The Tourney

It's that time of year again! The Minnesota State High School Hockey Tournament has come around. This year is full of returning teams from previous years such as Edina, Lakeville North, and Hermantown. As well as a few more rarer showings such as New Ulm and tournament rookies Spring Lake Park. "The Tourney" is bound to a be good time, as it always has been. Tournament favorites in Class A are Hermantown (this program's dominance may not ever end in Class A) and East Grand Forks, who are last years Champions.

Wayzata and Centennial In the 2013 Class AA opening round.

In class AA you have a few major contenders. The Edina Hornets are of course a possible winner in the end but will likely have to face undefeated Lakeville North if they want to see their championship ways continue. "North" is guided by the three Poehling brothers, who have been a driving force in their teams success.

Dark horse contenders in class A are Mahtomedi and St. Cloud Apollo (both advanced in to the second round due to wins Wednesday night. And in Class AA you could see strong games from Duluth East (a down year for them as far as record, but an OT win over Elk River pushed them in to the tournament) and St. Thomas Academy (still kicking butt even after moving to class AA).

Look for another fantastic tourney, especially in AA where the potential for an upset is huge with this years teams. And of course, look for highlights from this years Tourney in the next few days.

The 1 Way Street

Picture: NY Post

It's like the end of a bad relationship; one person is trying to work it out while the other person has already moved on.

Adrian Peterson has said that he feels uneasy about returning to the Minnesota Vikings. He has also stated before that he wants a fresh start. The full story can be found here, Peterson unsure about future with the Vikings.

Flashback to September 2014 when the story really came out. Adrian Peterson was accused of beating his child with a switch. When the story broke, the Vikings responded with a one game suspension. The Vikings were willing to hear out the story. When the sponsors, such as Nike, acted on the allegations, the Vikings put Adrian Peterson on the commissioner's exempt list. 

At the same time the Vikings were dealing with the Adrian Peterson situation, The Baltimore Ravens were dealing with the Ray Rice domestic violence incident. The Ravens cut Ray Rice while the Vikings decided to stick with Adrian Peterson. 

I understand that the state was somewhat divided when the story broke. He is arguably the face of sports in Minnesota alongside Joe Mauer. It took the state and the nation by surprise. You could argue his reasoning for what he did all you want, but what he did was still wrong. 

The Vikings stuck with Peterson the entire 2014 season. While he only played the first game, the team didn't turn their back to Peterson and most of the fans haven't either.  

Adrian Peterson should be appreciative the Vikings want him back. It's not up to him where he plays. The Vikings have spent all year dealing with Peterson's mistakes. That's right, Peterson made the choice to do what he did, and the Vikings had to face the consequences as well. Peterson sat out 15 of the 16 games in the 2014 season while still making $9 million. He left behind a rookie quarterback and a 1st year coach that were counting on him to play this year. Adrian Peterson is acting as the victim as if Minnesota was unfair to him.

I had the privilege to go to the Celebrity Softball game this summer at Target Field. My sister and I were beyond excited to watch Adrian Peterson, Maya Moore, Larry Fitzgerald, and Kevin Love play. About a week before the game, Kevin Love dropped out because he was trying to get traded from the Timberwolves. He wasn't traded till August. I was upset. Kevin Love turned his back to the state of Minnesota. It doesn't seem like there are many athletes that give any consideration to the fans. In the end it didn't matter because we still got to watch Adrian Peterson try and hit a fast pitch from Jennie Finch.

Now Adrian Peterson is turning his back to Minnesota and the Vikings organization.

I've been a football fan for a long time and was finally able to go to my first Vikings game this season. I went to the Vikings/Patriots game. Three days before the game, Peterson was suspended. As a life long Vikings fan, I was very disappointed. 

I've gotten to the point where I would be more than happy if the Vikings traded Adrian Peterson. I've been a supporter since the beginning, but all I hear from him is he wants out of Minnesota. He has said he loves Minnesota but still feels uneasy. That uneasy feeling is from what he created. It is his job to overcome that feeling. Peterson is looking for the easy way out. 

However, Minnesota has spent enough time on this situation. I would settle for a cold Mountain Dew and some late draft picks. 

Adrian Peterson clearly doesn't feel the same way the Vikings feel. It has become apparent to most of the NFL and Minnesota that this is just a one way street. 

