Sports in 2014

2014 did not disappoint sports fans. There were many record breaking performances, close games, controversy, and incredible plays that made 2014 a year to remember.

The year began with the annual NHL Winter Classic. The Toronto Maple Leafs defeated the Detroit Red Wings in a shootout, 3-2, at The Big House in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

The excitement continued as Auburn led Florida State 21-3 late in the 2nd quarter during the final BCS National Championship game. Auburn managed to reach the championship by an incredible finish against Alabama in the Iron Bowl. Florida State reached the championship thanks to a great season by their freshman QB and Heisman winner Jameis Winston. Kelvin Benjamin caught the game winning touchdown for Florida State with 13 seconds left. Florida State won the BCS over Auburn 34-31.

January continued with more great football when Peyton Manning and Tom Brady faced off for the 15th time in their careers. The Broncos dominated football all years in large part to the record breaking season that MVP QB Peyton Manning had. The Broncos pulled away after Broncos WR Wes Welker put a hit on Patriots CB Aqib Talib that caused him to miss the rest of the game. While the Broncos were heading to the Super Bowl, many people were left asking if Welker intentionally hurt former teammate Talib. 

The day was not over as the Seattle Seahawks took on the San Francisco 49ers. The Legion of Boom had been controlling football all year but the 49ers were playing in their 3rd straight NFC Championship and looking to win the Super Bowl after they fell 1 play short against the Ravens a year before. The Seahawks won after Richard Sherman broke up a TD pass. Luckily for the Seahawks, Richard Sherman was stuck on a sorry receiver named Michael Crabtree.

The Super Bowl started with the football flying past Peyton Manning and the Broncos as the Seahawks were awarded a safety. The defense and special teams for the Seahawks played incredible with a safety, INT for a TD and a kick return for a TD to start the 2nd half. The Broncos scored their only points with a TD as time expired in the 3rd quarter. The Legion of Boom played one of the best game all year as the Super Bowl MVP was a defensive player. Linebacker Malcom Smith of the Seahawks was named MVP after he had nine tackles, a fumble recovery, and a INT returned for a TD. Super Bowl winning QB Russell Wilson spent his offseason playing some baseball for the Texas Rangers.

 The world came to a stop when the 2014 Winter olympics began in Sochi, Russia. T.J. Oshie became a hero for the USA hockey team when he converted 4 of 6 shoutout attempts to push the US over Russia but ultimately the USA lost to Canada and later failed to win the Bronze. The USA did very well in snowboarding but surprisingly Shaun White did not fare so well. Jamie Anderson and Kaitlyn Farrington helped bring home two gold medals in snowboarding. While the games were very exciting to watch, unfortunately there were many problems the city of Sochi had. There was even a Sochi Problems Twitter account which included American bobsledder, Johnny Quinn, who had to break down a door because he was trapped. The USA ended up with the 2nd most medals behind Russia. 

March Madness was not a let down. Many brackets did not last long. Ask Falcons WR Roddy White how Duke lost. Mercer upset Duke in the first round of the tourney. Kentucky snuck out of a tough Midwest bracket as they upset Wichita State and later beat Michigan. UConn on the other hand had a very rough journey. UConn beat number 2 Villanova, number 3 Iowa State, number 4 Michigan state, and number 1 Florida before they beat number 8 Kentucky. 

The 2014 MLB baseball season was a little different than usual. 

• Clayton Kershaw suffered a 6-8 week injury after signing a mega contract in the offseason before having arguably the best season for a Pitcher being crowned NL CY Young and NL MVP.
• Derek Jeter enjoyed his last season playing baseball as his farewell tour lasted all season including a memorable 2014 All-star game. 
• Jose Abreu had one of the best rookie seasons.
• Giancarlo Stanton had an incredible year with a trip to the Homerun derby were he send a Baseball to space before his season was cut short after a devastating hit to the jaw. 
• The Athletics sent their best hitter and 2 time Homerun derby champion Yoenis Cespedes to Boston for Jon Lester in an attempt to finally win the World Series. 
• The KC Royals got so hot late in the season that they ended up in the playoffs for the first time in 29 years and made it to the World Series but lost in game 7. 
• Madison Bumgarner was the closest thing to Mr. October we will see. While in the playoffs Bumgarner was Iron Man and was the reason the Giants won the World Series. 
• With Jeter out of baseball the attention now turns to 2014 AL MVP Mike Trout to be the face of baseball. 

The ageless San Antonio Spurs spoiled the Miami Heat's 3peat in what was LeBron's final game in Miami. LeBron opted out of his final contract in Miami to return home to Cleveland. Cavalier's rookie Andrew Wiggins was never able to get comfortable in the city of Cleveland as he was traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves for Kevin Love, after he signed his rookie contract. Kevin Durant had one of the most memorable MVP speeches, as he told his mom that she is the real MVP. 

The Stanley Cup was hoisted by the LA Kings for the 2nd time in 3 years. The Minnesota Wild signed Thomas Vanek hoping he will be the final piece in their search for the Stanley Cup. Martin Brodeur entered the crease once again, but not as a New Jersey Devil, but as a St. Louis Blues goalies. 

The 2014 NFL season started in a dark place. With serious off the field issues regarding Ray Rice and Adrian Peterson, the NFL had problems they needed to figure out. Both players were suspended but that didn't solve the real problem with NFL players. JJ Watt was been Mr.Incredible since his huge contract and could/should be the NFL MVP. Aaron Rodgers has been almost unstoppable and Tom Brady went from a wash up QB to MVP in a matter of a few weeks. The highly anticipated Johnny Manziel finally got his first start but flopped. Don't give up on Manziel yet but be skeptical. 

The Miami Heat have found ways to win without the King while the Cavaliers have struggled with their new royalty. 2nd overall pick Jabari Parker went down with a season ending injury. Derek Rose is still in and out with injuries and the fresh looking Timberwolves have struggled with their young talent.

Marcus Mariota had an great 2014 season. The Heisman winner lead the Oregon Ducks to a 12-1 season and a trip to the Rose Bowl where they will face the undefeated and reigning champions Florida State. FSU Jameis Winston has struggled on and off the field this season. With a game suspension with an incident on campus, stolen crab legs and sexual assault accusation, Winston looks to end his college career without a loss. Ohio State reached the playoffs with their 3rd string QB and Alabama does what Alabama does, win.   

Golden Gophers do NOT deserve a Jan. 1st Bowl

What? The Golden Gophers don't deserve a new years day bowl???

Before all the nay-sayers explode, I am a student at the University of Minnesota, I am an avid fan of the team, I am going to the game and I am very excited to watch.

