I think Cote shows some cage rust and Belcher puts his name in the discussion for a possible title shot after another win.
Winner: Belcher by 2nd Round TKO (Strikes)
Heavyweights: Matt Mitrione vs. Kimbo Slice - These 2 men don't like each other. These 2 men were prominent characters in The Ultimate Fighter Season 10. These 2 men totally want to hurt each other. These details are supposed to make me believe as a fan that this fight is PPV viable. I don't buy it. The beauty of Slice is that if you put him on free TV then the Ad dollars come in and people will watch the fight without a doubt. But if you throw Slice in a grudge match with some reality show villain in Mitrione on PPV, then you're asking too much of the people and they will save their money. This is not a PPV caliber match and these men will not engage in a toe to toe battle, but rather there will be a lot of sloppy scrambles and lack of conditioning. In the end, the popular fighter will win a controversial decision, whether or not he deserves it.
Winner: Slice by Split Decision
Welterweights: Josh Koscheck vs. Paul Daley - This fight is a believable grudge match that I can not wait to see. Koscheck has great wrestling ability, but he has an even greater chip on his shoulder. Koscheck understands what the fans want and he is constantly trying to prove that his stand up game is elite. Koscheck will not take this fight to the ground more than once or twice but he will be throwing bombs the entire time. Daley understands how to sell a fight and how to use the immortal skill of shit-talking to get under his opponent's skin. Through his outlandish statements, Daley has riled Koscheck up to the point where I believe that Koscheck wants to legitimately hurt Daley and vice versa. There will be blood in this fight and if Koscheck fights an intelligent fight, then he can possibly garner a future championship rematch with Georges St. Pierre.
Winner: Koscheck by Unanimous Decision (29-28)
Light Heavyweight Championship: Challenger Mauricio "Shogun" Rua vs. Champion Lyoto "The Dragon" Machida - The first fight was marred in controversy and a lack of action. Machida was legitimately taken out of his game by Rua who used an effective and slightly yawn-inducing leg and body kick strategy. Machida suffered enough damage that his conditioning was taken away from him due to the fact that his ribs had suffered such a vicious attack from Rua's shins. Rua really did win their first fight, and he will not win the second. When a challenger comes up with a great plan to defeat a champion, they face the conundrum of whether to try the same strategy in the rematch or do they go a different way and risk what has already worked before? I don't know if Rua is going to handle this conundrum well and Machida has more than enough talent and inspiration to dominate this fight. I feel like "The Dragon" will be unleashed and a career-defining performance is coming tonight.
Winner: Machida by dominant 3rd Round TKO (Strikes)
Saturday, April 24, 2010
What to do when a favorite show "jumps the shark"
In case you don't know, when a television series "jumps the shark", it means that you understand that this show will never be as good as it once was and it will continue to decline until it is finally taken off the air. Over the last two television seasons (a season runs from September to May), I have personally faced these "jump the shark" conclusions on two of my favorite television shows, The Office (US) and How I Met Your Mother. These shows continue to make me laugh currently and I still watch one of them constantly (The Office is something I only keep tabs on) but they just do not provide the same excitement that they once did when I first began watching these shows. So in order to help with the transition of letting go of a television series, I've provided some ideas that will make the heartbreak of losing a show less painful.
Find a new series: For the case of these two shows I have found younger models that provide the same dynamics that once were strong in the original shows. The Office has been replaced by its own sorta spin-off, Parks and Recreation. The difference between the shows is that the love stories in Parks and Recreation are not run down and therefore boring and the jokes and gags are much more fresh and just plain funnier. I can only laugh at Dwight's idiosyncrasies and Michael's inane ability to not understand how to act properly in a normal social situation for so long. After a while the characters need to give me something else or risk becoming stale and The Office characters have become stale. Parks and Recreation benefits from offering a tried and true format with fresh characters. Time will tell whether or not Parks and Recreation will be able to stay fresh. How I Met Your Mother has been replaced by Community. The multiple friend and multiple storyline dynamic between the two shows is similar and there is a "will they or won't they" storyline that is key to a show being able to suck in viewers on Community. What has made How I Met Your Mother stale is the fact that the show is leading up to this moment of when Ted (the main character) meets the titular mother and so every filler episode that does not fill in the mystery of the mother feels like a slap in the face of the viewer who is following this story intently. Throw on top of that the failed Barney/Robin relationship and that show jumped the shark by a great deal. Community offers irreverent humor that is heavily placed on pop culture references and subtle gags that need to be caught as opposed to being given to someone (you know, like Friends did for its entire run... HOW WAS THAT SHOW POPULAR?!). The caveat with Community is how can they keep the show going after two or three seasons? Won't these people transfer or move on with their lives after two years of community college? It is up to the writers to not turn viewers off when they face that crossroad.
Only watch the big episodes: The Office offered Jim and Pam's (the main love story of the show) wedding and child birth this year to its viewers and I watched both of those episodes as they aired. Watching these big episodes that offer a huge jump in the storyline help because it is nice to know that the show is still moving on without your loyal viewership and it also helps remind you why you left the show in the first place. I thought Jim and Pam's wedding was the perfect series finale for The Office... sadly there were still another 20 episodes to go in the current season.
Buy the DVD's/ Have the seasons on your Netflix account: Having the reminders of a show's past glory is paramount to being able to move on. It would be like the equivalent of the cliche shoe box of pictures and notes from a past relationship that one has just to remember the good times that were had between these two people. I love to watch the second disc of the first season of How I Met Your Mother on DVD often because it is truly inspired television show writing. It is a stretch of 8 episodes that make you stop what you are doing so that you can experience it as a whole as opposed to watching an episode and then coming back to it and watching another episode two days later. Knowing why you fell in love with a show also helps you realize why it is that you have given up on the show. You can feel the subtle differences in effort, writing, delivery of lines, chemistry from the later seasons to the earlier ones and knowing those differences helps you understand why the break-up is necessary.
Sadly, television series very rarely go out at the right time (examples of shows that did go out at the right time: The Office (UK), Extras, Chappelle's Show) and so you have to deal with that time when a show gets up there in age and must be put down for its own good. It is a tough thing to watch but you have to remember why you fell in love with the show in the first place and focus on the good times the show provided, because in the end that is all that matters.
