MVOP of the Year

Most Valuable Player is defined by thefreedictionary.com as the man or women judged to be the outstanding player in a sport during a particular season or championship. 

The NFL's MVP has been awarded since 1957, 61 MVPs have been awarded. Of the 61 MVP awards given out, 

• One went to special teams, 1982 Mark Moseley (Kicker) 
• Four went to defensive players; Gino Marchetti (Defensive End, 1958), Joe Schmidt (Linebacker, 1960), Alan Page (Defensive Tackle, 1971), and Lawrence Taylor (Linebacker, 1986)
• Fifty-Six went to offensive players. 39 went to quarterbacks, 14 went to running backs, and 3 went to full backs. 

The last time a none offensive player won MVP was Lawrence Taylor in 1986, 29 years ago. 

The four main candidates for the 2014 MVP were Aaron Rodgers, Tom Brady, Demarco Murray and JJ Watt. 

I believe JJ Watt deserved MVP. I got in depth with my argument here, Why Watt deserves MVP. My main argument is JJ Watt added a presences to the Texans that nobody else had. Every team knew that they had to stop JJ Watt, yet here we are at the end of the 2014 season talking about his great year. He managed to get 20.5 sacks, a safety, 4 forced fumbles, 5 fumble recoveries, an interception returned for a touchdown, and three offensive receiving touchdowns. The minute he stepped on the field he added a type of swagger to that team. The only other player who had a similar presences that Watt had was Odell Beckham Jr but it still wasn't as impactful. Watt had more offensive TD's than all of the KC Chiefs wide receivers combined.  

My main focus in this article is the fact that MVP now belongs to offensive players. After Watt's incredible year it is almost a fact. 

Now that I proven the award is now the Most Valuable Offensive Player of the year, My problem is the fact that Aaron Rodgers won. Demarco Murray had a better offensive year which is why he was awarded offensive player of the year. Andrew Luck had a better year at the quarterback position. 

1. Take away Tom Brady, Demarco Murray, Aaron Rodgers and Andrew Luck from their teams and which team does the worst? I can almost guarantee that the Packers are the most successful. They have a top running back, two top wide receivers and a solid defense. The Cowboys finally take the ball and run it, and they become successful. The Patriots would be where they were after the Chiefs loss if Brady was gone. The Colts would be in desperate need for help without Andrew Luck considering their lack of running and defense. 
2. Rodgers had the 7th most passing yards behind; Drew Brees, Ben Roethlisberger, Andrew Luck, Peyton Manning, Matt Ryan, and Eli Manning. Rodgers has thrown the 3rd most touchdowns this season behind Andrew Luck and Peyton Manning. He did not have the highest pass percentage. The only category Rodgers led was in TD:INT ratio. He was +33 in 2014. Aaron Rodgers had two of the leagues best wide receivers. Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb both finished 2014 as a top 10 receiver in the NFL and Rodgers still couldn't lead in yards or TDs.
3. Andrew Luck had the best season at the quarterback position as I said above. 
4. Demarco Murray had the most rushing yards (1,845) by nearly 500 yards, tied for most rushing TDs at 13, and put the Cowboys on his back. 

While Aaron Rodgers had a good year, I can not find a way that Rodgers is deserving of the Most Valuable Player award. 

Wade Phillips said it best, " I guess JJ will have to play QB next year"

2014 WOSC MVP 

1) JJ Watt 

2) Demarco Murray

3) Andrew Luck 

4) Aaron Rodgers

5) Tom Brady 

Side note, I don't understand how the MVP doesn't also get the offensive player of the year or, in rare cases, defensive player of the year. 

Facts and info from

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/history/awards/apmvp

NFL.com 

Freedictionary.com
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http://s1.ibtimes.com/sites/www.ibtimes.com/files/styles/v2_article_large/public/2014/05/14/aaron-rodgers.jpg?itok=5AjI5Epl

What Really Matters on Super Sunday

Pic source

Remember when the football game was all that mattered on Super Sunday? While the main focus is the Super Bowl, what really matters is the party. The team you're rooting for could lose, but as long as the party was enjoyable, than it wasn't really the end of the world. 

So how do you have a successful party? The party must have good food, quality people at the party, and entertainment. Let me explain a little more. 