Jerry Kill? Pretty good coach don't get me wrong..
8-4? Pretty good record this season!
2nd in the Big Ten West? That's pretty good!

Wait... You only won against ONE ranked opponent?
Wait... You only have TWO wins against teams with a winning record? (Iowa and Nebraska)
Wait... You can't sell out your 55,000 seat stadium... EVER?

Now, the real reason the Gophers ended up with the Citrus Bowl is because the Big Ten didn't want the Badgers going back to Orlando for consecutive years and because Ole Miss jumped Michigan State out of no where when neither team played. After all the bowl games were selected and seeing as the Badgers weren't heading back to the Citrus Bowl, the Gophers were left with the Citrus Bowl.

As far as I am concerned, the "wait's" outshine the "Pretty Good's". A 2-3 record against winning teams is nothing to be proud of.... at all..... Especially considering that the Gophers really only blew out one team (Iowa). Why didn't we knock the socks of Middle Tennessee or Eastern Illinois? Nobody really gives a crap about Big Ten Coach of the Year, and if we can't sell out a small stadium, how do we sell bowl tickets...? (Somehow we are doing it though...)

Plain and simple: The Gophers do not deserve the Citrus Bowl.

However, what the Gophers do have going for them is they have, at times, shown brilliance on the field. Against Iowa, Michigan, and the first Quarter at Camp Randall, they made their relatively good or so called "good" opponents look like the Glen Mason seasons I grew up with. They also have a traveling fan base FOR ONCE IN A LIFETIME!!! 8,000 tickets sold just from the U is astonishing! Let alone the tickets from ticket master and Stubhub. I can say for certain that the Gophers are certainly moving in an upward trend and that I am excited to watch them kick some tiger tail in Orlando.

Wild Slide into Holiday Break

Since my last posting the Minnesota Wild have essentially free fallen. There, I said it. I, as a Wild fan, am not afraid to admit it. We have pretty much sucked. In the last 20 days the Wild went a mere 2-4-2 since December 4th gaining 6 point over the time frame and falling to an overall record of 16-13-3.

As any sports fan should, I have considered the last twenty days a failure. I hate to see a team I've been fortunate enough to cheer for since their founding doing so poorly. Mind you, they do have a winning record, but that's just not going to cut it. Sitting fifth in their division and fourth in the wild card race isn't how most people would have projected the Wild to be sitting around the midway point of the season.

However there are some things to consider, the Wild have pushed a couple games to overtime when they easily could have laid down and died. Look at the Nashville game, while an overtime loss only gets you one point in league standings, the fact that they fought so hard while looking so bleak gives hope.

Unfortunately hope isn't what Wild fans need right now. This team is better than that, I'm sure the players know that. The holiday break couldn't come at a better time. This team has been through just as much as any other team this year. Goaltender problems, loss of key players like Matt Cooke, and the Mumps have cost them. While the mumps has sadly been league wide, the return of Matt Cooke couldn't have come soon enough.

Cooke is probably the one puzzle piece that is most overlooked. Ignore his past, who he was a player 10 or 11 years ago isn't the same player he is now. He's cleaner than he has ever been, smart and on timely occasions he gets on the score sheet. Where Cooke gets the most flack is his history of dirty ad questionable hits. Most recently in the 2014 playoffs, where an ill timed check lead to a knee on knee collision and a few game suspension.

Rarely do I advocate for such a player with an extensive history of bad play. But take one look at Cooke's game lately and you may just consider a change of heart yourself. Forget his years in Vancouver and Pittsburgh, He's put that behind him. Ignore the Achilles play in Ottawa (if you must know look here) and ignore anything he's done before his time as a Wild player. The fact of the matter his, in the last two seasons in a Wild sweater  Cooke has been clean. Not the cleanest but definitely cleaner, and that's what counts.

Watch Cooke's play closely next time you turn on a game, you'll be surprised by how important he is to the Wild. He will be a MAJOR factor in turning this season around starting again on December 27th against the Winnipeg Jets at home. Keep your head up Wild fans, it's a long season and it isn't even close to over yet.

Just the Beginning

The previous method for college football to decide the national championship game was terrible. The committee often times took the number 1 and 2 teams in the country. Makes sense right? Wrong. Sometimes the number 3-5 teams were not much different than the number 2 team in the country. Then when the BCS game would finally occur, it would often times be a blow out. For two straight years Alabama dominated the game, and I would stop watching by half time. It's not like the commercials were there to entertain me like the Super Bowl. 

2014-2015 marks the first year of the College Football Playoffs. Now a committee of 13 people make their own national rankings, and at the end of the year, they pick four teams to make the playoffs. Well now we have a similar problem we had in the past. Hopefully the playoffs get rid of the blow out games we've seen in the past, but how does the committee decide who gets the 3rd and 4th seed. Alabama and Oregon have just been dominating college football however they do have one lose on the season. Florida State got ranked third, which can be justified by their weak play but undefeated record. That left one spot for three teams. TCU, Baylor and Ohio State have all been playing great football and made the decision difficult for the committee. Going into Sunday, TCU was ranked 3rd and was coming off a 55-3 win over Iowa State. TCU did everything they could to lock up a top four spot. Baylor wasn't looking as good. Going into Sunday, Baylor was ranked 6th coming off a 38-27 win over 11th ranked Kansas State. Lastly, Ohio State was ranked 5th going into Sunday. Ohio State was coming off a 59-0 win against 17th ranked Wisconsin.

According to ESPN:
Points Per Game Differential
- TCU +26.5
- Baylor +24.6
- Ohio State 24

Strength of Record
- TCU 4th
- Baylor 6th
- Ohio State 7th

Game Control
- Baylor 5th
- TCU 6th
- Ohio State 11th

Before the College Football Playoff committee announced the final rankings, I made my own top 6.
1. Alabama
2. Oregon
3. TCU
4. Ohio State
5. Florida State
6. Baylor

Alabama and Oregon don't need explanation. TCU was ranked 3rd and played well enough to keep it. They battled a lot of good teams throughout the season.

Ohio State lost a potential Heisman winner, Braxton Miller before the season started and lost their 2nd string QB, JT Barrett against Michigan before the Big Ten Championship. Ohio State was ranked 5th and starting their 3rd string QB in the Big Ten Championship against a solid Wisconsin football team. Ohio State walked out with a huge 59-0 win and deserved a spot in the playoffs.

The only argument I have a hard time justifying is putting Florida State at number 5 and missing the playoffs. How do you tell the reigning champion and their Heisman QB, that their undefeated season was not good enough to make the playoffs? In all honesty they have not played well at all. If college football wants close and exciting games, TCU may be the team they should have picked.