Find a new series: For the case of these two shows I have found younger models that provide the same dynamics that once were strong in the original shows. The Office has been replaced by its own sorta spin-off, Parks and Recreation. The difference between the shows is that the love stories in Parks and Recreation are not run down and therefore boring and the jokes and gags are much more fresh and just plain funnier. I can only laugh at Dwight's idiosyncrasies and Michael's inane ability to not understand how to act properly in a normal social situation for so long. After a while the characters need to give me something else or risk becoming stale and The Office characters have become stale. Parks and Recreation benefits from offering a tried and true format with fresh characters. Time will tell whether or not Parks and Recreation will be able to stay fresh. How I Met Your Mother has been replaced by Community. The multiple friend and multiple storyline dynamic between the two shows is similar and there is a "will they or won't they" storyline that is key to a show being able to suck in viewers on Community. What has made How I Met Your Mother stale is the fact that the show is leading up to this moment of when Ted (the main character) meets the titular mother and so every filler episode that does not fill in the mystery of the mother feels like a slap in the face of the viewer who is following this story intently. Throw on top of that the failed Barney/Robin relationship and that show jumped the shark by a great deal. Community offers irreverent humor that is heavily placed on pop culture references and subtle gags that need to be caught as opposed to being given to someone (you know, like Friends did for its entire run... HOW WAS THAT SHOW POPULAR?!). The caveat with Community is how can they keep the show going after two or three seasons? Won't these people transfer or move on with their lives after two years of community college? It is up to the writers to not turn viewers off when they face that crossroad.
Only watch the big episodes: The Office offered Jim and Pam's (the main love story of the show) wedding and child birth this year to its viewers and I watched both of those episodes as they aired. Watching these big episodes that offer a huge jump in the storyline help because it is nice to know that the show is still moving on without your loyal viewership and it also helps remind you why you left the show in the first place. I thought Jim and Pam's wedding was the perfect series finale for The Office... sadly there were still another 20 episodes to go in the current season.
Buy the DVD's/ Have the seasons on your Netflix account: Having the reminders of a show's past glory is paramount to being able to move on. It would be like the equivalent of the cliche shoe box of pictures and notes from a past relationship that one has just to remember the good times that were had between these two people. I love to watch the second disc of the first season of How I Met Your Mother on DVD often because it is truly inspired television show writing. It is a stretch of 8 episodes that make you stop what you are doing so that you can experience it as a whole as opposed to watching an episode and then coming back to it and watching another episode two days later. Knowing why you fell in love with a show also helps you realize why it is that you have given up on the show. You can feel the subtle differences in effort, writing, delivery of lines, chemistry from the later seasons to the earlier ones and knowing those differences helps you understand why the break-up is necessary.
Sadly, television series very rarely go out at the right time (examples of shows that did go out at the right time: The Office (UK), Extras, Chappelle's Show) and so you have to deal with that time when a show gets up there in age and must be put down for its own good. It is a tough thing to watch but you have to remember why you fell in love with the show in the first place and focus on the good times the show provided, because in the end that is all that matters.
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Why the Stanley Cup Playoffs are better than the NBA Playoffs
It's not that I don't like the NBA or what it offers. I'm a fan of the Portland Trail Blazers and of course I'm checking in on their games and seeing how they're going. But if I have to choose between watching a Trail Blazers game or watching my favorite hockey team, the Chicago Blackhawks, play then I'm going hockey every time during the playoffs. To me, the Stanley Cup Playoffs are infinitely better than the NBA Playoffs due to these three reasons (three is a good number so that is why I'm going with three).
1) The Playoff Beard: There is no greater tradition in sports than that of hockey players growing out their beard until they are eliminated from the playoffs. By the time the Stanley Cup Finals begin, all you see are a bunch of mangy, unkempt beards that look incredibly manly. You also get to learn more about the players, such as "how does NHL player x grow facial hair? Is it spotty is some places? How quickly does their facial hair grow? Can they grow a full, bushy beard?" I mean, there is so much to learn by a man's beard!!!
2) The Competition: The NHL has not been immune to dynasties (see Red Wings, Detroit) but there is still plenty to be excited about if your team even gets into the playoffs. For example, if we look at the NBA this year, there are really only three or four true title contenders and only one of them, The Cleveland Cavaliers featuring LeBron James (They are no longer "the LeBron's" but rather the Cavaliers featuring LeBron) that everyone agrees will win the title. In the NHL, all eight series started off 1-1 and there are two upsets that are about to occur in the East. While in the West there are three series that are at 2-2 and hopefully there will be a fourth in the West when Chicago beats Nashville tonight. The NBA has all four series in the East headed for either a sweep or five game resolution with no upsets. The West is the exception with three series at 1-1 although only one of the two games in those series was exciting and the other was a blowout (except for the battle between Denver and Utah that was exciting in both games and has white people all sorts of riled up in their mountainous suburbs). In the NHL every team has a chance of beating another in a series and it truly messes up people's picks for who will win the Stanley Cup. You also see games that go into overtime with regularity and there is nothing more exciting than overtime playoff hockey where the next goal wins the game and possibly the series. The intensity in those games is palpable and the body checks and fights are twice as exciting to watch. The Stanley Cup Playoffs feel like a life and death affair in every game, as opposed to every seventh game in the NBA.
3) The trophy: There is no greater trophy in sports than the Stanley Cup. The MLB, NFL, and NBA can not come close to the trophy tradition of the NHL. Watching each member of the winning team pick up the trophy and skate around the rink hoisting it above their head and showing everyone in the building that they have finally climbed to the NHL mountaintop is a great moment to watch and one that I look forward to every year (granted that it doesn't involve the Red Wings, Penguins or Blues because those teams can eat a bag of dicks). Plus, you get your name etched into the trophy for eternity and people will know your name as the name of a champion every time they look at the cup. Finally, each player on the team gets to spend a day during the off season with the cup in their hometown and do whatever they want to do with it. Do you hear that kind of stuff regarding the Larry O'Brien trophy? Did you even know that the NBA trophy was called the Larry O'Brien trophy? Exactly. Stanley Cup for the win!
So there are three reasons that I have presented. I am fully aware of the rebuttals that will be posted such as "Hockey is a Canadian sport and Canada sucks so therefore hockey sucks." Or "No one cares about hockey which means it can't be better." Well, I don't care. The NHL playoffs are the best playoffs in the spring and in professional sports in my humble opinion.
