NBA Jam - Boomshockalocka

This has already been an incredible season in the NBA. I truly believe that this is one of the greatest generations of NBA players, teams, and coaches that we have ever seen. So refreshing after the lull of the post-Jordan era. Every night there is a player or a team playing that I cannot stop watching. Lebron, Kobe, D. Wade, Garnett, Kevin Durant, Chris Paul, Dwight Howard, Deron Williams, Melo, and so many more are keeping my attention like never before in the NBA. It feels like the early ‘90s again, and I am loving every minute of it.

I posted projections for the season right before the first tip. We have certainly seen some surprises, but we have also seen exactly what we expected in many areas. Let's have a look at the Eastern Conference first:

1. Cleveland (29-10) - Is Lebron the greatest athlete to ever play the game? Yes. I still think you could run his games on pay-per-view and people would buy them. He literally does something once every night that makes my jaw fall to the floor. I love his D, his swagger, and the way he has fun with the game. I still worry that he doesn't have the proper cast to beat the Celts, Lakers, and/or Magic in a seven game series. Mo Williams isn't what Scottie Pippen was to Michael Jordan, and Shaq isn't the same Shaq that helped Kobe. Otherwise, the Cavs are improved from last year and poised to make a huge run. Anthony Parker and Jamario Moon add athleticism and length that killed them against the Magic last year (even though the departure of Turkoglu sort of negates the issue). This is still my favorite coming out of the East, and still my favorite to win it all, but if they rely too much on Lebron in the playoffs like they did last year, they will experience the same fate.

2. Boston (26-9) - The Celts struggled on a west coast swing right after Christmas, dropping three straight, but they're still probably the best defensive team in the league and

will not be overlooked come playoff time. Watching them play the Magic on Christmas day was like watching the Spurs during their heyday. Slow, half court, great D, no flashy players. But as they and the Spurs already have shown us, that style wins championships. Can this team beat anyone in a seven game series? Yes. The big question surrounding the Celts right now is if they will or will not be healthy.

3. Orlando (25-12) - I'm not shocked by this order and situation in the East at all. I expected Orlando to be off to a little better start than this, but I also didn't factor in the Rashard Lewis suspension, the Jameer Nelson injury, and the time needed for the team to mesh with Vince Carter and a few of the other new additions. They looked awful over the four game skid last week, but no one is losing too much sleep over it. I still don't think the Magic will make it back to the Finals, and I frankly still can't believe they made it to the Finals last year, but they keep surprising. This is a three horse race in the East. Home court advantage and rest will play a huge role in April, May, and June.

4. Atlanta (23-13) - Started 8-2, but have gone 15-11 since then. The Hawks are playing better D than they did a year ago, and just being one season older will help them in the playoffs. Joe Johnson looks better every time I watch him, Josh Smith is a freak athlete, and the addition of Jamal Crawford has had more of an effect than I thought. Whoever plays this team in the second round is going to have to slug it out and it will probably go 6 or 7 games. The Hawks haven't made this a four team conference just yet, but they're definitely making some noise.

5. Miami (18-17) - Dwyane Wade is carrying an entire roster on his back. The addition of Rafer Alston will be nice, Beasley is a consistent scorer, and Jermaine O'Neal occasionally shows flashes of his old self. On that note, did you know that O'Neal is being paid over $23,000,000 this season. If you were wondering, that is almost a full $8,000,000 more than Mr. Wade himself. Where's Alan Houston when you need him? No one is going to want to play Miami in the playoffs because Dwyane Wade can single-handedly win probably two games. Unfortunately, I wouldn't expect anything more than that.

6. Toronto (19-19) - Chris Bosh is from another planet. He threw a dunk on Shelden Williams a few nights ago that made Shelden look like he took lessons at the Shawn Bradley school of how to get posterized. The Raptors will win some games during the season and will probably finish in the 5 or 6 slot, but in the end, they'll probably get swept in the first round. Heck, Bosh may even be on another roster by the end of the season if Toronto thinks he isn't going to be coming back next year. They will not just let him walk away without getting something in return.