Actual college football playoff rankings,
1. Alabama
2. Oregon
3. Florida State
4. Ohio State
5. Baylor
6. TCU

The playoffs are a great idea but there are still some flaws. I think the playoffs need to expand to top 6 or top 8 teams and/or the process for the playoff teams need to be changed. I don't see any reason why TCU lost a playoff spot and fell to 6.

Side Note
I don't understand why the two games that decide who plays in the National Championship are the Rose Bowl and the Sugar Bowl. These two bowls were very popular and made a lot of money. I don't understand why the NCAA didn't take two less popular bowls, like the TaxSlayer bowl and GoDaddy Bowl, and make them the play in games for the National Championship. It would have left the Rose bowl and Sugar Bowl to draw a lot of attention (and money) to other teams while the playoff bowls would be hyped already because of the teams in them and what they are playing for.

Torii Hunter Returns!

Long time Twin and fan favorite Torii Hunter has returned to the Minnesota Twins.

But why?

Let me start off with this: it isn't for production.

Torii Hunter makes absolutely no sense from a production standpoint for the Twins. They do not need an additional outfielder, especially one that it at the end of his career. With many bright prospects in the outfield for the Twins (Buxton, Rosario, Hicks, Arcia) the Twins are looking for a veteran to lead these young outfielders and to guide them along. The only thing I can make sense of this signing from a production standpoint is that Hunter provides a proven bat from the right side.

This signing goes deeper than production. Hunter has been the face of the franchise in the past and it doesn't appear that he's lost any of his popularity. Hunter gives desperate Twins fans a reason to make the trip out to Target Field. He is the type of player that the MLB needs more of; his personality on and off the field demonstrate everything that is good about the sport. Not too many athletes would give up their chance to play for a championship and return to a team that brought them to fame and give the fans a last hooray.

It will be interesting to see how this works out. I am guessing that his main role will be a DH and then relieving outfielders on their days off, but things can change quick. With Hunter showing some signs of his former self last year at the plate (.286 BA, 17 HR, 86 RBI) he could definatly emerge one last time and be the top hitter on the Twins if Joe Mauer continues being Joe Mauer and if Dozier and Arcia regress.

Overall, this is a fun acquisition for the Twins. It is a sign that the front office actually cares about the fanbase and not just solely on winning. Now if the Twins would go out and sign a big name starter (Scherzer or Price) and not some Nolasco part 2, I would be a very happy Twins fan.

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

As if the Holidays, college finals, work, weather and traveling home were not enough to handle in December, the sporting world has a lot to offer. 

With the NFL regular season coming to an end, many teams will be fighting for a playoff spot in the next four weeks. The NFC has some incredible battles in every division.

• The NFC East could be decided on Dec. 14th when the Cowboys visit the Eagles.
• The NFC West has three potential playoff teams, but the crucial matchup will come on Sunday night football between the Cardinals and Seahawks on December 21st. 
• The Lions could make an attempt to steal the NFC North from the Packers if they win their last four games, including their final game at Lambeau Field.
• The NFC South is so bad that any team could still take the division at 8-8. Keep an eye on this.

The AFC is just as exciting. 

• The Patriots are trying to lock up the number 1 seed in the playoffs, but they need to worry about beating the Dolphins and Bills to win the division first. 
• The Broncos are in a similar position as the Patriots. The AFC West is giving Peyton Manning a run for his money. 
• The AFC North is the closest division in the NFL. The Bengals lead the division at 8-3-1, but every other team is 7-5 and ready to take over. Also keep an eye on Johnny Manziel. 
• The Colts appear to have won the AFC South, but they have one more game against JJ Watt's Texans, who look to complicate things. 

While NFL teams are fighting for playoff spots, there is a chance you could be fighting for a championship this week. Fantasy Football playoffs have just begun and its crunch time. The last 13 weeks and the offseason have all led up to this moment. Make sure to read up on your team and don't tinker too much. I wish everyone the best of (Andrew) Luck in the playoffs. I'll keep everyone updated on my rough path from the 6th seed to being crowned champion. 

The NBA gave fans a great start to December with the Cavaliers at the Knicks. Everyone was anticipating a fun match between LeBron and Carmelo, but it was Kyrie Irving's 37 point performance that helped the Cavaliers win. Maybe this will be the game that starts the Cavaliers on a much anticipated win streak. 

Let's not forget who the real MVP in the NBA is. Kevin Durant returned from a six week injury vacation. He dropped 27 points in his first game of the season, but it wasn't enough to help the struggling OKC Thunder get the win. 

Speaking of struggling teams, the Philadelphia 76ers will not go winless this season. The 76ers traveled to frozen tundra in Minnesota and left with their first win. Thaddeus Young had 6 rebounds and 16 points for the Timberwolves in his first game against his former team. 

The NHL has been just as exciting to watch as the other two sports. Martin Brodeur returned to the crease for the first time this season. The only difference is he is wearing blue and not red. Brodeur looked pretty good for a 42 year old who hasn't played since April. Unfortunately his debut was spoiled by a loss. 

The Ottawa Senators had their retirement ceremony for the great Daniel Alfredsson. More on that can be found here Alfie Heads Home and Heads Out.

Minnesota also got some exciting news when Gary Bettman said the NHL will deliver on their promise of having an outdoor game in Minnesota. 

Minnesota just hosted the 2014 MLB All-Star game and have been awarded the 2018 Super Bowl and the 2019 NCAA Mens Basketball final four. The only thing the State of Hockey needed was a Winter Classic. 

December didn't forget about baseball. While this is the least exciting sport to watch in the middle of the winter, considering there are no games, MLB free agency is something else. Here is a list of playes who have signed major deals: 

• Giancarlo Stanton
• Hanley Rameriez 
• Pablo Sandoval 
• Nelson Cruz 
• Torii Hunter
• Yasmany Thomas

While the fielders/hitters were the first to find new homes, it looks like December will be the month of the pitchers. Jon Lester was expected to return to Boston after spending a few months in Oakland, but it appears the Dodgers, Cubs, and Giants aren't going to make it an easy decision. As teams run out of options, expect Max Scherzer and James Shield to sign shortly after Lester does.

December truly is the most wonderful time of the year. Happy Holidays and enjoy everything the world of sports has to offer!

Alfie Heads Home and Heads Out

Daniel Alfredsson was, is and always will be an Ottawa Senator. Disregard his year in Detroit, I would consider that a chase for the cup. It's a similar thing to what Ray Bourque did with Colorado in the 1990's. Ever since his rookie of the year campaign in 1995-1996 Alfredsson was the face of the franchise. Leading the team not only on the ice but off it as well. Being team captain and promoting Senators hockey. If there ever was a member of the NHL that was so highly regarded it is Alfie. He lead the team to 15 playoff appearances total and 11 straight  for a stretch. He was also a key member of the CASH Line that included Jason Spezza and that all star Dany Heatley.