1) The Playoff Beard: There is no greater tradition in sports than that of hockey players growing out their beard until they are eliminated from the playoffs. By the time the Stanley Cup Finals begin, all you see are a bunch of mangy, unkempt beards that look incredibly manly. You also get to learn more about the players, such as "how does NHL player x grow facial hair? Is it spotty is some places? How quickly does their facial hair grow? Can they grow a full, bushy beard?" I mean, there is so much to learn by a man's beard!!!
2) The Competition: The NHL has not been immune to dynasties (see Red Wings, Detroit) but there is still plenty to be excited about if your team even gets into the playoffs. For example, if we look at the NBA this year, there are really only three or four true title contenders and only one of them, The Cleveland Cavaliers featuring LeBron James (They are no longer "the LeBron's" but rather the Cavaliers featuring LeBron) that everyone agrees will win the title. In the NHL, all eight series started off 1-1 and there are two upsets that are about to occur in the East. While in the West there are three series that are at 2-2 and hopefully there will be a fourth in the West when Chicago beats Nashville tonight. The NBA has all four series in the East headed for either a sweep or five game resolution with no upsets. The West is the exception with three series at 1-1 although only one of the two games in those series was exciting and the other was a blowout (except for the battle between Denver and Utah that was exciting in both games and has white people all sorts of riled up in their mountainous suburbs). In the NHL every team has a chance of beating another in a series and it truly messes up people's picks for who will win the Stanley Cup. You also see games that go into overtime with regularity and there is nothing more exciting than overtime playoff hockey where the next goal wins the game and possibly the series. The intensity in those games is palpable and the body checks and fights are twice as exciting to watch. The Stanley Cup Playoffs feel like a life and death affair in every game, as opposed to every seventh game in the NBA.
3) The trophy: There is no greater trophy in sports than the Stanley Cup. The MLB, NFL, and NBA can not come close to the trophy tradition of the NHL. Watching each member of the winning team pick up the trophy and skate around the rink hoisting it above their head and showing everyone in the building that they have finally climbed to the NHL mountaintop is a great moment to watch and one that I look forward to every year (granted that it doesn't involve the Red Wings, Penguins or Blues because those teams can eat a bag of dicks). Plus, you get your name etched into the trophy for eternity and people will know your name as the name of a champion every time they look at the cup. Finally, each player on the team gets to spend a day during the off season with the cup in their hometown and do whatever they want to do with it. Do you hear that kind of stuff regarding the Larry O'Brien trophy? Did you even know that the NBA trophy was called the Larry O'Brien trophy? Exactly. Stanley Cup for the win!
So there are three reasons that I have presented. I am fully aware of the rebuttals that will be posted such as "Hockey is a Canadian sport and Canada sucks so therefore hockey sucks." Or "No one cares about hockey which means it can't be better." Well, I don't care. The NHL playoffs are the best playoffs in the spring and in professional sports in my humble opinion.
Sunday, April 18, 2010
What to Make of Strikeforce: Nashville
So it has been awhile since I have made a blog post. Sorry about that. Just didn't have much to say. But watching the latest CBS Saturday Night Fights involving the main event of Dan Henderson vs. Jake Shields brought a lot of inspiration. There are three areas I want to hit, the fights, the brawl, and the stupid Canadian that floods my ears with nonsense and hurts my eyes with his presence on my television, Mauro Ranallo.
The Fights:
CBS and Strikeforce drew up a great televised card by showing some of their biggest names who own title belts. Gegard Mousasi, the Strikeforce Light Heavyweight Champion, was one of those names and he was being touted as a man who would dominate the sport for years to come since he is only 24 years old. What I liked about him in the previous three fights that I had seen out of him was the fact that he looked like he was bored out of his mind in each of them before and during the fights, then all of a sudden he'd throw 10 to 20 punches in three seconds and knock a guy out. The unassuming, sleepy act intrigued me. He fought Muhammad "King Mo" Lawal, a huge black man from Texas who won an NCAA title in wrestling for Oklahoma State. He entered the fight 6-0 with 5 KO's, all of them basically from taking a guy down and then beating said guy into a bloody mess. All signs pointed to Mousasi punching this guy and dominating the stand-up part of the fight and retaining his belt. What everyone forgot though was how affective a great double leg takedown can be, and whether Mousasi even had takedown defense. Needless to say, Mousasi spent the entire fight breathing heavy and looking at this tremendous black man rain down fists of anger. Mousasi looked like he'd rather be in bed taking a nap than fighting and "King Mo" wrestled his way to a victory. The fight went 25 minutes and there were very few highlights (Those highlights being "King Mo's" entrance in which he danced with a bunch of white girls while wearing a cape and crown, "King Mo" thanking the haters for booing him after the fight, and the fact that his nickname is "King Mo"). So far, this night was off to a bad start.
The next fight was for the Strikeforce Lightweight Championship and it involved Champion Gilbert Melendez against Challenger Shinya Aoki. Aoki had never fought in the U.S. but he posed a 23-4-1 record and many MMA critics considered him to be a top 3 Lightweight in the world and the favorite in the match-up against a talented but young Melendez. Then the words "submission specialist" are uttered by the incomparable Gus Johnson and alarm bells begin to ring in my head. That is when I realized that the viewing audience was headed for another "technical battle" which is impressive and boring all in one. Aoki preceded to get owned in the stand-up by a guy who isn't in the top ten in his weight class in that facet of the game and then Aoki continued to flop to the ground and try to draw Melendez into a grappling battle which Melendez intelligently refused. Aoki did a fantastic job of making sure that nobody in the U.S. will ever take time out of their life to watch him fight because he straight up looked like a chump who wanted no part of throwing blows with Melendez, which to his credit, tried to engage Aoki throughout the fight. Melendez was easily the most impressive fighter of the night as he retained his title after five rounds (sense a theme for the fights?).
