NBA Playoffs Preview

I'm going to say it. I like the NBA. Saying these words in Minnesota is nothing short of a crime, so I've had to keep my love of the NBA a secret. However, now I have a place to write about the NBA, so do that I will. I am going to start by giving you all a playoff preview.

West: 

1 - Spurs: You wouldn't bet against Pop and Duncan again, would you? 3 straight finals appearances are not only plausible, I would put them as the favorites to come out of the west. 

2 - Clippers: Russel Westbrook can only do so much for this first month and a half without KD, and these Clippers are the a much better "team" then the Thunder when healthy. Chris Paul is the 3rd best player in the NBA until Anthony Davis says otherwise. 

3 - Thunder: Too much Scott Brooks and KD missing 8 weeks with an injury puts these guys in the third seed. 

4 - Golden State: The Splash Bros are the leagues best back court and they can run some really small line ups with Draymond Green in at the 4, or do whatever really with Steve Kerr. I like what they bring defensively as well.  

5 - TrailBlazers: The healthiest team in the west last year. Potentially solved some of their bench issues adding Caveman Chris Kaman and Steve "I once put up 14 assists in a quarter" Blake. If they stay healthy again, This team could sneak into the top 4 seeds. 

6 - Mavericks: Dirk, Monta, Chandler Parsons, Tyson Chandler, Devon Harris.  Have you seen a less solid defensive lineup? This team will get theirs, but the question becomes can they stop others from getting theirs? In Carlisle we trust. 

7 - Houston Rockets: I really like the addition of Trevor Ariza. That being said, this team has 2 players to score, and unless Dwight hits some free throws they are leaving 15 points out in the open every game. One injury away from being a bottom 10 team? 

8 - Memphis Grizzlies: I would hate to play these guys as the 1 seed. A real grinder of a team, the addition of Vince Carter gives them a little more of an outside shot which really helps. Would be a top 4 seed in the East. 

East: 

1 - Cavilers: Might be a historically efficient team. Assuming that they stay healthy, I don't see how any team could compete with the amount of raw talent this team has. 

2 - Bulls: If Derrick Rose can play more than 60 games this team coasts to the 2 seed. Their trio of big men is the best in the league, and if Doug McDermott can come into his own pretty quickly this team is a real danger to the Cavs. 

3 - Wizards: Adding Paul Pierce gives this team another big shot guy behind John Wall which is needed. The second best back court in the league, and if John Wall can find a solid jump shot this team could be a contender. 

4 - Raptors: This team is in the worst division in basketball which is the only reason I have them number 4. A whole pile of free wins in this division, and Kyle Lowry and Demar Derozan might both be all-stars this year. 

5 - Hornets: Kemba Walker is the iciest player in the league. The addition of Lance Stephenson gives this team 3 very reliable scorers, and if MKG can put up around 14 points a game this team could be very surprising. Oh, and they have the best post scorer in the league. 

6 - Atlanta: Remember this team was the 3rd seed in the east before Al Horford went down. The east has gotten a little stronger however, so unless we see remarkable improvement from Teague, I don't see just the addition of Thabo putting these guys too far up in the East.

7 - Miami Heat: Very little depth which is concerning when you look at Dwyane Wade's knees. I don't like the idea of having Chalmers off the bench either, but Spo seems keen on doing so. 

8 - Milwaukee Bucks: Hey, why not? Everyone Else in the east is bad and this team has some surprising  talent. Khris Middleton is actually not bad, Larry Sanders is back, and Brandon Knight might finally break out. Or not? Who cares, whoever ends up here loses in 4 to the Cavs anyway.

The Tale of Two Cities

I know the Patriots/Broncos game is already very hyped but there is a good reason for that. Not only do these teams have legendary quarterbacks, but they have very good teams that could make it far in the playoffs.

Lets take a look at how these two teams came to be.


Denver Broncos 
Signed Peyton Manning in 2012
Drafted Demaryius Thomas in 2010
Drafted Julius Thomas in 2011
Drafted Von Miller 2011
Signed Demarcus Ware 2014

Here is where it gets interesting
Wes Welker left the Patriots for the Broncos in 2013. He was Tom Brady's go to receiver. He later caused controversy when he injured Aqib Talib in the 2014 AFC championship game. After Talib left the game with this injury, the Broncos took control. Speaking of Talib, he left the Patriots in 2014 to join the Denver Broncos. If that isn't enough connections between the teams, here is another one. Emmanuel Sanders was signed to an offer sheet by the New England Patriots in 2013 when he was a restricted free agent with the Pittsburg Steelers. The Steelers matched the Patriots offer with about three hours to spare. Sanders became a free agent in 2014 and the Denver Broncos signed him to replace Eric Decker.

New England Patriots 
Drafted Tom Brady in 2000
Drafted Vince Wilfork 2004
Drafted Rob Gronkowski in 2010
Drafted Julian Edelman in 2009
Signed Darrelle Revis in 2014

The New England Patriots and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have a weird connections. The Patriots didn't trade with the Bucs to acquire Revis but it does add a little something to their history. The Patriots have traded with the Bucs to receive Aqib Talib (the name never goes away), Legarrette Blount, Tim Wright, and Jonathan Casillas (Casillas was acquired at the 2014 trade deadline). Those all happened in the last 3 years. Talib, and Blount worked well and Tim Wright is off to a great start. Just an interesting thing to look at.