 

The only thing missing from Alfie's career is a Cup. The very reason he spent his last season in Detroit, on a Red Wings team that was plagued with injuries and still manage to scrape out a playoff birth. While his career comes to an end, his legacy as a Senator will live on, He retired tonight in a Senators jersey, Skated warm ups and dropped the ceremonial puck. Daniel Alfredsson lived breathed and worked in a Ottawa jersey for 18 seasons and 1 day. The very jersey that will hang in the Canadian Tire Centre someday. NHL fan's everywhere should appreciate this guy as a player and as a fine representative of what athletes should be. Oh and don't forget he's a wicked mustache grower:

Thanks Daniel for everything you've done, you will be missed!

Boo Birds Accompany Wild Win

Ask yourself the last time you saw it; fans booing. The last time you were at a game yourself maybe? Heck I boo every bad call a ref makes if I can. Brad Shepherd of NCHC is probably my favorite target, I'm not even going to try to deny it. But when was the last time you saw or heard someone boo the players. I'll never forget booing The Iowa Hawekeyes in the metrodome in 2004 as a youngster, That was probably the first time I booed anyone or any select team. But not so often is it that you boo your own team, better yet when your team is winning?

Wednesday night at home brought just the scenario, with a 2-0 lead the Wild went on a five minute power play and came out the same way they went in. With a 2-0 lead. Not often does a five minute power play go without any score, think about it, five minutes to dominate the pace of play, five minutes of puck control, five minutes of sheer and utter disappoint in this case. Yep, the Wild held the lead through the power play, but managed to squander momentum, fail to get the puck deep and pretty much suck the life out of Andrew Brunette's system. Granted there hasn't been much life to begin with, to put it bluntly its been dismal. Their power play is working merely 9.0 percent of the time, and sits at 29th in the league, it's just not what it could be.

No, with a star studded team, these numbers should improve, need to improve and frankly, Minnesota deserves better as a state. "The state of Hockey," not the state of a struggling power play. The fans deserve the right to boo, I give them that. But what I can't understand is the timing. The Wild had a lead, and better yet, won the game, beating a strong Montreal team. But it wasn't enough to stop the fans from voicing their concerns.

As it is, the 14-9-1 Wild take the ice again Friday December, 5th against the 16-6-5 Anaheim Ducks, Look for a change in the power play, possibly a switch up in the lines may come. I have a feeling that Mike Yeo and Andrew Brunette will do just that. Look for the Wild to try to get the puck deep and hope for more control and chances on the power play. And if not for Brunette's sake but for the whole teams, hope for another strong win to keep the fans at bay.

Going Out in Style

One of the most underrated parts of sports is retiring with the team you began your career with. I think it is a great move for the player, the organization and the fans. It's not very common that a player spends their entire career with one team, so when a team loses a great player, the fans hope it's not goodbye forever.

Torii Hunter just agreed to a one year contract with the Minnesota Twins. Hunter spent his first 11 years in Minnesota before he left for the Los Angeles Angels. After five years in LA, Hunter took his talents to Detroit hoping to finally win a World Series ring. Unfortunately two years in Detroit wasn't enough for the ring, but at age 39, Hunter appears to be nearing the end. 

I grew up watching Torii Hunter make ridiculous catches in center field. He was a prime piece of the early to mid 2000 Twins: Johan Santana, Brad Radke, Jacque Jones, Corey Koskie, Michael Cuddyer, Justin Morneau, and Joe Mauer. The team was so exciting to watch. Hunter was easily a fan favorite. His first game as a LA Angel was played in Minnesota, where he was greeted with a standing ovation. 

I was furious when I saw Hunter signed with Detroit because I thought that was where he was going to retire. I think one of the most classy things in sports is to retire with the team that made you. It wouldn't make sense to have Brett Favre retire an Atlanta Falcon, but I'm interested to see if Peyton Manning signs with the Indianapolis Colts before he announces his retirement. Some people I have talk to don't like the one day contracts. I'm not a huge fan myself but I understand that sometimes it makes sense to do a one day deal rather than a one year deal. Hideki Matsui, Jim Thome, Champ Bailey, and Fred Taylor are some examples of one day contracts in sports. 

I like what the Twins and Hunter did. Hopefully the scenario works better than when the Twins brought back Jacque Jones, who spent his final time with the Twins in the minors. Torii Hunter has still managed to produce in the field and in the batters box. Unfortunately I don't see this being the year Torii Hunter wins a World Series, but he is still going out in style.  

4th and Inches

"I hate fantasy football, and it's the only thing I really loved."

- Pete Eckhart, The League

Early August, all I could think about was the beginning of a new fantasy football season. I went to Target and pick up my draft guide magazine. I read through every page, so I could create my dream team. I went through the depth charts of each team and see which running backs I need to handcuff. I looked at injuries such as Rob Gronkowski. I read some of Matthew Berry's draft advice. I looked over average draft position and mark down when I need to pick my guys. I then began the mock drafts. I did at least five mock drafts because there was always one guy that picked the Jaguars D/ST in the first round. After about three weeks of serious preparation, draft day was finally here.

I drafted Calvin Johnson in the 1st round because he constantly puts up big numbers, and you can count on him to play every week. He got hurt week four and doesn't put up numbers again until week ten. This was the theme of my whole draft but I had no idea what I was going to deal with all year.

The only good thing that came out of the draft was my eighth pick, Jeremy Maclin, but it wasn't enough.

I started the season 3-1. I made a video for my fantasy league that had me wearing my Calvin Johnson jersey on and the song "All I do is Win" was playing in the back round. I will tell you there is such things as a jinx. This was it.

My team fell quickly and I knew I had to make moves. I traded away AJ Green and Andrew Luck to get Eddie Lacy, Cam Newton, and Andre Johnson. I later traded Lacy, Dwayne Allen, and DeSean Jackson for Tom Brady, Joique Bell and Michael Crabtree. I thought I put together the best team I have ever had.

I was wrong. I had the names that would sell out a stadium, but all I care about were wins. I just couldn't figure out where I went wrong. I had the players but they didn't perform. 

I had tried to recreate the team I had when I won it all in 2011. Focus on having strong wide receivers, and good quarterback with a compliment of average running backs. However, there is no possible way to know the perfect fantasy lineup strategy. Every year is different. 