7. Charlotte (16-19) - Sometimes I forget that Larry Brown is the head coach of this team. The addition of Stephen Jackson has done more than anyone thought. They're young, they play great D (only allowing just over 92 points per game), and they play like they've got nothing to lose. Gerald Wallace and Stephen Jackson talking smack on Tyson Chandler after a loss last week doesn't really help with team chemistry, but the Bobcats aren't that bad.

8. Milwaukee (15-19) - The Bucks looked a whole lot better a few weeks ago, but their recent slide and the possible loss of Michael Redd could cause this team irreparable harm. Jennings looked like a possible All-Star, but his play of late might even bump him out of the All-Rookie Team. Andrew Bogut is having his strongest season of his career, but it isn't going to be enough for our friends from Wisconsin. Unfortunately for Wisconsin residents, the heralded Packers fell on Sunday is one of the greatest NFL games I've ever seen. Start praying for the Brewers to make it happen this year.

The Celts, Cavs, and Magic are going to be jockeying for position from now until the end of April. If all three teams can stay healthy, and the Hawks and Heat bring it come playoff time, we're in for a hell of a show. I am willing to sacrifice a small animal to watch the Cavs play the Celtics in a seven game series. Lebron and KG may be two of the most competitive humans ever to walk the earth, and I would love to see Shaq banging with Kendrick Perkins and KG in the paint. Plan on it people.

My style is impetuous. My defense is impregnable.

Jason and the Argonauts

You ask any NFL fan born before 1975 who the best DB of all time is and you'll always hear the same ol' names- Jack Tatum was the meanest man (not to mention scariest looking, then and now) I've ever seen! Ronnie Lott chose to have his pinkie amputated rather than sit out a few games for the 49ers! Mel Blount had the best nose for the ball! And who can forget vintage Dick LeBeau (current Steelers Defensive Coordinator) who managed to haul in 62 career picks back when the goal posts acted as the 12th and 13th defender respectively and Unitas was the only man who had the coconuts to throw the ball down field!





Fast Forward to any knowledgeable fan born after 1975 and ask them the same question and you'll undoubtedly hear- Neon Deon Primetime Sanders! Cliche, but understandable. Champ Bailey! Got hawked by the Patriots TE Ben Watson on the one yard line, but good selection I guess. Rod Woodson! Arguably the best all-time, agreed. John Lynch! Slow, white, Stanford Alum, solid pick nonetheless. And of course you'll hear names like Ed Reed, Chuck Woodson and Troy Polamalu and true students of the game will throw out names like Aeneas "I single handily ended Steve Young's career" Williams, Darrell "4.0 40 year old" Green and Darren Sharper. (An entire future post dedicated to him, stay tuned!!)

But once in a blue moon, and this has probably happened to us all, you'll come across the guy who maybe catches a Sportscenter once or twice a month, and is a little behind on the current events, but he's caught a few games and he's remembered a few stats, and when the topic of DBs comes up, he thinks he's got the cerebral fortitude and the high register football acumen to hang with the big boys in a sports-related conversation and he'll inevitably throw the name JASON SEHORN out there...

Mistake.

It was Warren Sapp who first noticed the reverse racial discrimination when he called Sehorn "extremely overrated." And then went on to inquire, "How does a guy who has never been to the Pro Bowl get so much attention?"

Great question Mr. Sapp, but you and I both know the answer. The dude was one of the best-looking dudes we've ever seen in the league and he started at a glamor position (right corner back, the last Caucasian to ever start at that position in the NFL) for the New York football Giants for eight seasons. And the dude proposed to a super-hot TV star (Angie Harmon, Law and Order) on Jay Leno's Tonight Show in front of a nationwide audience.