The Arms race of 2014
Free agency is never as exciting as I make myself believe. I always look at all the players available and think how great my team can get. Then nobody signs for weeks and they ignore my team. This year was a lot more exciting. I love Aqib Talib's talent and thought the Patriots could't let him leave after seeing the consequences of letting Welker leaving. The first night of free agency I turned on my TV as I snuggled into bed only to jump out of bed and start screaming. The Denver Broncos have reached an agreement with former Patriots corner Aqib Talib. I thought the year was over. How could they lose to the Denver Broncos in the AFC championship and let all their talent leave. They also know Tom Brady is running out of time. The next day was not fun, as my friends laughed at me for the lose of Talib. I was so upset that I forgot the Tampa Bay Buccaneers had cut Darrelle Revis. I got an update from ESPN saying Revis and the Patriots are closing on a deal. Denver responded by adding Demarcus Ware, TJ Ward and Emmanuel Sanders. The Patriots signed Brandon Browner hoping to eliminate one of Denver's million targets for Peyton and also added Brandon LaFell so Brady could hopefully open the field.

While it is still to early to decide who won the great arms race of 2014, this Sunday will be a good test. I just hope these two squads meet again in the AFC Championship.

Edition XVI

Tom Brady and Peyton Manning are arguably two of the best quarterbacks to ever play the game of football. They will face off for the sixteenth time in their careers. We are lucky to see a player with this talent but to see two at the same time is very rare. They have both had very different careers but put up amazing stats. They are the definition of elite and you can never count either of them out. 

A quick view at some of the two player's accomplishments:

Peyton Manning wasn't the sure pick for the Indianapolis Colts back in 1998. They had thought about Ryan Leaf. They picked the right guy. He took the team to two Super Bowls but only winning the first. The Colts made the right decision cutting Peyton Manning in 2012 because they had the opportunity to draft their next franchise QB. Peyton Manning has spent three years with the Denver Broncos including a year that may be the best ever for a quarterback. He took the Broncos to a Super Bowl but it was not pretty. His trophy collection consists of 5 MVP trophies, a comeback player of the year award and many more. Peyton has incredible career stats.

Tom Brady is what you would call a needle in a haystack. Pick 199 in the 2000 draft had to wait a lot longer to be called than Peyton Manning. A lot of scouts and teams put him aside. He has taken the Patriots to five Super Bowls only winning the first three. He led his team to the only 18-0 record before losing the perfect season in one of the Super Bowls. He has two MVP trophies, a comeback player of the year award, and many more. He is known to do a lot with very little talent on offense. He is also married to a super model. In other words he wins off the field as well.

"Just like Biggie and Pac, it'll never be settled. Just gotta pick your side and vibe with it."- Aqib Talib on Peyton Vs Brady

People always argue which player is the best. Honestly, I think it really depends on who you are talking to. Unless one of the two does something insane in the next 3 years, it probably never will be decided. I just need people to understand that on Sunday we are watching the best the NFL has to offer. We don't know how many more times these two great will face each other.

I'll be posting more about these 2 players and teams more this week.

The Value Dollar

How much is a player worth to a fantasy football team?

It all depends on the team. There are many factors that affect the value of a player. 

• Name
• Postion 
• Depth 
• Cost 
• History 

These are the top five factors that influence how a team values a player. One of the most overrated factors that plays a huge part in a player's value is his name. Calvin Johnson, LeSean McCoy, AJ Green, Doug Martin, Wes Welker, Tom Brady, and Andre Johnson are examples of players that get overvalued simply because of their name. All of these athletes have had below average seasons but they still have a high price tag because their name is high profile.

Depth and position can go hand in hand. The depth at a good running back this season is low which makes the value of a good running back go even higher than before. However if your team has four running backs and you can only start two than you don't value all four running backs the same as the person who only has one running back. It is also important to look at a player based on his position and depth on his NFL team. It can add huge value if he is the number one receiver with nobody else for the QB to throw to.

Some people value a player of the cost they got him. They could have spent a lot to trade for him, spent a high waiver wire pick or even an early draft pick which can make the player's value higher than it should be. 

The player could have a very small history and therefore his value is low. If the person was discovered this season or he may have a history of injury which will lower the player's value. The player could also have a history of big numbers but is on the downfall of his career but his value is through the roof. 

 It is very important to know how much other league members value your player and why they value them the way they do. If other league members value him significantly more than you do, you are better off trading the player while you can and for a good price rather than have him sit on your bench. 

Watching the Window Close

One of the worst feelings is, slowly watching something you care about get out of reach. In the NFL, the term "window is closing" means a team, player, or coach is running out of time to win, reach the Super Bowl or even keep their job. The Broncos and Patriots are both well aware that the window is closing for their hall of fame quarterbacks so they are taking advantage of the time they have left. One team is doing better than the other but that is a different topic. It is very difficult to watch your team's window close but it will happen to everyone. The teams currently with the window closing quickly are; 

• Denver Broncos: The players are older and the great Peyton Manning won't be around for much longer

• New England Patriots: The talent is young but without Tom Brady they are still unproven. 