The main event of the evening featured the legend Dan Henderson vs. Champion Jake Shields. Henderson is known for his power and the fact that he loves to throw punches that will take your head off. He holds his right hand cocked and loaded for entire fights just waiting to throw it and land on his opponent's chin. Jake Shields, on the other hand, is a technical fighter (uh oh) who is a world class wrestler (Uh Oh.) and only has 3 KO's in 29 fights (UH OH!). Those same alarm bells were ringing when I saw Shields was fighting after the last live fight he had against Jason "Mayhem" Miller when he basically laid on top of Miller for 25 minutes, took his victory, and went home. Well the first round showed Henderson almost knock Shields out twice and I was finally excited. Johnson began to raise his volume and I began to feel an exciting finish was finally going to happen. To Shields' credit, he survived the two tremendous right hands he took on the chin and he showed that he could take a punch and has heart. In the second round, Shields took Henderson down and quickly mounted him. Shields showed why he is so feared on the ground and it was impressive to see, but boring to watch. For the last four rounds, Shields would mount Henderson and throw punches that were reminiscent of how elementary school children play patty cake with one another. He seriously got zero torque on his punches while in a completely dominant position and he proceeded to win the fight via decision that he could have easily stopped if he had any power in his hands (which he showed he didn't). I'll always say this when it comes to MMA, good fighters can win fights, great fighters finish them. Georges St. Pierre and Jake Shields are the worst "good fighters" to watch, in my opinion, and they make for boring fights. Shields retained his belt via decision after five rounds (again!).
The Brawl:
The best part of the entire night was during Shields' post fight interview in the ring. Johnson is talking to Shields when Miller walks in and interrupts Shields during his interview. Let's pause here. Now setting up future main events with face-offs after a fighter wins is an MMA standard. It piques the fans desire to see a fight between the two guys facing off and it adds a nice period to a night of fights. Usually after the winner of a fight is done talking, he will then be approached by a challenger who will congratulate the winner on his win, express a desire to be the next opponent, and then a handshake and face-off ensues, followed by another handshake. But Miller is one who loves to draw attention and "shock" people, so he ignored proper etiquette of the face-off and proceeded to disrespect Shields.
So we continue with Melendez (training partner and friend of Shields) stepping in and telling Miller to back up and pushing him. Words are exchanged, Miller shoves him back, then Shields shoves Miller, and then Nick and Nate Diaz (fighters, training partners of Shields, and resident thugs from the mean streets of Stockton, CA...) jump Miller and a brawl ensues. There are about ten men who are taking shots at Miller and Miller is holding his own all by himself. Finally the brawl is broken up and no significant damage appears to have been caused. Let's recap what Strikeforce wanted from Miller's appearance in the ring and compare it to what happened. Strikeforce wanted a proper face-off that had good sportsmanship, a little bit of hostility, maybe some words exchanged, and then Johnson to tie a bow on the night with his fantastic mic skills. What ensued was Miller being an attention seeking dumbass, Melendez, the Diaz brothers, and Shields proving how truly ghetto they are, and the most exciting fight of the night that only lasted about 20 seconds. It is insane to me that the only time I was actually enthralled by what I was watching was during a poor attempt at what should be an easy MMA face-off that turned into a night out on the streets of Stockton. I could see this in Eugene if I party with a football player, I expect more from an MMA telecast. The night of fights sucked and I haven't even gotten to the worst part...
The Main Reason Canada Sucks:
Mauro Ranallo is the guy that no one invited to the party who shows up anyway. Mauro Ranallo is the man at work who sits by you at lunch everyday and talks about the personal details of his life with you, and all you want to do is eat your sandwich and not be around him. Mauro Ranallo is the guy who runs into you at the bar, proceeds to accept rounds of drinks from others but has no money to reciprocate those drinks (or so he says), then asks for a ride home in your car and then pukes all over the backseat. I do not like Mauro Ranallo. He is the worst MMA announcer and I don't understand how he ever got a job announcing MMA fights (for Pride or CBS). He makes Joe Rogan sound like an intelligent human being. He constantly steps on the toes of the best announcer in sports, Johnson, and speaks for 30 to 40 seconds at a time about fights that happened in Japan over three to four years ago that no one watched or cared about. He offers history on the fighters that are as relevant as what brand of toothpaste that the fighters use before entering the ring. His voice is annoying and sounds fake. He wears stupid looking glasses. The worst part about Ranallo, he thinks he is the best MMA announcer in the world. In his head, his opinion matters and people listen to what he has to say and they take it to heart. When the people who watch and listen to him fall asleep that night, they will remember his fantastic knowledge of when random Japanese fighter X was beaten by the random participant who is involved in the current fight back in 2005. Ranallo is the most important man on the telecast in Ranallo's mind. Case in point, after the brawl Shields was brought to the announcing booth for an impromptu one on one interview with Johnson that they didn't get to have in the ring. While Johnson and Shields are speaking, Ranallo begins to enter the camera shot from the left, tapping Shields on the shoulder as he is speaking and trying to enter the interview from the other side. Shields has his back to him and will not respond because he is answering Johnson's question in this ONE-ON-ONE INTERVIEW! Finally Shields then leaves and Johnson throws Ranallo a question so that he won't throw a fit. What does Ranallo do? He says "Excuse me Gus, but I'd like to say a few words on what just happened". Basically Ranallo gives Johnson a big "Fuck You, Gus, it's my turn to talk" and proceeds to spit out some dumb opinion about how the brawl and Miller's antics were despicable. First off, NOBODY ASKED YOU FOR YOUR OPINION RANALLO!!!!!! Second, when Johnson asks a question, you answer it. He is the best and you are not. ANSWER THE QUESTION! Third, he is trying to steal a shot from Johnson on live television and thus creating an awkward moment after an awkward brawl. GET OUT OF THE SHOT!!! Basically, Strikeforce took two steps back with this event because the fights were boring and they refuse to not have Ranallo pollute my television screen with his dumb comments and looks on his dumb face.
The Fights:
CBS and Strikeforce drew up a great televised card by showing some of their biggest names who own title belts. Gegard Mousasi, the Strikeforce Light Heavyweight Champion, was one of those names and he was being touted as a man who would dominate the sport for years to come since he is only 24 years old. What I liked about him in the previous three fights that I had seen out of him was the fact that he looked like he was bored out of his mind in each of them before and during the fights, then all of a sudden he'd throw 10 to 20 punches in three seconds and knock a guy out. The unassuming, sleepy act intrigued me. He fought Muhammad "King Mo" Lawal, a huge black man from Texas who won an NCAA title in wrestling for Oklahoma State. He entered the fight 6-0 with 5 KO's, all of them basically from taking a guy down and then beating said guy into a bloody mess. All signs pointed to Mousasi punching this guy and dominating the stand-up part of the fight and retaining his belt. What everyone forgot though was how affective a great double leg takedown can be, and whether Mousasi even had takedown defense. Needless to say, Mousasi spent the entire fight breathing heavy and looking at this tremendous black man rain down fists of anger. Mousasi looked like he'd rather be in bed taking a nap than fighting and "King Mo" wrestled his way to a victory. The fight went 25 minutes and there were very few highlights (Those highlights being "King Mo's" entrance in which he danced with a bunch of white girls while wearing a cape and crown, "King Mo" thanking the haters for booing him after the fight, and the fact that his nickname is "King Mo"). So far, this night was off to a bad start.