But I'm with Mr. Sapp. Sure the man had 19 picks in nine full seasons in the league, not too shabby, but not up to pro-bowl standards. (For reference: Ed Reed already has 44+ in only 7 full seasons and Darren Sharper has 57+ in only 11 full-seasons). And sure, the man had one of the most athletic pick-6s in NFL history (the Giants fans voted this play the best play ever in Giant stadium) (see video below),




but the dude was also a part of two of the most infamous plays in NFL history as well. Question: Do you know why we didn't see a rematch of the Patriots-Rams in Super Bowl 36? Answer: Jason Sehorn (never mind Bulger's bonehead toss near field goal range). Sehorn was picked up by the Rams in 2003 and moved to Safety after the Giants were through with him once a horrific knee injury suffered while returning the opening kickoff of the 1998 season slowed him significantly. If you remember, the Rams and Panthers played one of the longest playoff games in NFL history, going into double OT. On the first play of 2OT, Steve Smith became a legend (Delhomme still working on it), and Jason Sehorn lived up to Sapp's expectations and floundered. At that point, he should have faded from our collective football consciousness forever just like his white safety counterpart on that play Adam Archuleta has. But he hasn't.
(see the 2:00 mark on the video below)

Yup, that's Sehorn, on his face, and that's the last play of his career.

The second play occurred while boy-wonder still played for the Giants. Sehorn had an angle on a receiver heading for the pylon, but at the point of no return, when Sehorn had to decide whether to lay out and save the TD at the one yard line, or slow down and pull up his trousers that had so unceremoniously begun to fall below his waist, he chose image over grit, PR over PT, self over team, saving face over showing ass, and let an opposing receiver walk into the endzone without a fight. I never forgave him for that.

Jason and the Argonauts were a group of heroes; a band of brothers. And although Sehorn was a Trojan in college, he couldn't hold a freaking roman candle to the real heroes of the DB universe mentioned above. Ronnie Lott, also a Trojan, would lose an entire body part for the team, the profession and the game he loved. Sehorn couldn't even lose a little face. The ironic thing about all that is, if Calvin Klein came calling, Sehorn would probably bend it like Beckham and drop his pants in a New York minute.

Let's listen to Mr. Sapp and give credit where credit is due. If a football player is really white, really good-looking, and marries a beautiful model, then let's not give him too much credit until he proves to us all that he's really talented, really tough, and a true professional.


This is Little Boy Blue and I'm 6'2 soaking wet, Peace and Prosperity-

I welcome any and all comments or emails.

The Man, the Myth, the Legend

Considering John Stockton was recently inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame I’ve got to show some love to my boyhood hero. Growing up in Salt Lake City, Utah, the Utah Jazz were the preeminent sports team of my youth. The Jazz meant everything to me and my favorite player was always Stock.

John Stockton played basketball like it was his livelihood, kind of like Vince Carter does only the exact opposite. John Stockton played in arguably the most talented era in the NBA. In a draft class with Michael Jordan, Charles Barkley, and Hakeem Olajuwon, Stockton was overlooked from the get-go.

In terms of athletic ability, and physical prowess, Stockton was average. He was 6’1, 175 lbs, white and not flashy. In a shoot first, contract first, sponsor first league, Stockton broke the mold. He was a pass-first player. He was not brash, he was not vindictive, and he was not infatuated with himself. Most athletes crave fame; he genuinely didn't want or need it. Stockton played college ball in his hometown of Spokane, Washington. Following a successful college career at Gonzaga he was drafted 16th overall by the Utah Jazz. He was drafted to a mix of, as he put it, "who and boos." Those boos eventually turned into adulation as he and the greatest power forward in the history of the NBA (Karl Malone) led the struggling Utah Jazz out of obscurity into the most consistent franchise in the NBA.

Stockton was the epitome of consistency. He played every game in 17 of his 19 seasons. He missed 22 games his entire career. Stockton flawlessly orchestrated the Jazz offense for his entire career.

He was a leader. He was a floor general. And perhaps like no one else he made all of his teammates better. Besides Karl Malone he was working with the likes of Greg Foster, Antoine Carr, Shandon Anderson, Greg Ostertag, David Benoit, …. I could go all day.... if you’re not from Utah you probably don’t recognize any of these names. It didn’t matter. Stockton had the rare ability to lift those around him to a level they were incapable of reaching on their own.