• Cincinnati Bengals: AJ Green and Giovani Bernard are great but Andy Dalton has yet to prove he can carry this team deep into the playoffs. Also looking at the rest of the AFC North, they have trouble coming. 

•  San Francisco 49ers: Not exactly sure what is going on with Jim Harbaugh but the team has been to the NFC Championship the last 3 years and made it to the Super Bowl in one of those years. Frank Gore's clock is ticking and Colin Kaepernick needs to settle down. 

• Chicago Bears: If they aren't winning now that is concerning. They have a quality quarterback. Forte will begin the decline of his career and Brandon Marshall won't be around for much longer. The Lions are finally looking good and the Vikings have been rebuilding for three years. Lets not forget Aaron Rodger's Packers are in the division as well.  

• San Diego Chargers: Phillip Rivers has been awesome but how long can he play like this? Antonio Gates is nearing the end of his career and unfortunately for them they play in the same division as the Broncos. The Chiefs are missing a few pieces to run for the division title and I know it is hard to believe but the Raiders won't stay bad forever.  

• New Orleans Saints: They have struggled to have playoff success since the Super Bowl in 2010. Their Defense hasn't been all that great since the bounty scandal made headlines. They also have given Drew Brees very little to throw to besides Jimmy Graham. They play in a division that is currently run by the Panthers but the Falcons are so close to being contenders again which will only make it more difficult for the Saints.

I started the season of 3-1 and thought I was looking at a top 2 seed in my fantasy football league. I let the success get to me. I'm currently 3-4 and I am now in panic mode with only 6 weeks left. There is no more games I can afford to lose. It is difficult for me to look at my team and see my record. I have the talent but I've lost a lot of close match ups. I have been hit with the injury bug and struggle to find a solid running back to complement LeSean McCoy. I missed the playoffs last year and it left a bad taste in my mouth all offseason. I can't go through another eight months of that. I thought this was my year. My season isn't over and I will never give up but it is hard to watch the window close. 

Moose

In a conversation that came up during a 3 pm Sunday breakfast at Arby's this weekend, a few friends and I had a conversation about moose. We got to talking about people being very moose like, whether it be through size, strength, or performance. I wanted to give a breakdown of the top five moose in sports.

5. Andrew Luck. A moose in training, Luck is 6'5'' and 240 lbs. While being new to the moose clan, this moose is sure to deceive you with his mooseyness. Vontaze Burfict, a large fellow in his own right, got a concussion while trying to take down this amateur moose. Definitely a moose to watch out for in the coming years.

4. Zdeno Chara. Unbelievably moosey in both appearance and size. Plays much like you would assume a moose might play also. Don't fool yourself into thinking moose can't skate, because they are actually not bad skaters. Chara is an example of what happens when a moose grows up in Slovakia.

3. Shaq. Ridiculously moosey, would bang around and just do moose stuff in the paint. Over 7 feet tall and 300 pounds, this moose belongs in the soon to be established moose hall of fame. A legendary moose. Talks like one might assume a moose talks like too.

2. Peyton Manning. Very much a moose. Has a moose forehead and moose like tendencies, such as the ability to throw a football very far. One of the smartest moose to ever moose around, a surefire moose hall of famer.

1. Wilt Chamberlain. All time greatest moose. So moose like he is able to put up 100 points and average 37 points in a year. Probably the moosiest human being to ever live, other than maybe Odysseus.

The Forehead

The Forehead has done it. Except if you consider playoff touchdowns, which the NFL doesn't do for records. One game of keep away resembling a dad trying to get his car keys later, and that ball is headed straight for Canton. With 44 players catching a touchdown from this future hall inductee, I wanted to show you some facts about the record.

This record has only been broken 8 times since 1950, with the earliest record being 187 TD's by Sammy Baugh. It is possible that this record will be broken in the near future, as the two closest candidates are Drew Brees and Thomas Edward Patrick Brady, who are 135 and 133 TD's away respectively. Drew Brees, if he plays until the age of 39, would need to average around 40 touchdowns a season for the next 3 seasons, which does seem plausible. Tom Brady is two years older and needs two more touchdowns, which makes his situation a little less likely than Brees's.
A rather likely candidate to break the record in the future is Lions gunslinger Matt Stafford, who if he plays 12 more seasons would need to only average 32 more TD's a season to break the record.

11 of the receivers Peyton passed to were in his 3 years with the Broncos, which I believe help solidifies his greatness. His ability to pick apart the defenses with the Broncos is honestly a joy to watch. While he doesn't ever impress with his physical skills, his ability to decipher and destroy opposing defenses is second to none.

Goodbyes are Tough

When is it time for a team to part ways with one of their signature athletes?
There are many reasons for teams to say goodbye but the top reasons are discontent and younger talent.