Conquering the Trade Deadline

Two days until the NBA trade deadline and all through the house, not a fan was excited, not even the mouse. This years edition of the craziness is very not promising, as a lot of teams have made moves early in the season to try to keep up with the rest of the west. This article by Zach Lowe of Grantland outlines the nuggets future well, as well as breaks down some teams that have the most trade pieces. I'll put in my input on what the Suns, Rockets, and Raptors all should do.

Suns

The main piece of the Phoenix Suns trade deadline is Goran Dragic. His contract is up after this year, and the Suns need to either be confident they can sign him back next year, or trade him away. 

I would trade him away. You can't be sure he wants to sign back with you, and you already have a plethora of guards. Isiah Thomas wants to start, and trading Goran for some bench depth, or maybe a big. 

Rockets

Rockets have a lot of assets. They have New Orleans first, their own first, and lots of players to match salaries. What they don't have, however, is a point guard. I seem to recall a team that has a platoon of starter level guards. A team that maybe needs a big. Who could that be? Oh, the Suns! You don't often see teams have needs that accompany each other so well, which leads to the dream trade that would never happen. Goran Dragic for Donatats Motiejunas (D-Mo, for short). 

Of course, this trade would never happen. Houston likes D-Mo too much and the Suns desperately are trying to keep Goran Dragic. Just a crazy mans pipe dream, I suppose. 

Raptors

Should the Raptors even make a move. They remain adamant that they won't make a trade unless they get significant value back, in other words they won't trade their future for this year. Rumors around the league are that the Drakes are trying to trade for the Pacers David West. I think this isn't a smart move. The Raptors already have Amir Johnson and Patrick Patterson at the 4, and while David West adds a lot of grit to a team and an exceptional mid range game the Raptors don't need him. If the Raptors feel like they need to do anything, I would recommend trading Terrance Ross. He hasn't developed very well, and this might be the highest you get to trade him for. Alex Kennedy Tweeted out that the Raptors are looking to sign a star with a package deal of Jonas Valancunius and Terrance Ross. Best of luck Raptors, I'd recommend just staying with what you have.  

What Timofey Mozgov Means To The Cavaliers

In this corner, standing seven feet tall, weighing 250 pounds, The Russian Giant, Timofey Mozgov! I'm going to preface this saying I am a huge believer that Timofey Mozgov was the missing piece for the flailing Cavaliers. Since picking Mozgov up on January 7th, Cleveland is 13-4, good for the third best record in the NBA over that time. There are definitely reasons beyond the Mozgov that the Cavs are doing so well during this time. You could point to the recent acquisitions of  J.R Smith and Iman Shumpert to patch up the lack of depth and reliable wing players, or you could point to Lebron's monster month of January with 29.9 / 6.2 / 6.3. But one thing is clear, these Cavaliers are becoming the team we thought they would be in October.

Timofey Mozgov adds some much needed rim defense on this cavaliers squad. Previously running with a rag tag group of Tristan Thompson, Brendan Haywood, The Ghost of Christmas Past, and Kevin Love at center, the Cavaliers were one of the worst teams at defending the rim. With Mozgov on the roster, you can tell that they are a much better defensive team from they eye test alone, but the numbers also back it up. The Cavaliers in their last 10 games are a whole 4 points better in defensive rating, and are second in the league in net rating, trailing only the Golden State Warriors. One reason for this is with Mozgov on the floor, Kevin Love can play a lot more of his natural position at power forward. This somewhat hides his terrible defense, and since Mozgov is such a plus defender, the Cavaliers can funnel their defense towards him allowing Kyrie, Iman, Lebron, and other wing defenders to take more gambles. It's reminiscent of the Roy Hibbert effect in Indiana. The whole team gets exponentially better on when you add an elite rim protector.

On offense Timofey doesn't mean much. Most of his use is in a Deandre Jordan-esque roll of getting put backs, and his offensive skills lack polish. That doesn't matter though, the Cavaliers have the third best offensive rating in the league. He doesn't need to be an offensive player.

I am all aboard this resurgent Cleveland bandwagon. Their offense looks dynamic, their defense looks less amoebic now, and any given day one of three superstars on the roster can take over (look to Kyrie Irving's 55 point outburst earlier this year). Timofey adds a toughness to the team that was obviously lacking. I think that the two first round picks they gave up for his are well warranted. It's the kind of move that one might gloss over, but this move may very well be responsible for the Cavaliers first ever title.