Stockton worked his ass off. Jerry Sloan marveled that in the 18 years he coached Stockton, he lost wind sprints only once. The guy played until he was 41. He gave 110% everyday, every venue. His style being so impressive to John Wooden that the Hall of Fame coach once famously claimed Stockton was not only his favorite but was also the only player he'd pay to watch play.

He had a telepathic ability to read the game and his teammates. He saw the play develop before it actually did, he worked faster than real-time, which led to an NBA record 15,806 assists more than anybody in the league had ever dreamed of dishing out. Not to mention 3,265 steals in his career another NBA record. If Jason Kidd plays until he's 50 he might have a shot at catching Stock's record.

"John Stockton is the perfect point guard," Charles Barkley told NBA.com. "There has never been a pure point guard who made better basketball decisions with the ball — ever."
His conditioning and work ethic set him apart from other more naturally gifted athletes. He showed me that if you work hard you can hold your own against anybody, anywhere. I didn’t sense that watching Michael Jordan. Jordan transcended the game and was the first player to gain true international appeal while Stockton remained nearly anonymous his entire career. (See YouTube clip above)

Stock taught me how to be a leader, how to earn the respect of teammates. He showed me how to love the game. He showed me the intangibles and what a quiet determination can get you.
He was durable, efficient, and a play-maker. He was, in a word, clutch. The Mailman may have been the go-to-guy but when the game was on the line I wanted the ball in Stock’s hands.




Larry Miller, the Jazz's late owner, marveled that Stockton never looked at the stat sheet, not at halftime, not even after the game. Miller knew this because he used to visit Stockton in his post-game training room hideout as the latter iced his feet, and Stockton never looked at the stats. Most players check their points, rebounds, assists, etc., but this was of no interest to Stockton. The only stat he cared about was whether his team won or lost.

"People ask me all the time what kind of person John Stockton is," Miller said. "I tell them he's exactly the kind of person you hope he is."

I vividly remember Stockton’s retirement announcement. It was a somber day for me. When asked when would be the next time he picked up a basketball he smugly replied,

"Tomorrow, probably out in the yard. It's still a great game."

It is, but it will never be the same because Stock has bowed out.

Please leave your thoughts about the article and more importantly your thoughts about Stock.

The Fantasy Effect

Right off the bat I'd just like to say I'm a huge proponent of fantasy sports of all kinds. I would not consider myself a fantasy expert but it's been on my mind lately so I thought I would throw down some of my thoughts. I lost my fantasy virginity about 10 years ago and have been actively involved since. My first experience was an English Premier League fantasy soccer league. To be honest I didn't even understand how to play or really what the concept was I just joined in an attempt to quell my obsession for soccer. Since then, I've seen fantasy evolve into a mainstream, ubiquitous obsession which at times takes priority over all other responsibility. It has become a multi-million dollar industry and has become the topic at the water cooler.

Fantasy has created a new type of fan. It has changed the way we watch sports. It has changed television ie. the bottom line, sports tickers, pre-game, post-game shows. It has changed my relationship with my teams and also my affection for them. In the past I watched my teams and no one else. Fast-forward to last night, I need Anquan Boldin to score 15 or more fantasy points if I'm gonna win my head-to-head match-up for the week. I'm watching Sunday Night Football praying for a miracle. In the past I didn't waste my time.

Deep down every fan wants to be part of a winning team with all-star players. Unfortunately, there are only a few teams in each major sports league that fit the criteria. In other words, for every Yankees team we have 10 Royals, for every Lakers team we have 15 Bobcats. It's the nature of professional sports. And to fans credit they remain loyal even when they're team stinks, when they haven't made the playoffs in a decade, and when ownership decides to move a team, change the logo, or the team colors, or trade it's best player.