We have seen some ugly divorces in our days between players and teams. My favorite two as a Vikings fan are: Randy Moss, and Percy Harvin. These two players have unbelievable talent. Moss is one of the best to play the position but lack of motivation and a poor attitude are what held him back. The first time Moss was on the team he pushed his luck to far. The Vikings traded him to the Oakland Raiders in 2005 after having enough of his antics. The tipping point was when he left a game with two seconds left and when he "mooned" the Packers crowd earlier that year. Only imagine what would have happened if Moss was still in Minnesota when the Party Boat incident happened later that year. Moss returned in 2010 and lasted 4 weeks before he was waived by the team because of his attitude in the locker room. The other fabulous receiver the Vikings had and who caused "head aches" for the fans was Percy Harvin. Harvin must have caught the bad attitude Moss had during his four weeks with the team. It didn't take long for him to start his complaining. The Vikings had enough when Harvin expressed his dislike toward Ponder and criticized the team. The Vikings shipped in the Seahawks. Percy Harvin was just traded to the Jets but he had played all season which makes me wonder if he is still a problem in the locker room. The two of them had an amazing gift and incredible talent. However both were selfish and had an attitude that brought down the locker room. Now Vikings fan await to here if it is time to say goodbye to their best running back ever.

That was the ugly side of things but it doesn't get easier here. When younger talent comes along teams have to make the decision to play their veteran or their young lad. There are three big examples of this and all of them are the quarterback position. We had Brett Favre who was finally told if he un-retires he won't be in a Packers uniform. The Packers felt it was time to pass the torch on to Aaron Rodgers. The more recent example was when the Colts let Peyton Manning go because they were about to draft their next franchise quarterback, Andrew Luck. Lastly we go back to when Tom Brady took the reins in New England and the franchise left Drew Bledsoe in the dust. All three moves were great for the franchises but it wasn't an easy decision and can often cause unhappiness with the fans. 

Now look at today. When do teams give up on their aging players or the guys they drafted but are not performing? The Texans should have trade Andre Johnson. Not because he is a washed up player but because they are rebuilding. They need young talent and picks. The more he plays the more his value drops. The Falcons need to move past Steven Jackson. The guy is a big name player but they have better running backs waiting behind him. He also isn't helping the team the way he should be. The Bills and the Jets should really consider their current QB situation before they waste more time on a player that won't be the face of their franchise. 

This is also a very difficult thing to do in fantasy football. It is easy to get caught up in a players name or to get too attached to a guy you drafted but there is a time when you need to let go. When you draft high on a guy you start him every week because he is your best chance to win. Look at the running back position the last two years. It hasn't been easy for team owners to decide what to do. Weeks go by with the player putting up single digits but it's okay because he has to have a breakout game eventually. Weeks fly by as you realize that you will miss the playoffs because you playing a player based on his potential and his name. Right now is the point in the season when you need to move on. Unless the guy is hurt, if your star isn't preforming bench him, trade him or dump him. It is a very hard thing to do. Yes, they will have a big game eventually, and you don't want to miss it but you need the numbers every week. Going forward, look at the player's numbers and not their name. Winning a championship isn't easy and that includes making hard choices. That might include saying goodbye to your big name players. It won't be easy because goodbyes are tough.

How To Win Your Fantasy Football League

How to win your Fantasy Football league

          I was introduced to fantasy football by a friend three years ago. I didn't think much of it at first, I barely watched football except for the occasional Vikings game with my dad. It was week 4 of the season and I logged onto my ESPN account to see my team was the holder of a 1-3 record. Maybe it was my ultra competitive nature or my fixation for power, whatever it was, I was hooked. Week after week I would sit with my computer and do fantasy research. Do I start this guy? This guy has potential. Is this trade good for me? Who should I pickup this week? All these questions perplexed me and I was transfixed in a world of my own; a world where I can choose whether I win or lose.

          Fast Forward to 2014. I have been crowned champion 2 out of my 3 seasons playing fantasy football. I joined a league with some of my best friends, and there's nothing better to have bragging rights over your buddies. It is my belief that fantasy football is not only a game of skill but a weekly statistical battlefield that one can perfect to a science. Luck does play a part, I scored the most points during my 2nd season but failed to make the 6 team playoffs. I'm going to tell you how to maximize the odds, and help you win a championship

Draft Day

          Ideally you want to acquire a team of high upside players. You should have good depth at each position and stick to the fundamentals. Running back is the most important position, as it is the most difficult to replace. Always draft the handcuffs of your top 2 running backs. Wide receivers of teams with good quarterbacks are the most valuable. Ex. Jordy Nelson, Calvin Johnson, Demaryius Thomas. Wait on a quarterback, you can always find a one facing a bad defense on the waiver wire. Tight end is a more important than people think, draft a high upside tight end. Always draft the defense and kicker in the last two rounds of your draft. Spend your other rounds on rbs and wrs with potential to break out.