Rules for the Host

1. Food

• One main dish such as a pizza or chicken wings. 
• Mini Wienies are a Super Bowl essential. It shows the host has done this before. 
• If you don't have at least 3 different dips, is it really a party? Dip action allows for some good casual conversations. 
• Sweets such as cookies, brownies and/or chips (Doritos are kind of a football tradition that need to be respected)
• When the Seahawks are in the playoffs, Skittles are a must have. It shows you understand football outside of football. 
• Bonus points if you make food that incorporate the two teams playing. Get creative. If the Ravens are in the playoffs, get a live Raven for the fans to feed. I'm kidding but use the teams as a theme.

2. People

• It's important to have at least 1 fan of both teams to add a unique element to the party. It helps other members of the party pick sides.
• Too many fans of one team can be overwhelming. Listening to them complain when their team is losing will put a damper on the party. If their team is winning, the party will be over run by their bragging, and we can't have that.
• Make sure to have have a mixture of male and female. It's hard to explain but trust me. 

3. Entertainment 

• Have "prop bets" such as; Who scores the first touchdown, who wins MVP, what the first score of the game is (Field Goal, Safety, Touchdown). 
• Make the party members guess what the first song that is sung at Halftime is, as well as naming a total of five songs that they think the halftime performer will sing. 
• It's also good to have other options such as pool or ping pong for the party members that are just there to be at a party and not for the football game. 

Rules for the Guest

While the host of the party has the most responsibility, the guests also has some things they must do as well. 

The guest needs to come prepared knowing which teams are in the Super Bowl and know the main players. Make a cheat sheet if needed. It would look something like this, 

This will help out just a little bit. I also suggest knowing who Rob Gronkowski and Kam Chancellor are. Maybe throw a fact next to each player like Tom Brady is attempting to win his 4th Super Bowl. Darrelle Revis is known as Revis Island. Marshawn Lynch is Beast Mode and Russell Wilson plays pro baseball in the offseason. Nobody likes the person who knowns absolutely nothing about football. On the contrary don't go off about how much you know about every player and team. 

Also know a little about the half time performer, like three of their top songs. 

The guest also should know what food to bring if it's required. Like I said early, bringing a type of dip is always a safe option. If you want to be risky, bring mash potatoes and gravy or some pickles. Also bring cash because it's always a good idea to be ready to make a few wagers. 

I understand this sounds like a lot of information for the guest, but I'm trying to save people from embarrassment and others from being annoyed. No need to study everything, just know a little. 

Follow the above tips, and you're Super Bowl party will be one to remember regardless of the actual football game. 

Shut Up and Listen

Beast Mode Pic

Don't get mad at Marshawn Lynch, get mad at the media. Marshawn actually spoke a little during a media session, and he brought up a good point. He said " I don't say much for you guys to turn into a story."

Well it's true he doesn't say much, but the media still makes a story out of it. It's better for Marshawn to keep his mouth shut because the more he feeds the media, the more they twist his words into controversy. 

Frankly, the media asks about the same question to every player and most players respond the same.

Media: Are you excited to be in the Super Bowl? 

Player: Yes I am. It's a dream come true! 

Media: How are you going to stop Gronkowski? 

Player: We watched a lot of tape and have been practicing all week. We have trust that our defense can stop him. 

Media: How did you put together the game winning touchdown? 

Player: We called the play and everyone on this team did what they could to make it happen. 

All the answers are generic and it gets old. If a player were to say one thing too much, there is instant headlines. I 100% believe 'deflategate" was blown out of proportion simply because of the media.

Marshawn Lynch has shown he doesn't like the media. It's not often a pro athlete doesn't want the cameras on him. He even asked why people keep showing up when he never gives them what they want. 

Marshawn Lynch hasn't said much to the media, but his few words include; 

• Yeah 
• I appreciate you asking
• You know why I'm here
• I'm here so I don't get fined

I respect what Marshawn Lynch has done. People are just waiting for the next headline, and he is doing the best he can to avoid it. Let the man focus on football. 

Snowboarding, the art of Shred, and style matters: X Games, the Rise of Danny and the Fall of Shaun

      Last week was a busy one for winter sports. There was the NHL All Star Game, The NFL Pro Bowl, AND THE WINTER X GAMES. While X Games is full of many winter related sports, I want to talk about Snowboarding in particular.

Danny Davis after his winning run. Photo from snowbrains.com

       If you've read any of my posts as of late you'll notice that I talk about one sport, hockey. But today I wanna dip in to the extreme world of shred, gnarly pow lines, and money kickers galore. I assure you these are very real and prominent terms in the world of snowboarding. I personally have been riding since the age of 13, I'm 20 now. After my years as a hockey player I took to the slopes, riding with some amazing Minnesotan's along the way. Eventually ended up taking time to coach the sport while in high school. So I guess you could say I have a little experience with this sport. 