The beauty of fantasy is you are the owner and you can orchestrate a team of all-stars. There's no loyalty necessary. You can pick up and drop players at your leisure, it's very business like. Your relationship with your fantasy players is strictly performance-based. If you need to change things up you don't hesitate negotiating a trade because the guy's been with the team for a decade. If your team sucks there's always next year. You might lose a little money but you don't have to agonize over your team's inability because you have no one to blame but yourself.

If you have never played fantasy football, start there. After a year or two of fantasy football you can start to tinker with fantasy basketball, soccer, and, if you're really bored at work, fantasy baseball, Nascar, you name it they've probably got it. Fantasy is more than just an obsession with sports, it's a way to stay in touch with friends when you are spread across the country, it's a way to re-live an inside joke for years after high school is over. Plus you can come up with clever names like, my personal favorite, Faulking Awesome or Vick in a Box. Really there's no end to the jokes.

Fantasy sports somehow get us through the deadlines and projects of the work week to escape to another world. A world where my favorite football team is like the 49ers on Tecmo Super Bowl. We love a rigged team. We love a team that puts up some serious stats and for most of us rooting for a team of all-stars is unrealistic. So the cynics can criticize all they want but the fact remains; fantasy is better than reality I can promise you that.


Tell us why you love fantasy sports?

The Shark

It's that time of year again when the ravenous wolves and men with pitchforks come out of the woods and the woodwork to call for Charlie Weis' head on a gold-plated platter. Let's get a little retro and toss one back to the good ol' days when Weis was still coaching Willingham's recruits.

To get you mentally and physically prepared for the following article, please enjoy a little Stones, a little Shelter and a little Samardzija. (see video below)



If JJ Redick was the most hated collegiate basketball player in the country during his time at Duke, then Jeff "The Shark" Samardzija filled that role for big-time college football for two years with the Fighting Irish. Like Redick, Samardzija went down in his school's record books as the best to play his position (or in Redick's case the most productive player ever), no easy task when you consider the company they were in (Tim Brown, 1987 Heisman Winner, and Raghib Ismail, 1990 Heisman runner-up (lost out to BYU's Detmer), their combined stats can't hold a candle to Samardzija's). Like Redick, Samardzija played for the most polarizing and demonized school in the country for their respective sport (two schools we all probably secretly wished we could have attended if we were smart enough). Like Redick, Samardzija was the most loathed player on his team by opposing fans and players everywhere he traveled. Like Redick, Samardzija was brash, arrogant, cocky and causasian. But unlike JJ Redick, Samardzija was an All-American in 2 NCAA sports, and unlike Redick, he broke every major record at his school after starting for only 2 seasons; it took Redick all 4.




For the purposes of this article I will mainly focus on Samardzija the football player.

Besides catching bundles of Brady Quinn's bullets, Samardzija also caught 2 huge breaks at Notre Dame. First, after riding the pine during his freshman and sophmore seasons in South Bend, Tyrone Willingham, the coach that recruited him out of Valparaiso High School in Northwest Indiana, was shown the door, and Charlie Weis, equipped with his beer belly, bravado and insanely effective passing attack was given the keys to one of the most sought-after coaching positions in all of sports. Second, Rhema McKnight, a senior, and the Irish #1 go-to receiver, got his knee blown up early in the 2005 season, which allowed Samardzija to finally crack the starting lineup alongside Maurice Stovall to become the #2 receiver on the depth chart. No one could have expected what would ensue, not even Samardzija.

After only 2 full seasons with the Irish, Samardzija held the Notre Dame record for Career Touchdown Receptions (27), Touchdown Receptions for a Season (15 in 2005), Career Receptions (179) and Receptions for a Season (78 in 2006 and 77 in 2005). Although he had a better statistical year in 2005, when he was a relative unknown to defenses, he wasn't a finalist for the Fred Biletnikoff Award until 2006 when he lost out to Georgia Tech's Calvin Johnson. Samardzija was an unanimous All-American in every major poll both of the seasons he started for the Irish.