In Season

With your plethora of high upside players, you are set for bye weeks and possible injuries. This season I lost Adrian Peterson to the law, but was alright because I drafted a high upside Giovani Bernard and break out player Rashad Jennings. Scour the waiver wire for players that could help your team's weaknesses and pickup high upside players. Toward the end of the season, you should start to trade your depth for the optimal players. Ex. Emmanuel Sanders and Fred Jackson for Jordy Nelson. Try to trade with teams that have struggled because they're more willing to trade plus there's a reason they're not doing so well. Optimize your team with players that have good playoff matchups. This is very important, you don't want your top wide receiver facing a team like Seattle.

Other Tips

·        A good indicator of a running backs value is their snap percentage, you want your players on the field right?

·        Wide Receiver who get a lot of targets are the ideal receivers especially in ppr leagues

·        Don't over think about who to start

·        The stock market axiom "Buy Low, Sell High" is essential when trading

·        Don't underestimate the value of an offensive line or an injury to a player of one

·        Never have empty bench spots, always fill them with potential weekly breakouts

Recap

At the end of the day, Fantasy Football is about having fun. Don't berate other league members and get too wound up in it. Fantasy football is an escape for many people and therein lies the fun. Your escape will undoubtedly be more enjoyable if your team wins. Good luck to all fantasy team owners this season.

- Jacob Khosla

 

Wait... An exciting Thursday game?

Tonight we saw a first for Thursday night football: A game that was decided in the final seconds of the fourth quarter. With the Patriots blocking a game winning field goal with 5 seconds remaining, sighs of relief and a series of vulgar words strung together could be heard throughout the nation. Ever since week 1, fans, players, and analysts alike have hated Thursday night games because the lack of competition, rest, and energy the players have. Fans (including me) hated watching a blowout game even if their team is winning. Whats the point of watching a team that is  winning by 20 points try and win by 40 points, THERE IS NO POINT.

Good games are what makes the NFL fun to watch, the closer the games are, the more viewers find themselves drawn in to watch. The predicament the NFL is in, is that the games aren't even close enough to watch, and they are loosing viewers on Thursday nights.  I found myself completely agreeing with these NFL fans, we should get rid of these Thursday games. That was, until this game ended. One might pose the question,: "why did you change your mind so quickly?" The data below may help explain.

Week 1:
Packers vs. Seahawks
16 - 36                               Point deficit: 20

Week 2:
Ravens vs. Steelers
26 - 6                                Point deficit: 20

Week 3:
Buccaneers vs. Falcons
14 - 56                              Point deficit: 42

Week 4:
Giants vs. Redskins
45 - 14                              Point deficit: 31

Week 5:
Vikings vs. Packers
10-  42                              Point deficit: 32

The average point deficit from weeks 1-5 was a whopping 35 points.

Week 6:
Colts vs. Texans
33 - 28                              Point deficit: 5
Week 7:
Jets vs. Patriots
25-27                                Point deficit: 2

The average point deficit from the past two weeks has been an amazing 3.5 points.

Deciding to call this a fluke or a turn around is a matter of personal opinion. However, I have seen progress in the way the last 4 teams have played. They have not only increased the intensity on the field but, also leading up to the games in practices. It was only a mater of time until teams figured out how to prepare for such a quick match up in the week and I am under the firm belief that the NFL teams are slowly on there way there. Time will certainly tell if my predictions are correct but looking at the next 3 games, I see nothing but potential to change viewers thoughts on Thursday night games.

What could have been?

I've been thinking a lot about different scenarios ever since I saw ESPN's 30 for 30 "Elway to Marino"  

March 7th, 2012 The Indianapolis Colts released Peyton Manning 

How do you describe the opportunity to get one of the best products that is in a very limited supply? It is like finding a rare baseball card on Ebay and you submit your best offer hoping you have the best bid. On March 7th teams went into a panic of excitement as they had the chance to snag one of the best quarterbacks to ever play football. Almost every team began to perfect a pitch they would use to lure in the great Peyton Manning. As we know now, the Denver Broncos won the contest. How did they pull off such a great free agent signing? A large part of their victory is because of their general manager and V.P. of football operations, John Elway. 

Flashback to the 1983 NFL Draft. John Elway selected #1 overall to the Baltimore Colts. Elway was later traded to Denver because he refused to play for the Colts. What would have happened had he stayed in Baltimore? Now I'm looking past a lot of possibilities because the Broncos would later obtain a QB since they wouldn't have Elway. Lets say that everything in the NFL stayed the same since 1983 except the fact Elway is on the Baltimore Colts. 

Peyton Manning no longer considers the Denver Broncos a destination to play football because Elway isn't their to persuade Manning that he can help him win a Super Bowl like he did in his late years. Instead Peyton Manning arrives in Arizona where they helped Kurt Warner in his late years, they have a young, talented defense, Larry Fitzgerald, and beautiful weather. He does eventually hoist the Lombardi trophy before he retires, and he does so by beating the Seattle Seahawks in the NFC championship. As a result, Seattle is still searching for their first ring. 

Where does that leave Denver? Remember Tim Tebow? How could you forget such a media friendly athlete. Lets not forgot how successful Tebow was in Denver? The guy is millions of miles off the talent Peyton Manning has but the Tebow won and that is all that matters. The Broncos have had a great team the last 4 years and Tebow was doing well in his short time there. He carried them to an overtime win against the Pittsburg Steelers in the AFC Wildcard round. Had Peyton Manning avoided Denver, Tim Tebow would still be the starting QB in Denver. I'm not going to go as far as to say they would be Super Bowl contenders but they would be in the playoff hunt. 