    Now, if you didn't watch the snowboarding events last week here is what you should know. Danny Davis melded beautiful control, impeccable style, and a couple of tech tricks to repeat in Men's Half pipe. Chloe Kim took control and won the Women's pipe event. By the way, she's 14 years old! Mark McMorris dominated the Big Air event and took gold in Men's Slopestyle. He edged out Stale Sandbech by a mere point for Gold. Norwegian blondie Silje Norendal took the top spot in the Women's Slopestyle. Outdoing 2014 Olympic Gold Medalist Jamie Anderson. And I can't forget Trevor Jacob threw a backside 360 in a Boardercross race. He fell, but rebellious angst wins all in this sport.  

   Now you're probably wondering one "very important" queston, "WHERE IS SHAUN WHITE?" Well he's not dominating that's for sure. Here it is, I'm saying it straight forward, Shaun White is no longer the man to beat in Halfpipe, Slopestyle, or anywhere else for that matter. While he does tend to do well in regards of money, endorsements and so on, he is not the force in snowboarding he once was. Some may chalk it up to age, but I will remind you that Danny Davis won Halpipe Gold this winter. He and Shaun are roughly the same age, but now Davis has come in to his own as a rider. Shaun's days seem to have passed.

   

   So let's forget Shaun White for a second here. Let's talk about Danny Davis. The guy hails from Michigan, he's an Olympian, and he's a member one of the raddest crews in snowboarding, "Frends". Danny tends to look at things differently than most contest riders. In his winning pipe run he integrated massive amounts of amplitude, style and technical tricks to work his way to Gold. My personal favorites were his monster McTwist (inverted 540) and a huge Switch Method grab. 

 
 But what about the double corks? Davis only had a single one in his pipe run. That's right, one single double cork. Shaun White had multiple, Iouri Podladtchikov had at least two, but Danny had just a single one. As a Snowboarder this makes me ecstatic. The trend the last few seasons has been "how many flips and spins can I do?" But this win for Danny Davis solidifies a place for style. Had anyone told me 3 years ago that someone would be winning a contest in 2015 with only a single double cork I would have scoffed. But now snowboarders everywhere may rejoice a little bit in the fact this is no longer a gymnastics based, spin to win sport. It is now Snowboarding, it's own sport, it's own way of thinking, its own style, and Danny Davis is at the forefront of it all.

   For riders everywhere I'm going to say thank's Danny, you're awesome. Everything from Peace Park to your old videos in Japan (Circa 2006, I wish I could find these again) is sweet. And to people who were hoping for hockey here's Danny's pipe run. It's just as awesome as anything Pavel Datsyuk does with a hockey puck. Also here is a link to the Video for Peace Park, a major event that Danny hosts. Watch and enjoy!

    

Watt More Could You Want?

JJ Watt Picture source

In 2013, the Houston Texans were the worst team in football. At 2-14, the Texans needed a lot of help to have a chance at the playoffs in 2014. The Texans best offseason move was signing JJ Watt to a 6 year/$100 million contract extension. The other big offseason moves were drafting Jadeveon Clowney and signing Ryan Fitzpatrick.

In 2014, the Houston Texans finished 9-7 and barely missing the Wild Card. What was the biggest difference in the two years? Ryan Fitzpatrick played decent and Arian Foster was able to stay healthy enough to rush for over 1, 000 yards. I would make the argument that JJ Watt also had a large impact on the Texans season.

JJ Watt added a presences to the Texans that nobody else had. Every team knew that they had to stop JJ Watt, yet here we are at the end of the 2014 season talking about his great year. He managed to get 20.5 sacks, a safety, 4 forced fumbles, 5 fumble recoveries, an interception returned for a touchdown, and three offensive receiving touchdowns. The minute he stepped on the field he added a type of swagger to that team. The only other player who had a similar presences that Watt had was Odell Beckham Jr but it still wasn't as impactful.

JJ Watt deserves MVP. He was a monster all season. He has the numbers to back it up and he played a large part in turning around the Texans. However if you asked him who should win MVP, he would never consider himself because that's the kind of person Watt is. JJ Watt is one of the few people worth his contract (Watt could you buy with $100 million). He had on of the best seasons a defensive players can have. If the MVP goes to an offensive player, it shows the MVP is an award for offensive players because nobody had the season Watt did.