Brodeur, The Wild, and the Draft

    Martin Brodeur and The New Jersey Devils were synonymous with each other for over 20 years. Much like Daniel Alfredsson last year, Brodeur left his beloved team this off season to try and continue his career for one last season. Martin eventually landed in Missouri, playing back up for the St. Louis Blues and adding a little depth and veteran leadership in their locker room. However, after a few weeks off, Brodeur pulled the plug on his fantastic career. A career that set the records for regular season wins (691), Shutouts (125), and games played (1,266). A career with three Stanley Cup trophies and he is 4 time Vezina Trophy winner for the leagues best goaltender. Congrats to Brodeur on a long and illustrious career, he was honored last Thursday in St. Louis. He has also chosen to move in to the front office with the Blues for the future.

        Photo: USA Today

    In other news the Minnesota Wild have seemed to pull out of their mid season dive. After a ten game skid they have been 5-2-0 since acquiring Devan Dubnyk from the Arizona Coyotes. While they hit a soft spot in their schedule playing lowly teams, they have shown they can play with big time teams such as the Detroit Red Wings. While down 4-1 going in to the third at Detroit, Minnesota rallied from three goals for a shootout loss, proving that they aren't a team who wants to lay down and die.
 
    They shouldn't give up anyways. While this years draft holds promise in its first two drafts spots, the odds of the Wild obtaining either spot is unlikely. The 2015 NHL draft looks to be one of the best draft classes in years. Not since the 2005 Draft has their been impact players who could potentially redirect the future of a franchise. Back in '05 it was Sidney Crosby, this year it will be Connor McDavid and Jack Eichel. Both have potential to be number one draftees in this years draft, and both are dominating in their leagues of play. If you wanna see someone totally dominate with a hockey puck check out McDavid and Eichel absolutely destroy competition on the world stage. Look for Edmonton and Buffalo to take these two one and two this year.

And the Walls Came Tumbling Down

From USA Today sports
 (http://ftw.usatoday.com/2014/09/tom-brady-jimmy-garoppolo-congratulate-td-pass-benching)

WOSC reaction article after Patriots Monday Night loss to KC Chiefs (41-14) The Morning After
WOSC reaction article after Patriots Sunday Night win over Cincinnati Bengals (43-17) Will the real Tom Brady please stand up?


Waking up on September 30th, 2014, the world seemed to be falling apart for the Patriots. Coming off one of the worst losses in the Brady/Belichick era on Monday Night Football, the NFL world thought the great dynasty was finally over. I had a hard time with the loss and wrote The Morning After. In it I wrote "What do the Patriots do from here? They do what they always do, bounce back. I have complete faith in Bill Belichick and Tom Brady because they are a scary duo that can not be predicted." 
Looking back, I'm so glad I didn't completely rip apart the Patriots like the rest of the media. Let's be honest, this team looked incredibly far from reaching Super Bowl 49 let alone winning it. Yet here I am writing an article that the New England Patriots just won Super Bowl 49. How in the world they did it is what I care about.

The first four games of the season were a roller coaster for the Patriots. New England started off the season losing to Miami on the road and it wasn't the best fought game by the Patriots. The Patriots got a huge jolt from the defense and special team when they won week two in Minnesota. Then some panic began as the Patriots barley came out on top against the Raiders with a fumble recovery by Vince Wilfork with 51 seconds left.

And then the walls came tumbling down on the city that we loved (a little Bastille reference for you). The night of September 29th appeared to be nothing special. The Patriots were 2-1 after a rough start to the season but they were winning. The Patriots were just sloppy and were outplayed by the 1-2 Kansas City Chiefs. The legendary Tom Brady was even benched after throwing 2 interceptions and fumbling the ball. If there was ever a more obvious turning point in a season for a team than this game, I'm listening.

I'm assuming Bill Belichick made everyone read and watch what the media was saying about the Patriots. He probably stopped letting them eat Wheaties every morning after that. I don't know what he did or what happened that week, but what I do know is, it was the greatest thing that could have happened.

The following week the Patriots were playing on Sunday Night Football, a prime time game for the 2nd straight week. It was time for a statement.
New England unleashed everything they had for the, then undefeated, Cincinnati Bengals. They were close to having two, 100 yard rushers. They finally let Rob Gronkoski be himself, and the Patriots won 43-17.