I've always like Tim Tebow. I believe the guy had his job stolen. He was traded to the Jets where the team and media ruined him and his career. He later signed with the Patriots because Bill Belichick does things that nobody will ever understand. 

Summary of the story:

Had John Elway stayed in Baltimore, Peyton Manning would not be in Denver and Tim Tebow would be. Both QBs would have a job and doing well at it.  

Very cool video that offers a similar view N"If"L

Hopefully this article wasn't too far out there to understand for people but it is just fun to think about "What could have been?".

Why is Dallas 5-1?

I know that none of you who aren't from the state of Texas excluding Houston predicted these Dallas Cowboys to be 5-1. Demarco Murray is on pace to break the rushing record and the defense looks passable. How did this happen? While I can't say for sure on the defensive side other than they hit some 4th and 5th round Cornerbacks to help while Claiborne still struggles, on the offensive side of the ball it comes down to a very successful draft strategy. 

• 2010 First Round - Dez Bryant (WR) 
• 2011 First Round - Tyron Smith (O - Line)
• 2012 First Round - Morris Claiborne (Cornerback) 
• 2013 First Round - Travis Frederick (O - Line) 
• 2014 First Round - Zack Martin (O - Line) 

Wow. That is dedication to the O-Line. It isn't rocket surgery here. Jerry had a plan and Jerry executed it. Something is to be said that all three Linemen turned out well, in fact Tyron Smith is the first lineman to earn player of the week honors since Bryan Waters of the Chiefs in 2004 when Priest Holmes ran for 4 TD's and Derrick Blaylock also had 4 TD's. This was a systematic rebuild by Jerry Jones. Remember the days Tony Romo couldn't pay enough for 3 seconds in the pocket? Now they are poised to break the rushing record. 

Final Score: Fun to Fun

What is a better way to spend your Sunday than watching football? Your day could be ruined if your team loses but you could be in a great mood if they win but what happens if they tie? You spend three hours cheering on your team hoping they get the win but your kicker misses the game winning field goal in overtime as time expires. You stare at your TV thinking now what. Donovan McNabb had no idea a NFL game could end in a tie. He thought that they would just play a second over time. Well a NFL game can in fact end in a tie as the Panthers/Bengals game did yesterday afternoon.

Not a lot of people like the fact the teams can tie however I do. Baseball plays extra innings until a team wins. About two weeks ago the Washington Nationals lost to the San Francisco Giants in 18 innings. That is the equivalent to two full games that lasted 6 hours and 23 minutes. Imagine if football played overtimes until someone wins and faced a similar situation. In that case the game would play 8 quarters and the game would last about 6 hours and 57 min. Not only is that a lot of wear and tear on the players but that is a very long time for any fan to sit and watch considering people already complain about the length of games now. In hockey they have overtime and shoot outs. That would be like having field goal kickers kicking field goals from different distances until someone misses. I think that would be worse than a tie. Spend 4 hours fighting it out on the gridiron just to cheer for the other kicker to miss.

People don't understand what a tie means. A tie means the two teams have the same team talent. Neither team is better than the other. The Panthers and the Bengals are great football teams most likely to make the playoffs. Good QBs, and great defenses. They have the same skill level and there is nothing wrong with that.

In fantasy football many teams go to the bench (Overtime) if the starters tie. If the bench ties than the teams should tie. Some leagues go to which ever QB scored more points which is unfair because a fantasy football team is not built around a QB. You could make a fair argument for most important fantasy football position between, QB, RB and WR.


Should the NFL abandon the tie and force the teams to duel it out until someone wins?

The Art of Trading

Oh how complicated Fantasy Football truly is. One of the most stressful parts of Fantasy Football is trading. Here is how it works: 

1. Evaluate your team and players
2. Find the weakest link
3. Find a player that will fill that weak spot 
4. See who you can win without 
5. Negotiate with a team
6. Make the trade 

If it only it was that easy. 

The hardest part about trading in fantasy football is neither side wants to get ripped off and both sides want to get the better deal. How does that work? Everyone has a different method. Here are a few: 

• The Nag - Someone who constantly harasses a league member until they agree to a trade
• The Sweet Talker - Someone who makes the other league member feel good about their team, their players they are about to get, they compliment on life choices, points out recent weight loss, new haircut, and anything to make the person feel good about themselves so the negotiation process goes smoothly 
• The Shopper - Someone who offers a player to another league member and then withdraws the player when he finds out their is interest to get the maximum deal (If you really like Randall Cobb give me AJ Green, Demarco Murray and Andre Ellington) 
• The Weekly Standard - Once a week you get an offer from this player but no further discussion
• The Diver - Someone who picks up Free Agents and immediately attempts to trade them to you
• The Drafter - The guy who uses draft position to argue for a player rather than talent

These are some of the different methods of trading in Fantasy Football. While I have used everyone at least once, I have found success in the top three. While everyone uses what works best for them it also depends on how bad you want a deal. I can tell you that the Sweet Talker requires about a week to really talk the other person up and The Nag takes time to make the other person crack.