The other player that people have been arguing for MVP is Aaron Rodgers. My question is "Why does Aaron Rodgers deserve MVP?" Rodgers had the 7th most passing yards behind; Drew Brees, Ben Roethlisberger, Andrew Luck, Peyton Manning, Matt Ryan, and Eli Manning. Rodgers has thrown the 3rd most touchdowns this season behind Andrew Luck and Peyton Manning. He did not have the highest pass percentage. The only category Rodgers led was in TD:INT ratio. He was +33 in 2014. Aaron Rodgers had two of the leagues best wide receivers. Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb both finished 2014 as a top 10 receiver in the NFL and Rodgers still couldn't lead in yards or TDs.

Yes, Aaron Rodgers had a great year, but when compared to other quarterbacks, Rodgers didn't do a lot to stand above the the rest. JJ Watt went above the rest. He finished 1.5 sacks behind Justin Houston but is the 1st player to record back to back seasons with at least 20 sacks. When looking at everything Watt did compared to Rodgers, Watt had a more rare and impactful season at his respective position.

JJ Watt deserves MVP and it would come as a major surprise if anyone else receives the honor for the 2014 season.

The Dark Knight

James Gordon Jr.: Why's he running, Dad? 
Lt. James Gordon: Because we have to chase him. 
James Gordon Jr.: He didn't do anything wrong. 
Lt. James Gordon: Because he's the hero Gotham deserves, but not the one it needs right now. So we'll hunt him because he can take it. Because he's not our hero. He's a silent guardian, a watchful protector. A dark knight.                        The Dark Knight (2008) 

The New England Patriots are the NFL's dark knight. When the fans want a winning franchise, New England is their team. When fans look for big show down games, New England is their team. When fans look for consistency New England is their team. When the fans look for QB controversy, New England has been their team. When the fans want a team to collapse, New England is their team. When fans need a villain, New England is their team.

The New England Patriots have to be one of the most talked about teams in the NFL. The media and fans like to target New England for many reasons, and the Patriots adapt like no other. After the Monday night lose to the Kansas City Chiefs, the media exploded by saying this team/dynasty is over. So New England accepted what the media said and moved on to Cincinnati. The media made a story of controversy between Tom Brady and Bill Belichick.

I'm getting tired of hearing about this football deflation scandal. The Super Bowl is suppose to be the biggest sporting event of the year. Now everyone is putting that on the back burner while this deflation problem is being blown out of proportion.

One minute the media loves the Patriots, and the next they absolutely hate them.

The best quote about this "deflate gate" came from Tom Brady, "This isn't ISIS. Nobody is dying."

It's time to move on and focus on the Super Bowl, the game we've waited all year for.

Yes, the Patriots should face consequences for this situation but I've seen more coverage on this deflate gate than the Greg Hardy and Adrian Peterson case. Also, the punishment for altering a game ball that is used in the NFL is a fine of $25,000.

Let's just take a moment and think about how serious this situation truly is.

The New England Patriots are the NFL's dark knight.

The Winter Classic: Law of Supply and Demand

When supply goes up, demand goes down. When supply goes down, demand goes up.

I love hockey. I'm from Minnesota, the state of hockey, and have been playing the great sport my whole life. Hockey was made to be played outdoors. Nothing is better than getting a group of friends together for some pond hockey on those cold winter nights. Everyone's face is covered and the sound of the pond cracking beneath you.

The NHL has made outdoor hockey a reality. Every hockey fan knows of the Winter Classic. An outdoor hockey game, one time a year on January 1st. The venue and teams change every year.

The Winter Classic is not what is used to be. Everyone knows the saying "When life gives you lemons, make lemonade." Well the NHL is taking that lemon and squeezing every last ounce of juice it has. It's the same thing Disney is doing to Pirates of the Caribbean and Toy Story.
The Winter Classic was special. It was the one time a year where the NHL had a big stage. Lets be real, the Stanley Cup Playoffs do not draw enough attention partly because of the NBA finals and it can last seven games. The Winter Classic was NHL's Super Bowl. It was one game that had a huge, unique stadium to play outdoor hockey on January 1st. It got people who didn't necessarily "love" hockey to watch it.

Now the NHL has created the stadium series. I've been wondering for years why the Minnesota Wild haven't had the Winter Classic. Minnesota is the state of hockey, we deserve it. Well the NHL announced Minnesota will have an outdoor hockey game in 2016. Only the Winter Classic is at Gillette Stadium between the Bruins and the Canadians. Should I be excited we have an outdoor game?

In 2010, I was in Boston visiting family. Never have I wanted to go to a sporting event as badly as the 2010 Winter Classic at Fenway. Outdoor hockey at one of the most gorgeous ballparks ever made; what more could you want?