The Patriots now sitting at 3-2 had a long schedule ahead before being back on top. The 2nd turning point in the season was when the 6-1 Denver Broncos came to Foxborough to face the 6-2 New England Patriots. The Broncos were coming off a Super Bowl loss the year before and only one loss in 2014 to the defending champions, Seattle Seahawks. This was a perfect time to resurrect the Brady/P.Manning Debate. The Patriots won 43-21 and took over 1st place in the AFC and never looked back.

The Patriots finished 12-4 which was no where near their 16-0 season they had the last time they reached a Super Bowl in Arizona. The record is the exact reason why this time they won the lombardi trophy.

photo credit, USA Today

Had the Patriots not have been blown out week 4, I can't say they would be celebrating a Super Bowl win. I believe that is what gave the team something to play for. Almost everyone in the country counted the Patriots out. The team had the passion, drive and will to prove to all their critics that they were wrong. Tom Brady always says he has a chip on his shoulder for being passed up in the 2000 draft but the loss to Kansas City made that chip even bigger and allowed the whole Patriots team to feel the same doubt that Brady has felt all these years. The doubt that this team can't and won't accomplish the ultimate goal.

The Patriots have cemented themselves in an elite category. If we have learned anything, Bill Belichick and Tom Brady are the scariest QB/coaching combo the NFL has seen. We have seen time after time again, these two guys take unwanted players and win with them. We've seen them adjust throughout games and season like no other team. They have been relevant for the last 14 years. The Patriots are like that neighbor you hate but right when you think you got rid of them, they come over to your house and invite themselves in. We are witnessing history and it's time we appreciate what this organization has done.

Tom Brady will go down as the greatest QB ever and Bill Belichick will go down as the greatest coach ever.

Making A Case For the Pass

Is it possible to make a case for the pass play? Let me try. Uhh, well, hmm, maybe he was just try- no, uhh, was he surprising th- hmm, nope. I can't do it. I can not defend what will go down as the worst call in the history of the NFL (which let's be honest, it isn't the worst call but it was a terrible call on the biggest stage in sports). Why in the wide world of sports would you want to pass that football. 30 seconds left on the clock and 40 inches to go, and you have the NFL's most prolific goal line runner since Jerome Bettis on your team. Admittedly, some of the blame has to go to Russel Wilson, although I can't put too much on him. Let's look at this picture here.

 

Credit to Sheil Kapadia for the picture. As you can see, Seattle got the match up it was looking for. Butler makes a fantastic read on the play and out muscles Ricardo Lockette who is twenty pounds heavier than he is for the ball. If this pass gets completed people still are going to question the absurdity of the call. It is inexcusable, and as a Seahawks fan I feel like I'm owed an explanation as to why I can't be celebrating harder than I was last year. 

Another tragedy of this game is that Jeremy Kearse made the greatest catch the Superbowl has ever seen, and it will be forgotten in two years in favor of the play call. 

 

The only thing for us Seahawk fans to do is tip our cap to the greatest quarterback of all time and appreciate the greatest coach that ever was. This has to cement Bill Belichek and Tom Brady as the greatest at their respective crafts. Period. Unfortunately we had to be on the losing end of this one. 

NBA Mid Season Awards

The NFL season is over. It will be back, but not soon enough. Thankfully for us sports fans however, the NBA, NHL, MLB, PGA, NASCAR, ATP, PBA, and the MLL will all attempt to fill the void for us. I'm here to catch you up to speed on whats going on in my favorite of these leagues, the NBA. I'll be sure to use too many hyperbole's and rash predictions so you can come back and have a hearty chuckle at the end of the year.

Without further ado, I present to you my NBA Mid-Season Awards: 

MVP

An award that is up for debate, although not to the J.J. Watt Aaron Rodgers level we saw in the NFL, (which someone at the blog had a problem with) there are three candidates for the award that you might consider favorites. Steph Curry of the Warriors, James Harden of the Rockets, and Anthony Davis of the Hornets  Pelicans. I'm with team Harden on this one, although you will find plenty of supporters in all three camps. Lets compare the stat lines of three mystery players:

Player A:  27 PPG on 45/38/88% splits, 5.6 REB, 6.8 AST, 2.0 STL
Player B: 30.2 PPG on 49/31/77% splits, 5.0 REB, 7.5 AST, 2.2 STL
Player C: 35.0 PPG on 53/13/84% splits, 5.5 REB, 5.9 AST, 3.2 STL