The next fight was for the Strikeforce Lightweight Championship and it involved Champion Gilbert Melendez against Challenger Shinya Aoki. Aoki had never fought in the U.S. but he posed a 23-4-1 record and many MMA critics considered him to be a top 3 Lightweight in the world and the favorite in the match-up against a talented but young Melendez. Then the words "submission specialist" are uttered by the incomparable Gus Johnson and alarm bells begin to ring in my head. That is when I realized that the viewing audience was headed for another "technical battle" which is impressive and boring all in one. Aoki preceded to get owned in the stand-up by a guy who isn't in the top ten in his weight class in that facet of the game and then Aoki continued to flop to the ground and try to draw Melendez into a grappling battle which Melendez intelligently refused. Aoki did a fantastic job of making sure that nobody in the U.S. will ever take time out of their life to watch him fight because he straight up looked like a chump who wanted no part of throwing blows with Melendez, which to his credit, tried to engage Aoki throughout the fight. Melendez was easily the most impressive fighter of the night as he retained his title after five rounds (sense a theme for the fights?).
The main event of the evening featured the legend Dan Henderson vs. Champion Jake Shields. Henderson is known for his power and the fact that he loves to throw punches that will take your head off. He holds his right hand cocked and loaded for entire fights just waiting to throw it and land on his opponent's chin. Jake Shields, on the other hand, is a technical fighter (uh oh) who is a world class wrestler (Uh Oh.) and only has 3 KO's in 29 fights (UH OH!). Those same alarm bells were ringing when I saw Shields was fighting after the last live fight he had against Jason "Mayhem" Miller when he basically laid on top of Miller for 25 minutes, took his victory, and went home. Well the first round showed Henderson almost knock Shields out twice and I was finally excited. Johnson began to raise his volume and I began to feel an exciting finish was finally going to happen. To Shields' credit, he survived the two tremendous right hands he took on the chin and he showed that he could take a punch and has heart. In the second round, Shields took Henderson down and quickly mounted him. Shields showed why he is so feared on the ground and it was impressive to see, but boring to watch. For the last four rounds, Shields would mount Henderson and throw punches that were reminiscent of how elementary school children play patty cake with one another. He seriously got zero torque on his punches while in a completely dominant position and he proceeded to win the fight via decision that he could have easily stopped if he had any power in his hands (which he showed he didn't). I'll always say this when it comes to MMA, good fighters can win fights, great fighters finish them. Georges St. Pierre and Jake Shields are the worst "good fighters" to watch, in my opinion, and they make for boring fights. Shields retained his belt via decision after five rounds (again!).
The Brawl:
The best part of the entire night was during Shields' post fight interview in the ring. Johnson is talking to Shields when Miller walks in and interrupts Shields during his interview. Let's pause here. Now setting up future main events with face-offs after a fighter wins is an MMA standard. It piques the fans desire to see a fight between the two guys facing off and it adds a nice period to a night of fights. Usually after the winner of a fight is done talking, he will then be approached by a challenger who will congratulate the winner on his win, express a desire to be the next opponent, and then a handshake and face-off ensues, followed by another handshake. But Miller is one who loves to draw attention and "shock" people, so he ignored proper etiquette of the face-off and proceeded to disrespect Shields.
So we continue with Melendez (training partner and friend of Shields) stepping in and telling Miller to back up and pushing him. Words are exchanged, Miller shoves him back, then Shields shoves Miller, and then Nick and Nate Diaz (fighters, training partners of Shields, and resident thugs from the mean streets of Stockton, CA...) jump Miller and a brawl ensues. There are about ten men who are taking shots at Miller and Miller is holding his own all by himself. Finally the brawl is broken up and no significant damage appears to have been caused. Let's recap what Strikeforce wanted from Miller's appearance in the ring and compare it to what happened. Strikeforce wanted a proper face-off that had good sportsmanship, a little bit of hostility, maybe some words exchanged, and then Johnson to tie a bow on the night with his fantastic mic skills. What ensued was Miller being an attention seeking dumbass, Melendez, the Diaz brothers, and Shields proving how truly ghetto they are, and the most exciting fight of the night that only lasted about 20 seconds. It is insane to me that the only time I was actually enthralled by what I was watching was during a poor attempt at what should be an easy MMA face-off that turned into a night out on the streets of Stockton. I could see this in Eugene if I party with a football player, I expect more from an MMA telecast. The night of fights sucked and I haven't even gotten to the worst part...
The Main Reason Canada Sucks:
Mauro Ranallo is the guy that no one invited to the party who shows up anyway. Mauro Ranallo is the man at work who sits by you at lunch everyday and talks about the personal details of his life with you, and all you want to do is eat your sandwich and not be around him. Mauro Ranallo is the guy who runs into you at the bar, proceeds to accept rounds of drinks from others but has no money to reciprocate those drinks (or so he says), then asks for a ride home in your car and then pukes all over the backseat. I do not like Mauro Ranallo. He is the worst MMA announcer and I don't understand how he ever got a job announcing MMA fights (for Pride or CBS). He makes Joe Rogan sound like an intelligent human being. He constantly steps on the toes of the best announcer in sports, Johnson, and speaks for 30 to 40 seconds at a time about fights that happened in Japan over three to four years ago that no one watched or cared about. He offers history on the fighters that are as relevant as what brand of toothpaste that the fighters use before entering the ring. His voice is annoying and sounds fake. He wears stupid looking glasses. The worst part about Ranallo, he thinks he is the best MMA announcer in the world. In his head, his opinion matters and people listen to what he has to say and they take it to heart. When the people who watch and listen to him fall asleep that night, they will remember his fantastic knowledge of when random Japanese fighter X was beaten by the random participant who is involved in the current fight back in 2005. Ranallo is the most important man on the telecast in Ranallo's mind. Case in point, after the brawl Shields was brought to the announcing booth for an impromptu one on one interview with Johnson that they didn't get to have in the ring. While Johnson and Shields are speaking, Ranallo begins to enter the camera shot from the left, tapping Shields on the shoulder as he is speaking and trying to enter the interview from the other side. Shields has his back to him and will not respond because he is answering Johnson's question in this ONE-ON-ONE INTERVIEW! Finally Shields then leaves and Johnson throws Ranallo a question so that he won't throw a fit. What does Ranallo do? He says "Excuse me Gus, but I'd like to say a few words on what just happened". Basically Ranallo gives Johnson a big "Fuck You, Gus, it's my turn to talk" and proceeds to spit out some dumb opinion about how the brawl and Miller's antics were despicable. First off, NOBODY ASKED YOU FOR YOUR OPINION RANALLO!!!!!! Second, when Johnson asks a question, you answer it. He is the best and you are not. ANSWER THE QUESTION! Third, he is trying to steal a shot from Johnson on live television and thus creating an awkward moment after an awkward brawl. GET OUT OF THE SHOT!!! Basically, Strikeforce took two steps back with this event because the fights were boring and they refuse to not have Ranallo pollute my television screen with his dumb comments and looks on his dumb face.