In 2006 (ND pre-season #2), when the Irish were seemingly at the brink of extinction late in every game, Samardzija was the guy who always made a play. They were down more than 3 touchdowns in the 4th quarter to Michigan State when Samardzija sparked an unforgettable rally. They needed to go 80 yards in under a minute against UCLA, when Quinn hooked up with Samardzija on a 45 yard touchdown strike with 27 seconds left on the clock. (see videos below)





But here's something maybe you didn't know, his mother never got to see any of it. Samardzija was 16 when his mother died of acute respiratory distress syndrome. The disease came on quick and sudden, and left a husband and two boys, Jeff being the youngest, in her wake; left behind to pick up the pieces.

For whatever reason, I always loved watching Samardzija play, but I guess I loved watching JJ play as well. I'm the kind of guy that likes witnessing people do great things in sports. I would love it if Kobe got six or seven rings, or Brady won two or three more Super Bowls. Whereas most people resent cockiness and bravado in sports, I encourage it. Now I'm not talking a Blount fist to a Boise face kind of attitude, but I am talking Samardzija getting in the face and saying some choice words to a LSU or USC defender on the way back to the huddle, or offering a taunt or two to a helpless Stanford DB chasing him into the endzone. I think it gives players an edge, and I love it when those guys perform game in and game out.

Now I played a little college ball at Valparaiso University (4 career tackles, All-Conference performer (academic), Samardzija's high school squad would have probably dropped a 70 spot on us by halftime) and I can say with confidence that next to Orville Redenbacher (popcorn) and Bryce Drew (Valpo 1998 Sweet 16), The Shark has been the best thing to come out of this one-horse town. And the man has given back. He's pumped hundreds of thousands of dollars into the high school's football program, and its weight-lifting facilities, and even got his sponsor, Under Armor to sponsor the team.

I'm still holding out a little hope that #83 suits up for the Bears one day. The man just has it when he's in pads. He was one of the most watchable, exciting and fun WRs I've ever had the pleasure to witness in college football, hands up, hands down.



This is Little Boy Blue and I'm 6'2 soaking wet, Peace and Prosperity-

I welcome any and all comments or emails. (I've added one extra video below. The 2005 ND-USC game was the best I've ever seen in my life! enjoy!)

What a Weekend!

This, my friends, is going to be a great weekend in sports. Right now we are bestowed with some of the most wonderful match ups in the wide world of sports. The college football world is winding down, the unbeatens are few and BCS implications are on the line in several games this weekend. The NFL hierarchy is established with the teams that will contend for the playoffs and those that won't. The NBA is starting to roll, and adds a new fresh look to SportsCenter. The fall is the best time for a sports fan the only downside may be over-stimulation. As the work week passes by the realization of what is going to happen this weekend is starting to sink in.

Tonight

No. 25 West Virginia visit No. 5 Cincinnati.

I understand and completely agree with the argument that the Big East conference may not be deserving of its automatic BCS bid, but they can play some really good football. This year the Big East schools have four teams ranked in the top 25 and another (Rutgers) who at 7-2 a has only lost to unbeaten Cincinnati and one loss Pittsburgh. But, the Scarlet Knights beat No. 24 South Florida last night. So the rankings are going to change, but as a conference the Big East has four teams deserving of national attention.

The game tonight will no doubt be exciting, as West Virginia continues to re-build from the Rich Rodriguez era, with the NFL talent of Steve Slaton and Pat White. The team has been rebuilding, but is by no means struggling. Noel Devine is without question one of the most electrifying college football players out there. Devine checks in at 5-8, 176 lbs, which just makes him even more exciting to watch.



Cincinnati is bouncing back in 2009 after losing to Virginia Tech in the 2008 Orange Bowl. The Bearcats have had an impressive year. At No. 5 in the Country they remain unbeaten and have beat No. 21 South Florida and traveled on the road to take on Oregon State team who is now No. 23. But that isn't the best part, they have won the last three with a back up quarterback. Zach Collaros has one of those stories that will make you love him and hope he never loses a game. Click Here to check the story out by Brian Bennett of ESPN.com. Needless to say this game is a great way to kick off the week end.