Player one is James Harden this year, Player two is Dwyane Wade in 2009, and Player C is Jordan in 1988. I threw Jordan in there as a nod to his greatness, but compare James Harden to Wades 2009 campaign and they look surprisingly similar. We are seeing the best season out of a shooting guard in the NBA since that 2009 D-Wade campaign. On a somewhat related note, we may be seeing a renaissance of the shooting guard in the NBA. Jimmy Butler, Klay Thompson, and James Harden are all having career years this year. I believe in the MVP coming from a solid team, and while Anthony Davis is having an absolutely preposterously gargatously Stephen-A-SmithsVocabulary like season, the Pelicans aren't that good. Steph Curry has his own case, but I believe that the beard should get the nod on this award. He's putting up NBA2K numbers and being incredibly efficient, doing it at 60% true shooting.

Most Improved Player

Maybe the most obvious award to give out this year (sorry Golden State fans). Jimmy Butler's jump in stats has been outstanding this year. 7 more points a game, one more assist, one more rebound, while going from 40/28/77 to 46/33/83. Maybe you could make an argument for Draymond Green, Anthony Davis, Hassan Whiteside, even Rudy Gorbert. But none of those guys are doing what Jimmy Butler is doing. If Derrick Rose gets it through his head he isn't in 2011 anymore and starts to let others get in on the action (Derrick Rose recently took 30 shots in a game while Jimmy Butler put up a career high 19 shots in the same game, and Rose only scored 2 more points), Jimmy's numbers could possibly go up. Again, a renaissance at the shooting guard position? 

Most Surprising Team

The Hawks 

Do I actually have to write more about it? Fine. After projection by most to be a middling team in the east this year, The hawks are currently on a nineteen game win streak and don't really show signs of stopping. An absurd fact from the streak, the Hawks didn't trail in the fourth quarter during the first eighteen games of their win streak. Eqsquise me? Baking Soda? That is just awesome. Almost four all stars on the roster, not a single player averaging over twenty points a game, Kyle Korver chasing the 60/50/90 club, the list goes on. This team is blowing past everyone's expectations, and I'm all aboard the Hawks Bandwagon. 

Honorable mention to the Bucks, somehow hovering around .500 this year after losing Jabari Parker. 

Rookie of The Year

Take a look at this infographic made by Reddit user sidekicknicholas. 

He is coming into his own. Just yesterday he put up 32 points on one Lebron James. Crazy. As a Wolves fan it is hard not to be very excited for him. Plus, every other rookie is underwhelming us this year, so this is another obvious choice. 

Less Fun to Talk About Therefore I Won't Awards

Coach of the Year - Mike Budenholzer of the Atlanta Hawks

6th Man of the Year - Isiah Thomas of the Phoenix Suns

Best White Shooter - Kyle Korver

Least Talked About Future Hall of Famer Who Is Still Putting Up All Star Numbers - Chris Paul

Defensive Player of the Year - Tim Duncan (father time forgot about this man) 

Most Puzzling Team - Oklahoma City Thunder

Worst Coach - Scott Brooks of the Oklahoma City Thunder (coincidence?)

My Favorite Player Who Everyone Else Hates - Kendrick Perkins 

MVOP of the Year

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

2014 WOSC MVP 

1) JJ Watt 

2) Demarco Murray

3) Andrew Luck 

4) Aaron Rodgers

5) Tom Brady 

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

Facts and info from

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

NFL.com 

Freedictionary.com
http://cdn.fansided.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/229/files/2013/08/7355616.jpg
http://s1.ibtimes.com/sites/www.ibtimes.com/files/styles/v2_article_large/public/2014/05/14/aaron-rodgers.jpg?itok=5AjI5Epl

What Really Matters on Super Sunday

Pic source

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

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

Rules for the Host

1. Food

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

2. People

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

3. Entertainment 

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

Rules for the Guest

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Shut Up and Listen

Beast Mode Pic

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

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

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

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

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

Media: How are you going to stop Gronkowski? 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

   

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

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

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

    

Watt More Could You Want?

JJ Watt Picture source

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Dark Knight

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Winter Classic: Law of Supply and Demand

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Big Ten is Emerging

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

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

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

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

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

The Great Deflate

Photo: Mario Party 4 with Bill Belichick and Tom Brady

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Empire Strikes Back

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

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

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

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

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

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

Prediction: Seattle 28 - New England 24 

Hopefully I'm wrong. GO PATRIOTS!