Saturday, April 10, 2010
UFC 112 Preview
I'm a huge fan of Mixed Martial Arts, mostly due to the fact that I wrestled all through high school and MMA and wrestling go hand in hand. When a big Pay Per View fight comes up, I do whatever I can to watch it. Tonight is UFC 112: Invincible, which features two Championship matches. I will offer my opinion on who will win the fights that will be shown on PPV and add a little commentary.
Middleweight: Kendall Grove (185) vs. Mark Munoz (185)- These are two men who have been touted as talented fighters but they have rarely lived up to the billing. Grove has tremendous length and reach and he offers a great Muay Thai game. Munoz is a short, stocky middleweight who can take down almost anyone with his wrestling pedigree. Classic match-up of different styles that looks good on paper but will probably end up boring the crowd.
Winner: Grove by Split Decision
Lightweight: Rafael dos Anjos (156) vs. Terry Etim (154)- Dos Anjos and Etim are two guys that are not really in the discussion for being a top contender in the Lightweight division, but with a win over each other, they could be another one to two wins away from challenging for the title. So yeah, this fight has very little significance. Etim has a four fight win streak and I see him continuing his roll.
Winner: Etim by Unanimous Decision
Welterweight: Matt Hughes (170) vs. Renzo Gracie (171)- Two big names going at it in this one (Hughes being a UFC staple and Gracie having a famous last name in the world of MMA). Hughes is younger, more decorated, and much more disliked by me. He is a passively-aggressive cocky guy which is the kind of guy that I hate. He'll look you in the eyes and smile as he mutters comment after comment of how much better than you he thinks he is. I hate Matt Hughes and have never understood his appeal as a fighter, but he'll dominate Gracie in this one.
Winner: Hughes by TKO (Ground and Pound) in the 1st
Lightweight Championship: Champion B.J. Penn (155) vs. Challenger Frankie Edgar (154)- Edgar is the next challenger set up for Penn and he is being billed as the prototypical underdog. Edgar has a nice wrestling background, he is from New Jersey (The butthole of America) and he has been fighting since he was young. This kid is being hyped up by everyone in the UFC as a great fighter who could be the one to finally end Penn's dominance. But I don't believe them. Penn is nicknamed "The Prodigy" because no one really understands how he does what he does in the cage. This guy has a bit of a pot belly, he is balding, and no one is really sure if he is a dick or a nice guy. But he gets in the cage and destroys people with his fists, and then he smothers them with submissions that involve all four of his limbs. I don't get how he is as good as he is, all I know is that I would not bet against him in a Lightweight fight.
Winner: Penn by Submission (Rear Naked Choke) in the 5th
Middleweight Championship: Anderson Silva (185) vs. Demian Maia (184)- Two very talented Brazilians are going to battle it out for the Middleweight title and it is going to be a disappointment. First, Maia was knocked out by Nate Marquardt in less than 30 seconds. Marquardt recently lost to Chael Sonnen (University of Oregon Alum!) and Maia submitted Sonnen in the first round. Basically, there is no clear #1 contender in this weight class, which means Silva will not be challenged. Second, Maia is renowned for his Brazilian Jiu Jitsu ability, but that doesn't make for an exciting fight. Take into account that Silva is the best stand-up fighter in the world of MMA and that just screams that Maia will be running away from Silva or constantly looking for take downs and failing. Third, Silva never takes unnecessary risks in his fights and he will not chase and engage Maia if Maia decides to be extremely cautious and wait for a take down opportunity. These three points that I have made lead me to believe that this fight will not be entertaining, but I would watch Silva fight anyone at this point. He is at that level to me where his fights are must see TV.
Winner: Silva by a disappointing Unanimous Decision
So by the end of this PPV, the people will want either Penn-St. Pierre III or St. Pierre-Silva or even Silva-Machida/Rua (Whoever wins their rematch). These fights will and should happen, but only at opportune times for the UFC. So look for a superfight to happen in either the 4th of July part of the year, or at the end of the year PPV that always has a good amount of solid fights. And if I had to pick an upset in the big three fights, I would pick Edgar over Penn, but that is a huge longshot that I wouldn't touch. That's my preview and I can't wait to see the fights.
Middleweight: Kendall Grove (185) vs. Mark Munoz (185)- These are two men who have been touted as talented fighters but they have rarely lived up to the billing. Grove has tremendous length and reach and he offers a great Muay Thai game. Munoz is a short, stocky middleweight who can take down almost anyone with his wrestling pedigree. Classic match-up of different styles that looks good on paper but will probably end up boring the crowd.
Winner: Grove by Split Decision
Lightweight: Rafael dos Anjos (156) vs. Terry Etim (154)- Dos Anjos and Etim are two guys that are not really in the discussion for being a top contender in the Lightweight division, but with a win over each other, they could be another one to two wins away from challenging for the title. So yeah, this fight has very little significance. Etim has a four fight win streak and I see him continuing his roll.
Winner: Etim by Unanimous Decision
Welterweight: Matt Hughes (170) vs. Renzo Gracie (171)- Two big names going at it in this one (Hughes being a UFC staple and Gracie having a famous last name in the world of MMA). Hughes is younger, more decorated, and much more disliked by me. He is a passively-aggressive cocky guy which is the kind of guy that I hate. He'll look you in the eyes and smile as he mutters comment after comment of how much better than you he thinks he is. I hate Matt Hughes and have never understood his appeal as a fighter, but he'll dominate Gracie in this one.