Many people can relate to me when I say this, missing the playoffs sucks. All the time spent on the draft, studying the waiver wire, evaluating everyone's team, making blockbuster trades, and setting a lineup every Sunday morning, spent for nothing. I poured my heart and soul into this season and for what? I get so into the silly game because it's suppose to be fun. I get more stressed and nervous than I get excited. I put myself through an emotional roller coaster, so I can be crowned the champion of my league. Is that really worth it? The pain of losing is not fun to live with. For the second straight year, I'm watching my friends battle for the championship. I have told myself multiple times this year that I am done with fantasy football, but I know I'm not. I just can't stand the feeling in my stomach of coming up short, for coming up 4th and inches. 

Bits of Wooden Chair

The Minnesota Gophers play for four trophies against rivals across the Big Ten.

Floyd of Rosedale – Minnesota vs. Iowa

Little Brown Jug – Minnesota vs. Michigan

Governor’s Victory Bell – Minnesota vs. Penn State

Paul Bunyan’s Axe – Minnesota vs. Wisconsin

…and now the Bits of Wooden Chair Trophy?

From bringmethenews.com

This past weekend, the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers beat the University of Nebraska’s Cornhuskers to claim the Bits of Wooden Chair trophy.

So how exactly did this trophy come into existance? To answer that, we have to go to Twitter. It all started with a friendly wager between Gophers mascot Goldy, and an account run by Nebraska called Faux Pelini.

It seems like Nebraska liked the initial offer, responding with:

And the Gophers responded with:

As it would turn out, Minnesota came up with a trophy named ‘Bits of Wooden Chair’ that was claimed by the Gophers after they won on Saturday. A poll on the Daily Gopher states that 94% of voters say that the trophy should exist, and the trophy was well received on Twitter as well.

This is the way a trophy game should start. Not by conference mandated games or two schools looking for additional revenue, but by a sincere rivalry that is well supported on both sides.

Personally, I think that the trophy is a great thing. Some people might say that the Gophers play to many trophy games, but I think that isn’t an issue. Minnesota and Nebraska is defiantly a rivalry in the making, and this trophy is a perfect symbol of it for years to come.

Stocking up on Socks

Just a few years ago the Boston Red Sox dumped their roster to the Los Angeles Dodger. They sent Adrian Gonzalez, Carl Crawford and Josh Beckett to the west coast and received very little in return.

The Red Sox were awful to finish the year and the future didn't look bright. Well what do you know, the Red Sox somehow pulled it together to win the 2013 World Series after trading three of their stars. The city of Boston needed the win after the tragedy back in April. The 2014 season began with the team losing Jacoby Ellsbury to the Yankees. The season wasn't looking great so they sent, soon to be free agent, Jon Lester to Oakland for Yoenis Cespedes who was just crowed Home Run Derby champion for the 2nd straight year.

The Red Sox have trimmed their roster quite a bit in the last few years, but they managed to have one great season. While the Yankees are suffering with Alex Rodriguez and other expensive, aging stars, the Red Sox appear to be going all in this offseason. Boston just signed Hanley Ramirez and Pablo Sandoval. This would give the Red Sox a solid batting lineup that consists of: Hanley Ramirez, Pablo Sandoval, David Ortiz, Yoenis Cespedes, Dustin Pedroia and Shane Victorino. 

The Red Sox would just need to build their rotation and bullpen to become an instant threat at the World Series again. Remember when the Red Sox traded away Jon Lester? Well now he is a free agent. Talk about a steal from Oakland, if they can sign him back. 

I've talked in the past about spending a lot of money on free agents. 

I support this strategy under two rules: 

1. The money is spread out over multiple players, not just one giant signing.
2. The contract is less than five years. 

One player can't carry a team, and it's not often a player stays consistent for too long. If a team is giving a player a large contract, odds are he already used up some of his good years. 

This should be a fun offseason to watch the Red Sox. If some of these deals don't work out, look for Boston to make a strong push for Yasmany Tomas. Tomas is a Cuban player who could fit nicely with their other Cuban player, Cespedes, in the outfield, but he could also be placed at third base. 

The Weather Outside is not Frightful

Mother nature does not like to make things easy on anyone. The city of Buffalo was recently ambushed with heaps of snow. When this storm is all said and done, Buffalo could be looking at 100 inches. 

Incase you didn't know, the Buffalo Bills were scheduled to host the New York Jets on Sunday. That is not happening. The game has been moved to Detroit on Monday night. 

A similar situation happened in 2010 when the Minnesota Vikings were scheduled to host the New York Giants (Maybe New York teams are bad luck). Come Sunday morning, the Metrodome's roof collapsed, and the teams faced off in Detroit on a rare Tuesday night game. 

Is it time for teams to move indoors? 

I'm not just talking about football. Baseball has many games a year that get postponed and delayed due to weather. Not only does weather cause problems for when or if the game will be played at their scheduled stadium, but it also has an impact on the way the game is played. Rain makes throwing a baseball and football a lot more difficult. It isn't often snow impact baseball, but the Minnesota Twins have experience problems with it in the past. Football has been greatly impacted with snow in the past, as I mentioned the two problems above with stadiums. Games have also been difficult to play in. 

I spent three hours at TCF Bank stadium watching Ohio State beat the Minnesota Gophers in 17 degree weather and a good amount of snow fall. It was probably the most fun game I've been too. It had everything to do with the weather. I think the Minnesota Vikings are making a mistake building a roof on the stadium. I understand a roof gives a team more options but at least a retractable roof. Nothing is better than watching a sporting event outside. For years the Minnesota Twins were stuck under the dome, until 2010 when Target Field opened. I went to the second game at Target Field and the temperature was around 43 degrees and it rained. It was cold but so exciting. I had never experienced something like that before. This past July I went the 2014 Home Run Derby at Target Field, which experienced a very long a rain delay. Weather has had it's fair share of problems at sporting events, but it brings a whole new aspect to the game and to the fans. I can think of multiple outdoor stadiums that are legendary and have stood the test of time: Lambeau field, Solider Field, Wrigley Field, Fenway Stadium, and the LA Coliseum. When looking at closed stadiums, they don't stick around long. 

I think more teams need to go back to the outdoor stadiums. I know it's not the best time to argue this while the snow problem in Buffalo is causing headaches around the NFL, but I would rather have to sit in a snowstorm watching a game than cooped up inside on a beautiful afternoon.

                                                    

Friday Morning Thoughts

Has anyone else been noticing ESPN doubling down on their coverage of the NFL and college football this year? Just two days ago this monstrosity of an article was posted by Chantel Jennings. Meanwhile, hockey can't get but a minute of airtime. According to an article written by Allan Muir of Sports Illustrated, hockey gets a total of 2.7 percent of all airtime on ESPN's headline show, SportsCenter. What's going on here? Hockey fans obviously represents more than 2.7 percent of ESPN's audience, yet the coverage just isn't there.