Now I have the chance to watch my home team, the Minnesota Wild, take on the Chicago Blackhawks in outdoor hockey. I'm just not that excited. It's not as special as it used to be. There are too many outdoor games. I didn't even watch the 2015 Winter Classic and I really enjoy the Capitals.

I get it, the NHL is trying to compete with the NFL, MLB and NBA, but I think they are starting to stretch themselves thin. Maybe I should be more appreciative, but I'm just not as excited as I would have thought.

The Big Ten is Emerging

The Big Ten has become a conference to watch. THE Ohio State won the National Championship in the first ever college playoff format. Jim Harbaugh became the head football coach at the University of Michigan. Urban Meyer and Jim Harbaugh will make this storied rivalry even stronger than before. Number 8 ranked, Michigan State won the Cotton Bowl and number 18 ranked, Wisconsin won the Outback bowl. Jerry Kill was able to lead the number 25 ranked Minnesota Gophers to the Citrus Bowl, the Gophers first New Years day bowl since 1962.

While the 2015 college football season looks promising for the Big Ten, Super Bowl 49 is a great look at players that came from this underrated football conference. Both starting QB's made it big from the Big Ten. While Tom Brady was on the Michigan football team, he won a National title, Rose Bowl, Citrus Bowl, and Orange Bowl. Russell Wilson transferred to Wisconsin his final year and did exceptionally well. Both Big Ten quarterbacks already have Super Bowl rings. Brady is looking for his fourth ring and Wilson his second. While recruits look to the SEC as their best chance for the NFL, it appears the Big Ten does well. Did I mention, should be MVP,  JJ Watt went to Wisconsin where his two brothers currently play?

The Big Ten also has its fun in basketball. In 2013, Michigan made it to the Championship game. In 2014, Wisconsin made it to the final four. The Ohio State made it to the final four in 2012. Michigan State has made it to the elite eight in 2010 and 2014.

While football and basketball are the biggest sports, hockey is a sport to watch. The Big Ten hockey conference started in 2013. With the Minnesota Gophers a power house in hockey, the Big Ten will become a huge hockey conference when more schools become more developed.

If you aren't paying attention to the Big Ten yet, now is the time to do so. Start by watching two great former Big Ten QBs in Super Bowl 49.

The Great Deflate

Photo: Mario Party 4 with Bill Belichick and Tom Brady

The Great deflate occurred during the AFC Championship between the New England Patriots and the Indianapolis Colts. The Patriots deflated 11 of 12 footballs during the game. Some time after the referees check the balls and game time, the balls had been deflated. Apparently when D'qwell Jackson intercepted Tom Brady, he thought the ball felt different and told his coach. Before I went to bed that night, the investigation had started.

• No it did not impact the outcome of the game
• Yes it was not legal 
• Yes the Patriots will play in Super Bowl 49 

The Patriots dominated the game in all aspects. Brandon Browner said it best, "For my 2cents Blount scored 3 touchdowns. He could have carried a beach ball. Also doesn't hurt we only gave up 7 points #inflatethis." That leads to my main question, Why did the Patriots use deflated balls when they were the far better team to begin with? The Patriots didn't need to deflate the ball to win. The Colts didn't stand much of a chance even if the balls were regulation size. I believe this is the answer we all need. 

I don't think deflating the balls were that big of a deal. Former Cardinals QB Matt Leinart said "Every team tampers with the footballs. Ask any QB in the league, this is ridiculous!!!" I'll take his word for it considering he has played in the league more recently. Also if he is saying this, that means the Cardinals are also guilty of tampering with the football. The Patriots may have opened the public's eyes on a hidden problem in the NFL. Other sports, such as baseball, has had it's fair share of ball tampering. 

I don't believe "the great deflate" or "deflate gate" is as big of a deal as people are making it. The Patriots did however break the rules so I would expect a draft pick to be stripped. However the Patriots finish the season, the "deflate gate" will take nothing a way from an incredible season for this team. Anyone who points to this game as a reason to asterisk the Patriots season would be a fool. 

Also the new allegations made by the Baltimore Ravens are most likely not accurate, or we would have heard about it before now. Anything that comes from the Ravens is probably due to the recent rivalry and hatred the two organizations share. 

The Empire Strikes Back

The evil empire, known as the New England Patriots, has returned to the Super Bowl for the sixth time in 13 years. Tom Brady (Darth Vader) and Bill Belichick (Darth Sidious) have been ruling the NFL galaxy for quite sometime. A long time ago, Tom Brady was able to hoist the lombardi troph, but a force has awaken. While Brady and Belichick have won three Super Bowls, it's been 10 years since the empire won the great prize.