Now what is another reason that makes trading hard? You spent all offseason doing research on players that have been unreal and everyone wants him but nobody is willing to pay what you value him or your prized possession has been garbage (LeSean McCoy) and you want to dump in but don't want to give him away considering you paid a high price for him. Finding the perfect deal is hard to come by and it often takes more that a few days but when you pull the trigger on the deal it feels great...until you hear the members of your league react. Nothing is worse than agreeing to a deal and hearing your league mates laugh at how you got ripped off or as The League calls it "Trade Rapped". 

Please, please do research on all players involved on each team and try and steal a player off the other guy who has been under the radar. 

My inspiration for this post was I've just completed two trades I've been working on for awhile. 

Trade 1 (2 week process) I had to wait until the other guy was willing to part ways with Shady. Received- LeSean McCoy and Michael Floyd, Give up - Keenan Allen and Justin Forsett. 

Trade 2 (1 week process) I had to wait for AJ Green to get hurt before I could reel him in 

Received- AJ Green, Gave up- Matt Asiata, Doug Martin  

Were these good or bad trades? 

One Hit Wonders

WANTED 

A Fantasy Football player to fill in for a bye week 

Week 6 player to target

QB: Joe Flacco 

RB: LeGarrette Blount (PIT)

WR: Allen Robinson (JAX)

TE: Tim Wright (PAT)

Image provide by: https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIN44R2m1BpbzxBhZraoXs55A0uPwsARKHrBX2s1E6rCLokeiYTtB0OI802HwrqADvVoL7Y-Seh98373dXJBoyQyJqIiPCsAcAfA_jISNRZYMAa_FMhAOzIP-dHzESp1yw4aBawfq495s/s1600/1HitWonders.JPG

*Inspired by 100.3FM KFAN Minneapolis/StPaul

The More the Merrier?

The NFL has been talking about expanding the league for a very long time but should they?

L.A. has been looking a new team for years but they have had two and it has not gone well. The Jaguars, Rams, and Chargers have all been considered to be on the move but they shouldn't. The Rams have been there, done that. The Chargers are winning and San Diego is a place that has shown they are worthy to have a team. The Jaguars are awful and nobody goes to the games. That will not change if they move to L.A. The NFL should expand the league but that would require them to add 2 teams; 1 AFC and 1 NFC team. This would cause problems on which divisions these teams join because it would make it more difficult to make the playoffs.

The NFL has also been experimenting with London. London would not be a great place for the NFL because no player would want to play there on a weekly basses and they just don't have the audience they have here.

The NFL has already expanded the amount of football throughout the week with Thursday games and it has been awful. They should go back to Sunday/Monday.

In terms of Fantasy Football. Expanding your league to 12 man league is not the best way to go. Like the NFL many leagues switch to 12 teams for the money. Some do it because they have more friends than I do but I believe a 10 man league is the best to go.

In terms of the Football the more the merrier does not apply and their greed could ruin them

Will the Real Tom Brady Please Stand Up?

"I'm going to make 12 look like Tom Brady again today"- Rob Gronkowski 
And did he ever. Sunday Night was like a playoff game in New England, they had to win. The amount of criticism the team got all week was ridiculous. ESPN does this thing called "Overreaction Monday" and Monday night's game against the Chiefs last week caused a lot of overreaction. Tom Brady threw for 292 yards and 2 TDs. Those aren't Peyton Manning stats but Tom Brady doesn't have the guys Peyton does. Brady does have Gronkowski who did in fact play a large part in helping Brady look...well like Brady. In my post last week after the devastating lost against the Chiefs, I had said "one good thing that came out of the game was Gronk was 1 game close to being healthy.". I think Gronk is pretty close to being himself again too. 

Now before Sunday night's game there was a lot of rumors that Brady was unhappy with his coaching staff. Who could blame him? Josh McDaniels hasn't been the same since he left to coach Denver and the rest of the coaching staff doesn't give Brady much to work with except for his talent. When Brady looks at the Broncos and all the players Peyton throws to, he probably gets jealous. 

This brings me to the big question. Does Tom Brady retire a New England Patriot? Yes. The guy isn't finished playing as we saw last week. New England hasn't solved all their problems. We didn't count them out after the lost to the Chiefs so we can't say they are favored to win the Super Bowl, let alone get to the Super Bowl after just one game. As long as they get the poor guy some help, they won't have anything to worry about. Plus they have another QB that will be starting in the future who will defiantly need receivers unless they drafted a new version of Tom Brady. I do believe the trade deadline should bring something to New England and I hope it's not a 6th round receiver nobody has heard of. I'm thinking they trade a 2nd or 3rd rounder for Larry Fitzgerald. I really don't care who they get as long as he can go deep and make plays because Brandon LaFell isn't and Julian Edelman is a slot guy not a number one. 