ESPN also cut the Daily Dime, a daily article giving a recap of all of the previous nights NBA games and ten fun tidbits about those games. The Daily Dime has been replaced with "The Ten", which is a hash up of graphics representing the previous nights action. This leaves me trying to find a new site to read up on the NBA games I couldn't get to watching.

Some lighter news, Papa Johns had to alter their deal with the Philadelphia 76'ers after the 0-11 start left fans with no way to cash out on the deal. The previous promotion was 50 percent off online orders after a Sixers win. Unfortunately, that isn't really feasible for the near historically bad Sixers, requiring Papa Johns to change up the deal. Now, Papa Johns is offering 50 percent off online orders following any game the Sixers score 90 points. With the 76'ers averaging 88.6 points a game this season, fans in Philly stand a chance to cash in this time.

More Money...ball

Moneyball is the idea that the only thing that matters is getting on base. A player can't score a run if they are not on base. Without runs, a team can not win. The Oakland Athletics made a drastic change in 2002. The team has never had enough money to compete for free agents. The Yankees, Red Sox, Dodgers, and Angels have the opportunity to spend the big bucks. Oakland used the idea of moneyball to look at players differently. The team took players that were overlooked for a variety of reasons. This strategy has worked well for them.

This past July, Oakland was the best team in baseball. The moneyball strategy has continued to bring the Athletics regular season success. Billy Beane, the Athletics' GM, was ready to bring home the World Series Trophy. He made moves that shocked the baseball world. Shortly before the All-Star break, the Athletics traded multiple prospects including the highly coveted Addison Russell to the Chicago Cubs, for Jeff Samardzija. Billy Beane wasn't done. Coming off a 2nd consecutive Home Run Derby championship, Yoenis Cespedes was the Athletics' best hitter, but the team needed pitching. Oakland sent Cespedes to Boston for soon to be free agent Jon Lester.
The Athletics began a long decent from the top of the baseball world in August. The team lacked hitting and barely slid into the playoffs. The Oakland Athletics lost to the Kansas City Royals in the Wild Card game.

The team made some gusty calls to win the World Series but once again fell short. Is it time to move on from the moneyball theory and demand more money to bring in some free agents?

I don't think so. The team won't have Lester back next year, but the A's still have a solid rotation. They did lack hitting but if the A's continue to find players that get on base and pay little for, they will succeed. The Athletics did sign Billy Butler, whose on base percentage has always been in the .300 range and adds some much needed power. I don't want to see the Athletics move away from the moneyball idea. The team went against some of their beliefs this last season in a great attempt to win the World Series. Watching the Minnesota Twins, who have a similar payroll that the Athletics have, shows me that Billy Beane and the A's have been doing something right. They win with little money. Hopefully they spend this offseason looking back at how they have been successful and not steer away from that.

Wild/ Niederreiter Rebound After Rough Patch

  If you haven't been watching the 10-7-0 Minnesota Wild lately you need to be. With the exception of a four game stretch in which they played HOT opposition, the Wild have looked like a promising team with real playoff potential overall. However they suffered legitimate losses to Pittsburgh and Montreal  and two rough losses to Ottawa and New Jersey. In the New Jersey game, it was obvious that the Devils controlled the pace and flow of the game, keeping Minnesota off their own game and stopping them from using their speed and skill to their advantage.
  However the Wild have looked fantastic in their other games, showing resilience making a strong third period comeback against Dallas for a 2-1 win, as well as fending off a hard charging Winnipeg Jets team for a 4- 3 overtime victory.
The emergence of Nino Niederreiter's offense has been key in their success as of late. He sits with 8 goals scored, leading the team in the category and producing possibly one of the best examples of silky mitts the game has ever seen:

 

The emergence of Nino and his offense goes along with a huge group of young talent on this squad, Erik Haula, Charlie Coyle, Jared Spurgeon and the like headline an amazing line up. If Thomas Vanek can get his offense going and with Zach Parise recently returning from injury just imagine what this team can do. Look for much more going forward as far as wins go and a heck of a lot more magical play from this young crop of NHL talent that Chuck Fletcher has put together.

The Wild return to the ice Thursday November, 20th away against the Flyers,

Just Roll With It

Probably the coolest sport I've ever seen, and hardly anyone knows about, Gloucester Cheese Rolling. The object of the sport is to race down the bottom of a 200 yard hill and be the first to capture the 9lb rolling cheese. It is not as easy as it sounds. The cheese receives a one second head start and can reach a speed of 70.  The sporting event takes place at Cooper Hill in Gloucester, UK and is often in the spring.

The sport has begun to pick up in popularity the last few years but unfortunately injuries have given the sport a bad reputation. Since 2010 the event has been canceled due to health and safety fears. However people still show up to race in a campaign called "Save the Cheese" and no major injuries have been reported. As for many sports, injuries have plagued Cheese Rolling while people try to figure out a safe way to run. The debate of whether the sport should continue has been growing with it's popularity. In 2013 a police inspector told the Diana Smart, the women who make the cheese, that if she continues to make it for the sport she could be held responsible for any injury that occurs. Luckily for the fans and athletes of the sport she doesn't care. The on going debate has continued as the Unofficial 2015 Gloucester Cheese Rolling event is being planned. 

I one day hope to participate in the great sport but before that happens I have to make sure it sticks around. I'm a proud supporter of the "Save the Cheese" campaign. If you are interested enough check out this awesome display of the sport. 

For more information on the sport check out The official Cheese Rolling Website

Wayne Gretzky is the Greatest Athlete of All Time

A bold statement, but true. Wayne Gretzky is the Greatest of All Time, ahead of Michael Jordan, Michael Phelps, Tiger Woods, Bo Jackson, and so on. In fact, it’s not even close.

Let me start off with this: there are 3 main offensive stats in hockey – Points, Goals, and Assists.

Points – 1. Wayne Gretzky – 2,856      2. Mark Messier – 1,855

Goals – 1. Wayne Gretzky – 894      2. Gordie Howe – 801

Assists – 1. Wayne Gretzky – 1,962      2. Mark Messier – 1,171

There is no explanation needed. Gretzky is simply just on a whole different level in terms of production. If I were to divide the three remaining main sports up, (NBA, MLB, and NFL) no other player holds the record for all three of the most important offensive stats, or defensive for that matter, in their respective sport for their career. Also, Gretzky holds 61 total NHL records, a record in its own since no one else in the other sports holds that many records for their sport.

For a complete list of his achievements, here's a good site for that.

Any athlete knows that it takes more than just records to be defined a great athlete, and Wayne Gretzky is more than just his own record book.