The Empire has met it's match in the past two Super Bowls, but they do not die. However a new force has awaken in the NFL. The great Jedi's have returned; Andrew Luck, Russell Wilson, and Cam Newton. A young Jedi by the name of Russell Wilson and his mentor, Pete Carroll, have what it takes to overthrow the great empire and bring balance to the force! 

Ok, the Star Wars analogy may have been a stretch but a lot of it is true. The New England Patriots are a very disliked team (my favorite team), and fans want to see a different team win for once. The Patriots have reached the Super Bowl for the 6th time in the Brady/Belichick era, and one more win for both of them could secure them as the best ever. 

The Seattle Seahawks are looking to repeat as Super Bowl champions for the first time since the New England Patriots did it in 2003/2004. Russell Wilson played poorly on Sunday, but he brushed of the mistakes and came through when it mattered. Pete Carroll also add a trick of his own (a fake field goal) to help secure the NFC. 

I believe Seattle has what it takes to bring down the Patriots. The Seahawks have threats on both sides of the ball. They have an incredible defense with Richard Sherman, Kam Chancellor and Earl Thomas. Their defense has to pressure Tom Brady and eliminate Rob Gronkowski. The Seahawks have the players to make this possible. On offense, the Seahawks have Russell Wilson and Marshawn Lynch. It'll be very difficult for the Seahawks to pass considering they don't have great receivers, and the Patriots have Darrelle Revis, Brandon Browner and Devin McCourty. The Patriots do not have a great run defense which is where Lynch and Wilson can shine. 

The New England Patriots defense has improved, but they get flagged way too much. If the Patriots want to continue their dominance, it all comes down to their offensive line and discipline on defense. Revis and Browner will not have to do a lot to beat the Seahawks' receivers as long as they don't draw any penalties. I believe the Seahawks will come close to eliminating Gronkowski and Edleman. If the Patriots stand a chance, look for Brandon LaFell and Danny Amendola to a have huge game. 

Prediction: Seattle 28 - New England 24 

Hopefully I'm wrong. GO PATRIOTS! 

The More the Merrier?

photo via ESPN.com

Ohio State may have just won the National Championship, but things are not going to get easy. Most teams have a hard time finding one good quarterback (cough, cough Minnesota), but Ohio State has three going into the 2015 season.

Braxton Miller was going to be the starter for Ohio State this year. He was looking at the Heisman and possibly the National Championship. Before the season even started, Miller sustained another injury to his right shoulder and was ruled out for the entire 2014 campaign. Next up, JT Barrett. He started the whole season and carried the Buckeyes to a 10-1 record before going down for the season with a leg injury against Michigan. Next up, Cardale Jones. He came in to finish off Michigan before he lifted Ohio State over Wisconsin for the Big 10 title. Jones then lead the Buckeyes to a win over number one ranked Alabama in the Sugar Bowl. If that wasn't enough to prove the third string QB is good, what about winning the National Championship against number two ranked Oregon?

Ohio State QBs

• Braxton Miller - Starter for 2012 and 2013 season, 28-8 as starter and Orange Bowl Lose 
• JT Barrett - 11-1 as starter (5th in 2014 Heisman vote) 
• Cardale Jones - 3-0 as starter (3 games - Won Big Ten title, Sugar Bowl, National Champion)

Cardale Jones has already announced his return to Ohio State for the 2015 season. Now we wait to see what Braxton Miller does. 

I believe Braxton Miller should transfer. It is unlikely he will be the starter, and he wants to play QB. He was believed to be looking at LSU, FSU and Oregon, ironically. It appears Houston's QB John O'Korn is looking at FSU as a possibility as well. Notre Dame QB Everett Golson also appears to be looking at LSU as his future school. That leaves Oregon as the only place Miller would almost be the guaranteed starter. What he does is another topic, but I do expect him to leave Ohio State if he wants to play QB and a high draft value. 

Regardless of what Miller does, I believe the started will be decided between Jones and Barrett. Urban Meyers will make the right decision, as he usually does. I believe the starter next year is Cardale Jones. He has played well and came up big in 4 important games (including the Michigan game). I think JT Barrett played incredibly well, but I think the job is now Cardale Jone's to lose. I do think which ever QB Ohio State goes with, they have to stick with him for awhile before abandoning ship the minute the QB makes a mistake. 

Expect Miller to transfer, Cardale Jones to start and JT Barrett to backup Jones.  