Winner: Hughes by TKO (Ground and Pound) in the 1st
Lightweight Championship: Champion B.J. Penn (155) vs. Challenger Frankie Edgar (154)- Edgar is the next challenger set up for Penn and he is being billed as the prototypical underdog. Edgar has a nice wrestling background, he is from New Jersey (The butthole of America) and he has been fighting since he was young. This kid is being hyped up by everyone in the UFC as a great fighter who could be the one to finally end Penn's dominance. But I don't believe them. Penn is nicknamed "The Prodigy" because no one really understands how he does what he does in the cage. This guy has a bit of a pot belly, he is balding, and no one is really sure if he is a dick or a nice guy. But he gets in the cage and destroys people with his fists, and then he smothers them with submissions that involve all four of his limbs. I don't get how he is as good as he is, all I know is that I would not bet against him in a Lightweight fight.
Winner: Penn by Submission (Rear Naked Choke) in the 5th
Middleweight Championship: Anderson Silva (185) vs. Demian Maia (184)- Two very talented Brazilians are going to battle it out for the Middleweight title and it is going to be a disappointment. First, Maia was knocked out by Nate Marquardt in less than 30 seconds. Marquardt recently lost to Chael Sonnen (University of Oregon Alum!) and Maia submitted Sonnen in the first round. Basically, there is no clear #1 contender in this weight class, which means Silva will not be challenged. Second, Maia is renowned for his Brazilian Jiu Jitsu ability, but that doesn't make for an exciting fight. Take into account that Silva is the best stand-up fighter in the world of MMA and that just screams that Maia will be running away from Silva or constantly looking for take downs and failing. Third, Silva never takes unnecessary risks in his fights and he will not chase and engage Maia if Maia decides to be extremely cautious and wait for a take down opportunity. These three points that I have made lead me to believe that this fight will not be entertaining, but I would watch Silva fight anyone at this point. He is at that level to me where his fights are must see TV.
Winner: Silva by a disappointing Unanimous Decision
So by the end of this PPV, the people will want either Penn-St. Pierre III or St. Pierre-Silva or even Silva-Machida/Rua (Whoever wins their rematch). These fights will and should happen, but only at opportune times for the UFC. So look for a superfight to happen in either the 4th of July part of the year, or at the end of the year PPV that always has a good amount of solid fights. And if I had to pick an upset in the big three fights, I would pick Edgar over Penn, but that is a huge longshot that I wouldn't touch. That's my preview and I can't wait to see the fights.
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
What is the Rush?
So right now Justin Bieber is topping the charts by singing love songs and Miley Cyrus stars in a newly released film called "The Last Song" (Or for those who grew up in the late 90's/early 00's, it is Cyrus' version of "Crossroads"). Young Hollywood continues to rule and the tween market is one that every executive want to enter because there is a lot of money to be made. Just look at the Disney Channel now as opposed to five or ten years ago. We've moved from the Mickey Mouse Club to Hannah Montana and The Wizards of Waverly Place. The tween market is driving the need for young stars and that is a very dangerous trend.
Almost a month ago, Corey Haim died at the age of 38. He was one of Young Hollywood's biggest stars in the 80's, starring in movies such as "The Lost Boys" and "Lucas". He had a promising acting career ahead of him until he got into drugs and that haunted him until he died. Then we take a look at Lindsey Lohan, someone who has been reported to make less for an appearance than MTV's Jersey Shore Alum, Snooki. This is the same Lohan that starred in the popular "Mean Girls" and was a media darling while I was in High School, and now she is having trouble just living life. These two young actors are just examples of the many young actors and musicians who had trouble growing up because of their stardom at one point or another. Young Hollywood looks like Professional Wrestling with the commonality of deaths before the age of 40. That's scary.
I can't figure out why parents would allow their children to enter a place like Hollywood before they are old enough to drive or vote. There is so much evidence that you have to be ready for the psychological damage that Hollywood will inflict upon you and there is no way that kids like Cyrus or Bieber are ready from the come down when they are not popular anymore. I know for a fact that if my kid had any sort of talent and came up to me at the age of 12 asking me to go to Hollywood I would tell them that I wanted them to live longer than me, so hell no. Being a young star in Hollywood is almost a death sentence for the performer. It's staggering to see the deaths of kids who don't know how to transition into being an adult.
Almost a month ago, Corey Haim died at the age of 38. He was one of Young Hollywood's biggest stars in the 80's, starring in movies such as "The Lost Boys" and "Lucas". He had a promising acting career ahead of him until he got into drugs and that haunted him until he died. Then we take a look at Lindsey Lohan, someone who has been reported to make less for an appearance than MTV's Jersey Shore Alum, Snooki. This is the same Lohan that starred in the popular "Mean Girls" and was a media darling while I was in High School, and now she is having trouble just living life. These two young actors are just examples of the many young actors and musicians who had trouble growing up because of their stardom at one point or another. Young Hollywood looks like Professional Wrestling with the commonality of deaths before the age of 40. That's scary.
I can't figure out why parents would allow their children to enter a place like Hollywood before they are old enough to drive or vote. There is so much evidence that you have to be ready for the psychological damage that Hollywood will inflict upon you and there is no way that kids like Cyrus or Bieber are ready from the come down when they are not popular anymore. I know for a fact that if my kid had any sort of talent and came up to me at the age of 12 asking me to go to Hollywood I would tell them that I wanted them to live longer than me, so hell no. Being a young star in Hollywood is almost a death sentence for the performer. It's staggering to see the deaths of kids who don't know how to transition into being an adult.
Monday, April 5, 2010
Tiger Woods' Masters Press Conference
People always hear the adage "Take everything on a case by case basis" when there are issues in sports that have to be dealt with. You hear Head Coaches, Athletic Directors, and General Managers utter this phrase when someone on their team has been arrested or accused of some crime outside of the playing field. It is a common way of viewing people who have transgressed and caused a firestorm of media to pay extra close attention to one individual. So by employing the "case by case basis" view, I'm going to decipher Woods' Press Conference.
Overall, I think Tiger did a fantastic job of keeping his cool, answering a majority of the questions asked to him, and most importantly, gaining some fans back. The point that everyone seems to forget about the world of sports or any bigwig in Hollywood is that no one has to answer your questions. Yes, it is beneficial for an athlete or famous actor or musician to answer questions about their life and give the facade that you as a fan actually know this person, but in reality, these famous human beings could just tell you to "Fuck Off" and there would be very little one person could do about it. So the fact that Tiger noticed that The Masters was the one place that he could begin to make some of that money back that he lost during the backlash of this scandal was very smart on his part.