“Thought of as a shifty set-up player, Gretzky was a whirling dervish, blending effortlessness and craftiness as the type of athlete the sport had never seen. He was grace under pressure, sneaky fast and dazzling on skates. He saw the entire ice the way a modern-day defenseman does. If Bobby Orr and Howe revolutionized the game, Gretzky took what became before him and molded the metaphorical clay into the perfect threat, perfect player and perfect athlete.” – Ken Klavan, Bleacher Report

Simply put, Gretzky is a God against Men. Instead of talking about how he’s the definition of perfection, let me show you:

I’ll admit it, choosing one greatest athlete of all time is not an exact science and there is no one true answer, but given his raw talent, the production, and the legacy, Wayne Gretzky certainly makes a strong case for the title of Greatest Athlete of All Time.

The Iron Giant

New York Giant's linebacker, Mark Herzlich, is living the dream of playing in the NFL, but his story is one that needs to be told.

A 3 star prospect coming out of high school, Mark had many choices for where he could play college ball. He took his three MVPs he earned at Conestoga High School and went to Boston College. As a freshman, Herzlich shined. He earned College Football News All-American honors. His sophomore season was not much different. He had 4 pass breakups, 2 forced fumbles and fumble recoveries, and 12 tackles-for-loss. He began his junior season as a preseason all-star candid. He was a finalist for the Butkus award and quarterfinalist for the Lott Trophy. He was a top 15 pick on most mock drafts for the 2009 NFL draft but he decided to go back to Boston College for his senior year.

Before he got to play his senior year, he had an unfortunate trip to the hospital. On March 12th, 2009,  Mark Herzlich was diagnosed with Ewing's sarcoma, a rare form of bone cancer. He was told that he would never play football again and most likely never run again.

Mark began every morning with a prayer to be cancer free. He spent seven long months of chemotherapy and another five weeks of radiation. He was determined to run through the Boston College stadium tunnel with his teammates again.

On September 29th, 2009, Mark found out he was cancer free. He now has a 12-inch titanium rod in his left leg for reinforcement and lost some of his explosive burst, but he couldn't be happier.

Mark sat out the entire 2009 season and struggled during his final year at Boston College in 2010 before he declared himself for the 2011 NFL draft. Mark went undrafted after being considered a top pick in the 2009 draft.

On July 26th, 2011, the New York Giants signed Mark Herzlich as an undrafted free agent. He had eight tackles in 11 games his rookie season. Herzlich's rookie campaign ended with the New York Giants winning the Super Bowl.

Mark Herzlich is not a name that many people hear. He isn't someone that will be talked about on twitter or ESPN, but he is one of the more inspirational players in the NFL. He has gone through a lot in his young life and it was not an easy journey. Mark Herzlich is the Iron Giant.

8 Predictions for the 2015 PGA Season

1. Bubba Watson will win his third Green Jacket. Since the early 2000s, lefties have owned Augusta, and I expect that trend to continue.
2. Tiger Woods will not make the cut at The Masters. He's not the Tiger Woods we're used to anymore. Injuries have plagued him the last few years, and this year will be the year that people will stop expecting him to win.
3. Rickie Fowler doesn't win a major again. Arguably the best performance in majors last year outside of Rory, Rickie comes up just short again in 2015.
4. A new era begins. Newcomers take over leaderboards, such as Jonas Blixt, Jordan Speith, Hideki Matsuyama, Russell Henley, and Patrick Reed.
5. Rory McIlroy will win at least 6 tournaments and 2 majors. He's the new face of the PGA, and he will take it full stride.
6. Jordan Speith cools off. He will still be a top player, but no where near the level of perfection he had at the beginning of 2014.
7. Camilo Villegas will place in the top 5 of at least one major. After a win at the Wyndham Championship last year, Camilo has took that next step that his career has so desperately needed. He wastes no time in making a name for himself this year.
8. The PGA Championship at Whistling Straits will be the most entertaining tournament of the year. If the PGA Championship can recreate what we saw at Valhalla last year and then some, we will see a very entertaining tournament.

Breaking Down the Divisions In the NBA

Do divisions matter in the NBA today? Aside from seeding and scheduling, not really. They don't create the rivalries similar to the NFL and the MLB, they only minimize travel a little, and I bet that most fans would have a hard time naming every team in the Central division. However, some of these divisions have some very interesting story lines, some are downright terrible, and some are made with extra love. I'm here to show some of the story lines in all 6 divisions.

The Atlantic Division

Starting with the worst division in basketball, the Atlantic division trots out the Raptors, Nets, Knicks, Celtics, and 76ers. Historically some of the best teams in the NBA plus the Raptors, this division is far from the glory days. 

One might look for any bright spots with this division, but they are few and far between. The 76ers might be starting a D-League line up night in and night out, and have a very realistic possibility of being the worst team ever in the NBA. Their tandem of rookie big men is promising for the future however, with Nerlens Noel and Joel Embiid posed to terrorize the Atlantic in the future. The Knicks manage to lose while Melo puts up 46. This is one of the most dysfunctional teams I've ever seen. J.R Smith taking wins away is extremely comical to see if you aren't a Knicks fan. The Nets trot out the corpse of KG every night, although they have a very real possibility of making the playoffs. Deron Williams has looked good this year, earning player of the week honors last week. The only place to turn to for guaranteed success in this division is the new look Raptors. The Raptors are off to a blazing start this year, going 8-2 in the first 10 games and looking like the front runners in the East. Demar Derozan and Kyle Lowry is a top 3 back court, Jonas Valanciunas has made improvements to his game, and Louis Williams could be 6th man of the year this year. I fully expect the Toronto team to win the division handily. 

My predictions for the division standings at the end of the year go:

1. Raptors
2. Nets
3. Knicks
4. Celtics
5. The Harlem Globetrotters 
6. The Kentucky Wildcats
7. The 76ers.

The Central Division

Things take a turn for the better in the Central, being able to say they have two top 10 teams in this division. The bottom of the division is a sad sight, composed of the Bucks, Pistons, and Pacers. There is no division with a bigger gap between the bottom dwellers and the contenders than this division, with the Cavaliers and Bulls being worlds away from the rest of the pack

The two titans of the east reside in the central. The path to the NBA finals will likely go through either Cleveland or Chicago, in fact I'd say it is almost guaranteed. The Cavaliers got off to a relatively slow start, but the offense looks to be clicking now after hitting a franchise record 19 threes against the Hawks and putting up 127 points against the Hawks. Opposing the Cavaliers are the Bulls. As Dennis Green might have told you, the Bulls are who we thought they were. off to a 7-3 start, the Bulls are still grinding out wins. The overall success of this Bulls team relies on one mans ankle. if Derrick Rose can stay healthy, this team can easily compete with the Cavaliers for the division title. As we head down the ladder, we hit the trio of awful. Maybe that isn't fair to say about the Pistons, they might have moved out of the awful tier and into the bad tier. The Bucks and Pacers however, should already be looking towards next year. The Bucks have a plethora of promising pieces, most notably Jabari Parker and Giannis Antetokounmpo. The Pacers have too many key injuries to compete this year, and the Pistons are a hard team to get a handle on. You look at this roster and see the talent, but no results. Andre Drummond might be the next stud center. 