Nearing the Finish Line

(Photo via ESPN)

Remember when the New England Patriots were embarrassed on Monday Night Football against the Kansas City Chiefs? Everyone thought the sky was falling and the Brady/Belichick era was ending. 

Now the Denver Broncos are in a similar situations. The Broncos have lost twice in the divisional round of the playoffs during Peyton Manning's three years in Denver. The one year Denver made it past the divisional round, they lost in the Super Bowl. 

Everyone wants to place the blame on Peyton Manning. Fans were booing Manning towards the end of the game. Manning was playing terribly the last five weeks of the season and apparently that is the result of a torn quad. The problem with Manning was not the lack of arm strength, but his accuracy. He could throw the ball well but was overthrowing way too many receivers. Also note, Manning has never been great in the postseason. 

The Denver Broncos are not ready to give up on Peyton Manning. The Broncos fired their head coach, and there is a good chance the offensive coordinator and/or defensive coordinator are out too. The Broncos have spent a lot on free agents, so they don't have much of an option to get out of their plan now. Odds are when Peyton Manning retires, players will go elsewhere, and the Broncos will be in rebuilding for awhile. The Broncos have no other option than to stick with Manning. However, does Peyton Manning want to come back. 

Peyton Manning is one of the best quarterbacks ever and is very intelligent. It is very unlikely Peyton Manning hangs up his cleats for good. Peyton Manning will look at this last season and see he still has a lot to give. Yes, Manning will never be as good as the 2013 season or his 2006 Super Bowl season, but he can still take this team to the playoffs and possibly the Super Bowl. 

Expect one, maybe two more season from Peyton Manning before he heads to Canton.     

Let's Put It All On the Table

My twitter feed from the last week reads like this:  Fire Yeo. Fire Fletcher. Get Rid of Backstrom. Get Rid of Kuemper. Where's Harding? Vanek Sucks. Suter is minus 19 and Parise's Dad.

There, every topic on the Minnesota Wild has been covered.

The bottom line however is that none of these are going to fix the Wild this season. At least not just one of these is the problem. 

It's gonna take more than a miracle to right this ship right now. 

Sure the Wild could go on a hot streak, finish in the playoff hunt and even still make a deep, competitive run. But it's not likely going to happen, not at this rate. 

However let's dig a little deeper into the team's woes.

Goaltending: Any playoff contender needs good goal tending, and early in the season the Wild had it. Darcy Kuemper looked like a stud, coming out hot to begin the 2014-2015 Season. With Niklas Backstrom looking like a capable back up it seemed that the goalie woes of last season were gone. Consider that Ilya Bryzgalov was also in the mix through training camp for a position, it seemed that they might be in the clear. But of course, the Wild have somehow found a way to screw up such a great situation. 

Oh, and by the way, Josh Harding is still with the Wild... the Iowa Wild development team that is. While he is one hell of a story, he will likely continue to be a non-factor the remainder of the season.

Backstrom

Coaching/ front office management: Mike Yeo needs to go. Everyone in their right mind is saying it. I like the guy, he's a good coach, he's a good person and he's respectable. But bottom line is he isn't winning hockey games. That's what he's paid to do. It doesn't help his cause when he continually gives the generic "We gotta keep working" and "We know we are better than this" responses. We know it too Mike. If you can't get the players inspired then your time is over. 

As far as Chuck Fletcher goes (Wild General Manager), I wish he would just go ahead and do it. Get rid of Yeo, It's nothing personal, just business, end of story. However, I like Fletcher over all. He's done more good than bad here in MN and he deserves to stay.  It won't be surprising if Fletcher makes a move for a goaltender at the trade deadline or sooner. He may also look to get an additional defense men.

It's Suter and Vanek's Fault: I'm not going to get too deep in to the Vanek and Suter stuff. Vanek has played better lately while everyone else seems to struggle. Suter is minus 19 because he continues to be on the ice more than anyone in the league. Part of that is coaching staff leaning on him too much, part of it is he generally is just that good. 

 My sincere condolences to the Parise family as well. JP was a great hockey player and great individual. Any time a player and organization loses one of their family members, it is tough. Kudos to Zach for his continued play, I know it's not easy for him. Especially with a team struggling like it is.

The Return of Mariota?

Marcus Mariota would trade his Heisman trophy for the National Championship. After an incredible 2014 season, Mariota and the Oregon Ducks fell one game short of the title. Marcus Mariota has his degree and the Heisman trophy, however he is still missing the the National Championship.  So what is next for Mariota? Many people believe Mariota will be the 1st overall pick in the 2015 NFL draft if he declares, but I wouldn't be so certain. Marcus Mariota is an incredible talent and will do well in the NFL; Is he ready? Mariota still needs some work and could be what makes him fall a few picks in the draft. Another factor is Jameis Winston, he is an incredible and coming from Florida State. FSU is much closer to Tampa Bay, who happens to have the number one pick. The only reason the Buccaneers won't take Winston is because of his off the field issues.