Saturday

Like every weekend I will try to watch a little Florida and see how well Urban has his boys going. They should have no trouble with South Carolina, but you got to love the position ex-gator Steve Spurrier is in to maybe cause some trouble.

Iowa will visit Ohio State. Like most people I don't care that much, but someone from this conference will go to the BCS. Even though Iowa hasn't looked as good as their ranking (No.11), I would like to see a fresh look in a BCS Bowl.

Most importantly, the game that counts can't be seen. by most audiences across the country.
The University of Utah will travel to Texas to face possible "BCS Buster" TCU. Why is this game not nationally televised? It matters way more then any game I can see on the ESPN schedule. Utah at 8-1 have only lost at Oregon. The Utes have established themselves on the national level with their BCS success, but I think this team might not have that magic. TCU finished the 2008 season with only two losses to Utah and Oklahoma. The Horned Frogs were a quality team last year with undefeated Utah just slipping by, not to mention a TCU defense that held the best offense college football has seen in years to 35 points (Oklahoma). I think this is TCU's year. Let's hope they continue to win and finish the season perfect making more noise within the college football structure.

Sunday
The NFL has only one major attraction this week, New England at Indianapolis. This is the only major test for the Colts. The Patriots are quietly playing well and have shown the world how to dominate year in and year out. Let's hope this weeks game lives up to what this rivalry has shown us in the past. It could be an instant classic.

This post has been quick and covered a variety of subjects, but the goal is to enjoy the weekend. We don't have too many like this one as the Fall comes to an end, the NBA picks up and it's that eminent time when sports hit just the right balance of entertainment.


"I need a ride or die chick"
Youngbuck

NFL Week 9: The more things change...

As the NFL season hits the midway point, all the focus naturally falls on the two unbeaten teams. Lets start with the Colts. Since 1999 the Colts have been a force in the NFL, winning at least 10 games a year with the exception of 2001. Throw in the 2006 Super Bowl win and handful of playoff wins, and the Colts are an established NFL team. This year is no different. At 7-0 the Colts are on top of the NFL standings and are looking very tough to beat. But we are just at the half-way point of the season and there is a lot of football left to play.

Give the Colts credit though: they are unbeaten, have done all they can thus far and might be as real as it gets in the NFL. The thing is, I don't buy it. Peyton Manning is a great guy and his TV commercials are some of the best around, (his SNL appearance was also money) but, the Colts have two keys things going against them. 1-Schedule. The Colts have played a horrible schedule thus far with the toughest opponents being 3-4 Miami and 3-4 San Francisco. The Colts should be unbeaten and may only have three tough games to go this season. They'll post another great regular season record and maybe even win a playoff game, but that is all we can expect from the Colts this year. But look for some more Peyton commercials to start popping up after they lose in the second round.






On the other hand, the second unbeaten in the NFL, the Saints, seem to be for real. Coming off a disappointing 7-9 season in 2008, the Saints went out and fixed every problem they had. The defense only held opponents under 20 points three times last year and two of those teams were the Raiders and Detroit (enough said). The Saints' defense has not only held an opponent under 20 points twice this year, but is also ranked in the top 5 in turnover margin at +7 and have 16 int's with five of those being returned for touchdowns. Drew Brees has been dominant his entire time with New Orleans and now has a defense to match. The word on the proverbial "NFL street" is that the Saints' greatest strategic asset and underestimated advantage is playing in the Superdome.

Now I am not trying to say that the Saints stadium will keep them undefeated, but a friend who works for a NFL team was at the Superdome last week for the Monday Night Football match up with the Falcons. The day after the game he said to me "My ears are still ringing from working down on the field, that place is nuts. The security guards cheer as much as the fans." The Saints schedule has its challenges, but is not the toughest in the NFL. With three games remaining vs. teams with winning records, the Saints have a shot to go deep into the season unbeaten.