I expect the division to play out like this:

1. Cavaliers
2. Bulls
3. Pistons
4. Bucks
5. Pacers

The Southeast Division

Easily the most competitive division in the East, there are four different teams I could see winning this division. The Hornets, Heat, Wizards, and Atlanta all call the Southeast division home, along with the Magic.

If you were interested in the division races, this would be the one to watch. I have half of the playoff spots in the east being won by teams in this division. The only team I'm leaving out is the Magic, although they have one of the brightest looking futures in the NBA. Victor Oladipo looks like a really solid player, Elfrid Payton plays akin to a rookie Jason Kidd and also has the best hair in the NBA, and Nikola Vucevic is putting up nearly 19/12 a game on his new contract. This division is going to be a battle for the other four teams. I don't see a clear favorite to come out on top. One might look to the Wizards as favorites, and they have reasons to. The back court is top three in the NBA, Marcin Gortat is a solid Center when healthy, and Paul Pierce gives this team both an edge and some veteran experience. The Miami Heat are still winning basketball games without Lebron James. Chris Bosh is putting up virtually identical numbers to his 2009-2010 season with the Raptors and Dwyane Wade looks good so far. The Hornets have a criminally under rated team this year, with Lance Stephenson, Kemba Walker, and Big Al in the post. They will get shots to fall, they referring mostly towards Lance Stephenson who has been remarkable cold to start this year. Atlanta is a sneaky team, maybe not good enough to win a series against title contenders but being good enough to compete game in and game out. Paul Millsap has looked phenomenal so far this year, and their guard rotation might be one of the deepest in the NBA. 

I'm mostly just rolling dice for this one: 

1. Wizards
2. Hornets
3. Heat
4. Hawks
5. Magic

The Northwest Division

I like to think this is what Kim and Kanye named their kid after.The Weakest division in the West, which probably makes this the strongest division I've gone through so far. The Trailblazers and Thunder should sit on top of this division, with Utah, Minnesota, and Denver Flailing underneath. 

The Thunder are struggling right now due to injuries, but I fully expect when Westbrook and Durant come back this team will be back to their winning ways. The Trailblazers are off to a solid start going 7-3 so far, touting a much improved bench with the additions of Chris Kaman and Steve Blake. Damian Lillard is having a stellar season so far, putting up 20/5/6 so far this season and shooting nearly 47% from beyond the arc. At the bottom of the division, there isn't much to work with so far. The Jazz are exciting to watch, but aren't a real contender. Gordon Hayward has looked like he is worth all 16 million he will be making this year, but not much else looks good on that team. The Timberwolves truly look awful, as expected. Andrew Wiggins has looked fairly raw on offense, but he is already a plus defender in the NBA. Having Rubio out really hurts this team, but it does give Zach Lavine some playing time and he has looked better than expected so far. The nuggets are a puzzling team. You might look at this team and see they are one George Karl and one Andre Iguodala removed from a 57 win season. Brian Shaw hasn't done much to show he is a good coach yet, coaching this team to a 2-7 roster. 

This division is fairly easy to predict: 

1. Trailblazers
2. Thunder
3. Nuggets
4. Jazz
5. Timberwolves

The Pacific Division

The second best division in the NBA, the pacific division has some of the most exciting teams to watch in it. The Clippers and Warriors are a treat to watch every time they hit the court. With two up and coming teams in the Suns and Kings battling it out and aiming for a playoff spot in the west, the only real dark spot in this division is the Lakers who are always one big name away from being relevant.

The Clippers and Warriors are fighting for the division title here. The Warriors have the best back court in the NBA and one of the most exciting offenses. Iguodala is an exceptionally unique player, who doesn't put up any significant numbers but still would be wanted by all 30 teams if he was a free agent. Klay Thompson is playing exceptional basketball this year after getting payed. The Clippers are off to a slow start, most of which can be attributed to shots not falling. Chris Paul and his lack of turnovers is one of the wonders of the basketball world. He has an 8.5 to 1 assist to turnover ratio so far this year, which is hall of fame like. The Kings remind me of last years Suns, a surprisingly successful team that came out of seemingly no where. Rudy Gay is looking much better, and Demarcus Cousins has been simply outstanding. I'll go out on a limb and call him the best offensive center in the NBA. The Suns haven't started as well as they would have liked, but Isiah Thomas looks outstanding as the 6th man and if the league ended today would be the 6th man of year. The Lakers however, are having an awful year. Julius Randle getting hurt really hurts for them, and Kobe is being historically inefficient. He is second to last out of 404 players in +/- this year, while scoring the 3rd most points in the NBA. 

I can see this division going as followed: 

1. Warriors
2. Clippers
3. Kings
4. Suns
5.  Lakers

The Southwest Division

This ones a doozie.The most competitive division in basketball without a question, and also the best division in basketball. According to the Hollinger Power Rankings, all 5 of these teams are in the top 10 in the league. There is no clear tiers in this division having the Mavericks, Grizzlies, Rockets, Spurs, and Pelicans.

The spurs have had 15 straight 50 win seasons. The most successful franchise in the last 15 years of the four major sports, Tim Duncan is still producing and Pop is still working his magic with resting players, getting the most out of players, and being a wizard. The Mavericks added Chandler Parsons and Tyson Chandler making it very confusing to refer to a Chandler on that team, and have been off to a good start this year going 7-3. The Grizzlies are still playing stifling defense, and the addition of Vince Carter gives them a much needed shooter. The always under rated Mike Conley Jr. is having another really solid year for the Grizzlies who have the best record in the west right now at 9-1. Right behind them is the Rockets who are 8-1. James Harden is making a serious MVP case so far this year, being the second leading scorer in the NBA. Dwight Howard is still a force in the post, and Trevor Ariza has proved to be worth the 9 million dollars a year he is getting. The Pelicans were a sleeper pick to make the playoffs at the start of the year, and after blowing out the Wolves last time out 139-91, they look like the real deal. Anthony Davis is also making a serious case for MVP putting up 26/13 with 4 blocks a game this year. Tyreke Evans has been playing well so far, and Ryan Anderson is playing exceptionally well.

This division is the hardest one to predict:

1. Rockets
2. Spurs
3. Grizzlies
4. Mavericks
5. Pelicans