With that being said, flash back to last years college football season . The Oregon Ducks were ranked in the top 3 for the first 12 weeks of the 2013 season. They finished 9th in the AP poll and won the Alamo bowl. Marcus Mariota was thought to be a top pick. Marcus Mariota knew his team fell short, so he decided to return for the 2014 season. He was able to carry the Ducks to the National Championship like he wanted to, but he wasn't able to hoist the trophy. Here we are one year later in the same situation. The Oregon Ducks fell short and Mariota is projected as a top draft pick.

So what does Mariota do? As of right now, the way too early top 25 college football rankings have the Oregon Ducks at 5 and thats assuming Marcus Mariota leaves.

Why Mariota should stay

• He was not able to finish what he started
• He has one final year to accomplish his goal
• The Ducks have a good chance to return to the playoffs
• He could improve his skills to become more NFL ready
• He has another chance at the Heisman 

Why Mariota should enter the draft

• He is a top draft pick 
• He already passed on the draft once 
• It's not easy to bring a team back to the National Championship
• A lot of money comes from the NFL 
• He could fall in the 2016 NFL draft due to injury, poor play, or another QB

As a Oregon Ducks fan, I would love to see Mariota return. They were so close this year, and they have a great chance to return. However the Tampa Bay Buccaneers might be a good spot for him to begin his NFL career, if he gets drafted number one. The problem is he will have high expectations for instant success, but he just isn't quite NFL ready.

Mariota will enter the draft but don't be suprised if he goes back to Eugene for one last season.

Marcus Mariota has a lot to think about before the Thursday deadline for college players to declare for the draft. 

What went down this weekend?

If you haven't learned this yet it's time you do, never count New England out. As long as the Patriots have Tom Brady and Bill Belichick, they can do anything. I, and many others, believed this was New England's best defense in awhile with the addition of Revis and Browner, but they didn't look great on Saturday night. While the defense did force "January Joe" to throw two interception, Joe Flacco owned much of the game. The Ravens played incredibly well, but when you give Tom Brady the ball, it's hard to stop him. The biggest play of the game came from Julian Edleman and Danny Amendola when they hooked up for a 50 yard TD. What we can take a way from the game; 

• Joe Flacco is the real deal in the playoffs 
• The Ravens are scary come January
• John Harbaugh deserves credit for his great coaching
• Tom Brady is making a strong case for the greatest of all time (GOAT) 
• Bill Belichick is in the same boat as Tom Brady (GOAT) 
• Julian Edleman has as good of an arm as some of the starting QBs in the league 

If the Seattle Seahawks are not in the Super Bowl, I will be very shocked. The Legion of Boom and the 12th man are in their prime. Most people know Richard Sherman as the face of the Seahawks D, but Kam Chancellor made his name known with a 90 yard INT returned for a TD and some awesome attempts at field goal blocking. The Panthers didn't look great, but this was an under .500 team, they had to play on the road, and played against the defending champions. We are looking at a Seahawks team that has a great chance to repeat. 

Before I talk about the catch, let's look at the rest of the game. Aaron Rodgers wasn't his normal self with his strained calf muscle, but he did play well. I still don't think he deserves MVP (JJ Watt), but that is a different article. The Cowboys started the game like they wanted it more. For once I had faith in Romo and the Boys. The Cowboys took a shot deep down field in the 4th quarter that caused controversy. When I was watching the game at the local T.G.I. Fridays, I knew it was coming back. How could I forget the Calvin Johnson play? That play cost my fantasy team the win that week, and I was even telling my friends that you have to complete the pass in our group text. It was the right call but dumb rule. 

Colts fans are excited today and not just because they won the game. In 2012, the Colts released Peyton Manning and any doubt that Colt fans had about the decision is now gone. Andrew Luck is looking at an incredible career, and it showed on Sunday night. Peyton Manning on the other hand didn't look like the great QB we are used to. People look at Manning's slump as the last 6 weeks, but it goes back to the Super Bowl. He had good games since then but Peyton hasn't been the same. He still has a good arm, but he over threw way too many receivers Saturday. Something tells me Peyton will have one more season, but things have to change and money won't solve the problem.  

(last 2 pictures from USA today)