Moral of the Story, Tom Brady has some gas left in the tank and the Patriots show promise but the problems are not fixed. Bill Belichick just needs to improve his defense (having Brandon Browner back from his suspension should help) and make sure the offensive line gives Brady some time to do what he does. 

Monday Thoughts

Yet another article written while procrastinating an assignment. After a ridiculous week in the NFL including the largest road comeback ever, I'm here to help you make sense of this crazy league. 

Who are the Patriots? Even I don't know that. After getting smashed by the Chiefs, they come out and beat arguably the best AFC team Sunday night. Actually, that wasn't just a victory, that was a thrashing. At no point during the game did I think that the Bengals had a chance of winning. Tom Brady didn't look like he was going to surrender the throne to Jimmy Football, and the defense played very well. I'm just as lost as everyone is with this squad. 

Jim Shwartz is still a tool. How are you going to gloat after being demoted to the defensive coordinator of the bills? I don't like the man. 

"How low can you go". Luda said it best. The Saints need to ask themselves this after needing a rally to beat that real sorry Tampa Bay squad? That's bad. 

The NFC South is confusing. No one stands out to me as winning that division, I guess Carolina has an edge just because they have had moments of being good. 

Two 4-1 Teams in the NFC East and the G-Men are 3-2? Sucks to be the Washington Politically Incorrects in this league. They might not get 2 wins. 

Jacksonville and Oakland are competing to see who can be the worst team in the league. I give the edge to Jacksonville because Derrick Carr has shown some talent so far. 

Thursday Night Recap

Eddie Lacy! My man finally came through for me. Another blowout in these Thursday games which doesn't surprise me at all. These Thursday games do suck and I wish they weren't a part of the league. If they do exist at all, schedule two teams coming off a bye week. Give these teams more time to prepare. Either way it's now Sunday and I am sitting here writing for this while I should be writing a paper on how backwards design can help me write my semester project for College Writing.

Demarco Murray is going to be the rushing leader this year. He is on pace to beat Eric Dickerson's rushing yard record this year.

In an unrelated note those old spice commercials with the robot guy with hair are kind of scary. I don't like those commercials.

So yeah, Thursday games do suck and Demarco Murray is a good player.

The Act of a NFL Player

The NFL has had way too many problems this season off the field and I feel it has been long enough that I can express my thoughts.  After reading Russell Wilson's article on Derek Jeter's new website The Player's Tribune, I felt even stronger toward my opinion.

The only thing that makes NFL players different than the person reading this is the fact that they have the skill to play football at a higher level. They have families, video games, fantasy football leagues and similar struggles. Why are we in such big shock when one of our favorite athlete does something terrible off the field? Because we treat them as if they are super heroes. We never see their true identities. We fall in love with their act, the face they put on for the media and their team. Russell Wilson even says "Many of you readers probably think I have been Mr.Goody Two-Shoes my whole life, but honestly, I was a bully growing up." This shows the fact that we don't know them. We know what their careers are and how their career is going.
Some players grew up in bad environment and don't know what is right and wrong. Adrian Peterson was punishing his child the way he was punished and the sad thing is, he had no idea he did anything wrong. I'm not trying to defend the players for what they do but I'm trying to get people to understand the fact they face struggles other americans do. Domestic violence, child abuse and sexual assaults is bigger than football but why was their not very much concern for these problems until an athlete is on the wrong side of it? This is bigger than football but most fans just care their player and not the actual situation. The person we see on the field, at the press conference and in interviews are often not a true reflection of who they are. Their agents usually help them prepare what to say and how to say it to help their image.

The problem we face is the fact that fans are becoming way to attached to players. The players are just trying to do their job and earn their check but fans feel betrayed when their favorite player leaves their team, or does something they don't agree with. People need to see that the NFL is like any other business.

With the recent NFL news its important to point out that October is in fact Domestic Violence Awareness month. For more info you can visit Russell Wilson's new website Why Not You to help the cause.

Wednesday Thoughts

Sitting here in my college writing class I feel inspired to do some writing. I'm sitting across from a kinda cute girl and all is going well for me. My team won this week, Eddie Lacy had more than 8 points, and Frank Gore got the majority of the carries. The Patriots are finally bad which is a good thing for the NFL, and the Vikings and  Teddy Throwsevelt had a 300 yard week and his injury wasn't severe enough to keep him out of the Thursdays game.

Thursday games are stupid. I don't like them, and if the NFL cares about their player$ so much why would there be a game on 4 days of rest. This is a sport that gets you addicted to pain killers because of all the hits they take, why would these player$ be forced to play on such a short notice. Not only that but have you noticed how bad these games have been? Just this year we have had

• Seahawks 36 - Packers 16
• Ravens 26 - Steelers 6
• Falcons 56 - Buccaneers 14
• Giants 45 - Redskins 14

Four games four blowouts. Personally I believe this is a direct causation of the Thursday night games. I expect fully to see a blowout between the Vikings and the Packers this week.

What time is too early to give up on a perceived good player? If you had Keenan Allen, Doug Martin,  Jamaal Charles,or Eddie Lacy on your team you are happy you started them last week after some really bad weeks. Its really hard to tell with some players.