As for Tiger's actual performance in the Press Conference, he stayed calm and matter of fact, he unleashed a couple of subtle jokes, and he kept private what he wanted to. When he stated that the reason he was in rehab was "personal" or when he answered that he was "very excited to be at The Masters" in response to whether his wife would be there to support him, Tiger was issuing a very subtle "Fuck Off" to the media and those who have been hounding him since this scandal began. I loved the fact that he did that because I would have done the same thing (actually I probably would have been more blunt about avoiding a subject by telling the reporter "It's none of your F@$&%# business"). What Tiger did that impressed me the most was he showed everybody that he actually is human and does understand how to play the media game. Of course it took a bevy of bimbos and a very public domestic dispute and car crash to teach Tiger how to play the media game, but hey, everyone learns in different ways. Tiger has now earned the privilege of playing Professional Golf again because of this interview and that is all any sports fan really wants.
Oh yeah, there is the NCAA Men's Basketball Championship tonight. I'll take Duke over Butler because Duke is going to own the offensive boards. Then I'm not going to watch ESPN for the next three days as Dick Vitale and the rest of the crew there fawn over Coach K and his ability to win with a starting lineup consisting of three white kids. Spare me.
P.S. I have Uconn over Stanford in the Women's title game... No one cares.
Overall, I think Tiger did a fantastic job of keeping his cool, answering a majority of the questions asked to him, and most importantly, gaining some fans back. The point that everyone seems to forget about the world of sports or any bigwig in Hollywood is that no one has to answer your questions. Yes, it is beneficial for an athlete or famous actor or musician to answer questions about their life and give the facade that you as a fan actually know this person, but in reality, these famous human beings could just tell you to "Fuck Off" and there would be very little one person could do about it. So the fact that Tiger noticed that The Masters was the one place that he could begin to make some of that money back that he lost during the backlash of this scandal was very smart on his part.
As for Tiger's actual performance in the Press Conference, he stayed calm and matter of fact, he unleashed a couple of subtle jokes, and he kept private what he wanted to. When he stated that the reason he was in rehab was "personal" or when he answered that he was "very excited to be at The Masters" in response to whether his wife would be there to support him, Tiger was issuing a very subtle "Fuck Off" to the media and those who have been hounding him since this scandal began. I loved the fact that he did that because I would have done the same thing (actually I probably would have been more blunt about avoiding a subject by telling the reporter "It's none of your F@$&%# business"). What Tiger did that impressed me the most was he showed everybody that he actually is human and does understand how to play the media game. Of course it took a bevy of bimbos and a very public domestic dispute and car crash to teach Tiger how to play the media game, but hey, everyone learns in different ways. Tiger has now earned the privilege of playing Professional Golf again because of this interview and that is all any sports fan really wants.
Oh yeah, there is the NCAA Men's Basketball Championship tonight. I'll take Duke over Butler because Duke is going to own the offensive boards. Then I'm not going to watch ESPN for the next three days as Dick Vitale and the rest of the crew there fawn over Coach K and his ability to win with a starting lineup consisting of three white kids. Spare me.
P.S. I have Uconn over Stanford in the Women's title game... No one cares.
Friday, April 2, 2010
The Apex of Pop Music Occurred in 1982
As I listen to Ke$ha and Lady Gaga on the radio, I can't help but think about how far pop music has fallen. Not only are the stories that artists are telling in their music mundane and monotonous, but the talent just is not there either. Listening to some random broad "sing" about "brushing her teeth with a bottle of Jack" or hearing a "woman?" utter nonsensical gibberish (maybe it is hebrew and I am being insensitive) about a "Bad Romance" really saddens me. I just feel like neither of these singers are really offering a piece of themselves with their music or trying to share their talent, but rather they are just capitalizing on the general public's ability to accept anything as valid as long as it makes them dance as opposed to think or feel.
Then I think about the greatest Pop album of all time: "Thriller" by Michael Jackson. That man was on the top of his game with that album, perfecting the art of hit-making and creating timeless pieces of music. Stories ranged from a scary night where random monsters scour the streets, to a denial of paternity, to a song about not acting like an idiot and fighting for no reason, to a song about a pretty young thing. That album had single after single and each of them involved a great vocal performance that aimed to be timeless as opposed to being proper for the time being. I hate the fact that the apex of Pop Music occurred six years before I was born, especially because of what I have to deal with on Pop radio today.
I believe that my sister said it best when she spoke about Lady Gaga's music and portrayal of her music: "I just don't care for her 'art'". There are many people that like Lady Gaga and Ke$ha and for that, one must respect that they are doing something right. But I sincerely doubt that people will look at "The Fame" and "Animal" in thirty years with the same reverence that people look at "Thriller" with. Pop Music is a fleeting one night stand today, but "Thriller" is a marriage that sticks with people until death. The Pop Acts of today are like candy, they are great for the moment you enjoy them, but they are also unhealthy and sooner than later, you'll receive diabetes because you ingested them too often. So I am just waiting for the general public to finally get musical diabetes and move on from where we are now because it truly holds no merit in my eyes.
Then I think about the greatest Pop album of all time: "Thriller" by Michael Jackson. That man was on the top of his game with that album, perfecting the art of hit-making and creating timeless pieces of music. Stories ranged from a scary night where random monsters scour the streets, to a denial of paternity, to a song about not acting like an idiot and fighting for no reason, to a song about a pretty young thing. That album had single after single and each of them involved a great vocal performance that aimed to be timeless as opposed to being proper for the time being. I hate the fact that the apex of Pop Music occurred six years before I was born, especially because of what I have to deal with on Pop radio today.
I believe that my sister said it best when she spoke about Lady Gaga's music and portrayal of her music: "I just don't care for her 'art'". There are many people that like Lady Gaga and Ke$ha and for that, one must respect that they are doing something right. But I sincerely doubt that people will look at "The Fame" and "Animal" in thirty years with the same reverence that people look at "Thriller" with. Pop Music is a fleeting one night stand today, but "Thriller" is a marriage that sticks with people until death. The Pop Acts of today are like candy, they are great for the moment you enjoy them, but they are also unhealthy and sooner than later, you'll receive diabetes because you ingested them too often. So I am just waiting for the general public to finally get musical diabetes and move on from where we are now because it truly holds no merit in my eyes.
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