The bottom line is the NFL season is hitting the peak of the regular season and will start winding down and things will change. The last four Super Bowl winners have been Pittsburgh (2), the Giants and the Colts. In 2005 the Pittsburgh Steelers were 5-2 and playing a third string running back (Willie Parker) heading into Week 9. After losing three straight games in the regular season the Steelers won four straight before the playoffs and became Super Bowl Champs on the road, not playing any games at home in the playoffs. 2007 was much of the same. The New York Giants were 6-2 as they headed into Week 9. Coming off an 8-8 2006 season there was not much attention given to the Giants in 2007. They entered the playoffs with a Wild Card berth and no one gave them a fighting chance to make it to the Super Bowl, muchless being the only team to knock off the undefeated Patriots. Last year was much of the same around the League. The 5-2 Steelers heading into Week 9, won five straight games in the middle of the season to set themselves up to become Super Bowl Champs. They had the luxury of playing there playoff games at home, but were not expected to win it all.

As the second half of the 2009 season arrives, look out for a team that might be good, but just out of consideration at the moment. Three of the last four Super Bowl winners were not at the center of media attention heading into Week 9. There's still a long way to go. For me? I've got my money on... (tune in next time for more NFL insight and predictions)

Respected
Youngbuck

Please tell us who you think is going all the way this year!

Opening Ceremonies

Each sporting event has its own unique way of getting things started. The organizers of these events spend countless hours planning and preparing the best possible way to get both the athlete and fan ready for action. Each sporting event is different, which is why each sporting venue chooses a different way to welcome those who will spend the next 3-4+ hours together in the stands. For example: Fireworks inside the Delta Center. The world’s best marching band at the Big House. Honorary retired PGA superstar hitting the first ball at the Masters. F-14 fly overs at Candlestick Park. Lights, pageantry, special effects, and mind-blowing stunts at the opening ceremonies of every Olympiad since Salt Lake City in 2002. Most sporting events try to put their best foot forward before the real action begins.

With that said, I have been able to witness the pre-game shows at both LeVell Edwards Stadium and Rice-Eccles Stadium. BYU is a church run school, and as they put their best foot forward before the game they ask everyone in the stadium to bow their heads and observe a prayer that is said over the stadiums speakers. This prayer is usually given by a “well-to-do” LDS member. At first, this pre-game activity seems very out of place, but as one thinks about what message BYU is trying to send, it is easy to conclude that they want everyone to remember why their school exists. The fans, school and sports program are strange, so the prayers fits right in.

On the other hand, the University of Utah takes a somewhat more disturbing approach to their pre-game pump-up party. Don’t get me wrong, I love Utah football games. I have been going to Utah football games since I was 8 years old (section 36, row 11, seat 14), but someone in the pre-game planning committee has to re-think their decisions. I love the U of U marching band and the dude that comes over the speakers talking about the red rock hills of the south and the rocky mountain peaks to the west. I love the Crimson Line waving their flags and prancing around in their red spandex, but when the pageantry ends and the football team comes out to the field some brainiac rolls the pre-game hip-hop music:

2008 Pre-game Artist: Soulja Boy Song: Crank Dat Soulja Boy
Soulja boy off in this hoe
Watch me crank it
Watch me roll
Watch me crank dat soulja boy
Then super man dat hoe
Now watch me yuuuuaaaaaa!

2009 Pre-game Artist: Flo Rida Song: Right Round
From the top of the pole I watch her go down
She got me throwin my money around
Ain’t nothin more beautiful to be found
It’s goin down down.
From the top of the pole I watch her go down
She got me throwin my money around
Ain’t nothin more beautiful to be found
It’s goin down down

Spencer Eccles is in the stands dancing to these songs! Is the U of U trying to send a message that I am not aware of? I am not suggesting we pray before the New Mexico game on Saturday, but I am suggesting the University of Utah take a second look at what “foot” they are putting forward. The best sporting events in the world are kicked off with a message that gets people jacked-up, but also reminds them of the beauty and majesty of sports. Bands, fireworks, jets, drummers, dancers, and Stevenson Sylvester stopping BYU from doing the Haka on his field all get me fired-up, but Soulja Boy singing about super-manning dat hoe is embarrassing.

Tell me what you think.